Outcasts of Velrune (14 page)

Max re-sheathed his sword, a grin appearing on his face. Eve could distract anyone. He turned to face her, relaxing his body as he did so, waiting for the inevitable impact from her pounce. Eve ran straight for him, but to his surprise, she didn’t leap into the air. Instead, she smacked right into him, wrapping her arms and legs around him in the process. However, the result was still the same; Max fell backwards, flat on the ground. He grinned from ear to ear.

“Hi, Eve.”

Eve’s face was buried in his chest, muffling her voice. “Hi, Maxy.” She gave him a brief squeeze then popped her head up, cheerful as ever.

“Well, I guess you can leave now that I’m here. Let’s go.”

Max had an incredulous look on his face. “What? Don’t you even want to know what happened after I left you guys?”

Eve hopped to her feet, waving a dismissive hand at Max. “Oh, I’m sure you got into some sort of trouble. How you got out of it without me I don’t know, but you can tell me about it along the way. Besides, Mr. Grumpy behind you looks like he’ll throw a tantrum if we don’t get moving.”

Max tried desperately not to laugh, but a snort still managed to escape. He made sure not to face the Sergeant as he got to his feet.

“Mr. Grumpy there would be Sergeant Kallis. He happened to rescue Melody and I the other night.”

Eve turned her nose up. “Humph, must have gotten lucky. I bet he had lots of help.”

Max thought he heard the vein on Kallis’s forehead pop. “Alright, that’s enough! Get on your horses and get moving!”

Without another word, Sergeant Kallis and the two guards he had selected to escort Max and Melody mounted their horses and started out of the camp. Max walked over to where Mr. Penna, who seemed rather amused by the whole scene, held Starlight’s reins. Max patted her on the side, receiving a gentle nip at his shoulder in return.

“I missed you too, Starlight.”

Max swung himself onto the saddle while Eve took her place beside them. Mr. Penna turned to Melody, who was mounting her horse.

“You should have spent the last eleven years with the two of them.”

Melody, who had kept quiet so as not to draw any more of Sergeant Kallis’s anger, laughed joyfully. “I can only imagine. I needed the laugh though, as I take it that you haven’t seen either Bastiann or Zeth.”

Mr. Penna shook his head as he climbed onto the horse loaned to Max. “Perhaps they await you, safe and sound, in Moenia.”

“I can only hope.”

The four set out after Sergeant Kallis and the guards for the final leg of their trip. Earlier, Max had learned from one of the guards that the distance between the final camp and Moneia was half that of the other camps. Max’s excitement at seeing the city came back in full force now that everyone was back together. To help distract himself, he recounted everything that had happened since he left Eve, finishing with the argument that had erupted between him and Sergeant Kallis. He waited anxiously for Eve’s response only to be disappointed when she said nothing, but, instead, let out a big, long yawn. With Max starring at her, she realized her mistake.

“Sorry, I haven’t slept since yesterday morning.”

“Were you even listening?”

“Of course I was. It was very exciting”.

Max snorted, shaking his head slowly. “You have always been a lot more adventurous than me.”

Eve smiled. “Only because I had to get you out of trouble.”

Max started to argue, but a concerned look came over Eve’s face.

“What’s wrong, Eve?”

“Well, you said the horse you were riding ran off, right?”

“Yes, that idiot of a bandit sent him running.”

“And it had all your stuff on it?

“Yeah, but I can replace everything before we leave Moenia again.”

Eve stopped in her tracks. “So the horse never showed up at the camp?”

Max signaled Starlight to stop. “No, it never came to our camp.”

Eve grabbed her tail, twisting it so hard Max thought she would break it. “Max, my papers, they were with all your things.”

Max’s stomach dropped. He had forgotten all about the papers. “Oh no!”

“What’s wrong with you two?”

Eve and Max jumped, startled by Mr. Penna’s voice. Neither had heard him or Melody catch up to them. Max dreaded telling Mr. Penna what had happened. Mr. Penna had, after all, specifically warned Max about losing the papers. Max knew; however, that if anyone could find a solution it would be Mr. Penna.

“Mr. Penna I don’t have Eve’s papers. They were on the horse I lost when I went after Melody.”

Melody tensed. “That’s going to be a big problem at the gate. They will want to do an inspection.”

An inspection, that doesn’t sound good
. “I’m going back to find the horse.”

Mr. Penna held up his hand. “Now wait a minute, Maxwell.”

Max twisted the reins in his hands. “But, Mr. Penna, you yourself said they won’t let her through the gates without ownership papers.”

“Settle down, Maxwell. You know as well as I that going back is not an option. Our escorts ahead have already noticed that we have stopped. They are not about to let us go back. Besides, I doubt the horse made it back to camp. There are a lot of things out there that would have long since made a meal out of it.”

Eve gave her tail another twist, pulling a few strands of fur lose as she did so. “Then what are we going to do?”

“Well, as it happens, I had noticed when arriving this morning that you were missing your things. I assumed that included Eve’s papers. I have since formulated a plan that should take care of any problems we may face.”

Max and Eve leaned in toward Mr. Penna. “Well, what is it?”

Melody eyed Mr. Penna suspiciously. “Yes, what is it? Our order has tried several times to get undocumented lacarna in to the city with little luck. What do you have in mind?”

“I do not want to say yet. A better and more favorable idea might present itself before our arrival. Rest assured; however, we will get her in one way or another. For now, let us keep moving. Our escorts are growing impatient.”

Mr. Penna maneuvered his horse past the others and continued down the trail. Melody bowed her head slightly.

“I’m sorry, Max, Eve. If we had not acted so foolishly by leaving in the middle of the night this would not have happened.”

Max shook his head. “No, Melody. It’s not your fault. I was reckless.”

“It’s okay Maxy. I’m glad you helped Melody.” Eve gave a weak smile and shrugged her shoulders. “This is just what happens when I’m not there to keep you out of trouble.”

Max rolled his eyes. “Let’s go”.

The three started down the trail once more. Melody stared in deep thought at the back of Mr. Penna a little farther ahead.

“I wonder what Mr. Penna has up his sleeve?”

Max shrugged his shoulders. “He’s probably going to lecture them on some pointless historical fact until they fall asleep. Then we can walk right by.”

All three laughed, hoping for their own sake that wasn’t his plan.

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

They reached the western cliff of the dead lands in the mid-afternoon. Unlike the eastern side of the dead lands, here, a finely carved ramp, gated at the base, led straight through the wall into the center of Moenia. The city itself was surrounded by a ten foot high stone wall. At the sight of the city, Max, along with Eve, Melody and Mr. Penna, drew closer together into a tight clump.

Max sat in awe. “You don’t simply walk right in to Moenia, do you?”

Melody grunted, “You don’t simply walk out either.”

At the gate, while Sergeant Kallis stated the party’s names and their purpose for entering the city, Max took note of the guards. Unlike those in the camps, the four that stood at the gate remained alert and well-kept; ready for anything that might come. Max had the sense that if he had drawn his sword his life on Velrune would have come to a sudden end.

Their purpose announced, the officer in charge turned to Eve. “Who is this lacarnian’s owner?”

Max hesitated at the sudden question giving Mr. Penna a chance to answer first.

“I am.”

The guard held out his hand. “Her papers.”

Mr. Penna didn’t flinch. “I am afraid I do not have them on me. I was in such a rush when I left the city a few months ago that I left without them.”

The guard eyed Mr. Penna with suspicion. “You should have been asked for her papers before leaving the city.”

The other guards moved their hands towards the hilt of their weapons. Mr. Penna took note of the movement, but remained calm. Eve, on the other hand, grabbed Max’s leg, squeezing.

“Unfortunately, you know as well as I do that many of the guards are all too happy to see a lacarnian leave the city, seldom bothering to check their papers. I am sure if you had been there when I left such a lapse in security would not have occurred, keeping me out of my current predicament.”

The officer swelled with pride. Max chuckled to himself, Mr. Penna could flatter anyone. The officer relaxed, the other guards moved their hands away from their weapons.

“It is true that many of the guards are too lax with the rules, especially for people crossing the dead lands. I, on the other hand, take my post with all seriousness. I’m afraid I cannot let the lacarnian pass without the proper papers. She will need to remain here until you can retrieve them, or, failing that, she will have to be re-inspected.”

Mr. Penna put his hand on his chin. “That could be a problem. She has assisted me for several years and is more likely to know where her papers are than I. It would take me a rather long time to find them by myself, especially when I have much more important matters to attend to. I have a better idea, why not send Sergeant Kallis with the lacarnian and I? He can verify the papers for you when she locates them.”

Max almost laughed at the indignant look on the Sergeant’s face. He felt Eve squeeze his leg even harder. Looking down, he could see she was trying to stifle her laughter. Sergeant Kallis didn’t seem to notice.

“I will do no such thing. Lieutenant Tyco ordered me to bring the boy to the gate, and I have done so.”

The officer grew angry. “Do not forget your place, Sergeant. I make the decisions concerning entry into Moenia. Furthermore, the Lieutenant passed through here earlier. He spoke of your arrival and left instructions for you to escort the boy to headquarters.” The officer smiled smugly. “Since you will be going to the city, you can take this man and the lacarna with you and verify their information. If he cannot provide the proper papers then you can take her to headquarters when you deliver the boy. Is that clear?”

Sergeant Kallis’s eyes burned with anger. “Yes, Sir!”

The officer turned to the gate. “Open the gates!”

The doors swung open, revealing two more guards on the other side. The officer motioned for Sergeant Kallis and the rest to enter into the city. Riding through the gates, Max hoped Mr. Penna had another trick up his sleeve once they reached his house.

A short distance along the ramp Max began to hear the noise of the city. At first it reminded him of the celebrations in Swiftwater when all three hundred of its residents would gather. By the time they reached the top; however, the noise level had doubled. Before them moved a tangled mass of lacarnians and humans. Max sat on his horse in amazement.

“What’s going on?” Max’s voice was drowned out by the noise of the crowd that reverberated off the walls of the many wooden buildings. He turned to Mr. Penna, raising his voice to a shout.

“Mr. Penna, what’s going on?”

Mr. Penna turned, smiling. “We are outside the main market area of Moenia. See the horses and carts?”

Max looked to his left and saw not only that they were passing stables, but also numerous carts being loaded with an assortment of goods. He turned back to Mr. Penna.

“Is everyone leaving?”

Mr. Penna laughed. “No Maxwell, we are at the trading center of Moenia and the market is a short distance from here. Those goods are bound for outlying villages. This happens every week. Unfortunately, it means we will have to travel single file for a while to get through, so stay close, it is easy to get lost.”

Mr. Penna moved in front of Max and behind Sergeant Kallis. Eve stayed right next to Starlight, unwilling to separate from Max. Melody brought up the rear, seeming completely comfortable with the chaos around them.

At first, the crowds of people gave them little notice, some not even willing to move out of the way. That changed as they left the trading area and its’ stables. The people began to give them a wide berth, a few even watching them pass by with intense curiosity. Max felt uncomfortable at the attention. Melody shouted from behind him.

“Riding horses are rare Max and mostly owned by Protectors. Not only is Starlight a fine specimen to see, but she’s also without Lord Avram’s mark. Makes them wonder who you are.

Max nodded and tried his best to ignore the stares from the crowd, but in the end, he looked at them just as curiously. He had long since lost the memories of this city. His only known experience with the lacarna was Eve. Now, hundreds moved along the streets, both adults and children. Strangely, they were all female, and all wearing a collar similar to Eve’s.