The Ghost Of Eslenda (Book 1) (12 page)

He heard the sharp intake of breath as the hot blade seared the flesh of Kal Tagjet. The boy did not cry out and his jaw was firm. Onyax Lor began the words softly and rose and fell as he spoke faster. He danced around the young man and signaled the men to start their own chant as the old man danced. The voices rose around the fire in rhythm as Onyax Lor stamped his feet. The singsong ended in a shout that all the men joined. Per Tagjet grinned at his half-brother and nodded in approval. Lan Tagjet handed Kal the spear of the tribe. With this spear, painted many colors and bound with eagle feathers, the wild boar will be killed.

"I am ready, Hunter," said Kal Tagjet, speaking the formal words. "I shall kill the boar for our people and the hunting will be plentiful this season." He stood as tall as he could, nearly equal to his brother and his father smiled.

"I ask no less. The men are ready. Take them and go. I shall await your return."

Per Tagjet and the rest of the men were gathering their spears. Onyax Lor approached the smiling Lan Tagjet.

"Why the serious face, Onyax?" asked the Hunter. "Is this not a joyous day for the Nunari people? We shall celebrate long."

"Yes, Lan. It is wonderful."

"Yet you are troubled. Why is that so?"

The wise man sighed and wiped the sweat from his brow. He was still winded from the ceremony.

"I have read the shadows of our men for many years. I know what I know. There is a blackness on Kal's shadow. I don't know what it means, but I fear for him."

"Have you seen this before on anyone else?" asked Lan Tagjet.

"Not so distinctly and not such a large area."

"Are you saying we must not send out the hunters?"

"If you would listen to me, I would not send them. At least I would settle for extra vigilance on the part of the other hunters."

"Done. Ank! Please come here." Lan Tagjet called over one of his Bearclaws; warriors charged with defending the clan. Ank Rak was the largest Nunari and the best fighter.

"Yes, Hunter?" said Ank Rak.

"Keep a close watch on Kal. Onyax has a foreboding of danger for him. It would please me if you could stay close to him."

"I will do so." He bowed to Lan Tagjet, nodded to Onyax Lor and moved back to the hunting party.

Kal Tagjet raised the spear and led the men out of camp.

The first boar track they found led them south. Kal Tagjet did not hesitate and followed the track. It kept to the edge of the woods and dipped into the brush. They walked two winding miles before the trees thinned again. Kal had not lost the spoor and waved the hunters to join him. He trotted southward. Per Tagjet frowned and glanced at the other men. Too far south would bring them to Eslenda. He wondered if he would need to risk his brother's humiliation by taking over the hunt if they entered Howard Cane's land. They were a small hunting party with only two Bearclaw with them. A squad of soldiers would quickly overcome them. Still, it was far to the lands of Cane and he seldom had soldiers on his borders.

"Do we continue?" asked Ank Rak. The veteran Bearclaw was a fierce fighter and the Nunari battle leader. But they seldom entered battle and the Bearclaws were few. He knew better than most, what the odds would be of their survival.

"A little farther," said Per Tagjet. "We should not run into their patrols until the next pass."

"That's what I think also. Kal should run this boar down soon." The chase took a winding route but still kept southward. The sun was high in the sky as morning passed. They had run all morning and their breathing was labored. The boar kept ahead of them and they could not gain on it. Something was amiss - they should have heard something of the creature's passing in the thick brush. All they found was the still warm trail teasing them onward. The men murmured amongst themselves and Ank Rak made Per Tagjet aware of it. Per Tagjet whispered to the Bearclaw and moved forward to stop his brother from proceeding.

Suddenly, out of the brush came the boar rushing Kal Tagjet. The boy pierced the shoulder of the beast and leapt aside. The tusks grazed his thick clothing. The boar continued on past down the slope beyond the other hunters.

The excitement of the moment filled Kal Tagjet and he swiftly followed the spoor of the boar. He ran far beyond the next man as his sudden acceleration startled them. The boar was heading further south. The Nunari had reached the end of their borders.

Per Tagjet shouted to his brother to slow down. The hunters chased their young hunter down the slope the branches of trees and thickets whipping them as they passed. Still, Kal Tagjet kept his lead.

Per Tagjet cursed as he tried to catch his brother, but ahead of them the sudden shouts of the Eslendian soldiers brought bile to his mouth. He had failed his brother and his people. Kal Tagjet ran into a small patrol of Howard Cane's men. Per Tagjet whistled and the other hunters fell back concealing themselves quickly. Ank Rak, Bearclaw and fiercest fighter of the Nomads took charge now. He instructed the men where to position themselves and he alone crept forward leaving Lont Gar, Bearclaw in command.

Ank Rak was easily the largest man of the Nunari, but had the stealth of a deer. Ank Rak drew close to the captors of Kal Tagjet. Two soldiers held the boy while their leader drew a long knife and drew the blade under the boy's chin spilling the lifeblood upon the earth. They dropped the convulsing boy and laughed. Ank Rak roared with anger and bolted from his watching place and ran his spear through Kal Tagjet's murderer. He killed a second man before the soldiers could react and by that time the hunting party had joined him. With the rage of the Bearclaw leading them, the Nunari dispatched the soldiers quickly. Ank Rak pulled his spear from the last body and saw Per Tagjet cradling the still body of his brother. Tears ran freely down his cheeks. The light was gone from Kal's eyes and Per saw visions of things never to be now, as his brother's body grew cold.

"Ank. How can I tell Father?"

Ank Rak shook his head and hugged Per Tagjet.

When the hunters returned to camp there was a man in chain mail-a soldier of Eslenda-addressing Lan Tagjet. Waiting their turn to speak with Lan Tagjet, a pair of Daerlan stood on the far side of the tent. Per Tagjet reached for his sword, but Ank Rak stopped him.

"No. He is from Hal Islen. It was Cane's men that killed Kal."

"They are all from Eslenda. It is no different to me."

"Wait. You will have your chance, but not here and not now. Let us honor your brother first."

Lan Tagjet saw the burden the hunters carried and jumped to his feet and ran to the body of his youngest son. He let out a soft moan as he looked into the dead features of Kal. The face was cool and pale. The hunters had wrapped the throat tightly but the cause of death was obvious. Lan Tagjet could not find words to speak. He growled and looked at the Bearclaw.

"He ran ahead of us chasing the boar," said Ank Rak. "He ran into a small squad of Cane's soldiers and I couldn't get there in time." He handed the broken hunting spear to Lan Tagjet.

"Cane did this?" asked the messenger from Hal. There was anger in his voice.

"Peace!" said Lan Tagjet. "This is our concern. Tell King Hal he shall have our word to fight alongside him to wrest the crown from his brother. But tell him also we grieve for my son and it shall be five days before we come to his side."

"Pardon my interruption, Hunter," said Jed Turlane, lieutenant to Prince James. "It was unworthy. I shall bring your kind words and your grief to my liege lord. I know King Hal would want to offer his deepest sympathy. I request your leave."

Lan Tagjet nodded silently. He stared into the face that once belonged to his son. It was difficult to hold back the anger. But he needed all his wits to survive the coming storm.

Then a hollowness entered his body and amidst the ache he wept for his youngest son.

Later, he joined Per Tagjet and Ank Rak who were speaking with the Daerlan.

"Father, may I present Gaerhan and Elthar who have come at the request of their King, Faelir."

"Welcome to my fire and find peace," said Lan Tagjet.

"Thank you, Hunter. Yours is a gracious welcome, especially at this time," said Gaerhan. Both Daerlan were tall with long light brown hair tied at the back of their necks. They wore green trousers and shirts with a dark green cloak. They carried bows and each carried two slender swords. Gaerhan's hair bore a touch of grey and his nose was more hawk-like than his companions. After a few moments Per Tagjet could tell them apart.

Lan Tagjet pressed his lips together and bowed his head.

"We bring greetings from King Faelir and wishes for good hunting."

"Thank you."

"However, we have troubling news."

"The strife in Eslenda?" asked Lan Tagjet.

"No, Lan Tagjet," said Elthar. "We do not concern ourselves in the quarrels of Men. It is of Turucks that we speak. Even now our long-sundered kin are crossing the water to Masina. Messages reached us four days ago. The Turucks strike with a force of shadows, they will rout the Masines. They will head northward and not just against the Daerlan. The Turucks have conquered all the free cities on the south continent. It is their intent to conquer us all."

Lan Tagjet looked at his son and at Ank Rak.

"What can we do? We have few warriors. We are hunters; we can only flee. Has Faelir sent messages to Eslenda?"

"Messages were sent to King Henry," said Gaerhan. "But now the throne of Eslenda is contested. How can Eslenda set a unified defense against the Turucks?"

"Will the Daerlan defend us all?" asked Lan Tagjet.

"If we had the strength we would," said Gaerhan. "But there is an ancient evil behind the Turucks and even the Daerlan have not the strength to withstand it. However, your people once possessed a weapon of power that could destroy this evil."

"A weapon? A hunting weapon or a war weapon?"

"Both. A spear. Yar Behout was the last Hunter to wield it."

"Yar Behout went to the Fathers four hundred years ago!"

"That is but a short time to the Daerlan. But the spear exists. King Faelir requests that you recover it and with it, kill the Menaloch."

Lan Tagjet stared at the Daerlan.

"The Menaloch is real? It had been a fire tale to frighten children and heedless young men to caution."

"It exists. Generations ago our people fled the old land because of the Menaloch. Our race was being annihilated and a great force of warriors stayed behind as the last ship sailed. They were our last great hope. We believed the Menaloch had been destroyed in the war we fled. We now know this to be untrue. The Menaloch pushes the Turucks toward us for the final battle. The Daerlan need you to do this, as do the Eslendians, and the Masines, if any survive the invasion. Nothing else can save us."

"It may be as you say; Gaerhan, but Nunari do not keep written records. I do not know where this spear lies hid. I have heard no tales of it. Our lands are very large and few have traveled them all. It could be anywhere."

"It was called the Kaliga," said Onyax Lor, stepping out of the shadows behind the Daerlan. "I remember hearing tales of it in my youth. A great spear with an ebony spearhead made of some unknown stone. I know it was told to have been at the north shore camp at one time. I do not recall more about it. I shall enter a trance to bring forth the stories from the hidden places in my mind. Perhaps a specific place name was mentioned. But the north shore camp would be a place to start the search." He moved off to his tent.

Lan Tagjet nodded and turned back to the Daerlan. "You may stay the night with us. Our shelter is your shelter."

"Thank you," said Gaerhan. "You are most kind in this difficult time for you. We will not be a burden to your hospitality."

"One more thing, Lan Tagjet," said Elthar. "King Faelir has offered our services to you in your search. We are to stay with you until the quest is at an end for good or ill."

Lan Tagjet bowed. "That is hearty news and we welcome your service. Please be at rest. We will take new counsel in the morning. Tonight I grieve alone." He left the Daerlan in the company of Per Tagjet and Ank Rak.

"He is very strong," said Elthar.

"Yes," said Ank Rak. "But tonight his tears shall flow and he will cry out to the Fathers. We must leave him in peace."

After her audience with Hal, Lady Oswald entered the Queen's chambers. The guard locked them in the room. Lady Oswald looked at the sparse furnishings and shook her head. The Queen was as practical as her brother; Lady Oswald's quarters in the castle at Whiterock were spartan too. She took the taller woman's arm and drew the Queen near.

"Hal will help you," said Lady Oswald. "But he insists you go to Far Greening. He feels your influence can help or hinder him and he does not want you out of his control until he gains the throne."

"Wonderful. Not my first choice but understandable. It's a bargain I can work with. But it does not please me. Why does Hal behave toward me the way my own son should?" asked the Queen. "Edward imprisons me-my own son! I hope Charles is happy that all his stories of family woe have inspired Edward to this."

"Do not blame Charles!" said Lady Oswald. She stamped her foot. "Edward is your son, not Charles's. My husband did not talk Edward into this madness."

Queen Mary glared at her sister-in-law. She thought very carefully before she spoke, waiting for the surge of anger to pass.

"I suppose I shouldn't blame Charles, but he filled Edward's head with so much of how Henry stole the crown from Father. Edward believes it now. He believes the crown is rightfully his. I do not know what to think."

"Think of escape and how you can aid Hal."

"Yes, you are very quick with ideas, Sonia," snapped Queen Mary. She frowned at the pale face of her sister-in-law and sighed. "How many soldiers did Charles leave behind for you?"

"Two dozen are camped east of here. If we are lucky, Edward does not know of their presence. There are six men in the castle who will help us to escape." She pulled up her dress and displayed boots and riding pants.