Kingdom's Dawn (11 page)

The sights below as they stood on the ridge above the canyon nearly took their breath away. Descending the canyon walls would be treacherous, and there was no going around it. On the opposite side of the canyon, Leinad could see a long, narrow tributary that branched from the main gorge in a southwest direction, where the canyon floor rose to meet the green plains beyond, but there was no such tributary on this side.

Leinad and Tess traveled along the canyon's rim until they found a portion of the steep wall they felt they could negotiate. After many hours of careful but exhausting work, they set foot on the canyon floor. They rinsed themselves in the river and were glad to be rid of the black dust that clung to their skin and clothes. The swim was refreshing, and
they would have lingered, but exhaustion overcame them. They crossed the river and set foot on level ground untouched by the Vactor Deluge. In the shade of the canyon walls, they slept.

Leinad and Tess traveled east on the canyon floor until they found a way to ascend the steep walls and enter the land they had spotted from the mountains.

After a few more days of traveling, they entered the Valley of Nan. The land was foreign, but the sight of farms in the distance renewed their spirits. The valley was not particularly lush, but it was fertile enough to support the many farms that dotted the countryside. They were anxious to meet people, but Leinad had to remind himself and Tess to be cautious.

They stood on a rise that looked over the valley. It was the first time in many weeks that both of them felt joyful. Leinad breathed deeply, and Tess raised both of her arms into the air as if to hug the whole valley.

“We made it, Sunshine,” Leinad said with a sigh.

Tess hugged Leinad's arm and smiled. “We made it,” she echoed.

Not knowing the disposition of the people, and not wanting to draw undue attention to himself in an exclusively farming region, Leinad felt it was necessary to temporarily hide his sword and blend in with the people. He wrapped it in deer hide and buried it beneath a large stone near a grove of trees at the edge of the valley.

The people in the Valley of Nan were kind but not necessarily warm in their greetings. Leinad learned later that their hesitant kindness was because of the raids that had occurred in times past. In other regions of the kingdom, castle lords were often in need of slaves to work their land and their castles. The Valley of Nan was one of many regions targeted to supply this labor. Most of the farms in the valley were extremely functional and simple. The people were independent and yet loyal to one another. There was no established government or elected leader. However, the size of a farm established prominence, and Master Stanton was
by far the most prominent man in the region.

Leinad and Tess were offered a meal and a barn to sleep in by a family on the fringe of the valley. The extra burden was more than they could ask of the family for more than one night, however, and Leinad knew he must find a farm that would hire, feed, and lodge the both of them for a time. Thus he was directed to Master Stanton.

As they entered Master Stanton's land the next day and approached the farm, Leinad heard a strong voice barking commands to servants and farmhands. Two large men with pitchforks approached them.

“This is Master Stanton's land, and he doesn't want any trespassers,” one of the men said.

Leinad held up his hands to show them empty. “We enter peacefully and come only to seek work on Master Stanton's farm.”

This answer seemed to satisfy the burly men, and Leinad and Tess were escorted to the front of the large farmhouse, where Stanton was still giving orders for the day. Leinad and Tess waited patiently and listened. Stanton seemed to be a harsh man, but the people that had provided lodging the previous night said he was a fair man … in most situations. When the orders were complete, Leinad and Tess stepped forward to introduce themselves.

“Master Stanton,” Leinad said with all politeness, “I am Leinad, and this is my friend Tess. We have traveled a great distance and are looking for work in exchange for food and lodging. It is our understanding that your farm and land are the finest around. Would you be so kind, sir, as to tell us if you are in need of some extra help?”

Stanton's face was leathery from the endless days of labor in the sun. It appeared to Leinad that this man worked as hard as if not harder than any of his servants. His hands were large, brown, and strong. He scrutinized Leinad and Tess with pursed lips and squinted eyes.

“Where are you from, son?” he asked.

Leinad relaxed slightly. “We are from the Plains of Kerr, across the Red Canyon to the north, sir.”

“Do you know anything about farming?”

“It is what I have spent my entire life doing,” Leinad said with a bit of pride.

Stanton continued his scrutiny of the two strangers a few moments longer. “I'll give you food and lodging for a hard day's work, and the little miss can work in the kitchen with the other servant girls. Once I see how you do, we'll talk about wages. Fair enough?”

Leinad smiled and nodded. “Thank you, sir. You will not be disappointed with our work.”

“I'd better not be,” Stanton stated abruptly. He then softened slightly. “Go to the kitchen and get some biscuits and water. Once you've eaten, report to Supervisor Benreu in the west fields. Tess, Mrs. Stanton will tell you what she needs done.”

“Yes, sir,” they replied in unison.

T
HE NEXT FEW WEEKS WERE
a time of adjustment. The work was hard, but it was a relief not to have to worry about where the next meal was coming from. They were both quartered in barrack houses built for the workers. Leinad
found an opportunity to retrieve his sword and hid it beneath a loose floorboard in the barrack house he was assigned to. He enjoyed working the land again. It reminded him of his father and the joyful days on his own farm. If Leinad was apprehensive about anything, it was his supervisor, Benreu. Leinad did not care for him nor did he trust him. The other six men under him were crude men with a clear loyalty to Benreu. Leinad was glad that Tess was working in the farmhouse away from these brutes.

The west fields were over a knoll and beyond the sight of the Stanton farm. A road ran nearby that connected the Valley of Nan with the other regions in the kingdom. On an overcast afternoon, Leinad glanced up from his work to see a caravan of carts and horses approaching from the east. All work stopped, and the other workers looked as if they recognized the caravan.

“Who are they?” Leinad asked the nearest farmhand.

The man looked at Leinad and responded with a crooked smile. The other hands had worked their way close to Leinad.

“Grab him!” Benreu shouted.

The men bound Leinad with rope and hauled him to the roadside. Leinad wondered what his fate would be. A deal was quickly struck, and Leinad was placed in a caged cart in exchange for a bag of money.

The caravan leader, obviously an acquaintance of Benreu, appeared in a hurry to be on his way, but Benreu halted him. He walked to the work wagon and recovered something wrapped in cloth. He returned to the caravan and displayed Leinad's sword.

“How much for this elegant sword?” he asked the caravan leader.

Leinad was shocked that Benreu had found his sword.
He must have planned this for a long time
, Leinad thought.

A second deal was struck concerning the sword. Leinad found himself a prisoner, without his sword, on a road that led to a foreign destination. He wondered if he would ever see Tess again. Surely this wasn't part of the King's plan. A familiar despair fell upon his heart. The kingdom seemed so big and chaotic. He wondered if the King was big enough to rule such a land. It was overwhelming for a boy to contemplate, for he felt as insignificant as a pebble on the beach.

The caravan made two more stops for merchandise trades and slave purchases before arriving in the region of Nyland three days later. Nyland was lush and beautiful, but Leinad was so sore from the bumps and bruises of the journey that he hardly noticed. He was thankful that the journey was almost over, no matter where it ended. The caravan made its way through a large grove of trees and on toward a prominent castle that sprawled across the crest of a hill. It was a magnificent castle. Leinad had never seen such a bold structure that integrated beauty and strength so perfectly.

“Pyron Mid,” said one of the other captives.

“What?” Leinad asked.

“Pyron Mid. The castle is called Pyron Mid. Haven't you ever heard of it?”

“No. Should I have?”

“Lord Fairos's Pyron Mid is the grandest castle in all the land, and its mortar is the sweat and blood of the hundreds of slaves he keeps.”

The castle was massive, with walls that towered above the landscape. A moat encircled the castle, as well as additional land to allow for future expansion. On their approach, Leinad saw people working the numerous fields. The soil looked dark and fertile.

Once the caravan came to a halt, Leinad and the other captives were lined up outside the castle walls. They waited until a sturdy man dressed in the apparel of a knight rode across the drawbridge upon a splendid gray steed.

“Ah, Lord Fairos,” the caravan leader exclaimed. “It is truly a pleasure to see you. I trust your recent conquests have been profitable for you?”

“Cut the drivel, Dagon,” Lord Fairos said. “What have you got?”

“I have a fine selection of the very best slaves available for you to choose from today.”

Fairos did not dismount. He circled the six captives from his mount, inspecting each one. He stopped in front of them. “Which of you have laid brick and mortar?”

No one responded.

He turned to Dagon. “You know what I need, Dagon. Why do you keep bringing incompetents that I must train before they are useful to me?”

“Sire, sire,” Dagon said in a tone that was slightly patronizing, “what you need is not readily available in the kingdom. But what I have brought you are six strong backs. They will be productive for you within a day … that is a promise from Dagon.”