by Rutger Krenn
Moments before he put his plan into action a voice came from beneath the shadows of a group of pines on the edge of the little clearing.
“Well,” it said, “the least you could do is offer me something to eat. It seems as though your manners haven’t improved at all.”
Talon knew that voice. A moment later he watched in astonishment as Arell stepped into the light and faced him. Her hair was pulled back and she was dressed as a man would for travel. A long thin sword hung at her side and she seemed accustomed to it. In her left hand she held an unstrung bow and strapped across her back was a quiver of black fletched arrows. Her boots were of soft doeskin and reached to her calves where the end of her trousers were tucked in.
She smiled, as though everything were perfectly normal, as if her presence were expected. But she was not meant to be there at all and Talon was shocked.
Chapter 5
“Fire and flood!” said Talon.
It wasn’t eloquent, but it was the best he could do under the circumstances.
Arell took full advantage of his surprise. She carried herself as though what she was doing was perfectly normal and reasonable.
“You need help, Talon. The responsibility for all of Aren Daleth is on your shoulders. It’s too much for one person. You need help, and I’m going to give it.”
“I told the Duke I didn’t want any help. I can travel more safely by myself!”
“So you say,” sniffed Arell. “But what if you get hurt? What if you fell from your horse and broke a leg? If something like that happened your task would never be completed. We can’t allow that to happen because everything depends on its success. It’s our only hope. Anyway, it’s too late to do anything about it. I think the Goblins will have surrounded Thromdar by now. There’s no way back, so I must go forward with you.”
Talon was worried. There was no chance the Duke would have sent his daughter out to find and help him. She had come on her own, secretly, and this talk of “we” was a fabrication.
“The Duke doesn’t know you’ve done this, does he?”
“Well,” said Arell, “perhaps he didn’t when I started out, but by now someone will have discovered the letter I left. I’m sure after he thinks a little bit about it he’ll agree with my decision.”
“I doubt it very much,” said Talon.
“It doesn’t matter anyway!” she said irritably, as though she were now bored of the subject. “It’s done now and can’t be undone. Don’t be so childish about it. Accept what you can’t change and let’s get on with things.”
Talon muttered some words under his breath. They were not the sorts that were spoken in front of a lady but he didn’t care even if she accidentally caught their drift.
“I should send you back regardless of the Goblins,” he said more loudly. “Danger would teach you to be more careful. This isn’t some sort of game.”
Arell glared at him coolly. “I am the Lady Arell. You cannot send me anywhere. I will go where I choose and that is the end of the matter. I will be accompanying you, so you had better get used to it.”
Talon couldn’t believe it. Was she crazy? It was almost certain death for her to come with him. What could have possibly made her do it?
He thought back to the brief conversation he’d had with Cadrafer when arranging supplies. He’d asked about her and learned that she was Kenrik’s only child and that her mother had died a few years ago. Kenrik had trained her as he would a son. She had been taught all that he knew about fighting, strategy and leadership. She had proven a good student but had never been entrusted with a leadership role as her father was very protective.
Talon wondered if that were enough to explain her presence. Did she need to prove herself, to fulfil the role of Kenrik’s son?
He wasn’t happy at all and yet he admitted to himself, even if he would not do so to her, that she had a point. The army would not receive word in time if something happened to him. It need not be Goblins or even the Chung. It could be a simple accident as she suggested. Also, he was becoming tired of travelling alone. For all her arrogant ways at least she would be someone to talk to.
“There’s something else as well,” Arell said, for the first time speaking with a slight waver in her tone. “Apart from everything else, if Thromdar falls I wouldn’t survive. At least this way, I have a chance of living. If we succeed, just maybe we have a chance of saving my father and my home as well. I think, when he calms down, he’ll be glad that I’ve done this.”
Arell turned away and disappeared into the woods to retrieve her horse. For good or ill Talon accepted that she was undertaking the journey with him. It was more for him to worry about, and yet he knew that her last comment was right. Her temporary safety was a relief to him. Thromdar and the kingdom of the Northmen were about to fall. She, as well as her people, were relying on him. It was not a responsibility he took lightly.
She returned shortly with a fine bay mare and Talon, unsaddling his own horse, watched as they began grazing. It was a peaceful little glade amid the woods. They had plenty of cover but that also meant they had little view of the land about them. Arell was probably right however. The Goblin forces would now be gathering for an assault on Thromdar.
Talon carefully rebuilt the fire, as small and inconspicuous as the original, and they settled down around it. He cooked Arell breakfast, as she hadn’t yet eaten, and he tried hard to prepare things well. He knew he wasn’t anything special as a cook but no one had ever complained before. Then again, he had never cooked for a lady before, and who knew what comments she would make? Much to his surprise however she ate the meal without any complaint and genuinely seemed to enjoy it.
The sun crossed the cloudless blue sky and they took it in turns to doze while the other kept a lookout. There was no sign of danger. Even so, as dusk eventually crept across the valley a sense of unease came over both of them. It was not something they could pinpoint, but it was there nevertheless. It was, perhaps, just the approach of night, which often made people in the wild nervous. Or was it was some primitive instinct warning them, as it had warned long generations of ancestors back into the dark well of time? Take care. Be wary. There is danger at every step.
It was a voice that Talon could not quieten. There was a chill creeping over his body and he knew that he would not sleep easily for some time. Not unless he were killed and delivered into the eternal slumber of the grave.
They saddled their horses and removed as many traces as possible of their camp. It was nearly dark and they wished to begin their journey as swiftly as possible.
They intended to leave as little record of their passing as they could. The campsite was now undetectable, at least to a casual inspection, though Talon knew their efforts wouldn’t deceive the Chung for very long should they be on his trail. Mostly, it was designed to hide their presence from Goblins. They could track as well, some better than others, but were not as skilled as the Chung.
He took the lead and moved out of the glade with Arell following on her bay. They had spoken very little during the day and it didn’t appear as though this would change any time soon. Maybe, he thought with some doubt, things would be different when they got to know each other better.
It didn’t help that the matter of his reward from the Duke hung over their heads. It hadn’t been mentioned so far and never would be if he could help it. Regardless of the unfathomable reason that had prompted him to suggest it he had no intention of invoking the right to propose to her. Of course, he thought uncomfortably, sooner or later she’d bring it up and would probably do so when he least expected it. He wasn’t looking forward to that conversation at all.
They moved ahead cautiously. Beneath the tall timber along the valley side it was very dark and they were careful to make no noise, passing from shadow to shadow almost imperceptibly. Arell, Talon noticed, was very quiet and he was pleased with her woodcraft and choice of mount. It seemed she had learned something of what Kenrik had to teach after all.
; He eased his horse to a halt. There had been a flicker of movement to his right but he wasn’t sure exactly what it was. Waiting longer, he saw it again and realized it was fire.
Arell paused behind him and he turned back with a finger to his lips to motion her to total silence. Her eyes were already seeking the direction of his initial gaze though and no warning was necessary. The bay stepped sideways, shifting her viewpoint, and he noted surprise on her face as she suddenly saw what he had through a gap in the trees.
The fire grew swiftly while they watched. It blazed up and shone brightly, a half-mile or so away as it seemed, but it was difficult to judge such things at night and it could have been much closer.
Neither of them spoke. She looked at Talon and nodded slightly and he knew that she understood his thoughts. No one would be out there but Goblins. They must be careful. Very careful indeed.
Talon was glad that he didn’t have to warn her. She appreciated the dangers as much as he did and that would hold her in good stead.
They took up the trail once more but didn’t proceed very far before Talon stopped again. This time a flame spluttered into life on their left. This was closer than the last, probably less than a bow shot away.
They paused briefly and Talon was just about to start once more when other fires sprang to life. The valley all about them, from higher on the ridge down to its flat bottom, was soon lit with a myriad of blazes. There were hundreds of them and a sickly chill crept into their hearts.
The valley was full of Goblins, as they had known it must be, but it seemed that they filled it all and were not concentrated just around Thromdar castle. Nowhere was safe. Danger was all about them and they could neither retreat nor go forward without running into it.
It was then that the drums began; the ward rums of the Goblins that neither Talon nor Arell had heard in many years. They filled the valley with a dull, hollow sound, like the slow clapping of death marking the procession of all life toward its bitter and inevitable end.
Talon backed his horse up until he was level with Arell. Her face was pale in the faint light and he peered closely, catching the gleam of fear in her eye. Fear that could paralyze someone and make them panic if it were not controlled. Yet Arell was controlling it. She was frightened but was mastering her dread. She was ready for whatever Talon asked her to do.
He smiled. It was only the faintest shifting of his lips but it was a smile nonetheless. She was earning a little respect.
“They’re all around us,” he whispered. “We must travel as cautiously as we can tonight, for our lives depend on stealth, but we must also travel far. We cannot risk being caught in the valley when daylight comes. The Goblins will spread even further out and any hiding place would almost certainly be discovered in daylight. We must be away from this valley by dawn, but it will not be easy.”
“I’m ready,” breathed Arell quietly, and Talon thought she meant it.
“But why are there so many here and not at the castle?”
It was a question that Talon had been considering himself.
“I’m not sure. The main army certainly surrounds Thromdar by now. All these must just be scouts. They’ve been sent to ensure that all your father’s men are trapped inside the castle. They would also want to guard against a surprise attack mounted against them from outside of Thromdar. We know that’s not going to happen, not unless we get to the army in time, but do they?”
“That makes sense, I suppose,” agreed Arell doubtfully.
“There could be more to it,” said Talon, concurring with her unspoken thought that there was something else going on as well. “Scouts would have no need of so many fires. In fact, they would use none at all. Thromdar is surrounded but perhaps they wish the defenders to believe the Goblin army is even larger still? That would help to erode their morale.”
“I don’t think my father will be so easily deceived,” said Arell.
“No, not your father. He wouldn’t fall for such a trap, but the possibility will weigh down on him. It will oppress his men even more. They can’t know for sure how many Goblins are in those armies and when people don’t know something they usually imagine the worst. There’s more to warfare than swordplay alone. I haven’t heard of Goblins using these sort of tactics before though. They must be getting help from someone. Someone with intelligence and experience and who is using their knowledge to plot the downfall of Aren Daleth.”
They both had an idea of what this meant. One of the servants of Eruthram was present. It was a realization that turned the chill already around their hearts into a hand of ice. A hand that would squeeze relentlessly until they reached the king and the army.
The war drums of the Goblins grew louder. Boom. Boom. Boom. They throbbed incessantly and were answered by drums close at hand and others far away.
Arell tilted her head and listened. “There is meaning in those sounds, or so my father has said.”
“I have heard rumor of that too,” said Talon. “The drums carry secret messages. I fear that tonight they send only ill tidings to your father. Ill tidings for him and the promise of destruction for Aren Daleth. But it remains to be seen if they speak truth.”
Talon was filled with determination. There was a will behind his words, though Arell had no way of measuring it, and he saw a questioning look in her eyes. He must seem to her like a dark well or an unknown road. She could not know the bottom or how far it led. She now knew, that by some strange quirk of fate, responsibility for saving her people rested with him. She knew he was risking his life to do so, yet would she understand why? He had no ties or responsibilities that she knew of. Talon nudged his horse forward and the bay followed. He felt her eyes study his back as he rode ahead but he had no answers to give her at the moment. The war drums continued to pound through the night. The new moon rose, a sickle shaped sliver and clouds scudded slowly across the dark sky, casting long, groping shadows on the ground.
The air grew cold and Talon envied fires such as the Goblins had but there was no comfort to be had for him or Arell that night. There was only danger and a continuous pursuit of some ghostly trail in and out of the trees and up and down slopes. Always they avoided the fires and were careful to travel with utmost silence.
Were there other Goblins out there as well? Goblins who did not sleep or sit by a fire, but who stealthily hunted the shadowy night. It was not a good thought.
Arell followed. She and her horse moved with a minimum of noise and she was vigilant to stay close, and yet not so close as to interfere should he need room to meet an attack.
Arell was more than a duke’s daughter, he thought. She was travelling as proficiently as any scout her father could have provided. Her bow was now strung and ready for use. He had seen her check the fletching on her arrows and ensure they were well placed in her quiver and able to be pulled swiftly. She had prepared her equipment, and more importantly her mind, for what might come.
Danger had now brought them together. There could be no place for arguments or anything of the sort. He noticed that she no longer gave him those long, cool looks that made him angry. There was no room for that sort of thing at the moment but what would she do if they got out of the valley and left the Goblins behind? Would she revert to her old ways?
He was drawn out of these thoughts by the sorrel. The horse had come to a standstill, his flesh quivering and his ears pricked high. Talon could sense, more than hear, that Arell was behind him. They both remained still as stone, watching with foreboding, neither knowing what they waited for.
The cause soon became apparent. There was movement nearby. Only some thirty paces down the slope to their right figures were walking almost silently along a trail. The light was dim and they were barely visible yet they were still recognizable as Goblins.
Talon counted as they passed; five, ten, fifteen. The old scars on his arms seemed to itch and his hand gripped his sword hilt. There were too many for him to defeat, and yet in another time and place he might have trusted to his
luck and attacked them anyway. He could have fallen on them from above, then swift as a bird taking flight, fled from the enemies who remained. How he wished to do that! But he had responsibilities to think of now. Not least of which was the girl behind him and he would not do anything that placed her in unnecessary danger.
The war drums went on. Boom. Boom. Boom, and they matched the beating of his heart. He looked at Arell. Her face was pale but she had positioned her horse so that she faced the trail below. Her bow was held in her hand with an arrow set. She was ready for them if they came.
Arell saw him studying her and smiled. It was like a flash of light in the dark night and it lifted his spirits. But no doubt the moment would pass, just as this journey would come to an end, and then they would be right back where they started.
Talon turned and nudged his horse forward once more and Arell, her smile lingering, followed silently.
Several hours later at the end of a long and weary night the grey light of dawn at last filtered into the valley. The two travelers were near the end of their endurance. It had been an exhausting time. Several times scouting Goblins had come close once again, but missed them. It was now lonely and quiet except for the war drums that still beat, now from behind instead of all around.
Talon paused at the edge of a slope leading toward the mouth of the valley. Beyond the pass lay another valley. It would not be totally safe but it would probably be free of Goblins. On the other side lay rest and shelter, perhaps even a fire and a warm breakfast if they could find a suitable spot with dry timber that would burn without smoke.
He waited in the last stand of timber but he saw nothing and heard nothing. Was the pass guarded? It seemed not. Did the Goblins believe that no one could make it through their lines and the pass itself did not need guarding? Perhaps.
Talon’s eyes widened suddenly. “Fire and flood!” he said and cursed himself for his lack of care. It had been a draining night, and he was very tired, but that was no excuse for the mistake he’d made. Of course the pass would be guarded! He swore, drew his sword and watched as six Goblins rapidly emerged from some nearby trees and attacked. They had lain undetected in an ambush and if Arell were to die because of his carelessness he’d never forgive himself.