Artesans of Albia: 01 - King's Envoy (46 page)

They dismounted at the horse lines, giving charge of their mounts to the stable lads who came pouring out of their barracks to help. Hearing a youthful, high-pitched voice frantically calling for Robin, Taran looked around and caught sight of the kitchen lad, Tad. The young boy seemed desperate to reach Robin as he rushed headlong into his arms.

“Whoa, young man,” said Robin, steadying the boy. “Whatever is it?”

Tad caught his breath, his chest heaving with the effort of his run. “Healer Arlen sent me to tell you immediately, sir. She said you’d want to know. The Major’s horse is back, sir.”

Robin stared. “Are you saying the Major’s returned, lad?”

“No, sir, just the horse. And he’s in a bad way.”

Keeping a grip on Tad’s skinny arm, Robin spun round. “Solet!” He spied the tall man attending to a lame beast over by the isolation stables and strode over. Taran and Cal followed.

Solet looked up as Robin rounded on him. “I’m told Mandias is here. Where have you put him?”

Solet pointed to a line of loose boxes. “He’s down there at the end, Captain. Don’t disturb him. He’s had a rough time and I’ve given him something for the pain.”

Robin ran to the box indicated. Ignoring Solet’s instructions, he flung open the door. He stopped, brought up short by the sight of the beast. Taran and the others caught up with him and also stopped, gazing in sympathy at the injured horse.

Mandias was lying on a thick bed of fresh, yellow straw. His head was down, his chin resting on the straw, his eyes half-closed. There was mucus running from his nose and eyes and his breathing was husky. He had numerous whip cuts and what looked like bites on his body. He was very thin. Taran couldn’t believe it was the same beast that had gone snorting and bolting out of the yard nearly two weeks before.

He saw tears in Robin’s eyes. Approaching the horse quietly, the young man kneeled down beside it. He put out his hand and softly stroked the once-velvety neck. Mandias managed to raise his head a little and whickered wetly down his nose.

“What on Earth happened to you, old boy?” murmured Robin. “You’ve really been in the wars, haven’t you?”

He stayed a moment longer, pulling gently on the stallion’s ear, before abruptly standing up. Solet appeared in the doorway. “How long has he been back?” demanded Robin.

“One of the night lads found him staggering around outside about four hours ago,” the stablemaster replied. “He was trembling all over and barely on his legs. Been traveling a while, I reckon, by the state of him.”

“Will he recover?” asked Robin.

“Possibly. Maybe not completely, though. That’s a nasty wound on his right fore and he is getting on a bit now.”

Robin’s face was pale. “Do your best,” he said. “You know how the Major loves that horse.”

As they left the horse lines and walked up toward the main building, Cal asked, “How did the horse get back without the Major?”

“Mandias is very special, one of only a few horses that can cross the Veils by himself,” said Robin. “It’s why he’s so prized as a stud. His full brother, Drum, can do it too, and I’m hoping my own colt, which was sired by Mandias, will show the same talent when he’s grown. But this has got me even more worried now. Sullyan wouldn’t have parted with him willingly, nor sent him back alone unless she had no other choice.”

Taran could feel the implications quivering in the air as he and Cal followed Robin in silence.

Once they entered the main building, they were met by Bull. He slapped Robin on the back and shook both Cal’s and Taran’s hands.

“You’ve done very well by all accounts,” he said as he accompanied them toward the General’s office. “I wouldn’t be surprised if there’s promotion in this for you, lad.”

Robin didn’t even smile. “There’s only one thing on my mind right now, Bull, and it isn’t promotion. If I can’t get Sullyan back, my career will mean less than nothing.”

Bull shook his head and left them at the General’s door. Robin knocked and, beckoning to Taran and Cal, entered when he heard the gruff reply.

The meeting, thought Taran, was stormy. Robin went into it with a huge burr under his saddle over Blaine’s refusal to free him to search for Sullyan. It seemed he wasn’t about to back down from his determination to leave as soon as the session was over.

It was clear to Taran that the General had guessed Robin’s intention. He was obviously expecting the Captain to be prickly. He didn’t, however, seem prepared for the depth of resentment the Captain expressed. Robin’s abrupt attitude, terse replies, and plain impatience with the procedure soon irritated the short-tempered General. Once the debriefing was over, he deliberately kept the young man at attention until Robin was forced to look him in the eyes.

His voice deceptively mild, Blaine said, “Do you have something else to say, Captain?”

Taran was pleased to note that Robin took a moment to think before replying. The responsibility of solo command must have matured him a little; the Robin they had known on arrival wouldn’t have hesitated to leap in with both feet.

“I believe there’s a more important task awaiting me than giving you details of the past campaign, sir,” he said, as respectfully as his resentment would allow. “Others could do that as well as I, and I can’t think why you’d want to delay me. The Major’s been officially missing for more than a week, sir, and we have reason to believe she’s in danger.”

Blaine’s face flushed and he rose from his chair. “Oh you do, do you? What reasons would they be, Captain? Dreams, vague feelings of disquiet? A horse returning alone? Hardly good military reasons for you to go haring off on some foolhardy rescue mission. Especially as we’re still on full alert following a major invasion.”

Color rose in Robin’s face, too, but he kept his temper in check.

“Aren’t you concerned by her lack of contact, sir? She’s never failed to report before. And yes, I do think that the abandonment of the invasion and the vague nature of the few contacts we’ve had from her are connected. When you consider the state of her horse and the fact that three of us in metaconcert could find no traces of her, I think it’s grave cause for concern. And that’s putting aside the debt you owe her for saving your life, sir.”

Taran thought this was going a little too far and it seemed the General thought so, too. His face flushed even deeper and he loomed over Robin.

“Beware, Captain. You’re walking a knife-edge with me after that duel. Not to mention all your other indiscretions over the past two years. I’ve already told you you’ve had your last chance. Left up to me, you’d have been transferred long ago. Any more of your insulting and insubordinate behavior and you’ll be up before a martial court.”

Taran could see that Robin had pushed the General about as far as he would go, yet the young man appeared unmoved. Taran got the impression he had prepared a strategy for this situation. He was proved right as Robin backed up a pace, executing a smart salute.

“Permission to lead a search party to the Fifth Realm, sir.”

Blaine’s eyes bulged. “Permission denied, Captain. Dismissed!”

Promptly, Robin produced a parchment from inside his jacket and held it out to Blaine. “Very well, General,” he said, “I have a letter resigning my position.”

Taran gasped; he hadn’t expected this. He watched Blaine closely to see what he would do.

The General stared at the letter but didn’t take it. Then he looked into Robin’s eyes and the color faded from his face. He folded his arms.

“Oh, for pity’s sake. Alright, Captain, you win. I don’t stand a chance, do I, when she commands such loyalty?”

Robin smiled as he tucked the letter back inside his jacket. “My primary loyalty might lie with the Major, sir, but I know for a fact that hers lies very firmly with you and the King.”

Blaine frowned. “I do know that, Captain. But it’s not quite the same thing, is it?”

He was silent for a while, regarding each of them in turn. His gaze settled on Taran. “I suppose your presence here means the two of you intend to go with this love-struck idiot?”

Relieved, Taran grinned. “Someone’s got to keep an eye on him, sir.”

“I wish you luck.” Blaine stared back at Robin. “Very well, Captain, you’re released from duty to search for the Major. But,” he added, as Robin made to leave, “I can’t send anyone with you and I’ll be expecting regular reports. Until I decide otherwise, you’re still under my command.”

Robin snapped a salute that Taran and Cal echoed. They left the General’s office and made for their own rooms.

Cal gave Taran a wide-eyed look before turning to Robin. “Were you trying to get thrown out? That was a huge risk you took.”

“Not really.” Smiling, Robin extracted his letter and handed it to Cal.

Taran looked over as Cal unfolded the parchment. It was blank.

Bull and Rienne were waiting for them in their suite. The healer and Cal shared an emotional embrace; they had neither seen nor spoken to each other for more than a week. When they finally parted, Taran caught Rienne’s eye and pointed to the pack resting on the floor by her feet.

“Have you packed us some extra supplies?”

“I’ll give you supplies,” said Rienne. Cal frowned at her and she placed her hands on her hips. “You didn’t think you were going off again without me, did you?”

Cal stared. “But you can’t come.” He turned to the others for support. “Can she?”

No one spoke.

“And just how are you going to stop me? I’m just as concerned as you are. Don’t forget, I’ve been receiving messages from the Major for a few days now, even if they did seem like dreams. And when she asked me if I’d work in the infirmary, she also asked me to consider myself attached to her command. That means I have to go with you, if there’s even the slightest chance she’s been hurt.”

“It’s more than a chance, I’m afraid,” murmured Robin, his face betraying his worry. “I can’t think of any other possibility for her silence. Rienne, I’d be very happy to have you along.”

Cal glared at him but knew he was out-maneuvered. Robin asked Bull to see to their horses, agreeing to meet him at the horse lines, while Taran led Cal into their quarters to pack.

An hour later they were riding along the same track they had followed the Major’s horse two weeks before. To Taran, it seemed like years ago. Robin was obviously remembering the day, too, as he was introspective and silent. Bull, clearly recognizing Robin’s pain and not wanting to intrude upon it, told Taran and Cal what would happen.

“We’ll start by heading for the mansion,” he said. “Maybe, once we’re physically through the Veils, Robin will be able to sense the Major. If so, we’ll follow his lead. If not, the mansion’s our only hope of picking up the trail. It’ll be interesting to see if Marik can throw any light on what’s happened. I thought it was odd at the time, but looking back, his behavior at that damned banquet seems even stranger now. He was definitely jittery about something.”