All that Glitters (Stavin DragonBlessed Book 1) (10 page)

A
STRONG HAND GRASPED
S
TAVIN'S SHOULDER
in the darkness, and another hand caught Stavin's instinctive swing at the intruder. "Stave, it's me," Kahndar whispered. "We're due on the perimeter in just a few moments. Hit the privy and then I'll help you with your plate. But hurry."

Stavin nodded, then squirmed out of his bedroll and quickly made use of the hole in the ground that served as their privy. When he was ready, Kahndar helped strap on his breast and back plates. Kahndar patted him on the shoulder as he retrieved his weapon and put on his helmet.

"Come on, they'll be back soon." He led Stavin to the edge of the encampment where they waited until the other pair came into view. Lavin Kel'Farin was on his fourth trip to the lowlands and had been paired with Barin Kel'Kandis, who was on his second trip.

"Nothing to report, Kahn," Lavin said softly as they approached.

Kahndar said, "Very well, we relieve you," and turned away as the other pair walked into the camp to rest. Kahn kept them at the slow, regular pace that they had been taught to use to conserve energy.

Stavin peered into the darkness as they walked, seeking anything out of the ordinary, but found nothing. They walked until the sky began to turn green over the distant hills, heralding the dawn.

Somehow, without a sound, the teamsters knew it was dawn and began to appear. They saw to their teams and themselves in silence, nodding courteously to Kahndar and Stavin as they passed.

Kahndar took them on one last circuit of the camp, then led the way back to their tents. Karvik already had both of their bedrolls ready to go and Stavin quickly helped him collapse and roll their tent. Once everyone's gear was ready to travel, Barvil led them to breakfast.

* * *

The days followed that pattern one after another until their seventeenth day, when they were in the heart of the wilderness. That was when the bandits struck.

Shouts of alarm traveled up the line from the opposite side of the caravan, and Stavin struggled to see what was happening without leaving his post. He carefully scanned the forest on his side of the wagons until Barvil blew his horn to call everyone to the fight.

Kahndar told Stavin later that night that the bandits had aimed for the last wagon, probably in hopes of making a quick grab and getting away. They hadn't counted on Davel Kel'Borvan. Davel met the eight men alone while the others rode to his aid. His initial ride through the group left one wounded and one dead, but cost him his sword as the falling dead man pulled it from his grip.

Cordon Kel'Chamlin was next up the line on that side and he reached the bandits just after Davel. He was not as lucky as Davel, being dragged from his horse by the first man he met. The two fought, Cordon with a wrenched shoulder, but he finally killed his man. Staggering toward his horse, he fell to the ground and vanished in the dust. That was when Barvil's horn sounded.

The bandits fled in the face of the warriors. The fight was all over by the time Stavin got there and rode up beside Karvik. Karvik saw him and held up his Dragon's Tongue, showing Stavin the clean blades.

"Not one! Not even a chance to take one!" he snarled.

Stavin took a deep breath and let it out in an explosive sigh of disgust. "We're never going to get to fight," he muttered under his breath.

"Kar, Stavin, Ivalin, Barin, get back to the front and tell the trader that all's well, then spread out and watch for more of these bastards." Barvil was dismounting next to Cordon as he gave his orders. He wasn't watching, but each of them bowed in the saddle before riding away.

The wagons had kept moving, of course, and the young men spurred their horses to catch up. Stavin and Karvik crossed over to the opposite side of the caravan and slowed to check the forest while Barin and Ivalin rode on to deliver Barvil's message. There was nothing to see, and they relaxed when they saw Barvil ride past toward the front of the caravan. Soon, Ivalin rode down the line toward them.

He said, "Resume your positions and keep your eyes open. Barvil says Cordon is hurt and riding in a wagon, so we're short a man," as soon as he was close enough to be heard, then continued on to his number seven position.

Karvik smacked Stavin on the shoulder and crossed over to his position. Stavin urged a little more speed out of Tru until he reached the number three wagon, then slowed to match the wagon's plodding pace.

That night, after they had eaten, Barvil called Davel and Cordon to stand in front of their peers. "Davel Kel'Borvan, this day you killed a man with your sword, driving your blade through his chest. This is your fifth kill and your fifth expedition to the lowlands, and you may now paint your fifth white chevron on your armor. Cordon Kel'Chamlin, this day you killed a man with your sword, driving your blade into his throat. This is your fifth kill and your fourth expedition to the lowlands. You may now paint your fifth white chevron on your armor."

Karvik and Stavin watched the ceremony with undisguised envy. "Our turn will come, Stave," Karvik muttered.

"Not soon enough for me, Kar," Stavin answered.

The rest of the journey was routine until they reached Twin Bridges. Stavin kept wondering what Shari was doing.

T
HE FLOOR OF THE
K
EL'
K
AVIN VALLEY
had been cleared of almost all of its trees in the far distant past, and every portion of the land that could be farmed was planted as soon as the weather was warm enough.

Every household contributed labor for the farming, and Sharindis ended up sending Dorvina and Zahrinis to complete their obligation. Sharindis, of course, was exempt due to her work in the archive.

Shari had other worries on her mind. Her entire world had been turned on its head. She was married! And to the only boy in the valley who shared her love of knowledge. It didn't matter that Stavin was two years younger. It didn't matter that he was barely as tall as her chin. What did matter was that they had only been together for three days before he was taken away from her.

Shari found her mind wandering down unaccustomed paths. Where is he now? What is he doing? Will he be able to write to me?

She had time to talk to Sahrena about it. "Sahrena, you know what this feels like. Does Barvil write very often?"

Sahrena said, "No, Mistress Shari. Sending a message is expensive. A little piece of parchment might cost two or three silver crowns just for delivery. And you have to find someone who is willing to make the trip all the way up here." She growled. "And who can be trusted to actually deliver it and not just pocket the coins."

"Did that ever happen?" Sharindis asked.

"Yes. On his first time leading an expedition. He encountered the trader several years later and retrieved his three crowns."

"He didn't kill him, did he?" Shari asked in a breathy whisper.

Sahrena chuckled. "No, but he did say the thief needed some dry pants when he was done." That had them both laughing.

Dorvina really didn't mind working the fields. It got her away from her mother and, though she was ashamed to admit it even to herself, Sharindis as well. It wasn't that Shari was being obnoxious or demanding. She was just helpless and needed to be cared for. And she was a constant reminder of Stavin.

Stavin was a sore subject as far as she was concerned. Oh, she'd known she didn't want him as a husband. She’d always called him
“The Runt”
to all of her friends. And the boy she liked best, Harner, had a special dislike for Stavin. He never called Stavin by name even in passing. It was always “The Runt” this and “The Runt” that. He and his friends taunted Stavin endlessly about his size. Dorvina had always thought it was funny. Manly.

Now, as the spring progressed and Harner didn't have many men in competition for her hand, she was seeing a different side of him. She hated to admit it, but Harner had a petty side to his personality. Small-spirited. Mean.

Dorvina wondered if it might just be that he didn't have his friends around for the first time in his life. She could make allowances for that. Then she heard something that went totally against everything Harner had told her.

One night, Warmaster Kel'Horval walked Shari home, and accepted an invitation to join them for the evening meal.

Charvil took the master's place as the father of the mistress while her husband was away, and after the blessing he brought up the last thing that Dorvina had expected to hear.

"Shari, you haven't been to practice in a while. Is Arlen keeping you that busy?" Charvil asked with a grin.

"No, Daddy, he isn't overworking me," Sharindis replied with a grin that was remarkably like her father's.

"Then I'll see you at practice soon. I have some youngsters who need to be taken down a peg."

"Your forgiveness, Warmaster, but why not let Harner deal with them for you?" Dorvina asked and ignored the look her mother gave her.

"Because Harner isn't that good at subtle attacks. He's all brawn, no brain. Shari is almost as good as Stavin when skill is more important than power," the Warmaster replied.

"But Harner can beat Stavin, your forgiveness, Mistress, Master Stavin, easily," Dorvina replied.

Charvil laughed.

"Did he tell you that?" Charvil asked with a grin. "Harner has never beaten Stavin in the circle. He wades in swinging away and Stavin just dodges his attacks until Harner leaves himself open and
'tap!'
'tap!'
'tap!'
that's the end of the match. Karvik takes a little longer, but he usually does the same. The only person either of them has any problem defeating is the other one."

That little bit of information rolled around in Dorvina's mind, and she started noticing other little things about her beloved soon-to-be husband as well.

Harner spent every moment he could with Dorvina, and they spent hours talking about his favorite subject: himself. He loved to talk about what a name he was going to make for himself when he got out in the lowlands. He adored the battles he imagined himself fighting, and the riches he would acquire. Dorvina listened with all the adoration she could muster, but there was a nagging question at the back of her mind: Harner had never said why he hadn't joined the expedition voluntarily when the Elders hadn't drafted him.

Others noticed Harner's preoccupation with himself as well. Those men were the ones who were assigned to work with him in the fields. Dorvina heard them talking as well, and didn't like what she heard.

"I'll be glad when the planting's done and that babbling bore is assigned elsewhere," one man had said. "I've never had to listen to so much tongue-wagging in my life, and all of it about what a warrior he is. Hah, if he's such a warrior, why is he here instead of with his year-mates in the field?"

"And why is he spending so much time talking about his future with that girl?" a second man had added. "Do you think Barvil will approve of him after he stayed behind? And Stavin! Oh, after the bullying that boy has received at Harner's hands, there's no way I'd expect him to approve. What's Harner going to do, wait three or four seasons for Barvil to win back his honor?"

"Maybe he thinks he can bully Stavin into saying yes. Personally, any man brave enough to stay in the cave and face the fear isn't someone I'd want to challenge," the first man had said, then they passed out of Dorvina's hearing.

She was upset by the things the men had said and went straight to her mother. "Those men don't have any right to say things like that!" she snapped after repeating as much of the conversation as she could remember.

"They have every right. Harner is an untried boy trying to impress men who've been to the lowlands, Dorvi," Sahrena said calmly as she added some finishing touches to the evening meal.

"But he's a great warrior!" Dorvina said loudly.

"Your father is a great warrior. Harner is a boy with an imagination. Char made that clear enough," Sahrena replied without looking at her daughter. "Go to the practice-grounds the next time Harner is scheduled. Watch what Char has him doing. I think you'll find him to be less than you think he is."

Dorvina did as her mother suggested. What she found dismayed her. Harner was working out against the boys of the next year-group—and losing. Boys as much as two years younger and far smaller were tapping Harner's armor with depressing regularity. It was only when he got mad and started trying to really hurt someone that he finally connected, and that boy was only Stavin's size. The boy had fallen backwards out of the circle; if not for the Warmaster's shout to “leave off,” Dorvina thought Harner would have kept going even though his opponent was down. That would have been a deeply dishonorable act.

Dorvina returned to her home in tears and threw herself on the bed and cried her heart break out.
How could Harner do that? He swore he was better than Stavin—
That brought her up short.
Has it all been a lie?

She didn't come to the evening meal.

* * *

Sharindis obeyed her father's command three days later. She made her way to the practice ground and listened for his voice. Once she knew which shadow he was, she walked unerringly toward him.

"You wanted to see me, Warmaster?" she asked, coming to attention just as one of the male warriors would have done.

"Yes, Sharindis, I did," Warmaster Kel'Horval said with a small bow. "These are my third-year boys. A few of them believe they are ready to join the expedition already. Would you care to explain to them the error of their ways?"

Sharindis bowed deeply and said, "As you wish, Warmaster."

Charvil smiled at his daughter and then frowned at his students. He snapped, "Eldric, Jallan, Geove, front and center," and scowled as three of the eight-year-old boys ran to face him.

"Sir!" they said in unison as they snapped to attention.

The Warmaster frowned, though it was hard to do considering what he had planned. "You three seem to think you don't need to pay attention to my lessons. You seem to think you're ready to face anyone. Let's see how you do facing a blind girl."