A Call to Arms: Book One of the Chronicles of Arden (3 page)

“Baria is old! Hell, Abbas is old. Their son Altair is going to be married come spring. They’re not going to have the time to see to it that Tay gets the fields planted.” Gib collapsed onto his back heavily and looked up toward the ceiling, at a total loss. Could Tayver plant the fields on his own? Cal was still too small to put in a whole day in the fields. Gib had no other options though. No money was available to hire help, and no other kin remained to divide the chores between. “I don’t—I don’t even know what to do with them. They can’t come with me, can they?”

His sister didn’t meet his eyes and he knew before she answered. “No. The academy will only provide housing for the student.” Gib threw his hands into the air, but she pressed on, shifting closer to him. “Wait, just listen to me. Nothing can be done for them this winter. I’ll help you get the wheat in tomorrow and Altair said he’d come by to help once his chores are done. You know Abbas will take our portion to the market for the boys. He and Pa were friends for years. He’ll do right by them and make sure they get the money—”

Gib gripped either side of his head, clenching a fistful of curls in each hand, and slammed his eyes shut once more. “I know that! Abbas and Baria have been nothing but good to us, it’s just—” He stopped to take a breath, but his chest felt tight and his eyes were burning. “How am I supposed to take care of them if I’m not here? Ma and Pa are both dead. It’s my job to make sure the rest of us survive. I can’t let the young ones down, Liza. They could die if I fail them!” He gasped for breath and the tears won. He felt like a child again. He was supposed to be the adult.

Liza swept in, wrapping her arms around him and pulling him close to her body. “I know it looks bleak, but it’s going to work. The boys only have to get through this winter and then they can come to Silver in the spring. Tayver will be old enough to apprentice to someone and Cal can go to the workhouses until he comes of age.”

“Pa always said the workhouses were dangerous.”

Liza sighed and bowed her head. “They are. But Cal is a good worker and he can keep his nose out of trouble. I’d be more worried to send Tayver in there. He’d talk back once and—I don’t know what else to do for them, Gib. The boys can’t run the farm on their own forever, you’re right. They’ll have to go somewhere.”

He wiped at his closed eyes. It felt as though the entire world were spinning out of control. “I’m supposed to care for them. I promised I would.”

“You’ve done well. The best you could. I dare anyone else to do what you have with as little. But this is out of your control. You have to report to Silver. If you don’t, you’ll go to prison and then what good will you be to Tay and Cal?”

Gib sucked in another shallow breath and willed his nerves to calm. Liza was right. Nothing else could be done about any of it. “How long before I have to leave?”

She smiled against the top of his head. “
We
leave. I’m going with you. Three mornings from now we ride out at first light. That should give us enough time to harvest the wheat and get the house in shape for winter.”

His mind was racing with all the different tasks he would have to do. Two days didn’t seem enough. The field and the home repairs, firewood to be collected, animals to be cared for, two boys to be seen to—it all seemed too much. And tomorrow he would have to break their hearts. “I don’t want to have to tell them.”

“I will, if you want.”

One more tear escaped as Gib looked into the fire. “No. I’ll do it. It’s only right.”

Three mornings later, a deluge of rain saw Gib and his sister off. It was cold and miserable and completely fitting with their circumstances. Calisto had clung to Gib, crying unabashedly, while Tayver pretended to be devoid of any emotion at all. Gib knew his brother was every bit as sad as Cal, but Tay was putting on a stoic face for the sake of the family. He was already trying to step up and accept the responsibility of adulthood. He had no choice.

Liza had given both boys a hug and showered them with kisses, telling them to be strong. Then she and Gib had climbed onto her horse, a silver palfrey named Lilly, and left the farm behind. Gib hadn’t looked back—it would have undone him. He was grateful the rain was coming down steadily enough to mask his tears. If Liza noticed his quiet sobs, she didn’t say a word about it.

By midday, the rain had passed and the sun came out long enough to dry their soaked clothing. When the pair stopped to set up camp for the night, Gib took the clothes from their dampened pack and let them dry as well. They had one change of clothes each. Liza had insisted it would be best to pack light as the crown of Arden would provide him with everything he may need. It wasn’t like Gib had many personal belongings anyway. His tunics were frayed around the edges and the only pair of boots he owned were far too small for his growing feet, but nothing could be done about any of it now. Perhaps the crown of Arden would be generous enough to replace his worn clothing. Only time would tell.

They traveled south for three days, following alongside the Tempist River. Liza explained to Gib that the Tempist ran parallel to the trade road all the way to Silver City, so during the times when Academy was on interim, all he needed to do to get home was follow the river north. Gib barely heard her speaking. His mind was preoccupied by the thoughts of leaving his brothers to fend for themselves while he traveled to an unfamiliar place. No neighbors would lend him a helping hand and no family would comfort him. A cold lump formed in the pit of his stomach.

As they journeyed farther south, the flatlands gave way to high, rolling hills of green that seemed to reach up and collide with the skyline. The number of travelers using the road increased dramatically as well. Some people were on horseback like them—but the road also had pedestrians, carts being pulled by teams of oxen, and even a line of caravan wagons. Gib’s eyes burned from the dirt being kicked up along the path, but he couldn’t seem to look away. He’d never seen such things before.

The sun was still high in the sky when Liza announced they would arrive in Silver City within a mark. Gib straightened in the saddle, curious enough to lean out and look around Liza’s body. They were in the midst of climbing yet another rolling hill, so he couldn’t see what lay ahead.

Gib’s stomach was fluttering as though he’d swallowed a bug. “Where is it?”

Liza pointed forward. “Just wait until we reach the top of this ridge. You’ll be able to see the entire city from there.” She gave Lilly a jab in the flank, coaxing the palfrey to move faster. The horse snorted imploringly but obliged.

As they climbed the hill, Gib’s anticipation rose with it. His heart was pounding in his chest and he forced himself to take slow, steady breaths of air.
You’ll be okay. You can do this
. Lilly was moving at a full trot by the time they reached the crest of the ridge, and all at once, Gib was able to see everything for league upon league ahead of him. He let out a strangled gasp at the sight.

The royal city of Silver sprawled across the valley below. It was the largest thing Gib had ever seen in his life, stretching as far as the eye could see in either direction. A wall made of smooth grey stone wrapped around the entirety of the city, roof peaks of the tallest buildings just visible and lending the impression of tightly packed houses, all shimmering in the bright afternoon sunlight. The Tempist flowed through the middle of the city, an iridescent line of blue that cut the city in half. Gib knew he’d remember this sight until the day he died. He stared, eyes wide and mouth gaping.

Liza smiled broadly. “Welcome to Silver.”
 

Another mark later, the travelers stood at the gates of the city, waiting to be allowed passage. The wall spanning the perimeter was at least three times as tall as Gib and made of the finest limestone he’d ever seen. Liza explained that heightened security meant all travelers going into the city must now be questioned. Gib swallowed nervously and wondered what kind of people the sentinels were attempting to keep out as he caught sight of an archer patrolling the wall, nearly invisible in the shadows.

When it was their turn to approach, Liza reached into her pocket to pull out a copper emblem with the golden inlay of a phoenix carved into the metal. Her badge identified her as a sentinel and would help her gain entrance to the city. From the corner of his eye, Gib warily watched the pair of guards working the gate. Both men looked gruff and threatening clad in full chainmail armor, with sheathed swords longer than Gib’s entire arm.

The older of the two guards measured the riders with a shrewd eye. “State your names and your business in Silver,” he demanded, nothing playful about his tone. This man would slice open any person suspected of being false.

Liza cleared her throat, declaring herself: “Liza Nemesio, sentinel of Arden, returning from my family’s homestead and reporting for active duty.” She set a hand on Gib’s shoulder and he jumped. “And this is my younger brother, Gibben. He’s to go to Academy for training. He received a conscription notice from the King and is here to fulfill his duty to Arden.”

Gib held his breath, but after a moment, the guard nodded and motioned for them to pass. Gib didn’t dare speak again until Lilly had carried them well away from the wall. He leaned in close to his sister’s ear. “That was a little scary.”

Liza laughed. “Yes, the worst part of all was my fear that you weren’t going to be able to hold down your breakfast.”

They shared a chuckle before Gib’s attention was drawn toward the interior of the city. The houses just inside the wall were small and compact, resembling shacks rather than true houses. Most of them were made of cheap materials—wood, clay, even mud. The people who lived here were dressed in shabby clothing, some of them in nothing more than rags that hung from their bodies. The disheveled, dirty peasants paid no attention to the travelers as they passed. A distinctive clicking noise rang in Gib’s ears, and at once his gaze fell upon the ground as Lilly’s horseshoes hit the pavement. Somewhere between the wall and here, the dirt pathway had given way to stone. It was the most peculiar thing Gib had ever seen. The village near his home would never have been able to afford the cost of laying cobblestone.

The streets seemed to wind back and forth rather than being a straight line. Liza told him the city was designed that way intentionally, so if the walls were ever breached, the royal palace wouldn’t be so easy a trek for the enemy.

The farther into the city they went, the grander the houses became. The clay huts hugging the city walls gave way to two-story homes, and even those houses were dwarfed in size by the manors further along the street. These households were the size of small mountains and each had their own gated courtyard.

“Do royalty live in these houses?” Gib asked in astonishment.

“Not even close. These are the homes of the nobility—rich merchants, guild masters, and the highborn mostly,” Liza explained, and Gib could only shake his head in awe. His sister snorted. “A big waste of space if you ask me—oh, we’re almost to Traders Row, the trade district of Silver. If we weren’t already sharing a horse, I would warn you to stay close. It can get hectic here.”

Indeed, the streets were becoming so congested that the flow of traffic was bordering on a standstill. There were people
everywhere
. Gib could not find a single area of unoccupied space. He clung to Liza, fearing that if he were to fall, he would be lost in the sea of people. Liza turned in the saddle and gave him an encouraging smile.

“It’s a bit overwhelming the first time, I know.”

Gib’s head was spinning. “There are so many people—”

“Aye. Traders Row is the busiest area of the city. It’s where all the merchants live and sell their products—and where the city folk come to make purchases.” Liza patted Gib on the knee when he couldn’t even manage a nod in response. “It won’t be so bad once we cross the river and get onto Academy grounds, I promise.”

His sister pulled on the reins, maneuvering Lilly through the horde of swarming bodies. The mare seemed at ease with the commotion surrounding her. Even when a pair of children darted in front of the horse, chasing a chicken that must have escaped them, Lilly showed her dissent only by laying her ears low and issuing a snort.

Great
, Gib lamented to himself.
The horse is better socialized than I. I’m doomed
.

Somewhere to his right side, he heard the bleating of goats as two old men bartered back and forth, trying to negotiate a fair purchase price for the animals. A robust woman in an apron hollered across the street as she waved a loaf of bread high in the air, and somewhere behind them, a baby wailed to be fed. All the voices blended together to create a dull humming sound in Gib’s ears.

Gib closed his eyes in a desperate attempt to escape the situation. If he didn’t have to see the insanity surrounding him, he could imagine he was back on the farm. He could pretend he was lying in the soft hay of the goat pen, just waking up from a nap. His brothers were boiling a stew in the cottage, their laughter carrying through the open doorway. His lips curled upward as he smiled. They sounded so happy, the way children should sound. Inhaling deeply, Gib could almost smell the aroma of spiced meat in his nostrils—

Liza’s voice cut through his wistful dream like a knife. “We’re almost there.”

He opened his eyes and at once snapped back to reality. A narrow bridge lay before them. It spanned the width of the Tempist River. Out in the countryside, the river was treacherous, a swallow of dark water wide enough for a ship to navigate if some captain was foolhardy enough to attempt the feat. Here in Silver, however, the river flowed sluggishly and was only as wide as two rowing boats placed bow to stern beside one another.

Lilly’s hooves clattered against the cobblestone path as Liza guided the horse onto the bridge, and Gib was drawn to the multitude of cracks within the stone masonry where moss had tried to creep through only to be smothered by the constant barrage of horseshoes and footsteps.

“This isn’t the only bridge in the city,” Liza explained. “The one that serves as the gateway to and from the royal palace is much grander, but this bridge is closest to the sentinel training grounds and the academy, so you’ll want to use it as you come and go.” She motioned for Gib to look ahead. “Speaking of which, here we are.”

Gib could feel the color drain from his face. A massive collegium rose in the distance, casting an imposing shadow across the path. It was constructed from the same grey limestone as the city wall and was equally as stunning to behold. At least three stories tall, the building loomed above all other constructions in the area like a mountain of solid rock.

Gib was momentarily unable to find his voice. “I—is this—?”

“Yes,” Liza confirmed. “Academy.” She pointed to the left. “And that wooden building across the way is the royal stable, where all of the horses which belong to the Crown are kept. The sentinel barracks are on the other side of the stable.”

“That’s where you’ll be, right?” Gib asked, needing the assurance that his sister wouldn’t be far away.

Liza nodded. “Unless I’m assigned elsewhere in the moonturns to come, then yes, I’ll be in Silver.” She clasped Gib on the shoulder. “Come on, let’s turn Lilly over to the stable master and then we can figure out where you need to go.”