A Quick Sun Rises (21 page)

Suddenly, the sound of cracking leaves invaded his thoughts and announced the arrival of the person he’d been waiting for. He didn’t pull a weapon, certain there would not be any physical violence, though his blood ran hot with disdain. The covering over the hut was pulled back and a man stepped through the threshold.

“What are you doing here?” the man almost immediately asked, easily seeing them with his night vision. “And why have you brought that thing with you?”

Thane shot Jne a quick glance, having warned her beforehand that their host would not be a gracious one and that she should take nothing he said as a personal insult but instead as the ramblings of a broken man. Jne had only nodded. Though he couldn’t be certain about what she thought, he was content in knowing he had no fear when it came to her word—be that spoken or merely gestured.

“Where is she?” Thane shot back, not relishing time spent with his father but knowing it was necessary after he’d shown up to his family hut, looking for his mother, but finding it empty. “Did you send her out?” he spat.

DelVen glanced at Jne briefly as if trying to determine her motives but she remained completely still where she stood. “She’s dead,” he finally answered, the words falling out with disdain. “Died not long after you left.”

Thane stared at his father for a long moment as if trying to determine if what he spoke was true.

“If you don’t believe me,” DelVen offered as if sensing his doubts, “then you are welcome to hide out like a thief in someone else’s home and ask them.”

“Then she is finally free of you,” he answered, his face and voice expressing no emotion other than contempt for his father. The announcement that his precious mother was dead was like an arrows barb to his heart, but he would show no emotion in front of his father.

“I should have killed you when you were first born,” DelVen suddenly spat with venom.

Thane sniffed and then smiled shaking his head slightly in disbelief at the sad creature standing before him. “You are welcome to try now,” he offered.

DelVen paused as if he might consider it but quickly set the challenge aside, revealing once more his cowardice. “If we are done here then get out.”

“Gladly,” Thane answered. “And know this,” he added as he stepped past, Jne already out of the hut, “we will never lay eyes on each other again, for if we do, it will be the last time you see anything.”

DelVen opened his mouth as if to say something in retort, but Thane and Jne were already gone.

* * *

“Hold,” Dor called causing both Thane and Jne to reach for their swords before recognizing him and Tam as they approached. Dor had feared that they would not be able to find their friends before they left but took a chance that they may have returned to where the birds had dropped them in the slight chance that their carriers might still be about. They were alone. It appeared that Thane and Jne were weighing their options before taking to the mountains and going at it on foot.

“We hoped you would be here,” Tam called out. “Is there no sign of the birds?”

“Why are you two here?” Thane asked, his question sounding more accusatory than he meant it to be.

“We are here to go back with you, of course,” Dor countered.

Thane sighed. “I am sorry. I did not mean for it to sound that way, I just figured that now that you two are espoused that you would opt for the safety of home.”

“And you think that it is safer here than out there?” Tam huffed, pointing toward the mountains. “Do you think us as low as those who call themselves our people?”

Thane was taken aback by the venom suddenly dripping from Tam’s voice. “I meant no offense,” he stammered. “I only thought…”

She cut him off. “No, you didn’t think and that has been your problem since you were a child.”

He looked to Jne for help but she merely smiled as if she found some great humor in the exchange. Looking to Dor, all he got was a blank stare back and he knew that, once again, he was all alone. “I’m sorry,” he finally offered. “Yes, I would do all I could to get you both to stay, but I see that to do so would only incur your greater wrath.”

Tam huffed. “Then you had better clear all such thoughts from your head, Thane of the Five Tane!”

At that, he also smiled. For the first time in his life, his true full name did not cause him to cringe in contempt or embarrassment. “I am glad,” he offered, “to see that you are finally back in form and to the person you once were.”

Tam smiled. “Just don’t forget with whom you are speaking.”

“And what will we do now that we have failed?” Jne asked, pulling them all back to the reality of the situation.

“First we have to get away from here,” Dor said. “I have no desire to stay any longer than is necessary.”

Thane looked at his friend, sadness filling his eyes. He had reason to never want to return but it troubled him to see that same sentiment in his friend. “I hope that someday that desire will change,” he said to no one in particular.

“And what of you?” Tam asked.

He looked at the ground, steeling his emotions, still not wanting to think of his mother and the pain he knew she must have passed through when he disappeared. “I will never return,” he said.

“And what of your mother?” Tam continued to press.

He raised his head and locked his eyes on hers. “She is no more. And so passes my reason to ever return.”

Tam placed a hand on her mouth. “Oh, Thane,” she began, but he turned away and cut her off.

“I might be able to find and contact the birds,” he said, “by using the ArVen Tane, though I am uncertain as to whether I will be able to communicate with them should I find them.”

“That reminds me,” Dor interjected. “Thane, I touched the water!”

He gave his friend a quizzical look. “That moment,” Dor continued, “when I had PocMar by the throat. I touched his water. I felt it coursing through his veins and filling his skin. I touched it and I knew that should I have so desired, I could have called it all right out of him.”

Thane smiled but his joy seemed to be more calculated. “That is good news indeed, my friend,” he said. “If we can just teach the Healers to do the same, we will have a mighty weapon indeed against our enemies.”

Dor looked at him as if he’d never considered that that was why Thane had tried to get him to learn but, to his surprise, the idea didn’t bother him. Thane was right. “And should we ever get close enough to a dragon…” Dor let his thought trail off. Thane had already killed one of the great serpents by calling the water out of it.

“Maybe our trip has not been a total failure after all,” Jne finished as the two rocs suddenly appeared setting down next to them.

Chapter Sixteen 

Jack shot up from his bed reaching for his throat as the trailing mists of a nightmare melted away in the early morning dawn. He had not slept well that night, his mind filled with terrible dreams that seemed to chase him into the recesses of darkness terrorizing him with their horror. He pulled back his hand expecting to see it wet with blood as if he’d taken a cut to his jugular but it was dry and empty. Touching his throat again, he tried to remember what it was that had haunted him so but all memory of his evening of terror had passed.

The feeling of dread stuck with him as he swung his feet around and began to dress. Erl looked up briefly from his comfortable spot beneath the brazier but quickly dropped his head back down falling almost instantly back into quiet slumber. Jack regarded him jealously for a moment and then stood up, passing through the inner tent door to the outer area where Domis and Teek slept comfortably. He eyed the empty bed that had been made for Tryg but ignored it knowing that the young Waseeni boy never had once slept there, claiming he preferred the openness of the great night sky.

Passing through yet another opening he entered the relatively large room that was for greeting and discussing court matters. A guard snapped smartly to attention as he entered. Another “benefit” of being king was the constant pestering of having a guard at your back and a number of others close by should someone try to attack the royal body. Jack harrumphed but waved to the young man politely knowing he was only doing the duty for which he’d been charged. It had been such a long time since he had been in court that he’d forgotten about all of the formality and precautions made on his behalf.

Finally outside, two more guards offered a quick solute but this time he ignored them as he walked out into the camp. He needed to clear his head. So much had suddenly fallen upon him as the king that he barely had a moment to breathe. The guards stationed in front of the tent broke away and followed after him. Though they kept a decent distance he was still very aware of them. He had received quite the reprimand from the captain of the house guard the day he’d gone off out into the plains area alone. Since then it was a minimum of two guards at all times.

He wasn’t sure what he was looking for or even why he felt the need to be out in the camp. It was still too early for most of the people to be awake and taking care of the morning meals and chores before the long trek onward toward Bedler’s Keep. They were still some days away and still not as far from Calandra as he would like, but moving such a large camp of people was snail slow in the best of conditions. They did all that they could to hurry them along but the immediate danger they were in had yet to settle into their minds. Most had fled the city merely because they had been order to, not because they understood the dread of an approaching army that few could even comprehend in their most frightful night terrors.

He paused, sending a greeting to an older man who was just returning with some firewood for his morning cook fire. It wouldn’t be long now until the horns were blown to awaken the camp and once again get them moving. Suddenly, a voice cried out bringing him back around to find Domis, Teek and a young courier rushing through the maze of carts and gear to catch him. “Milord,” Domis cried again, “milord, there is news!”

Jack waited patiently for the three to approach, sighing to himself that once again the day’s business would be piling in; every little thing an emergency in the mind of someone. He wondered what it would be this time; a lost pig? Another merchant angry that a peasant had the gall to bed down in a spot that was nicer than the place where his grand tent had to be erected? Or possibly another call to return to the city or demands that better facilities be erected for those with a gentler constitution to relieve themselves. The list was never ending.

“Milord,” the courier spoke after bowing in a grand manner. “Your immediate attention is requested on the eastern side of the camp about a quarter of a mile back.”

Jack pulled at his beard. “What is the problem?” he asked, his voice steady though a slight coloring of frustration dyed his words.

“Trouble,” the courier said, seeming rather anxious to be on their way. “I was not told exactly what the trouble is, your highness, but only that you were needed posthaste.” Again he bowed and then threw out his arm in gesture for the king to move ahead in the direction indicated.

Jack sighed, audibly this time, and then directed the courier forward. “Lead the way,” he said.

The courier bowed once more and then rushed off into the camp. “Quickly, milord,” he called over his shoulder.

Luckily, they reached the area to where he’d been summoned before the morning horn or the pandemonium that accompanied the waking camp would have made it almost impossible for them to reach their destination before midmorning. A large contingency of guards were gathered about two huge tents, merchant’s tents by the looks of them, keeping all curious onlookers away. Jack absentmindedly reached for his throat as he approached, the slight whisper of his early morning dream suddenly calling back to his memory. Wess was there to greet him.

“Your highness,” he said, bowing gracefully.

Though Jack hated the formality, Ranse had convinced him that it was necessary for the comfort of the people. They needed someone to worship and follow no matter, like in the previous king’s case, how ruthless and terrible the person might be. It gave them a sense of belonging to something that mattered. Something that was bigger than themselves that made them feel taken care of and protected. At first he had resisted, but he recognized the wisdom in what Ranse had said and decided that for the time being it was necessary to go along with it. After all, he could manage it until the war was past. Then he would either be dead or he could merely disappear into the mountains again to live out the rest of his life searching for his lost son.

“What is the problem, Wess?” he asked, almost impatiently.

Wess gave him a grave look and motioned him toward one of the tents. “You had better come and see for yourself, milord,” he said quietly.

Jack’s look turned to one of slight surprise and sudden concern to see one of his oldest and most battle hardened friends act in such a strange manner. Again, his hand reached for his throat, but this time he caught himself and grabbed at his beard instead.

Moving to the first tent’s entrance, Domis and Teek followed right behind as if they would follow him in but Wess held them up. “Best you boys wait out here for now.” With Jack’s eyebrow raised in a questioning look, Wess added, “It’s a little crowded for so many.”

Jack regarded the tent that was of a size that easily was twice that of his own. Space was not a problem, but he didn’t say anything to contradict his commander. “We’ll be out soon,” he said to the two boys who didn’t seem happy or convinced but who took up positions near the entrance so as to be right there when he returned.

Jack passed through the tent flap, Wess right behind him and the only other person to enter. Immediately he was struck with the smell of death and the sound of flies that were already buzzing about the carrion was that was giving off the smell. He held his nose while letting his eyes adjust to the dim morning light that passed through the fabric in an eerie reddish hue. It was then that he noticed and remembered that the tent was not made of red material but of yellow to make it easy to see from the outside and also assist in lighting the inside with the filtered sunlight. He looked at the tent walls, trying to decipher what the dim light would not reveal.

“It’s blood,” Wess said, guessing his confusion. “It’s been sprayed all over the tent walls.”

Jack’s reply was of shocked horror. “But how and with what?”

Wess pointed to his left and there Jack finally made out the body of one victim and then another. Small and large mounds were spread out throughout the room making up at least six dead. “There are more in the other chambers and the same in the tent next to us.”

Jack approached the closest body but then quickly turned away. He was no amateur to death and the horrors of what evil men could do to their fellows, but never had he seen anything so grim as what greeted him here. It was as if the whole chest and stomach cavities had been scooped out and removed. “Who or what did this?” he breathed.

Wess shook his head. “Nobody knows. Nobody heard or saw anything.”

Jack turned in shock at his reply. “Not even a scream? Surely there must have been some fight or noise from such a slaughter.”

Again, Wess shook his head. “Nothing. We’ve asked all those in the immediate area and all claim to have slept without waking, though many spoke of terrible nightmares.”

Jack’s hand went to his throat. “Who found them?”

“A young boy, possibly a relative, approached one of the night guards early this morning. He’s in deep shock and mostly just stares off into the distance. The most we could figure out when we could get him to speak was that he had fallen asleep in the tent of one of his friends and had woken early to get back to his family and this is what he found.”

“Has anyone else seen this or talked to the boy?”

“No,” Wess replied. “We have him quarantined and none others but the guard he approached and I have been in here.”

“Good,” Jack said, running a hand through his hair. “Let’s keep it that way. Any idea as to what did this?”

“Looks like wolg work but there is no way so many could have gotten into the camp without being spotted. Also, no prints.”

Jack nodded, his mind racing for the answer though staying away from the thought he most feared and figured most likely.

“What are your orders?” Wess asked, interrupting his thoughts.

He considered for a moment. It would be obvious to those in the immediate area that something was amiss when the merchant families failed to dismantle their tents when it was time to leave. But removing the bodies in front of everyone would be even worse and they certainly could not lose a day by staying camped until nightfall when the work could be accomplished under cover of night.

“We will leave a small detachment of guards to keep the people clear as the camp prepares to leave and then when all have passed we will set it to fire. I don’t want word of this spreading. We don’t need panic overtaking the camp now. Though it may hurry them along a bit faster, most likely it will just send them all running pell-mell throughout the countryside in a mass of terror.”

A horn suddenly called out in the distance followed quickly by others as the camp was called to awaken. “I will stay behind as well in case there is any trouble.”

Wess gave him a curious look. “We can handle this, Jack. There is no need for you to stay behind.”

He smiled slightly, thankful for the informal use of his first name while they were alone. “Now that the horns have sounded the likelihood of me getting back to my tent will be next to impossible. Plus, I want to talk to the boy who found this. Where is he now?”

“In a tent not far from here. Shall I bring him to you?”

“No,” he countered, “He doesn’t need to be traumatized more by the sight of these tents again.”

Lifting the flap, Wess escorted the king back into the fresh air that was more than welcome even with the mixture of the myriad of cook fires sprouting up and spitting out their smoke and grease fumes. Domis and Teek eyed him expectantly, waiting to see if they would try to make the trip back to their own tent and the hot breakfast that was sure to be awaiting them. Turning to the closest guard, Jack motioned to the two boys. “Make sure these two get something to eat,” he said to their chagrin. Although they were grateful for the coming meal, they did not relish having to wait to clean up their own camp and prepare for the daily move. The guard saluted and then quickly disappeared into the chaos of the camp. “It can’t be helped,” he said to the boys who didn’t answer but appeared moody about it all the same. “And where is Tryg?”

Teek shrugged. “Haven’t seen him for a day or so,” Domis answered for them. “He does this. Leaves mostly when there is work to be done and then doesn’t return for long stretches.”

Jack stared at him blankly, his hand absently rubbing his neck. “When Tchee returns,” he finally said, “I want you two up and checking on the enemy’s progress.”

Both boys smiled at that. Not only were they finally being trusted with something more important than making sure their area of the tent was cleaned up and their faces were washed, but they welcomed anything that broke up the doldrums of the constant march that seemed to never bring them closer to their destination.

Jack spent the next hour with the young boy who had stumbled upon the gory remains of his family and their servants. He tried all that he could to get more from the boy but it was obvious that his mind had shut down and that the once innocent child had retreated into an area where such things were never seen or even thought of. For the time, Jack knew that it was the best for the boy to remain locked inside of himself.

“Find a family to care for him,” he finally instructed Wess who’d sat in with him during his attempt to reach the boy. “The friend’s family he’d been with, if you can find them, would probably be the best choice.”

The camp was up and starting to move forward when they finally left the tent where the boy had been kept. Though a slow moving march, it wasn’t all that easy to keep people from trampling the tents where the dead bodies still lie decomposing. Luckily the air was still brisk enough that the stench was kept down. The flies though were becoming a greater problem as they swarmed in extreme numbers around the tent and in the immediate vicinity. The guards were forced farther and farther away from the area making it that much more difficult in turning the refugees to either side. It wasn’t until midday that the end of the camp finally split around the tents that were now deluged with flies and giving off a nauseating stench.