Soarer's Children, Part 4
Chapter 20, Western Alustrea
Alucius stood at the side of the highway on the outskirts of Dulka looking from right to left. The road remained 'dead' to his senses, but showed no signs of physical deterioration. Looking down he could see the scratches that he had made with the chisel. It was obvious that at least in the short term the road would hold together if he delinked the paving stones from the the local life force. In fact, he could tell that the local vegetation was getting stronger. He wouldn't be surprised if the animals in the area began to grow in numbers as well.
He dropped back into the earth and made his way to the southern pass and from his vantage point below ground he could tell that the encampment of the Alustrean forces had been returned to normal, but there was no sign of wagons filled with portable light cannons. He moved on to the northern pass and could see that troops had been moved further into the pass. Moving westward he could see foot troopers marching steadily but no sign of cavalry, or wagons. Alucius had his suspicions about what he'd find.
He wasn't disappointed. Several hundred yards out from the stone barrier a trench system had been dug across the entire width of the cut through the spine. He could see a temporary encampment several yards behind the trenches. He turned slightly north and rose up out of the rocks above the pass. Looking across he could see the gouges from the explosion of the light cannon. He wondered if this new tactic was an inspiration of the local commander or had word gotten back to Alustrea and new orders issued. At the least, the Praetor should be aware of the loss of a significant part of his Efran inspired arsenal. A visit was due.
CHAPTER 21, North of Iron Stem, Iron Valleys
Alucius sat at the table in the kitchen. Wendra sat across from him, little Alendra perched on her lap.
"So, sweetheart, what have you in mind for your next excursion?"
"I think it's time for a trip to the Praetor's palace. I think I need to have a little talk with him," he replied.
"It seems to me you could use some help. I'd have to think he's pretty heavily guarded," Wendra said.
"You're probably right, but first I think I should do a scouting trip, like I did for the Matrial's residence. I'll do that tonight."
She nodded as she took a forkful of egg toast from her platter. Then she asked,
"Since the flock isn't going out today what do you have in mind for the day?"
"Feran and I arranged to meet at the site for the new Guard headquarters. We're going to walk the site, make sure the plans still fit the terrain and then have the survey team start marking out the walls and buildings. Would you like to come along for the ride? You and Alendra could go into town and visit your parents."
Wendra smiled at the idea but then Lucenda snorted and said,
"Oh, fine, just leave me here all by myself. You notice Father is gone already. He's meeting with Kustyl and the others to discuss the Lord Protector's concerns about those steads."
"You are welcome to come along, mother," Wendra replied. "My parents will be most happy to see you."
Lucenda pursed her lips and then said,
"It would be nice to be out and about, but I really don't have anything to bring them."
Alucius mulled it over and said,
"What about a bottle of the wine the Lord Protector's wife sent us?"
"Son, how would we explain how that came to us?" his mother asked.
"Just tell them that he sent it along with the usual supplies to the post at Dekhron and it came out to us with one of the road patrols that they've been sending out lately."
Lucenda looked from Alucius to Wendra and then said,
"My honest little boy has become a devious man."
"It's helped keep him alive, think of it that way," Wendra replied with a straight face.
In less than a glass the two women were in the wagon, little Alendra cradled in the carry pouch while Lucenda drove. Alucius rode alongside. While he thought there would be no need, he carried a heavy herder rifle in the saddle case. The day was pleasantly warm for a herder, which would have been slightly chilled for someone from Borlan and unseasonably cool for a resident of Tempre or Heiron. Wendra looked up at her husband as they traveled the highway at the wagon horses' pace.
"It still feels kind of quiet out there. Not much in the way of sandwolves and what there is seems far off."
"Yes," he said and nodded, "I wonder if we upset the balance somehow."
"Was there a balance? It seemed like the world was shifting away from what the Efrans imposed on it, and now that the ancients are gone, at least the soarers, it's going to need to find a new way," she said.
"You might be right," he said and then looked out over the arid flats, his eyes far away.
He felt, long before he saw, the small group that had gathered along the road about a mile north of Iron Stem proper. When he saw them he saw a mix of troopers and civilians, plus a wagon amongst horses. They pulled up and Feran approached them with a smile.
"Colonel, Madame Wendra, Madame Lucenda. This is an unexpected pleasure."
"Good morning to you, Colonel Feran," Lucenda offered. "Alucius invited us to accompany him and we'll be going into town to visit family. It is indeed nice to see you again."
"Alucius, I'm pretty sure that Mother and Father will insist on us staying for dinner. Why don't you come into town when you're finished. Father would most likely want to talk to you about your plans."
"That sounds like a wonderful idea, I'll do that," he replied.
With that and parting words for Feran, Lucenda urged the horses to resume their journey. Feran watched them go, his expression wistful. When he turned back he saw Alucius regarding him. With a wry smile he said,
"Whenever I see your family, I must admit to a certain envy."
Alucius smiled and said,
"You're still relatively young and you'll retire with a good stipend guaranteed by the Lord Protector. You'd make any woman a good catch. What about that waitress at Elyset's?"
"She's still there. Who knows," Feran said with a shrug. "But what do you say we get this place built and see if the Lord Protector still wants to pay my stipend when we are done?"
Alucius smiled and shook his head. For most of the rest of the day the men examined the plans, walking the terrain, seeing what changes might be required. In the end only a few minor shifts in location, only a matter of a yard or two, needed to be made and the crew was able to stake out the site for the walls and buildings. The civilians on hand turned out to be the father of his training mate, Kypler, who owned the lumber mill and two men who would be responsible for getting the quarries opened and deliver stone. The mill master pulled Alucius aside and spoke to him,
"Colonel, glad I am to be able to finally meet you. My son told us about you, before..." the man tailed off, his son having been killed not long after Alucius had been captured by the Matrites.
He coughed a bit and then went on,
"I know your grandsire, of course, have done some business with him over the years. When I heard about your plans and you being involved, couldn't have been more pleased. You herders always deal fairly."
"Thank you, sir. My grandfather spoke highly of you. I believe his words were 'good timber, fair price'. You can't get higher praise than that," he said.
"From Royalt that's true."
"Will there be any issue supplying the amount of lumber needed?" Alucius asked.
"Well, it will certainly be the biggest job since I've run the mill, but there are plenty of trees to draw from and we've already started cutting. The issue is drying it properly. We'll help that along. I have a large drying barn that I can heat if needed. Use the scraps and trimmings for fuel. Don't you worry Colonel, we'll not let you down."
"I'm sure of that. And I was sorry to hear about Kypler. He was a good friend and a good trooper," Alucius said.
"Coming from you that means a great deal, Colonel. Good day to you."
Alucius took a deep breath as he watched the man walk away. The legacies of the war, or wars, were many and far reaching. He was deep in thought about this when he was approached by the two quarrymen. Both looked a bit nervous but he smiled warmly and tried to project friendliness and assurance. It was the first time he had to do such in months.
"Good day to you, Colonel. 'tis quite an undertaking you've set for yourselves. Been a long time since there's been a project this big in the Valleys," the older of the two said.
"I can imagine," he replied. "But times are changing and we need to change with it. I trust that the old quarry sites will prove to be suitable?"
"Oh, aye, Colonel," offered the younger. "Good stone to be had out of both and the one has a good layer of slate for roofing. Used right, you'll have solid walls and strong roofs. In fact, we was thinkin' that after this job is done we might be able to keep 'em open for a while. What with the unification, we can move materials across the old borders with no tariffs."
"That would be great. The jobs would be very welcome, I know that," Alucius replied, his smile genuine.
"'tis hard work and in some places they have prisoners do it," the older man said with a grimace. "But you need skilled men with pride in their work to cut the best stone. We'll bring some of those up from the quarry near Borlan and we can teach others. But you're right, plenty to be done getting enough for this," he said, indicating the site with a sweep of his arm. "We'll not be keeping you, sir."
With slight head bows they moved away, speaking quietly. Feran moved over. He had been watching from a short distance away.
"You know, Colonel," he said with mock formality, "with your involvement in this project, I'd be willing to guarantee it will be the most honestly done work since the time of the Cataclysm."
Alucius couldn't help by laugh and said,
"I don't know about that but I can guarantee it will be a serious thorn in the side of the Dekhron traders. I know it sounds petty but that alone would be reason for it."
"Oh, I don't know. They cost the Valleys it's independence and nearly cost us all our lives. They bigger the thorn the better as far as I'm concerned. You know, some of those sandsnakes have actually had the nerve to come up to me to suggest they get some sort of preferential treatment based on their past relationship with the Militia and Guard," Feran said.
"We'll have to pay attention and make sure we don't wind up dealing with the same old bunch working through some sort of front operation. I think my Grandfather and Kustyl could be of help there."
"Good thinking. Well, it looks like we are through here for the day. We'll have a crew out here next week to begin preparing the ground and digging foundation trenches and the like. If you want to get started into town for your family gathering, you might as well," Feran said.
"You want to come along? Wendra's mother is a great cook."
"Hmm, my squad and I were going to stop at the inn in town, but I'd imagine they'd prefer eating on their own. You don't think they'd mind another trooper in their house?"
"I'd think not. As Wendra pointed out to me, Kyrial would probably love a chance to talk about the new post. He makes barrels and his son is becoming a fine carpenter," Alucius said.
"It might be nice to talk to some honest tradesmen for once. Sure, I'd be happy to."
Feran walked over to Faisyn, the head of his detail and spoke quietly to him. The squad leader looked over at Alucius and then back to Feran. With a final nod he stepped back and gathered up his men. Feran walked back over to Alucius with a sardonic smile.
"There's something to be said for dedication until it gets in the way of good sense. Faisyn was reluctant to let me go unescorted until I pointed out I would be in the company of the most feared trooper to ride the breadth and depth of western Corus, who just happened to be carrying his rifle," he said. "So most fearsome Colonel, let us to horse so that we may impose fully upon the hospitality of your in-laws."
Alucius couldn't help but laugh as he and his best friend went to mount their horses. On the way into town, the two discussed aspects of the move to Iron Stem. Feran had to admit he wasn't particularly thrilled with the idea that he'd be living on the edge of the quarasote flats but living among the more honest and hopefully hospitable townspeople and herders would make up for that.
"Not to mention the occasional visit to a nearby stead for a well cooked dinner."
"There is that, yes," Feran replied with good humor.
"Just so you're aware, my dear Colonel," Alucius said in a fair imitation of Feran's sometimes mocking tone, "I'd anticipate being invited to herder gathers once you take up residence here. Most people up this way will see you as a representative of the Lord Protector. I don't think you'll get much in the way of favor seekers, but you will attract interest. You're waitress at Elyset's better watch out."
Feran started and looked over at Alucius who regarded him calmly. Then he smiled and laughed as he said,
"Alucius, it's that face that makes you so dangerous. It looks so guileless when in fact you are more devious than anyone could guess."
"Funny, the Lord Protector said something like that once."
"Smart man."
By now they were approaching the cooper shop and home of his mother- and father-in-law, Clerynda and Kyrial. As Alucius looked around, the town still had that tired look, but the people seemed to have more spirit, perhaps in anticipation of the work and additional coin the relocated headquarters would provide.
CHAPTER 22, Iron Stem, Iron Valleys
Cleryndra sat looking at the distinguished visitors sitting in her parlor. She knew it was silly to consider her unassuming son-in-law as such but having heard the stories about him, from more than one source she couldn't help it. And add to that the Commandant of the Northern Guard and it was unlike any grouping her home had ever seen, or any other in Iron Stem, she wagered.
"Are you sure I can't get you anything, Colonel Feran?" she asked again.
"Please, no, Madame Cleryndra. I'd not impose on you any further than your son-in-law has already talked me into. Besides, from what aromas I can smell coming from the kitchen, I'd rather save my appetite for dinner. A trooper's life holds so few opportunities for such."
Alucius snorted, knowing how often Feran ate at Elyset's these days. All three women looked at him with varying degrees of non verbal reprimands but he met them with stoic looks of innocence. Then it was Feran's turn to snort. Kyrial tried to steer the conversation back to a more business like discussion.
"So, Colonel Feran, is it your concern that the fighting in the north of Madrien will continue and that's why you're moving the headquarters post to Iron Stem?"
"Well, sir, that was a concern up until a short time ago. We have hopes that hostilities have come to an end. If that's the case, we will likely see a rise in activity by the Reillies and being here in Iron Stem will help with that. We also felt, Colonel Alucius and I, that based on recent events, the people of the Iron Valleys would be better served by a Guard that wasn't so heavily influenced by the Dekhron traders."
"You mean the Guard, and the Valleys, were being sucked dry by those sandsnakes," Lucenda said with some asperity.
"Yes, ma'am, although these days I have to be a bit more diplomatic in how I phrase that," Feran said with a smile.
Kyrial looked from Alucius to Feran and then back again. He merely nodded as if satisfied by what he saw.
"Well, I will say this, Colonel. The people of Iron Stem look forward to this new arrangement and I think the Guard and the Lord Protector will be satisfied with what you find here."
"I'm confident that we will, sir."
CHAPTER 23, North of Iron Stem, Iron Valleys
A single rider rode beside two women in a wagon through the waning summer daylight. One had an infant riding in a carry pack across her torso. The older of the two women held the reins and set the pace at a quick walk. She looked up at her son and said,
"Colonel Feran was quite the charmer today, son."
"Yes, he can be when he wants to. It's one reason he's better suited to be the Commandant than me."
"Oh, I don't know, dearest. I've always found you to be quite a charming fellow," Wendra said, then she suddenly stiffened. "Alucius."
"I know. Sanders, a number of them," he replied as he pulled the big herder rifle out and cocked it.
He heard another rifle being cycled and he knew Wendra was scanning the terrain on the other side of the road.
The ground began to boil on both sides of the highway and dozens of blocky, vaguely human forms rose up, their silver green eyes fixed on the three humans. While Alucius could feel their hunger, they made no move towards them other than several who moved to stand on the highway to block their path. With the wagon stopped, Lucenda reached under the bench seat and pulled out another rifle. She drew a bead on those directly in front of them.
This certainly answered his question about whether there were any sanders left. Now the question was what did they want. If they intended to kill them they would have come at them in a rush. In a flash of insight he realized what had happened. Two of the three adults and the one infant all had pure green life threads, the same as a soarer. The sanders were looking for someone to tell them what to do. He concentrated on projecting absolute authority and command.
"There is nothing for you here. You must look to the north, to the Sloughs for something to feed upon. Go."
He tried to make the last word like a physical blow. A shudder ran through the assembled sanders and many of them dissolved back into the dry ground. A full half dozen remained. Alucius repeated his last phrase and put everything he had behind it. Those on the road turned and lumbered back onto the flat ground and dissolved. The last sander turned its back and took a dozen trudging steps before it sank back into the ground.
"That was truly frightening," Lucenda said.
"And equally sad," Wendra added. "Something tells me they were all that was left. And they were starving."
"I could sense the hunger too. But without the soarers to control them I couldn't risk having them going after the townspeople or townsheep. Let them plague the Reillies while they can," he replied quietly.
They rode the rest of the way home in silence. Even little Alendra was silent although her eyes never closed. It was dark by the time they reached the barn where Royalt stood waiting for them. He looked at them and said,
"Something unusual happened, didn't it?"
"It certainly did, Father, but let's get inside before we discuss it. This night feels very unwelcoming," Lucenda said.
The old herder nodded and then lent a hand getting the horses settled. Once they were finished the four walked into the house. Wendra immediately took Alendra to her crib and rocked her until she went to sleep. The others sat and waited until she rejoined them.
"So, what happened?" Royalt asked.
Lucenda and Wendra looked to Alucius but he seemed disinclined to speak. Wendra began to explain. When she described the sight of dozens of sanders rising up out of the ground, the usually stoic herder's eyebrows popped up. As she explained how Alucius told them to leave and most did on the first attempt, he turned to regard his grandson. When she was done he sat back in his chair and looked very thoughtful. The he asked,
"Wendra, why do you think they were the last?"
"I can't say for certain. It was just this feeling I got. They seemed so desolate, so isolated, like they were lost. It makes a certain sense I guess, from what we've seen and experienced, and from what the soarer told us. With the soarers gone, the sanders had no guidance. I wonder why she didn't warn us about that?" she concluded.
"Perhaps she wasn't sure that the sanders would survive, or that we would," Alucius replied quietly.
"What's bothering you, son?" Royalt asked.
"It felt like I was being asked for help and I sent them off to what is likely their end. I'm sure the Reillies know a thing or two about them. I don't think they will last long."
"I doubt they could anyway, not without the soarers," Royalt replied. "And you were trying to protect your own. Can't fault you there."
Alucius thought for a bit and then said,
"I'll be taking the flock out by myself tomorrow. I'll take them closer to the plateau, we haven't done much grazing there. Plus I can do some checking, see if I can sense anything. Tomorrow night I'll go scout out the Praetor's palace."
Then he looked at his grandfather more directly and asked,
"How did your talks go with Kustyl and the others?"
"Nothing for certain yet, but some promising possibilities," he said and then he laughed. "I had to do some quick talking to explain how I got the message from the Lord Protector. I told them that during your last official visit before you came home you had a long talk with the man and mentioned generally about herders and the difficulties faced by certain families. So I sort of made it seem that he was expressing a general concern and should there be steads in danger of folding, we should try and do something about it and he would support it."
Alucius shook his head. It should have occurred to him that some story would have had to be created, much like the wine. He thought he wasn't so devious after all.
"Do you think those steads will be saved?" Lucenda asked.
"Old Zestert's for sure. He already said he'd be glad to hand it over to some promising youngster, as he put it. The other two are more complicated, what with families still living there, but there are some ideas being considered. I think this puts the Lord Protector in a pretty good position with the herders, too. It's solid evidence he's on our side. That's something new," Royalt said.
"Well, it's good I'll be able to bring him some good news then," Alucius said before standing up and saying, "It's been a long day, and an early one coming up tomorrow. I'm going to bed."
"I'll be there in a few moments, sweetheart," Wendra said with a soft smile.
After he had left the living room Royalt said,
"That was tough on him. I could feel the anxiety when you were riding up to the barn."
"You'd think after all he's been through it wouldn't take him this way," his mother said.
"Personally, I'm glad it does, it shows he's still human," Wendra offered, "plus this is different. It's not like they were attacking. I'm sure they were looking for help."
They all went to bed a short time later in somber moods. As he said, Alucius was up early and had the flock moving almost as the sun was first rising. As he moved the flock to the east he could see that the shoots were in fairly good shape, both for the lack of grazing and the slightly improved precipitation. There should be plenty of happy night sheep in the stock barn tonight. He had two rifles with him plus an extra cartridge belt. Despite their acquiescence of the night before, he wasn't going to assume that the sanders did indeed flee north.
As the plateau began to take up more and more of the horizon the closer they got, he began to pick up the feelings associated with sandwolves. He smiled grimly to himself. He was sure the crystal fanged predators would be back. The lead rams showed some agitation and he projected some reassurance colored with caution to them. The leader, one of Lamb's offspring looked back at him and then shook his big head and took up station in front of the flock, the other males forming an arc to either side. Alucius looked to the rear as it was a common tactic to feint an assault to the front and then make an attack from the rear at the ewes and lambs.
In fact, that was exactly what happened. As two sandwolves made a show of stalking the flock from the front, another brute easily three yards long flashed out from behind a large third year bush and made for a older ewe at the back of the flock. Alucius took aim, leading the sandwolf and then firing, willing the bullet home. The heavy slug smashed into the creatures skull just above the eye. It went down in a lifeless heap. Sensing no other predators to the rear he turned his attention back to the front and the standoff. One sandwolf feinted a charge and got a little too close as the lead ram charged out quickly and before the predator could turn, it caught a slashing blow from the ram's razor sharp horn. It staggered away for perhaps twenty yards and then collapsed.
Alucius could see the last sandwolf retreating in a wide arc that would allow it to return to feed on its kin after he moved the flock far enough away. It was odd, but he felt better after the attack. It was a touch of normality after so many strange occurrences. It was also good to know that he and the rams were still able to look after the flock.
He took the flock nearly ten vingts toward the plateau and then he turned them north for another vingt and then back west before heading south and home by mid afternoon. The shoots had been relatively plentiful and there was more to be had. The next shearing should be a good one.
He had been spotted coming down the last slope of Westridge and Royalt met him with the stock barn door already open. As he swung the big doors shut behind the last ewe to enter and bolted them he looked at Alucius and said,
"They seemed rather pleased."
"I suppose so. It was pretty good feeding. A fair amount of shoots and only one sandwolf attack. Three big ones, two front, one from behind. I got that one, the lead ram got one of the others who got a little too close," Alucius replied.
Royalt nodded.
"At least some things are getting back to normal," he said.
"That was my thinking, too."
They got his horse settled in and then began walking to the house. Something smelled wonderful and his stomach let him know it was ready for whatever his mother and wife had prepared. After eating and spending some time with his daughter perched on his lap he got up and went outside to his favorite starting point. Wendra carried Alendra out with her as she followed.
"You'll be careful?" she said.
"Of course. Just a scouting mission. I have no intention of even emerging. I just want to locate his sleeping quarters and whatever guards they have positioned," he replied.
With a hug for his wife and kiss for both she and Alendra he stepped back and dropped into the earth. As Wendra watched him go she heard Alendra gurgle as she looked over the edge of the blanket she was wrapped in, one hand reaching toward where her father had been. Wendra smiled down at her and said in a soft voice,
"Patience, little one. Your time will come."
Chapter 24, Alustre, Alustrea
Below ground and now well to the east, Alucius moved easily along the ways beneath the surface. He avoided either of the passes, not wanting to be distracted. He would have to renege on his promise to Wendra just this once. As he neared the city he found a quiet spot and rose up out of the ground so he could get his bearings and look for the Palace. It wasn't hard to find, being the largest building in the city, closely resembling the palace of the Landarch of Deforya. It was obviously from the time before the Cataclysm, a construct of the Efrans. It was also a little to the left of his original line of travel so he dropped back down and adjusted his bearings and made straight for the palace.
Once he was beneath it he rose to just below the floor of the lowest level and began looking and feeling for what he could find. It was close to midnight here and most of the functionaries were gone or asleep. He examined the cellars finding store rooms and some holding cells. One was occupied. Whoever the wretched fellow was he didn't feel to be in the best of shape. But that wasn't his problem at the moment. After looking about the entire lower level, and finding something else he had suspected would be there, he began casting his senses further upward and in short order he found the spacious set of rooms that could only be those of the Praetor. It had but a single occupant but with two guards outside the door, two more down the hall who could see them, and likewise another pair further along in sight of the second.
There would be little trouble if he and Wendra needed to put them all to sleep. What did surprise him was that the lifethread of the Praetor was heavily tinged in green. The man was Talented. However, the green was chaotic and showed no sign that it had ever been used. Apparently whatever Efrans that had built the weapons had either not sensed it or chose not to inform him of it. So much the better, as far as Alucius was concerned. All the walls of the palace were of the same golden stone construction and he and his wife would have no trouble using it as a passage way and stepping right out into the room. They would come tomorrow night, a bit later to make sure the man was asleep.
As he prepared to return home, he became curious about the prisoner. A common criminal would not be held in the palace, so perhaps it was someone associated with recent events. He drifted until he was below the small section of open space in the cell and drifted upwards. The man that lay sleeping on the pallet looked vaguely familiar although his features were distorted by dirt and obvious exhaustion. He probed the man and found that his life thread went far to the west, toward the southern reaches of Lanachrona it would seem. He projected an urgency to awake, but heavily overlaid with the suggestion that the man was dreaming. The eyelids fluttered and the eyes grew wide at what he could barely see in the dim light that seeped around the door.
"Who are you?" the man asked.
"I'm just a dream. But who might you be?" Alucius asked softly.
"I am Waleryn, one time heir to the throne of Lanachrona."
Alucius was surprised but then again not. He suspected the Lord Protector's brother had been in league with the Efrans, either willingly or through possession. That the Praetor would hold him prisoner was surprising, however.
"Why are you in this cell?"
"The Praetor claims I came here and built mighty weapons for him at great cost. I have no idea what he is talking about. One moment I was in Tempre and the next, I was laying on the floor in a chamber in Nordla. Now the Praetor is very upset because many of the weapons I supposedly created have been destroyed and he demands I make new ones. I fear his patience is nearing its end and so is my life."
"I'm afraid you've allowed yourself to be the victim of a cruel hoax. The former Recorder of Deeds duped you. You were being controlled by the will of another and he was the one that had the knowledge to make these weapons. They are all dead now. There is no one left to make them. There may be something that can be done to secure your freedom. But what then? What would you do? Things have changed much," Alucius said.
"I suppose they have. I will have to give that some thought. I had not thought to leave this place alive."
"Sleep well, Waleryn, we may speak again," Alucius said as he gave just the gentlest touch to the former lords life thread.
Waleryn slumped to the pallet and Alucius checked to make sure he was still breathing. Once satisfied he dropped through the floor and headed west. When he rose from the ground outside his home he looked toward the plateau and wondered what the soarers had had in mind or if they had just been hoping against hope.
Chapter 25
When he walked into the house he found everyone sitting in the living room waiting for him. Wendra stood and gave him a hug.
"So, what did you find?"
"I found his room and the guards. I'll lay that out for you in a moment, but we have something interesting going on as well. Guess who I found in a cell in the lowest level of the palace?" he asked.
"It couldn't be an Efran, so I have no idea," she replied.
"Waleryn, younger brother of Talryn."
"How did that sandsnake wind up in Alustre?" Royalt asked.
"It looks like he was possessed by an Efran and went to Alustrea to build weapons for the Praetor. I guess they were trying to stir up trouble across the entire continent. But when we broke the connection, the possession ended and he knows nothing about the weapons or how to build them. The Praetor is quite upset about that, it seems. And he knows of the destroyed weapons."
"So what will you do?" Wendra asked.
"I'll raise the issue with the Praetor when I speak with him. My knowing might unsettled him even more. I suppose I should let the Lord Protector know and see what he wants to do."
Wendra nodded and then said,
"So, show me what the lay out looks like."
Royalt and Lucenda watched as the two sat looking at each other for a few moments.
"Looks straight forward. I'll take the door and make sure no one comes through unannounced," she said. "Should we bring rifles?"
"I think you should, just for show. If the guards show signs of movement, striking their life threads will work better. But a man like the Praetor would understand the rifle more readily I think. At least at first."
Alucius took the flock out the next day, taking them back to a different section east towards the plateau but it was uneventful. After dinner he took a short nap, Wendra having assured him she had slept while Alendra had her afternoon nap. Royalt woke him at two hours before midnight and he dressed in his old black militia uniform. The blue triangle had been removed at some point. When he came into the living room, Wendra was dressed in dark colors and had a herder rifle in hand and an ammunition belt strapped across her chest. Alucius had to smile.
"Well, you're going to scare the Praetor before I have a chance to talk sense into him."
"If a scare him enough you won't have to talk as much," she retorted, scowling at him before breaking into a big smile.
He shook his head and then said to his mother and grandfather,
"You don't need to wait up, I'm sure we'll be fine."
"So you say. You are wearing your nightsilk, aren't you?" Lucenda asked.
"Yes, mother. All but the extra vest," he said.
"And you?" she said looking at her daughter in law.
"I have the shirt that you made for me."
Alucius raised his eyebrows.
"After your otherwordly adventure, I thought it was necessary."
Alucius and Wendra walked out into the night air and took position on the rocky outcrop. Alucius looked at his wife and said,
"Are you ready?"
"Yes, I am. Let's get this over with."
Chapter 26
With a nod they both disappeared into the ground and began their journey east. Alucius marveled at how much more enjoyable it was this way. If nothing else had, this alone would tell him that the ways of the soarers were so much more in harmony with Acorus then were the ways of the Efrans, or Ifrits. He had a clear sense of Wendra moving along with him and what was moving past above them. There was no planned stops along the way. They reached the palace without incident and rose upward. Alucius sensed the single resident of the Praetor's apartment was indeed alone and the six guards were in place in the corridors.
Stepping out from the wall he was but a fraction ahead of Wendra who, as planned, immediately took up station behind the door that lead to the corridor and the first pair of guards. She held her rifle ready but with the muzzle pointed down. Alucius approached the spacious bed that sat upon a raised dais of sorts. Fortunately the young ruler of Alustrea slept closer to one side of the bed so he approached from that side and as he gingerly sat on the edge of the bed, he clamped one hand down across the Praetor's mouth. As the young man's eyes sprang open Alucius said in a quiet voice,
"Don't call out and we'll all get through this night alive. I'm just here to talk to you. Do you understand?" he said, projecting absolute authority, confidence and conviction. "And I'm not alone."
He gestured with his head toward the door and Wendra, just visible in the dim moonlight that came through tall windows on the opposite side of the room. The Praetor nodded and his eyes widen a bit when Wendra smiled at him, but not her usual warm one, and raised the rifle in his direction for just a moment.
"My name is Alucius, from the Iron Valleys," he said as he removed his hand slowly. "I don't know if you've ever heard of me."
From the look on the Praetor's face he had some idea who he was.
"Why are you here and how did you get into my private apartment?" Tyren asked.
"How I got here isn't important for the moment. Why I'm here is. It would appear that you have ambitions, my lord Praetor. I imagine at some point someone convinced you that it was your destiny to establish a new Duarchy and unite all of Corus, just like in the days before the Cataclysm. Yes, I can tell that's what you have in mind. Well, I'm here to tell you to forget about it."
"Who are you to say such to me? You are some sheep herder from the wastes, if my information is correct."
"Close, I'm a nightsheep herder and the quarasote flats are a bit barren, I'll grant you, but far from wastes. And you may want to consider this, Praetor. That hand on your mouth could just as easily have been a knife across your throat. And I can return anytime or find you anywhere. You were lied to, as so many others were. I could spin you a story about who and why, but I doubt you'd really believe me. So let me ask you this. How's your memory?"
Alucius could immediately tell from the man's reaction that there was something about his memory.
"A gap, perhaps? A fairly large one?"
The Praetor's eyes narrowed. The he seemed to make decision.
"Yes, a gap of some weeks."
"Anyone else around you with a similar problem?" he asked, knowing full well the answer.
"Yes, in fact. Waleryn, younger brother of the Lord Protector. He came to me shortly after the engineer that served my father mysteriously died. He offered to take his place and continue the work of recreating the marvels of the Duarchy. And he was successful. At some point I lost track of events and I don't recall anything until a few months ago. Waleryn claims he has no memory of such devices or the ways to create them. He's locked away below the palace."
"He's not lying to you, Praetor. At some point in time you both became possessed by creatures who were the true engineers of all that has been happening these past years. It was they who wanted to reestablish the Duarchy, perhaps with either you or the Matrial of Madrien as their puppet, for a time, depending on who prevailed. That won't happen. They have been destroyed. That was how you and Waleryn regained your self and your memories," Alucius explained.
"You expect me to believe this nonsense?"
"Think a bit, Praetor. Out of nowhere comes the abilities to recreate the devices of the Duarchy hundreds or thousands of years after the Cataclysm. And their creatures. Where do you think the pteridons and those lances with the blue flame came from all of a sudden?"
Tyren seemed a bit less sure of his disbelief.
"But in the end it doesn't matter, Praetor. Whether you believe me or not, they are gone and only we of Corus remain to face the future. And a new Duarchy is not in that future. What you eventually do in Deforya is of no concern to me. The landowners deserve their fate. And you can chase the nomads of the high steppes all over their grasslands for all I care. But the moment you show the slightest inclination to move beyond the western edge of the spine, I'll come for you. This won't be about army against army with you safe in your palace. It will be personal and you will pay the price. I'd imagine your plans will be much more difficult to carry out, now that you've lost so much of what Waleryn provided to you. Oh, yes, I know about that. You may want to consider abandoning those plans and seeing what you can do to make your land a more prosperous one for your subjects, but that's up to you."
"You expect me to believe that you would come for me if I move ahead as my father intended?" Tyren asked, trying to put up a brave face.
"It would be the smartest thing you've ever done. Find out what happened to the Matrial, the Regent and Marshall Aluyn of Madrien before you decide what I will or won't do to a land's leaders in order to spare the lives of troopers and ordinary folk," Alucius said as he stood up, looming over the man lying abed, projecting that absolute authority and certainty.
"If you wish to learn more about what I've told you, I suggest you send some trusted and intelligent men to Lysia and have them look for hidden spaces, below the old golden stone buildings. The old ones tended to use lamp brackets to operate the hidden latches. You should also pay attention to Dulka. There's a hidden sect of Duarchists there that could prove troublesome in the future. You'll find some interesting things there as well, if you look carefully."
As he began walking towards Wendra he turned and said,
"What plans now for Waleryn?"
"If what you say is true, then he is no use to me at all. I may as well turn him loose," Tyren replied.
"If I may make a suggestion, once he has had a chance to regain his health, why not send him back to his brother as your emissary with a suggestion of cooperation in securing the north and south trade routes. Times have been very hard lately with all the disruption. You are both fairly young and with a few years of dedicated effort you could both become very popular rulers, one east, one west. It's just a thought, however. Take care of yourself, Praetor. Hopefully, we won't meet again."
And with that, he gave the Praetor's life thread a gentle tap and put the man back to sleep. Wendra said nothing but her eyes glowed with admiration and she reached up and kissed his cheek. Then she whispered,
"Home?"
"Yes, for a good while to come, I hope."