The Guardians: Book One of the Restoration Series (42 page)

Seeing the confused look on his face, Kara spoke, "There wasn't any way to make a makeshift gate quickly, so General Andatell ordered the entrance to be temporarily sealed. Once everything has been secured, I expect that the craftsmen will build a new gate. They are only leaving a small passage wide enough for one rider on a horse to get through."

Flare watched as the damage that been inflicted so quickly was slowly repaired.

Over the next week, Flare continued to survey the fort by getting out and walking the streets. At first, even a short trip would wear him out, but as time went by his strength slowly returned. The soldiers and merchants also got used to seeing him around the fort, and he noticed that they regarded him less and less with scared looks.

Scouting patrols, sent out to search for the invaders, found numerous bodies. The invaders had fled, and General Andatell's troops had pursued them and massacred those attackers that were too slow. The bodies of the attackers had been heaped into great piles and then burnt. The fires had burned non-stop since the battle, and they stilled burned.

The hardest trip Flare had taken was to the graveyard on the outside of the eastern wall. New graves were everywhere, as soldiers and townspeople alike were buried with honor. He wept at the massive number of dead. He could not help but feel responsible. He went to the graveyard once, wept bitterly, and then promised himself that he would not go back. The dead were to be remembered with fondness and their sacrifices praised. He had to stop blaming himself, he knew, but it was easy to say and harder to do.

"Flare, have you seen the progress on the wall?" Atock asked at dinner. About half of the guardians were sitting at a table against the wall. Trestus was absent, but that was becoming the norm, as he seemed to prefer to be by himself lately. Aaron was there, his leg had been set by Kara, and he could now walk with the aid of a crutch, but it still pained him and he had it resting, propped up on a chair.

"Yes. It's coming along quite nicely." Flare said, taking another bite of bread. "Have any of the scouts found any more goblins or whatever?"

Enton was in the process of raising his cup of ale to his mouth, but he paused with it halfway raised.
"Just the bodies of those that were injured in the battle.
They haven't found anymore in the woods," he answered. "Of course, the troops don't go too far away from the fort. Besides the goblins, there are a lot of dangerous things in the wilderness."

Flare wondered at the complete disappearance of the attackers. "Are there any signs of how the invaders just disappeared? I mean, they just can't vanish."

Aaron glanced over at Flare, "Well, maybe they can," he said. "I mean they proved that they have some powerful magicians on their side."

Something about Aaron's answer disturbed him.
"Maybe.
But why would you use magic to transport the whole army to outside the fort. If you can transport a whole army like that, just transport them to the east of us, and you can march all the way to Telur."

"Unless they were more interested in taking the fort," Atock said. His comment cast a bothersome air over the dinner table.

Heather swallowed a bite of venison, “Actually, there are quite a few tracks leading away from the fort.” She paused and wiped some meat juice from her chin. “With the arrival of the army, the attackers fled in their separate directions. It looks like whatever kept the peace between the different groups collapsed, and they started fighting as they fled.”

“Besides,” Mikela added, “Magicians can't transport whole armies. It's just not possible.”

Flare's eyes narrowed, “What of Zalustus, or any of the other humans that were with him?”

Heather shook her head, “We haven't seen the first sign of their escape. There were some signs near the attackers' camp, but after the rout at the gates, they seemed to have vanished. It's almost as if they all flew away.”

Heather's words cast a pall over the group. Her mention of flying reminded them of the way Zalustus had escaped. The group ate in silenced, each absorbed in his or her own thoughts.

Flare was asleep in his room, when a knock on the door drew him from his slumber. A young man stuck his head in, but Flare didn't recognize him. “Sir, General Andatell had summoned you and the other guardians to appear before him as soon as possible.”

Flare pushed himself up from the bed. Sunlight was peaking from around the edges of the curtains that covered the window. He frowned at that, he seemed to have adjusted to sleeping late during his recovery, but that would have to change and change in a hurry. It was rather difficult to sleep late and be in the army.

Pushing those thoughts from his mind, he moved toward his wardrobe, a soldier didn't keep a general waiting, but they also didn't answer a general's summons by showing up in a nightshirt.

He met the rest of the guardians at General Andatell’s make shift office. None of the guardians had any idea why they were being summoned, but they were all arrayed in the best uniform they had. Although given the ordeal they had endured, none of the guardians looked very sharp.

Flare briefly inspected his fellow guardians, and then turned to the general’s secretary.

“We are reporting as ordered.” He said to the young man sitting at the desk. The general’s secretary looked like he couldn’t have been more than sixteen. ‘How many soldiers just like him died during the siege?’

“Wait here and I will see if the general is ready to see you.” The young man said, getting up and entering the office. He was gone just a moment, before he returned and opened the door. “This way please.”

Flare entered first, followed by the rest of the guardians in the single file.

General Andatell was seated behind a desk, sifting through papers. He looked up as the guardians filed into the room.

The guardians lined up at attention facing the general.

The general stood up and walked around the end of the desk. He stopped and leaned against the corner.
“At ease.”

The guardians relaxed only slightly, as they were all a little nervous.

General Andatell paused a moment, and then he said a little more forcefully, “I said at ease soldiers.”

Flare took the not so subtle hint, relaxed his stance, and turned his face toward the general.

“It’s time for you to return to Telur. The king himself has summoned you.”

There were several audible gulps from the guardians. Flare felt his stomach getting a little queasy at being summoned before the king. His thoughts ran wild briefly, before his attention returned to the general.

General Andatell was smiling at the nervousness being displayed by Flare and his fellow guardians. “Relax.” He said in a calm manner. “The king is summoning you to reward you for your service to the kingdom. You are heroes, and will be treated as such upon your return.” He spoke quietly hoping to put the soldiers at ease. He paused for another moment, and then spoke directly to Flare, “Flare, Are you ready to make the return trip?”

“Yes sir. I feel fine.” He answered quickly. He hoped that he hid his fear from the general. He was returning to Telur as a hero. That would not sit well with some of the nobility there. He hoped that his hero status was not short lived.

“Excellent. I am sending Captain Mondell in command of the trip. Also, Bishop Ferrell wishes to travel with you. Are there any questions?” A moment of silence was the only response. The general looked around, “Good, You leave in the morning. Get packed and ready to go.
Dismissed.”

‘The arch-bishop is going with us?’ Flare thought as the soldiers filed out of the general's office. He did not like the arch-bishop traveling with them at all. He was sure that the church would not approve of his learning magic, even the tiny amount that he knew. He would have to watch himself around the bishop.

Chapter 18

The next morning dawned cool, but it wouldn't last long. The early summer sun would warm things up quickly, even at the altitude of the fort. Flare and the guardians were gathered outside the eastern gate, along with the troops that would be escorting them back to Telur.

Captain Aleeus Mondell was to be in charge and Flare had only just met the man, but he seemed easy enough to follow. Unlike some officers, Captain Mondell had fought in wars before and knew how to lead. The captain was dark, with black hair and tan skin. His complexion allowed his battle scar on the right side of his neck to stand out. It had healed well, but the lightness of the scar clashed with the dark skin around it.

Captain Mondell had introduced himself to the assembled guardians and then excused himself. Flare could tell from his tone that he would not be ordering them extensively on the way back to Telur. It seemed that Captain Mondell, while in charge, was more of an escort.

Flare finished strapping his packs to his horse, not that he had much to carry with him. His sword was strapped to his back, and Murleen's sword was rolled up in his blankets. He had decided to keep it as a reminder of her.

His eyes fell on a small piece of black metal, about one inch long pinned to his sleeve. It amazed him to see the insignia of Lieutenant on his collar and sleeves. How had this happened? He shook his head and smiled. 'I just wanted to be treated the same as everyone else.'
Slim chance of that happening now.
Some seemed to consider him a hero, while others thought that he had to be some kind of devil to still be alive.

He dismissed those thoughts and looked around while he leaned against his horse. Most of the men were strapping the last few items to their horses in preparation for leaving. Scanning the crowd of people he noticed, once again, the arch-bishop. The man made him uneasy. Flare had not met him yet, but the church had quite negative views of anyone who carried a sword and practiced magic. He would have to watch himself around the bishop.

He glanced away and surprise almost caused him to lose his grip on the reigns. A man was walking toward Captain Mondell, one of the last men that Flare wanted to see. Tossing his reigns to a young kid who was standing nearby, he walked toward Captain Mondell's horse with a knot growing in his stomach. Dale Stonewood beat him there.

“Captain.
I require your assistance.” Dale said to the captain, who was sitting on a brown gelding. Dale had a light yellow vest over a white ruffled shirt and he wore a wide brimmed hat with a pink feather in the band. Needless to say, the clothes made him stand out amongst the more rugged clothes of the soldiers.

Captain Mondell's forehead wrinkled as he looked down on the man. “Do I know you?”

Dale Stonewood shook his head, the smile on his face never faltering. “No. But I will still require your assistance.”

Captain Mondell straightened a little at Dale's tone. It seemed almost like he was giving the captain an order. “Who are you and what do you want?” The captain's tone was gruff.

“My name is Dale Stonewood, and I am a member of the Telurian Harlot's guild.” He took the cap off of his head with his left hand and bowed low.
“At your service.”

“You mean you're a harlot?” Captain Mondell asked, smiling.

The smile slipped from Dale's face.
“Uh, no.
I manage the girls. If you know what I mean?”

Captain Mondell cleared his throat, “Listen, if you have a problem with one of the soldiers then take it up with the fort's chain of command. They will handle the matter.”
 

The captain started to turn his horse away, but Dale spoke quickly. “Sir, one of these men is stealing my property.”

Flare sighed deeply. He wasn't sure what was coming, but whatever it was; he expected the hammer to fall hard.

Captain Mondell regarded the man for several moments, “That's an awful dangerous charge to be making. Do you have any proof?”

The smile was back on Dale's face, “Of course. There is a soldier named Aaron Imes, and he is stealing one of my indentured girls.”

“What?” Flare exclaimed loudly. “The man's touched in the head.”
Dale turned toward Flare, his grin growing larger. “Well, look who joined us.
If it isn't the sergeant that tried to put me out of business.”

“It's lieutenant now,” Flare said.

Dale wrinkled his nose in disgust. “They actually promoted you.
Must be running low on candidates.”

Captain Mondell moved his horse closer, “Mister Stonewood, you will keep a civil tongue, or I will have yours removed.”

Dale smirked and opened his mouth to say something, but he noticed the look on the captain's face and he snapped his mouth shut.

“What do you know of this?” The captain asked Flare.

“Nothing, Sir.”

The Captain looked from Flare to Dale, his face an unreadable mask. After a moment, he nodded to Flare, “Go find Imes and see what this is all about.”