Quest for the King (14 page)

"No. But you follow this Gaal person obediently, and you trust him.
And it is because of that that these miraculous events take place."

"That's right-"

"Well, to Gerachti that is magic. And you control it. As far as he is
concerned it can only be magic because his `god' is no longer a
performer of miracles. So all miracles have to be magic. And to Gerachti, magic is that `deadly, potent evil'-an irrational force that will
destroy humankind!"

"And he really is scared?" Lisa asked.

"Deathly afraid. After all, you must admit that this place is either
a most wonderful miracle or else a supremely powerful piece of magic.
If it is a miracle, then this god is still working. If it is magic, then the
magician is deadly dangerous."

Kurt asked, "And which do you think it is?"

At the same instant, Wesley said, "It's not the miracle that impresses
us-though, sure, it does-but the incredible kindness and thoughtfulness of Gaal. He's like that."

"Yes, Wesley, I am beginning to see that. And, yes, Kurt, I am much
more inclined to see it as a miracle. But you are all going to have to
tell me more. It seems you are not from this world. Or are you? Doors
between worlds are not unknown. And you refer to names like `Uncle
John,' and a certain queen and an ancient book, and a `Gaal' and a
`Changer.' Maybe you had better begin at the beginning and tell me
all you know."

Wesley sighed. "Yes. I guess there's no point in keeping our plans
secret now. To tell you the truth, we have none. Our assignment is
to rescue a young king, but from what or whom we do not know. We
were told that three men would hire us-and here we are with you
and on our way to Bamah."

"Yes. But tell me about your previous visits."

They had planned an early night, but all thought of it had now
drained out of their minds. So, interrupting each other constantly,
they told him about Uncle John, their first two visits to Anthropos, and
Mary and her attempt to pursue Uncle John and his new wife. They also described what they knew about Uncle John's two visits as a
British schoolboy, one of the visits being at the dawn of Anthropos
time.

"We are not even sure what period we've landed in," Wesley said.
"This popping in and out of Anthropos history is confusing. Somehow
I think we're in an earlier period than the last time we were here."

"I know little about Anthropos history," Alleophaz said, "but I am
wondering about one thing." There were almost no logs left and the
fire was beginning to burn low. A sleepy mood began to settle over
them again.

Wesley roused himself. "And what is the one thing you are wondering, my lord?" he asked.

"I am wondering," replied Alleophaz, "whether the child who is
going to change the world's history and the boy king you are to rescue
are one and the same person."

Startled, Kurt sat up. "You know, I bet you're right, my lord. I bet
that's why we've been brought together-to look for the same child."
Then the glazed look returned to his eyes.

For several minutes they sat in silence. Finally Alleophaz said, "You
all look as though the discussion should stop right there. I think it is
time we ajl' went to bed."

So to bed they went.

But Wesley could not sleep. Eventually, still wearing navy-blue pajamas, he put his shoes on and made his way through the stable onto
the balcony of the hut. For a while he leaned against the balcony rail.
It was a warm night, and the stars shone clear against the velvet
blackness of the night sky. Wesley drew in a deep breath, and as he
did so, became conscious of somebody else's breathing-the heavy
breathing of someone sleeping. "Gerachti. It must be Gerachti," he
murmured to himself. But where was he? Peering around in the dimness, he saw no one.

The sound seemed to be coming from his left, and from below the
balcony. "He must have been scared. He's on the ground beside the hut," he muttered.

He stared down in the direction of the road and river, but all he
could see was the trees that rose in front of the hut. "We could see
between them when we arrived," he thought. "I guess it's too dark
now."

His thoughts turned to what had robbed him of sleep. "I shouldn't
be jealous of Kurt, but I am. I meant what I said after supper. He
handled himself magnificently today. An' I'm proud of him-he was
terrific. But how come he gets to see things an' I don't? Why not me,
too?" He bit his lip angrily. "I can't sleep. It's because I'm mad, mad
that he gets to do it, an' I don't. Is he better than me? Does Gaal have
favorites?"

He changed his position slightly and started. A flickering orangeyellow light caught his eye. What was it? Where was it? Down below
on the road? A fire? A campfire?

His thoughts went to the armed patrols. Was there a patrol camped
below them? What should he do? Ought he to go down to investigate?
But was there a way down the cliff? How could he find his way back?

Below him, near the foot of the cliff, a column of pale blue light
appeared. Relief swept through his whole body and tears came to his
eyes. "He's letting me see it too," he thought as gladness bubbled up
in his head.

"I must waken Alleophaz," he murmured. He hurried inside,
knocked on the door of the room where Alleophaz slept, and opened
it. A lamp burned dimly beside the bed and Alleophaz sat up. "Hullo!
Who is it?"

"It's me, Wesley. I think there is a camp of soldiers on the road
below us. I thought I'd better let you know."

"Thank you. Perhaps we should get a closer look. But how would
we get down there?"

Gladness stole over Wesley again. "I can see the column myself,
now. It's pale blue light, and I'm sure it will guide us down."

Alleophaz leaped out of bed, wearing a long white nightshirt with
lace-ruffles at the neck and wrists. "I have a dark cloak that will cover this. And I see you are wearing something dark. Give me a moment
to get my boots on."

In two minutes they were on the balcony again. "Ah, yes! I can see
the fire-it is a fire, I am sure," Alleophaz said.

"And here's the column," Wesley said delightedly. "It's right here
on the balcony, waiting to guide us down."

"It is? Then I am afraid you will have to lead us, just as your brother
did today, for I can see nothing. It is difficult enough right here where
there is a little starlight, but the darkness beyond will be impossible
for me. I will put my hand on your shoulder so you can guide me.
Hopefully, no one else will see the column either."

One behind the other, walking slowly and carefully, they made
their way along a sloping path cut into the rock of the cliff face. The
pathway was illuminated by the light from the blue column, in Wesley's eyes at least. To Alleophaz it was, he said, all blackness. Among
the trees it was mostly downhill, though they crossed the stream again
and ascended a little on the far side of it. Then the path led steeply
down, so much so that they would stumble from time to time, having
a difficult job not to go hurtling down. Wesley could not discern any
trail, but the blue light never faltered, and they were never impeded
by undergrowth.

Wesley's heart sang, sang so loudly that he almost burst into song
himself. He was deliriously happy. He was playing a real part in the
adventure, and he could see the column. He shivered with ecstatic
exultation, wondering if the column was Gaal, and whether he should
address it. But he decided it probably wasn't, and he shouldn't. In any
case they were getting closer to the road, where the steepness of the
slope eased.

Finally, the column stopped and disappeared, leaving them on a
level place on top of a high bank They looked down on a large and
blazing fire on the far side of the road, where an open area stretched
between the road and the river. Horses were tethered there, and they
could hear the sound of music and men's voices singing. One soldier
played a shepherd's flute, and another a stringed instrument not un like a lute. The other thirty men were singing.

Then an officer appeared out of the shadows, bearing a partly
opened roll of parchment that gleamed and flickered with reflected
firelight. The singing died down as the men saw him.

Some of the men began to scramble to their feet. "At ease, men,
you may remain seated," the officer said. "We have new orders from
Bamah. It seems that his majesty the king has the same kind of problem that some of us have with our womenfolk-they do not do what
we tell them to." There was a low rumble of embarrassed laughter.
"But we men stick together, and we are the king's men, not the
queen's. However, it is true that among the statutes of Anthropos is
one that gives her majesty the queen the right to dispose of her own
prisoners, independently of the king.

"It appears that the queen does not share the king's view as to the
danger to the monarchy of the six people crossing Playsion at the
moment on their way to Bamah. In attempt to thwart his majesty, the
queen has charged her personal bodyguard with the task of capturing
these six strangers to prevent his majesty from beheading them. If she
succeeds, his majesty will have no authority to intervene. We are therefore charged to redouble our efforts to capture these invaders."

At that point his tone became more serious. "Men, I am well aware
that the queen is popular, and that his majesty is not. The fact that
his majesty is also descended from the royal house of Playsion is
irrelevant. He is now King of Anthropos. You have sworn oaths of
loyalty to him personally, and from his purse comes your pay. Any
man found slack in his efforts to capture the invaders will be dealt
with, and with the utmost severity."

There was a low sound of shuffling feet and adjusting positions.

"That is all for now, men. Lay out your bedrolls and get some sleep,
for we have an early start. Geradach and Pelanti will replace the
current sentries, and will keep the fire going during the first watch.
Belarich and Vortic will stand the second watch. That is all men. Good
night!"

"Good night, sir!"

Wesley was again aware of blue light around him. He turned and
saw that the lighted column had begun to move back along the way
they had come. They rose and resumed their way, but had not gone
more than two paces before Alleophaz tripped and fell with a shout
of pain. Wesley turned quickly. Over the dim and crouching silhouette
of Alleophaz, black against the firelight, he could see that both the
men and the officers had frozen. He heard the officer cry out,
"Torches, men! Sergeant, take 'A' watch to the far side of the stream,
and comb the hillside. I will lead 'B' watch on this side. Remember
the reward-a hundred gold crowns for the capture of any one of the
six!"

In the dark, Wesley whispered, "Can you get up?"

"I will try," Alleophaz answered very softly. He limped to his feet.
"It is my ankle, but I can still hobble. Let us go!"

From the far side of the road they could hear the drum of running
feet. The blue column was still moving slowly. It seemed in no hurry,
but Wesley, so elated only minutes before, could think only of moving
as fast as they could. Alleophaz hobbled behind him with gasps of
pain, his hand gripping Wesley's shoulder tightly. They gained the
trees again and began the slow ascent. "Remember, we are being
guided," Alleophaz encouraged. "The soldiers have to both search for
us and find their own way up this slope."

In spite of their slow pace, the sounds of the soldiers began to die
behind them. They were still on a very easy slope, and continued with
their slow progress for several minutes.

"I think we're going to make it. How d'you feel?" Wesley asked.

"There is much pain!" gasped Alleophaz. "If they get too close, you
had better go on ahead."

Just then they heard a shout from the officer below, too near for
comfort. They hobbled a few more paces, as Alleophaz gripped Wesley's shoulder with the grip of a man in uncontrollable agony.

"Oh, Gaal," Wes cried in frustration, "can't you do something?"

Suddenly Wesley saw that the column was moving back toward him,
and then through or over him. He turned to see what was happening, and saw Alleophaz's pale and perspiring face, still twisted in agony but
illuminated now by the blue light.

The hand fell from his shoulder as the older man sank to the
ground. As Wesley watched, he saw his whole body begin to tremble
and shake. The injured leg flayed out from beneath him and shook
itself. A look of amazement replaced the look of agony on his face.
Then Wesley realized that the light was no longer around him, but
shone from inside Alleophaz, particularly from his injured leg. Then
it went out, and a moment later there was a column of light ahead
on the path again.

Alleophaz scrambled to his feet His hand rested lightly again on
Wesley's shoulder, and they proceeded on their way. "What happened
to you?" Wesley asked.

"I do not know. My bad leg was shaking and kicking. Then the pain
went and strength came back. It is-it is like a miracle!"

"Didn't you see the light? You were lit up like-like a candle from
inside you."

"No. I saw nothing. There was just a wonderful feeling of warmth
and strength and the strange trembling."

They ascended more steeply now, and had to stop talking to conserve their breath. They had lost two or three critical minutes, and the
cries of men were louder now. Wesley glanced back and was dismayed
to see the flames of several torches glittering and flickering through
the trees. Yet still the blue column did not hurry them, seeming to be
patient with their breathlessness. Wesley's thighs were hurting. He felt
his strength draining away, and gasped, "You O.K?" but there was no
reply, for Alleophaz was panting too hard.

At that moment they reached the stream, and carefully made their
way across it. "This is the sergeant's side," Wesley panted. He felt
perspiration stinging his eyes and running down his back