‘I do not mean the storm,’ Arianne clarified. ‘I just sense something evil near by. Trust my word. I do not make this claim lightly.’
‘I believe you Arianne,’ Celene replied honestly. ‘But what is to be done? We must cross that breach.’
She was right.
Whatever menace lurked in the mountains, they still had to proceed. There was no faster route through the Baffin. With that unhappy realisation before her, Arianne said no more and finished her meal so they could complete their departure.
By the time they mounted their horses, the storm was quickly becoming a blizzard with a wall of snow blowing past them as they rode towards the pass. The cold seemed to penetrate all their warm clothing, until Arianne could feel her teeth chattering as they approached the narrow pass of the Splinter. The closer they drew to it, the more Arianne was disturbed by what she was sensing. Something terrible loomed in the passageway, something that was going to harm them. She wanted to turn back but Celene was right, they needed to make the attempt.
Inside the small canyon that had been carved through years of erosion by water or some other force, Arianne swallowed thickly as they moved deeper and deeper into its confines. The comforting sight of dirt and soil disappeared for the thick cover of snow and the horses grew just as anxious as she. Celene lead the way, aware that this leg of their journey was worrying Arianne and she went ahead to show the queen that there was nothing to fear, though she did not exactly discount Arianne’s belief of danger.
Keira stayed in the rear, trying to remain in the saddle as she was being assailed by almost blinding snowfall, gale force winds and ignoring Arianne’s continuing portents of doom. Her face burned from the cold and her fingers felt frozen as she clung to the reins. The palfrey beneath her that was grunting his displeasure in snorts of cold air escaping his flared nostrils.
They were less than a quarter of the way through when suddenly Celene heard Arianne cry out behind her. Celene brought her mount to an immediate halt and looked over her shoulder. The elf’s features were contorted in fear and sent tendrils of alarm through the warrior maiden. ‘What is it?’
‘Something is here,’ Arianne said looking about her, trying to find something that could convince Celene as well as herself that they should leave here while they still could.
‘Where?’ Celene demanded, her hand reaching for her sword.
‘I don’t know,’ Arianne cried out in frustration. ‘But I can feel it!’
‘I can’t see anything,’ Keira declared, looking about the place, trying to see through and seeing nothing that gave shape to Arianne’s claim.
Celene scanned the canyon wall trying to find something that would give truth to Arianne’s premonitions. There was nothing at first, not until she looked closely and saw that the canyon floor was littered with rocks and boulders of varying sizes. This in itself was nothing out of the ordinary, since rock fall was to be expected when one was travelled through a mountain. However when she observed the rocks more closely, she saw that they were jagged and sharp, not at all smoothed from years of precipitation. The look of them made her dismount the horse, uncertain whether her need to investigate was inspired by Arianne’s warning or because she herself was starting to see something odd.
‘What have you found?’ Arianne asked, still gripped with this feeling of foreboding.
‘These rocks,’ Celene looked ahead and then behind her on the path they had taken to this very spot. ‘Why are they only here?’
‘Does it matter?’ Keira asked ‘Let’s just get clear.’
Keira looked up at the increased snow fall, the blanket of white so thick that even the rocks were beginning to disappear under their cover. If it fell any thicker across the ground, the horses were going to have trouble moving though it.
Arianne realised that Celene was right. Behind them the path was clear. The collection of stones that Celene viewed with such anxiety bore no unity with the terrain. They seemed out of place and were broken as if split apart by the axe. Staring up the length of the passage, she saw that the path was clear and these odd collection noticed by Celene seemed to be only in one specific place.
She shivered and it was not because the wind was heavy and blowing across her skin with icy force or the snow flakes that had covered the terrain after being dislodged from their perch above. Pulling her cloak closer to her body, Arianne lifted her eyes to the uneven top of the canyon wall above their heads and could only see the raging blizzard of snow and wind. Yet every sense that she possessed told her that this was not right, that the sudden emergence of this storm was by the design of something other than nature.
‘Celene, I think we should take another route.’
Celene stared at her sharply, ‘Arianne that will be a delay of some significance.’
‘I know,’ she replied anxiously, ‘but I do not make this request lightly. We should go now.’
‘She was right about the spiders,’ Keira reminded and truth be told, she had enough experience with elves by now to know that their warnings should not be taken lightly.
The fear Celene saw in Arianne’s eyes was real and though she did not wish to waste time by finding another way around the mountain, there was something about this whole situation that was cause for disquiet. However for now, she trusted her friend’s instincts. Moving away from the rocks, she stepped on something that crunched easily under her boot. The sound was loud and distinct even though the banshee’s wail of the wind.
Arianne and Keira heard it too and they looked at each other in confusion as to what it was when Celene dropped to her knees so that she could investigate. Beneath the print of her boot in the snow was something with an odd, curved shaped partially buried in the snow. Celene brushed it clean when suddenly she pulled back her hand as if she had been bitten.
It was skull, a dwarf skull.
Celene stumbled back in shock, slipping on the ice and landing heavily on her rear.
‘Celene!’ Arianne exclaimed swinging herself out of the saddle and hurrying over to Celene.
‘What is it?’
Celene would have answered except that when she looked at where she had landed, she noticed another pile of bones, also partially covered by the snow. She let out a short cry of shock as she scrambled away.
‘I think you are correct,’ Celene said in a hasty breath as she quickly got to her feet. ‘I think we should leave now.’
‘There are bones everywhere!’ Arianne gasped and saw what Celene was gaping at.
‘Bones? Whose bones?’ Keira demanded from atop her horse looking about her, trying to see if the thing that had left those remains behind was still present. Her horse was growing increasingly unsettled by the weather and its unease corresponded with Arianne and Celene’s mounts as well.
At first Arianne thought she was standing on gravel but that was not it all. The canyon was a veritable tomb. Suddenly, she remembered what had Syanne had said about travellers who had vanished trying to cross the mountains but she had been speaking of the Frozen Mountains not this pass. What new evil had taken root here?
‘There are too many too say who,’ Arianne declared, sighting bones that could belong to either a human or a dwarves.
‘I will never question you again,’ Celene retorted as both women hurried to their horses.
They rode out of the Splinter, not looking back and grateful they had come to their senses before it was too late. No one wanted to confront the creature capable of causing so many to die in that narrow expanse. They galloped hard through the snow filled path, paying little heed to the gale that was lashing at them or the unearthly howl that ripped through their ears when they departed. It could have been the wind but somehow Arianne was not so certain of that. As they reached the mouth of the passage and saw the land beyond the Baffin, each felt a surge of relief at having escape so narrowly.
Or so they thought.
Suddenly, something tore Arianne from the saddle of her horse.
She let out
a small cry of shock but it was eclipsed by Celene’s own shout of outrage as she encountered the same obstacle. There was little time to think as she saw the ground come up to swallow her. All she could do to protect her child was to curl her body into a ball and hope that would be enough to lessen the impact of her landing. She hit the ground hard and though she was certain that her positioning had saved the slumbering babe in her womb, she was helpless to prevent the black fog that descended upon her moments later where she knew nothing else.
*******
‘Lady,’ she heard Celene’s insistent voice prodding her into consciousness. ‘Lady!’
There was a moment of confusion when Arianne opened her eyes and felt the dirt scrapping against her cheek, when she wondered where she was. The voice calling her was familiar and only when her senses returned to her, did she realize that it was Celene.
Starlight flooded her eyes, the glare of awakening settling the blur before her into more familiar shapes. She saw night sky filtering through the canopy of trees above her and heard voices that upon meeting her recognition brought Arianne abruptly back to her senses. Arianne started to sit up but was hampered by the fact that her hands were tied.
Arianne did not know where they were but it was clear that they were deep within the woods. She had no sense of time and that frightened her even more, not knowing how long she had been unconscious. She could smell smoke close by and upon investigation, saw that it came from the fire of the camp they were in. Sitting above the flames was a cooking pot; its contents simmering with heat and a stench that turned her delicate stomach. There were at least a dozen of them moving about the campsite, some were guarding her and Celene, the rest were more interested in picking clean the contents of their saddle bags.
‘Are you hurt?’ She heard Celene whisper quietly.
‘No,’ Arianne shook her head as she gazed upon the Lady of Gislaine who was seated before her cross-legged, her arms bound behind her. A streak of blood ran down Celene’s face, the cause being the angry gash slashed across here forehead. ‘Are you?’
‘It looks worse than it is,’ Celene replied dismissively since they had larger concerns at the moment.
‘How long have I been unconscious?’ Arianne asked as she attempted to shake the disorientation out of her head.
‘A few hours,’ Celene answered, watching their jailers cautiously. Their lives hung on a knife’s edge at this moment and lest she found a way to free them both; neither would survive the night. ‘I feared that you were injured far worse than appeared.’
‘My strength is not what it used to be,’ Arianne explained breathless, her eyes following the proceedings in the campsite with as much caution as Celene. ‘Carrying a babe is tiring work but I am well enough.’
‘Good,’ Celene spoke quietly. ‘That is something at least. Keira is not here.’
‘What?’ Arianne hissed looking about them. ‘Where is she?’
‘I do not know,’ Celene answered keeping watch for their captors. ‘When I woke she was not with us.’
One of their captors, noticing that Arianne was awake started towards them, his feet crushing the dead leaves beneath him as he barked the foul speech of the Berserkers to his brothers. Arianne felt her blood run cold as she saw the foul creature advance upon her, his terrible eyes full of purpose. Keira’s absence filled them both with a sense of foreboding and her despair was compounded by the knowledge that there would be no help for either herself or Celene from this ordeal. The Berserkers fed on man flesh and what they did to women was too unspeakable to think of. The idea of what could befall them both made Arianne’s heart pound even louder.
‘They will ask your name, do not tell them.’ Celene instructed quickly before her words entered the hearing of the enemy.
The Berserkers paused before Arianne and hissed at her, its jagged teeth covered in filth borne like fangs. Arianne raised her chin in defiance of his attempt to scare her, refusing to allow this creature any more power over her then it already had. She wondered why they were not already dead. Berserkers did not waste time with hostages. These were undoubtedly a renegade band left over from war with Balfure.
‘You are fine ladies,’ he spoke made the hairs on the back of her neck stand on end at its sinister delivery. ‘Your men will pay a great deal to retrieve you’
The comment explained a great deal.
So this was what had become of Balfure’s proud Berserker Army? Forced to banditry and ransoming? Clearly they had identified Arianne and Celene as nobility and hoped to extort a ransom from their families. However by Celene’s warning, it appeared they did not know they had the Queen of Carleon in their power.
‘You can find that out yourself,’ Arianne returned sharply, aware that her life depended on her identity remaining secret.
The Berserker bellowed in rage at being refused and raised his hand to strike, when another of his party barked at him to stop. His hand paused in mid air and he snarled at her again in rage before turning away and returning to the horses. The two Berserkers standing close by watched them closely.
‘They’re preparing to move out,’ Celene explained.
‘What happened?’ She asked.
‘They ambushed us as we attempted to leave the passage. I believe the storm allowed them to emerge into the day briefly in order to captures us. They tied a rope across the mouth of the pass and we rode straight into it. When I awoke, we were here. I am uncertain but they may have kept us in their lair until the night came so that they may venture out in preparation to depart.’
‘And Keira? Do you think she might have escaped?’ Arianne asked hopefully. The other alternative was too terrible to imagine.
‘Possibly,’ Celene replied. ‘However we have been unconscious for some time so I cannot say for certain. They probably have a lair here which they are going to take us to and keep us so they can extract what they need for their ransom.’
Arianne’s stomach hollowed at the thought, aware that Berserkers were not skilled interrogators. Balfure left such cruel and precise work to his Disciples. She had no doubt that in getting their information she and Celene would be made to suffer.
‘Do you think they were responsible for the bodies we found?’ Arianne inquired, almost afraid to hear the answer.
‘Yes I think so,’ Celene replied quietly, mindful that nothing she said was being overheard. ‘I think they kill the travellers that are no use to them after robbing them blind and the ones who might have value such as us, they keep alive a little longer. Although I cannot imagine they would honour any ransom debt paid.’
‘Then we must escape,’ Arianne declared without hesitation. ‘Somehow, we must find a way.’
‘I agree but that is easier said then done,’ Celene retorted even though she was slowly attempting to free herself of the ropes tied behind her back. It was not hard to do because the fingers of Berserkers were far from nimble and their ability to tie ropes even less so. With time, she would not doubt be able to untangle the unruly cluster of knots that kept her bound. However, it remained to be seen whether or not they would have the time to spare. The Berserkers before them were sharing a meal, no doubt the precursor to beginning their journey to the their lair. Celene would prefer it if freedom came to herself and Arianne before that.
Or before the Berserkers became hungry and decided a full stomach was more inviting than a ransom.
*******
The watch guard observed the proceedings through the trees as one of the two women made a furtive attempt to free herself while under the watchful gaze of the Berserkers who had captured them. The warrior maiden was undoubtedly trying to loosen the ropes around her because the Watch guard could read the subtle movements of her body as she made the attempt.
Berserkers were blunt instruments. They were created by Balfure to act with brute force and there was a little subtlety in anything they did. They did not have the intelligence to interpret body language of men to know what was transpiring before them but then t
here was little reason to fear the warrior woman’s freedom from her bonds. Why should they? There were many of them and one of her. Even if she should free herself, she was unarmed and her companion was still tied. It would be an exercise in futility that would no doubt get one or both of them killed.
The guard considered deeply what was to be done. The Berserkers were preparing to leave with their captives, a happenstance that could not be good under any circumstances. There had been reports of travellers disappearing and the guard was sent here to learn why. The discovery of the women coincided with the answer to that riddle. This was not customary behaviour for Berserkers but since the fall of Balfure and Astaroth alike, the creatures served no master and were renegades hiding from the King’s forces. Like any creature faced with extinction, they were doing what they could to survive.
Whatever the reason for their unusual behaviour, the guard had little choice but to act.
The third member of their party who was knocked off her horse during the Berserker trick lay at the guard's campsite, recovering from her fall. She had taken a nasty bump to her head when she'd fallen and only luck had seen her fall into a ditch and covered with snow when the Berserkers came to collect her two companions. The woman, who appeared to one of the folk of the Green, had surprised the guard by her presence. The folk of the Green were not prone to wandering and certainly not in the company of two high born ladies. These were questions the guard would ask later. For now, there were more pressing concerns.
There were about a six Berserkers, not a great many but certainly enough to give one who was preparing a rescue pause for a moment. Stupid they might be but they were not to be taken lightly and while the warrior woman might be useful in the battle if it came to that, the other was still bound. No, the guard thought quickly, confronting the Berserkers was out of the question, the best that could be hoped for was the safe retrieval of both followed by an extremely hasty flight. Hopefully with all their skins intact.
Avalyne Series 01: The Queen of Carleon Page 14