Chapter 7

On The Move

The first leg of the journey went so easily that Dagenheart began to think they actually might have a chance of getting back. Frickel, however, just became more paranoid about it all.

"We're working up to a nasty surprise with all this easy going." He had told her the second day out. Now it was the fourth day and it seemed that Frickel might have been right. They had made it to the point where the woods thinned and gave way to green pastures that rolled gently and out in the pastures was an army. It was moving in from the north and was headed south, directly at them.

"If they don't know we are here already, it won't be long until they do. I wish we could make out the banners." Dagenheart squinted but couldn't even make out individual men much less banners and insignias. There was no telling how many men they were looking at and it didn't matter. It was hundreds more then they could fight especially since she refused to use anything but her personal power thus taking away most of her really effective spells. It didn't look like there was going to be a way around this unless they were willing to tack on a couple of days extra travel.

"Seems like a bit of overkill if they are coming just for us." Alairus said.

"They're not but the outcome will be the same if they catch us. I want to know where the legion is that was supposed to cut through the enemy flank following the trail we blazed."

"Well." The Herald thought a moment. "That could be them."

"Or it could not be. You want to run the risk, Whitecoat?" Shadron slinked up beside Dagenheart who looked vexed.

"I came to find out what all the holdup was about." He said before she had a chance to get cranky with him for leaving his post.

"We are trying to decide what to do." The Herald said.

"I'll tell you what we do. We run like hell and hope their scouts and forgers don't find us. Why fight and die when running pays just as good."

"I hear that." That was Frickel who had come to see what all the talk was about.

"Why are all my pickets leaving their stations?" She asked the sky.

"Oh hush, ain't nobody gonna slip through. Ain't like we're guarding the border or something. I'd say whatever you plan on doing, you'd better do it fast like though."

"We have no choice really. We'll move around them on the left about a day out and link up with our old trail further north."

"That's going to be slow going." Shadron pointed out, "Not to mention that we'd be moving over much more hostile country."

"I know the country well enough that we could probably make it but I have some more immediate news." Maestra's voice called from behind them

"Is there even a picket line left?" She asked, tossing her arms up in the air. He ignored her.

"There is something kicking up dust on our right, not far out. I thinking it is the cavalry of that army."

"What? Where?" She asked. He pointed and she squinted but couldn't see anything.

"Not a good view from here but you can pick out the haze." He said, pointing again.

She still didn't see anything.

"Looks like a lot of horses if it's cavalry. Seems awful close to." Shadron said as he shaded his eyes for a better look. She took him at his word.

"We got to move! Now!" She barked and took off back to the others. "Call the rest of the men in. Saddle only the horses we need." She puffed as she ran. Elrin was already moving for her when they arrived and she leapt into his saddle.

"Maestra, round up some dead brush, lots of it. Tie it in bundles and give it to the extra horses to drag. Send them at a hard gallop due east." It was the only thing she could think to do. She was hoping that the dust they raised would draw the enemy off for the few moments they needed.

Within minutes they were all saddled and moving out around the approaching army. They rode hard for as long as they could with her and Alairus acting as scouts by racing ahead on their Companions. They hadn't gotten far until they ran into another surprise. Another company of cavalry moving in from the west, leaving only the southern road open.

"Damnit to the hells!" She swore.

"What now?" Alairus' voice was calm but she could tell fear had its icy claws in him.

"Let me think." She snapped. She considered a dozen possibilities, none of them any good. She racked her brain for something, anything. "We'll cut behind them and slip past the mainforce."

"Huh?" The Herald's face turned as white as his uniform. She didn't like it any better but it was the best thing they could do. She would not go south. That would only end in a bloodbath once the Imperials plugged the hole.

"You heard me. Ride." She turned Elrin and galloped back to the others. A second later he followed. When she meet up with them and told them her plan, they were not real enthusiastic about it either.

"That's plain suicide. No way we can slip by that force. If they don't catch us their horsemen will." Frickel scolded.

"It's the best I've got. You have anything better?"

"Yeah, I do. Hows about you use your power and turn us invisible or something." He said.

"I can't."

"Like hell. I've seen you do it before."

"I'm telling you, I can't. Not until we get back."

"I'm telling you, we can't get by their forces. Especially not the cavalry."

"You mean that cavalry?" Maestra asked as he nodded in the direction of the small clump of mounted men moving about half a mile out.

"Oh shit."

"Do you think they see us?" Alairus asked.

"More then likely. Ride like hell is all I can say." She said to everyone.

"Wait." The Herald said and then closed his eyes.

"Alairus! What are you do. . ."

"There's a Herald with them." He said with a smile full of relief.

"What? You willing to bet your life on it?" She hissed.

::He's right. It's Xenth and Jays.::

::As in the Herald that brought you to me?::

::The very one.::

She didn't trust it for one second, it sounded too good to be true. She studied the riders in the distance.
"If this army is ours then that must mean they broke through the Imperial lines in the north. Which is good right?" She was trying to work everything out in here head without the benefit of maps. Something wasn't adding up right but her mind kept skipping across the river of ignorance. She brooded on it until Alairus grew impatient, "Well?" He asked.
"Maestra. Cline. Go with Alairus to meet the other Herald." She shouted, then to Alairus, "Go make sure and find out what's happened."
He gave her a weird look but didn't argue. As he rode off she reached into her saddlebags and pulled out her maps and started trying to figure out what was chewing on her. She scowled at the maps as they refused to help her. She would have to go talk to the commander of this army, she decided.
A few hours later, as the sun began to set, Dagenheart and her men were camped together among the fires of the friendly army. Dagenheart, Shadron and his sidekick and Alairus all stood under the flapping canvas that sheltered the tables that the commander of the army, a man named Cauls. He was a tall, thin man with spiky black hair and a thin black beard. He and Dagenheart swopped information back and forth, including the fact that she was certain that they were being hunted. Cauls didn't seem too worried about that though."
"I don't think your grasping what I'm trying to say here, Commander. We need to get clear of this place before more mages show up and believe me, they will." One thing about shadowcraft, it had a unique signature and one easily read by other practitioners. She couldn't be sure that every mage in the Imperial army was tied to the Arcane Mirror but it didn't hurt to assume the worst. They would want to know who was using 'their' power and who had killed that mage's keeper.
It still didn't make sense to her. How was it even possible? The thought of how much power and time it would take to send an agent this far north was ridiculous. It couldn't be done, could it? After all, she had done it herself, though not as an agent. Maybe it wasn't as impossible as it seemed.
"I appreciate your concern ma'am but I don't think we have anything to worry about. We have an entire legion of troops here and now we have a sorceress."
"No you don't. I cannot risk exposing myself to them." That didn't sound at all like what she had planned. It sounded cowardly. She had told only a precious few people what had actually happened to her and she did not feel the need to inform Cauls. He gave her an yours are free to head back to the front but we are here to try and win a war."
She debated about arguing with him but what was the point? He was two steps beyond pigheaded and she would end up losing her temper and turning him into a pile of ashes. Then she would be in trouble.
"Fine." She said flatly and left. She trudged out and mounted Elrin. He didn't say a word, just turned and trotted back to the place where her forces had set up their camp.
"Pack up! We're leaving." She snapped at Maestra as she rode by.
"What?' He was leaning over a cook fire about to fill his bowl with something that smelled divine.
"Pack! Up!" She shouted and then dismounted her Companion. She got her saddles bags and began strapping them on Elrin's rump.
::Where are you planning on going:: He asked.
::We're sticking to the plan. That pigheaded officer is going to get more then he is bargaining for. Something isn't right about all this.::
::What do you mean exactly.:: He asked, concerned.
She stopped struggling with the straps for a moment and thought about what she meant. She wasn't entirely sure. It all just felt wrong.
::I don't know. Forget about it.::
::Does it have something to do with the sudden withdrawal of the northern Imperial army? The one that was set to take Furwood?::
"What!?" She coughed out, "When the hell did this happen?"
::Oh. I thought someone told you. I thought you knew.::
"I do now. Gods below!" She shouted.
::When did this happen?:: Her mindvoice was full of annoyance.
::Two days ago. That's how our army was able to slip around theirs like this.::
::And no one suspected it might be a trap?::
::The Foreseers have seen nothing bad about this move.:: He insisted.
That was not much comfort to her. She had used her powers to blind foresight before, so she knew it was possible. She started getting her gear together faster.
"Come on, people! Move!" She shouted at her men.
::If there is some danger you know about then you have to tell Cauls." Elrin stated plainly.
"He had his chance to listen. My responsibility now is to myself and my men." She said aloud. She knew he would not listen and she knew she had to get out from under before the hammer fell. She had to get back to the front or maybe even Crown City so she could sort this all out. This had become a different kind of war. With the power of the Shadow Lord backing them, the Imperials would be unstoppable. There was no reasoning with the darkness. No surrender. No compromise. It was all or nothing.

************************************************************************

They traveled all day and into the next morning taking only a few short breaks before Dagenheart finally ordered everyone to break camp in a stand of hemlocks. The rest was well over due and she and her men barely had enough energy to roll out their blankets and wrap up in them before they were asleep. The Companions stood the first watch and then collapsed to the ground beside their respective Chosens. The hours past and the sun charged across the sky as they each took turns taking watch. Dagenheart was last and as she sat, scrunched down in the dry undergrowth of their shelter, her mind wondered at what she was doing here. Had her presence here put the kingdoms of Hardon and Valdemar in danger? Would it make any difference if she left? Not that it was an option. Elrin would not let her run away, nor would Alairus. When she thought about the Herald her thoughts took an entirely new path. He really had seemed concerned about her when she got hurt but she found it hard to think that anyone would be able to have feelings for something like her. What's more, she didn't know how to describe her feelings for him. She didn't exactly hate him, but there certainly not any love there. Then there was something else there. A lot of something. Lust. She flushed at the word. That was it. She didn't want him for his conversation or his friendship. She wanted him for his body. The very idea scared her three shades whiter. She had never; never had feelings like that for anyone, male or female. She had seen men more beautiful than the Herald and never gave them a second look but something about him made her want to throw him down and tame him. She stood up abruptly and cleared the thoughts form her mind. She needed to focus on what was going on right now, not mish-mosh. She still had to get her men to safety and then they would go from there.
Two candlemarks before noon, she had them up and riding again, determined to make the best time possible. She rode out front of everyone by fifty yards. Alairus had tried several times to ride up beside her but she just urged Elrin faster. She wasn't in the mood for company.
::I have been thinking.:: Elrin's voice suddenly rang in her head.
Oh gods!
::And?:: She couldn't hide her annoyance.
::That energy you touched. Does that mean that the man who held you in thrall is now influencing the Empire?::
::The Shadow Lord is not a man. He is evil. Real and tangible. I don't know what it means that the Imperial mages are using shadowcraft.::
There was a long pause and then ::What does this mean for you and I?::
She laughed bitterly, ::It means that of all the people to pick, you manage to find the one that was most inconvenient. If the Shadow Lord's agents have made it this far north then there is a very good possibility that they know I'm here. Or at least they know someone with their skill is here. It won't take Him long to put the pieces together.::
::And that's why your running away?::
That took her from the blind side and she started to get angry. She went to rant and rave and argue but then she realized that it was the truth. She was running away because of that. Because she dared not face Him again. She didn't respond to her Companion and Elrin let it go for a few miles before speaking again.
::How far are you prepared to run before you take a stand and fight?::
::You think I am a coward because I run?:: The tone of his mindvoice made that much clear.
::I think we should have stayed with that army and helped like they expected.::
::You don't know what you're saying. You cannot win against the Shadow Lord. If we fight, we die. I'm looking don't get paid to commit suicide.::
::Oh.:: He said it like that explained everything. ::I forgot your still a mercenary at heart.::
That comment bugged her. She couldn't tell if it was the words themselves or his tone but it made her feel guilty; like she was shirking a duty.
::So what do you intend to do when He comes to Valdemar?::
She didn't answer him, only sent a mental kick to the sides that cued him to increase speed. He finally fell silent as they raced along, leaving the others further behind in seconds. She hunched down and moved her body with his and they flashed through a small scatter of trees and then out into a open plain as flat as table.
::Head for that small rise ahead.:: She sent and Elrin shifted course just slightly. They flashed up the sloping ground and stopped at its pinnacle. It was not even worth considering a hill but it gave her enough of a view to see the next leg of their journey. Everything looked clear to the north and west but the southern sky was defiled by smoky pillars so far out that it was hard to see them clearly.
She waited for the others to catch up and then ordered a short break.
"We keep going like this and while make the Front in two days or so." She said to Frickel as she poured a splash of water over her head and ran her fingers through her hair.
"Why we running for anyway?" He asked her.
"I've already been over this with the horse." She growled. "We aren't getting paid to die for nothing."
"No. Were getting paid to fight." He argued.
She narrowed her eyes. "Get on your horse." She turned away from him and sought some dried jerky from her saddle bags. Frickel just walked away, shaking his head. Just two more days and I'll have enough time to work everything out. She told herself but she didn't believe it. There was nothing to work out. She knew what was going on, she just didn't want to admit it to herself. Hell itself had, indeed, come calling.