Techromancy Scrolls: Soras (14 page)

I rolled my eyes. “I tied little strings together.”

She shrugged then looked to Father Sol as his bottom limb touched the horizon. “Come, Sylvia will have my head if I don't get you back for the evening feast.”

I grinned at that because it was true. Syl didn't seem afraid of Rain in the least, just like she was never afraid of Mother Udele. We turned back toward the caravan I saw as my second home and I staggered and fell to a knee.

I caught words in my vision this time as I was being tortured. Something about a curse, and of a threat to the people and family I see as my children. I wasn't sure how much longer I could hold out.

I looked up, my grey hair hanging in my vision. Someone was watching from afar, I smiled at the recognition of her magiks.

Then my vision swung out and I could see Mother Udele as she said three words that, though a whisper, cut through me in a roar so loud I cried out at the pain. “Laney. Aelwen. Island.” The power of it struck me and tore me out of the vision before the rest of it could play out again.

I spun to the ground with my hands pressed against my ears. I curled up in a fetal position and felt hands on me. Warmth spread through me as white mists soothed me. The ringing in my ears dwindled and I could hear Rain repeating my name. They weren't healing magiks. Her magiks weren't as delicate and subtle as Sylvia's, but were more reassuring and calming.

I uncurled and she helped me to my feet as I panted. She had concern in her eyes as she tore off a sleeve of her beautiful robes and started dabbing under my eyes and nose. The blood on the cloth looked black as the red mixed with the green of the fabric.

When I stopped shaking, she locked eyes with me. “Are you alright Laney?”

I nodded and exhaled and she seemed to relax.

Then she asked, “A vision?”

I nodded again.

In a husky voice, I croaked out, still trying to get the booming voice out of my head. “She knew Rain. She knew somehow that I was watching. She believes her people are in danger still. She gave me some sort of message, but she didn't realize how much power she put into it.” I nudged my chin toward my blood on the fabric.

I shuddered, over the great distance I could feel in the vision, for Mother Udele to be able to do that with such power, even as hurt and exhausted as she was, as to make my eyes and nose bleed? It was sort of frightening to think what the People could do if angered.

Ranelle kept eye contact and asked in earnest, “What was the message?”

I shrugged. “Just three words. Laney, Aelwen, and island.”

She furrowed her brow and I said with a sinking heart, “Apparently Duchess Aelwen of Solomon is somehow involved. I believe she was trying to say that she is being held on an island.”

She seemed both saddened and angered by what I said. I understood. It seemed more and more likely that the realm of Solomon was involved in this mess, and that did not bode well for the hope of peace.

I pushed that aside and asked, “Does the Great Sea have any islands?”

She just nodded and whispered, “Many.”

She supported me and started walking me back to my band. I smiled. My band. I didn't feel as out of place with the Lupei as I did among the nobles of the Keep. She said with worry, “I want Sylvia to look you over.”

I nodded.

By the time we had moved through the growing sea of people and wagons, I was able to walk on my own into camp. There was a man who was covered in dry blood, who looked ready to collapse on his feet, speaking animatedly with Sylvia and Elaine.

They turned at our approach and the man's eyes widened and he stumbled over in front of Ranelle and took a knee, bowing his head. The poor man looked beyond exhausted. I recognized him as one of the scouts from my band but could not recall his name.

She knelt beside him and pulled him to his feet. “You are covered in blood man.”

She looked toward Sylvia and beckoned her over, but the man said without raising his eyes to her a slight, vicious smile on his lips, “It is not mine, Great Mother.”

Then he chanced to glance at her and then down and he said, “I have found her, Mother Udele. She yet lives!”

I remembered the man's name was Roman, and he shared his story with us after Ranelle dragged him, Sylvia, and me into Mother Udele's empty wagon to have him report as Sylvia checked him over 'just in case.'

As she did, Rain made and almost dismissive hand motion, I felt magic drifting out from her in the darkening twilight, and the oil lamps in the wagon all lit. Wow. I felt inadequate with what little power I had.

She sat down across from the man at the big table that dominated the space. I had sat across from Udele here once. I glanced around at the familiar intricate tapestries draped along the walls. Then Rain said, “You have found her?”

Roman nodded and said with a voice tinged with excitement, “I have been trailing the ones who spirited her away for days. After Alexandru had used himself as a diversion so I could get out of camp that first, blood-soaked night.”

He looked at Ranelle and Sylvia in sudden desperation? “Does he yet live? I last saw four Altii knights pursuing him.”

I smiled at the man and reached out from where I stood to lay a reassuring hand on his shoulder. “He yet lives, Roman. He is guarding Lady Celeste, as they head for Solomon Keep to confront Duke Liam about the attack and kidnap.”

He seemed to sag in relief and gave me a small smile. “Thank the makers, Sora Laney.” He shook his head and said, “I do not think that these knights are with the Keep. Something is off. They avoid the patrols of Solomon like they know where they are.” He was looking at Ranelle and me as he spoke.

Then he winced away from Sylvia's probing hands. She slapped his shoulder. “Hold still.”

He quickly lowered his eyes and said, “Yes Sylvia.”

I sometimes forget that the Mountain Gypsies have a matriarchal society.

He added, “They have a powerful vrajitor of the Altii with them, so I couldn't get close. But a noblewoman of Solomon joined them with about twenty-five of those dark knights. “

He smiled. “Whenever she spoke to Mother Udele as they traveled, she would stomp away in anger like a spoiled child.” He was quite pleased with that and he had a touch of pride for his leader in his voice.

Then he narrowed his eyes. “When they reached the Great Sea, they turned north instead of south toward Solomon Keep like I expected them to. After a bit, they used boats to go to an island just offshore, that had the ruins of a great castle on it. When the noblewoman returned to the shore, Mother Udele was not with her. I rode hard for two days to the Meeting Spot, like Alexandru instructed me to. He said you would most likely call a War Council.”

He had a look of sadness on his face when he said, “I rode my poor mount into the ground. I came the rest of the way on foot.”

This sparked a memory in me. I was trying to recall the old songs the bards would sing, ‘Ode to the Sea.' I started singing to myself to refresh my memory...

The waters that hold

The Heaven's Gate did behold

Lord Cedric did herald the sea

He built a great keep

Upon the waters of hope

But the gods though it not to be

The ground it did shake

To the bones it did quake

And the keep, it was lost to that sea

I noticed all eyes were upon me, and I blushed and Ranelle said, “You would make a fine minstrel yourself,”

I blushed again and blurted out to keep the attention off me, “The great stronghold of Lord Cedric, from the days of old, just after first crossing of the Gap. The Lord, who founded Solomon. When his first stronghold fell to an earth rumble, the capital of the realm was rebuilt on the shores of the Great Sea to the southeast instead! Solomon Keep.”

I smiled. “The castle lands must have separated from the shore to make the island.”

Then I perked up. “Mother Udele had said Duchess Aelwen's name. I would wager a month's stipend that she is who Roman saw.”

Ranelle was contemplating all of the man's words and then told me with relief coloring her voice, “It seems all is not as it seemed after all, young Laney. It was wise to beg patience.”

Then she added a qualifier, “But without the facts, we still cannot rule anything out.”

I nodded my understanding. I stood tall and checked my sword belt and started to turn toward the door with determination swelling inside.

She asked, “Where do you think you are going Sora Laney?”

I looked aback and said as if it were obvious, “To save Mother Udele as I have sworn to do.”

She shook her head as Sylvia stepped beside me and pulled me over to a chair with the chastising look only a mother could show. Rain said, “You will not go charging off into the night and have the Whispering Walls swallow you. You need Sylvia to make sure Udele didn't damage you with her message.”

Then she sighed heavily and said, “We can break camp at first light.”

I turned my gaze to her and asked, “We?”

She nodded like it was obvious, “Of course. I am pledged to watch after you for your Lady. Only volunteers from Lupei can travel with us as that was stipulated by you in the bid for patience, only the Lupei, and Wexbury.”

She kept speaking before I could argue. This was my responsibility and no more of the People needed to be put in harm's way. “We will need to keep the party small, stealth will be our best chance. So we need to remain discreet and nimble. Maybe five of us.”

I started to open my mouth but she cut me off with a singsong voice, full of teasing, “Proclaimed.”

I narrowed my eyes and shook my fist at her as I grinned. “You'll play that card once too many one day...” I almost said Rain, but Roman was there and I didn't want to show disrespect so recovered with, “Great Mother.”

She laughed her wonderful laugh and then said, “Today is not that day. We need to eat and rest. We assemble at first light.”

Roman tried to stand but was pushed back down onto the chair by Syl, who was healing some minor cuts and scrapes. He said from where he sat, “I would volunteer for the rescue mission Great Mother.”

Ranelle shook her head slowly as she smiled with pride and said, “I could not stop you. But for tonight Roman Lupei, you volunteer for a warm meal and a good night's sleep, you look positively dead on your feet.”

He deflated a little and said, “Yes Great Mother.”

She added, “Udele would be proud.” This made the man beam as he sat up straighter. His dark eyes glittering under his mop of curly black hair.

Then she looked at one of her Stewards. “Get word to Sora Celeste.”

The man nodded and ran off.

I was hooked by the arm and I said with a humor-filled voice as I was pulled out the door, “I will see you at home Syl.”

She smiled and waved.

Home. My healer friend's wagon did feel like home to me a bit, but my true home was at Celeste's side. I felt a little less anxiety that she was riding into hostile territory, but with the Duchess involved in some way, I couldn't fully rule it out.

The slender ruler seemed deep in thought. Then she turned to me when she noticed my attention on her. She just smiled and shrugged it off. I whispered as she drew me through the crowd to one of the many feasts going on, “You are the leader of the People and do not need to be risking your neck on a rescue mission.”

She smiled and spoke in a normal tone, much to my chagrin, “I couldn't stop you from embarking on the mission before your Celeste returned could I?”

I paused and shook my head. “I would not leave Mother Udele to that torture for one minute longer than necessary.”

She asked, “Then how can you ask me to turn my back on one of my own, or to break my pledge to your Lady?”

I exhaled and said in a tiny voice, “But... you are the leader of the Gypsies. You are... important.”

She almost hissed at me, “And you are not?”

I said, “I am just a chicken herder.”

She nodded and countered, “And I am just a minstrel.”

Then she smiled and said, “Let's get you fed and back to Sylvia so she can look you over. Then I will join you in the morning.” I couldn't argue and a group from my Gypsy band cheered as Ranelle and I sat at their plank table.

***

The next morning I was surprised to see some clothing and leathers on a chair by the table beside three bowls of porridge, I could hear a commotion outside. I looked down at the myriad of bed warmers with me and shook Ingr and Eli awake gently.

They blinked at the lightening twilight, Father Sol was just minutes away from greeting the lands. I smiled at them. “Morning children. I need to prepare for the day, why don't you and your little fuzzy minions step out to eat your breakfasts while I do. I think your mother is outside.”

Eli didn't take any more prompting. He just grinned and hopped up and snagged a bowl on his way outside. Ingr just gave me an adorable smile and slid out of the bed, her goats following. I just loved the long silky hair on them, and Ingr kept them immaculately cleaned and brushed.

She grabbed a bowl and spoon and rushed it to me. “For you Sora Laney.”

I cupped her cheek, scrunched up my nose and smiled at her. Then she got the second bowl and sat with me. I exhaled, it was too cute. I was going to forego breaking my fast, but you could not deny a little girl with big brown eyes.

I ate with her. I thought of all the children in the Keep, just how similar they were. Children were children wherever I traveled, and I loved them all. It made me sad to know that I would never have any of my own. I would happily spend my life with my Celeste, so it was a sacrifice I would gladly shoulder.

Then I thought about it a moment, in the Mountain Gypsy culture, every adult in each band cared for all the children as if they were their own. So... I looked at little Ingr and smiled warmly, since I was a Sora of the Lupei, did that not mean I had thirty children of my own?

This made me smile and I hugged Ingr and we finished eating. She took the bowls and spoons, placed them in a rack to be cleaned then turned and started to pour water from the big pitcher into the basin.

I squinted and asked, “What are you doing little one?”

She put a hand on her hip cutely and said, “Mama is not here to per... perfor... to do the Femeie de Sabie ritual. I am her mostenitor, so I gots to.”

I grinned at her. Already following in her mother's footsteps. I told her, “You can help but first turn around so I can clean myself and get my undergarments on.” It was bad enough her mother had seen me naked to the world, this young one didn't need to see.

I dropped my nightdress after she turned and I used the cloth and water to clean myself before I quickly pulled on the folded undergarments then told her she could turn around. I reached over to grab the trousers. I was so relieved I wouldn't be stuck in a dress, they are impractical for stealth or battle.

Ingr interposed herself between me and the table with a look of tried patience that would have done her mother proud. She took the trousers and moved them to me, I lifted one leg then the other as she pulled them up and buttoned the buttons.

They were a thick canvas material that was surprisingly soft. I noted that they and everything on the table almost hurt my eyes when I looked at them with my magic welling. They were covered in hundreds of charms and runes and just screamed of power.

She efficiently dressed me and placed the leathers that covered vital areas on me and my arms and legs. It was the light armor I have seen their scouts wear. It shimmered misty white under all the runes. Then she cupped her little hands and offered my dagger. I accepted it and slid it into my boot.

Then she picked up Anadele in her belt scabbard and presented her like something sacred. I bowed my head to the tiny one and then lashed Anadele to my hip.

I squatted and helped her put my riding cloak on and hang my ever present tool pouch over my shoulder. I stood and looked at her and asked, “So? How do I look?”

She grinned and I noticed she had a tooth missing, upping the cute quotient, her nose was squished over to one side and she looked confused. “Like... my Sora Laney, the Altii, who fell from the heavens and lived.”

I chuckled and said, “Shall we, Healer Ingr?”

She stood tall and opened the door and ran out with her bleating followers in pursuit. I stepped out as the first rays of sun crested the peaks to warm my face, my entire form ghosted under the weight of the magik of the People on my person. Then I was stunned by the roar of the crowd. It looked like every single band of the Lupei family was gathered and I just blinked down at a smug looking Ranelle and Sylvia.

Ranelle was dressed just like me, only she wore a dark green hunter's cloak with the hood raised and nothing was spelled but the slim blade at her hip. It made sense, with the amount of power she could bring to bear, she didn't need the charms. But now, more than ever, she looked strong, dangerous. She looked every inch the leader of the Gypsies.

She held her hand up and the crowd quieted and she held her hand out to me. I looked at my feet and stepped down from the wagon and took a knee in front of her. She made an exasperated noise and pulled me up by my arm.