The Turquoise Queen

by Pedro Urvi

  “A little privacy,” Gatik said to his Royal Rangers, who at once fanned out around their leader and Lasgol, far enough away not to hear what they were going to say. The request surprised Lasgol.

  He tried to probe. “My lord wants to speak to me …?”

  Gatik ignored the bait and began to chat casually. “That’s a beautiful familiar you’ve got there, and very well trained.” He indicated Ona, who was walking close to Trotter, but half a head back so as not to startle the pony.

  “Thank you, sir. She’s very intelligent and good.”

  “Those are the best qualities for a familiar.”

  Lasgol agreed.

  “You look like your father,” Gatik said after he had looked him up and down for a moment.

  “So, I’ve been told, though I don’t see the resemblance …”

  “Not in the face, but in everything else, definitely. I knew him well.”

  “I didn’t know that” Lasgol said. The vision in which his father had welcomed Sven and Gatik into King Uthar’s service came to his mind.

  “Yes, he taught me a lot when I came into the Royal Rangers. He took a special interest in training me. I think that if I’m First Ranger today, it’s largely thanks to him.”

  “Thanks to him?” Lasgol said in surprise.

  “Yes. He was always a role model for me. I followed him everywhere, the way a puppy follows its master. In fact, those were really good years when your father was First Ranger. He taught me a lot … I was always trying to be close to him to acquire as much knowledge as I could. There are things which you can only gain through experience, but there are plenty of others you can learn from, a good teacher or mentor.”

  “That’s very true, sir,” Lasgol said. He was remembering everything his father had taught him and everything he had learnt later on, both at the Camp and at the Shelter. He wondered why Gatik should have mentioned this.

  “He lit the spark that made me want to become First Ranger, and there you are: in the end I did.”

  “It’s a great honor to become First Ranger, and very difficult,” Lasgol said admiringly.

  “That’s true, both those things. Have you ever thought about it?”

  “Me? No, sir.”

  “You should. It’s a great thing to aspire to, and it would give you the impetus to want to improve a lot. Besides, as Dakon’s son, I’m sure you have all the qualities.”

  “I’m not so sure I have …”

  Gatik smiled. “A lion king’s cub will one day be a lion – and a king too.”

  Lasgol looked less sure about this. All he could say was: “I wish …”

  “At your age you’re already a Specialist, and so a little birdie has told me, in no less than two specialties. That’s very interesting, and it shows what great potential you have.”

  Lasgol did not know what to say. How had Gatik found out about his double specialty? It was not something he had spoken about openly himself. If Gatik did know, it meant that he had a special interest in him, and he wondered why. They were not on the same side, that was obvious. Lasgol was with Egil and the West, Gatik with Thoran and the East. Was that it? Very probably. Gatik was intelligent and would want to know everything about his rivals, especially the Rangers.

  He tried to make light of it. “It just happened …”

  “Not at all. That doesn’t ‘just happen’. It’s not often that a Ranger attains more than one Specialty. It didn’t happen in my case, and I was the best among those of my year, both at the Camp and the Shelter. That’s why I’m so interested, because it only happens with very special people. And when it happens, I hear about it, as well as a lot of other important news that concerns the Rangers.”

  “Oh …” The First Ranger had informants among the Rangers – which was not so strange, when you thought about it.

  Gatik smiled. “One day I won’t be First Ranger, but I’d like to stay on as long as I can. Knowing the secret of how it’s possible to attain a double specialty would help me in that.”

  Lasgol was beginning to understand Gatik’s motives. “If I can be of any help to my First Ranger, I’ll be delighted to,” he said, and remembered Sigrid’s enthusiasm for creating Super-Rangers. He had the impression that Gatik had the same enthusiasm, but for himself, not for the good of the other Rangers.

  “I’m glad to hear that. There’ll be time for you and me to work together, and then you can teach me how you did it.”

  “I’m at my lord’s disposal,” Lasgol said. He did not want to make an enemy of Gatik, or give him any reason not to trust him.

  “Besides, one day, when I’m no longer First Ranger, I hope to achieve a position of leadership, and I’ll remember those who’ve helped me along the way.” He winked.

  “It’ll be a pleasure to help my lord,” Lasgol said again, although what he really wanted was to find out what he was scheming.

  Gatik smiled. “Good. Gondabar is getting on in years, and from what I’ve heard Dolbarar is very ill. Soon there’ll be a generational change in leadership. I want to be at the head of those under consideration for the new posts.” He spoke with total confidence, as if it were unthinkable for him not to be chosen.

  “My lord will make an excellent leader,” Lasgol assured him. He was impressed by the avidness in Gatik’s eyes and voice. Suddenly he had a better understanding of who this man really was and what his goals were. Lasgol had always seen him as a figure in the service of the King, of the East, and although this was so, it was now absolutely clear that Gatik was acting in his own interest, not the King’s. He wanted Gondabar’s post, and Lasgol felt that stopping him would be very difficult. On the other hand, there was no reason to oppose his political career. He might not be the best candidate for the post, since he gave the impression that he would put his own personal benefit before that of the corps, but apart from that, there was no real reason to oppose him. Nor did Lasgol know who his rivals would be for the position.

  Whatever the case, this was something for the future. What he certainly intended to do was tell Egil about all this, because his friend would be very interested to know about it.

  “Then I can count on the support of Dakon’s son, a Ranger with a double specialty?”

  “Of course, my lord,” Lasgol said untruthfully, hoping he would not notice.

  “This conversation must remain between us,” Gatik said gravely. “I have rivals among the Rangers who seek to reach the top before I do. I don’t want them to know my intentions.”

  “Not a word will pass my lips.”

  “That’s what I wanted to hear.”

  At the end of the pass, they emerged into the open. Enker and Misten had secured the perimeter and were waiting five hundred paces to either side of the way out of the rocky gorge. They were watching very attentively.

  Lasgol sighed. They were now on the other side of the great mountains. He stood up on Trotter’s stirrups, and in the distance he could make out the Frozen Territories.

  The Wild Ones and the Specter were waiting for them there.

  And with them, death.

  Chapter 14

  Lasgol stayed behind with the excuse of tracking the rearguard to make sure they were not being followed as the army made its way on toward the Frozen Territories. What he was really doing was making sure that Camu had crossed the pass safely and was managing to follow them.

  Camu, everything all right? he messaged, hoping for a reply. Ona, beside him, shifted restlessly.

  There was no answer. He decided not to worry, since Camu might still be too far away for the message to reach him.

  Ona moaned. She was now pacing back and forth, visibly uneasy. They waited for some time, and Lasgol tried again.

  Everything all right, came the message.

  Lasgol gave a gasp of relief. Camu became visible a hundred paces away, approaching calmly. Ona gave a leap of joy and ran to greet him.

  For a moment I was starting to worry.

  Not worry.

  You’re
all right, then?

  Very well.

  Camu came to him after he and Ona had rubbed against one another and licked one another’s heads. Lasgol too stroked his crested head, and his friend showed his gratitude by wagging his long tail.

  I far away.

  Very well done. I’m very happy when you do as I say.

  I always do.

  Yeah … yeah … Now you’re going to have to be even more careful. We’re approaching danger.

  I careful.

  Follow me a little closer now, but stay away from the Magi in case they can detect you.

  Not detect.

  Good. Be careful, and if you need me, communicate with me at once.

  Camu put his forelegs on Lasgol’s chest and licked his face with his blue tongue. Lasgol rubbed his head and back and hugged him in return, and they said goodbye. Ona moaned at having to leave her brother. Lasgol rejoined the head of the formation and told his comrades that he had seen nothing suspicious in the rear. Ona walked by his side at the head of the column.

  They marched for a whole day, very alert to the presence of Wild Ones of the Ice or Tundra Dwellers. They met no resistance, though Lasgol found prints of two groups of Wild Ones and one of Dwellers. He reported to Commander Sven, who was at the head of the army with his Royal Guards. A little behind him was Gatik, with the Royal Rangers.

  The Commander glanced back. “Gatik, I need your advice.”

  The First Ranger came forward, with a brief nod to Lasgol as he passed.

  “Do you think they’re war groups?” Sven asked him.

  Gatik turned to Lasgol. “How many Wild Ones in each group?”

  “A dozen, sir.”

  “Then they’re not war groups,” Gatik said. “They’re patrols.”

  “Are you sure? I don’t want to fall into an ambush.”

  “If they were war groups, there’d be more of them – something like a hundred.”

  “Did you find a group that size?” Sven asked Lasgol.

  “No, sir. But we haven’t tracked the whole area yet.”

  “I don’t want to waste time, or else give them a margin of maneuvering so that they can prepare an ambush for us. Gatik, have your Rangers help in the tracking. I want all of them half a league ahead of us in an arch formation. And don’t get caught up in any skirmishes. If you find any groups of Wild Ones, come back to report.”

  “Understood. I’ll pass on the order.”

  For two days they continued on their way with all the Rangers in the lead. To everybody’s surprise, they met no opposition. The trails of the enemy patrols were always retreating toward the north. Lasgol had no doubt that the Wild Ones knew they were there and were looking for them, and yet instead of fighting them they were retreating into the depths of the Frozen Territories. Were they drawing them into a trap?

  That evening Gatik came to where Lasgol, Enker and Misten were looking after their mounts in preparation for the night.

  “When you’re done, come and share dinner with us,” he told them, indicating his own campfire, where he and the Royal Rangers were warming themselves.

  When Lasgol, rather surprised, thanked him, Gatik said: “We Rangers must stay together.” It sounded as if he meant it.

  “It’ll be an honor to share a fire with the First Ranger and his Royals,” Enker assured him sincerely.

  Gatik smiled and nodded, then turned and went back to his group. Lasgol noticed the lightness and poise of his walk. It was as though he were doing it on a tightrope. You noticed at once that he was someone with exceptional physical qualities. The Royal Rangers accepted them gladly and treated them well, as comrades, which the three were grateful for.

  At dawn they went on northwards, and in the course of the day they found no trace of the Wild Ones. Lasgol described to his comrades the locations of the villages he had found on his previous expedition, and how surprised he was that they were being allowed to advance without any resistance.

  That evening, while Gatik was in Sven’s command tent planning the next day’s moves, a soldier came to the fire Lasgol was sharing with the Royal Rangers.

  “Lasgol Eklund?” he asked, seeming a little intimidated by the stares of the Royals.

  “That’s me.”

  “The King’s Mage would like to see you.”

  Lasgol was surprised by the request, and all eyes turned to him. He shrugged. “I’ve no idea what he wants from me,” he said defensively.

  “Good luck,” Enker said. His smile suggested that he was glad he was not the one who had been summoned.

  Ona. Stay here with the Rangers.

  Ona moaned in protest.

  You’ll be fine with them, and you’ll be warm too. I’ll be right back.

  “Look after her, please,” he said to Enker and Misten.

  “Don’t worry, we’ll take care of her,” said Misten.

  Lasgol did not want to take Ona with him, because although the Rangers were perfectly accustomed to the natural world and to animals, Magi were not, and they would be sure to be nervous at the sight of a snow panther, even though they knew she was his familiar.

  Three of the Magi were sitting around the fire in front of the tent. One of them was concentrating deeply on a tome, while the other two were sitting, facing one another across the fire with their eyes closed. The hair on the back of his neck stood on end, which was usually an indication that he was in the presence of magic. Suddenly he caught a white flash on the index finger of one of the Magi. A bolt of lightning flew from the finger and struck the chest of the other Mage. For a moment Lasgol was frightened. What on earth were they doing? They were sure to hurt themselves. Then he caught sight of something which made him understand: the bolt did not get as far as the chest of the other Mage, but hit something that looked like an armor of ice covering his body. It was not visible to the naked eye, only to those with the Gift. Lasgol relaxed. They were only practicing attack and defense with controlled spells.

  He announced himself at the door of the tent.

  “Please come in, Lasgol,” came a voice he recognized as Eicewald’s.

  Inside, he found the Mage and one of his colleagues deep in the examination of a tome on a trestle table. It was of some size, with a striking cover of a golden and black hue. It seemed very unusual to him, presumably some book on magic or sorcery.

  “You wanted to see me?” Lasgol said, although he did not want to interrupt them.

  Eicewald looked up. “We’ll go on later,” he said to the other Mage, who nodded, gave Lasgol a brief nod and left the tent. “Yes, Lasgol, I wanted a word with you. Please make yourself comfortable.” He indicated two campaign chairs. “I’d like to talk with you, since you’re one of the few who’ve seen the Ice Specter, or Frozen Specter, as it’s known, and lived to tell the tale.”

  “Yes, sir, of course. I’m at the disposal of the King’s Mage.”

  “All the same, what I’m going to say to you is information I would rather were not be known outside of this tent. Call it Ice Mage’s zeal, but we like our business to stay private, and even though we may have a whole army with us, this campaign is first and foremost a matter for Magi.”

  Lasgol’s eyes opened wide. He had not expected that confession-request, least of all from the most powerful Mage in Norghana.

  “You honor me with your trust,” he said as politely as he could, though he was beginning to get the impression that Eicewald had his secrets and wanted to keep them to himself. Which was not strange among Magi, according to Egil. They were very jealous of their own power and knowledge, and rivalries and treachery were common among them.

  “I need you to tell me everything you saw and experienced when you met the Frozen Specter, all over again. I want to make sure we haven’t overlooked anything.”

  “Of course.” Lasgol told him everything that had happened, with as much detail as he could remember. While he did so, Eicewald watched him very attentively.

  “And that’s all I remember …”

&n
bsp; Eicewald nodded repeatedly and remained thoughtful for a while. “I see. The creature – and we’ll call it that, because it isn’t a specter – is a Creature of the Ice. Have you ever heard of them?”

  Lasgol wondered whether to tell the truth, but decided not to risk it. He did not know whether he could trust the Mage, and considering how the conversation had started, he preferred not to. “It doesn’t sound familiar,” he said evasively.

  “They’re Creatures of the Frozen Continent, and they’re very special. The reason why they’re special, has three aspects. In the first place they’re creatures like no other in Tremia. They are unique, special, and only to be found in the Frozen Continent. Unfortunately, we don’t have much information about them. There’s very little in writing, and they haven’t been studied as well as they should be, for obvious reasons connected with the enmity between Norghanians and the Peoples of the Frozen Continent. It’s a real pity, in my opinion, as they’re extraordinary beings which ought to be studied in depth. There’s a lot we could learn from them. The second reason that makes them special is that all of them have a link with Ice, or to be exact, to low temperatures, which determines their physical characteristics. And finally, the most important feature about them is that they’re creatures which possess and use magic. These three things make them extremely interesting, powerful and dangerous.” He emphasized the last two words sharply, and his deep black eyes narrowed.

  “I didn’t think it was a Specter,” Lasgol said. “Also, I had supposed that a being like that only existed in the Frozen Continent, and also I have to admit that I was left with no doubt that it had some kind of power, that meant steel had no effect on it.”