Into The Ruins (49 page)

Ensay barked a quick order, and one of the Casters hurried over with the bands.  These were clamped into place and locked solidly with magic.  Only then did Ensay relax somewhat.

“Perhaps he can help some of the others?” Ardra asked.  “There are many who might still die from normal wounds.  Based on what we have just seen, he could save them.”

“We are done here,” Ensay said.  “We are going back to Nals immediately.  Your actions will be reported to the Saltique,” she said, looking directly at Ardra.

“You must allow this man to help the wounded,” Kall insisted.  Like the others, he would not have believed such a thing possible.

“You may stay if you wish, but I have already explained that orders in this instance come from the Saltique, not the Crown.”  Then she turned, raised her staff, and opened a large
Doorway
that Rigo knew would take them back to the capital.  There was no choice but to follow. 

The Leap of Faith ceremony was held in the nearby mountains at a location that was nominally almost a glass away.  Today, the ride in the covered carriage was taking longer, but that was because of the number of carriages making the same trip.  Clearly, this was an event that would be well attended, and not just by the average citizen.  Members of virtually all of the Hundred Families would be in attendance, even those who had to travel a long distance because they didn’t normally reside in Nals.  A certain number had more than a casual interest in the day’s proceedings, as one of their number would be among those testing their mettle against the fearsome heights.

Rigo and Mitty rode in the first of the two carriages provided by the Queen for this event.  Riding just behind them in the rear seat was their Guild Caster. Today that was Specialist Juli, who had made no secret that she was getting tired of the constant need to be a nursemaid to the prisoners.  Rigo was glad the approach chosen by the Saltique was wearing on her senior people.  In the carriage immediately behind his rode Ash’urn and Lady Alani and the unwelcome minder, Specialist Ensay.  Behind their carriage was a Guild supplied wagon in which a half dozen of the Guild’s special guards traveled.

Lorl was not in attendance today.  He had elected to stay back at the cottage where he could relax, sleep in, and generally make matters more complicated for the Guild.  Rigo realized the last point was what drove Lorl’s decision.  In part he didn’t wish to spend the day watching Rigo chatting with Mitty, something he couldn’t do himself.  Mostly by staying behind at the cottage, he forced the Guild to come up with an additional complement of soldiers, and place yet another of the Saltique’s Specialists on duty, or at least on immediate call.  By being separated, the normal complement couldn’t keep an eye on him and his two friends at the same time.  Since demonstrating beyond question to the two Specialists that had been present in Fernwah the magical ability he could command, he had reaffirmed that his magic was an inherent ability, which made many of the Casters nervous.  His ability with healing had also made him somewhat of a legend, and the tale of what he had been able to do had spread throughout the Guild, and to a lesser degree the city of Nals itself, despite efforts by the Saltique to contain the information.  Lorl was enjoying the discomfort he had caused the damnable woman.

Finally the ceremonial grounds came into view.  There was no doubt they had arrived based on the number of carriages parked alongside the rode in a special cordoned off area on the left side of the roadway.  On the right-hand side was a less formal area where hundreds of horses stood waiting, their reins lashed to long ropes tied between trees in order to keep the animals in place. 

Rigo could see why none of those coming to witness were elderly.  After helping a smiling Mitty out of the carriage, he followed the brightly marked ribbons that directed them to the climb up the backside of the mountain.  The climb was not long, but it was sufficiently steep that anyone not in shape was going to have a time of it.  While it was early in the day, the sky was clear and the sun already hot.

Mitty’s brown eyes sparkled under her almost white eyebrows as they started up the trail.  Unlike many of the celebrants, she wasn’t dressed in formal outing attire, but wore much more simple clothing more suited to climbing the hill.  She looked particularly attractive today, her youthful exuberance accenting her feminine appeal.  She walked with the assured step of an experienced hiker, and by the time they reached the top she wasn’t even breathing hard.  Specialist Juli hadn’t fared quite so well, and she was red-faced and sweating as they crested the hill, the steep drop off to the valley far below a short distance ahead.  The drop on the testing side was far greater than the height they had climbed, so the valley seen below was much lower than the meadow on this side.

“Why don’t they simply create a
Doorway
from below up to the top and lock it open?” Rigo asked, wondering if they knew how to do that.

“That’s probably how the Guild members would get up here if no one else was around, but they want the height to make an impression on everyone, so they make it necessary to climb up,” she replied.  “This whole thing is simple foolishness anyway.  It’s something they learned early on that they could use to manipulate people, and have built into an almost mystical part of the selection process.”  Mitty wasn’t one to hold her criticism of the Guild, even if one of its members was within hearing.  Like the Queen, she had a low opinion of the Guild and their attempts at manipulation of Sedfair’s society, and didn’t mind saying so.  The only area that Rigo could sense restraint, was anything that related to Rigo’s situation, or the secrets of the people like Lyes that the Queen had something to do with.

“I assume then, that you haven’t been one of the participants in this particular event?” Rigo asked.

“Absolutely not!” she exclaimed.  Then she tempered her remark.  “My sister, who isn’t afraid of heights at all, satisfied the family requirement several years ago.  That means we don’t have to participate again for some time, unless one of us were to want to enter the selection for Queen.  The chances of the Guild selecting one of us is non-existent, so that’s not a consideration.  I guess if it was necessary, I would do it, as stupid as I think the whole thing is.”

Specialist Juli frowned at some of Mitty’s remarks, but the young woman paid no attention.  There was nothing the Caster could do.  Mitty was protected by both her relationship with the Queen and the fact her family was among the Hundred Families.  The Guild might manipulate them, but as yet was unwilling to come outright and take any direct action against one of their members.

The festive nature of the event belied the seriousness of the activity.  Much like the annual circus in Sulen, there were booths that sold any number of items, many having nothing to do with the ceremony at hand.  Foods of many types were available, and there were those already taking advantage of the offerings.  Perhaps the climb had depleted their reserves and they felt the need.  Those selling liquid refreshment were doing an especially brisk business, and Rigo was certain that special arrangements had been made with the Guild so the heavy liquids hadn’t had to be carried up the steep incline.

People were already peering over the edge from the special viewing areas.  One spot was particularly well situated to seeing the last stage of the event and the drop the contestant would have to face if they missed the jump.

“This belt actually works?” Ash’urn asked, eyeing the rocky floor of the valley far below.

“Very well actually,” Mitty said with a grin.  “More than one contestant has missed and fallen to the floor below.  They have a couple of Casters at the bottom to bring them back up.”

“It’s actually quite safe,” said Lady Alani.  “Even knowing that, it’s still extremely frightening to step out there and look at the drop.”

“You’ve done this?” Ash’urn asked surprised.

“I’ve made the attempt,” she admitted.  “I elected to disqualify myself after the first two walkways.  My legs were shaking so badly there was no way I could make the jump at the end.”

“There’s just the one belt?” Rigo asked.

“That’s the official position,” Mitty said, her tone openly reflecting her doubt.  “I’m certain there are others and they simply pretend that it’s the one and only belt.  Think about it.  It’s made of leather, and is several hundred years old.  How many hundreds of people have worn it?  Even with magic delaying its aging, it would have to get damaged over time.  I believe they have a number and simply display one and make people believe it’s the same one.”

“That’s actually part of the fear,” Lady Alani added.  “In addition to the stories, often debunked but never out of one’s mind, especially as you step out over the rim, of the tale of the woman who died, is the fear that this year they are using a new belt, untested, and it could just possibly fail.”

“But people fall, and aren’t hurt?” Ash’urn asked.

“Every year a number fall.  If you are a contestant, you hope that someone ahead of you falls.  That way you see that the belt works.”

“There are some here that are probably hoping that it doesn’t,” Mitty said scornfully.  “Think of the stories they could tell if that happened?”

By the time a half dozen of the women had made their attempt, three electing to quit before the end, and one having to be “rescued” unwilling to go either forward or back, Rigo had become bored.  While it was obviously frightening and important to those here, it had little impact on him.  From what Mitty had openly suggested, sometimes he wondered if she pushed the limits of what she should say too far, the selection of who would succeed Queen Rosul, was already decided in the Guild’s mind.

Instead, they went and purchased something to eat.  As usual, Mitty had to pay, something that always felt wrong to Rigo, but it wouldn’t have been unusual here even if he hadn’t been a penniless prisoner.  The wrapped selection came with a heating glyph scrawled crudely on the outside.  Without thinking, Mitty uttered the triggering phrase, and her selection warmed immediately to the touch.  Rigo tried, but the bands prevented even this simple display of magic, and he had to have her do it for him.  From humbling armies, he was reduced to having his date, if that’s what Mitty was, perform the simple task any citizen of Sedfair could do almost from the age they could speak.

“What about the Baldari attacks?” he asked her, no longer interested in the events surrounding the “Leap” ceremony.

“The Queen has moved more forces to the south, which leaves the border somewhat less protected against a possible attack by the Chulls.  She also persuaded the Guild to send additional Casters, but things have remained quiet.”

“I don’t understand how the Baldari know where to attack,” Rigo said.  “From what we have been told they don’t speak the language, they don’t have any ability with magic, yet they seem to know about an important facility well away from the Wastelands.  They stand out too much to be able to sneak through the countryside that far inland to spy.  So how do they know?”

Mitty’s eyes appraised him.  He saw right to the heart of the matter.  That very question was one that had been pondered in a number of meetings she had been in with the Queen and some of her advisors.  If they knew, they might be able to predict better where the Baldari would attack.

Mitty wished she could speak openly and privately with this man from another land.  He intrigued her.  More than even that, she suddenly realized.  After a number of weeks she had come to know him better than anyone else in Sedfair.  He had a good heart.  She was certain of it.  The stories of what his friend had done, and how he’d restrained his companion from taking any action against those who had kept them bound when there might have been a chance of escape, had only supported her belief.  He was also attractive.  Mitty didn’t know if she found him to be that way because he was different, or because she knew he came from a place where the men were usually more dominant.  Then again, he might actually be one of her countrymen.  If it were true that he originally came from Sedfair, then what did it all mean?  She wished he could tell her the whole of that story.  She also knew he found her attractive.  Perhaps if the Queen’s plans worked out there would be a chance to see if there was something there.  She thought she was attractive enough to interest him.  At least she sensed an interest, but then he hadn’t had a chance to freely meet others here.  She wished she were gifted like Lyes.  Would one with his power even be interested in one without the gift?

Suddenly she realized that her mind was wandering, and that Rigo was watching her and waiting for an answer
.  What had he asked?

“No one has been able to figure that out,” she answered lamely after belatedly recalling his question, her face reddening slightly. 
He’d noticed what had happened.  Had he guessed what she was thinking?

Moments later Ash’urn and Alani appeared, saving her from further confusion.  She wasn’t one to be easily caught off guard. 
How had this happened?

“I think we’ve seen enough,” Ash’urn said.  “Are you ready to return to the Castle?”

Rigo nodded and looked toward Mitty for confirmation.  She nodded agreement and held out her hand so Rigo could steady her as she stepped off of the rock where they had been sitting.  As her feet reached the uneven ground, she stumbled slightly, crashing briefly into Rigo.  He steadied her, checked to see that she was alright, feeling disappointed when she regained her balance and stood upright, breaking their brief contact.  Then the foursome headed back down the trail to the waiting carriages, followed by their watchers.  In the background there was a huge gasp by the crowd.  Rigo wondered if one of the contestants had slipped.

              *                            *                            *                            *

“What does the note say?” Lorl asked later when the three of them were alone in the cottage.  Rigo had been anxious to get back and see what Mitty had passed him when she’d faked that stumble up on the mountain.  He’d felt her deftly slipping something into his pocket.  He’d wondered when she’d stumbled how someone so sure of her footing could slip simply climbing off a rock.

He held the note in his hand.  There were no names on the note, and it was written simply with only the main points outlined.  He knew that was because Mitty was aware his ability with the written language here was limited.  He summarized the points.