Chapter 4 – Ogres Everywhere
It had been several days since they had seen any towns. With each uneventful day, Kel was becoming more and more uneasy. Something was wrong. There should have been more immortals around. At the very least, she and Joren should have passed a spidren web already, considering they had traipsed through so much of the forest. 'And with that attack on Oakpost, there should be more immortals in this region. It doesn't make sense.'
Joren, riding several feet ahead, was studying the map intensely. She narrowed her eyes at him, hoping he was getting as worried as she was. He was the one who had insisted on riding in this direction, even when she had suggested turning back.
"Let's stop here," he said abruptly, pulling Arbor to a stop.
"Why?" she asked sweetly. "It's not even time to eat." She gasped exaggeratedly. "Do you think we're lost, Joren?"
He dismounted and shook his head, ignoring her tone. "No, we're not lost. I've been here before."
She looked at him questioningly. "Then why are we stopping?"
"Because it's different. I don't know exactly how, but something is different," he murmured, more to himself than to Kel. He stared at their surroundings, looked back at the map, and then studied the forest again.
Suddenly he turned and walked to the edge of the path. After a moment's hesitation, he plunged through the dense growth of bushes and trees.
"Where are you going?" Kel called after him, dismounting also. He didn't answer. "Oh no you don't, not without me," she muttered, drawing her sword and going in after him.
She quickly caught up with him.
"Quiet," he hissed at her, even though she hadn't made any noise. He pointed through the foliage. Kel's gaze followed his finger, but she couldn't see anything moving.
A twig snapped.
She readied herself for an attack, raising her sword higher. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Joren do the same.
The leaves rustled, and a tall creature stepped out from behind a thick tree. It was hideous. A muscular, heavy face set in a terrifying expression with a brawny body that was hunched over. Its blue-green skin looked mottled.
Kel stared at it, immediately remembering her lessons of immortals from her page years. 'An ogre…' She had never seen one before, but there was no doubt in her mind.
It stared straight at them, its black eyes glowing feverishly.
"Get ready," Joren said to her tersely.
"I am," Kel answered in the same tone.
Another second passed, and then it roared, interrupting the tense silence, and charged at the two knights. She could see it shifting its glance from Joren to herself, before deciding to attack the smaller opponent.
Its only weapon was a rough-looking axe, and Kel swiftly ducked under the first swing. She rolled under it then kicked the instep of its right leg. Instead of falling like she had anticipated, though, the ogre spun around and lunged at her.
"Move!" she heard Joren yelling at her.
'What do you think I'm trying to do,' Kel thought grimly to herself, rolling from the creature's attack again and managing to regain her footing.
The ogre's axe was stuck in the ground from the force behind the swing. She kicked its legs harder this time, and watched with satisfaction when it toppled over. As soon as it hit the ground she rushed at it and drove her sword through the area she guessed its heart would be.
It gave another roar, but this one was a death cry. Soon it had closed its soulless eyes and was slumped against her sword and the grass.
Joren's footsteps sounded behind her. "Impressive," he said, his voice seeming too quiet after the ogre's roar.
She tried to push the dead body off her weapon. "And where were you while I was being attacked?" Finally she gained leverage, and the body rolled away, allowing her to pull her sword out.
Joren studied her, his blue eyes guarded. "I was watching you."
She glared at him. "Why?"
"It chose to attack you. I wanted to see how you would respond," he answered, as if her questions were boring him.
Kel quickly wiped her sword clean on the grass and slid it back into the scabbard. Then she rose to her full height and approached him challengingly. "And did I pass your test, Joren?"
"You killed it."
"I did." She brushed past him and headed back to where Peachblossom and Arbor were left waiting. He heard her mumble something under her breath.
"What did you just say?" he asked, turning his gaze on her.
She pulled herself onto the saddle gracefully before looking down at him, meeting his cold blue eyes with her own angry hazel ones. "I said that I did kill the ogre, but it was too easy. It barely put up a fight. If you're hoping to get rid of me, you'll have to do better than abandon me in a fight."
A furious light leaped into his eyes but she rode off ahead of him before he could defend himself. He was left with nothing to do but mount Arbor and gallop after her before she could disappear from sight.
* * *
Joren glared at Kel across the campfire, still seething from what had happened earlier that day. She had practically accused him of trying to get her killed. What he had told her was the truth. He had sensed that the forest was too quiet, that there must have been something nearby, and he followed that instinct. When the ogre had attacked, running straight for Kel, he stood out of the way, wanting to gauge her abilities. Still, if he had thought that she was going to lose, he would have stepped in and killed the ogre himself.
'Gods, I hate Mindelan, but I'm not trying to kill her.'
Maybe he wanted to injure her, make her shut up for once, but he was a knight now. He couldn't kill another knight, no matter how much he wished it.
Besides, he was alive now for one reason only, and he knew that if he killed the Lump, he would be dead himself. His own death didn't interest him right then.
As he shifted his gaze from Mindelan to the softly crackling fire, he remembered the reason his blood still flowed and his eyes still had sight. It had been revealed to him when he had entered the Chamber again, six months after he had left Corus.
'Back again?' the powerful voice asked, the one that echoed in his head every day.
Joren knew he couldn't answer out loud, or he would immediately be deemed unworthy again. He wouldn't let the Ordeal beat him that way, not on a stupid technicality. Bracing himself for what would come out of the darkness, he remained silent.
'Perhaps this was not such a lost cause after all,' the second, gentler but still terrifying voice said.
Without any warning, his mind was overwhelmed with images. They weren't like last time. Instead of being violent and shameful, they were virtuous and peaceful. He didn't know how to react; he had never experienced peace before.
A gentle mother kissing his blonde head. A proud father clapping him on the back with good humor. He saw himself playing with other children instead of bullying them. Then he was at the palace, during his page years. He was surrounded by kind friends who looked upon him as an equal, not as a sort of commander. They didn't fawn over him and fear his anger; they joked and talked with him. Next he was on a battlefield, surrounded by immortals. Then the immortals were gone, and he was with a woman, in a bedroom. His arms were wrapped around her soft body, and in his heart he felt warmth and passion and another feeling that was unknown to him. It hurt and soothed him at the same time.
Joren started to immerse himself in the images, but they abruptly disappeared. He was alone in the Chamber again.
'It's hard for you, isn't it, Joren?' the lighter voice asked. 'To know that you were destined for a life like that.'
He was shocked. Destined? It hadn't happened.
'Of course, destiny can change,' it continued, as if the speaker had heard his thoughts. 'You've made horrible decisions in your life, though it's true that they were not all your fault. Your mother was not supposed to have passed away so soon, and your father was supposed to have been a stronger man. Still, many of those decisions came from your own mind and heart.
'The hurt and hatred inside you made you stronger than anyone expected. The mortal realm needs someone strong to fight in the coming battle, but not someone crippled with rage. That is why you have been allowed this second chance. That is why you were sent away, so you could be tested in your travels. You had to prove yourself worthy of your proper fate.'
Had he proven himself? He needed to know. ''Did I prove myself?' he wanted to scream. But of course he couldn't.
'Leave, Joren of Stone Mountain,' the first voice commanded. It made his muscles tremble. 'You have passed your Ordeal. You are worthy.'
And so he had left, and when he emerged from the Chamber still shaken from what he had learned, the only outward sign of it was the lack of color in his face. While his former knight-master embraced him and his cronies congratulated him, he had been repeating the words over and over. 'You are worthy. You are worthy.'
Joren was pulled out of his reminiscing when Kel's voice abruptly broke the silence around the campfire.
"I'll take the first watch," she announced, standing up and brushing the dirt off her breeches.
"I'll do it," he argued, also getting up.
Kel glared at him. Did he not trust her to handle the simple task of staying awake? "I volunteered," she said, her voice sharp.
His cold assessing gaze focused on her for a tense moment. "Fine," he answered, turning his back on her and closing the issue. "Wake me up in two hours."
She continued to glare at him as he unrolled his bedroll beside the fire and slid inside, oblivious to her. Then she caught her temper firmly and told herself to ignore him. She never enjoyed arguing and she wouldn't let him change that.
Grabbing her spyglass from a saddlebag, she left the small camp in search of a good vantage point.
'Stupid Joren,' she thought as she climbed up a sturdy branch about twenty yards from the clearing. Why did she always get so infuriated whenever he spoke? Sometimes he didn't even need to say anything; the look on his face was enough. Of course, while she saw a smug, condescending face, every other person they came across considered it handsome and noble. He had been able to sweet talk his way out of paying for his ale when they were in Baldurel. The people they passed in the street had given him awed and admiring glances, especially the women.
She could have screamed at the memory. Was she the only one who wasn't blind?
Kel spent the next hour ruminating over every single one of Joren's features, trying to figure out what was so appealing. He had beautiful eyes, true, but they were always so distant and unfeeling. And she had to admit that his features were arranged very appealingly, but he was always looking down his straight nose at other people and sneering with those well-carved lips.
She brought the spyglass to her eye, routinely scanning the area. Nothing interesting, again. Then she sat up, alert, focusing on movement to her east. There were ten men winding their way through the trees, approaching her position and the campfire lying behind her. Kel frowned as she noticed their odd, lumbering gait that seemed so familiar.
Finally it dawned on her. They weren't men, they were ogres. And they were armed. She hastily shoved the spyglass into the waistband of her breeches and scrambled down the tree. The ogres were almost upon her.
Pushing aside her panic, she raced back to the clearing without making a sound. Joren was still lying on his side, asleep, but the horses were nervous, sensing that something was nearby.
"Joren!" she whispered urgently, shaking him awake. "Get up. I saw some ogres and they're coming in this direction."
He was instantly alert, reaching for his sword that lay beside the bedroll. "Where from?" he asked in his own whisper. She pointed and he nodded. "Get your bow and arrow and climb up that tree over there. I'll hide the horses. Hold them off until I come back."
Kel reviewed his plan and gave him an assenting nod. "I suppose that will work."
She slung her bow and quiver over her shoulder and began climbing the indicated tree as Joren quickly untied the horses and led them away as quietly as he could in the opposite direction.
Seconds later, the ogres burst into the clearing. She was ready for them. An arrow hit the first ogre in its right eye, and another impaled itself in the throat of the ogre behind it. Ignoring their roars of pain, she carefully aimed a third time. By the time Joren entered the clearing, his sword ready in his right hand and a lethal dagger held in his left, there were only five ogres that were able to fight.
He rushed toward the group and immediately stabbed the closest one through the heart. Another ogre stood over him as he pulled the sword out, and Kel swiftly shot it with her arrow.
The remaining four ogres surrounded Joren, ready to take their anger out on the only enemy they could see.
"Mindelan!" Joren shouted as their broad backs hid him from her view.
She let loose one more arrow, injuring an ogre but not enough. It continued to attack Joren. She muttered a quick prayer before leaving her perch and entering the fray.
The injured ogre turned as she approached and swung its heavy axe at her head. She jumped out of the way and led it towards her, away from Joren. In a few minutes she had killed it, aided by its injury and slowness.
Kel turned back and saw that Joren had managed to kill one of his ogres, so that only two remained. They almost had him backed into a tree.
"I'm here!" she called out to him, cutting one of the immortals as it turned away from her sword. This ogre was stronger and more agile than the other one, and it punched her in the chest as it swung its rough mace towards her face. The punch took the breath out of her and she tried to duck out of the way of the deadly weapon's path, but she wasn't fast enough.
The sharp pain stunned her, and she knew one of the mace's spikes had reached her when a warm wetness trailed down the side of her face. Blood.
She grit her teeth against the pain and assailed the ogre with lighting-fast thrusts, overwhelming it. After it dropped its mace, its arm bearing a wide gash, Kel pressed her advantage and killed it.
She stood over it, gasping as she tried to recover from the effort of winning.
"Mindelan," a voice rasped behind her. 'Joren.'
Kel turned around and saw him leaning against the tree, clutching his left arm. The last ogre lay dead at his feet. He looked ready to collapse.
She hurried to him, and as he fell towards her, she cried out his name.
* * *
"Wake up, Joren," Kel murmured, pressing the back of her hand to his sweat-beaded forehead. He groaned but didn't rouse.
She bit her lip, worried. It had been a whole day already, and he still hadn't progressed further than muttering a few words to her. She had no knowledge of healing, but she did know that it shouldn't take this long for him to begin recovering. In addition to that, they had no healing balm, having forgotten to buy more after leaving Oakpost. That was why she had saddled up the horses this morning and started searching for help. All the towns on the map were too far away and Joren needed a healer now.
And to make matters even worse than they already were, the climate in this region of Tortall had gradually but undeniably turned cold. Kel hadn't known that it could be so cold in September.
She looked over again at Joren, who was slumped against Arbor's neck. Did he look even paler than before? She unfastened the one blanket she had kept around herself for warmth and draped it over his shoulders before turning and studying the terrain around them.
The ground was rocky, and in the near distance mountains rose against the sky. It would soon be dusk, and they would have to camp somewhere safe. But there were barely any trees now. She couldn't think of any shelter for them, unless those mountains were full of caves and hospitable inhabitants.
A chilly wind blew and made her wound throb. She hoped it wasn't infected, because she hadn't been able to do anything but wash it in water and try to keep it clean without the protection of bandages.
Kel shook her head, cursing her inability to think ahead and have enough supplies for the journey. She had studied things like this with Raoul; she knew how important planning ahead was. And because of her lack of foresight, she and Joren were stuck in a miserable situation.
She set her jaw determinedly, ignoring the throbbing and the cold as best she could, and urged Peachblossom on, pulling Arbor and his rider behind her.
The sun set, and still no shelter. She didn't want to keep riding though, because the horses couldn't pick their way along this uneven ground in the darkness. They would just have to camp out in the open, and she would simply need to be more alert tonight. 'Easier said than done,' she thought to herself.
"I hope this doesn't hurt," Kel thought aloud as she pondered the best way to get Joren off Arbor without dropping him to the ground. It had been easier to mount, because he had been slightly conscious then. As if he sensed her worry, Arbor crouched to the ground, effectively solving the problem. She pulled Joren off the saddle and slid him to the bedroll she had readied on the ground.
Arbor nickered softly as she stroked his neck for a moment, silently thanking Daine for the magical influence she had made on the palace horses.
After feeding the horses and arranging the blankets more snugly around Joren, she took out her spyglass and readied herself for a sleepless night.
* * *
"What is your business here?"
"I told you already, we're looking for a healer. He was injured when ogres attacked our campsite."
"A knight of Tortall with no healing supplies? That's a likely story."
"It may not be likely, but it's the truth. See for yourself, he's hurt."
"Don't try to trick us into coming closer. How do we know you're not laying a trap?"
"A knight does not lay traps!"
The biting voices penetrated the thick fog in his head. Joren fought his way toward consciousness, hearing the impatience and urgency in that last voice. What had gotten Mindelan so worked up, that she actually shouted at someone? As he blinked his eyes open, the bruises and other injuries on his body made themselves known with force. 'Oh yes, now I remember.'
It took him a second to accustom himself to the pain, and after he did the voices grew louder.
"Please, I swear to you that I am not trying to trick you. I am telling the truth. He needs a healer now!"
"If we take him to our healers, what will we do with you? You might try to attack us while we're unawares and sheltering your friend."
"Then lock me up, I don't care. Just help him before he dies."
"Fine. Bind her hands and feet."
Joren groaned and sat up, the sound and movement making the other people turn and stare at him. He struggled to free his arms from all the layers on top of him. 'Who put all these damn blankets on me?'
"Joren!" Kel exclaimed, trying to go to him even though two men were holding her arms.
"Joren?" The man who had been arguing with Kel looked at him sharply. "Joren of Stone Mountain?"
Kel was stunned. "What? How do you know-"
"Yes, it's me, Adelphis. You can release her," Joren said, waving his hand in the general direction of Kel. His head hurt too much to turn and look at her.
Adelphis smiled broadly at his friend, but just as quickly frowned with worry. "You are truly hurt. Hold still, I'll help."
Joren obediently laid back as Adelphis approached and laid his hands on his chest. A cool, familiar sensation washed over him, and he could feel his wounds healing and his bruises fading.
"Thank you," Joren said, rising to his feet slowly.
"You're a healer," Kel said accusingly as she looked at Adelphis. "You could have helped instead of arguing with me." Then she turned to look at Joren. "And how do you know him?"
Joren ignored her question and raised a single eyebrow at Adelphis. "I said you could release her now."
Adelphis shrugged and motioned for his two soldiers to let go of Kel's arms. "It amused me."
"You always had odd tastes," Joren replied. He glanced around and saw their two horses pawing at the ground with anger. "Adelphis, release the horses too, if you please."
He motioned again, and the men who were trying to subdue the warhorses gladly relinquished their duty. Adelphis sighed, his dark eyes dancing. "It's a pity. Those are beautiful mounts. That roan one, especially. He has spirit."
Peachblossom snorted in warning and Kel quickly came to his side, soothing him as she glared at Adelphis. Apparently, she had finally found someone who irritated her more than Joren.
"Now that that's done, let's hurry back," Adelphis announced, striding to his own horse that one of his men held waiting. "I haven't even eaten yet, and an empty stomach gives me a bad temper."
He quickly mounted and led the men towards the mountains. Kel and Joren rode at the end of the group.
"Are you all right?" she asked, looking him over for any signs of lasting injury.
Joren glanced at her, a bit surprised that she looked so concerned. "I'm fine now. Adelphis is a skilled healer."
"Who is he? Where are we going?" she wanted to know. "And most importantly, how do you know each other?"
He shook his head. "You need to listen more carefully, Lump. I told you already, I've been here before. What did you think I was doing when I left Corus? Relaxing at Stone Mountain?"
"So instead of returning home you joined a group of bandits?" she muttered to herself.
"Hardly. Adelphis is the leader of a nomadic tribe. I traveled with them for a time." He stopped at that simple explanation.
"You're not telling me everything," she pointed out, glancing at his strong profile.
He remained silent.
* * *
"Where are they?" Neal demanded, crowding close to the parchment as more words scrawled across it.
Sir Gareth sighed in exasperation and tried to ignore the jostling of the knights around him. Now that September had come, the knights had begun returning to the palace. Kel's friends were among them, and they had heard of her and Joren's quest. Since then, they had been keeping watch over the scroll, waiting for more developments.
"Sir Cleon, if you'd kindly move out of the way, I'll tell you what it says." The big redhead colored and obliged, pulling Neal out of the way also.
Gareth read the words carefully before clearing his throat. "It says that Kelandry and Joren have avoided the first signs of the coming evil, and have found help in the form of noble mountain warriors." He frowned to himself. "That's odd. I didn't know there were mountain warriors in that region."
Neal shrugged. "Hardly anyone's been that far north. I'm simply relieved that they avoided the evil." Cleon nodded.
Gareth sighed. "Avoided the first signs of evil, Sir Nealan," he clarified. "I'm afraid that they are nowhere near safe. The quest is long from over."
A/N: Review and make an author feel much appreciated!