Forest & Kingdom Balance (25 page)

John had no response. He understood, but that did
not ease his concern.

“Excellent!”
The Caretaker
shared his pride for John.
“If you had overruled
your own opinion and accepted my word simply because I said so, I
would have proved a very poor teacher. Give it some thought and
we’ll discuss it again. For now however, we’re going to switch
tasks. I will take over with the Red Knight and see if I can slow
down his discovery process. You will come to Spirit’s Vale and take
over with Dionara.”

“Me? She needs you, what can I
teach her?”
John was taken off guard.

“Teach? No, that step is complete,
now she needs to use what she’s learned. You young man will be her
target, so you had better be sharp.”
The Caretaker’s
laughter filled John.
“This morning she told me
to get out, and stay out of her mind. She then shut me out so
completely I couldn’t sense her location. Then awhile later she
announced herself and made me aware that she had been browsing my
memories. Now it is your turn.”

John found that he needed to sit down again.

III

“You see, just as we agreed. The
Red Knight and his party should be here in about two weeks.”
Catherine giggled,
“I’m sorry about the timing, I
had no control over that. Please continue.”

Yamikura’s consciousness snapped back from
Catherine’s communication to the Red Knight as quickly as he had
joined it. He found himself once more naked next to a bucket in the
cool morning shade of the mountains with a bar of soap in one hand
and a washcloth in the other. He sighed, then dipped the cloth in
the bucket and wiped the soap from his face. “No control?
Really?”

“Good question. Are all our
actions in life predetermined? What is the roll of free
will?”
Her contemplative tone could not mask her playful
enjoyment.

“A discussion I’m very familiar with, however that
wasn’t exactly what I meant. Well, as long as you’ve decided to
visit, can you scrub by back?” He tilted his head to the side with
a blank expression on his face in hopes that she got the hint.

“Of course! Hang on a
moment.”
Her awareness withdrew.

Yamikura shook his head and went back to his task. A
few moments later a rustle came from behind him, he looked to see
his horse walk up and whinny.

“Just put the cloth in his teeth,
he says he’ll be gentle.”
Catherine overflowed with
mischievous delight.

He stroked his horse’s muzzle. “That’s very nice of
you but I think I’ll be fine.” He said to the horse, and then sent
him off toward the valley.

His thoughts returned to Catherine. “The usual
time?”

“I’ll be there.”
Her
presence receded while her laughter lingered in his thoughts.

Yamikura suddenly shuttered, although he couldn’t
decide if it was due to the cold air, or the Red Knight’s
threat.

By mid-morning his routine was complete, and after
several days of rain, it was a nice change to be outside. He still
had a bit of cabin fever and set out on a walk around the valley.
The road cut a swath along the side at a higher level than the
valley floor. He could see why, with all the rain the little stream
that ran down the center was swollen with run off.

“May I join you?”
The soft
caress of Catherine’s voice joined his thoughts.

He still hadn’t gotten used to the wonderful sense
of joy and comfort that ran through his entire body when her mind
first joins his, and he hoped he never would. “Please. Do you mind
if we walk?” He looked at the flooded stream. “I had hoped to catch
some supper, but the current is a little swift today.”

“We’ll check on the way back,
between the two of us I think we can get you something to put on
the spit.”
A fish jumped onto the side of the streambed near
him, then flailed until it was back in the water.
“Plenty of fish in the stream. We’ll get them
later.”

He grinned as he watched the fish. “I know that I’ve
asked this before but, who are you? One moment you’re as playful as
a ten year old, the next you show me powers I still find hard to
grasp. Until I sailed to this land, I had lived a life where
violent death, battle, and hardship were the norm. That is life,
the reality of which is accepted with the same certainty as the
weather. Then I arrive here.

“First I find a kingdom that hasn’t seen war in
hundreds of years. A people and especially their rulers, so naïve
and unskilled in statecraft that if they were on the other
continent, everything they have would be taken by the first minor
kingdom who decided they wanted it.” Yamikura let Catherine absorb
his dilemma.

“It was not always like
that.”
Catherine’s thought held a profound sorrow.
“The Mindow were a great nation. It took the
combined effort of both north and south with Red Knight’s armada to
dim their light, and the Red Knight’s victory was both difficult
and incomplete. The Mindow knew your life’s reality as well as you.
They both prepared for it and chose not to accept it. They valued
peace, creativity, and the individual’s journey to find a deeper,
more meaningful life.”

Yamikura felt her sadness. “There are still a few,
scholars mostly, who would know the name Mindow. The tales of their
strength and cunning in battle were matched by their reputation for
achievements in art and knowledge. That was a very long time ago.
When so many of them sailed away to the new lands, the kingdom that
remained diminished and was lost.”

Catherine returned to his dilemma
“I understand how you view the coastal kingdom. Would it
surprise you to learn that I’ve experienced life on the other
continent? It was part of my training. My gift does not extend
beyond the seacoast, but another who new that I needed to
understand the life that you described took my presence to the Far
Lands. I agree with your appraisal, the peoples of the coast have
stagnated. It is unfortunate, especially for the Mindow who’s flame
still burns bright, but not as bright as when they were
free.

“My responsibility however, is not
to the coast, it is to the people here in the mountains. A promise
of sanctuary was given to them and it is my task to keep that
promise.”

He approached his next question carefully. “Is it
within our agreement for me to ask who it was that brought you to
my land?”

“Yes, it is time you
understood.”
Catherine had worried and planned for this
moment, and when it came, she discarded all her preconceptions
without a care. She knew precisely how to proceed. She simply spoke
from her heart.
“At the dawn of life, eons before
humanity had taken its first steps, there was an observer, a
student of life.”
She began.

They walked together the rest of the day and into
the evening.

IV

“Incredible.” Kalibra had repeated that word several
times an hour for most of the day.

The Red Knight, who rode in front of her, turned in
his saddle with a wry expression. “Yes I believe we have
established that the trail is cunningly made and well hidden, it is
in fact incredible. Perhaps you could try ‘unbelievable’ just for a
little variety.”

Behind Kalibra, Ular kept his face as blank as
possible. After all, there were eleven Crimson Guardsmen, he was
sure that she could kill at least three before the Knight would say
anything to her about it. At this point he wasn’t about to let an
inappropriate laugh make him the first. He looked behind to check
on the young slaves. He had tied leads from their mounts to his
saddle so that if they fell off, he’d at least have the horses.

Simon watched Atheria as she rode in front of him,
she seemed much more relaxed than she did when they started.
“Sparkles, is everything all right?” His attempt at a whisper
didn’t work out as he had hoped, Atheria, Ular, and Kalibra all
turned in response. Atheria smiled and nodded, then raised her
eyebrows in an expression that roughly translated to ‘not now,
you’ll get us in trouble.’

Wayden, the first of the remaining nine Crimson
Guardsmen in a line behind Simon, wondered why the Red Knight
hadn’t also turned in response.
“Probably because
no one has ever called him ‘Sparkles.’”
He concluded.

Deminar was beside himself as he watched the fifteen
horses and riders snake along in front of him.
“He, the High Councilor by office and the man who by all
rights should be king, delegated to the back!”
The two
Mindow scum were another matter. Sooner or later the Knight would
tire of his pets. Once they were his, he’d let his men have a
little practice. Those two will learn what happens to a slave that
doesn’t know its place. Behind him were the ten men that completed
their company, each leading a packhorse. He smiled. They were his
men, the best trained and most ruthless killers this land has ever
bred.
“He thinks of them as laborers with swords
that he can toss to the wolves while his men get into position.
We’ll see, he may be immortal, but no one else is.”

“Joshua!” The Red Knight called to his lieutenant in
the lead, “What’s ahead?”

The Guard turned. “Sire, there is a clearing about
two hours on. It has a good water supply and a pasture for the
horses to graze. The trail stays hidden for a few days in, so we’ll
need to be single file until it opens up farther on. We’ll be able
to make camp tonight well before we loose the light Sire.”

Several hours later and far into the foothills, the
orange glow of sunset painted the rolling hills that stretched out
below them and back to the sea. The mountains beamed in the waning
light as they towered behind the camp, a wall too vast to
comprehend. A quick trail meal and the company settled in for the
night. Deminar chose to camp his men separately at the far side of
the clearing. The Red Knight called his lieutenant to the tent.

“Joshua, I do not believe we are in danger of a
raiding party, at least not until after we reach the way station.
Your primary threats for this leg are twofold, our supplies and
Deminar. Place all the supplies in the center of the camp and have
the Guard bed down around them. The horses are at risk so be
vigilant. I want two Guard on the perimeter and two with the
supplies at all times.” The Knight paused to consider the more
immediate threat.

“Have Deminar’s men do whatever labor needs to be
done, if they complain, remind them that they are not burdened with
guard duty. Use the slaves to help as needed but only with the
Guard, Deminar and his men are not allowed near them. I didn’t
invest this much time in them to have their throats slit before
they become useful.” Then added, “Send Kalibra in. You’re
dismissed.”

“Yes Sire.” Joshua left the tent and called the
Guard together for assignments.

Kalibra entered the tent, barely gave the Knight a
nod, and searched until she found what she needed, a pillow. She
placed it on the camp chair and sat down gingerly. After a heart
felt sigh, she turned to her lord, “How did you find this trail, I
couldn’t see it and I was riding on it.”

“We were given it.” The Red Knight described to her
his exchange with the unknown woman.

Kalibra was skeptical. “It must be a trick, someone
bribed Joshua and told him the route while he was scouting
Yamikura’s trail. There will be an ambush shortly, maybe even
tonight. Would you like me to talk to Joshua, it wouldn’t take
long.” Her smile even gave him pause.

“It may be some kind of trick, but nothing that
straight forward. So leave Joshua alone, he’s loyal. I still
believe the Mindow are the key. I’ve given some thought on how to
proceed, bring them in.”

Kalibra thought about taking the pillow as she got
up to leave, today reminded her that she hadn’t spent a full day on
a horse for almost a year. She returned with the slaves a few
moments later. “Just bow your head and do as he says.” She told the
pair as they entered the tent, then took two pillows and left.

The Knight had Atheria and Simon sit in front of his
chair. “Close your eyes and relax.” He instructed. Then looked at
them,
“What do I see? Teenagers, slaves, dancers,
yes but what else?”
He knew that they had strong, bright
flames. He wondered how he knew that, and realized that he come to
depend on instinct alone for his judgment. “Open your eyes!” He
ordered forcefully.

He looked into Atheria’s eyes, his will determined
to find the answers he sought at any cost. Suddenly he felt fear
like an intense flame that seared his flesh and froze him in place.
He saw that fear in her eyes, but he also felt it. It was her
fear.

“Atheria!” Simon yelled as she fell over
unconscious, “Please Master may I help her?”

“Yes.” The Red Knight rose and left the tent.
“Joshua!” The lieutenant came immediately. “See to the slave girl,
she’s in my tent,” with that the Knight walked off into the dark.
It had been ages of the world since he had felt fear like that, it
disturbed him in ways he could not understand.

Atheria awoke several times that night, her screams
muted in Simon’s shoulder. He did not sleep, just held her in his
arms and sang to her softly.

V

Tre and Raphael had camped on the road just before
it sloped down to the Kingdom. Tre made sure they were up before
dawn so Raphael could see sunrise as it moved across the valley.
The weather did not disappoint. Raphael was mesmerized. Then he saw
something that took his breath away. He watched as the border of
light and shadow move across the Kingdom and suddenly a great
beacon shown. The white marble castle sparkled like a jewel on
green velvet. He had no words; he didn’t think there were any that
could describe what he saw.