Redemption (15 page)

Quite a distance above the Salacian prince, Winona sat cross-legged on top of the outcrop. She gazed down at the foreigners and wondered what made them so special. She was not thrilled at the prospect of guiding them to the forbidden city, but it had been demanded of her. She would obey her orders, but she would make sure that they were incapable of finding it again.

The crude remarks of the foreigners drifted skyward and Winona frowned as she heard them talking about her. When the Arin prince rose and stormed away from the campfire, Winona's eyes narrowed in confusion. She continued listening to the others, and a slow rage began to build within her as she heard their comments about her and the great Orro. She was sure that bringing the foreigners to Harangar was a mistake, but she was duty bound to obey her orders. That didn't mean that she had to like the foreigners, or even associate with them. She suddenly decided to spend the night on top of the outcrop and leave the cave to the others.

* * *

Monte had slept closest to the entrance and woke early as the first light of the new day crept into the cave. He rolled over and peered out of the cave entrance to see that Winona had already started a fire. He grabbed his weapons and crawled out of the cave. Winona looked up and saw Monte emerge from the cave. She set down her empty mug of tea and moved away from the fire.

"Ah, you are safe," smiled Monte as he strapped on his weapons. "You had us worried last night when we couldn't find you."

"My safety does not concern you," Winona retorted coldly.

"Of course it concerns us," frowned the archer. "You would not expect seven men to ignore the safety of a female traveling companion, would you?"

"I do not require your protection," snapped Winona. "Perhaps in the Land of the Nine Kingdoms it is fashionable to portray women as weaklings, but you are no longer in your homeland. I can take care of myself."

"Whoa," Monte replied defensively. "Why are you so hostile? It is only proper for a man to protect the fairer sex, but I can see that such a thought troubles you. I hope you realize that wearing that sword on your back will not alone deter some men. You should choose one that is easier for you to handle for those who are not fooled by appearances."

Winona drew her two-handed sword before Monte could react. "The fairer sex?" she scowled as she held the sword against the chest of the Caroomite archer. "You think men are the only capable beings who can defend themselves? Your attitude is demeaning. Draw your sword and defend yourself."

Winona stepped back several paces and waited for Monte to draw his sword as the others began to file out of the cave in response to the commotion. Monte saw the others emerging and was embarrassed by his position. He drew his sword, determined to teach the woman a lesson in humility.

As soon as Monte extended his sword towards the woman, Winona attacked. Her moves were lightning fast, and her stroke was powerful. All that Monte could accomplish was to meet her blows as she pressed him backwards towards the wall of the outcrop. The others watched as the woman expertly backed the archer into a corner. With a final swift lunge, Winona pushed aside Monte's sword and held the tip of her sword to his chest. Her face was red with rage, her eyes narrowed in anger, and her lips curled in disgust. She appeared quite willing to take the bout to an unseemly conclusion.

"Enough," Prince Antion said loudly. "You have proved your fitness with a sword, Winona. Back off."

"Why should I?" snapped the woman. "This dog insulted me."

"That is no reason to kill him," retorted the Arin prince. "You have agreed to see us safely to Harangar. That cannot be accomplished by killing one of us."

"I was ordered to see that you and Jared arrive in Harangar," corrected Winona. "Nothing was said of the others."

Prince Antion moved swiftly and pushed her sword aside. He placed his body between Monte and the woman, daring her to strike at him.

"If you harm any one of my party," warned Prince Antion, "you harm us all. You might as well start by killing me."

Winona glared at the prince, but she did not strike out at him.

"It takes more than the skill of handling a weapon to make a proper warrior," Prince Antion said softly. "A true warrior must learn to control his emotions. You need some practice in that area, Winona. Sheath your sword and let us begin the morning meal. The sooner we get to Harangar, the sooner you will be rid of us."

Winona hesitated, but her anger was diminishing. She sheathed her sword, turned around, and stormed off. As she rounded the bend and disappeared, the others appeared ready to pounce on Monte's humiliation, but Prince Antion quickly squashed the chuckles.

"There is nothing humorous about what just happened here," he said sternly. "I will not tolerate laughter and jokes about pushing a fellow traveler to the point of bloodshed. Winona may indeed hate us, but that is no reason to disrespect her while we travel together. Is that clear to everyone?"

Silent nods answered the prince's question. The men gathered around the campfire and ate the morning meal in silence. After the meal they cleared the campsite and readied for another day's journey through the endless mountains. When the horses were untied and brought to the path in front of the cave, Winona suddenly appeared. She moved towards Jared's horse in silence.

Winona mounted Jared's horse and started along the path before the others were ready. Prince Antion watched her closely, partly in fear that she might just take off and abandon them, but more so because he was concerned that her anger might make her careless. When the woman halted a few hundred paces along the trail, the prince sighed with relief.

The journey was a quiet one. Several of the men attempted to start a conversation, but it was awkward. They talked about the weather, the terrain, and the animals that they saw. They tried talking about everything except what they truly wanted to talk about. Eventually the group lapsed into an eerie silence as Winona led them through a maze of trails.

By sunset Winona had halted in front of another cave. She dismounted and let Prince Umal take the reins to Jared's horse. As the group set up the camp, Winona attempted to leave, but Prince Antion followed her. She stopped and turned around to glare at him once they were out of sight of the others.

"I do not wish you to follow me," she declared. "I will find my own place to sleep."

"I have no intention of following," replied Prince Antion, "but I did want to speak to you privately before you disappeared for the night."

"About what?" frowned the woman. "I do not need another lecture from a foreigner about how I am not a fine warrior."

"You have the makings of an excellent warrior," replied the prince, "but you need to understand people a little better. My men are not despicable people. Each of them has a heart of gold. They have left their homes and their families to travel with me to aid me in my protection of Jared. They ask for nothing in return but my friendship. If their words have offended you, I apologize for them. If I have offended you, I apologize for that as well."

Winona's brow creased in confusion. The prince's words were not what she had expected to hear. She had heard how the royalty of the Land of the Nine Kingdoms placed the worth of their own lives above all else.

"It may be impossible for us to ever be friends," Prince Antion continued, "but we can be civil to one another. I truly appreciate your guidance in getting us to Orro, and I do not expect you to suffer humiliation because of it. Rest assured that none of us wish ill upon you. If we do or say something that disturbs you, please say something about it, and I will address the issue immediately. Can we agree to that? It will make the journey easier for all of us."

"The journey will be over tomorrow," Winona replied. "I promise not to best any more of your men before that."

The woman turned and walked away. Prince Antion sighed heavily and shook his head as he watched her leave. He wondered if the evil of Orro had affected her and if all of the people in Harangar would treat them the same.

On the third day of riding through the mountains the trail rose higher and higher until the slopes of the mountains turned into a treeless terrain of rock and snow. A raw, chilling wind whipped through the group, and Prince Antion called for a halt so that the men could don the fur garments that King Gharkin had provided. Around high sun the Arin prince called for another halt as the trail passed by the snow-capped summit of one of the peaks. The group ate the midday meal as they gazed across endless miles of mountain peaks in every direction.

"I think I understand where the mountains got their name," Talot remarked in awe.

"The Roof of the World," nodded Sandar as he rotated in a circle to admire the view. "It is an awesome sight. Such magnificent beauty is hard to describe."

"There can be no land beyond this," Monte proclaimed. "It goes on forever."

The sky was littered with thin wispy white clouds, and Winona frowned as she gazed up at them.

"We must move onward," she announced. "We must reach Harangar before the snows come, or we will be stranded for days."

The woman did not expect a response to her announcement and she did not wait for one. She mounted Jared's horse and flipped her long black hair behind her before continuing along the trail. The men hurriedly mounted and began following.

"The air up here is nippy," commented Prince Derri. "It is almost as cold our host."

Prince Antion immediately raised his hand, his fingers moving rapidly in horse language as he ordered the Salacian prince to hold his tongue. Fortunately Winona was far enough ahead not to have heard the comment and Prince Antion sighed with relief. He did not look forward to another confrontation with the fiery-tempered woman.

The midday meal break turned out to be the high spot of the trail. As the sun declined in the sky, so too did the trail drop lower in altitude. Midway between high sun and sunset, trees started appearing alongside the trail. The wind diminished as the trail dipped into a mature spruce forest. Deer were in abundance, and Monte fought off the urge to take one for the evening meal.

As the trail ran deeper into the forest, the air grew damp with moisture. A fine haze began to blur the distinct features of the forest and soon a visible mist hung in the air. The mist thickened into a dense fog, and it became difficult to see the rider in front of you. Winona called a halt.

"Remove your furs," she ordered loudly. "Turn them inside out and roll them up to protect them from the moisture. We will walk the horses in from this point."

The men dismounted and obeyed the instructions. Prince Antion glanced towards Winona, but he could only discern a black shape moving in the fog before him.

"Close up the gaps in the line," called Winona. "It will get more difficult to see for a while."

Prince Antion moved forward, leading his horse until he could see the female before him. She was dressed completely in black, which helped outline her in the dense fog. She waited until she sensed that everyone had moved forward before continuing the journey.

The fog continued to thicken until the only thing Prince Antion could see was the rear of Winona's horse. He wondered how she knew where she was going. The fog grew uncomfortably warm and moist, and strange sounds drifted in a directionless manner. The Arin prince concentrated on the sounds, trying to identify them. Unseen things were hissing and bubbling.

"Follow me very closely," warned Winona. "If you step off the trail, there will be nothing we can do to save you. Pay attention."

Suddenly the fog swirled swiftly, and Prince Antion could see for several dozen paces in all directions. The ground was marred by large blotches of boiling mud and crystal clear ponds with steam rising off them. A worn narrow path snaked between the cauldrons, and Prince Antion lowered his eyes to ensure that he did not stray from the trail.

The group moved at an extremely slow pace for twenty minutes as Winona led them through the maze of cauldrons. The temperature of the air grew hotter than a summer's day in Anatar, and Prince Antion could feel sweat forming on his forehead. His whole body felt hot and damp, and he breathed a sigh of relief as the fog closed back around him. Once again the group moved through the thick cloud with limited visibility. Finally the mist began to thin and then the fog ended. A few minutes later, the group passed under a gaily-painted archway and Winona halted at the edge of the cloud. Before the travelers stood a large city constructed entirely of white stone. Hundreds of buildings filled a broad valley and a cloudbank surrounded it all.

"The city in the clouds," Talot said reverently. "It does exist."

Hundreds of people moved through the city on streets paved with white blocks. Any who noticed the group at the edge of the city stopped what they were doing and turned to stare at the newcomers.

"This is Harangar," announced Winona. "You are now in the city of Orro, and you shall obey the laws of our people. I would advise you all to ask before you do anything. Outsiders are not usually welcome here."

"I know you were sent to bring Jared and me to the city," asked Prince Antion, "but are the rest of my people welcome here?"

"I was instructed to bring your party," nodded Winona. "If they behave, they will be welcomed. I would advise them that their brand of humor would not be appreciated here. Men are not placed above women in Harangar. We are all equal. If they hold their tongues, they will probably survive."

Winona mounted the horse and rode forward a few dozen paces to halt the conversation and wait for the men to follow.

"She definitely does not love me any longer," Prince Derri quipped softly.

Prince Antion shook his head and suppressed a smile as he mounted the horse, pulling Jared up behind him. He waited for the others to mount and then moved to follow their guide.

Winona led the group along a broad avenue. People lined the street and stared at the outsiders as they passed by. There were no smiles or waves of welcome, yet there was not any hostility either. What Prince Antion felt from the crowd was a very palpable air of fear from the citizens. He began to understand that Winona's words of warning were not exaggerated. The group would have to be very careful in any interactions they had with the locals. Winona made a turn in the center of the city and proceeded along another broad avenue. Prince Antion could see a majestic palace at the far end of the street and figured that would be the destination of Winona's journey. He was correct.

The sky was darkening by the time they reached the palace and the Arin prince surmised that the sun was setting somewhere outside the massive banks of clouds. Winona led the group around the outside of the palace until she came to the stables. The stables were small for a royal palace, but the prince imagined that there was probably little travel allowed outside the city.

"Your horses will be well cared for here," Winona said as she dismounted and handed the reins to a stableman. "I would advise taking all of your belongings with you. You will have rooms inside the palace for your use. You are prohibited from leaving the city for any reason until given leave to do so. This is not a request," she stressed forcefully. "Anyone who tries to leave without permission will be hunted down."

"You mean we are prisoners?" frowned Sandar.

"You are guests," retorted Winona, "and proper guests do not insult their hosts by breaking important rules. No one is allowed to leave Harangar without permission, and that applies to the citizens as well as the rare visitor."

"When will we see Orro?" asked Prince Antion as he gathered his belongings.

"When he requests your presence," answered Winona. "That will not be today. Once I get you settled, I will find out who your guide will be within the city. He or she will be able to keep you informed of the rules and schedules."

"So our journey with you is over?" asked the Arin prince.

"It is," declared Winona. "I am a scout, not a city dweller."

"I know that our journey was not pleasant for you," Prince Antion said sincerely, "but I want to thank you for getting us here safely. Your people should be proud of your skills and the protection you provide them."

Winona's brow creased heavily as she tried to determine if the Arin prince was mocking her in some way. Her eyes glanced at the others in the party and could not detect any of them suppressing a laugh. Confused, she turned and started walking towards the palace doors.

"Follow me," she said loudly. "I will get you settled."

The group followed Winona into the palace. The first thing that struck the Arin prince was the total lack of guards. Simply attired people moved through the corridors without weapons of any kind that the prince could see. Most of them stopped and stared as the newcomers passed by. Winona walked briskly through the maze of corridors and halted in front of a door.

"These are two-bedroom suites," Winona announced. "There are four of them in a row. You may arrange yourselves as you see fit. Remain in your rooms, and I will send someone to show you around the palace so that you can find your way to the dining room and library."

Without any words of farewell, Winona turned and walked off. She moved quickly through the halls towards Orro's chamber and the small office adjacent to it. She entered the office and stood before the desk. A tall dark-haired man sat behind the desk and he looked up as she entered the room.

"Welcome home, Winona," smiled the man. "How was your trip?"

"I am glad that it is over, Balrec," Winona replied. "We have seven new visitors. I berthed them in four adjoining rooms starting with the first visitor's quarters."

"Thank you," nodded Balrec. "Do you suspect them to be a problem to security?"

"They have an attitude problem," Winona reported as she slipped several pieces of paper onto the man's desk. "Three of them are princes from the Land of the Nine Kingdoms. They have overrated impressions of their skills and a general attitude of superiority over others as is typical of outsiders. I would not be surprised if they tried to escape, but I will be ready if they do. No doubt they will try to retrace the route I used to bring them here. I will choose a spot and keep watch."

"No," Balrec shook his head. "Orro wants you to stay within the city. I have already dispatched another scout to take your place."

"Why?" frowned Winona. "My place is not within Harangar."

"Because Orro has commanded it," shrugged Balrec. "Perhaps he shares your mistrust of the visitors and wants someone with your skills close by."

"Very well," Winona replied with disappointment. "Perhaps I could use some time to spend with my family. Will there be anything else?"

"Not for today," replied Balrec. "Stop by in the morning just in case Orro has plans for you, but I think you will probably just get a well-deserved break in service."

Winona nodded and left the room. Balrec picked up the papers and read them. He frowned heavily as he read the report and then filed the papers in a desk drawer. He rose from his chair and walked to the suites occupied by the visitors. He knocked on each of the four doors and waited in the corridor for the men to file out of the room.

"I am Balrec, an assistant to Orro," declared Balrec. "If you will follow me, I will orient you to the public parts of the palace so you know how to get to places available for your use. You may introduce yourselves as we walk."

* * *

The warriors met in an elegant dining room for the morning meal. Others in the room stared at them as if they were an oddity, which was understandable for a city that did not welcome outsiders. The palace servants were also curious, but they hid their curiosity well. They were careful not to stare, and if they were caught making eye contact, they immediately averted their eyes. They were just finishing up the meal when Balrec entered the dining room. He walked over to the table and halted between Jared and Prince Antion.

"I would like you and Jared to come with me," Balrec said to the Arin prince. "You have been given an audience with Orro."

"Just the two of us?" Prince Antion frowned as he rose.

"Yes," replied Balrec. "The honor of meeting Orro is very rare. There are citizens that have never had the opportunity, and for those who do get to meet him, it is a once in a lifetime event."

"Surely his assistants must meet him daily," posed the Arin prince as Jared grabbed a last mouthful of food and rose.

"Hardly," Balrec shook his head. "I have only been in his presence three times."

"What about the other assistants?" asked Jared.

"They are all dead," answered Balrec.

"I am confused," Prince Antion shook his head. "Yesterday you said that you were an assistant to Orro. You did not say that you were the assistant. I am fairly sure of that."

"You are correct," nodded Balrec as he began leading them out of the dining room. "To be an assistant to Orro is the highest position one can ever attain in Harangar. It is a position that is held until one's death, at which time another assistant is chosen. Still, one never thinks of himself as the assistant to Orro, for the knowledge given to an assistant is the learned knowledge of those who came before him. It is as if one has inherited a new body. It is difficult to explain."

"Well at least Orro's desire to see us will give you a fourth chance to be in his presence," smiled Jared.

"I am afraid not," frowned Balrec. "My presence was not requested. It will just be you and Prince Antion."

Balrec stopped before two massive ornate doors. "Wait here until the doors open," he instructed.

"I still have my weapons," Prince Antion blushed with embarrassment. "I should have left them in my quarters. I did not expect to be in there without guards."

"You may keep your weapons," shrugged Balrec. "Orro has no need to fear such things. As for guards, they are only needed to keep people out of Harangar. We have no need of them within the city."

Balrec turned and walked towards his office, and the doors magically swung open. Prince Antion and Jared stepped into the chamber and the doors closed behind them. The chamber was a massive circular room with a high domed ceiling. There were no torches for illumination, yet the room was as bright as the broad avenues of Harangar. The room was devoid of furniture and furnishings. In the very center sat a glistening pool of water with jets of water around its circumference. The streams of water rose high into the air as if they were trying to reach the domed ceiling. Around the pool was a circular stone bench broken every so often to allow access to the pool itself. There was no one in the room.