Back From Chaos (14 page)

Marja had learned from Gaelen that he and Argost deemed Mikost trustworthy and well enough recovered for a position in the stables again. His more important duty would be to bring to Argost all he learned from people coming and going.

Marja saw the efficiency and sound judgment with which Argost took charge and felt a growing gratitude for Gaelen’s choice of governor. Catania could depend on steady, fair-minded leadership. It made leaving easier.

She let her gaze roam further out.

The city of Catania itself was the oldest on the One Isle, smaller than those built later and more densely packed inside its protecting wall. Unlike other cities, which tended to form a square grid of streets, Catania City lay in the shape of a spoked wheel, with one narrow street forming a circle midway from the centre hub, intersecting the spokes, and another most of the way out, close to the wall. Some shops and the homes of wealthier merchants and guildsmen nestled close to the castle. Most of these homes had their own walled yard, the front of which framed the entrance to the house. Inside the walls, in rear courtyards, owners grew small gardens; herbs, some vegetables and flowers and usually a tree for shade if the yard had enough space. Here and there, close to homes and shops, where fire had not done too much damage, new spring green peeked out amid the spaces between the stones and in beds around buildings. Trees showed the first haze of pale green, full of promise. What did the gardens in Bargia look like, Marja wondered?

Further from the central area the buildings became smaller and poorer, as befitted the status and wealth of their inhabitants. Areas on the outskirts intermittently showed swaths blackened by fire and larger areas that remained untouched, indicated where fighting had been lighter. Marja saw again, with pride, the resilience and strength of her people. So much had been done in such a short time. Everywhere, people worked on repairs and cleanup. Even young children helped where they could, carrying wood, fetching tools and holding pieces of oiled leather in place while parents nailed them over windows. Most wore soot and grime as testimony to their labours. She watched a moment as a father directed his young son.

“
That is right, Visk. Hold it even at the top so I can drive in the pegs. Good.” He withdrew his hands from the new window covering. “See how straight it hangs? Now hold this one for me. Then we will work on the door.” Visk beamed at his father’s praise, chest out, full of self-importance.

Marja noted that the armed troops had evolved into a cooperative unit with the people. They showed none of the bristling arrogance of conquerors. Instead, many could be seen working alongside citizens, especially in areas where repairs required strong bodies. It appeared Gaelen’s strategy was bearing fruit.

Just as Gaelen lifted his hand to give the order to ride, Marja spied Cook running out. She tearfully pressed a cloth bundle into Marja’s hands. The honey cakes were still warm.

“
Oh, lady, we will miss you. Please stay safe.”

Marja throat closed with emotion, and she squeezed Cook’s hands in silent farewell. She would miss Cook most of all. Then, as stubborn tears forced silent tracks down her cheeks, she turned resolutely away and followed Gaelen out the gate.

As they rode out, many citizens stopped to watch, hand on chest in obeisance, or hat in front, faces solemn.

Marja looked over their retinue. Gaelen had explained he would take only twenty soldiers with him. The group also included Klast and two other spies, to serve as eyes and ears, and as bodyguards for Gaelen and the two women.

Marja and Brensa both rode well-mannered mares. Marja sat her own beloved Keisha, a dappled grey, and Brensa, her small pied. Only one narrow wagon, pulled by a sturdy gelding, accompanied the party. All their food supplies, two small tents and the women’s meagre belongings rode on its narrow bed between two waist-high side planks. The forest trails were too tight for anything wider. No space for gowns. But, thought Marja with some sadness, those had been destroyed or burned anyway.

Marja agreed with Gaelen’s choice of Northgate to leave by. It was the largest and gave the clearest view all the way from the square, allowing as many as possible to watch them leave. It also gave the widest access to the route they would take to Bargia, although not the most direct. Gaelen had deemed it important that people see him riding out in state, a symbol of his status as their new lord. It also provided an opportunity for Catanians to see the respect Marja received as his lady. A double message. So, hoping no one could see her tears, Marja held her head erect and her shoulders back. She waved at the people she passed. Would she ever see any of them again? She tried without success to swallow the lump in her throat.

~ 26 ~

AWAY

In the distant past, the walled city of Catania had lain closer to the centre of the demesne, but previous invasions had wrested much of the area to the south away. Now it lay only a short distance from the southern border. Northgate retained its status as official entry to the city even though it faced away from the direction of most incoming traffic. It opened onto the widest road and continued north only a short distance before it curved sharply to the east and forked to the south.

The interior consisted of mostly low rolling hills ideal for growing crops and grazing sheep or cattle. As far as the eye could see, small steadings raised plumes of smoke from hearth fires. Here and there, orchards showed branches blushing with the promise of spring green.

The party took the southern fork in the direction of Bargia. Within only a span, the edge of the forest in which the Bargians had hidden the night before the invasion came into view. The road narrowed as it entered between the trees. The sun had grown hot as they had ridden out, so they welcomed the relative coolness of the forest canopy over their heads, even though the trees had not yet leafed out. Once within the woods, Marja could no longer keep her home in sight.

The trees at the edge consisted mostly of oak, sycamore and beech. As they progressed further, these gave way to tall conifers, whose needles muffled the sounds of the horses’ hooves and swallowed the creak of the wagon. This had an almost hypnotic effect on the riders, and they conducted the little conversation that was necessary in soft murmurs. Both Marja and Brensa drank in as much of the scenery as they could store in their memories, against the times of homesickness ahead.

Marja noticed that only Gaelen and the three spies remained completely alert, not allowing the peace of the forest to lull them into inattention. Gaelen had told her that ambush was not only possible but expected. He had sent scouts ahead to check for sites where the party might be vulnerable, and they reported back with two likely locations. The largest and least defensible lay a day’s ride ahead. Another lay close to the border of Bargia four days ride hence. The scouts gave detailed descriptions of the land and its features. Marja listened intently while Gaelen briefed his men and admired the ease with which he took command. He is a natural leader, she thought.

Marja had spied Klast before they left Catania and tried to keep track of where he was, as she still did not trust him in spite of Gaelen’s assurances. But Klast blended so well, she could not keep him in sight. Often, he took off ahead, disappearing into the forest, only to show up, ghost-like, beside or behind them. At Gaelen’s orders, one of the two remaining bodyguards stayed close to the women at all times. The women rode in the centre of the party. Gaelen told her he was taking no chances with their safety.

Both women were accomplished riders, so they made good progress.

They stopped at noon a short way into the forest for a quick meal of bread, meat, cheese, and ale, stretched their legs and remounted. By early evening the forest thinned out again to deciduous trees and scrub, which eventually opened into a large clearing by the bank of a shallow river. They set up camp there and erected the two tents near the central fire, the larger for Gaelen and Marja and the smaller next to it for Brensa. Some discussion ensued as to whether Brensa should share Marja’s tent, rather than Gaelen, but Gaelen decided that Marja would be safer if it were known she was with him. Brensa made a less likely target. Marja heard some of the men snicker about that decision and make some off-colour jokes, which Gaelen bore with good humour.

The remaining men unrolled their blankets in a protective circle around the tents. They hobbled the horses nearby and set two guards to watch them. Two other soldiers stayed awake in shifts to guard the camp. Each shift included one of the spies. Marja noticed that Klast took first shift, positioning himself close to the tents. This made Marja uncomfortable, though she held her peace.

The camp fire made a hot meal possible. Marja felt a pang of homesickness when she discovered that Cook had sent a large pot of stew along, which everyone wolfed down along with the last of the fresh bread. Their next dinners would be poorer fare made from dried meats, beans and root vegetables. Journey bread, gruel, hard cheese and jerked meat would have to do for the rest of their meals until they reached Bargia.

This journey was not a processional or a progress. Gaelen had told her he wished to complete it unannounced and as swiftly as possible. The sooner they reached Bargia, the less opportunity for ambush. He had driven them hard today. By the time they made camp, even the hardened soldiers were looking forward to their blankets.

Both Marja and Brensa, unaccustomed to such long periods on horseback, were saddle sore and needed assistance to dismount. They had to pace about for several moments to loosen tight muscles. Brensa dutifully tried to give Marja her arm, but Marja shrugged her off with a laugh. “That is like the legless leading the lame. You can walk no better than I.”

Marja felt awkward about the tent arrangement. Not only was she unaccustomed to sleeping in close proximity to others, but the fact that those others were Gaelen’s men, and they would know she was sleeping with him, made her intensely uncomfortable. She sincerely hoped Gaelen would not expect anything, because the men would be sure to hear and know. She shuddered to think what the looks and comments would be next morning. Even though Gaelen made her feel safe, and she understood his reasoning, she would have preferred to share her tent with Brensa, and hang the danger.

The second day they made camp by late afternoon. With no one ready to bed down yet, after dinner they sat around the campfire sharing stories and jokes. To Marja’s delight, one of the men pulled out a small wooden flute and played a sprightly tune, his heel keeping the beat on the ground. Then he accompanied another, who sang a heroic ballad in a fair tenor. Each successive song grew bawdier than the last. And, Marja noted with a smile, more off-key, as the ale flowed to wet parched throats. But she noticed that in spite of the merriment, the guards who were scheduled for the next watch stopped drinking well before they were due to work. And Klast drank only water.

After the third song Marja piped up, “Brensa will sing for us. She has a sweet voice.” She looked at Brensa, who agreed shyly. She performed a melancholy hero’s tale with many verses. At each chorus Marja chimed in with the harmony. When the last note faded away, the rapt men sat in silence for a moment, then broke into loud applause, with great huzzahs and much stomping of feet. By then the moon rode high, and Gaelen ordered the party to break for the night.

Once again, Marja watched Klast take the first shift. She knew he would be awake before first light as well. Did the man ever sleep? He was like a ghost.

~ 27 ~

AMBUSH

The first three nights passed without mishap. As the other men relaxed more with each uneventful day, and talked excitedly about getting home, Klast became more restive and spent more time scouting. Gaelen seemed to find this contagious and grew wary as they approached the last camp area.

Klast had private orders from Gaelen that, in the event of an attack, his first duty was to see to Marja’s safety. Klast knew the men would protect Gaelen, but he agreed they would not be so careful of Marja. He understood how important her role was to the future of Bargia and a united Catania, and knew Gaelen relied on him not to be swayed from his orders in the event that Gaelen found himself in danger.

Klast observed Marja trying unsuccessfully to soothe Gaelen’s unrest. Eventually, she gave up and stayed close to Brensa, who chatted animatedly with her. His respect for Marja, and even Brensa, grew as neither woman complained throughout the journey. They remained cheerful and cooperative.

Their final encampment lay just south of the forest where it had thinned again to scrub. To the rear rose the woods they had just traversed, its dark pines rising high up a steep slope, the brighter new green of the oaks further down.

Progress had been slow that day. They descended carefully down a narrow gorge covered with loose rocks that could turn an ankle or disable a horse. They had to make this part of the journey on foot, as it was not safe to ride, and led the horses by hand until the forest floor levelled enough for the party to remount.

At the top, the trail had been only a short distance from a deep ravine. Klast heard the rush of water in spots but could not see it. The path ran several paces inside, so the view was blocked by a thin layer of trees. Rumour held that caves existed above, which bandits used to hide in and to cache their booty until it was safe to retrieve it. Klast knew those rumours were true. He mentioned it to Gaelen. They both stayed alert for ambush.

Where the ground levelled off enough to make camp the river widened to a cold current. It provided welcome fresh water for both men and horses. Unfortunately, it lay too far away to provide protection from attack. Yet, the ground was too uneven to camp closer. The other two sides had no cover, and only the north side had trees at its back. The trees made Klast uneasy, as they provided good cover for potential enemies. At Klast’s suggestion, Gaelen doubled the guard that night.