The Merchant and the Menace (34 page)

“Your father holds the sentiments of an earlier
time. The world changes. The crown conscripts an army for such matters. Let
those who train partake in the bloodshed, and those of us skilled in other
matters go on with our lives.” stated Tepi as his eyes bore down on Manfir.

“Your advice is noted, although it was not
requested, Master Tepi,” stated Ader in a strong voice. “We will answer the
call of our king. If you wish to join us on the road, you may.”

The trader’s eyes bore down on Manfir.

“Then you must do as your father says,” said Tepi
in a cool steady voice.

“I must,” replied Manfir.

The prince spun his horse northward and began a
light trot up the road. The others in the group quickly fell in behind him.
Tepi glanced back and forth across the roadway and put his whip to the old nag
pulling his wagon. The beast snorted and lurched the swaying wagon forward.

After twenty minutes at this pace, Kael noted a
telltale depression in the road about a half league ahead. A stream crossed at
this point.

“We’ll break from the road ahead and water the
horses to the east of it,” said Manfir.

After several minutes they were within fifty yards
of the shallow stream. Manfir reined in and turned to the east. Another hundred
yards from the road a small grove of trees grew close to the stream’s side.
Manfir motioned to the grove and the group headed that way, Tepi’s wagon
bouncing behind them. Kael was happy to see Manfir choose a shady area for them
to rest. As they wandered through the thickets and brambles that grew beside
the road, Kael thought he saw a figure sitting in the shade of the grove. Just
ahead of him, Eidyn drew his bow and notched an arrow. The young men glanced at
one another nervously.

“Your injury hasn’t affected your speed my friend,”
called Teeg into the grove.

The black form awakened from a slumber or trance and
grabbed the tree it leaned against for support. It grunted and pulled itself to
its feet. There, with his black robe covering him from head to toe, stood
Granu. Kael knew it must be the Keltaran, for no man in these parts stood that
tall.

“It’s difficult to travel while avoiding the road,
but I felt it best,” said Granu as he removed the cowl which covered his face.

Ader made a quick hand motion and the giant halted
as Tepi’s cart clanged into the grove. The trader glanced about the area and
gasped when he spied Granu.

“Who .... who’ve we run into here?” gulped the
trader.

“A mutual friend and servant of my people,” stated
Teeg offhandedly. “My master, King Leinor, spared his life once and the brute
became indentured to my kingdom.”

“Is ... is it dangerous?” exclaimed Tepi slipping
his hand inside his robe once more.

“You may consider the Keltaran a brutal race,
Master Tepi, but their word is their bond. This fellow hasn’t seen his homeland
in fifteen seasons, and is true to his service. If he was not, Leinor would put
him to death,” lied Teeg.

Tepi relaxed, but his hand never left his robe.

“What’s the thing doing here in the wilderness all
alone?” asked the trader.

“He’s an excellent servant and bears almost any
burden I require,” commented Teeg. “But he does tend to upset the locals when
we travel in these less than, shall we say, civilized locations. I often order
him to jump ahead of us and wait. In this manner, no one gets upset. A worldly
man like yourself must realize how these small villages get ugly when the
townsfolk are upset.”

Tepi relaxed even further and winked his assent.

“They’re a backward folk these Southerners,”
laughed Tepi then shot a glance to Manfir. “No offense, of course.”

“None taken,” returned Manfir eyeing Granu. “We
don’t take kindly to outlanders.”

“Nor do you treat them kindly,” stated Granu.

“Not when they enter our lands armed and full of
bloodlust!” shouted Manfir. “Master Tepi, inform our Keltaran servant of the
deeds of his people this very week.”

“I might, but it loathes me to talk to the
creature,” smiled Tepi.

“You may not wish to talk to me, but you will not
refer to me as a creature in my own presence. I’m a man, and a better one than
some here I might add,” growled Granu.

Tepi took a step backward and shrunk beneath the
giant’s withering glare.

“Lord Elf,” sniveled Tepi. “Did you hear that? Your
servant threatened me. Do you control it or not?”

“Murder and butchery on a massive scale,” exclaimed
Manfir with fists clenched. “My people suffer at the hands of yours. Women and
children! Barbaric!”

“This is a mistake. Slander spreads. My people
aren’t capable of this deed!” said Granu moving toward Manfir.

“Capable and willing!” shouted Manfir advancing on
the giant. “I hold you personally responsible for these atrocities!”

“Yes! Yes!” squealed Tepi in a frenzy. “Now is the
time! Now!”

“Enough!” yelled Teeg. “Nothing is to be done now.
The Keltaran is under my protection and that of my king. I’ll hear no more of
revenge.”

Granu and Manfir glowered at one another across the
grove. Tepi narrowed his venomous eyes at the old Elf and spat on the ground.
Granu broke eye contact with Manfir and turned to Teeg.

“I am yours to command. Do you require anything,
master?” asked the giant.

“Of course you imbecile,” snapped Teeg. “These horses
will not water themselves! And make sure they’re well fed this afternoon. We
have a long journey ahead of us.”

The giant bowed and gathered the reins of the Elf’s
horses in his hands. Teeg and Eidyn dismounted and the other travelers followed
suit. Flair immediately tended to the remaining horses, and Kael gathered wood
for a small fire. The remainder of the group stretched out on the ground under
the shade. Muscles were stiff and backsides sore from many hours in the saddle.

Kael wandered to the southeast of the grove in
search of firewood. His mind wandered over the day’s events. These men were so
unusual, able to switch their personalities on and off to suit the situation.
They acted like actors in a huge play.

Who was the real Teeg? The tottering, helpless old
Elf; The cunning provider of information to his crown; The arrogant, flippant
member of the Elven court. Kael was unsure if the man truly was any of these. They
all confused him so. Ader; Crusty, clever old trader; Powerful, controlling
statesman; Mouthpiece of the Creator himself. Manfir; Silent, brooding
commoner; Outspoken prince of the realm; Fierce, fiery warrior.

He even confounded himself. Son of an innkeeper; an
earl; a Guardsman. Was he himself something he was unsure of? He knew he was different
from the others. He was always different from Aemmon. The memory of his brother
brought a tear to his eye as he looked out over leagues of scrubland.

Awareness startled him. Something or someone was
among the grasses. He concentrated and picked up sounds of movement thirty
yards ahead and to the left. His heart raced. Was it a prairie deer, hiding
amongst the thickets? Langre cats prowled these ravines and breaks. Did he
stumble into one? He backed away slowly and reached into his tunic to draw his
blade. As he stepped backward he bumped into something behind him and his heart
leapt. Strong arms held his shoulders and a voice whispered in his ear.

“Remain calm.”

Eidyn stepped to Kael’s left and carefully unslung
his bow. He notched an arrow and took a bead on a thicket thirty yards in front
of the pair. Kael saw no movement, but was sure something hid behind the
bushes. The bowstring creaked as Eidyn slowly drew the arrow backward. Eidyn
loosed the arrow at the exact moment a figure flashed from the thicket and into
the shadows of another. The Elven archer quickly notched another and drew it
back. The voice of Ader broke the silence.

“Prince Eidyn, now is not the time for sport!
Return to the grove and rest yourself.”

Eidyn and Kael turned to the old man in surprise.
Out of the corner of his eye, Kael saw another flash as the figure behind the
bush retreated even further from the men. Kael was sure it would never be
caught now.

“Ader,” said Eidyn. “Something stalks us from the
brambles.”

“We’re not in need of food, Eidyn. Leave the
creature be and come back to the grove,” said Ader calmly.

“But Master Ader,” interrupted Kael. “I don’t think
it’s an animal. I believe it’s a person.”

“Nonsense. Eidyn would know instantly,” Ader turned
to Eidyn. “Do you think a person is stalking Kael from the scrub out there?”

Eidyn hesitated a moment and then looked to Kael.

“I’ve been uneasy ever since we left Luxlor.
Perhaps the discovery of the bodies of my kin upsets me, but I feel watched and
trailed on this journey. I can’t confirm whether the creature was a prairie
deer or a person. Whoever or whatever it was, it reacted with amazing speed and
cleverness. The shaft of my arrow barely left my bow when it was on the move,”
said Eidyn.

“I too feel uneasy on this road,” said Kael. “I
feel eyes upon me.”

“Perhaps the Keltaran are in alliance with some
group we’re unaware of,” came Tepi’s voice from just inside the nearby grove.
“Perhaps they scout and shadow the roads, planning an assault on the kingdom.”

The squat, bald trader stepped from behind a pair
of trees and approached the trio. He wore his flowing robe of thick brown wool.
His hands were still covered in heavy leather gloves and he sweated profusely.

“The day the Keltaran decide to assault the kingdom
of Zodra, they’ll not need to scout the realm,” laughed Ader. “There’s one way
and one way alone to assault Zodra. Bring everything you have to bear upon the
capital city. Keltaran warriors won’t bother with the outskirts of the remote
town of Ymril.”

Tepi sneered at Ader and turned a honey sweet smile
to the young men before him.

“The old always consider the old ways as the right
ways. Those of us in a more contemporary mind are willing to accept all
possibilities,” smiled Tepi.

“Humph!” chortled Ader as he turned and strode
toward the grove. “I suggest you gentlemen return to camp. And Eidyn, please
leave the prairie deer to their dinner!”

Tepi waited until Ader was out of sight then turned
to the remaining men.

“Don’t listen to old fools and their old ways.
We’re in a time of war, and no quarter should be given to the enemy. I
understand this Keltaran is a servant, a thing I’ve never heard of, but he should
be kept on a tight leash,” said Tepi to Eidyn. “One day that staff he carries
just may break your neck.”

“I don’t fear him, Master Tepi,” stated Eidyn. “But
I will heed your advice and take care.”

The Elf made his way back into the grove.

“Elves. Arrogant and useless,” said Tepi shaking
his head. “You’re in a troop of fools young man. Best for you to go home and let
them kill themselves.”

“I’ll stay with my master,” said Kael.

“Suit yourself,” said Tepi as he turned and trudged
back into the grove.

Kael did not want to return with the trader. The
man troubled him and the boy preferred to wait. Kael turned and looked back
over the scrubland stretched out before him. His thoughts wandered over the
possibilities Tepi presented. It would be nice to go home and forget all this
nonsense. The army was there to protect the people. Why was he traveling north
toward danger? He longed to see his father, but Brelg would surely return to
Kelky once his business was done? Kael was lonely. He missed Aemmon.

As he stood thinking, he swore he heard the
faintest of whispers out among the thickets.

“Get out of my head and leave me be!” shouted Kael
as he spun and tromped into the grove.

The group lazed in the grove for an hour. The
horses were watered and munched on the long grasses that grew next to the
stream. Tepi refused to unharness his carthorse, so Flair did it for him. Flair
also provided dried beef to the travelers, even offering a share to Tepi. The
trader turned his nose up at the boy and retreated to a shadowy corner of the
grove to eat his own provisions. Granu kept well out of sight, down by the
stream. Finally, Manfir rose and scooped his saddle up with one hand.

“We spend far too much time here. We must be on our
way,” said the Zodrian prince.

The group gathered itself together and mounted
their horses. Flair harnessed Tepi’s carthorse while the trader grumbled about
the delay. However, the remainder of the group waited patiently and soon all
were on their way. The assembly made its way back to the road and turned north.
Granu trailed in his usual place. Tepi’s nag found it difficult to keep pace
with the group, but every time the cart fell back toward Granu, the sweating
trader whipped the horse mercilessly to garner speed.

The sun slid toward the horizon once more and
progress was slowed. Tepi unexpectedly found a great deal of compassion for his
cart horse and frequently halted to water the nag at a roadside brook or
stream. The land was full of such streams. Everywhere Kael looked, the land
rolled out toward the horizon with small breaks and ravines. To the west the
plains elevated at an almost imperceptible rate to the mountains beyond. To the
east, they slid toward the grasslands of the Erutre. Essentially, Zodra was an
enormous washbasin, collecting the runoff from the mountains to the west and
north. Hours of similar, unending landscape passed before them.