First Comes The One Who Wanders (12 page)

Joshuas smiled bitterly. Even after 600 seasons, he hadn't learned to be patient and let others decide. He often wondered how he could be a master crafter, not having learned that basic skill.

Daina's voice began to waver and Joshuas pulled himself up wearily and stepped behind her. He hadn't had much time to recover. Digging deep within himself, he placed his hands near Daina's temples and began his chant again. Joshuas didn't stop channeling energy until there wasn't enough left within him to maintain the connection between himself and the queen. Falling to his knees, he broke the connection, slumping the rest of the way to the floor. That was all he could do for Leilas. The rest was up to her.

~~~

Daina felt Brenth's strength begin to waiver for the second time and knew that she would have to be content with the extent of the warding they'd accomplished. Shifting her song slightly, she began the last of the warding. "Keep this child from the evils that surround her, help her find her way to the light." The words were simple. It was the faith in them that made them strong. It was her faith and Brenth's that would keep Leilas safe until they reached Menas and Deidra. Then it would be up to Leilas to let Deidra guide her back to the light.

Opening her eyes, Daina was barely in time to catch Brenth as he slumped forward in exhaustion. Finding the food that Joshuas had laid out near them, Daina handed a good portion to her son and then began eating her own. When she'd quickly devoured two biscuits of the hard tack and a good portion of jerky, she turned her attention to Joshuas. Laying her ear next to his heart, she assured herself he was still among the living. Then she laid her hand across his forehead and began to hum. A few moments later, she nodded approval and sat down next to Brenth.

"I told him she would make it to Menas," said Brenth around a mouthful of biscuit.

"She's strong. The evil won't kill her. But I can't be sure what it will do to her. I'm not sure I could stand it if she was lost." Tears came to Daina's eyes. "I've already lost so many of my children. I'm not ready to lose her, –or you."

Brenth reached over and hugged his mother. "She'll be okay. I know she will. She's too stubborn not to heal."

"She's not as strong as everyone seems to think. She has endured far more than she should have at this point in her young life. Now that everyone believes she is the Chidra they'll push her even harder. I'm not certain she is ready to face that challenge."

Brenth looked in the direction of Joshuas. "He's certainly expecting a lot of her."

"Don't judge Joshuas too harshly. He's had his fair share of trials, too."

"I don't judge him any more harshly than he's judged my sister."

The queen returned her son's hug. "You may change your opinion in time. I think eventually, you'll even come to like our crafter friend."

"So far, Leilas is the only crafter I've even come close to liking. And half the time, even she makes me crazy."

"They are certainly different," agreed Daina with a smile, then it faded as her thoughts inevitably turned to Peran.

She could remember the day he rode into Menas with Joshuas as if it were yesterday, tall, blonde, and proud on his battle stallion. She couldn't take her eyes off him. She had been seriously considering Yakob, her father's choice for a husband, but all thoughts of tying herself to him disappeared in the short span it took Peran and Joshuas to ride the length of the street and turn the corner out of sight. She knew in that moment that only this man riding through her town would be right for her.

As luck would have it, Peran and Joshuas had come to consult her father and her father invited them to stay in their dwellings. While Joshuas and her father discussed the unrest that was swirling around Menas, she and Peran wandered the hills, gathered herbs, and talked of love.

There'd never been any doubt on either side. Even though she was Menas and he was crafter. These types of alliances had taken place before. Her only regret had been that she'd never be able to bear him children, since crafters couldn’t have children of their own. But like Joshuas, they could have found children who needed a home and taken them as their own.

The war had intruded on them before they were able to marry. As it came closer, Peran had become increasingly eager to go and join the crafter forces that were fighting near Menas. He'd insisted that they wait to marry until the war was over. He’d wanted to have honored himself in battle before they married so she could be proud of him.

She didn't need battle honors to be proud of him and she hadn't wanted to wait, but he wouldn’t hear her. He went and she had to content herself to wait. She hadn't been able to bring herself to look into his future. She wasn't sure she could bear to see what was there. Instead, she'd entreated Joshuas to go with her lover and protect him.

Joshuas had tried. She knew that now. There was only so much a father and crafter could do to control a son who was intent on getting himself killed. When all was said and done –many, many seasons later–she'd been able to accept that Peran hadn't loved her enough to give up the glory and excitement of war.

Menas were quite different from crafters in that regard. Where crafters seemed to crave excitement and wanted to solve every problem by proving they were right, the people of Menas sought after peace, sometimes at any cost. Her marriage to Leyhan was proof of that. Her father was willing to sacrifice her to keep peace. Unfortunately, he wasn't dealing with Menas. He was dealing with a human, an evil human who had no qualms of taking what was dear to her father and then betraying him.

Any chance she'd had for happiness –for love– had died with Peran. She had accepted the fate her father had decreed for her with a calm fatalism. It wasn't until she'd seen Joshuas again in Dirth that her apathy had started to crack. It wasn't until she'd realized that she was putting the only two people left in the world who meant anything to her in danger that she'd been able to break the chains she'd wrapped around herself after Peran's death.

For the first time in thirty seasons, she was free, and as always, that freedom seemed to come at too dear a price. This time it was her daughter.

Leilas stirred restlessly within the circle. Daina pulled herself wearily to her feet and headed for the horses. "We need to be on our way. The sooner we reach Menas, the better."

Brenth groaned and stumbled to his feet. "We do make it to Menas," he said as he reached for a saddle.

"But when, Chodia, that is the question."

"Maybe someday I'll be good enough to answer those kinds of questions."

"I have no doubt you'll be one of the best seers of your day."

Brenth blushed as he threw a saddle onto the closest mount and Daina smiled. Sometimes, her son did act like the man–child he was, instead of the seer he was destined to be. She'd been training him since she'd realized how strong the gift was in him. Menas would be good for him. Other Menas –gifted in areas she wasn't– would have more to offer him. He'd learned almost everything she could teach him.

Leaving Brenth to finish with the horses, Daina stepped over to Joshuas and shook him gently. "Father Joshuas, are you awake?"

The old crafter opened his eyes, "I never thought I'd hear those words from you again."

"I've always thought of you that way. I always will."

"I'm so sorry about Peran," whispered Joshuas. "I should've done more, forbidden him from going into the battle." Joshuas reached up and touched Daina's cheek. "I should've brought him home to you."

"Peran made his own choices. Aren't crafters always the ones saying it has to be that way?"

"Sure throw our beliefs in my face, now." Joshuas raised himself up to a sitting position. "We should be going."

"Yes. Brenth is almost done preparing the horses. I'll need your help in getting Leilas onto a horse."

"She can ride with me. That way we don't have to worry about her falling off and I can keep my eye on her."

"I was going to suggest that, if you were strong enough to get on a horse yourself."

"Not only do you throw my beliefs up in my face, now you’re making comments about my age."

"I'd never make any comments about your age old man, especially now that I look old enough to be your mother."

"Not to me. To me, you're a young girl watching me and my son ride into town, always."

"I didn't think you'd noticed." Daina blushed. "Was I so obvious?"

"Peran must have been three inches taller in his saddle all the way down the street."

Daina smiled. "Can you stand up?"

"Barely." Joshuas stood and took a deep breath. "Let's hope today's trip is uneventful. I'm not going to be much protection today."

"Then we'll have to make sure nothing eventful happens. There are ways through the forest that are relatively safe. But they take longer."

"Maybe Leilas was correct when she said Jayram wouldn't send anyone else after us until he'd returned to the forest. If she was, then all we'll have to worry about will be rogues and wild animals."

"If she said it, I'm sure it's so. She's very rarely wrong." Daina stepped into the circle, "which can be a blessing and a curse. Come help me."

Leilas stirred slightly in his arms as Joshuas lifted her from the circle and carried her to the horse Brenth was holding. The horses were saddled and ready for the journey. Brenth had been busy, despite his obvious fatigue.

They were a fine group, thought Joshuas, as he draped Leilas ungraciously across the saddle and climbed up after her. Three of them were exhausted and one was unconscious. Wrapping his arms around Leilas' lithe form, he pulled her upright against his chest and pulled her leg across the saddle. Brenth handed him the reins and slowly mounted his horse. Daina led the way out of the cave, Joshuas rode in the middle and Brenth brought up the rear, leading Leilas' horse. It had been a long time since Joshuas had allowed anyone to protect him, much less a woman and a boy. He wrapped his arms around Leilas tighter. But then, it had been a very long time since he'd been responsible for such valuable cargo.

He couldn't help but wonder what Greyan would have to say if he knew what his apprentice was up to these days. Joshuas shrugged off the momentary feeling of inadequacy. Greyan had never had a very high opinion of him. Or if he did, he'd never mentioned it. He would probably have had a lot to say about how he'd handled this situation so far, nothing good, but a lot to say.

There were many crafters who rued the day that Greyan lost power and disappeared. But he hadn't been one of them. He'd begun to doubt his Master's sanity and his motives, long before he gave away the Book of Foresight to the dark crafters and long before he'd stripped the crafters of their authority over humans.

It didn't matter, at this point, what he'd thought at the time. Over five hundred seasons had passed and over one hundred generations of humans had struggled, warred and ruled over Preterlandis. Some good men had made their way to power. But for the most part, the men who'd won the right to rule had been cruel and evil dictators. For the most part, it had been five centuries of war. The reason why Greyan thought allowing evil men to rule was better than having a good and just crafter as king went beyond his understanding.

"Where am I?" asked Leilas, as she struggled in his arms to sit upright.

"You're safe," replied Joshuas, letting her move, but keeping a loose hold on her.

"So you say." Leilas cranked her head around to take a good look at him. "Who are you, anyway?"

"I'm a friend." Joshuas wasn't going to waste his time explaining their situation to her. She was in the throes of the poison now. Even if he took the trouble to explain, in an hour she would have forgotten and he would have to explain it again.

"It's lucky you're wearing a clasp from the School of Sky or I might not believe you. Where are we going?"

"We're heading toward Menas."

"My mother is from Menas. She's a Queen." Leilas nodded smugly.

"Then that would make you a princess, and a very beautiful one at that." She would forget the compliments, too.

"No. I'm just a crafter." Leilas leaned back closer to him and whispered, "and not a very good one, either. Just ask Master Joshuas. He'll tell you all my shortcomings."

"He doesn't sound like a very nice man."

"I don't know. I just met him. But I think he's nice. I can feel the goodness in him. Why are we going to Menas? It's a shame my mother couldn't come with us. She hasn't been able to visit her homeland in almost thirty seasons."

"She's right in front of us. Can't you see her?" Leilas turned her head to look forward. "So she is." She leaned back against Joshuas' chest. "It's nice we could take this trip. Are you a guard? My father doesn't usually let us roam this far from home without someone watching over us."

"I'm watching over you."

"Good."

With that, Leilas closed her eyes and drifted back into sleep. Tightening his hold, Joshuas settled in for the long morning in the saddle until they stopped for lunch.

Daina had abandoned the main trail through the mountains, opting instead for a much less traveled path. It was slower moving through the undergrowth that was encroaching on the trail, but Joshuas knew, as Daina did, that it would be safer to take the path less traveled. They'd be far less likely to encounter stray traffic and less likely to have to come up with an excuse for why they were traveling or worse, fight. It would take them a day longer to reach their destination this way, but they'd be more likely to get there in one piece. Brenth's assurance that they would reach Menas has eased Joshuas' mind a great deal. He knew Menas. If one of them with the gift said something would happen, it happened, perhaps not always as they interpreted it, but it happened.