Chapter twenty-one

:Heartsister.: Rika said into Eothen's mind. :One of our Guard was captured by some rebels. He likely was tortured in order for them to find you. Watch your back.:

:Rika!: Eothen was surprised at how much she missed her friend. :How are you? That must be how they found us.: Eothen told Rika how they had come to picking their way through the woods at a snail's pace.

:I had hoped to catch you in time, this just happened last night!: Rika said. :how did they get there so fast?!:

:A Gate.: Taia said. :they have a mage.:

:WHAT?!: said Eothen. :I thought you said that was imposible!:

:I thought it was.: said Taia. :In my day, the energy to built a Gate could only come from within the mage himself, and by the end of my lifetime, myself and Whitestar were the only mages capable of doing it at all.:

:What changed?: asked Eothen.

:Somehow they figured out a way to build one by using more than just the mage's energy.: Taia responded. :There's only one mage, and he isn't even very strong. I can't explain how he did it.:

Taia was furious that she could not figure out how that mage had built a Gate; but it didn't really matter, he had. And that meant they could do it again. But there was no help for it, she would just have to keep scouting. They spent two days getting around the would-be attackers, just to try and be a little safer; Eothen spent that time getting a normal amount of liquid food into Alek, and she thought he looked a little better for it. Taia spent the time worrying about whether or not that mage had Farsight. Or Magesight. Or even just a good tracker. But she was watching, and she saw no evidence that the enemy had any idea where Eothen and Alek currently were. She did see signs that were getting bored with waiting; she would lay bets the they thought Geipol had lied enough to make the information questionable. It seems that poor Geipol had, indeed, been well trained.

The moment they were able Aladrian and Kasara started off again at a gallop. They still had at least a little more than a sennight to go, maybe longer if there were more delays. At this pace, they would arrive at Haven more than a moon in advance of Carlyi and the Guard; Eothen just hoped the Captain wouldn't be to delayed too long, and she hoped further that Carlyi would make it at all.

There were several times, however, when they were obliged to again slow down to a walk through the woods to avoid being caught either by villagers who had somehow been alerted to their path – Rika was able to mindspeak Eothen, or at least Taia, well enough to warn them – or who had just happened to be using the same hunting trail they were trying to race along. Eothen supposed it couldn't be helped, and just took the extra time to try and get nourishment into Alek. Still, due to the delays, they ended up only passing through the walls of Haven a mere fortnight or so ahead of Caryli and her troops. They raced through the outskirts as fast as they could; these people were more accustomed to Companions racing through the street and knew to get out of the way; so Eothen was surprised to see a man pull a sword and stand his ground as if he was about to charge her. Aladrian didn't even slow; he felt the threat and was prepared to trample the man where he stood, or fight if it came to that. But suddenly the man was not there; Aladrian and Kasara raced through where he had been, only to have him drop to the ground, dead, behind them.

:Aladrian and Kasara are too exhausted to have to fight that man.: Taia explained. :And I'm far to old to waste time. I Fetched him up to about roof height and then dropped him.:

:Won't the Goddess object?: asked Eothen, a little shocked.

:Maybe.: said Taia. :But I don't think so.:

:Thank you,: said Aladrian. :You are right; I am exhausted. And I probably would have been badly injured by his sword. If your Goddess has a problem with your aid I will have words with Her, Goddess or not.:

Eothen got the distinct impression that Taia found this proposition hilarious as well as eminently appropriate. Finally they arrived at the collegium and palace gates and the Companions still did not slow. The guards did not open them fast enough – why not? Eothen briefly wondered – so both Companions were forced to skid to a stop. There were two guards, and each Companion picked one, ears flattened, teeth flashing, screaming battle challenges a mere breath from each guard's face. They reared in unison, threatening the guards with razor-sharp silver hooves that almost connected with their targets, and would have, had the Companions wanted them to. Eothen pulled her swords as well; through it all, Alek just sat, blank-faced, only staying mounted because he had been tied to his saddle.

"YOU WILL OPEN THESE GATES IMMEDIATELY," she yelled. "OR YOU WILL DIE WHERE YOU STAND. IT IS AGAINST VALDEMARAN LAW TO IMPEDE A COMPANION OR HERALD IN ANY WAY; I ALMOST HOPE YOU KEEP TRYING, FOR I AM NOT IN THE MOOD TO BE MERCIFUL OR PATIENT."

The guards, much to her dismay and confusion, did not budge. So Eothen used one sword as a throwing knife, which came as a surprise to the guard who was bracing for an actual sword fight and lodged the sword securely in the guard's neck. She retrieved it as he fell, and Aladrian came down hard on his back for good measure. Kasara, for her part, was angry. She had run all-out for weeks, not been able to slow down enough to save her Chosen from injury or even to feed him appropriately. And now this guard, who was supposed to open the gate the second he saw a Companion running towards it, failed to do so, and even dared stand his ground despite her warning? No. This could not stand, and neither would he. She came down with her front hooves and all her weight neatly – and hard – on his shoulders, and as he crumpled, severed his spine him with her teeth.

:Wow.: said Taia, clearly impressed. :Remind me to stay on Kasara's good side.:

Eothen indicated her agreement, and strung her bow. She pointed it at the closest wall guard. He looked shocked, and terrified. Good.

"Now," she addressed him, "are you going to get down here and open this gate, or would you prefer an arrow blocking your vision?"

She wasn't quite sure she could make that shot; the sun was in her face, and he was wearing a full helmet. But he didn't know that.

:Don't sell yourself short.: said Taia. :You'd make that shot easy.:

:Hmph.: Eothen answered.

They would never find out. The guard in question couldn't drop his weapons fast enough as he raced down the stairs to open the gate. It was hard for one man to open, but not impossible, and it was clear the guard was doing the best he could to hurry. Still, Eothen found it hard to be patient; she was exhausted, filthy, hungry and mad as hell. Why had those guards not opened the gate? Why had they challenged and been ready to fight two Companions plus a Herald – two, they hadn't known until Kasara reared that Alek was helpless – to keep them from getting home?

Kasara went directly to Healer's; Alek was in no condition to make any kind of report. Aladrian continued to the Palace for Eothen to speak to the Queen, having spoken to Rolan via Mindspeech to notify, via the Queen's Companion, of Eothen's need to speak with her. Eothen had never really met Queen Selene, let alone spoken with her; she had seen her a few times, so she knew what she looked like. Long, wavy red-blonde hair, slender – she was rumored to be an excellent fighter, especially with knives – a long face, bright blue eyes which gave nothing away as to what she was thinking or feeling, but that gave you the distinct impression you wouldn't want to cross her. Eothen was nervous, even more so since she was sweaty and filthy and hadn't been able to bathe in a fortnight, but there was no help for it. This could not wait. She tied up her hair as best she could, took a deep breath and followed the page who showed up to guide her to the throne room.

:Relax: said Taia. :The Queen, as her predecessors were before her, is quite accustomed to taking reports from dirty, exhausted Heralds. She is more interested in what you have to say than in how you look while saying it.:

:If you say so,: Eothen replied, feeling not at all reassured.

:Hmph.: said Taia, and there was no more time to stall as the page ushered her in to see the queen, who was waiting for her expectantly.

"Good day," Eothen began. "I apologize, I've been riding for so long I have no idea whether it is morning or evening."

"And exhausted, I can imagine," said Selene, without a hint of annoyance, but rather genuinely concerned. "You should get right to it; no doubt you would prefer your bath and your bed rather than reporting to me. Out with it."

"I have reason to believe that rebellion is brewing," Eothen said; the queen looked shocked for a moment, but recovered quickly. "We have seen increasing disparity and division between nobility and the farmers, and to lesser degree, the merchants; at first we just believed it was due to the shortage of Heralds, and our inability to oversee the laws were written fairly, and the nobles were getting greedy."

"I have seen the same here in Haven, and from of reports of Heralds returning from circuit," said Selene, sounding frustrated. "I cannot get the nobility to behave with any measure of compassion, or even civility, towards their own tenants or inspire them to treat the more impoverished areas of Haven with anything but outright disdain. I know the farmers and merchants are angry, but what makes you think rebellion is waiting?"

"At first, we didn't," said Eothen. "We just rewrote the laws in a more fair manner, and figured it was just that, nobility against farmers. But then one day I'd gone hunting, and someone attacked and tried to kill me. Obviously I lived –" Eothen did not say how close it had been – "and he'd been magicked to my location."

"WHAT?!" exclaimed Selene. "I thought true magic was extinct, was I mistaken?"

"Apparently, we all were, including the Companions," said Eothen. "When we examined my attacker's clothing, it was an unusual style; Alek said it was typical style of the Ur'nomi people. We located and enlisted a contingent of the Guard to confront the town; they attacked us, and used some kind of mage weapon on Alek. He lives, but does not interact with the world anymore; Kasara says he will recover, but it will take a long time."

"I heard a little of that from Cera, my Companion, by way of Rolan," said Selene. "But thought it an isolated incident. Why do you believe it isn't?"

"I know it sounds insane," Eothen said. "But the town that attacked were wearing most the same Ur'nomi clothing. In scouting the next town – I am in contact with a kyree - we determined that if we arrived as planned, we would have been similarly attacked, and they were waiting for us. That was why we split with the Guard and raced along game trails to get here to warn you."

"And I'm glad you did," said Selene. "The Ur'nomi – we allied with their tribe during the end of my several-times great-grandmother's reign. Strange people, superior stone buildings to ours and mage skills, as well, but no diplomacy. But I'm still confused as to why you believe rebellion is imminent."

"The Guard was, in fact, attacked in that next town," Eothen explained. "and in almost every other town they passed through. We ourselves had to evade ambush from those towns, if they captured and tortured a Guard member as to where we were. Also, we were…forced to dispatch one citizen of Haven and two gate guards who challenged us on arrival."

"Well, I see that had I let you finish, you would have answered all of my questions," said Selene. "I am sorry. That does appear to be a brewing rebellion. However, I am not quite sure how to handle it. I am of course aware of the fall of virtually every other nation into chaos, and it appeared to be the same problems we were facing; I believed, and still do, that the Heralds are the sole reason we have lasted this long."

"But there aren't enough of us," said Eothen. "Not enough to withstand this level of rebellion. Not enough Guard, either. I had thought about trying to train appropriate people to do the job of Heralds without Companions, but there doesn't seem to be enough time."

"No," said Selene. "There is not. It seems as if we are headed towards civil war, and I do not relish that thought, and neither do I know how it will end; we can't fight it piecemeal, as we've been doing. No sooner than one town is brought into line, another one is fighting, and the first one gets troublesome again. If we recall all the Guard and the Heralds, it will take too long, and we would have to reconquer our own people, and that – is un-Valdemaran. I will call an emergency Council meeting to discuss options. You will not be needed; you need to rest. Thank you for bringing this to my attention."

Eothen knew a dismissal when she heard one. "One more thing," she said. "You say the Ur'nomi had no diplomacy. I know it seemed that way, since they attacked and stole what they wanted until meeting Valdemar. At least that's the way it appeared. But what if they used sabotage as well? What if they infiltrated a society, sowed dissension, and when the society devolved into chaos, took over? I know it's insane. But the more I think about, the more it makes sense."

"And by allying with them, we also gave them access to all our other allies," Selene said, stunned. "Which is why all of them, including ourselves, have fallen apart in the very same way, at the very same time. We thought we were gaining an ally, and learning new skills; instead we ushered in our world's destruction."

"Your ancestor could not have anticipated that they were capable of a multi-generational sabotage," said Eothen.

"Likely they didn't anticipate it taking so long, either," said Selene. "Still. Nothing to be done now, except solve the problem. If it can be solved."

Eothen nodded, and left the room. Selene got busy preparing for the Council. Eothen, having completed the task she had been racing so hard to complete, suddenly was so exhausted she could barely stand. Nevertheless she headed to her quarters, drew water for her bath, got in to soak – and promptly fell asleep.