KARMUTA
He watched the street from a shabby colored cloth that was tucked to the edge of a hole in her cottus. "What are you watching for, Cuillean?" Melanctha asked.
"If we have any followers, and to see what the traffic is like outside her home…" He remained at the window, hidden by the cloth from being noticed.
Melanctha sat in a chair and realized there was something on it…She stood and looked down at the soft plush doll on the seat, "…Oh, this is a child's toy, I've seen these in the Crandal…Maybe they make them here…" Her eyes raised to Cuillean, "…Why would she have this, I wonder?"
Cuillean turned his gaze from the view and regarded Melanctha holding a stuffed doll resembling a drellahna, "…It is best not to assume anything, Melanctha, and I dare say not to bring it up." Melanctha dropped her eyes to the doll…It looked new to her eyes.
A while later, Aliba returned and threw a sack onto her table.
She sighed, "…That there is what I earned from the delivery…Thank you for getting me on the wagon after your visitor…"
Cuillean stepped away from the curtain and lifted the edge of the sack, "…What are these…"
"They're stamps, they give one the ability to buy food and whatnot around here…A portion of it should go to buying a ride to Nabator, and then there's your food and weapons…You'll need both, and I can hook you up with the latter…Take my rifle, you seem to know how to use it…"
"I cannot take your weapon…"
"It belongs to Karmuta, they loan drivers tools to protect the cargo and I'm useless with it…Never taught me, but it's to scare the ignorant off…"
That was why Eluk had no issue taking her from the weapon…
Cuillean looked at Melanctha, then back to Aliba standing next to the table, "…We are graciously in your debt…"
"We'll call even," she uncrossed her arms and went to the doorway, "…Come along, I'll introduce you to your next chauffeur."
They went outside into the lane and crossed it, taking the quieter alleys through the neighborhood…Melanctha hugged her fur coat to herself to stay warm and Cuillean followed behind her, Aliba at the lead.
It took a whole ten minutes to reach the next home, where three children were in the pen of a dilean scooping up scat.
Cuillean saw they were less than five years old, and the lot of them stopped to stare at him…One ran inside the home—a lean-to against a larger stone and waddle building.
"Sound the alarm," Aliba chuckled, walking among the other two and patting their heads, "…Aliba's come to demand your dilean's ransom."
Cuillean ducked under the gate that marked the entrance to the pen after Melanctha followed Aliba.
She smiled at the children, and one grinned—the child had no teeth.
"Who did you bring," the drell inside was standing with Aliba when Cuillean and Melanctha entered, a child hiding in one of the rooms of the lean-to that stretched farther back, "…Is he a guard?"
"He's someone I picked up trying to head west for personal reasons," Aliba said, "…He's handy, Lithous," she nodded to Cuillean, "…Make sure you get to Nabator without too much hindrance to handle all on your own…"
"I don't like strangers," Lithous was a crooked-spined drell, and he stood to less than a foot under Cuillean's chest, "…but he's big…Maybe too big…I might get more attention someone sees him…Look at his clothes…And her, she's got on fur over that dress, she's from monet, isn't she…"
Cuillean's eyes held Lithous's wide black pupils, "…What do you need help with," he asked, "…We need but a ride to Nabator and we can help with the passage and chores if nothing more…"
"You'll do," Lithous grinned, "…Aliba here knows how to pick'em, don't you, Aliba…"
Aliba left with Cuillean and Melanctha, taking the same way back to her home, "…You'll have to ignore him, he's an idiot, but he knows how to deal with the route to Nabator…It's open land between Karmuta and that city, and they rely on us for trade, but the wilds beyond our city limits are open and free for anyone looking to make a career hunting and preying on wagons…Lithous has a strong dilean—he's fast and with his wits, which is why I choose Lithous over others for you two…The sooner you cross the wilds, the better…Lithous knows what's out there, and he'll look forward to using you to help him get back to his niece and nephews…"
"He has more family?" Melanctha asked.
"No, she been taken, husband murdered during a crossing…She was…" Aliba fell quiet.
Aliba led them next from the cottus to a market where they selected food. She showed them how they used the stamps to purchase what was desired.
Out the corners of his eyes, he was aware of the burrells among the market, standing and talking to passersby, checking some for what they fancied, then pushing others onward.
After Aliba and Melanctha had paid with the stamps for what they selected to bring home and for the journey, they walked with Cuillean back to the cottus again.
Someone was following them, that much Cuillean knew.
Turning down an alley, the others went ahead while he stopped and waited for who he suspected was behind them.
There was a drell with a seedy look to him coming carefully around the corner, crouching to peer and—finding Cuillean's hand on his throat.
"Who are you following, myself, my wife or Aliba," he asked.
The drell squirmed and kicked, then hung still, eyes locked on the others coming back, "…Cuillean, let him go," Aliba said, "…He's Lossa, harmless if a bit of a wyrrtun…"
Cuillean reluctantly set him down.
Lossa raised his head, nursing his neck and casting Aliba a hesitant glance, "…I thought you were entertaining a new suitor," he whispered from an injured throat, "…Not sure I deserved to be picked up like that…"
"You can be less of a creep, Lossa," Aliba shook her head at him, "…Cuillean's not very welcoming to people who try to surprise us…"
"I sense," Lossa admired the size of the thane, "…you have some training from somewhere else…You get a lot of looks from the burrells."
"Lossa, we're heading back to my house…You need something?"
"No, just your glowing smile, Aliba, fair one," he summoned up a bow and tried to appear regathered to himself.
Aliba snorted and turned, stalking off with Melanctha hesitantly turning away from Lossa and Cuillean…Cuillean gave Lossa a look that made him leave as soon as he had come.
"You have admirers," Melanctha said over dinner, "…Lossa was not shy about flattering you."
"He's a snoop…Been trying to get into my good grace since…" Aliba paused in that way again, then stuffed her mouth full of bread.
Melanctha glanced quietly at her husband, took another mouthful of stew and dipped her bread in silence.
Later, they tended the fire together, the air warm inside the home.
Aliba was strumming a small instrument in her hands, playing it softly like it were the most fragile piece of work.
Cuillean listened to the tune with Melanctha, the fire ticking out now and then with bubbles popping on the wood.
Melanctha looked at the doll on the chair.
"Aliba, I noticed that toy you own," she pointed to the doll.
Cuillean fluffed his tebris, but Melanctha glanced at him and continued.
"What is it from?"
"Hmm," Aliba continued to pluck at the strings, not bothering to look…She knew, "…That was to be my sister's gift to me when I had a little girl coming along."
"Your sister?"
Melanctha heard Cuillean's sigh.
"You were pregnant?"
"Was…Lost the baby," she said…Her fingers continued to strum.
"You…How, if you don't mind my asking…"
"Bad love," Aliba said, "…People don't like happiness, you know…They prefer all be wicked and cruel…So that's what they made me."
"I think you are not any such way," Melanctha said, "…You have shown us kindness and generosity."
"Yep, well, guess you lucked out…Maybe you not ask those types of questions anymore, Melanctha, you'll keep lucking out."
Melanctha felt uncomfortable and turned to get up, "…I'll step out for a breath of air, if you don't mind…I'm sorry, Ali—"
Aliba stopped playing and glared at her.
Cuillean stood and went with Melanctha.
"Your intentions are well," Aliba said as they stood by the doorway outside, looking at the dusky sky, "…You can't go poking your nose into things you don't know nothing about, Mel…" Aliba stood and walked over, setting the instrument against her hip, "…You're too curious or you're too trusting…It'll get you and that baby…" She paused, then went out, leaving them at the cottus.
Cuillean looked at his wife, "…She does not mean what she says, Melanctha…I believe Aliba has had a hard event occur in her life, and that she was like you one day long ago, maybe until recently…She worries and lives alone, because she does not trust anymore…"
"What happened, I wonder…"
"Pain, loss…We all endure it in some way or another…" Cuillean kissed her brow and held her close.
The night faded to dawn. Aliba had not returned.
Cuillean packed up what they needed and handed the sack to Melanctha, "…Hide it outside, I will return when I have found her…Do not leave the cottus unless it becomes wiser to do so…Find Lithous and we will rendezvous if such a moment should transpire…" He held her arms, "…Speak to no one who comes here looking for anyone in this cottus, Melanctha."
"What happened to her, Cuillean?"
"I think someone met her last night, but I cannot assume anything…I will be back in a few minutes."
He went out into the lane and took a look around the cottus, seeking signs of Aliba.
He followed her footprints to the lane at the next intersection, and there found her stringed instrument laying on the ground…Its ebony wood was cold and smooth but caked in dirt from sitting in a puddle…He found the strings were broken.
Lifting the gourd to his face, he sniffed it, then raised his eyes to look each way she could have been taken.
He found her clothing—it was scattered on the ground of a hut where hay grass was stored.
The scent of another drell was there…Cuillean gathered the clothes and searched these.
The sound of something heavy scraping over the ground caught his attention, and Cuillean looked down at his shoes.
Picking up the shining jewel, he considered it.
Melanctha waited in Aliba's cottus, having hidden the sack behind the structure as Cuillean instructed. She rubbed her belly to ease the baby's kicking—he felt her tension.
There was an unease in her…She worriedly pulled her eyes from the doll on the chair to the window and stood to look outside.
Cuillean carried Aliba's belongings back to the cottus and checked in on Melanctha, "…I do not think we can stay any longer, Aliba has…" He peered inside the cottus, searching the empty corners with his eyes, "…Melanctha."
He went around the cottus, searching for the bag she was to have hidden…If it were not there, she would have moved with it had she felt threatened by something.
The bag was still there.
Cuillean's heart began to uptick in rate.
What was happening in this city, he wondered, returning to the cottus and looking for something he could have missed.
He took the rifle from the wagon, unhitching Uwyg from the lefern's stall and bringing the animal to the wagon. Taking the sack along, he drove the wagon and lefern through the city, looking for his wife and Aliba.
He tracked down Lithous's lean-to and went inside, looking for the drell and the children.
They were found in the next building, tending to some furniture they were trying to upholster, "…You're early, we're not supposed to leave yet," Lithous pointed to the sky, "…Where's Aliba?…"
"I would ask you the same," Cuillean's voice was on edge, "…and for my wife…Both are missing, Aliba left last night and did not return…My wife was without me for a few minutes while I looked for her, and now my wife is missing."
Lithous growled, "…You lose both of them?"
"I was gone minutes!"
"There's one place I'd look…Come on," Lithous hobbled out, leading Cuillean, but before he left, he warned the children to take some food and head to the wagon, get the dilean ready, and be ready to leave.
Cuillean went with Lithous through the neighborhood, taking the main lanes instead of back alleys.
His feeling was that Lossa had something to do with Aliba and Melanctha's disappearance.
But Eluk could be at work…Cuillean's life was not on the chopping block yet.
Those around him were in danger, however.
Lithous was silent as he hobbled ahead of the thane following him, and many stood out of the way, carrying their baskets and furs, their buckets and dyes, their textiles and orders in the early dawn.
Melanctha sat quietly on the bench next to Aliba, who looked worse for wear.
Aliba was wearing a shift like the others, her hands bound to her ankles.
A hand touched Melanctha's chin and grabbed her jaw, lifting to expose her neck, "…This one came with the big one?"
"That one," Lossa said, "…She is his wife."
"How much you want for both of them," the other said—he was a thin but lanky tall drell with men outside in the blue and gold gowns.
"Two hundred," Lossa said, "…and any part of the ransom for her if she's got one on her head." He pointed at Melanctha.
There was a pause and the drell overseeing their captivity agreed, "…I'll give you ten percent if there is one…Good job, Lossa."
Lossa grinned at Aliba, a smug, served expression on his face as he picked his scale behind his teness and took a handful of stamps from the other, "…Pleasure being with you last night, Aliba…Reminds me of old times."
Aliba spit on the dirt between her feet, "…I hope hekla burns hot once you go to it, Lossa…Scum."
Cuillean waited for Lithous to figure out a plan, "…It's the barrin," he said to him, "…Lossa's been up to something and it looks like he's leaving, but that's definitely the ladies inside."
"How long have you lived here, Lithous," Cuillean asked, measuring all of the burrells that would block him on his path to the barrin's prison.
"Too long…You can't really go anywhere…Nabator's not any better…"
"I am heading west," he replied, "…My wife is coming with me…You are old and you have mouths to feed, but I can handle taking care of you all if you have weapons and food to bring…"
"Aliba was ready for this, Cuillean," Lithous looked upwards at his shadowed face, "…You go in and do what you think you can do, I've a feeling we'll be running for the rest of our lives…"
"Then we have a plan at least," he looked at Lithous, "…I am going to speak to the barrin…Make ready."
Lossa was stepping just off the last paved stoned leading to the prison when the dawnlight was blotted out.
He looked up and saw Cuillean's hooded face descend very quick and sudden.
The body of Lossa crumpled under the crush of Cuillean's brow, dropping like a stone.
Loading the chamber of his rifle, Cuillean looked ahead to the startled burrells that were stopped from their bored talk.
If it were any place else besides Karmuta, he would not be able to pull this off…but they were lazy and poorly run, despite the presence in the streets…Mainly uneducated burrells that had no concern for anyone smaller than them…
Bullies, thugs, and cowards all the same.
He lifted the rifle and walked forward, aiming at the barrin who had stupidly poked his fat cheeks out…The rest of him was slim and long, a pouty, disgusting amalgamation of genes…
Possibly due to inbreeding, Cuillean observed.
He was already driving the barrin back, none of the burrells quick or brave enough to interfere…Maybe they just did not want to die for the man.
Melanctha looked up from the confines of her room with other drellahnas dressed in thin shifts meant for prisoners.
Cuillean's wrath slowly heated at seeing her in chains.
"Let's—Let's not be hasty," the barrin sputtered, "…Guards—"
No one moved as Cuillean cocked the rifle under his jaw, "…Your name."
"Ney'rult Modecum," he replied, shaking a little with the press of the gun's opening under his jaw, "…Barrin of Kar…" His voice tapered off as a wet sound was heard…
Cuillean did not bother looking at where the barrin had lost it, "…You have imprisoned two women I want returned to me…Why are they being held…"
"They are—They are convicted of—"
Cuillean pushed so hard he forced the barrin to the ground and stepped on his head when he was ready to move the rifle away—but kept it aimed on his crests, "…Tell your men to free them and the rest of the women…They are coming with me…"
"They are—"
There was a violent explosion of dirt and the men and women screamed…Cuillean turned to the others, the rifle dripping with fragments of blood and bone, "…Let them out, this is a jailbreak…Any one of you wishes to prevent it, please come forth, I have enough ammo for all of you."
Melanctha covered her mouth as she was herded out passed the remains of the barrin…Farther down the path she saw what was left of Lossa's head and her eyes widened, "…Cuillean…"
He strode silently alongside the line of women, at his wife and Aliba's side, taking them with him towards the rendezvous he had adjusted with Lithous.
No one dared stop them.
Lithous marveled at the women being loaded onto his wagon and Cuillean's, "…Are we starting a…" His voice dwindled when all of the women glared at him, "…Well, I only brought enough food for a few…"
Cuillean started walking Uwyg, "…Keep up, Lithous, you are leaving Karmuta…We are all going west."
Melanctha could not look at her husband…She sat quietly with the other women who were nursing their ankles and wrists, having had these all removed.
Aliba sighed and looked at Cuillean, "…I ain't ever seen someone do what you did back there…but I'm expecting its common for those you worked for?…"
"Yes," he replied.
The two wagons left Karmuta without a leader, and Cuillean went willingly on towards the west.
When two nights had passed uneventfully, Cuillean finally had a word with his wife.
"I know what they did was not right," she said, walking away from the campsite with him, "…But Cuillean, you killed that man—Lossa too?—in cold blood in front of everyone!"
"I am trained for it, Melanctha, and I am a thane…Only thanes may take the lives of they who hinder or are the objective of their missions without recourse…You married me knowing this, and now you have witnessed it…What do you expect me to do."
"I…Nothing," she let it drop, still in shock.
"You were arrested for no other reason than that Lossa decided to make money on you, as he did on Aliba and those others…It is indecent of me to kill so blatantly, but I will not let injustice transpire…It is all I have to respond with—swift and brutal violence…I would be praised for my work, but I understand you are not Bor or my other masters."
She stood still and Cuillean turned…Holding her eyes, she wept.
"I cannot get the blood out of my eyes, Cuill…" She lowered her hands, gazing sadly and longingly at him, but turned from him.
Cuillean watched her walk away to rejoin the others.
"She'll come to grips with it," he whispered to himself, "…or I will lose her…It would be fair either way."
The days on the wilds between Nabator and Karmuta were long and onerous…The ground was uneven and Lithous had a faster wagon, but could not go farther than Uwyg for fear of keeping too wide a distance between the wagons.
Cuillean had misgivings about freeing the other women, but a group would be less tempting to attack for raiders, and the women were like Aliba in that they were fierce and willing to fight…
They all gave a hand with what was needed to be done.
They looked to Lithous and Cuillean for instruction…A few were more willing to ingratiate themselves with Lithous by tending to his three children, and others were wary of Cuillean, but willing to try and ingratiate themselves with his needs…Twice Cuillean had to make clear he was not interested in any advances, and it made things more comfortable between himself and Melanctha who could see he was trying to be faithful with so many women around him and vulnerable.
They slept together still, tending the watch in turns with the others.
Cuillean caught wind of smoke one day while the wagons were making their way over a tough bed of rock—a dried up stream bed. He got out of the wagon and ran up to a high rock on the other side to see what lay ahead.
There was a slow-moving group in the distance, and among it were torches burning.
"They'll be looking to camp," Lithous said, hobbling up next to him, "…We should stay in the stream bed for the evening, then sun goes down, we can move on…Dilean and lefern will know what to avoid with pulling us all."
Cuillean was concerned…He could see they were outnumbered, and if the group decided to camp directly in front of them, that would force them to travel downwind to avoid being noticed, adding time, hassle, and danger.
"Are they reasonable I wonder."
"Are you?" Lithous asked.
"I will do some scouting…Take everyone out of the wagons and move them down the stream bed, leave the wagons here…"
"And abandon a solid ride?"
"We may have to…It will be easier to avoid them if we are without the labor of the wheels."
"This sounds as good as your idea to rescue your wife and Aliba…I don't know, Cuillean…"
"Do it." He hopped down and went to visit Melanctha.
He passed the rifle to Aliba, "…Protect her," he said before moving off.
"Cuill, where are you going?"
"To learn something," he said and went over the next hill.
Melanctha glanced at the others, then helped move items out of the wagons.
Aliba gazed empathetically at her, "…You said he needed a woman to watch over him…Looks like he's doing the watching for you now."
"He is not normally like this…"
"Maybe around you, he wasn't, but now he's in charge of more than you and he's relying on what he knows."
"I understand that, Aliba…" Melanctha felt a kick in her stomach, "…I understand…"
"You don't…You're too gentle…That drell is a monster and a weapon, and we're fortunate to have him tamed to us."
Melanctha bit her lip. She continued to help the others move downhill along the streambed.
S'robis looked up at the parting of his band to welcome in the stray…He was a big fellow, clothed in nice silks despite their wear and he had a heavy cloak but no weapons under it. He had wanted to speak to him, and his men had learned he came from Mercede.
"What can we do for you, big one," S'robis eased forward on his knees, not bothering to stand to greet him, "…You wish for passage through my lands?…What for."
"I am building an army, and I am recruiting in Nabator."
"An army," S'robis chuckled, "…how goes recruiting?" There were chuckles amid the fires.
"Not well," Cuillean replied, "…It seems there are no brave souls in the west of the Birutise'aha."
"There're brave souls, but an army sounds official, and we are free drell, able to roam and plunder at our whim."
"Then our meeting is fate, for I may have a use for you."
"How so."
"Do you desire wealth and riches, Sered?"
"I think we all can say here that we are in accord with wanting more than grass and bramble may provide, Thane."
"Then you will help me…In less than three days, there will be men swarming from the east to claim these lands for their own…You will deliver to them a stay of eagerness if you catch me…Make them think twice about trying to cross these wilds."
S'boris tucked his canines under his lips, "…How big a force is coming…"
"Men like myself, all seeking to conquer and gain what land they may grab…They despise your kind…"
"And what's your part," knives and clubs were drawn, gathering around Cuillean, "…You, looking for an army…"
"I believe in the free will of the people…I left to warn the nations that should expect to be touched by the shore's expansion inwards."
"We'll see if you're telling the truth…Camp with us until the first of these so-called land grabbers make their way here…"
"If I do not continue on my way, then Nabator will not have its herald."
"You stay, or I'll kill you, and thank you after for the warning…"
"If I stay against my will, it will be to take your men and lead them…Are you willing to risk that?"
S'boris laughed, "…Of course, what leader would I be if I didn't rise to a challenge," he stood up, removing his ragged furs and tossing these aside, "…Speaking of which, I'd like to try my might against a thane…You want to challenge me now, Thane?…"
"If I should beat you, will you fight for me and work your men to my leadership?…"
"If you can give me a good cuffing, we'll follow you, but the want of a strong leadership does not always end with mercy, Thane…"
"True, then to the death it will be…" Cuillean removed his cloak and dropped it, tying back his silks to meet his opponent in the same manner as bare-chested before the fires and surrounded by weapons…
Cuillean had an idea about fighting in such a way, but he was not certain if S'boris knew what he was getting into.