Hammers in the Wind (8 page)

Bahr crossed his arms over his chest and waited for the newcomer. He suddenly felt overmatched. She couldn’t weigh more than a hundred pounds, less than half of him but there was an undeniable lethality to her. Every inch of her warned of violence. She finally halted before him and bowed.

“Captain, my name is Rekka Jel and I have travelled far to join this quest.”

Her light brown skin glowed in the breaking dawn. Bahr caught himself before he succumbed to her beauty. That didn’t stop him from noticing how soft and amber her eyes were.

Bahr returned the bow, albeit awkwardly. “What would a lady from the south want with an old sea captain from the far north?”

He didn’t ask the real question. How did you learn of our quest in the first place? Harnin and his men were still on the pier listening to every word. It wouldn’t do to give anything away provided she truly had something important to say.

“I had a dream you were in grave danger.”

He forced a smile despite the threat. “Lass, you’re probably too young to understand, but I seem to always be in danger. It goes with the times.”

“But I…” Rekka protested.

Bahr held up a finger and leaned forward so only she could hear him. “Say no more. There are unfriendly eyes watching us. Tell me what you will below deck.”

Rekka nodded.

“Harnin, this woman has been sent to find me to offer aid. I will see what she has to say and be about the quest. You are no longer needed here,” he called down.

Harnin bore a foul look. He wanted nothing more than to take every man at his disposal, storm the ship and throw everyone in irons. Doing so was not going to solve matters. And Badron would be furious.

“Very well, Captain. But keep in mind that haste is required. The king will not tolerate delay. He expects you to leave soon.”

Bahr translated that to mean “leave now or else.” His fingers curled around the hilt of his sword. If only, he longed. He turned his back on Harnin and led Rekka below. He politely ushered her into his cabin and offered a seat. Rekka smiled and waited for the questioning to begin.

“Now then, what’s all this nonsense about a dream?” he asked. Getting to the point was the best way to deal with the problem.

“Forgive me. The dream masters of my people have long beheld visions of a terrible war begun in the north. The dreams centered on a king whose heart is laced with malice and an old seafarer past his prime. I do not mean to offend you but it is our belief that the old seafarer…”

“Is me,” he finished.

She nodded, slightly embarrassed. “Yes. Each time the dream occurred there was a vessel with a black dragon on the sail. We have searched far and wide. This is the only such vessel.”

Bahr remained skeptical. “I find that hard to believe. The ocean is a massive place. You could have easily missed another such as mine. Dragons are a common theme among the north people.”

“It is not the sail so much as the man.”

“I don’t follow.”

Rekka exhaled slowly and explained. “The dragon is a symbol of power and greatness. They are revered for their wisdom and strength.”

“Clearly you have never read the tales of men who have fought one,” he said lightheartedly.

“Perhaps the dragons in your legends acted aggressively because your men came to slay them,” she offered back.

He had no answer.

“Your people are known as the people of the dragon in my homeland. Our texts speak of great deeds centered upon these creatures. Their age leads to a heightened awareness, revealing all of their surroundings for the greater good. Kings of old once sought council in their mighty mountain lairs.”

Bahr was starting to get frustrated. “You’ve made your point about the damned dragons. I still fail to see what this has to do with me. I put a dragon on my sail when I was a lad because I thought the image would inspire terror and make me sound hard. There are no great secrets or hidden meanings. I was young and brash. The name had already stuck by the time I grew old enough to know better.”

“Captain, you must understand the convictions of my quest. Your actions may affect the fate of thousands. War is coming quickly and there is little time to prepare.”

He stopped her. She was hiding something, but he knew better than to press too much too soon. “What do you mean my actions? I’m only one man. Hells, I’m not even a particularly great warrior. This world has gotten on well enough without me. Wars come and go. It is the way of things. What can I possibly do that will have such impact?”

“The dream masters say that only the brother of the evil king has the power to prevent disaster,” she said after a deep breath.

Bahr’s eyes widened. His face flushed, his heart thumped faster. “What did you say?”

He refused to believe what she just said. No one living knew his darkest secrets, not even his best friends. How could this stranger from the south come to learn the depths of his soul without ever meeting him? He slowly began to believe parts of her story. Perhaps these dream masters did have some ethereal power. His initial impulse was to throw her off his boat, but too many questions were unanswered. This diminutive woman was much too valuable to simply discard.

“Captain Bahr, the dream tells us of two brothers driven apart by hatred. One is a king, the other a… mild pirate. One shall go through darkness and pain while the other builds on madness and seeks to bring the world to the edge of destruction. Only the brother who is forced to suffer will be able to save his people and restore order to Malweir.”

He frowned, though being called a pirate was amusing. He almost liked the appellation. Still, the dilemma remained. Bahr sat down. He had too. The weight behind her words held much portent he simply wasn’t willing to accept. He’d known from childhood that a day of reckoning was coming between Badron and himself. His brother was unstable, leading to rash judgments and a nasty bitter streak. Questions and scenarios overtook his thoughts. Too much. It was all too much. Bahr wasn’t sure how he was going to be able to fight his own brother.

He smirked. Brother. They hadn’t thought of each other as brothers in almost thirty years. Those bonds were long decayed and irreparable.

Bahr finally looked into Rekka’s soft brown eyes. “How did you know he was my brother? That is a truth we have kept hidden for many years. Our mother knew we would eventually come to mortal blows and made efforts to keep us apart. She died shortly thereafter.”

The cabin door creaked open.

“I thought I gave orders to be left alone?”

A light chuckle followed. “You didn’t really believe this young lady found her way all the way north without a little intervention did you?”

“Anienam Keiss, I should have known better,” Bahr exclaimed.

The old wizard ambled into the cabin and found a chair, a crooked smile engraved on his face. Rekka Jel dropped reverently to her knees and bowed deeply.

“Come, come child. There is no call for that. As our good captain is so fond of saying, I am just a man,” Anienam said. “You have done well to make it here so quickly.”

Rekka slowly raised her head. “I left Teng not long after you.”

“A very long journey. You deserve to rest. Where are your bags?”

“No doubt being rummaged through by Harnin’s men,” Bahr added. He wasn’t sure, but he got the impression that Anienam was trying to divert the conversation.

“Would you be so kind as to get one of your men to retrieve them for her?” Anienam asked politely.

Bahr rose. “Sure, but I need a few answers first.”

“Answers to what exactly?”

“How long have you two been working together?”

Anienam smiled. “I don’t believe we have ever met.”

“Then how….”

The wizard held up a staying hand. “I am a friend of many in many lands. The tribes of Brodein are well known to me. They have worked with my kind and,” a pause, “others for many years. I did, however, have a hand in helping the Teng dream masters interpret the dreams.”

“And the secret of my brother and I?”

“I am a wizard,” he said matter-of-factly. “I have walked across Malweir for millennia. You can’t expect certain things to be beyond me. Especially now. The world is changing, Bahr. I know we spoke of some of this the other night, but there is so much more I will never be able to explain. A confluence is coming. A time when the powers of light and dark will seek to win domination over all life. I will not get into the ages old debate of whether the gods exist or not. None of that matters. What matters are your decisions during the coming days and weeks.”

Bahr rubbed his chin thoughtfully. “It is a hard choice to make. I have no love for my brother, though I do not wish him ill. We are not of the same mold. Still, I would have my niece back alive even if he cares not.”

He fell silent. The admission had not been an easy one. These were the childhood secrets and painful memories of a wasted family. To have a pair of complete strangers confront him so casually rattled Bahr. What else might they say? He suddenly felt uncomfortable. Bahr knew both would need a careful eye on them.

“Heed my words. I undertake the quest to find my niece freely, but I will not kill my own brother. We may hate each other, but we are still blood. If such needs, doing it will be by another’s hands.”

Anienam replied, “No one is asking you to go to such lengths. The dreams lead us to believe you are the one to end this tyranny, but they do not say how. For that we must bear witness to history as it unfolds. There are dark times ahead, of that I am certain. We must struggle through the storm as a group before the sun will shine again.”

“I have never been good with riddles. I prefer a man who talks to me straight,” Bahr paused long enough to stare the old man deep in the eyes. “You two can come for the trip only on one condition.”

“Name it.”

“You do what I say and how. You, Rekka Jel, I expect to earn your keep while we’re at sea. Don’t worry lass, the voyage will be quick. No more than two or three days depending on the weather.”

Rekka bowed. “It shall be as you say.”

“And for me?” Anienam asked patiently.

Bahr felt irritated by the condescending look being given him. The old wizard must have done this a thousand times over, he thought.

“You stay hidden. I’m fairly certain that at least one of the men Harnin found is a spy. It makes sense. I noticed his favorite killer sneaking in with that group. Badron is no fool and Harnin’s a snake. You’re my ace in the hole for when things go sour.”

“A fair deal. I can help in finding this spy.”

“We’ll find out soon enough if my suspicions are correct. Men like that act differently when they’re under attack.”

“Do you plan on being attacked?”

It was Bahr’s turn to smile. “It wouldn’t be any fun otherwise.”

Boen made his way down the boarding ramp with Dorl and Nothol on his heels. Several guards blanched at the sight. They hadn’t followed Harnin down to the docks with the expectations of getting into a fight. The men from the Dragon’s Bane clearly had. They shuffled and moved back. Even Harnin found himself shifting away.

“What do you want?” he asked accusingly.

Boen flashed his teeth. It was a singular look. One that warned, “come and test me.”

“We’ve come for the lady’s belongings,” Dorl answered. “She’s coming with us.”

“I trust this isn’t a problem?” Boen added in a deep voice.

Harnin struggled to maintain his composure. “No problem at all. I trust she will benefit the mission greatly if Bahr has deemed her worthy.”

The Gaimosian shrugged. “That’s his business.”

Dorl and Nothol stripped the saddle bags and weapons from her horse and marched back to the Bane under Boen’s watchful gaze. None of the guards so much as flinched. The last thing any of them wanted was a brawl with a handful of mercenaries on the docks. All of their order and discipline meant nothing in a close fight. The men aboard the Bane were selected for one reason: they were dangerous. Harnin knew that all of his guards, and quite possibly himself, would be dead from such an encounter.

He swallowed what little pride remained and called out, “Inform Captain Bahr he is cleared to depart at his convenience.”

Boen looked back over his shoulder. “I suppose he’ll leave when he’s good and ready.”

He boarded the Dragon’s Bane, glad to be done with it.

Dorl dropped the bags and told Nothol, “I rather enjoyed that.”

“It could become habit-forming.”

“Let’s get her kit stored. I wouldn’t mind taking another peek at her myself. Did you see that silver hair?”

Nothol shook his head ruefully. “Yes I did and you’d best stop thinking with your trousers. That’s the quick-fire way to get killed.”

Dorl grinned. “It might just be worth it.”

Maleela stared down at the frost-covered ground and wondered again if she had made the right decision. Her father wasn’t necessarily a bad man. His temper was often frightening and he had a penchant for conquest, but he loved his people after a fashion. Maleela had never felt that love. All Badron wanted was sons. Rialla had given him one, but only one. The shame of going through life knowing that her mother died giving birth often caused Maleela great pain.

There was a time when a father’s love was all that mattered, needed. It was the one thing he refused to give. He blamed her for Rialla’s death and made no secret about it. Nothing she did was good enough. Every idea or thought she had was either dumb or a waste of time. He was overly critical and rarely showed good will towards her publicly. Maleela knew she was a stain upon his honor. The combination of all of that was unbearable.

Then she met Aurec. The pair took an instant liking to each other. Love seemed inevitable. The kings celebrated their relationship with a grand celebration many still talked about. Joy faded quickly. Maleela learned through her own spies that her father had designs on conquering Rogscroft. That knowledge would eventually force their love underground. She and Aurec were all but forbidden to follow the paths of their hearts, leaving one alternative. The pair kept their love a secret until Aurec was finally prepared to rescue her. She waited until the night came when her prince stole her from Chadra Keep.

A twig snapping startled her. Her hand dropped, uncomfortably, to the hilt of her short dagger.

“I’m unarmed,” Aurec said with a sheepish grin. His hands were held up.

She blushed. “You startled me.”

“I’m sorry,” he replied. “What are you doing out here all alone? It’s not safe for any of us these days.”

“I was just thinking.” She turned back to the rolling hills stretching out before them.

Aurec moved beside her and tenderly reached for her hand. “About your father.”

She nodded.

“Winter is closing in. No army is equipped to cross the mountains and wage a war a hundred leagues from home in the dead of winter, not even the Wolfsreik. We still have some time.”

Maleela gave him a sad look. “You don’t know my father.”

“He’s just one man.”

“One man who will stop at nothing to keep me from warning your father. He will kill us if he catches us.”

Aurec’s face twisted in a stricken look. “He wouldn’t hurt his own daughter.”

“Oh Aurec, why can’t you see? He has no love for me, none at all. He wanted sons. Strong heirs to carry on his name and ideals. I was, and am, unwanted in that house.”

“And we killed his only son,” he whispered.

It was more of an admission of guilt than a realization. He hadn’t wanted to kill anyone at all, but there was little choice in it. The house guard responded fiercely and did their jobs well. They also paid for it dearly in lives. Telling Maleela was the hardest thing he had ever done. The decision tormented him from the moment it happened. Her anger quickly faded, though not before beating deep bruises into his chest. Aurec was surprised with how easily she put that anger aside and focused on the present. He began to doubt her sincerity towards all of her family.

“Badron’s vengeance will be terrible.”

He looked at her and felt his heart grow weak. The woman he loved had just given up everything she’d ever known for an uncertain life with him. There was no going back and he was still unsure if he deserved it. He certainly couldn’t ask for such sacrifice. Aurec winced at the fear emanating off of her. Worse, he had no idea how to make it better.

“My brother was a good man. He might have been a fine king were it not for my father’s influences,” she quietly said.

“I promise you this will work itself out.”

“At what cost?”

He had no answer. Thankfully Venten approached.

“My lord, the camp is struck. We are ready to move.”

“Thank you, Venten. We’ll be along shortly. Tell Mahn and Raste to push out.”

The aged veteran nodded gruffly and returned to the rest of the group. He didn’t say it, but he was still unsure about their present course of action, and that bothered the prince. Venten was a professional soldier with unshakable loyalties. Wherever the prince went he would follow. Still, he’d been troubled since they entered Delranan. The old veteran prayed love did not get in the way before this affair was sorted.

“How long do you think it will be before your father sends his hunters?” Aurec asked once they were alone again.

“He already has,” came her reply.

He nodded glumly. “We knew it was a risk. The Pell Darga was good cover, but their kingdom lies along the same road as Rogscroft. We must hurry if we are to warn my father in time.”

They rode hard. Aurec was determined to put as much ground as possible between them and Badron’s hunters. Rogscroft was still far enough away to keep him comfortable. The Murdes Mountains loomed ever higher despite being far. Fortunately the road was an easy one. They could make great speed. Unfortunately their enemies could do the same. Aurec pushed them hard, driving across the grasslands and into the first foothills. All told, they rode fifteen leagues before the sun set.

Aurec decided to risk a small fire once they made camp. Satisfied that food was cooking and they could all find some warmth, he summoned his two best scouts to him. Mahn and Raste stood before their prince, awaiting their orders.

“I have a feeling we are being followed,” Aurec told them. “I want you to sweep back about a league. Don’t make contact though.”

Mahn, a longtime sergeant and veteran of almost twenty years, cocked his head. He had shoulder-length jet black hair and a barrel chest. Tattoos decorated his cheeks just below the eyes. “If it is only one man he’ll never see us coming. We should eliminate him before we lose the advantage.”

“No. Killing him will only let our enemy know they are on the right path. We can’t afford to take that risk.”

“They might be Pell scouts,” the younger Raste offered.

His golden hair and lighter frame was in sharp contrast to his counterpart. He still held a youthful lightheartedness in his pale blue eyes.

“The Pell would have made themselves known, besides they hardly come this far down from the mountains,” Mahn countered. His natural mistrust of the Pell dripped with every word.

“Just get close enough to see who it is and report back. Nothing fancy. I’m actually going to need you two before this ends,” Aurec cautioned.

“Fair enough. We will pass on the heroics for now,” Mahn smiled.

The scouts left without another word and saddled their mounts, taking time to strip everything that might give them away at night. Neither was particularly enthused about their task, but they were scouts and had no room for complaints. Still, they’d been riding point for almost a month and bordered on exhaustion. Loyal sons of Rogscroft, Mahn and Raste wearily climbed back into the saddle. They slipped into the growing darkness and were lost to the evening.

“They are two of my best,” Aurec told Maleela after he noticed the odd look she gave him. “If your father’s men are on us, they will find out.”

“What happens when they do? How much farther until we are safe?” she asked.

He lacked the nerve to tell her the truth.
Never. We will never be safe again, my love.
Badron would hound them into the grave.

“It will take us a week to cross the mountains, providing that the weather holds. Another week and we’ll be at Rogscroft. My father is going to give you a warm welcome. What better way to welcome winter than with the coming of a princess?”

His smile was warm and genuine, but not enough to shake the cold feeling in her bones. Something terrible was creeping upon them and she felt helpless to prevent it. Maleela hoped nothing ill befell them before gaining the security of the city-kingdom.

Then a thought dawned on her. She gave Aurec a sly look and asked, “He doesn’t know, does he?”

Aurec betrayed no emotion. “I don’t know what you are talking about.”

He watched her for a few moments before looking in the direction of his scouts. The world had suddenly grown more complicated.

*****

Raste stifled a yawn. The moon was slowing, cresting the lip of the western mountains. It was already cold with temperatures dropping close to freezing. The young scout considered how good being in a goose down bed with a warm woman or two would feel then admonished himself for drifting off. That kind of thinking would get both of them killed. They’d been through the drill more times than either cared to remember. Alertness was the key to their continued success, and survival, although Raste liked to credit a little bit of good luck as well.

Mahn led them into a small copse of white birch. The site of their last encampment was only a few hundred meters away. If Aurec’s suspicions were accurate, this was the perfect place to await their mystery stalker. Mahn wrapped his travelling cloak a little tighter around him and settled down for the wait. Experience taught him that it wouldn’t be long. No one in their right mind wanted to be out in this weather.

He glanced over at his younger partner. Raste was almost too young to be a good scout, but the lad did have natural ability. He was good, but not quite good enough. More so, Raste was experienced. He’d been pulled from the ranks of infantry after a handful of battles to salt him. Three years ago command had assigned them together. They’d formed a tenuous bond barely days before running into a Goblin patrol. Both did their share of killing during the escape. The lesson would prove invaluable should Raste decide to pursue a career in the military. Mahn had every expectation that the lad would grow to be a fine soldier with a little time and training.

A sudden movement broke his thoughts. Mahn smiled. Their quarry moved into view with impunity. Moonlight struck the ground in mottled beams. The scouts watched unbelievably as the man rummaged through rocks and trees for signs of the princess. He was sloppy and careless, making enough noise to be heard a mile away. Mahn cursed the man for his incompetence but made no move. He could almost feel Raste’s contempt rising beside him.

The younger scout thumbed the edge of his blackened dagger impatiently. He’d like nothing more than to charge in and make the kill. Unfortunately that wasn’t his job anymore. He was being paid to sit and watch and report. So Raste sat quietly and observed his enemy. The pair had almost grown bored when the man suddenly froze. His head darted from side to side as if frantically searching for something.

“Damn,” Raste barely whispered.

His first instinct was they’d been discovered and it was time to attack. If they didn’t stop the man now it was all over. He would return to his masters and report their position. That was unacceptable. He glanced over at Mahn to see if the older man’s body language suggested the same intent. It didn’t. Mahn sat still as a tree and watched. Raste, being the junior, resigned himself to the same.

Mahn watched their prey with extreme interest. There was nothing familiar about him. He moved like a normal man with limited field experience. His dress was non-distinct. He wore a thin rapier on his right hip, not the sort of weapon a man in this profession would choose. Mahn suddenly felt as if he was wasting his time. Their stalker was definitely not from Badron’s court. Mahn watched the man bolt back in the direction from which he came.

“Do we follow?” Raste immediately asked.

Mahn shook his head. “No. He’s harmless.”

“He might have friends.”

“Then let us hope they are better at this game than this one. We don’t have anything to fear from him.”

Raste wasn’t so sure. “I don’t like it. We should at least see where he is going.”

“To what purpose? I’d be willing to bet he’s no more than a boy chasing an easy score. Let the wind take him. We have better things to do.”

“Such as?” Raste raised an eyebrow.

They were sitting in the middle of nowhere in the middle of the night. It wasn’t the worst situation Raste had been in but he could think of several better ones. Besides, it was getting too cold to be wandering through the Delranan forests by themselves. He imagined how warm Aurec’s fire must be and stifled a jealous pang. The luxuries of being a prince, he guessed.
Fat and warm while all of us soldiers do the dirty work. Just lovely
.

“A bit of sleep and some hot food,” Mahn answered.

He’d never admit it, but he was every bit as tired and cold as Raste. Years of military service failed to immunize him to nature despite the hard edge. That edge often made it difficult to make friends or adapt in social situations very well. Mahn wasn’t quite old yet. He was only a few years beyond thirty. The downside was that the military was all he knew. Part of him wished Raste never had to know the same hardships, and a little luxury was most certainly owed them.

Raste cracked a thin smile. “I like the sound of that.”

“Let’s head back to camp. It will be dawn in a few hours and I need some rest.”

“Lead on, oh wise one.”

The scouts wheeled their mounts around and headed back to their small camp. Pale moonlight bathed the ground in an eerie glow. Shadows gave the impression of foul creatures stalking the innocence of the night. Neither scout paid much attention to such. They were accustomed, if not wholly comfortable, with working in the night. Still, both remained ready in the event the darkness turned on them.