Redemption (29 page)

"Do you think they are asleep yet?" asked a small rat-faced man. "Their fire still burns."

"Perhaps the fools think that the fire will keep the animals at bay," shrugged Babul. "These men are obviously not Caprians, Alan. If they were, they would not be camping around here. This is our territory."

"Still," Alan said nervously, "maybe we should wait a while longer."

"There are only a handful of them," scoffed Babul, "and forty of us. What are you afraid of?"

"Nothing," lied the rat-faced man.

"Then be quiet and do what you are told to do," snapped Babul as he started waving his hand to gather his men around him.

When the bandits had gathered around their leader, Babul issued terse instructions.

"I want a complete ring around their campsite," ordered Babul. "We will approach the camp with stealth, and I want everyone to be in step. I would prefer to capture these men rather then kill them."

"Why?" asked one of the men. "It is safer just to kill them while they sleep."

"Because these men are sneaking through the forest," Babul answered with a tone that mocked the questioner. "That means that they have something to hide, and I want to know what it is. What they are hiding might very well be more valuable to us than what they are carrying with them. Don't question my orders. Just obey them. Nobody enters the clearing until we are all surrounding it. Move out."

The bandits moved quietly through the trees. Babul and his group waited a while to give the others a chance to get around to the rear of the clearing before moving forward. They moved at an agonizingly slow pace to avoid making noise, so it annoyed Babul when he heard a distant tinkling sound. He halted and cocked his head, but he heard no further noise. Suddenly irritable, the bandit leader started his group forward again.

The approach to the campsite took over fifteen minutes because of the slow pace, but Babul eventually stood at the edge of the clearing and gazed into it. The fire was still burning brightly, and the forms of eight blanket-covered men were clearly visible. The Bandit leader grinned broadly and his irritation immediately evaporated. He looked across the clearing to see if all of his men were ready, but the others were difficult to see. The brightness of the fire made looking into the dark woods difficult, but he knew that his men must be ready.

With a bold stride, Babul entered the clearing and drew his sword. The rest of his men followed his example and forty men crowded into the clearing and surrounded the sleeping forms. Babul extended his sword towards the nearest body and flicked off the blanket. Gasps rang out around the clearing as everyone saw that there was no man under the blanket. Instead, the blanket had covered piles of branches and a pack. Babul's men immediately tore the blankets off the other sleeping forms, and Babul instantly realized his error.

"Ah, Babul," came a voice from the forest, "I told you that I never wanted to meet you again, yet here you are. What am I to do with you?"

Babul's eyes grew large, and his mouth fell open as he recognized the voice of Gunnar. The bandit leader spun towards the source of the voice, but he could not see anything in the dark woods. Babul's hand started shaking and he quickly sheathed his sword to avoid having anyone see his nervousness. Summoning his will to keep the terror out of his voice, Babul ordered his men to sheath their swords. The bandits looked at their leader as if he had gone mad, but Babul replied angrily at their hesitancy.

"I said to sheath your weapons," shouted Babul. "These people are not to be harmed. Do it now, or I will cut you down myself."

The bandits reluctantly began sheathing their swords, but they also looked around anxiously, wondering who the people were and where they were. To answer the question, Prince Antion walked into the clearing. The bandits moved aside to allow the stranger a direct path to their leader. Prince Antion walked up to Babul and stared him in the face.

"Thank you, Babul," Prince Antion said softly. "I really did not want to kill so many men tonight."

"I did not know whose camp this was," Babul said nervously. "We mean you no harm."

Some of the bandits grumbled under their breath at their leader's cowardice, but Babul ignored them. He knew the caliber of the men they faced, and he knew that forty men were no longer such a large force. Even forty bandits were no match for eight professional warriors, especially ones with the training that Gunnar and his friends had.

"You asked what you should do with me," Babul continued nervously. "Let me lead my men away from this camp. We are no threat to you and your party."

"You are correct about that," smiled Prince Antion, "but can I trust you?"

"You can trust me," Babul nodded vigorously. "We will even stand guard around your campsite if you wish. We will not let anyone disturb your night's sleep."

"This is rubbish," snarled one of the bandits as he lurched at Prince Antion from behind.

The man's sword struck the Arin prince across the arm only a second before an arrow pierced the bandit's skull. The bandit's body collapsed in a heap and his sword fell near the fire. The other bandits turned to look into the woods for the hidden archer, but no one could see him.

"Do not blame me for his actions," pleaded Babul. "You heard me give orders not to attack you."

"What kind of man is this?" one of the bandits near Prince Antion gasped. "His arm isn't even bleeding. That swing should have severed his arm."

The other bandits gasped and took a few steps backwards. They appeared ready to bolt into the forest, but the Arin prince refused to let them leave. He could not afford to have word spread throughout Capri about this encounter.

"Anyone who flees will be killed," Prince Antion said clearly. "Everyone remains until I decide what is to be done about this heinous attack on my camp."

"Listen to me, Gunnar," pleaded Babul. "I was wrong to attack Kerzi. I know that now, and I have paid a heavy price for it. I am no longer welcome in Goodland or any other city. We steal mostly to eat now. There are no more caravans to attack now that the Borundans have invaded. Have mercy on me. I gave instructions that no one was to be killed tonight. If you doubt me, ask any of my men. They will tell you the truth."

"I doubt that any of your men are capable of the truth," retorted Prince Antion, "but I think I actually believe you, but that does not answer the question of what I should do with you."

Babul steeled his nerves and stepped closer to Prince Antion. He spoke in a whisper so that his men could not distinguish his words.

"I know who you really are, Gunnar from the north," revealed Babul, "yet I have told no one, not even my men. Can you not tell that I am being sincere? I wronged you and your friends, and you taught me a lesson that I will never forget. Indeed I felt humiliated at first and I swore revenge, but I soon realized how wrong my actions had been. I will do anything to make it up to you, but please spare my life."

"And who do you think I am?" asked the Arin prince.

Babul turned and glanced at his men to make sure that none were close enough to hear. He leaned closer to Gunnar's ear and whispered, "Prince Antion of Arin."

"You and I are going for a walk in the woods, Babul," Prince Antion said loudly. "If any of your men try to leave before we return, they will die. Come with me."

Prince Antion led the bandit leader into the woods and away from the campsite. When they were far enough away that no one could possibly hear the conversation, the Arin prince stopped and faced Babul.

"How do you know what you know?" asked Prince Antion.

"You are wanted by the Borundans," Babul answered. "They have posters with your likeness all over Capri."

"Now I really don't know what to do with you," sighed Prince Antion. "I am not one who likes to kill, Babul, but I cannot let the Borundans know that I am in Capri."

"I will never tell," promised Babul. "I have not even told Alan or the others. Besides, I am hoping that Arin can defeat the Borundan scum so that Capri can return to normal. You see, I am also wanted by the Borundans, as is every bandit in the country. We are to be killed without question, so there is no way that I could sell you out even if I wanted to, which I don't."

Prince Antion did not respond to Babul's plea, and the bandit became very nervous. He had gambled his life by telling the prince the truth, but he felt strongly that the prince would not murder him without reason.

"Look, Prince Antion," suggested Babul, "I know that I have wronged you and that I have no credibility within your mind, but we can work together on this. I will use my men to get you through the Borundan army and safely back to Arin. Perhaps in some small way that will repay you for the errors I have made in the past."

"You are willing to risk your life and the lives of your men to help me?" Prince Antion asked skeptically.

"I am," Babul nodded firmly. "By rights my life was forfeit that day in Goodland. I don't think my offense tonight was as serious, but you warned me not to cross your path again. I did so unknowingly, but I did cross your path again. I would rather take a chance at fighting my true enemies, than die for something that happened long ago that I have regretted ever since. My men are in a similar position. They all have pasts that are better off forgotten. I do not know who is traveling with you, but I know the caliber of men you travel with. I am not fool enough to think that any of my men would escape this forest alive if you were not willing to allow it. To a man, they hate the Borundans and we would gladly take the battle to them if there was at least a slim chance of survival."

"I want very much to believe you, Babul, as I believe all men deserve a chance to better themselves," the prince said hesitantly, "but I am not alone. There are others who depend upon me, and I cannot take a chance with their lives."

Babul's eye twitched as he felt his chance slipping away from him. "I am speaking from my heart," Babul pleaded softly. "If there were some way to convince you, I would do so immediately, but you will just have to trust me. Give us a chance. You won't be sorry."

A thin hint of a smile passed over the prince's lips and his eyes brightened somewhat as he stared at the bandit leader.

"Would you truly be willing to prove your intent if there were a way?" asked the prince.

Prince Antion had expected the thief to squirm before answering, but Babul's reply was prompt and decisive.

"I am willing to do whatever you wish," vowed Babul. "My life as a bandit is no longer worth living, but I am in no hurry to throw it away. Let me walk on the side of right and decency just once before I die. I will not disappoint you."

"Are you aware that a wisper has the ability to look into one's mind?" asked Prince Antion.

"I was not aware of that," admitted the bandit leader.

"Would you be willing to let one search your mind for the truth?" asked the Arin prince.

"I would do so," Babul nodded. "Give me the chance to stand by your side, and when we find a wisper I will ask her to prove my intentions."

Prince Antion whistled softly to ensure that his friends were watching him closely. He raised his hand over his head and his fingers moved rapidly. Babul's eyes narrowed as he watched the antics of the Arin prince, but he said nothing. Within moments a warrior strode towards Prince Antion, and the bandit leader's eyes grew wide. Female warriors were unheard of in the Land of the Nine Kingdoms, yet the woman carried her sword as if it belonged upon her back. Her face held the same self-assurance that had made Babul notice Gunnar that day in Goodland so long ago.

"Ask her," Prince Antion said softly as Winona approached.

Babul swallowed hard and stared into the woman's face. She returned his stare with a cold gaze that showed no hint of compassion.

"I seek a wisper to read my mind," Babul said nervously. "Can you do it?"

Winona glanced at Prince Antion and saw him nod in agreement.

"Lie down," Winona commanded.

"Lie down?" frowned Babul. "Why?"

"Because many men will faint from the truth," Winona smiled coldly. "I wouldn't want you to hurt yourself by falling."

Babul did not care for her words, and his first reaction was to boast that he would not faint, but he bit his tongue and followed the woman's instructions. Winona knelt alongside Babul and extended her arms until her hands rested on his temples. For several moments there was silence in the woods as Winona delved into the thoughts of the bandit leader. Prince Antion suspected that she did not plan to divulge what she learned until they were alone, but he wished otherwise.

"Tell us what you are learning," the Arin prince requested. "Babul should have no secrets, not even from himself."

"He is very fearful of you," Winona declared, "but he also admires you more than any man he has ever met. He knows your true identity, but he considers it a secret. There is a strong fear of death, but he has the courage to face it if he must." Winona's brow creased heavily as she continued, "This man has done some despicable things in his life. The lives of others hold no value in his heart. He sees everyone as a potential victim of his crimes."

"I can change," protested Babul.

"Quiet," snapped Prince Antion. "Listen to her words and learn the truth. Perhaps once you understand who you truly are, you can see the wrongness of your ways."

"I believe he is telling the truth," Winona retorted softly. "He is very unhappy with his life. He sees his unfortunate situation in life as the result of actions by others and not his own fault, but part of him desires to change."

"Will he turn against me?" asked Prince Antion. "If I allow him to walk away, will I regret it?"

Winona remained silent for a moment, but she eventually answered, "Yes and no. He will not tell the Borundans about you, but you will lose the opportunity to make use of him and his men."

"Explain," frowned the prince.

"He truly wants to do something that is right by you," replied Winona. "He sees his men escorting you to the bridge over the Arin River so that you can return safely to your homeland even though many of his men will die. The road is thick with Borundan soldiers and the journey is almost impossible, but he still wants to do it."

"Let him be," the prince said to Winona. "I need him awake right now."

Winona nodded and removed her hands. She rose and backed away from the bandit leader. Prince Antion extended a hand to Babul and helped him to his feet.

"Return to the clearing," Prince Antion instructed the bandit leader. "Tell your men to leave their weapons in the clearing and then find another clearing nearby to make camp. You and I will talk when they are settled in."

Babul nodded eagerly and started to leave. He paused for a moment to glance at the wisper with a look of wonder and then he was gone.

"You are going to trust him?" frowned Winona. "Is that wise when we are so close to our goal?"

"Perhaps not," shrugged Prince Antion, "but I cannot help thinking that Babul would have been a totally different man if he had been given a chance in his youth. He probably would have made a fine officer in someone's army."

"But we are not headed to Arin," objected Winona, "and you cannot tell him the truth about our mission. That is too risky. While he might not betray you, his men are likely to."

"I have made no decision regarding how much Babul shall learn of our mission," replied the Arin prince, "but I must talk to him. He knows a lot about the situation here in Capri, and we do not. While Jared can help us find his brother, we will not be able to just walk up to King Zinan and attack him. We need to understand the situation entirely before we strike. Babul can help us learn what we need to know."

* * *

It was a bright sunny morning two days later when Babul strode into the camp of the foreign warriors. He greeted each of the warriors by name and with a smile before settling down near the campfire and helping himself to a mug of tea. The three princes and Winona halted their morning chores and gathered around the campfire.

"Any more problems with your men?" asked Prince Antion.

"No," chuckled Babul, "not since Talot caught one of them trying to sneak away a day ago. Most of the men either saw the fight in Goodland or heard about it. None of them are willing to risk the wrath of your people by making trouble. Besides, the men haven't eaten this well in a long time. They marvel at the deer that Monte brings to camp. He never fails to bag one."

"Good," Prince Antion nodded with satisfaction. "What have you learned since yesterday morning?"

"A number of things," Babul replied. "We snooped around the Castle of Capri. It is directly south of here at a half-day's ride. We could not determine the actual number of men inside the castle, but I estimate at least three hundred."

"Is that all?" Prince Derri asked with disbelief. "If King Zinan is inside and the castle is his headquarters, I would expect a larger number."

"The king is supposedly inside," replied Babul, "but none of my men caught sight of him. Of course, they wouldn't recognize him if they did see him, but there has been no sighting of anyone wearing a crown. As for being the headquarters for the Borundan army, I do not think that is true any longer. The bulk of the Borundans have moved westward. I think they are planning to attack Arin quite soon. It may no longer be possible to get you over the bridge at Anatar."

"Three hundred is no small number for what we have in mind," Prince Umal pointed out. "The castle of Capri was designed to withstand a siege by thousands."

"What do you have in mind?" Babul frowned heavily. "Surely you are not thinking of attacking the Castle of Capri? That would be madness. There are only eight of you."

"Are you and your men no longer with us?" Prince Antion asked with a thin smile.

"You can't be serious?" gasped the bandit leader. "That is suicide."

"Sounds like he is not interested," Winona said with indifference.

"That is not what I said," Babul retreated quickly. "Let me think about this for a minute."

"You do have courage," chuckled Prince Antion as he slapped Babul on the back. "Do not think too hard just yet. Our plans are not complete, but we do not intend to besiege the Castle of Capri. We seek to kill King Zinan and end this nasty war."

"Your ambitions are bold," Babul said in awe. "It is a worthy goal, but I have heard that King Zinan is immortal."

"He believes himself to be immortal," offered Prince Derri, "but that is not the truth."

"All right," frowned the bandit leader, "so we don't need to siege the castle, but it is not one that you can sneak into either. Have you ever seen it?"

"I have been inside," nodded Prince Antion, "as have several others in this group."

"I forget that you are princes," Babul said thoughtfully. "I wonder if we might trick our way inside. Would they allow a foreign prince in to see King Zinan?"

"That is doubtful," Prince Umal shook his head. "King Zinan would be more apt to seize us and use us as leverage to gain what he wants from our fathers. It would not work of course, but that is what he would do."

"I agree," nodded Prince Derri. "Zinan is not interested in negotiations. He wants to conquer the Land of the Nine Kingdoms."

"I would like to get a peek at this castle," interjected Winona. "Would that be possible?"

"I would gladly take you myself," offered Babul as he looked to Prince Antion for permission.

"She is not known to the Borundans," shrugged Prince Derri, "and I value her judgment a great deal. It might be worth the trip."

"I agree," added Prince Umal. "Winona understands our goal very well. She will look with our eyes, and her report could be valuable."

"No," Prince Antion shook his head. "She is needed in the final battle."

"Let her go," Jared said softly from behind the Arin prince. "We should not question what is her part to play."

Prince Antion glanced back at Jared and grudgingly relented. He nodded his head in agreement, but it was clear that he did not like the idea. No one spoke as Winona left the group and gathered her belongings.

* * *

Babul sat hidden in a thick stand of palm trees as he watched Winona frolic in the surf. The woman's body was covered only with thin bands of cloth for the sake of modesty, and the bandit leader was sure that she had the attention of the entire garrison at the Castle of Capri. It was only a matter of time before a group of soldiers exited the castle and made their way along the beach to where the woman played in the surf. While the bandit leader was too far away to hear the words spoken, he could almost imagine the tone of the conversation.

The four soldiers confronted the woman, and she emerged from the water. After talking for some time, one of the men insistently dismissed the other three. Winona accompanied the lone soldier to one of the thatched-roof pavilions lining the beach. The pavilion had no walls, but it had several cane chairs for the purpose of sitting in the shade of the roof. The soldier and Winona sat down and talked for a long time, and Babul wished that he could hear the conversation. Eventually the soldier rose and extended his hand to Winona. The female warrior rose without assistance and shook her head vigorously.

The soldier's voice rose loudly and he became clearly agitated, but Winona remained steadfast and shook her head adamantly. When the soldier reached out to grab Winona, the woman struck with a swiftness that Babul found inconceivable. The soldier doubled over before Winona brought her fists down on his head. As the soldier collapsed to the ground, Winona turned and ran towards the line of palm trees. Babul quickly gathered the woman's belongings and waited for her to arrive. Within minutes she was dressed and armed, and the two spies fled through the trees to their horses.