“I, uh, already ate,” he managed to say.
“That's okay,” she said. “I'm not really hungry either.”
Then she was standing on her tiptoes, her face only inches from his own. Zollin smelled apples and cinnamon on her breath. Then she kissed him. Her lips were soft and warm on his, and he felt his whole body trembling and the magic inside of him tingling.
When he pulled away, she was smiling. There was a look of satisfaction on her face, almost like triumph. He felt a flicker of warning, like things were not all they seemed to be, but he pushed the thought aside. He was about to lean down to kiss her again when Brianna's face appeared in his mind. He suddenly felt guilty.
“I have to go,” he said. He didn't wait for a reply but pulled his hand free from hers. He practically ran through the maze of laundry and storage rooms until he found the rear door. He burst out into the snow-filled yard, the cold night air stinging his exposed skin. He wasn't dressed for the weather and knew that he couldn't stay out long, but he needed to get free of the Inn and all the confusing people inside. He moved along the shoveled path toward the stable when he heard voices.
“It's not finished yet,” said one voice that Zollin immediately recognized as Mansel.
“I can't wait,” said Brianna.
Zollin could see them now, walking slowly toward the front of the Inn. They were close together, but both had their hands shoved into deep pockets. Zollin couldn't tell if they were standing close because they wanted to, or if it was just because the trail through the waist-deep snow was narrow.
“It’s not much, really,” Mansel was saying. “It should be done in a few more days.”
“I can't imagine what it could be.”
“Well, you'll just have to wait to find out,” Mansel said.
Zollin thought the older boy sounded goofy. Brianna didn't seem to notice. She was leaning toward Mansel now.
“It's so cold,” she said.
“Would you like to go in?” Mansel offered.
“No,” Brianna said rather suddenly. “I just want to enjoy the moonlight a little longer. It's so beautiful reflecting off the snow. Do you mind?”
“No, of course not,” Mansel said.
They stood quietly for a minute, and Zollin knew what she was doing. She was just like the girls in the common room, just like Ellie. She was letting Mansel know that she liked him, and an icy shard of disappointment lanced through Zollin's heart. His eyes watered as he watched them.
“Do you miss Tranaugh Shire?” she asked.
“No,” Mansel replied. “I was only ever happy there when I was working with Quinn.”
“Do you miss your parents?”
“Well, I guess I should, but they were always so busy. I rarely saw them. I had chores in the mornings and evenings too. I saw them at breakfast and sometimes at supper time, but usually we ate when we could and fell asleep exhausted every night. So, no, I don't really miss them. Do you?”
“I miss my father,” she said. “He always saw things the way they were. You know, without the emotional clutter of your feelings mixing things up in your mind. I could always talk to him and feel better afterward. My mother, on the other hand, I don't miss at all. She's a good person I suppose, but I outgrew her. It's strange to realize your parents aren't perfect.”
Mansel nodded but didn't say anything. Zollin was shivering but didn't even think of moving away. He was too engrossed in their conversation.
“I miss my sisters some,” Brianna continued, “but I doubt they miss me, except for the chores I would have done had I been there. I miss the house that you all built – it was so quaint. I wonder who is living there now.”
“Yeah, that's a wild thought, huh? I wonder which one of my brothers took my stuff the moment they realized I was gone.”
“Do you think you'll ever go back?” she asked.
“Maybe,” he said, slowly putting his arm around her.
At first she seemed surprised, but then she didn't move away from him. Zollin bit his lip to hold in the wail of pain at seeing them together. Part of him was outraged for Todrek. How could Mansel care so little for the vows Brianna had made? She had hardly grieved, and now here was the overgrown apprentice selfishly moving in to steal her affections. But another part, a lonely part that was buried deep inside of him, a part of himself that until now had been reserved solely for his mother, now longed also for the pretty Tailor's daughter. He did not consider the possibility that Brianna didn't like Mansel. He was strong and tall, his smile contagious, his easygoing manner pleasant to be around. He was everything Zollin was not. The young Wizard was thin and his movements awkward, he stumbled over his words and was constantly second guessing every decision he made. Now, he felt truly alone.
“I think I'm ready to go in now,” Brianna said.
They turned and walked away, and Zollin stumbled into the barn. It was warmer inside the little shelter. The floor was dry and the body heat of the animals kept the space above freezing. Zollin dropped into a pile of hay and shivered. He needed to go back inside the Inn, but all the excitement of his first kiss with Ellie had evaporated and he was left with bitter despair over Brianna. He told himself again that he could never have loved her, as it was an affront to his best friend's memory. But the excuse was too thin to be of any comfort. He had wanted Brianna's affection, he had secretly hoped that she would love him, but now that thought was like bile in this throat.
He tried to tell himself he was better off. He was a Wizard after all, and being pursued by other Wizards. That was no life for a man in love. His father's words floated into his mind. He thought back to the Harvest Festival, when Todrek had won Brianna's hand in marriage. Zollin had asked his father why he had left home and joined the King's Army. It was over a girl, his father had told him. And so perhaps it was time he left too. He had planned to leave anyway, planned to leave his father in Tranaugh Shire. Now he could leave, and his father could make a home here in Brighton's Gate. Brianna could marry Mansel, but he didn't have to stick around and watch.
The miners would come and he would need to help his father defeat them, but after that, once the winter snows were thawing and he had learned enough from Kelvich, he would leave. Perhaps the Wizards pursing him would leave his father and friends alone. It was no more dangerous for them than traveling with him. He made up his mind and then quietly made his way back to the Inn. He moved like a shadow through the winding set of rooms in the back, then moved swiftly down the hallway to his room. He would spend as much time as he could in the hermit's cottage from here on out, he thought to himself. Then he dropped onto his bed, wrapped the blankets around his shivering body, and fell asleep.
Chapter 27
The next three weeks passed in a blur of work and routine. Zollin spent most of his time at the little cottage at the edge of the woods. He studied and practiced, exercised and meditated. He occasionally returned to the Inn and met with his father. A plan of defense was devised for the town and the morale of the townsfolk improved. Many of the women had taken up archery and spent time every day on the practice range. Mansel had crafted for Brianna a beautiful bow with a snake-like curve. Although the bow was small and the draw weight relatively light, it shot with amazing power and accuracy.
Zollin often saw the two of them together, but did his best to avoid them both. Mansel didn't seem to notice, but Brianna often watched him when he came into town, her face set into a mask that revealed nothing of how she felt. Zollin didn't know whether she cared for him or hated him. And although he tried not to let it bother him, the loss of her friendship was like an open wound that refused to heal. He could bind the fabric of his body, transform objects into almost anything he desired, but he could not mend the constant ache that he felt for her.
Ellie continued to work for Zollin's affection, but he had lost all interest in the Inn Keeper's daughter. He was polite and often ate his meals in the storeroom with her, but he never kissed her again, always keeping her at arm's length.
Quinn and Mansel trained the men with swords each day, drilling over and over in the empty common room of the Gateway Inn. Mansel was showing excellent skill with the blade, his strength and quickness making him a dangerous opponent. And although the he was still learning his trade, it was obvious that the sword was his true passion. He often stayed at the Gateway Inn practicing after a full day of work.
The snows came and went, but no more storms. The sun was making regular appearances in the dull, gray sky. The river that ran through the Great Valley continued to run under several feet of thick ice. The trails through the town remained mostly clear, and the people moved freely through the short winter days. The nights were spent around crackling fires with mugs of mulled wine that warmed them from the inside out.
Scouts had been posted at several outposts beyond the river to watch for the miners. Everyone knew it was only a matter of time before the rough men led by Trollic would arrive. Zollin happened to be at the Inn when a scout came running into town. It was quickly growing dark outside, but the man charged into the Inn calling for Quinn and the city Elders.
“What's happened?” asked Buck.
“I've seen the miners,” said the man, his clothes wet with snow. He was shaking, but Zollin couldn't tell if it was from fear or from the cold.
“I'll get Quinn,” Zollin said.
“I'll see about the Elders,” said Ellie, who had been showing Zollin a gown she was sewing.
She was industrious, much like her mother. And although their relationship had settled into a solid friendship, Zollin was constantly aware of the deep feelings the girl had for him. She kept them hidden just beneath the surface, but they were there. Zollin wasn't sure if he was being fair to her, but he didn't have the heart to tell her he would never feel the same way. Her parents were not pleased that their daughter was giving the Wizard so much of her attention, and Zollin was counting on their disapproval to help keep the girl from forcing his hand.
Zollin moved quickly to the Gateway Inn where his father and Mansel were busy rebuilding the storerooms. He found them and relayed the information the scout had given. Mansel and Zollin stayed to put away the tools and ensure that everything was squared away before they returned to the Valley Inn. When they arrived, they found the common room full of people waiting to hear the report from the scout and the city Elders. Zollin and Mansel found Quinn still speaking with the Elders. Soon Brianna joined them, but no one was talking. The consensus was that the miners would arrive by noon tomorrow, but scouts were posted to ensure that the miners didn't attack that night. Winter battles were rare, as were night raids, but they occasionally did happen, and the Elders were taking no chances.
Many of the townsfolk spent that night at the Inn, with weapons sharpened and ready. Brianna spent the evening inspecting her arrows, ensuring the shafts were true, the heads sharpened and the feathers securely glued.
Ellie was busy serving a full house, which made Zollin and her parents happy. She didn't have time to flirt with him and he could relax, as much as that was possible seeing Brianna and Mansel sitting close and talking in hushed tones. He knew his part in the defensive plan, so he sat back in the shadows and nursed a mug of mulled wine.
The night passed slowly, but uneventfully. After a hearty breakfast, Quinn, Zollin, Mansel, and Brianna made their way to the river. There was a large snow bank just outside of town that had been built up for the women who had been practicing archery. The river was about two hundred yards away and the trail through the waist-deep snow was only wide enough for one man to walk at a time. It was a bottleneck that would give the defenders a great advantage. If the miners broke through the defensive force at the river, they would be forced to come down the trail single file or struggle through the snow. Either way, they would be easy targets for the women on the snow banks.
Although Brianna had trained with the women, she followed Quinn and the others to the riverbank. The river had cut a channel through the valley until there was the height of a tall man from the surface of the water to the top of the bank. The river's frozen surface was covered with snow that was compacted at one place into a circle. The village side of the river had been cleared of snow so that a man with a sword had plenty of room to fight against an invader trying to make his way up the riverbank. Several yards back from the riverbank was a long line of compacted snow for more archers. This would allow the archers to shoot over the heads of the swordsmen without being exposed on the front line.
It was a good place to fight – the snow was working for the villagers. If it had been summer when the miners came, the city would have been much more exposed. They were inspecting everything again with the city Elders when a scout came running up the path toward the river bridge. The river bridge was a permanent structure, unlike the bridges further downriver which could be raised to allow trade boats to travel up and down the river. The Gateway Bridge was an ancient stone and wood structure that had been built ages before, when the mountain pass was first discovered and Brighton's Gate first settled. It was wide enough for two fully loaded wagons to pass side by side. All the snow had been cleared from the bridge and the wooden walkway was being soaked in lamp oil now. If the miners tried to cross the bridge in force, it would be set on fire.
The scout was breathing hard in the cold air, his breath puffing in little clouds around his head. He ran straight for the group of Elders.
“Are they coming?” said one of the Elders.
“The Skellmarians,” said the boy as he gasped for breath. “The biggest... raiding party... I've ever seen.”
“Skellmarians!” exclaimed another Elder. “We're not ready.”
“No,” said Quinn in a firm voice. “We are ready. The plan stays the same, only we'll need the miners to help us.”
“The miners?” said the first Elder, a tall man with gray hair and stooped shoulders.
“That's right,” said Quinn. “In fact, I'll bet they're fleeing from the Skellmarians and that's why they're headed here.”
“So what do we do?” asked Mansel.
“First we need someone to warn the town of what's happening,” said the stooped Elder.
“I can do that,” said Brianna, and she jogged back down the path toward the town.
“We'll need to burn the bridge,” said one of the other Elders, a short, fat man with a jolly face.
“We need to let the miners cross first,” said Quinn.
“What if the Skellmarians overtake them? We won't have time to destroy the bridge.”
“I will,” Zollin said. That didn't earn him any looks of admiration. Fear was running through the Elders at the thought of the barbaric Skellmarians. Their eyes darted about nervously and they looked as though a strong wind would knock them over.
“We can't take that chance,” said the stooped Elder.
“We won't leave the miners stranded on the other side of the river,” said Quinn.
“Why not? They would do it to us,” said one of the townsmen who had joined the group near the river bridge.
“Perhaps,” said Quinn. “But we are still men of honor. We will still be standing tall when all this is over. Don't you want to be able to look your wives in the eye, to tell your children the story without feeling the shame and guilt of innocent lives that were lost because of your fear?”
“You brought this on us,” said the stooped Elder. “Where do you get off calling us cowards?”
“I brought the Skellmarians from the mountains, did I?”
“You've done nothing but trouble us since you arrived,” the Elder snarled. “You and your demon spawn son.”
Zollin's anger erupted inside of him. The city Elder was saying his mother was a devil, and it took all his strength to control the power raging inside of him. He wanted to blast the man into a smoking heap of dust. Blue energy crackled up and down his staff, but Quinn stepped in front of his son.
“Calm yourself, Zollin,” Quinn said. “His insult comes from fear. He doesn't mean it.�
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“He is a coward!” Zollin said through clenched teeth.
“The Skellmarians have taken note of the miners,” Quinn said. “They feel that mining weakens the mountains, and since their religion ties them to the mountains, allowing the miners to burrow into their sacred hills weakens them. Once they found out the King's Army isn't guarding Brighton's Gate, they were tempted to take the city. If they control the pass, then they can raid into Yelsia, perhaps even destroy every settlement in the Great Valley. They'll be like rats in the storehouse – you'll never get rid of them. But seeing us ready and waiting for them here will make them pause, make them think we aren't the ripe plums waiting to be picked that they've observed these last few months.”
“You think they've been spying on us?” asked the fat Elder.
Five Kingdoms: Books 01, 02 & 03 Page 25