The Troven (Kingdom of Denall Book 1) (25 page)

Kaz smiled when Boon came out with his bow.

“Thanks,” Kaz said as he reached out and took the weapon.

Boon stepped close and whispered, “Are you wearing the Stone?” Kaz nodded. “Good, I want to see what you’re capable of with this bow and enhanced sight.”

Kaz grabbed his quiver from the side of the wagon and slung it over his shoulder. “I’m ready when you are.”

“Hold on for a minute, I’m not going anywhere on an empty stomach.” Boon threw some twigs on the coals of last night’s fire, and while they were slowly catching, he filled a pot from his water barrel.

“You don’t need to make that much, I’ll just eat when we get back. I’m planning to get some small game while we’re out.”

Boon stuck out his tongue. “Meat for breakfast? Yuck!” He built up the fire and hung the pot on his tripod.

“I don’t want to be a burden.”

Boon waved his hands dismissively, “Nonsense. You’ve been nothing but a help since the moment you showed up, I honestly can’t ever imagine you being a burden.”

Kaz smiled and took a seat on a log next to Boon’s growing fire. “I’m happy to help. In fact I wanted to talk with you about staying around for a while. Maybe until Lexingar if that’s okay.”

“Of course,” Boon answered absently. “Stay as long as you like, we can always use hard workers like you and Farin.” He scooped out some milled grain for porridge.

“That’s great,” he said enthusiastically. Traveling with the caravan had been the best traveling arrangements they’d had since leaving Dungan. “Now that we’re stopped, is there something I can do to earn my keep?”

Boon nodded. “There’s always something to be done. We do quite a bit of hunting and fishing while we’re camped. When you do get some of that small game you were talking about, Haylan can cure the meat, Blade works with the skins, and even the bones can be used for jewelry. I’m sure they’d be happy to have your help.”

Kaz was thrilled at the news that his archery practice could also be a way for him to do some work around the camp. 

“Now keep in mind,” Boon added, “That they can only use so much meat and skins. You don’t want to put anything to waste. So just ask them what they need before you go out.”

“You sound like my father,” Kaz said with a smile.

“He sounds like a smart guy,” Boon responded with a slight laugh. He stood up and poured the mixture into the pot and began stirring it. “I’ll have to tell him what a great help you were while you’ve been here.”

Kaz got quiet for a moment and Boon’s smile changed into a concerned look. “He actually was killed by thieves several years ago.”

“I’m so sorry,” Boon began instantly.

“It’s fine. It’s been a long time,” Kaz answered, looking away, “He’s the one who taught me to use a bow, and ride a horse. I just think he would like to hear about what we did to help, you know?”

Boon stopped stirring the food and turned to face Kaz. “I’m not sure about many things in this ever-changing world, but there are two things I feel very certain about. The people who have passed on are watching over us, and I know your father would be very proud of what you’ve accomplished.”

Kaz smiled and a tear ran down his cheek and he wiped it away. “Thanks, Boon. You know, my parents’ death, it’s the reason I couldn’t stand by and let those bandits attack you.”

The older man patted Kaz on the back, and stood up to get two clay bowls and a jar of honey from his wagon. “It’s a sad truth that sometimes bad men need to be killed to save innocent people. I wish it wasn’t the case, but as long as there are evil people, the world needs men like you who will stand up for those who cannot defend themselves.” He dumped the steaming porridge into the bowls and put in a spoonful of honey.

Kaz stirred a spoonful of honey into his porridge and set it down on the ground to cool. He didn’t know what kind of ‘man’ he was, but it was nice for Boon to suggest that he was heroic. “So what ideas do you have for target practice today?”

“I wanted to do some distance tests on stationary objects. When you mentioned doing some hunting that got me thinking about birds and smaller animals. Even larger animals could be a challenge if they were moving, or if you aimed for the eye. So basically, we have lots of options.” Boon took a large bite of his porridge. “Eat up and we can get going.” He stood up and went back to the wagon and retrieved a full quiver. “Also we’ll be using these for our target practice. It would be a shame to lose or break the iron ash arrows shooting at trees.”

Kaz finished his food, switched out the quivers and they walked into the woods. “There’s not much moving out here,” he commented when he noticed the stillness of the forest.

“That’s not a surprise. Whenever we stop, Blade always has Angela doing laps around the place in the morning before she does her sword drills. She runs through the woods making a racket. I imagine it’ll be even worse when Farin joins with her. But don’t worry, they stay close to camp, so once we get a little distance between us and the wagons we’ll start to see some wildlife.”

“It’s probably safer that way anyway,” Kaz remarked as he stepped over a fallen tree. “We don’t want a stray arrow getting anywhere close to anyone.”

Boon nodded, “Another lesson from your father?” Kaz nodded. “Sounds like a smart and cautious man.”

After walking for several minutes Boon came to a stop in a part of the forest where the trees were larger and more spread out. “We’ll do some target training here, then we can move a little deeper into the woods for hunting. Wait here for a minute,” Boon walked out into the woods and picked up some leaves and pinecones as he went. He stopped at a large tree about forty yards from Kaz and wedged the stem of a leaf into a crevice in the bark. “Do you see this?” he called.

Kaz waved in reply. Boon moved to several other trees and set up some objects of varying sizes, each time calling out to Kaz to make sure he could see them. After he had a dozen targets set up he made his way back to Kaz.

“Let’s begin. First I want you to…”

Kaz drew an arrow, and shot it at the leaf Boon had placed first. Just as the arrow landed, Kaz drew again, hitting the next target. Then the third. He hit each target Boon had set up in the order he had placed them. After less than a minute, all twelve targets had arrows protruding from them.

“Very impressive,” Boon said. “Now what I’d like you to do is to actually knock down each of those items.”

“Knock them down?” Kaz asked in surprise. “How can I make a leaf with an arrow through it fall?”

Boon shrugged. “I don’t know. Why didn’t you wait for instructions?”

Kaz dropped his shoulders, a little deflated, “I just thought you’d want me to hit them.”

The older man motioned for Kaz to join him as he went to retrieve the arrows. “I know you can hit an oak leaf from forty paces with that enchanted bow. That’s not a challenge for you. What I want is to see you push your limits. Try to hit the stem of the leaf, or the piece of bark that is holding it in place. That’s a challenge. That’s how you’ll get better. Use your Sight Stone to focus in on the small details, then try to hit something so small I can’t even see it.” He pulled the closest arrow from the tree and handed it back to Kaz.

Kaz replaced it in the quiver and followed him to the next tree. “I see what you’re saying. When I hunt, I always aim for the eyes. I don’t have to, but it’s more of a challenge, it helps me get better.”

“That’s exactly it. You have a great gift, and you’ve already used it to help save people. Imagine what you could do if you hone that skill to perfection. Especially now that you have the right tools.” He touched the bow.

Kaz pulled the next arrow from the tree and smiled. He started to feel a new excitement well up inside of him at the thought of journeying with the caravan. He looked forward to this chance to focus on archery and master the use of the Sight Stone, and he felt confident that with the magic bow, the Sight Stone, and Boon’s tutelage, he could do anything.

Chapter 23

The capitol city of Norwell was located in the center of Denall. It was a majestic city with a thriving population. The central feature of the city was the large castle which comprised the southern side of the city wall. The entire structure was built using large blocks of white marble that were polished and hardened by magic. On the four corners of the castle, turrets extended up into the air, and in the middle of the square structure, a massive tower rose higher than them all. On the top of each tower, four guards stood and valiantly searched the horizon for any sign of danger. These men wore light armor, and on their belts hung bull horns that they used to sound an alarm should they see any sign of danger. Although Denall had known peace for many years, the king was a cautious man and would not allow his soldiers to become relaxed in their duties.

Throughout the city there were several training grounds for the army, and today was a day of special anticipation. Each year, a group of recruits were accepted into the training program for the army. Hundreds of young men came and signed up for service. Over the next several weeks they would be assessed and sent to the most appropriate field. Most would be foot soldiers, many would become archers, some would be sent to train for riding, and a handful would be selected to train to become knights on the King's personal guard. It was a day of excitement and activity in the training yards.

From across the street, Trae watched longingly as the lines of young men signing up to join the army were processed. Since the time he was young he had always dreamed of being a soldier, but now, at the age of twenty-three, he had accepted that this would never be a reality. He grew up watching soldiers train using swords, axes, spears, lances, maces, and bows. He had helped build many of the weapons they used each day, and when work was slow, he even mimicked their movements and the drills he had seen so many times. Unfortunately, Trae’s experience and skill as a blacksmith made him more valuable working at the forge than fighting in the battlefield.

“Trae! Break’s over. We have horses to shoe and armor to mend.” Trae disheartedly joined his father next to an anvil and pulled a piece of steel from the furnace, ready to work the red hot metal.

Trae was a level four strongarm with solid muscles that came from years of hefting and hammering metal. He had inherited his thick, curly brown hair from his mother and his bulk from his father, Noch. He wore a leather apron with a loop for his hammer and hard leather boots. Unencumbered by the thick clothing, he was able to work the metal into precise shapes and patterns that would fit together perfectly. He held a steel sheet in some solid iron tongs and worked it around the anvil with definitive strokes from his large blacksmith hammer.

Trae had worked as a blacksmith next to his father for as long as he could remember. His father was well known for being one of the best blacksmiths in the kingdom. More important than his skill on the anvil was his reputation for being a completely honest man. As his former apprentice and now business partner, Trae worked with his father and shared in the profits. They had recently been commissioned to make shoes for all the horses in the Norwell army, though right now Trae was completing a suit of plate armor for a wealthy baron.

Trae concentrated halfheartedly on the sheet of steel he was curving into a cylinder that would soon be a shin guard. As he finished the piece and placed it into some water to cool and harden, the army commander stepped quickly into the smith shop.

“Noch, how are those horseshoes coming along?” he asked before he stopped walking. The commander was a short man, but firmly muscled. Under his red cape, his chainmail made a low, metallic rubbing sound as he walked to Noch.

“Commander Pang, we were not expecting you so soon,” Noch said as he crossed the shop to greet his guest. “We have finished half of the horseshoes and we are on schedule to finish the rest as we discussed.”

Commander Pang nodded his head firmly, then continued. “We need to add to that order, and we need to expedite the delivery.” Noch’s eyes widened somewhat as he considered how he could accomplish all the work. “We need one thousand arrowheads: five-hundred broad head and five-hundred bodkins.”

Noch whistled through his teeth at the pronouncement, “And you want these done in ten days?”

“In five,” the commander corrected.

“I can’t do that for you,” Noch said, head shaking. “Even if Trae and I had an assistant we couldn’t do that much in such a short time.”

Commander Pang scowled, not liking this answer, then after a moment of contemplating he asked, “How quickly can you have them done?”

Noch looked around for a quill and moved to a table at the end of the shop. He made some quick scratches on a piece of parchment, then looked up, satisfied. “I think if we put everyone else on hold, we can finish both orders in eight days.”

“That will have to do then. Make a delivery each night of what you have finished,” Commander Pang said, and then he turned and briskly left the shop.

When he was out of the shop, Noch turned to Trae, “I guess we’ll be burning the fires all night for a while.” Trae nodded, and Noch continued, “Check the store room, and then go to the smelters. We’ll need more supplies to make this order.”

“Can’t we work with what we have and get supplies tomorrow?” Trae asked.

“Son, is the army leaving on an expedition?”

Furrowing his brow in confusion, Trae shook his head.

“Is there an army waiting outside the castle gates?”

“Not that I know of,” Trae answered, still confused.

“Then why does the army need one thousand arrowheads?” Noch asked.

“I guess they want them to put on the end of one thousand arrows,” Trae answered.

Noch shook his head and put down his hammer. He took Trae by the shoulder and turned him to look out of their small shop.

“Look out there in the streets.” Trae saw Commander Pang exit the barrel maker’s shop, then move down the street to the fletcher’s. “It’s like I keep telling you, you need to think about the bigger picture. This kind of rushed order, during a time of peace, serves one of two purposes. Either it is to stock up for some expedition, or a wise king is testing to see what we can do under pressure.”

“I see,” Trae replied. “So you think this is some kind of test?”

“I don’t know, Son. All I can say is that if we are not the first to buy the wrought iron bars, there might not be enough to meet our needs, and we won’t make our deadline.”

Nodding with understanding, Trae stoked the fire, checked the store room, and then headed to the smelter’s for supplies. Down the streets of Norwell, late into the night the shops had lights in their windows as the craftsman worked all evening to fill the demands of the King's army.

Noch retired shortly after midnight, and Trae continued until the early hours of the morning. He knew he needed sleep when he pulled the iron bar from the fire and stared at it while it cooled from yellow to orange, then back to black without striking it with his hammer. Despite his superhuman endurance, Trae’s mind needed rest. He made his way through the house, grabbing a loaf of bread that he ate while he changed for bed. He massaged his right arm, pressing deeply on a knot in his bicep. The final thought he had before falling asleep was the dread of seven more days of this brutal schedule.

After three days of getting up at the crack of dawn and staying up into the early morning, the pair was making significant progress toward having the arrow heads completed.

“I’m going to call it a day,” Noch said to Trae shortly after the sun had set. “You’ve earned a break too. Come on up to the house and get some real rest.”

Trae gratefully accepted the offer and went with his father upstairs to their small apartment.

“Hi Mom,” Trae called out as they reached the top of the stairs. “Wow! That smells wonderful!” he commented as he noticed the aroma of dinner.

“There’s my long lost son.” She smiled as she opened her arms to embrace Trae. “Whoa! You don’t smell wonderful!” She took a step back, “I’m your mother, and I love you dearly, but there is no way I am getting any closer to you until you’ve cleaned up.”

“Come now, Mother, we can’t boil water this late at night, we’ll be up for hours,” Noch protested as he entered their home.

Holding her nose she pushed them both back down the stairs. “Then go jump in the river for a quick rinse, or you’ll spend the night in the shop.”

The two men descended the stairs and left the shop. In the streets they noticed that some craftsmen were busy, but many had also retired for the night. As they walked, Trae thought he saw something move in the darkness.

“Did you see that, Dad?” he whispered.

“Sure did, Son,” he replied. “Keep your eyes sharp.” The two men continued down the street, but their casual walk changed into a stiff, suspicious trot as they quickly moved their heads from side to side scanning their surroundings.

When they came to the Rathan Blacksmith shop, Noch spat on the ground. He had never liked the Rathans. They had the skill to be good blacksmiths, but they lacked the integrity. While it was well known that they often cut corners on their work, they saved enough by producing low quality products that they were able to undercut the other blacksmiths in the area.

“Dry throat, Noch?” The sudden noise from the ally beside the blacksmith shop startled Trae and Noch, and they both jumped and turned toward the sound.

“No,” Noch curtly replied.

“Hey, boy,” Mr. Rathan called out when they had passed him, “did I see you hauling a cart filled with iron from the smelter’s three days back?”

Trae didn’t turn to look at Rathan or respond to his question, they just continued walking down the road to the creek where they quickly cleaned up, then headed back home for a well-earned break.

In the morning, Trae woke early and headed out with his cart to pick up a pile of firewood. Collecting firewood from the forest was often uneventful, but he still always kept a strung bow over his shoulder and quiver of arrows hung from his belt. He not only carried the bow for protection, but also to hunt small game he saw while gathering wood. He circled around behind his home and walked past the barracks. Although it wasn’t the most direct route, he always liked seeing the knights and apprentices practicing. He stopped and watched for a time, then headed out into the woods.

The sun was just coming up and the dew still hung from the leaves as Trae made his way through the woods. He gathered some fallen brush and chopped a fallen tree into small sections. In short order, his cart was loaded with logs and he was ready to return home. Before turning back for home, he drew an arrow from his quiver and slowly took aim at a light patch of bark in a distant cherry tree. He inhaled deeply, then released the string, sending the arrow sailing directly into the chosen spot.

When the work slowed down at his father’s shop he liked to spend time in the woods practicing with his bow. Although he knew he would never be an archer, or soldier, he thought that knowing how to use a bow would be a good defense if he ever needed it. He drew another arrow and turned quickly to shoot it into a tree about thirty paces to his left. Then he drew a third and fourth, sending them into their desired targets. After emptying his quiver and retrieving the arrows, he turned the cart around and headed back home.

As he approached the blacksmith shop he immediately knew that something was not right. His father was rushing around frantically. When he came into view, his father made some wild motions with his hands.

“Drop that wood and get over here!” he yelled. “We’ve been robbed!”

Trae quickened his pace, but continued to push the cart home. There was no point in losing a load of wood along with whatever had been stolen. When he entered the shop he questioned his father.

“What was stolen?”

“The iron. All our iron bars are gone.” Frantic, Noch rushed around the shop looking in every nook and cranny, searching for the iron.

Trae approached his father and placed his hands calmly on the older man’s shoulders, “Do you hear that?”

Noch stopped searching for the iron and stood up. The sound he heard was the consistent clanging sound of metal on metal. What made his face burn with anger was that it was coming from down the street at the Rathan blacksmith shop.

“That good-for-nothing scoundrel!” Before Trae could stop him, Noch was running down the street to the other blacksmith.

“Stop! Dad, stop!” Trae called after his father. Despite his calls, Noch reached the Rathan shop and burst open the door.

“Morning neighbor,” Rathan said with a friendly smile.

“None of that! Give us back what you took and I won’t report you,” Noch replied firmly.

“I don’t know what you are talking about,” Rathan countered. “You’re lucky I don’t kick you out of my shop right now for such an accusation.” With this said he placed his iron back into the coals and raised his hammer up. His three muscled sons gathered in around him. “We got our iron from the smelter this morning, it was the last he had in stock, go down and ask him yourself.”

With a small smile on his face Noch looked Rathan in the eyes. “Bullying me isn’t going to change anything,” then he added, “I never said that you took my iron.”

In a moment of shock, Rathan’s eyes opened slightly in surprise, but he quickly recovered. “Everyone knows that it is in short supply. Besides, we’ve all seen that boy of yours,” he said pointing at Trae, who had joined his father, “working through the entire night. It’s obvious that you just ran out.”