As the cart continued farther along about twenty yards, a handful of men came out from their hiding places in the trees, one of them grabbing the halter of the horse that was pulling the cart, causing it to stop.
The leader of the band of outlaws announced to the man in the cart, “We will not hurt you or your family. We just want your money.”
“We’ve just sold all our goods at the market. This money is all we have for at least a month,” the man in the cart replied.
“Please don’t take our money,” the woman in the cart begged. “We are poor village farmers and making our way is difficult enough. We have children to feed and animals to tend. Please.”
“Times are difficult for all. Your money!” the lead outlaw demanded.
Kaitra urged Sestru toward the ongoing confrontation and announced, “You men, leave these people be.”
Kidreyli followed, but let her take the lead.
“You stay out of this,” commanded the lead outlaw. “This matter doesn’t concern you.”
“I think it does,” replied Kaitra.
One of them frantically called out to his leader, “This one is Valtyr!”
“We have no business with you,” the leader said to Kidreyli.
She smiled at him and replied, “Not a problem. She doesn’t need my help.”
Kaitra set down the order, “Let these people be on their way if you wish to live another day!”
The lead outlaw responded with a laugh, “Listen girl, take your horse and go with your friend before you get hurt.”
Unbeknownst to Kaitra, one of the men had worked his way close behind her. He came up and pulled her off Sestru, landing her squarely on her back with a great thud, stunning her for just a second. She looked up to see a blade descending upon her. She moved quickly but it grazed her left arm. The pain was intense and she looked to see that she was bleeding. His blade was poised to strike at her again. She summoned her magics, forming a deep green energy pattern in her hand. She pushed it toward him with all her strength. It flung him up and over Sestru and across the road, where he landed in a patch of shrubs. He lay there for several moments, trying to reclaim the air that had been sucked from his lungs.
As the sorceress stood and straightened her clothes, Kidreyli called out, “Are you all right?”
That seriously determined look had taken over. She replied firmly, “I’m just fine.”
One of the outlaws fired an arrow at her which she easily deflected with her magics, as Cliona had recommended. She took up her bow and fired an arrow back, hitting him dead center in the chest. She followed up with another arrow that lodged in the thigh of one of the others. He screamed and hobbled back into the forest.
Realizing that the tide was turning, in desperation the lead outlaw picked up the child from the cart and held a knife against the boy’s throat as he backed away from her. His fear and anxiety played loudly through his wide open eyes. “You should have stayed out of this. Back away or I will kill this boy.”
Kaitra loaded another arrow and walked determinedly toward him. The parents in the cart were frantic.
“Please don’t harm my boy,” the man in the cart begged. “I’ll give you what you want.”
Kaitra pulled the arrow back and lined it up directly for the outlaw’s head as she continued walking toward him. In a monotone voice, she calmly recommended, “You need to run now.”
As the distance between them grew less, he panicked. He pushed the boy away and ran off along the path.
She looked down at the boy and asked, “Are you all right?”
“Yes, miss.”
She nodded and said, “Excuse me.” She let her adversary get about forty paces away before she let fly with the arrow. It hit him at the base of the back of his neck and he was dead before he hit the ground.
The outlaw that Kaitra had flung into the bushes had gotten his wits about him and had crawled out onto the road. Kidreyli, who had just dismounted, casually walked over and stuck her sword in his chest. He died face down on the ground.
She cleaned her blade on his shirt and said to his corpse. “Take this lesson to your next life, never mess with a powerful sorceress.”
Kaitra looked over at the last remaining outlaw, who was standing by a large tree, frozen in fear. The knife he held in his hand was shaking violently. She commanded, “You will deliver this message to others like you. Leave the people of this area be. If you don’t, we will be back and your life will be forfeit.”
He nodded his head erratically.
Kaitra held up her left fist and suddenly opened it wide. “Poof,” she said.
He got the message and ran away into the forest as fast as he could, tripping over branches and slipping on wet leaves all the way until he disappeared.
Kidreyli was laughing under her breath as she came up to Kaitra to see to her wound. “Are you all right?”
“Do you believe that bastard stabbed me?” Her voice was full of excitement and condescension.
“I’ve some herbs that we should put on this right away,” she said as Tyral walked up. She took the water flask and poured some over the wound to clean it out. She grabbed a small handful of an herbal mixture she carried in a pouch and placed it on the wound, wrapping it firmly with a small strip of cloth so that it would stay in place. She asked, “The spell you used to toss that man into the bushes, how does it work?”
Kaitra explained, “It’s simple, really. The energy pattern draws in the air from the other side of the target, creating a lower pressure. The motion of my hand redirects it against my opponent, flinging him away. It happens in a split second.”
“Clever.”
Kaitra winced as she pulled the cloth tight.
Kidreyli laughed a little and noted, “It just caught your skin, you poor baby.”
“Don’t spoil my moment. It’s my first battle wound and I want to revel in it for as long as possible.”
The family from the cart walked up to them and the father said, “Thank you so much for helping us. We could never repay you for saving our son, but if there is anything you need, you are certainly welcome to it.”
Kaitra replied. “We’re just happy we could help.”
“Do you frequently have problems around here with outlaws?” Kidreyli asked.
The woman from the cart answered, “These men showed up several months ago and have been creating havoc in this area ever since. Several local villagers have been hurt by them. We’re very fortunate no one has been killed. If they would have taken our money, I don’t know how we would have made it until our next market in a few weeks.”
The man from the cart concluded, “Again, thank you for your help. We must be on our way.”
The family started back to their cart when the woman turned back to them. “What are your names?”
“My name is Kaitra, and this is Kidreyli.”
The woman came back and gave each of them in turn a firm hug. “We owe you so much, Kaitra and Kidreyli. I will tell the people of our village of your bravery.”
The woman walked back to their cart and they slowly drove away.
Kidreyli was placing the supplies back on Tyral as Kaitra stood silent, taking in the images of her success. The warrior went over and put her hand on her lover’s shoulder as the cart went out of sight.
“That was spectacular. Well done,” complimented Kidreyli. “I must admit I was a little worried when he took you off your horse, but you handled the situation with courage and determination. I’m really proud of you.”
“Thank you.”
Kidreyli turned to walk away.
Kaitra spoke up, “I really mean thank you, for making me see a part of myself that I may never have seen without you. The prissy little girl from the palace would have never been able to do such things.”
“You’re welcome. But may I say, you’re not so prissy as you want to believe. You are a deep powerful spirit that just needed a little room to grow.”
“And apparently we’r
e now famous,” Kaitra flashed a proud smile over the woman’s intent to tell others about them.
Kidreyli laughed and said with humor intended, “Yes, the legend of Kaitra and Kidreyli has begun.”
They both laughed as the fell together in a hug. Kaitra winced from the pain and Kidreyli had to adjust her arm to avoid the wound.
“Come,” Kidreyli said, “let’s go find a tavern and toast our success.”
As Kaitra sat in her saddle, she asked, “What do you mean ‘our success’? I was the one who did all the work.” With that, she pressed Sestru into a loping gallop.
Kidreyli laughed to herself as she watched her friend ride away, and then she suggested to Tyral, “Let’s go, my friend.”
t was approaching nightfall when they reached the small village of Jasdi. It was a tiny place on a road to somewhere better. Kidreyli negotiated for the use of a loft in an old barn as the night’s accommodations. Perfect for the horse and the Katrion, as it provided plenty of food and companionship. Perfect for the girls, as it was comfortable and private, save for Tyral, whose mind always seemed to be lurking. In exchange for a couple pieces of silver, they would get food, drink and a place to sleep…a pretty good deal in these times. They removed the saddles and supplies from the horses. Kaitra handed them up to Kidreyli who stored them in the loft.
The warrior took a few steps down the wooden ladder and jumped over the rest to the ground. “I’m really hungry, you?”
Kaitra nodded in agreement.
They walked the short distance over to the local tavern and sat across from each other at a small wooden table in the corner away from the other patrons. It was a very rustic place, darkly lit with lanterns and candles, and with only a handful of customers, most of them taking only to drink.
A pudgy, middle-aged woman wearing a rather drab dress approached them. “What would you like?”
Kidreyli responded, “Can we get a plate of meat and vegetables to share, please? Oh, some bread too.”
“Oy!” Kaitra exclaimed. “I just got a splinter from the table,” she said, examining her finger.
“There’s no charge for that,” the waitress said matter-of-factly.
Kidreyli laughed to herself.
The waitress continued, “Anything to drink?”
“A pint of ale for both of us,” Kaitra replied as she sucked on her new wound.
The woman showed no emotion as she turned and went away to fetch the requested nourishment.
“I like her,” Kidreyli said. “A touch of local color.”
Kaitra placed her fingers gently on her bandaged wound and winced a bit.
“Don’t mess with that,” Kidreyli said. “You want it to heal, don’t you?”
“Will it leave a scar?”
“Yes.”
With great pride, Kaitra smiled, “My first battle scar.”
Kidreyli laughed at her and said, “I don’t understand why you’re so happy about that. The whole idea is to avoid injury.”
“How is it that you knew the proper herbs to treat my wound?”
“If you’re going to be a warrior, you better become a healer as well. The person you treat most often is yourself.”
“Makes sense. Something else you will need to teach me.”
The woman brought over the food and drink. Kidreyli was into the food immediately with great fervor. Kaitra smiled at her manner.
The woman paused for a moment watching the Valtyr voraciously inhale a mouthful of meat and then commented sarcastically, “If you need more food, let me know. My husband saw a herd of deer earlier. I’m sure he could kill a few of them for you if needed.”
Kaitra laughed under her breath, “This will do, thank you.”
“Huh,” the woman grunted as she sauntered away.
Kaitra was suddenly inquisitive as she tore a piece of bread from a loaf, “Tell me, do the Valtyr have a deity?”
Kidreyli spoke through the food she was chewing, “Not as you understand the term. We have an underlying belief that influences everything we do in our lives. We see ourselves as a part of a larger surround which resulted from the order than brought about all life. We call it Kama, which, loosely translated means ‘spirit of order’. It’s a complex concept. We acknowledge and respect Kama, but we do not worship it like some do their Gods and Goddesses.”
Kaitra took a large gulp of ale and picked up the rest of the loaf and asked, “What do you think of Eirran and Cliona’s relationship?”
“They seem perfectly matched.”
“It just seems that Cliona holds sway in their bond.”
Kidreyli smiled at her naiveté, “The Clannya is a balanced culture. They hold equal influence overall. The men and women each have their own talents and abilities and sometimes there is overlap. But generally, the men take care of the village’s needs in the physical realm while the women fill the village’s needs in the spiritual realms. Cliona is one of the primary elders in the village, and what you felt was the influence she carries within their community.”
“Earlier when you mentioned that we could go back to Alondra, it got me thinking. When this is over, where do you see yourself?”
“I don’t know. I haven’t really looked that far forward.”
Kaitra pressed, “Please, indulge me. If you could fulfill your deepest desires, what would your life look like?”
Kidreyli thought for a few moments while chomping on a bit of bread. She gulped down a mouthful of ale and asked, “You want the honest truth?”
“Yes, absolutely, whatever that is,” she responded with eagerness.
“All right. I see myself in a safe and peaceful place, where I have no need to put up this warrior facade. The place I see is inhabited by good, meaningful friends who could help me to influence my two little girls in fulfilling their own destinies. And…I see you, with me through it all.”
“Sounds a lot like Alondra.”
“Maybe. A lot of things are standing in the way of that. I’m not sure I’ll ever get to it in this life.” Kidreyli was uncomfortable discussing this subject with anyone, probably because her true feelings would certainly have been scorned by her people, and if they became known, might result in banishment from her birthright. The pain felt in letting go of the only life you have ever known is unimaginable. The pain and suffering endured by pretending to be something you are not can shred your being into oblivion. Walking the line between the two, which was the option she chose at least for now, can tear your spirit in half. She took a large gulp of ale and said somewhat sullenly, “If you’re done eating, we should go.”
Kaitra understood the hint. She swallowed one last mouthful of her ale, grabbed what was left of the bread and followed her friend silently back to the barn. They crawled up the wooden stairs to the loft. Kidreyli laid out the bedroll on a deep, flat clump of loose hay while Kaitra pretended to tend to the supplies on her saddle.
Kaitra asked, “What is the bonding ritual in your culture?”
The Valtyr replied flippantly without thinking, “Nothing like all that pomp and silliness in yours. Why?”
“I just want to know.”
Kidreyli relented. “It’s a very personal act for those entering into the bond. Essentially, it’s a bit of ritual magic designed to bind together the lives and spirits of the participants. There is a little bloodletting involved. We are taught the ritual at a very early age.”
Kaitra continued to fiddle with the items on her saddle as she pondered through a short silence, and then she asked, “How much blood?”
Kidreyli laughed a little, “Just three little holes in the arm.”
“I want you to do it,” Kaitra commanded.
Kidreyli was stunned, “What?”
“I want you to do it.”
“Do you think now is a good time?”
Kaitra stated firmly, “I think now is the best time. With all that lies in front of us, the opportunity may never present itself again. We belong together. We have both known this from the mo
ment you took me from that temple. You are a part of me now. Your smells, your touch, your laugh, I can’t ever see myself without them again. We should formalize our bond, and since my ways are ‘silly’, as you put it, we should do this using your ways.”
Kidreyli tried to walk her words back, “I misspoke when I said that the human bonding ritual was silly. It was rude and disrespectful, and I apologize. If we are to be joined, we should use your traditions.”
“In our ways, the marriage is a stated commitment between two people to love and respect each other. But when you speak of your ways, you describe a far deeper and meaningful bonding. Am I right?”
“Yes,” Kidreyli answered reluctantly.
“Then I see your traditions as our best option, and that is what I want,” Kaitra demanded.
Kidreyli stood motionless through a protracted silence. Tyral didn’t even interrupt. “The Valtyr bonding ritual is a very powerful act of magic,” she explained. “I have heard that its effects on outsiders can be very dangerous and in some cases deadly.”
“I don’t care.”
“Oh, Kaitra, maybe you don’t care, but see this from my perspective. What if something happens and I lose you? How could I live with myself? My heart would be lost without you. Is it so necessary to endanger the powerful, loving relationship that we already have?”
“I believe that it is. Maybe it was just the way I was raised, but it’s important to me.”
Kidreyli leaned against the wall of the barn with her hand, staring silently at the floor of the loft. The conflict within was under challenge and an immediate resolution was imperative. The choice was to remain a part of her people, or to relinquish those ties to be with the one she had come to love so deeply. No matter what path she chose, something of her being would die in this place and in this time. She said, “What you are asking…the consequences….”
Kaitra’s tone softened, “My love, every day we continue on this journey, we place our lives at risk. Either or both of us could die at any time. That life you describe, with our two little girls, I want that too, and more than anything, I want to be with you for all time. I am most willing to risk everything for this.”
Into the Fray: Volume 1 of The Sorcerers of Jhanvia Series Page 12