The Forgotten Tribe

by Stephen J Wolf

  “No,” she insisted. “Get me my volunteers and send me on my way. I don’t even want to know where you’ve been since I got here or why the sky is blue.” Her voice was loud and stern.

  “You will need to rest—”

  Lica’s face lit red and she punched Rothra in the chest. Luckily for him, her rock fist spell had dissipated. “I will not tarry here any longer as your prisoner, regardless of the pretense!” she screamed. “Get me what I need and send me on my way!”

  “Fine!” Rothra said. “You will be on your way this very afternoon. Though I would suggest—”

  “Watch yourself, mage,” she hissed.

  Now Rothra’s patience met its end. “You will listen to me, woman. For just a moment. Now be silent!” Lica frowned, thinking of a few spells in case she needed them. But Rothra calmed himself quickly and finished his thought, “As I was saying, I would suggest you take a short detour to the east.”

  “Whatever for?”

  “Stop by Marritosh on your way.”

  “To what, pay my respects? It was destroyed, Rothra.”

  “I know.” Rothra grinned despite himself. “But if you go there you may find a handful of mages willing to add to your complement from here.”

  Her curiosity won out. “Why are there mages there?”

  Rothra practically beamed. “Marritosh is being rebuilt. By Ervinor.”

  Lica gasped. “Truly?”

  “He came by here after the jade incident at the castle and he requested help to rebuild the town—at least some parts of it—before he headed home for good.”

  Lica found herself smiling. “I think you might be right. I may need to take a slight detour.”

  Chapter 28

  Deception

  The days languished by for Gabrion as he awaited his meeting with the earl of Undying Stone. From one catastrophe to another, Gabrion’s audience had been postponed. He had no idea how many of the delays were real, but the night they were raided certainly brought him to attention.

  Alarms sounded late and Brallok, the earl’s page, burst into Gabrion’s room, which woke the baby in a panic. “We have been invaded. We think they are after the child! Hurry!”

  Eyes popping awake, Gabrion grabbed a sword in one hand and Perrios in the other. He hurried after the page, shouts echoing all around the keep. Barefoot and barechested, Gabrion honed his attention to his surroundings, prepared to protect the child at any cost. He knew the king’s soldiers would be strong defenders, and because the whole purpose of the fort was to withstand invasion, he knew there was little risk of their success, but it wasn’t worth lowering his guard.

  The two of them skulked through the halls and guards sprinted this way and that. They kept out of sight, with Brallok in the lead. He whispered instructions to Gabrion and to a few other guards they passed along the way. Clanging metal rang through the air and it took all of Gabrion’s efforts to keep Perrios from crying. He tucked the sword under his right arm and reached over with his fingers to play with the child that was cradled on his left arm. If only he’d had time to grab the special bassinet he had crafted.

  Arrows flew through the air and thunked against the stone walls. Gabrion ducked, trying to ferret out the location of the archers from the angle of the arrows. He pointed them out to Brallok and they were able to better avoid them. Other soldiers scrambled in, swords and maces swinging madly. Soon, the clamor was too much and the baby screamed in fear.

  “Over there, and hurry!” shouted a deep, booming voice.

  “They’re onto us,” Brallok shrieked. “Come!” He lowered his head and whisked through the stone halls, turning left, dodging right, taking the third hall and then ducking into a second passageway. Gabrion kept on his heels, looking for pursuit while keeping the baby secure.

  “Where are we headed, Brallok?”

  “To the secret caverns below the keep, of course. It’s the most defensible place there is here and it’s the only way to keep Perrios safe. That’s our only priority, while everyone else fights off the brigands.”

  “Who are they?”

  “Not now, Gabrion. Come on!” Brallok sprinted ahead and they took a flight of stairs down at rapid pace. They darted across a wide hallway, shouts echoing all around them, including the child’s. Brallok turned sharply right into a pantry and, hands trembling, he fumbled with the shelves of a bookcase. Before Gabrion could ask what he was doing, one of the shelves pushed slightly inward then sank down and a secret door opened.

  Brallok reached for a torch on the wall and an arrow sliced into his hand. He yelped and grabbed the torch with his other hand, then plummeted into the darkened corridor. Gabrion followed and pushed the door shut behind them.

  “Let me see your hand,” Gabrion offered.

  “Not yet; we have to get away from this entrance in case they know of it.”

  “Is that likely?”

  “Likely enough to be a concern. Move!”

  They sprinted down a long corridor that had numerous alcoves on either side. Gabrion couldn’t see much, but it felt as if some of the alcoves were actually passageways that Brallok was ignoring. After several minutes of hurried running, Brallok slowed and then inspected the stone as he went. When he found what he was looking for, he turned left and guided Gabrion further in. Perrios had begun to settle down by then, from the rocking sensation of being swaddled against Gabrion’s chest as he ran or from the sense of pure strength emanating from his protector.

  They descended another set of stairs and now the sounds of fighting were entirely gone. Their footsteps echoed loudly on the stone, though Brallok told Gabrion not to worry about the noise, for no one would hear it from above. The torch light flickered in the dank air so they reduced their pace to keep from blowing it out entirely.

  “They know you’re here,” Brallok explained, “with the heir. They want to bring him back to the king, even though the king’s wish was to keep him here, safe from any possible skirmishes. They aren’t listening to the king’s missives and Earl Thedris is being hunted as if he’s a traitor. He’s down here. As are the child’s grandparents.”

  “When did all this happen?”

  “They went into hiding soon after your arrival. The earl has visited with them daily to ensure their well-being, though he was underground when the bandits broke through the gate and he had to lock himself in for fear of being discovered. I hadn’t expected him to be gone for so long and when I went to tend to him before bed, he wasn’t there. Then everything went wrong and I ran to you.”

  “Why didn’t you tell us any of this beforehand?” Gabrion growled. “We could have made better preparations.”

  “We didn’t know who was responsible for arranging the ambush, so we told no one.”

  “Fools,” he accused.

  “Be as angry as you want later. Right now, focus on that,” Brallok pointed ahead to a large door. “Give me a minute to open it.” He struggled to remove the bolts with his damaged hand while also holding the torch, but he managed it. He held it open for Gabrion.

  The warrior took a step forward and then hesitated. “Wait.”

  “We don’t have time, Gabrion. They’re bound to find us. We have to get inside.”

  “Why was this door bolted from the outside?”

  Brallok paused briefly. “It’s the second entrance to the hideout. The other one opens from inside. This opens from without. It’s a precaution.”

  The stillness ringing in Gabrion’s ears lessened and Brallok fidgeted, looking around. “Gabrion, you have to hurry. They’re coming. Those noises off in the distance, they’re on the next floor up and it won’t take them long to find this level. Please hurry.”

  “It’s all very convenient,” Gabrion commented. “How am I to know you’re not the one trying to steal this child?”

  “I’m not!” He looked terribly distressed but was otherwise unreadable. “I don’t want him to die, Gabrion. Please believe me.”

  The echoing sounds in the distance grew s
lightly louder and louder. From within the opened doorway, a single set of footprints approached. Moments later, Earl Thedris appeared. “What is taking so long? We must be quick.”

  Brallok sighed in exasperation. “He doubts me, milord, and won’t enter the haven.”

  The earl nodded sagaciously. “He is wise to doubt you in a time of confusion. But as you can see, young protector, this is where the child will be safe. Don’t tarry.” He held Gabrion’s gaze for a moment and then returned inside. Brallok held the door, veritably bouncing in anticipation.

  Gabrion considered the options and decided he had to go in with the earl. The king had sent him here directly to keep Perrios under the earl’s protection. It had to be safer than trying to fend off a host of rebels with a baby in one hand, a sword in the other, dressed only in his undergarments.

  Brallok followed the warrior inside and pulled the door closed, spinning a wheel that locked the door securely. One other torch was lit and the earl had returned to sit within its luminance, some papers scattered around, as well as a small bundle of straw.

  “Where are the others?” Gabrion asked. “Mira’s parents?”

  “Sleeping,” Thedris said calmly. “Over there by that wall.” He pointed to a dark area that Gabrion couldn’t verify, though he did hear some erratic breathing as if they were having nightmares.

  “You should have told me what was going on,” Gabrion admonished. “I could have helped.”

  “You have helped plenty, young warrior,” the earl answered. “Now, set the baby here,” he offered, pointing to the straw bed. “Brallok, why don’t you help him with his sword?”

  “I’m fine,” Gabrion argued. “Besides, your man is hurt. You should concern yourself with him.”

  “The child,” Thedris stated, his tone odd. “Place him on the bed.”

  Chills ran down Gabrion’s spine at the strange command. Swiftly, Gabrion released the sword from under his right arm and snapped his hand down to catch the hilt. “What’s really going on here?”

  Thedris waved his hands to the darkness and six guards stepped silently forward. “This child will be returned to his majesty and the farce will end immediately.”

  “What!” Brallok shrieked.

  “Kill him,” the earl declared but Gabrion parried the sudden blow from the nearest guard. The resulting crash made Perrios start to cry. “See what you’ve done? Now lower your weapon and place him on the bed.” His eye flashed to the side briefly and Gabrion understood the glance well enough. A guard had been summoned to step in and take the child.

  “You can’t have him.”

  “And, what, you will fight off me and my men while holding that tot in your hands? Don’t you realize that in this darkness, you’re likely to miss?”

  “And if he dies, then your hope dies too.”

  “Not so,” Thedris noted. “You see, if he dies, then it falls upon your head, not mine. If you fail, then your mission fails.” He glanced to the darkness again and the soldier jumped in to attack.

  Gabrion spun and blocked the blow but he was not expecting Thedris to lunge for him. Or rather, to lunge for Perrios. The earl grabbed Gabrion’s left arm and then brought a jeweled dagger over, holding the blade over the baby’s crying face.

  “What now?” Thedris crooned. “Kick me out of the way and you risk me dropping this knife.”

  Gabrion’s eyes bore into the earl’s and he realized the truth of it. He released his grip on the baby while another soldier stepped forward and snatched the sword out of Gabrion’s other hand.

  “Good. Now, Brallok, take this child away while we finish off this unfortunate guardian.”

  At first the page seemed reluctant but Gabrion gave a subtle nod and so he complied. With the baby in hand, Brallok shrank into the shadows and the earl gave a malicious laugh.

  “You poor fool,” the earl chided. “Coming here, thinking you—”

  Gabrion had lowered his hands to his sides while keeping his face a mask of rage. As the earl gloated, Gabrion used the last weapon he had. He pulled on his undergarments and ripped them right off his body, snapping the fabric like a whip and lashing Thedris in the face, shocking him silent. The other guards rushed in quickly, which the naked warrior expected, and he swirled the garment around, interfering with their strikes in the darkened room.

  Gabrion snapped the rag at one guard while jumping and kicking toward another, who dodged the blow. A sword swept in and Gabrion barely ducked in time. He pulled his rag again and lashed it out anew, befuddling one man after another. He managed to flick it fast enough that they had a hard time judging where he was trying to strike, until he was able to bash his fist into one face and then knee another in the groin.

  Thedris could see where this was going, so he grabbed the torch and turned to head for Brallok, determined to escape. Gabrion dove into a roll and bounded onto his feet, running hard to tackle the earl. The torch went flying and Gabrion was lost in darkness. He felt the man struggling underneath him, trying to do some damage, even raking his nails into Gabrion’s skin. Thedris also made enough noise so his guards could find him and try to intervene on his behalf. Gabrion heard the approaching help and so he rolled over, hoisting Thedris up and then pushing him into the darkness with his legs. He crashed into his own guards as they came running.

  Gabrion ached but he hopped onto his feet and recovered the fallen torch, after which he ran for Brallok. “We have to get out of here.”

  “But the others,” Brallok whispered. “The grandparents.”

  “They’re really here?”

  “They were, earlier at least.”

  Gabrion muttered under his breath. He couldn’t leave them at the mad earl’s mercy, but he wasn’t sure he could defeat the fighters in the dark either. He still clutched his undergarments and so he turned and headed back to the muffled rumblings of the men still trying to get up. He stomped and kicked as he approached in case any of them had disentangled themselves in the process. Doing so, he inadvertently sliced his foot on a fallen knife. He picked up the jeweled instrument and then swept the torch around in front, trying to see the tangle of men.

  They weren’t too far away now, he knew, and they could see exactly where he was. A slight scraping sound echoed and Gabrion tensed, waiting for a sudden sword strike. It came in the form of a hurled blade, and the only warning he had was the grunt of the man who had tossed it. Guessing at its trajectory, Gabrion leaned away and spun his rag around to deflect the attack. The blade struck the cloth and clattered.

  But the attack also gave away their exact position, so Gabrion bolted and stumbled toward them, four of whom were unconscious from smacking the stone floor. That left three others that he knew of and an unknown number of fighters who had been in the room waiting in the dark.

  Gabrion realized that the darkness was his biggest foe and any of the other men, the earl included, could be sneaking past him to reach Brallok and Perrios. And so he pulled away toward the baby and he worked at ripping his undergarment into pieces as he went, lighting the strips with the torch and dropping them on the ground. The pieces weighed little enough that movement would scatter them.

  He set a rough perimeter as he drew closer to Brallok and then he tuned his ears to the darkness. The leather-soled guards made no sound, nor did the silk-booted earl. Then, all at once, several pieces of the burning cloth fluttered and Gabrion caught glimpses of oncoming feet. He tensed in anticipation, which was made worse by the random muttering that Brallok was suddenly doing. Gabrion wondered if he was trying to soothe the upset child, but then the room erupted in a flash of light that lasted just a few seconds.

  It was unexpected, but Gabrion saw the locations of his targets, though they had recoiled from the flash. He pounced and lashed out with the jeweled dagger, cutting into their arms, seeking only to disable them. He also bent and swiped a sword, holding it ready in front of him.

  Brallok cast the light spell again, this time for longer, and Gabrion used the precious seconds
to cut off the earl’s belt and used it to bind his hands. He then visited the rest of the soldiers and bashed them to unconsciousness.

  With a final blast of light, he saw two huddled forms in the far corner. Gabrion limped over to them, his foot trailing blood with every painful step. He removed their gags, but it was clear that the man was dead.

  “Can you walk?”

  “I—I—I think so,” the old woman stammered. “Oh, but Yorrish! My dear Yorrish! No!” She dissolved into a fit of tears.

  “We can’t stay for him. I’m sorry. We leave, or we die. Come on.” He took her hand and led her across the room to where Brallok had moved. The page fumbled with the door lock he had set when they had entered. Nerves were getting the best of him, and Gabrion feared he would drop Perrios in the process. Trying not to, but doing so anyway, Gabrion essentially dragged the old woman faster and faster with each step.

  Brallok opened the door and they stepped into the elongated hallway, but other torches approached with rapidity. The page looked at Gabrion, “What do we do?”

  “What about the other door you mentioned inside?”

  “I’d never find it in time. Not with all them in there and them out here and the pressure and—”

  “Okay, okay, calm down. Here, give me the child.” He took Perrios as Brallok massaged his wounded hand while trying not to drop his torch.

  “You’ve got a fight coming,” the old woman declared. “Give me the baby while you defend us.”

  Gabrion didn’t see another option. “Brallok, seal that door, and then stay with her.” He handed over the jeweled dagger, keeping one torch and a sword for himself.

  The incoming fighters hurried their steps when they noticed the torchlight. The thundering echoes of a dozen footfalls filled the area, keeping Perrios terrified. Among the fighters, Gabrion noticed, was Alosia.

  The nursemaid observed Gabrion’s nakedness with more than a passing glance and then she spat on the ground. “Hand that child over, now, you depraved scoundrel.”

  “I’ve already explained when you would be allowed to touch him again.”