by Alex Cannon
CHAPTER 4
Two days had passed since Baron Hamilcar left his small castle in Arbjorn and traveled southeast toward the Tchesht Lake. His partner informed him a week prior, via the loqua stone, that he should begin his hunt in that direction. Hamilcar had gathered his most trusted men and advisors for this trip, and having no idea where to begin looking, he decided to continue eastward until he came across a Sword or someone who could lead him in the proper direction.
The road to Shchuff was, like most in the land, smooth packed dirt that wore well on a horse’s hoof.The king’s men patrolled the entire Maciej plains from the marauders who plagued the open roads with a tight fist and quick judgment. If a man were caught breaking the laws of the land, he was summarily executed.
The weather was good, no rain and not too hot. The Tchesht Lake was only another hour east, and Hamilcar was looking forward to the cool water.They had grown hot in their saddles and were worn out from a solid two-day ride. The sun was at their backs giving them a panoramic view of what lay ahead.They rode through an area consisting of low rolling hills that never quite formed into anything steeper than a rise.Few trees were visible; those that were seemed short as if looking for a drink. The ground was rust-brown, dry, and arid. No doubt the plume, which Hamilcar and his group of twenty were kicking up, could be seen for miles.
When it seemed as if he could not stand another hill, they cleared a rise and the lake spread out before them to the southeast.It spread as far as Hamilcar could see.He used to come to the Tchesht Lake as a child.His father would take his brothers and him to fish and talk. He was sure, on some level, those memories held meaning to him, but he could not seem to dig that deep. Thinking about his family would do him no good now. The past was better left buried. At least for now.
The lake was so enormous that some who crossed it from the south believed they had gone too far north and had arrived at Oceane.The lake resided in a large bowl-shaped valley, surrounded by a thick wood that stretched out for miles on all sides.
To the north he could see a line of trees and shrubs trailing along the River Rzeka as it wended to the south. The river had long ago dug its way so deep into the earth, one would have to stand on the very banks to see the surface of the water. The river was shallow and wide when a king (whose name he could not remember) named it. To the north Hamilcar could scarcely make out the Coorva Bridge as it crossed the deep river.
They would camp at the lake tonight and then move north to the Coorva Bridge in the morning.It was said that at night you could hear the lost souls of the women and children who died in the massacre Palos, a village that long ago occupied the banks of the great lake.
The men veered from the well-traveled road, and began their descent to the lake. The sun was still high and would allow them time to get to the water’s edge and set up camp before evening.Hamilcar pushed his horse; ready to be out of the saddle. His lower back was cursing him, but he ignored it.
An hour later they slowed their approach as they entered the thick wood surrounding the lake. Each rider had to direct his horse purposefully as they moved through the tangles. A half hour later they broke from the wood and arrived at the very edge of the deep blue, choppy waters. Small waves lapped against the smooth sandy shore.They could not see the far edge of the lake, simply more water.
“Let’s move farther down and look for a more open place.”Hamilcar said loudly over the lapping waves and whipping wind. The men fell in behind Hamilcar and began the trek over the shifting sand.
A few hours later camp was set up. The sun had just descended and the sky’s light was fading fast.Hamilcar stood on the edge of the water peering out. He was smoking his pipe languidly, thinking about power and home. If everything worked out according to his plans, he would soon be practically unstoppable.
“Nice night, eh Baron?” came a voice from over his shoulder.Hamilcar nodded, without looking. It was Aveyron, his magician.
“Indeed. The wind off the lake is cool, we may get a bit chilled tonight.” He drew a light puff from his pipe. In the budding darkness it illumined his face with an orange glow.
Aveyron was an older man, slightly stooped with age. His years had been hard, and he had not discovered magic until late in life.
“A cool night is better than a hot one,” Aveyron opined.
Hamilcar nodded with a slight grunt.”I like the cool weather as well.”
“Do you miss Talitha?”Aveyron asked.
Talitha. Hamilcar had thought of her often. Already he missed her.They had not met until recently, but they were carved from the same piece of wood.He remembered the nights she stayed in his room and they had made love until the sun was up. He found her unquenchable appetite exciting. But it was after their bouts of lovemaking that he found something remarkable: a person he could really talk to. Someone who understood what he said and responded with more than an insipid,”Yes, Milord.”He would miss her on this trip, but he would return to her and give her whatever she wanted. When he returned it would be with the power of the Swords.He would ravish her in his bed and make her call him king while he was in her.
“I miss her, yes. I have grown quite fond of her.”Aveyron was his closest advisor but still knew so little about him.Hamilcar liked to keep it that way. When the time came, it would be he, and no one else, who would take up the Sword of Saddig.
“She is a fine woman. Any baron would be pleased to have her on his arm,” Aveyron said.
“Yes,” Hamilcar said, pulling the pipe from his teeth and turning his head to Aveyron,”and so would a king.”
Aveyron nodded. He was on this expedition with his liege because Hamilcar had filled his head with pictures of peace and perfection for the land. Aveyron found the idea of the Sword intriguing.Aveyron was easily swayed and Hamilcar knew this. When they were at the castle they often spoke of the Swords and what power they could bring to the right person.How much could be done to help the land and its people.They had argued on ethics and ideals, but it was all academic anyway. They would not find any of the Swords of Saddig.No one had in a very long time and no one was about to.At least that’s what Hamilcar had led Aveyron to believe.
“Do you think we will find one of the Swords?” Aveyron asked quietly, the waves almost drowning out his voice.A stiff breeze shot up and shook the trees above causing the leaves to rustle.
Hamilcar mused on this for a moment before answering,”Impossible to say. My partner is certain that one lies somewhere to the east. We will do as we planned before. If it is in that lost temple, then finding it is our first priority.”
Aveyron was the only one who knew about Hamilcar’s partner.The others thought it was his idea. Most just thought the Baron decided to go on some wild adventure and the Sword was some sort of an excuse to leave.Hamilcar had left his cousin in charge of the castle and the lands. His cousin was a petty, self-important man, but he would not create too many problems Hamilcar could not fix when he returned.
“Farad is still worried about the Palos spirits.” Aveyron said.
“Farad is a child.” Hamilcar said, staring out over the water.
“True enough.Would you like me to put him to sleep?”
“Is he that worried?”
“Yes.”
“Then send him back to Arbjorn.”
“Tonight?”
“Yes. I don’t need anyone who is afraid of ghosts on this expedition.”
“I will make it so.”Aveyron said, with a small bow.
The men lit a fire and began cooking some rabbit they had arrowed earlier.The smell was delectable. Hamilcar had his fill and then called it a night, his rear end and lower back needing some rest.Farad was dismissed, to his shock, and departed on his horse.
Hamilcar’s tent was the largest, and had enough room for three people. He had only his pallet. The tent cloth was oiled to repel the elements and the smell inside was an odd mixture of grass, dust, and the oil.
He entered the tent, sat on his pallet, and pulled out the loqua stone.
In the darkness it was like a hole in his hand. The stiff lake wind whipped around outside causing the walls of the tent to flex routinely. He waited for about five minutes, silently.Just when he was about to give up, a small, bluish light began to smoke from the stone. It coalesced into the shape of a man, and began to solidify. As it did, Hamilcar’ partner was revealed. The small figure stood on the loqua stone in his hand. The figure was not well defined its edges constantly blurred and ebbed.The person wore a light hooded robe. The color was indeterminable as the image was nothing more than shades of blue. Hamilcar was still amazed at the little magical gadget.He wasn’t certain how it worked, but his partner was very adept at its manipulation.This receiving stone was able to communicate with the other stone, but could not initiate a connection, so he had to wait for his partner to contact him. Loqua stones were very rare. The rock was very scarce and the spell needed to enchant the stone properly was exceedingly difficult.
The figure spoke, in a quiet voice,”How goes the hunt?”
Hamilcar grimaced. He replied in a soft voice,”Not great. We haven’t come across anyone who seems to know what we are looking for.We mention ‘temple’ and they give us strange looks.”
The miniature figure nodded, its face shadowed,”Yes, it is called a ‘hidden’ temple for a reason. It will not be easy to find.Do not lose faith, my friend. We will prevail. We have not come this far and this long to fail.”
“I know, I know. I will get an early start in the morning and move us farther east.We will cross the bridge tomorrow and be about a day and a half from Shchuff.I will send my men out to investigate. I wish we had a Platen with us, their mind tricks would come in handy.”
“When you get to Shchuff, see if you can find one.I will contact you again at the same time of day.”
“So, in two days then?”
“Yes. Until then.” The bluish smoke flickered and then abruptly dispersed as if someone had blown on it stiffly.
Hamilcar put the little stone back in the secured pocket of his pants and stretched out on the pallet.The sound of the wind rushing through the trees lulled Hamilcar to sleep. Just before he drifted off, he reached up and released the tent flap. A cool gust snuck in. Over the wind he could hear snippets of loud talking as men made their way to their own tents to sleep.He grabbed a thin blanket and drew it over himself.He loved to sleep in the cool night air, and even though his feet begged for relief, he never removed his boots when he slept in the wild.
He heard no ghosts that night.
The next morning three quick raps to his tent stake awakened him. He sat up, rubbing his eyes. His throat was sore, he tried swallowing a few times, but it hurt so much he gave up. It was still dark in the tent, he guessed that the sun was either not up, or had just cleared the horizon.He stood and stretched. His posterior and back were still stiff from the two days ride. Hamilcar knew it would take a few more days for his body to acclimate. It was very cool this morning and he shivered slightly. The day would be more saddle and sweat.He would take a dip in the lake with some pumice before they left.The cold water would jolt him awake and refresh his dirty body.
He stepped into the predawn air as some of his men were bringing their tents down and packing them up. They nodded to him and bid him good morning.He could see that a few other tents were already put away.Some of the men were clustered around a campfire; it was definitely chilly this morning. The air was clean and crisp, and the wind had died down over night. Hamilcar made his way to the campfire where he could smell fish frying. He was not a big fish eater, and especially not for breakfast.He was about to beg off, when his cook offered him a plate of bacon with a cup of grainy coffee.He took both and thanked the man. He did not know his name; Aveyron had selected most of the men. The bacon was crispy and still warm. The coffee warmed him up and soothed his raw throat, despite the rough grounds that slipped down his throat. He ate a few more pieces of bacon and decided it was time to take his bath.
Hamilcar walked down from his men and removed his clothes, the cool morning air giving him a rush. It was merely a hint of what was waiting for him in the icy waters. His father had always told him to bathe often on the road. It was one of the few things his father said that was worth heeding.He let the thoughts of his father go.They would only work him into an anger he and was not in the mood.
Never one to be afraid, he grabbed a pumice stone from his pack, stepped to edge of the water, and dove in.His heart stopped.The water was so cold his system almost went into shock. When his head cleared the water he yelled.A few of his men looked down from the bank, but seeing the baron was just enjoying an early morning bath, they continued to break camp.
Hamilcar violently scrubbed his body down, especially his pungent underarms.He swam a ways out as his body got used to the frigid waters.He could barely touch the bottom of the lake and had to tread water to keep his head above the surface. It was a great morning; the golden sun was bouncing off the trees to the west causing them to glow. Shadows still hung on the beach and the water was smooth. As Hamilcar glanced over the banks he saw one of his men watching him closely.But there was something wrong with the man.
He could see the figure standing on the shore a little to the east of where his men were. The man was just standing there.As Hamilcar began to swim closer to the shore, he could see the man had a bow, fully drawn, pointing at him.
He judged how far it was to his men, and if he could make it, under the water. If he could just make it to his men, or get their attention, he could find out who this man was, and then kill him.He was afraid to yell.For the bowman would surely loose his arrow.He knew that his men could easily overpower one man.
The bowman did not move. As Hamilcar sneaked a glance to his men, he was crestfallen.They were being taken hostage.
Damn!
Whoever was responsible for this heinous act of cowardice would answer for it.Baron Hamilcar would put up with no ones antics.If this were some group of marauders, he would have their head.And where was Aveyron?He paid the old man enough coin to protect everyone with magic.
He began to swim to shore, steadily, slowly.Not wanting to alarm the happy bowman.As he got closer to the bank of the lake, he began to step out of the water revealing his nakedness. He didn’t care. He was far too angry to care.As he stepped onto the shore, the bowman, who lowered his bow, and moved forward to meet him.
“Who is in charge of this gangly bunch of so-called men?” Hamilcar called out, striking his most powerful pose.Water dripped off, making him quite cold, but he was damned if he was going to let these men see him shiver and ask for clothes.
“I am!” came a loud voice from off to the side.
Hamilcar watched as a solid looking older gentleman made his way past the crowd of men.He was not tall, but neither was he short. His stance was one of wide and open, and his face was solid, yet almost friendly—scarred and puckered in many places, but it did not make him ugly.He was definitely a man who knew his way around the battlefield; his armor had scars in places that could have only come from a battle.
Hamilcar had had enough of this show,”I command that you let these men go free, and be about your own business.”
The old man blanched at such confidence coming from a naked, weaponless man.He looked at his men, who summarily laughed.His men kept a short leash on Hamilcar’s men.
“I am Hutch, at your service.”
“And I am damned mad!” fumed Hamilcar.”Release my men, or you will force my hand!”
The older man leaned forward,”And just what that might be, sir. If you don’t mind my askin’?”
Hamilcar leaned toward the older man, they were almost the same height,”If you do not release my men, I will see that you are flogged, disemboweled, and hanged!”
Hutch looked at his men, and then back to Hamilcar,”You don’t appear to be in any situation to be making threats at the moment, sir.As a matter of fact, you look like a drowned possum, who is freezing his arse off!”
With that last
statement Hutch’s men began to laugh raucously.
“Toss me a sword and we will see who shall be laughing. I will gut you from your toes to your stinking neck!” Hamilcar yelled above the laughter –which quickly died off.
Hutch looked peeved.He resolutely grabbed a sword from the ground and tossed it at Hamilcar’s feet.Hamilcar bent to pick it up.
Hutch sighed.”I would warn you, sir, I am seasoned veteran in fighting and do not take kindly to being ordered around by any one except my leader. I warn you, that you will lose a sword fight with me.” Hamilcar’s only goal now was to kill this meddler, get rid of his men, and get going to Shchuff.
“Well, then I suggest you and your men leave now. I will kill you without hesitation.You can get out of my way now or later –alive or dead. Either way does not matter to me.”And with that he took his naked fighting stance.
Hutch brandished his sword and sighed, clearly not wanting to fight.
They engaged. It was an evenly matched bout. Both were very adept with the sword. Hamilcar was vehement in his attack, while Hutch seemed to be doing just enough to keep his opponent at bay. Hutch was duly impressed with his adversary’s swordsmanship.As the fight wore on, Hutch began to tire. Hamilcar was younger, and since Hutch was not fighting to kill, he had to be careful, which cost him extra strength and endurance. Hamilcar took a moment’s short risk and shoved at Hutch who tripped backwards and landed hard on his back, when his vision cleared, Hamilcar was at his throat with his sword.
As he prepared to drive the blade through Hutch’s neck, he heard someone cry,”Hold!”
Hamilcar looked up, clearly ready to strike down whoever interfered with his deserved kill. Bloodlust was dancing in his heart.
The bowman was fully drawn again, and he had the arrow aimed at Hamilcar’s heart.
“If you run him through, you will fall dead before his first drop of life hits the ground.”
Hamilcar stood motionless. What could he do?This man would certainly die for his boldness and arrogance.He stayed his sword though. The bowman was within ten feet of the fighters, and if he released the bow, it would go straight through Hamilcar, killing him instantly.
Damn!
“Bowman, if you kill me, my men will hunt you down,” Hamilcar said slowly.
If this had any effect upon the bowman, it did not show.His grip was a tight as ever.
“Put the bow down!”
“No. First drop the sword and back away.”
“Idiot! I am the Baron of Arbjorn! Now back away and let me be!” He spit it out with venom.
The bowman flinched at this, but held his bow high,”Nay sir, though Noble you may be I cannot lower my bow.You are holding First Commander Hutch Farsinger, Champion and First Knight of His King. The King of Zamek, Hesh Andard.”
Hamilcar lowered his sword. This man was one level below nobility, but he was the king’s first commander. If Hamilcar killed him, he would have to deal with the king’s outrage, and he did not have time for that right now.He got off of Hutch, and helped him up.
Hutch stood and brushed himself of. He was obviously not ruffled.
“Well now, Baron, might I inquire as to the reason you are in His Majesty’s land so deeply?It is a bit odd.”
Hamilcar had to agree that it was odd.”We are hunting for the three Swords of Saddig.”
“Ah,” Hutch said, understanding,”Looking for that lost temple no doubt.”
“Yes.” Hamilcar’s ears perked up at that. This was the first person they had met in two days who knew about the temple.
“Well, I apologize for attacking your men, sir.I thought perhaps you were a band of thieves or maybe a group of Levitin sympathizers.”
“I understand, Commander. If you don’t mind, I will be on with my business now, and you and your men are free to leave.”He began to walk away from Hutch.
“I am afraid that is not possible, sir. You and your men must accompany me to the palace of His Majesty.”
Hamilcar spun,”Why?” he asked viciously,”Commander Hutch, understand one thing and understand it well. I am nobility.You are a glorified guard. Do not think that you will order me about!”
Hutch did not move. Neither did his men.
“Sir, we are commanded to take anyone in we find out here. Especially ones as well heeled as your group. I have no way of knowing you are who you say you are.I must take you to the castle, and if the king clears you, then I will apologize.But I am under his orders to take you in. You must take this up with him.” He turned to his men,”You men,” he said pointing to his men,”Disarm all of the Baron’s men and keep those shackles on his magician. Help them break camp and we will be heading southwest back to the palace by midmorning!”
“You will answer for this, Commander.You will pay for this arrogance.” Hamilcar said, looking at Aveyron as he was led to the front.The magician was wearing some sort of magic shackles. Hamilcar muttered the word,”worthless” under his breath.
Hutch nodded,”Yes sir, I do believe I will.”