Chapter Twenty-Four: Catch Up

Later that afternoon, surrounded by the other knights of the mission Lady Keladry and Sir Francis were brought up to speed on all that had been reported by Lord Raoul himself. When necessary soldiers of every kind gave vivid accounts of the things they had witnessed. Sir Wyldon and Sergeant Domitan of Masbolle stood to one side; the knight was listening to a report from his squire of all that he had missed whilst he had been away, and the captain was watching the Lady Knight's facial expression as she took in what she heard.

He could see the very edges of the mask she was fighting to retain at the news but could also pick up on the very faint traces of horror, disgust, fear and confusion that drifted through her features. To many other people these emotions would not have been detectable in that moment. However Dom knew Kel too well for her to hide most things from him.

Kel bit back the bile she felt rising from her stomach at the account given by the young Rider leaving the tent. Debriefing had been going on for the past hour and still showed no signs of being over. She wasn't sure just how much more disturbing information she could take.

"Now," Lord Raoul continued with a sigh. "The enemy has a camp about fifteen miles to the east of here, completely within Tyran territory rather than hugging the borderlands like here. It's cleverly situated in the centre of a complex set of deadly swamps; if you didn't know it was there you would not find it. Most maps warn to stay well clear of that area so I imagine very few travellers have ever stumbled across the thousand or so men that are encamped there."

"There's really that many already?" Francis asked rubbing his forehead. Lady Kel noted just how tired he had come to look over the past hour, how weary.

"Most certainly. Judging on the numbers of prisoners and slavers we have seen enter its outskirts, that is a modest estimate. I hope it's correct but personally, I feel in that rat warren we will find more than a few on top of that."

"Have you seen many people, prisoner or slaver, leaving?" Keladry asked quietly.

"Every sweeping party I sent out has recorded at least one slaver caravan passing through their land and all of these have been seen entering the camp. No one has, as yet, left again."

Raoul paused for a moment to allow them to consider these details in connection with everything else they had heard.

It was slowly, to both Francis and Keladry, becoming clear that Raoul had every intention of direct action as opposed to waiting for the enemy to come to them. Kel thoroughly approved. To her it had already gone on long enough and she was sick and tired of this murky land; most importantly the slavers had proven to be too cruel and callous to allow them to complete whatever it was they were planning.

"Surely the enemy had spotted this camp by now then, my Lord. I mean there are not just a couple of us either..." Francis remarked making Kel glance around the council tent to count how many were present.

As she took in the whole room, a jolt of happiness shot through her upon seeing the faces of Iiyan of Mountain's End and Turnall of Seer's Bridge – her two other boys – both who smiled when they caught her eye. The warmth of happiness grew within her chest at the smiling greetings she received also from her brothers and her old school friends. Amongst all this despair and evil, it lightened her heart just a little to see them present also.

Raoul laughed without very much humour, bringing Kel back to the present.

"The enemy has every awareness of our presence my old squire, but they have yet to do anything about it. It seems to me they are waiting for something although we have yet to learn what; I gravely fear we shall not until it is too late. We have also yet to see the man the slavers call The Commander; The General's boss man likes to keep in the shadows it appears."

"What kind of watch structure are you using My Lord?" Kel inquired.

"We are trying our best to maintain a continuous watch on the camp but it is imperative that single watchers are not discovered – I fear if they were we would incur casualties. At the moment, at each changing of the guard a new look out point is found and established."

"Just tell us when you wish our men and ourselves to partake in this watch," Francis bowed his head to his old master, and Kel followed suit.

"Not for a day or two knights; get your men revived as well as yourselves. I'm going to need you in the coming days. Speaking of, go and talk to your men then get some rest. I'll talk with you again later."

Raoul dismissed them and Domitan with a wave of his hand and a tight smile then summoned Wyldon to his side.

As the three left the tent, most of the other knights were getting up and preparing to attend to their duties.

Iiyan and Turnall however made a bee-line for Francis and Kel. Wordlessly she accepted their strong embraces, listening to their enquiries after their travels since they had seen the pair days ago. Francis clasped one of her shoulders with a warm hand, drawing her deeper into the conversation.

"It's been a long couple of days but we're all in one piece are we not Kelhen?" He smiled warmly down at her, his eyes light and relaxed in the company of the men he had been travelling with for so long.

Kel simply smiled, allowing the boys to talk as she continued to mull over Raoul's news and information. With every passing minute it was getting closer to the time when this long and strange mission came to a climax; all Kel knew was that she had to be ready.

Looking up suddenly the Lady Knight became aware that all three of her boys were watching her scowl subconsciously, with a smile on their face. Turnall's was bright and a little mocking whilst Francis' was tinged with concern. Iiyan on the other hand was watching her with a burning intensity that reminded her of moments before the mission had begun, what seemed like lifetimes ago. His eyes held emotion that sent her straight back to leaning on that stable door, when he had shown so much care and affection for her son and the relationship she had with him.

Somehow Kel registered over the time since she had seen him, Iiyan seemed to have matured. His eyes were crinkled from squinting through this half light, but his skin was also tanned from the light that escaped the canopy. Looking back at that moment of blistering heat in the barn she realised with a shock that the feelings she had experienced had come from his openness with her; before that time she had never experienced it before. He had stared straight into her eyes, demanding to see and to know what was hidden there. It was the same kind of look that Francis gave her. It seemed novel and exciting to be able to look into the eyes of another adult without shame or embarrassment. Iiyan was just a boy really, but perhaps from his time with Francis he had adopted this direct brave look. To some girl soon he would direct that gaze and her reaction would be akin to Kel's whenever the elder of her boys gazed in her direction.

The Lady Knight smiled at Iiyan warmly and gave his arm a brief squeeze.

"Everyone's present and correct - just exhausted. We've sent them to sleep and although Raoul says to do the same, I don't know how I can rest after all I have just heard."

Turnall nodded.

"It is rather a lot to take in, but I feel slightly better now we've been handed more information than we had several days ago. I least I'm not going in there completely blind."

"But not entirely full sighted either," Iiyan added with a sigh. "Who knows what else those savages are plotting."

"Magic for certain," Francis replied.

"All we can do is be ready," Kel said voicing her thoughts. Her boys nodded. From nearby, a group of soldiers called to Turnall. With a look at them quickly he turned back to the group with a slightly sheepish look.

"My men from the sweeps asked if I would persuade you to lead them in a hand to hand exercise. They're rather in awe at your reputation and I think it would do them some good to see the legendary Protector of the Small in action..."

Kel sighed. She had just said that she would not be able to sleep for a while despite their commanders' orders. What was the harm, in giving the men some pointers that very well might save their lives?

"As long as none of them, or you," Kel replied with a pointed look. "Calls me that damned name!"

"I'll tell them to find a big enough clearing shall I?" Turnall smiled gratefully at her. Francis gave a short laugh.

"You really should just accept your title. Or would you rather the whole camp call you Kelhen?"

"Only we can call her Kelhen here," Iiyan said quietly. With a final look at Kel's calm countenance and a small nod, he turned and walked away. The Lady Knight knew that he had understood full well from her expression that whatever had occurred back in Corus across a barn door would never occur again.

Alone again, Keladry took a long look into Francis' eyes searching for signs of fatigue or worry.

"It seems you too are not ready for rest either," she ventured, hoping to be reassured by his feelings on the situation.

"No. My men are in their tents but before I can enter my own I think I need to hear more from the other Knights of what is building up around us."

"I find the waiting the worst part of every mission..." Kel sighed. Again it felt good to let down her guard around someone, to be able to completely honest and open for a change, without wearing a mask.

"You need to keep calm for now Kelhen," Francis smiled a little. "The slavers are not going anywhere. There's a complex set-up in their camp surrounded by swamps and I do not think they will give that up easily. It's too convenient for mischief."

"I know that in my head, but the rest of me..."

"Wants to be up and fighting evil doesn't it?" Francis finished her sentence for her with a smile as she stopped uncertainly. "You see, it's not so hard to open up about your feelings is it?"

Kel smiled.

"Relax. Recuperate. Reassess the situation tomorrow on a full night's unbroken sleep and a full stomach. This mission is just like any other..."

As he spoke, the knight massaged Keladry's shoulders gently. His touch was welcome and soothing even through her layers of clothing. Kel's muscles relaxed without her agreement. His way of disarming and affecting her was one that Kel would always associate with Francis of Dorbe.

Before he left her side, Francis kissed the Lady Knight lightly on the forehead with a wistful smile playing about his lips. It was a smile Kel could feel being branded upon her skin even by the smallest, quickest of pressures from his lips. Part of her was thankful – so tied up in the mission and the evil occurring so very close to her, she did not think she could devote any more time than she already did considering what was flowering between the two of them.

Another part of her however howled in frustration.

With every advance she made in Francis' direction and with every leap he made towards her, Kel's insides seemed to demand more. More touching, closer proximity, a deeper kiss, a longer look. Her head could not explain it.

The Lady Knight was undecided as to whether she wanted any of her other senses to be able to explain this attraction for her.

When the watch rode in unexpectedly later in the evening, Kel was sat amongst her group of Own's men eating dinner.

The drills and exercises she had led the men in had gone well, however the group which had appealed to Turnall had grown by the time she arrived.

For a couple of hours she demonstrated and instructed the men in the deadly arts she had picked up not only from her time with the Yamani's but also from her other travels under the crown. Wherever she had ventured whether on a mission or not, the Lady Knight had made certain that she benefitted from the trip; picking up some forms and moves from the local defence training as she travelled the lands. By the end of the session even a few of the knights had been watching and participating as she led the group in a particularly lethal Yamani throwing technique which often led your attacker winded with a few broken ribs for his attempt.

As the ninth hour was called the men who had been observing the surroundings of the enemy camp appeared, their horses going at a full gallop.

News of their arrival travelled fast through the resting men around the surrounding campfires, all of whom stood and made their way to the central area to see what news the men were delivering to their leader. The crowds of men jostled and hurried to hear what would be reported akin to any crowd that could be found at a festival in Corus competing for the best view on a spectacle.

Kel dodged and weaved the groups of soldiers, eventually making her way to stand next to the council tent opening where several others knights had gathered.

The men, still on horseback, looked terrified. That was the first thing that struck the Lady Knight; the fear in their eyes was frightening in itself. Whatever they had seen had shaken these seasoned warriors to their very cores.

Lord Raoul stood before the group calming them and ensuring that they had not been followed back to the base. A loaded silence fell around the central campfire as the men accounted slowly under the commander's questioning, what they had seen.

They had been trying to get as close as possible, Kel heard from the knight beside her, to see what was occurring and establish a look out post.

"What was it that caught your attention?" Raoul asked in a low tone. One man at the front on a dun horse made up the point of the group and seemed to have been elected to report.

"A caravan rolling past but unlike all the others any of us had seen it was very small – only two slavers and a very few number of prisoners. They were rolling around the outskirts of the camp it seemed and the two slavers were arguing loudly."

"Could you hear what they were talking about?"

"Not really but it seemed like there had been some sort of meeting and one of them had angered the Commander. I heard mention that they were being punishment but other than that it was too faint to make out."

"What was it that made you all come back?" Raoul looked around the group a moment. "Every man I sent out is with you."

"We were unsure whether they saw us, so thought it best to withdraw and inform you of the strange happenings we had seen. We thought you might need to see for yourself so some of us could act as guides while the rest of us give more detail. Should we go in the council tent my Lord?"

Lord Raoul looked around at the crowds surrounding the clearing. It seemed every man on this mission was witnessing the conversation yet he did not seem fazed. When it seemed like he had looked every man present reassuringly in the eye, the Crown's commander spoke.

"No, let the men hear what we are going to defeat in the name of Tortall."

"Sir I have never seen anything like it. In all my years under you and in the name of the King, I have never seen such magic or illusions as the one we have just witnessed."

"Are you sure it was not just a trick of the light sir?" Raoul asked gently. He knew as well as any other man that the men of the Own did not handle criticism in their work well.

"Absolutely not my Lord; they are not the kind of happenings which could have been produced by a trick of the light. I swear by the Gods."

"Very well soldier, tell us what occurred."

It seemed like the whole clearing, along with Keladry, took a deep breath in anticipation.

"The slavers began whipping the seven captives they had with them for some crime or another. Not all together strange I know, but when the captives resisted and did not become subdued by this treatment one of the slavers staked the chain of men to a tree and sent the other back to the main camp on the horse they had had with them which had been pulling the captives."

"What happened when he returned?"

"He returned with a pair of men who seemed identical; twins in every feature and detail – too identical for it to be a occurrence of their mother's womb. I swear it was the same human twice. The whole time they were silent and still, ordered about by the slavers without speaking a word. The slaver returned with the two identicals and another man riding the horse – a man in the uniform of the Own – who carried a pack."

"Was he chained? Did he fight?"

"No."

There was mutterings from around the clearing at this: every man employed within the Own who was bearing witness cursing another of their own captive and swearing how they would have been fighting.

"One of the slavers ordered these three silent, still men to dismount the horse and gestured them over to him," the watchman continued. "He took a jar holding a blackened substance from the pack and withdrew the knife from his belt."

Lord Raoul turned upon hearing this and looked over to where Keladry was standing. Numb at what she was hearing, at first she thought he was looking at her. However, following his gaze, she saw him exchange dark, loaded gazes with Sir Wyldon. His look charged the air with an electricity which raised the hairs on Kel's arms.

He cut the first captive on the chain across the arm with the knife while the other slaver poured the black liquid all over the cut. After a while the struggling, screaming man just stopped fighting."

"Did he do this to all the prisoners?"

"Yes, until none of them resisted when the slavers pushed and shoved them about; they just simply stood in their chains silent."

"What purpose did the slavers have for bringing the two identical men?"

"He used them: when all the captives were subdued he cut off a finger from one of them without a sound coming from the man. It was as if he was just slicing bread. But instead of it bleeding, the wound oozed this silver coloured strange essence, liquid, substance onto the ground in a steady stream."

"Had any of you seen this liquid before?"

"Yes; a couple of us had seen it in No Man's Land as part of our sweeping teams."

"What happened next?" Lord Raoul's voice had not changed in pitch or tone but the intensity behind it seemed to increase.

"The slaver dropped the severed finger into the pool that had formed and a silver form grew out of it; somehow it just kept getting bigger and bigger until it was as large as a man, all from this small puddle. The identical man's finger had grown back by now, it was brutal to see – first bone then muscle reappeared."

"What purpose did the slaver have for cutting the identical human?"

"He cut the first man on the chain across the arm – the first man he had subdued? He dipped the knife into the blood coming from the wound and stabbed the giant silver form with it. He pushed the knife all the way in and left it there for a while as the shape changed colour and started to change shape hazily."

"What did it become?"

"A copy of the first captive."

At the man's words several gasps could be heard about the clearing. Every report of doubles had been correct; the men had truly been seeing identical human beings. Clones – created by the slavers.

"Did this happen to every prisoner?" Raoul asked quietly.

The leader of the watch answered just as quietly, looking about him at the crowds with a grim expression.

"Yes."

The noise in the clearing grew louder but only added to the dull roar Kel already had rumbling through her ear drums. The shock and panic of everyone witnessing the conversation soon drove the noise into nothingness however the silence echoed almost as much as the noise had done.

"The copies and the captives all stood unresisting and still, passive next to their captors. The slavers even released the chain of prisoners from their bonds and they remained unmoving. It was the strange and most disturbing thing I have ever seen."

The watchmen's words echoed for a moment until a loud voice from the back of a crowd on the east side called out.

"I fear that a long lost, forbidden form of Dark Magic has come back to our lands: a cloning technique that uses pain and suffering to enslave human and immortal beast to a single being's will..."

The mage Numair Salmalin, after a moment, stepped into the centre of the group to join Lord Raoul.