The Black Sword Trilogy: The Four Nations (4 page)

“Not today it isn’t.”

             
“So how the hell did you find me?” Kenner pressed Terri.

Terri found a pipe next to the hea
rth and began filling it with tobacco from a pouch on her waste.

“That’s my pipe, too.”

“Not today it isn’t.”

Kenner closed his eyes and chuckled.

“As you were about to tell me, though…” He said leading Terri.

“Oh yes, how the hell I found you.  Would you
believe me if I told you the trees told me?”

“Actually that wouldn’t surprise me at all.”

“Really?”

“The sword talks to me all the time.”

“I thought as much.”

“Well, it doesn’t really ‘talk’ to me.  I get impressions and feelings, sometimes I see things…”

“It’s the same way with me and the Bow.”

“That was an excellent shot, by the way.” Kenner told her.

“I’ve made harder.”

“Do you hunt with that thing?”

“Good heavens no!”

“Why not?”

Terri lit the pipe and took a thoughtful draw.

“I’m not sure I can explain
it.  For some reason or another, it just doesn’t feel as if it would be right.”

             
“How goes the war?” Kenner asked.

Terri looked far off and sighed.

“Where do I begin?”

“Try the twenty five words or less version.”

              “Well,” Terri began.  “It was going fairly well.  We’ve won all the major battles, so far and there haven’t been large casualties.”

“You said ‘was’ as in past tense.  What seems to have happened?”

Terri took another thoughtful draw.

“His Majesty King Melkur; that’s what happened.”

“Is he not the brilliant military strategist his father was?”

“He’s an absolute idiot.”

“Careful,” Kenner teased.  “You could be flogged for saying that.”

“Actually, the King has raised that penalty to having one’s tongue cut out.”
“Ouch!”

“His Majesty had one of his mini
sters punished that way.  He had the entire city of Kallesh come out to witness.  Everyone was required to attend and no one was allowed to leave until His Majesty had finished his four hour speech.”

“That sounds consistent with the Melkur I met.  How has
he screwed up the war?”

Terri closed her eyes and shook her head.

              “He’s made an absolute mockery of it.  He’s constantly interfering with military policy and overriding strategy decisions made by the Generals.  Instead of pursuing enemy forces and driving them out of Walechia, he has the Grand Army wait until enemy forces threaten a village or city.  We then march to wherever the enemy are, fight, win, people die and then the King calls us back to Kallesh.  That means that over the last two years, our infantry has marched hundreds of miles they shouldn’t have had to and they’re almost at the point of exhaustion.  He won’t let our Generals pursue when reliable sources send messages of enemy movements.  All too often, he’s waited to send the Army until it’s too late.  Small towns and villages have been burned and civilians murdered.  It’s ridiculous.  He’s a moron!”

             
Kenner then poured two cups full of ale for himself and Terri.

“It’s about bloody time,” Terri teased him as he gave her a cup.

“So, is that why you’re here?” He asked her.  “Did you desert?”

“No, believe it or not, I’m on a diplomatic mission.”

Kenner lowered his head and glared at her.

“You’re not asking me to join in this madness are you?”

“Great Lady, no!”

“Good.  Because the answer includes
language I prefer not to use in the presence of a lady.”

Terri looked at him, smiled and winked.

“I haven’t been called that in a while.”

             
At that moment, there was a knock at the door.  Kenner rose and opened the door to see the pretty, red haired school teacher standing in front of him.  Terri then saw a side of him she hadn’t seen before.  In an instant, his whole demeanor changed.  He stepped backwards awkwardly.  He stood up straight, almost as if standing at attention.  And yet, he shifted nervously a little.  He put his hands behind his back and began rubbing them.

“Oh, hello Lenor.” He said to the woman at the door.  His voice sounded higher and had lost its depth.  “H…How are you?” Kenner stuttered.  “Are you alright?”

“I’m fine, Kenner.” Lenor said to him sweetly.  “And you?”

“I’m fine…yes…I’m fine.”

Kenner then heard Terri chuckling behind him.

“Um…” the young lady said in an anxious voice.  “Is your friend still here?”

“Uh…yeah…she is.”

The two then stood staring at each other at the door for a fe
w seconds.

“May I come in?” Lenor finally asked.

“Oh yes…of course.”

             
The beautiful girl with the red hair approached Terri slowly holding some sort of basket in her hands.  She was almost the same height as Terri, but thinner with soft curves.  Her red hair was shoulder length, framing an almost child-like face with round, deep blue eyes.  Her soft, sweet manner reminded Terri of Kayla and she smiled.

             
“I must apologize to you for this morning.” Lenor said to Terri.

“Apologize?” Terri asked.  She felt a li
ttle nervous herself at the sight of this beauty.

“I didn’t show appreciation to you for saving my life.  I am most sorry for that.”

“That’s alright.” Terri said to her.

“Are you the one called Terri?” Lenor asked.  Her eyes seemed to grow even rounder and
with a deeper blue.

“That would be me.” Terri answered.

She then held out the basket to Terri.

“That’s most kind of you.” Terri said softly and taking the basket.

When she opened it, she found bread, some dried meats, two bottles of ale and two cigars lying on top of the bread.

             
“I hope you like the cigars.” She said with a nervous smile.  “Kenny…I mean…Kenner has told us many stories of you since coming back and we have all so wanted to meet you.”

“I am…” Terri then coughed, feeling almost like crying.  “
I am most honored.”

“Will you be joining us tonight?  I know it’s a very solemn occasion…”

“I’d be delighted.”

“Good.” Lenor said, smiling sweetly.   She then started back towards the door.  “I’ll see you then.”

She then turned to Kenner and Terri saw a loving expression in her eyes to which Kenner was obviously oblivious.

“Will you be there tonight?”

“Uh…” Kenner stammered.  “Yes…of course I will.”

Lenor’s smile brightened even further and then she said goodbye.

              Kenner turned around and saw Terri beaming at him.

“What?” He said, the bass in his voice returning.

“Kenny?” Terri teased.

“The children call me that.” He said quickly.

“That was no child.”

“You keep your hands off of her.” Kenner said to Terri starting to laugh.

“Oh you don’t have to worry about that.  Even if I wanted her, she’d never even let me near her.”

“That’s right.”

“I’m not the one she wants.”

             
Kenner then stepped back a little.

“What do you mean by that?” His voice sounded squeaky again.

“Are you blind?” Terri said, almost shocked.

“Yeah…she’s pretty.”

“That lady adores you.”

“No…not possible.”

“Did you not see the way she looked at you?  She’s got it for you bad.”

Terri saw Kenner’s face turn bright red and for the first time, he was unable to look her in the eyes.

“You poor fool,” she told him.  “You really need to get laid.”

Chapter Seven

              Later that day, Kenner and Terri came out to the center of the village where the funerals were to take place.  Several people approached to thank both Kenner and Terri and then Migran, the village chieftain approached.

“That was very generous of you to offer to help build the pyres, Kenner,” He said sarcastically.

Kenner stepped forward with his eyes seemingly on fire.

“I was equally impressed with how you ran and hid in the woods while thre
e others were cut down and your own daughter almost had her throat cut.” Kenner growled.

“How dare you speak to me that way…” Migran started.

“And how dare you presume that you can continue to push me around. I’m not the same child I was after my father died and you took everything I had.”

“That was for the good of the village.”

“My father’s sword hanging over your fireplace is for the good of the village?  You making me buy back my own house from you was for the good of the village?”

             
Migran took a step back and then directed his attention at Terri.

“And I suppose this is Terri, the wielder of the Blackwood Bow.”

Terri gave a short bow.

“At your service…”she began to say.

“You’re not welcome here Walechian.  I suggest you…”

“If you finish that sentence,” Ke
nner interrupted “I will leave as well and never return.  I’ll take my cats, that have provided food and protection from wild beasts with me, I’ll burn the cabin my father built with his own two hands to the ground so that you can’t have it and then just before I leave…” He then stood close enough to Migran to almost be touching him.  “I will have my father’s sword back.”

“You always were a selfish brat.” Migran spat.

“And you’re a greedy old man who doesn’t give a damn about anyone but himself.”

             
Just then a woman stepped in between them.

“This is not the time or the place for this.” She said annoyed.  “This time is supposed to be dedicated to those we lost, not old grudges.”

Kenner looked at her and bowed lower than Terri had ever seen.

“You’re right as al
ways Trinna.” Kenner said respectfully.

“I still say the Walechian is not welcome.” Migran said.

“Shut up, Migran.” Trinna said angrily at him.  “I won’t ask you two to shake hands, but you can at least be civil to each other for the rest of the night, can’t you?”

Migran grunted at Kenner and stormed away.  After that, Trinna gave Kenner a stern look and walked away as well.

“What a lovely man,” Terri said.  “Is he single?”

“Believe it or not, he’s married.” Kenner answered.

“I pity the woman that has to share a bed with him.”

             
As the sun went down, the fires were lit and the bodies of the fallen villagers were burned away so that their spirits could join the rest of the spirits of land, forest and sea.  Tears fell, songs were sung and as the night wore on, stories were being told of the villagers and the lives they shared.

             
Kenner and Terri were talking of the events of the last two years.

“So the King’s in trouble?” Kenner asked.

“I’m afraid so.  It seems both men and women have gone missing from the prisons in Kallesh.  Rumors have spread that they’ve been used as some kind of vicious sport for the King’s guards.  There have even been hints that the King himself may even be involved.”

             
Kenner remembered his cousins and the fate that befell them at the hands of, then Prince Melkur.  He also remembered King Philas covering up the crime by sending the witnesses like himself and Captain Krall to the far reaches of Walechia.

             
“What could potentially happen to the King?” Kenner asked, not looking at her.  He didn’t want her to see the pain he felt at the mention of those awful events.

“Well, potentially,” She began, “He could be deposed and the highest member of the Congress would be next in line as Melkur has no heir as of yet.”

“Sounds good to me.” Kenner added.

“The problem is,” Terri continued “that the witnesses all have a habit of either disappearing or being convicted of other crimes and executed.  The King has suddenly taken a special interest in crime lately; taking time out of his busy schedule to s
tand judge for men and women accused of minor offenses.  Anyone even remotely linked to the accusations have been tried; those who haven’t suddenly disappeared, that is.”

“What about Krall?” Kenner asked.