Chapter 60 North of Iron Stem
Wendra and Lucenda sat at the clean but worn kitchen table with a cup of tea in front of each.
"So how shall we approach this, mother? I'm sure my mother will want to know how this all got started. I got the distinct impression she felt there was more than just what we told her."
The older woman looked across at her daughter in law and said,
"As far as the Protector's Lady is concerned you and I will take care of that outfit ourselves, and keep any discussion of it to ourselves. As far as the rest of it, we'll have to take lessons from Alucius and be bit more discreet."
"You mean lie."
Lucenda shrugged a bit and said,
"More or less. It is well know that dispatch riders routinely travel between the new fort at Iron Stem and Guard headquarters in Tempre. It is also known that Alucius is well traveled and has been in Lanachrona proper for an extended period of time and has visited the Lord Protector at least twice. Lanachrona traders have been coming here for generations. So, we simply say that with the union of the two countries, traders now see the opportunity to expand their store of trade goods and wish to include gather style outfits as part of that. And since your mother is well known as a seamstress, who better to come to. Easy."
Wendra looked at her mother in law with deepening respect.
"I'm beginning to think Alucius learned lessons from you and not the other way around."
"Why, Wendra, what an unseemly thing to suggest about your husband's mother. I am the very soul of honesty and trustworthiness," Lucendra replied with indignation and held the younger woman's gaze until they both started to laugh. "Enough of that. Let's see what you have there by way of measurements for the Protector's Lady."
Wendra handed a sheet of paper across the table. It had hand drawn sketches of the garments to be made, and the required measurements at each appropriate point. Lucenda read it over carefully and clucked her tongue a couple of times.
"Not too tall, but a nice figure, but that won't last long. I wonder," she said, tapping her chin with a fingertip. "They certainly sent enough material. What if we were to design the trousers so that there was an adjustable panel in the back, to allow for the expanding waistline? Once the baby is born and she has her figure back either you or a local seamstress can remove the panel and put in a more permanent seam. Yes, that should work. And we can make two or three different blouses to allow for that as well. But I'd still think there would be extra material."
"Yards. It was rather embarrassing. I'm just glad I bought a big enough carry bag to get it home."
Lucenda looked across at Wendra and said,
"How's your quilting skills?"
"Fair. Mother taught me and I made some things. The one mother sent along for Alendra to use after she moved out of the crib was one I did."
"You call that fair? That was very nice work. Alright, let's take some of the extra material and the cuttings from the outfit and you can make a small blanket for the new baby. We'll give them an idea of what else we can do here in the north," Lucenda said firmly.
Wendra regarded her mother in law with a raised eyebrow.
"Times have been difficult here in the Valleys for a long time, my girl. If there's to be prosperity in this new arrangement then I say we do what we can to earn our fair share of it."
When Royalt came in from doing repairs and maintenance on the spinning equipment, he found the two women hard at it. He had to pour his own cup of tea, but not before he was sent up into the attic to fetch down Lucenda's fitting dummy. He beat a hasty retreat back out to the stock shed to avoid being conscripted for any other chores.
It was near to sundown when Alucius and Burtyl returned with the flock. Alucius reported to his grandfather that they encountered two lone sand wolves, one of which he was forced to shoot. The quarasote looked healthy and it felt like moisture was building out towards the plateau and there might be light rain by nightfall. When the three men entered the house they could smell a good stew cooking on the stove and Wendra and Lucenda industriously sewing away. Burtyl absorbed the initial rush of Alendra and they rough housed a bit while Alucius spoke to his mother and wife.
"Good evening, ladies," he said.
"Hello, son. Get yourselves cleaned up and we'll sit down to dinner," his mother said.
When Alucius and Burtyl came to the table and sat down the rest were already there. After invoking the blessings of the one who is, Alucius looked at his wife and said,
"You two seem to have made a lot of progress today."
"That we have, sweetheart. In fact, I should probably be able to do a fitting for Alerya day after tomorrow. Would you like to come along?"
"Acutally, I think I should. I think I need to take another trip to Dramuria in a couple of weeks and I want to get Talryn's approval. He may also want me to look for some specifics," Alucius replied and then after spooning up some of the stew he looked to his mother and asked,
"So, mother, if you don't mind a simple herder asking a question, exactly how do you think you'll get this outfit business organized?"
"A very good question. It's true that Wendra's mother already has a business of sorts set up, but this looks to be much more complicated. There will have to be the importing of the finer fabrics. We'll only have the town sheep wools available although some of the richer ladies might want some of the lesser silks but I'd think that would have to be some sort of special order. We'll need to come to some understanding of sizes. I haven't the slightest idea what the average Lanachronan woman looks like."
"Come to think of it, neither do I. I suppose we can ask some of the traders who come through."
"And that's something else. We need to locate a trustworthy Lanachronan to act as a factor, I suppose. Perhaps Lady Alerya might be able to recommend someone," Lucenda suggested.
Royalt had been listening to this and during a lull he turned to Burtyl and said,
"Son, when you finally take possession of that stead, the first thing you better do is find yourself a good woman. You'll need that kind of help from the very beginning and for the rest of your life."
The other's laughed when they saw Burtyl blushing.
Chapter 61 Lord Protector's Palace, Tempre
"So what are your intentions, Colonel, in returning to Dramuria?" Talryn asked.
"I'd like to do some investigating of the Seltyr's estates. East and West. I might even look to see if I can borrow a few books of history if they have them. I'm not exactly sure what it is I'm looking for, but if I can learn more about them, there might be something there for us to use to try and bring them to heel, with or without their cooperation. I'd also like to get a feel for their ability to replace lost equipment and weapons. If they lack extensive facilities for powder, weapons, steel and so forth, a little judicious sabotage might make them less belligerent."
"Well, if the Matrites are any example you might have something there. Just do us all a favor and don't get yourself shot. At least not somewhere that the night silk doesn't protect."
"Yes, sir, I'll do my best. And you, sir, is there anything you want me to look for?"
"Yes, in fact, I do. This whole business with those wretched Seltyrs reminded me of a history I was compelled to read as a youngster. In it was a reference to a time when, according to some legend or other, that Dramuria was a source of fertilizer. Supposedly, they had a cave system that contained huge amounts of bat droppings. If it is true and we can start that up again it might provide another trade path to stabilize relations and help with our own issues of expanding arable land."
"I'll see what I can do, sir. Was there any details as to where on the island?"
"No, I'm afraid not, Colonel. It was only slightly more informative than that reference I mentioned about my ultimate predecessor," Talryn replied.
"I'll do my best, sir."
"That's usually more than sufficient, Colonel. So, what say we got see what the ladies are up to? They must be done by now."
"Yes, sir."
The Lord Protector and Alucius walked into the sitting room of the apartment and found Wendra and Alerya going over some scrolls while Talus played at their feet. When he saw his father walk in the boy rolled to his feet and hurried over with arms raised. Talryn lifted the boy up and settled him in the crook of his arm.
"So, my boy, have you been keeping a watchful eye on the ladies this evening?"
The boy chuckled as his father tickled him gently. Then he looked up and smiled shyly at the herder Colonel that looked down at him with a small smile.
"He's been fixated on his toys, my dear, as do all boys no matter what their age," Alerya observed.
"How did the fitting go, my dear?" Talryn asked.
"Quite well, dearest. Only a few minor adjustments which is quite amazing, considering. And it looks stunning. The way Lucenda embellishes is quite sophisticated. I'm sure it will make for quite a sensation when it's unveiled."
"Is there any progress in regard to my hopes for using the outfits for trading purposes?" Talryn asked.
"Yes, there has," Wendra answered. "We've brought up the idea with my mother and several other women she knows, all of whom are very fine seamstresses. We haven't been too specific on details, since no one knows about Alucius and me and what we can do. You know, sweetheart," she directed at her husband, "your mother came up with a very clever cover story about how this all got started."
"Mother is a very intelligent woman and knows a lot about business thanks to growing up on a stead. Nothing she does would surprise me," he replied with a straight face.
"But there are a few issues we have to come to grips with. One is a trustworthy trader we can work with as a factor and another is the way we size things. These outfits are usually custom fitted."
"Hmm," Alerya murmured, "who might we recommend, dear?"
Talryn gave a bit of a shrug and said,
"I don't really know. All the merchants I tend to come in contact with are unqualified scoundrels. That's how they got rich enough to be able to move in the highest circles. Let me make a few inquiries and see what I can come up with. What of your grandfather, Wendra. Would Kustyl know of an honest merchant among what remains of those in Dehkron?"
"It's possible, sir. I'm sure he knows of every trader that operates out of the city, the question will be is there anyone to trust. I'll ask him."
"What else might the Valleys have to offer the world beyond nightsilk and gather outfits?" Talryn asked.
"Well, sir," Alucius began, "I know that some of the town sheep wool is traded. And the stonecutters that provided material for the new headquarters are already sending out quantities of stone and slate from those two reopened quarries. Perhaps we can look into timber. With some effort they should be able to expand the woodlots but that would be something for the future."
"Which is good, we must look to the short as well as long term efforts" Talryn said. "And hopefully the nuts that you brought back will provide an agricultural product suitable to the drier regions. Perhaps as you scout Dramuria more thoroughly, the drier eastern slopes will provide some additional options. On another topic, I would like to make a proposal. This whole business of 'sir' and 'lord protector' is getting on my nerves. In these settings at least, we are simply Alerya and Talryn, Wendra and Alucius. Agreed?"
He got agreement from all three. A Lanachronan would have been shocked at this familiarity but the people of the Valleys took a much more relaxed view of rulers. In fact, often times the names used for the old council were anything but respectful.
Chapter 62 Seltyr's Plantation, Eastern Slopes, Dramuria
With the sun dropping behind the peaks, the trees of the nut grove cast murky shadows in what was left of the daylight. A tall figure, dressed in black from head to toe cautiously made his way to the very edge of the grove. His face was concealed behind a mask of black and a rifle was held in one hand. It was his third day of scouting on the island and this was the second plantation he had visited. Beyond the nuts that seemed to be the cash crop, each stead or plantation had acreage given over to subsistence crops of vegetables and tubers. They also contained a number of buildings that included a very nice house for the Seltyr, the usual outbuildings for a farm or stead, and a barracks to house troops. Both of the plantations he had visited looked like they housed about fifty men. There was also a stable.
Alucius considered this. Fifty men were more than was needed to secure what, when looked at rationally, was not a very large estate. And it was far too few to provide any sort of dominance in the area. So, were they a number required by some agreement if there were a need to call up levies of some kind? Or was it what was required to keep up appearances. From his previous trip he had the feeling that the plantations on the western side held more men under arms. He crept up to the house and from the side was able to determine that two troopers were on guard at the front but nowhere else. Moving toward the rear of the house he passed by an open window and he paused to listen. During his recovery in Southgate he had read some books that helped him get a grasp of the language and talking to the older women that tended the wounded helped.
The conversation that was going on in the room on the other side of the wall was both heated and held in low tones. He could hear it well enough but it took some time to get the language sorted. What he was able to make out was very interesting though.
"The situation is completely intolerable. The Westerners try to bully us into action, yet they take none of the risks. Did they have to absorb losses when those three raiders burned at the docks and destroyed the warehouse? No, we did, but they insist we rebuild, at our expense, and step up the pressure on the mainlanders."
"What pressure?" someone else questioned. "We haven't taken a prize in months, our landing party below Southgate was annihilated and did you see the shape that last ship was in when it made port? They've got cannon protecting the harbor now. How the blazes did they manage that? Even the iron bitches aren't so easy anymore. With the war over, they are concentrating more on the coast."
A third, smoother, perhaps even oily, voice spoke.
"Indeed, the situation has changed. With those fools from Southgate no longer able to keep the way open for us, the new political situation in the west of the continent means our raiders will no longer be very effective, or profitable. I understand that this Lord Protector is recruiting true sailors from along the coast to man the vessels they seized at Southgate. If they manage to man them with men who know how to fight pirates, and even put some of those damnable cannon aboard, we might find them outside our harbor to raid us."
"Not raid, conquer. Not right away, but eventually. So what now?" asked the first.
That oily voice got even slicker.
"We take advantage of a new situation. We make overtures, quietly. We look at establishing some trade. We make ourselves useful. We make ourselves richer than we are now. And when the time is right, we make use of the mainlanders to knock the Westerners off their pedestals."
"That sounds a lot like treason," suggested the second.
"Treason? Against whom? There is no Lord of Dramuria nor even a council of Seltyrs. Power is held by those with the most coins and the troopers they can buy. Who says it must be those in the West?"
"It is something to be considered," conceded the first. "But I wish to see concrete plans and contacts on the coast before I will commit."
"You will have them, my friend. And perhaps sooner than you think."
Alucius wondered who the smooth talking Seltyr already had in his pocket and what goods he had in mind. And then he heard something that riveted his attention.
"Remember, we are merely revisiting a time long lost. The histories tell us that before the Cataclysm great ships moved goods between the mainland and Dramuria. And those ships ported here in the East. Why should we not have that again? I say we will."
Histories? Before the Cataclysm? The words echoed through Alucius' brain. He had to find them. Even one volume would be worth ten times its weight in gold. He had to think of where he might be able to find them. It definitely sounded like something those in power would hold to themselves, so it would most likely be with the Seltyrs. He could wait until the house was quiet and check this one but he had the feeling the one with the oily voice would be the best bet.
Projecting the impression that he wasn't there he raised his head up to look through the window. He saw three men sitting around a finely made table of some dark, heavy wood. That sat in three high backed chairs. Their attire appeared richly made but with out much adornment. It was easy to pick out the one he wanted. Of the three only one radiated the supreme confidence that matched the voice he heard. This one was of medium height, a bit heavy in the body and completely lacking hair. It wouldn't be difficult to keep his eye on him. With that in mind he moved slowly away from the window towards the front of the house. Further examination of the front of the house revealed the front portico with its two guards, but off to one side were two ornate carriages that looked similar to those Alucius had seen the morning after he had destroyed the three raiders and the warehouse.
He slipped back into some bushes near the edge of the gravel circular drive and dropped his suggestion of invisibility. He had to wait perhaps another hour before the two visiting Seltyrs emerged and entered their carriages. Alucius marked his target and slowly dropped into the earth. Once the carriages were on their way he drifted along beneath. Compared to his usual treks using the paths of the ancients this trip would have been agonizingly slow, but the potential treasure that existed at the end of this trip made it more than worthwhile.
When the plantation's drive met a road, one carriage went left, the other right. Alucius' quarry went left, or north. Looking about as he drifted along below, he got the impression that there was nothing but fields on either side of the road. His initial survey during the pervious visit revealed only the one major city of Dramuria with its harbor and a few smaller villages which he associated either with timbering or mining efforts, which considering the size of the island, were few. He wondered where the Seltyrs found the men to fill out their companies.
He estimated they had travelled perhaps a dozen vingts when the carriage pulled off the road onto another drive. Alucius followed along below until the carriage came to a halt in front of another building. He continued his drift until he was under the house and he could take a look from below. The house had full basement that appeared to be given over to store rooms. Above was a structure of two stories with a central courtyard. He surmised that the history, if it was contained in a book or scroll, would either be in a library, study or even a strong room. He cast about until he found several likely rooms. Now it was a matter of waiting until he felt the house settle down for the night.
He judged it somewhat after midnight when he felt most, if not all, the inhabitants had gone to sleep. He drifted up through the basement floor into what was a store room for dry goods. Sensing no one at this level he stepped through the door into a corridor with a stairway at the end. Walking silently he made his way up to the first main floor. He stopped to get his bearings and using his 'I'm not here' projection, he went in search of what seemed like a library. He found it after navigating half way around the central courtyard. Calling the room a library would have been generous. While it contained a number of shelves, they contained mostly objects, not books. What books there were indeed old but from what he could gather from the titles had nothing to do with ancient history.
His next target was what he thought might be a study for the Seltyr. This was located at the rear of the house and after a careful transit of the corridor he arrived outside the door, which was locked, that being a good sign that it might contain something valuable. He hadn't used his Talent to pick a lock in some time but this basic mechanism was a lot easier than the ones used by the Ifrits for their hidden doors. With a barely audible 'snick' the lock released and he carefully swung the door inward.
It was dark but his talent boosted vision had no trouble making out the contents of the room. A large desk, a well cushioned, ornate chair, a large wall map of Dramuria and part of the west coast of Corus. Across the back wall was a large bookcase that contained nothing but books. A number looked like account ledgers but as he drew closer he saw what had to be ancient, leather bound volumes. As he scanned the spines of the books looking for key words that would point to the coveted history, something prickled his senses and he turned to face the door.
Stepping into the room was an elderly man, who shuffled more than walked and was bent, not from the waist but from somewhere near his shoulder blades. He moved to stand before the desk and said in a faint raspy voice,
"Who are you then, trying so hard not to be seen?"
This surprised Alucius as he was projecting heavily at the man.
"You can see me?"
"You make it a chore, yes, you do, all dressed in black and you appear more shadow than man, but yes, I see you there. What manner of man be you, or are you one of the ancients returned?"
Alucius looked at the old man's life thread. It was barely there, and it was heavily infused with green, but it was chaotic, as if the talent had never been used consciously.
"You could say that."
"If you are, then, you're certainly the biggest I've ever heard of," the old man rasped.
"What have you heard of the ancients then?"
"Not just heard, seen. Several times, when I was just a youngster," the old man said dreamily. "I was second born and not to inherit, but my father was unlike other Seltyrs and he indulged a son so he could travel the length of the island, looking, searching, learning. The books behind you, the ones not of the accounts, are mine. At least I was the one to find them and bring them here. In those travels I saw many things, including the small green ancients and their rocky servants."
"The soarers and sanders."
"Yes, so I have heard them called, usually by those of the mainland. What seek you here, then?"
"Knowledge. I heard that books containing knowledge of before the Cataclysm exist. I thought to find one here."
"Why would the ancients not already know these things," the old man asked.
He may be old and vague but there was still a mind there, Alucius thought.
"That is true, but unfortunately we do not know what the Dramurians know. Much has changed in the world of late and we would know the state of knowledge in the world before we can know how to proceed," he extemporized.
"Yes," the old head bobbed slowly, "the mainlanders have lost so much of their history, they are barely aware of who they are. Many of Dramuria are likewise and all would be lost were it not for a few with the foresight and resources to keep the knowledge," the old man finished, his voice fading away.
"You seem tired, good sir."
"You are right, my ancient friend. Sleep comes with difficulty, but the volume you seek is there, the large one with the silver embellishment. It is more journal than history but the author knew much and discovered more and chronicled it. You are welcome to it. My grand nephew wouldn't notice it missing. And I know it by heart."
Alucius couldn't believe his luck. He carefully withdrew the massive tome from the shelf and laid it on the desk. He didn't dare try to open it, his hands were a bit to shaky. He looked at the old man and his vague expression. From what he could tell the man had little life left to him, but perhaps he could leave him with something.
"You have given me a great gift, good sir. Might I do something for you?"
"What could even an ancient give to me that I could make use of? Would that you could grant me a good night's sleep. That would be worth much."
Alucius slowly walked out from behind the desk. He towered over the frail old man but he was projecting trust and a deep sense of lassitude. He didn't even have to touch the faint life thread. The oldster merely sighed and began to fold up. Alucius scooped him up and set him down gently onto a cushioned settee below the wall map. He also took the time to transfer some life force to his benefactor. It wasn't enough to counter the ravages of age, that much would have killed him there and then, but it was enough that what time he had might be easier to bear. Having done what he could he went to the desk, carefully lifted the large volume and made his way back to the basement and the quick trip back to his base camp in the hills.
This new treasure changed his plans dramatically. He had found some things of interest for Alerya's botanical club to investigate and the political situation he overheard would be of immense interest to the Lord Protector, but the book would be his and Wendra's for the time being so he decided to get a good sleep and then head for home. It didn't look like any hostile action would be directed at the coast for a while so he had time.
Chapter 63 North of Iron Stem, Iron Valleys
Alucius stood at the table were he and his grandsire used to play leshec. The pieces had been cleared away and the large tome had been set there. The leather was brittle and the pages of parchment were delicate but the ink was still readable, the script laid down by as a fine a hand as he had ever seen. He wondered if the original journalist had done the writing or this was the work of a professional scribe. The wording was not unlike that of the books he read during his time in Southgate and some of it even seemed to bear a similarity to Madrien. What he read had him entranced.
"In the days before the great upheaval all the lands of the continent were under the thrall of the Overlords. Only the free city of Southgate managed to maintain any sense of autonomy and that grudgingly. Great Dramuria was, as it is to this day, ruled by the wise and mighty Seltyrs. Only occasionally did the winged messengers, the Mermidons, arrive to deliver what missives were required to maintain the links of trade between their empire of fear and the free land of Dramuria."
Alucius couldn't help but smile. He wondered how the ordinary people of Dramuria, living under the rule of the Seltyrs, thought how free they were. As to the empire of fear, he could understand that, considering his own experience with the Ifrits or Efrans and their attitude toward the steers of Corus. He read on.
"The so called dolphin ships of the Overlords would port on occasion to speed delivery of important products, such as the guano from the mines in the mountains to the east coast of Corus, but most trade was delivered by the wind driven ships of the Seltyrs of both Dramuria and Southgate."
This caused Alucius to pause. He remembered the rendering of a mighty ship without sails in the room below the Landarch's palace in Dereka. With a number of ships like that and the Mermidons it would be easy to keep the continent tied together under one ruler, or two, if the Duarchy was as described. A sudden realization caused him to nearly laugh out loud. The Efrans and their Corean confederates had been trying to establish a new Duarchy so as to welcome back the Efran overlords. And now they had it. Talryn ruled in the west and Tyren in the East. The only thing missing was the Efrans. The irony was almost too much.
"On occasion the oppressed of the continent would raise rebellion against their overlords, usually in small and seemingly insignificant ways. But these were invariably in vain, for the Overlords were invulnerable. Bullets would bounce off and even the heaviest of iron bolts from the strongest of crossbows would inflict only minimal damage."
Alucius found this of particular interest. He knew the clothes of the Ifrits had been infused with life force and as an armor it was proof against nearly any projectile or blade, but heavy bolts could cause injury, perhaps by blunt force. He was about to read more but something was trying to get his attention. He left the book and moved out to the front porch. It was an end day so the sheep were all in the stock barn, mother and Wendra were working on weaving some nightsilk and his grandsire had left for a meeting with Kustyl and the council at sun up. He looked toward the west and saw a large dust cloud. It took only a moment of concentration to realize what was going on. Reillies.
"Burtyl!" Alucius bellowed back into the house. "Raiders!"
Then he was running across the compound to the spinning shed. He stuck his head in and yelled,
"Mother, Wendra, Reillies, get back to the house."
He then ran to the stock barn and checked the door and made sure it was locked. It wouldn't stop a determined raiding party but it would slow them down enough for some rather nasty surprises to pop up, literally. As he sprinted for the house he saw the two women running from the spinning shed. They met at the stairs leading up to the porch. Lucenda asked,
"How many, son?"
"A lot," he replied looking at Wendra who nodded.
"Alright, everyone inside, close all the shutters and get the extra rifles and cartridges in place."
"Can we get word to the fort?"
"One of us could quite quickly, but that would cut our defenses by more than just the one gun. And by the time the troopers arrived it would be too late. With both of us here we can make it really difficult for them," Alucius replied as they hurried into the house.
Burtyl had already secured the upper windows and was hurtling down the stairs to the first floor. Firing positions were being prepared and Alucius said in a surprisingly calm voice,
"Alright, Burtyl, here's where all that target practice comes into play. Make your shots count. One to a target. One well placed shot will take a rider right out of his saddle. I'm going to put this to good use," he said of the Matrite rifle he had carried to Dramuria. "And keep an eye on Alendra. You young, lady, stay in that closet, understand?"
"'s daddy," the little girl said, and took her place inside the reinforced closet, wondering what all the fuss was about.
It took another tenth of a glass for the first riders to come pounding into the compound, firing at the house. Return fire erupted almost immediately from multiple firing ports in the heavy shutters over the windows. Half the squad sized force that road into the compound rode out again, the rest were on the ground. Several riders approached the stock barn and were quickly felled by shots from the longer range Matrite rifle. The raiders pulled back out of sight and there was a lull. Alucius concentrated but Wendra got there first.
"Alucius, some are circling around behind."
"I've got them," he said and headed for the back of the house.
A dozen or so riders appeared from around a shallow wash and the first three went down from shots before they could bring their rifles up. Another two went down before he had to duck a hail of return fire. Before he could react he felt something fly over his head and strike the first two riders and swat them neatly out of their saddles to land under the hooves of the horses following, causing them to stumble and dump their riders. Between the falls and Alucius' fire, a dozen horses were left empty and running off into the flats. Sensing a heavy build up at the front of the house he hurried back and couldn't spare the time to figure out what had happened.
A heavy concentration of fire was coming from various points of the compound, apparently the Reillies having dismounted and firing from cover. He and Wendra looked at each other and nodded. Making sure that there were several more loaded rifles by his mother and Burtyl so that they needn't reload right away, he and Wendra headed for the basement and the stone floor there. They dropped into the ground, each one moving to a separate flanking position. Rising up, they opened fire on Reillies who were now seriously out of position, dropping them and causing panic among the others who beat a hasty retreat.
As several ran behind the stock barn, Alucius felt whatever, power, energy, emanate from the house and the fleeing Reillies came rolling out from behind the barn to lie stunned on the ground. He and Wendra dropped back into the ground and came back up in the basement, exchanged puzzled looks and then hurried back to the main floor. It was at this point that a series of heavy reports sounded from along the long drive that led from the highway to the compound. Then a familiar bugle triplet sounded and a dozen or so troopers galloped into the yard and dismounted in a hurry and took up position to guard the house. More firing could be heard in the distance. And then it was quiet.
A trooper left his position and hurried up to the house. Alucius met him after unbarring the heavy and now slightly damaged door. The trooper, a squad leader, saluted.
"Squad leader Keller, Colonel, at your service."
"Thank you, Squad Leader, we appreciate your timely arrival."
"Pardon me saying, sir, but it looks like you had matters well in hand."
Alucius smiled at the nervously grinning squad leader.
"The arrival of a company of militia troopers is always appreciated, Squad Leader."
"Yes, sir. The Captain should be along shortly, sir. Is there anything you need here?"
"We are all fine here, Squad leader. We'll await the Captain's arrival."
The Squad leader saluted and hurried back down the steps. Wendra was standing in the corridor when he turned around.
"How in the world did they know they were needed here, sweetheart?"
"A few things come to mind, dear. Scouts, other steads being raided, maybe informants. We'll have to wait until the company commander comes along. In the meantime, what was going on before? Was that you that was dong that?"
"Of course not, I was too busy shooting at Reillies. You know what that means, don't you?" she asked.
"It means that Alendra is maturing rapidly. Where is she now?"
"Burtyl is with her in the sitting room," Wendra said.
They walked into the sitting room and found Burtyl sitting in a chair with Alendra curled up on his lap, sound asleep. Alucius could see that her life thread was the same as always, pure green as was his and Wendra's. He couldn't tell if she had used her talent. The best he could hope for is that when she awoke she'd be able to answer some questions. Burtyl's talent skills were not profound but were enough for him to know something unusual had occurred. He looked up with the question on his face but he offered a clue.
"She did something, didn't she?"
"I think so. I don't know how exactly but from the closet she was able to reach out and deliver physical blows. Hard enough to unseat riders or put full grown men out on their backs," Alucius said.
"Couldn't you do that?" Burtyl asked.
"Perhaps, I've done some things using shields to unseat riders but this was different. It was almost like a Talent punch."
"Son, rider coming," Lucenda said, "I think it might be the Captain."
"Thank you, Mother," Alucius said.
He walked to the front door and out onto the porch. A rider was dismounting and handed the reins of his horse to a trooper that came up beside him. He walked up the stairs and then offered Alucius a salute.
"Good day to you, Colonel. I'm pleased we were able to arrive in time to offer some assistance. It appears you were doing quite well for yourselves."
"Thank you, Captain, but I got the feeling there was a lot more of then out there we hadn't tackled yet."
"Yes, sir. The force we hit numbered over a hundred. We took down, twenty, maybe thirty and the rest fled. I have scouts trailing their retreat. We'll know if they try to circle back."
"I wonder what made them try here. There hasn't been a raid on this stead in my lifetime, up to now. Oh, and if I may, I don't recognize you, Captain."
"My apologies, Colonel. Captain Meltyr, sixteenth company. We rotated to Headquarters Post last month. We were on the Matrite border for the last year."
"My compliments, Captain."
"Thank you, sir. As to the rest I'm afraid I can't help you, Colonel, but I was told that Colonel Feran will be out to see you and I'm sure he knows much more than I. If you'll excuse me, I need to see to the disposition of my men in case they make a second run."
"Certainly, Captain, carry on."
Alucius let his senses range out to see what he could pick up.
"….first time you meet 'im, Captain?"
"Yes, saw his name on dispatches, of course, signed my promotion papers from senior squad leader."
Alucius thought he recognized the name.
"…sir, don't understand. Some of these Reillies look like they were shot from the flanks. How's that possible? And them over there are out cold without a mark on 'em."
"Squad leader, where Colonel Alucius is concerned, it's best to just accept what has happened, don't ask questions, and thank the one who is that he's on our side."
It was several hours later when Colonel Feran and two squads of troopers rode up the drive. With a few quiet words the extra troopers peeled away and Feran continued on to the farm house. Alucius was there to greet him. There was none of the usual good natured greetings that preceded a good dinner and an evening of conversation. This was business.
"Alucius. How's the family doing?"
"Feran, they're fine now, thanks to the timely arrival of sixteenth company. Grandfather is still out but he was at Kustyl's so he should be alright. How did you know to send them, or was it just a very lucky coincidence for us?"
"No, it was not luck. We got word of a large force moving out of the Sloughs and headed this way. We had intended to catch them much further north, figuring they'd hit a few steads there first. But it seems like they were headed directly here. It doesn't make sense and goes against everything we know about Reillies."
"Well, we are one of the more prosperous steads, maybe they just wanted a big find. Guns, nightsilk, golds."
"Yes, but then again, you'd have more nightsilk and or golds if they had waited until the season was done and all the shearing and processing and weaving was finished. I mean, you're just getting started, yes?"
"Yes, we are. It seems your learning about the stead life. A certain herder widow helping you with that?" Alucius said.
Feran snorted a bit and then smiled, but then he got serious again.
"I don't like saying this but it looks like the target was this stead specifically, and that suggests you were the target. But let's go inside to discuss this. It's not something we want troopers to be hearing, and talking about."
Alucius nodded and led Feran into the house. Alendra was awake by now and she rushed to hug her Uncle Feran around the knees. He scooped the girl up and gave her a hug, his look grim as he regarded the girl's father over her shoulder. Then he set her down and walked with Alucius into the sitting room.
"Some ale?"
"Please."
Once seated with drinks in hand, Feran resumed the conversation.
"So, as I was saying. If you were specifically targeted by Reillies it may mean one of several things. One, they somehow have come to know something of your story and decided that your some Legacy of the Duraches and they are honor bound to take you out. Or, someone has paid them to take you out. That could be one of multiple possibilities. That sandsnake Halanat comes to mind. Or Tyren, as I understand you've clipped his wings nicely. There's the Matrites, who fear both you and Wendra, so that's a double reason to hit the place. So, my dear Colonel. We are going to be leaving a company and a half of troopers on your doorstep. Patrols at two squad strength will be moving around the area looking for any signs and to track what's left of this group if necessary. I'll leave you to work it out with Captain Meltyr how to provide flank protection while you're out with the sheep."
"Come now, Feran, don't you think this is going a little too far."
"No, Alucius, it's not. Going to far would be to actually tie you up before locking you in your basement strong room. Putting a guard detail on you until we know the area is clear is the best I can come up with. If something happens to you or worse, you and Wendra, the Lord Protector would use my empty skull as a planter."
"The Lady Alerya, maybe. She's the amateur gardener."
Feran glared at him. Any further discussion was halted by the arrival of Royalt. He walked into the sitting room, his face like a thundercloud.
"It looks like a battlefield out there, son, what happened?"
"Well, grandfather, it was a battle. Something like a hundred or more Reillies hit a few hours ago. The troopers of sixteenth company showed up just in time and drove most of them off. Feran and I were just discussing the possibilities of why the attack."
"And?"
"Nothing conclusive right now, Royalt, sir," Feran said. "They may have been after a seemingly rich prize, or it was something personal directed against Alucius and possibly Wendra as well."
The three men went over the various scenarios again, weighed against information that Royalt had been gathering from Kustyl. It definitely pointed to a vendetta of some sort but the source was unknown as yet. Perhaps when some of the unconscious Reillies woke up they might be able to shed some light on the matter. Alucius was going to make sure of it.