Fire And Ice (Book 1) (33 page)

             
“We have that in common.  I too grew up around lots of sheep.”  Her return smile was thin.  It was the first time he could remember her smiling.  “Why did you leave?”

             
“My mother died, and my father decided to move to Summerhall.”  He found that it wasn’t as difficult to talk about as it used to be.  “That’s the place I think of as home.”

             
“I am sorry about your mother,” she said sincerely.  There was an awkward silence before she spoke again.  “Do you have a woman?”  She was strangely hesitant as she asked.

             
“Yes,” he replied, “I do.  We are going to be married.”

             
“Is she your age?”

             
“Younger.  She is sixteen.”

             
The thin smile returned to her lips.  “You seem older than you look.  You should have an older woman.”  Shirri ran her fee hand through her dark brown, nearly black hair.  “Tell me, is she as pretty as me?”

             
He thought that Shirri was an attractive woman, but he wasn’t about to tell her that she was a candle’s flame compared to the bonfire in his mind.  “Good night,” he said as he rolled onto his side facing away from her.  He tried to sleep as she chuckled at him nearby.

              The corridor was long and torches were inadequately spaced to cover the entire length.  He walked through areas of darkness between those islands of light.  There were no doors anywhere along the rough stone walls.  Something was looking for him and he needed to find the way out before if found him.  He kept walking with long, quick strides around corners and down halls identical to each other.  He finally stopped before an ironbound door.  He had seen that door before, but he couldn’t remember where.  Behind that door was danger, he knew that much, and made up his mind to get as far from it as he could.  Turning around he saw a figure standing there, blocking his way.  It was a figure completely concealed by a dark robe.  The figure raised a hand and a ball of fire danced above its palm.  He tried to move but his feet were frozen to the stones of the floor.  The figure was going to hurl the flaming ball at him.  He knew he had to get away.  If he could just remember how he had escaped once before.  Frantically he searched his mind and then he had it. 

             
Everything blinked and he was standing on a hill covered in emerald green grass.  The sky above was a perfect blue.  There was not a cloud to be seen.  The sun shone from somewhere he couldn’t see.  There was someone else there, but he couldn’t see her either.  It didn’t matter.  He could sense who it was; he was calm and at peace.             

              Coran woke slowly to his companions’ whisperings.  He lay still with eyes closed and listened.  He felt a momentary twinge of guilt for eavesdropping on friends.  

             
“....why Soelidin did not kill him?”  That was Shirri talking in a voice that rose barely above a whisper. 

             
“I am not sure, but I can think of only one thing,” Miko replied just as quietly.

             
“...is the one?”  Because they were talking so quietly, he couldn’t make out everything that was said.

             
“You....tell me.”                

There was a long pause before she replied.  “How did you know?”

              “I have no talent myself, but you are more than you seem.  I met a .... once, and ... something about her eyes.  I see it in yours at times.”

             
“....talent is for healing and I am not very strong.  I can see things at times.”

             
“A seer,” Miko sounded surprised.  “Did you go to the Heart?”

             
“The healer who was training me sent me there.  I never ... all the way, when I was told I had to go home.”

              “Did....why?”

             
“Only that I had to...”

             
Whatever else they talked about was lost in mumbling.  So she was a healer and maybe more.  Gelarus was said to have the ability to see things, but that was unconfirmed rumors.  His two companions seemed to have an idea why Soelidin had let him live, but would they share it? 

             
He decided he had listened long enough.  Coran opened his eyes, pushed himself off the blanket, and rose up to a sitting position.  Shirri and Miko were facing each other, sitting cross-legged.   Coran reached for the canteen of water by his packs.  He took a long drink to wash the sleep from his mouth.

             
“Did you sleep well?” Shirri asked him as the two moved apart without a hint that they had been talking about anything important.  “You were tossing around in your blankets earlier.”

             
“I slept well enough.”  Light came in through the crack again to announce that it was morning.  “Has Terk come down yet?”

             
“Not yet,” Shirri answered calmly.

             
“Miko, I was wondering about the Anagassi.  They are Karands, yet you don’t seem to know very much about them.  Why is that?” asked Coran, approaching the subject obliquely.              

             
Miko’s face betrayed what might have been guilt.  Did his loyalty extend to feeling bad about keeping secrets from him?  “It is true that no one really knows the Anagassi except Anagassi,” the portly trader explained.  “You see, according to the legends, it all started long ago.  The god Ithan led his people south and established the city that was named for him.  Why they came south in the first place is unknown.  They may have been forced out of Midia by Northmen attacks, or by the arrival of the Midians.  I do not know if your people were here then.”

             
“I think the first Midians were believed to have arrived around that time or later,” Coran informed him.  That long ago any information was sketchy at best, including things like the source of the Midians.  It was believed they came from across the Eastern Sea, but who could say for sure?

             
Miko shrugged since it wasn’t really important to his story.  “After they finished building the city, they started on their conquests.  The empire grew and no one could stop it.  Many Karands were forced to accept Ithanian rule, but some fled.  Those that left went to the one place where Ithan could not reach them, the desert of Ne’emen.  There were already some people living there.  The refugees joined those people and a new tribe was formed, the Anagassi.  They swore never to let themselves be ruled by Ithan, so they began training warriors to be the best swordsmen anywhere.  That is where their reputation began, and it still applies today.”

             
“Did the Ithanians ever try to conquer them?”  From what he knew of Ithan during its period of empire he didn’t think they would have allowed anyone to stand against them.

             
“They did.  An army was sent to teach the Anagassi a lesson.  The army never returned.  But you wanted to know why we know so little of them.  It is simple.  The Anagassi kill anyone they find in their desert, only excepting a few.  Anyone who has been called to the Heart is escorted there; any Karand who wishes to journey to the Heart may do so, but without any help.  Not a good idea if you have never lived in a desert.  So you can see why so few outsiders know about them.”

             
“What did you mean by people who have been called?” Coran asked.  He didn’t understand that part.

             
Miko frowned slightly and Shirri looked away.  It must have been one of those touchy points concerning their beliefs.  Which was why he was surprised that Miko answered him at all.  “When someone of our people shows some ability, you know like healing, they may be called to go to Lev.”

             
Coran nodded and let the subject drop.  What he could understand was that when someone showed some potential of power they would be summoned to the middle of the desert, but by whom?                

              Terk did finally arrive to bring them some breakfast, and later their lunch and dinner.  It was a long day where they had only conversation to relieve the boredom.  Miko and Shirri talked of their respective homes and families.  Apparently, she didn’t think much of her brother’s ability to restrain himself either.  She told them stories of how he continually ended up in trouble when he was a boy from his over-enthusiasm.  One thing Coran noted was that there was no mention of what they had whispered about earlier. 

             
The next day Terk was true to his word.  They all followed him up the stairs and ate breakfast at a real table.  It was square and unfinished as were the four chairs around it.  Thin white curtains covered the windows and pale light came through to bathe them where they sat.  The room itself contained a counter area for preparing food that also held fire baked dishes and clear glasses.  On one side of the room there was an opening that led to a small pantry, and on the other was a wash room.  There was even a copper bathtub that filled most of the space.  This was where Terk did his business and met with customers.  Since he spent so much time at the office he had a few amenities added for comfort. 

             
Shirri spotted the tub already filled with warm water and decided to wash before she ate.               

             
Coran tore off some of the dark bread from the loaf.  He leaned back in the chair, grateful to be out of the dank cellar, as he ate.

             
“I am sorry.  All I have is bread and a little fruit,” Terk apologized.  He wore one of those sleeveless shirts so prevalent among the Karands.  Instead of the plain
mey’eal
he had seen worn by soldiers, Terk’s was finely tailored, silver with blue down the sides.  “There is better food at the house, but it would not be wise to be seen carrying it.  The people are hungry.  I believe some of them would kill for food it is getting so bad.”

             
“This will be fine,” Miko assured him.  He tore off a piece of bread for himself.  “Do you have any information for us?”

             
“Some.  Z’Arize receives reports in the administrator’s office.  If you want to know what they are planning that will be your best chance.”

             
Coran agreed that official reports were exactly what he might be looking for.  “I need a description of the building, the number of guards, anything else you can tell me.  What about the harbor?”

             
“It is packed with ships.  They are lined up next to each other.”

             
“Lashed together?” Coran asked. 

             
“Yes.  You can cross from one deck to the next.”

             
Not very prudent on the part of his enemy.  They must have run out of space, which meant there were a lot of ships.  It did give him some ideas.  “What else?” 

             
“I do not know if it is important but there are ships out beyond the harbor.  Northmen I think.”

             
“They don’t try to enter the harbor?” Miko questioned.

             
“No.  One of the mages watches them from the bluff to the south.  I do not know how they do it, but they keep any curious ships away.”

             
A wizard guarding the harbor from Northmen ships.  He was starting to think of a plan.  “Do you have some men who can help us?  Men willing to take some risks?”

             
Terk nodded.  “I know many who would like to get back at the Makkurans, and other traders will help too.”

             
“All right, this is what I need from you,” Coran said directly to Terk.  “Find out everything you can about the harbor; if there are men stationed on the ships, where any guards are located, things like that.  Also, I need a description of the bluff and the location of the wizard.”

             
Terk nodded at each request.  “Anything else?”

             
He thought for a moment.  “We will need boats to use in the harbor and a place to launch them without being seen.”

             
“The outer pier is too rotted for large ships to use.  We could go from there.”

             
“Good.  I also need you to find me some archers.”

             
“Archers?” he asked curiously.  “I should be able to do that.  What do you have in mind?”

             
“We are going to do something about that fleet,” he informed them.  He just had a few details to work out.  He also needed the information to know if it would work.

               Elthzidor was pleased with the progress so far.  Nearly eighty thousand Karands were gathered and would soon be moving west.  They were poorly equipped and trained, but they provided him with numbers.  The rest of his army, Midalians, some Davyrians, and Karians came with him from across the sea.  The core of his army was his Makkurans.  His men would almost be a match for the Midians.  It didn’t matter too much though.  The important part was to the south where the fleet was nearly complete.  With Summerhall in his hands he couldn’t lose.  He would prove he was worthy to be named Ra Majin.