Zoran Chronicles Volume 1 A Dragon in Our Town (54 page)

            
The six men gathered around Zhou, but Zoran could not overhear their
conversation. “Well, how did it go?” asked General Janos. “We’ve certainly learned more
about the Yellers in one afternoon that we have in three centuries.”

            
“Don’t know. They scouted around for a couple hours. I hope they liked it.
Honestly, if they didn’t, I will have to try to find some other solution. I will not be a party
to genocide of an intelligent race of people,” Zoran stated what his heart told him.

            
As dusk came, Zhou ended her discussion with her men and came over to Zoran.
“You speak truth. Come, dine with us on antelope and berries. Drink honey mead. We
talk more.” At once, many other women appeared, carrying wooden platters of meat and
berries. Others came with wooden mugs and large pottery vessels. Men, women, and
children gathered around their cooking fires and sat on the ground, ready to dine. Some
brought them over to Zhou and Zoran’s group. Zoran carefully watched how the others
ate and mimicked them, as did his companions.

            
When she had eaten her fill and began sipping the strong mead, Zhou began
asking questions. “How soon to move? All this?” she indicated with a sweep of her arm.

            
“Tomorrow, if you like. We can take about three people and one hut at one time.
We can make many trips in one day.”

            
“That is good. Better if you take a scouting party first and let them find a suitable
place for the village first. Then, take the rest.” She took another long drink.

            
“What about the other tribes?” she then asked. Zoran noticed that her voice had a
hint of hope in it, which he took as a very good sign indeed.

            
“I will need your help with the other tribes. I know that they are scattered all over.
Some are grouped as you are here, but in the cold north. Perhaps there are some still in
the lands where we whites live. After you see that this new land is good for your people,
can you help me to tell others about it so that I can help them move there too?” he
asked. He desperately needed her help with this. So far they had been phenomenally
lucky in connecting up with someone who would listen to reason. Others might be more
warlike.

            
“You are wise as a mother, Zoran. Move my tribe. If we like it, I will send back
others to begin to spread the word. You then help them move. Is this acceptable?” she
asked.

            
“Yes, it is perfect. Thank you for having the wisdom to save your whole people,”
he complimented her.

            
“You are more like a mother than man. Tell me, are all white peoples as wise as
you? If so, why have they killed us for hundreds of seasons?”

            
“My own people are as I am. Yet, most whites are not. They believe your people to
be wild animals, like bears, and have acted badly. We have bad people too, just as you
may have too.”

            
“Ah, we are alike then. We thought that your people were wild animals, stronger
than bears. Yet, your people have metal blades. Some of my hunters tell of metal which
can cut down trees. Is this so?”

            
“Yes, they are called axes. Would your people like to have some axes? Would they
find them useful in felling trees?” Zoran asked, realizing that perhaps some stronger
alliances could be forged through trade.

            
“Yes, we need many axes to fell trees for huts and fires when white snow
descends. You can get these for us? What do you want us to give to you for them?” she
asked, eyeing him closely.

            
“I will give you a hundred axes to show you that we are friends. They will help you
get your new village built sooner. Once you have your village built and are ready for the
white snows, I can come and visit you. If you need more axes, we can make a trade. Furs
would be valuable to us. It will take my people some days to make a hundred axes for
you. If you will allow me to send one of my men back home right now, he can return in
the morning with as many as he can find. That way, those going to the new land
tomorrow can take the axes with them.”

            
She smiled, “That would be very useful. Yes, send your man.” Zoran told Bernard
to round up all the axes that could be spared and to get the Brn blacksmiths making
more to make up the difference. He agreed and cast his teleport spell, causing quite a stir
among the Yellers with his magical departure.

            
Zoran’s group was given a hastily vacated hut in which to sleep, though they
found it awfully crowded. General Janos insisted that three stand guard over the others
during the night, just in case of some trickery. He arranged for a Mage and two men for
each shift, but the night passed uneventfully. In the morning, Bernard arrived shortly
after sunrise, surprising the villagers once more.

            
All gathered around him as he opened up a large sack containing twenty metal
axes. Even Zhou was quite pleased with the gift. As she organized the moving, Zoran
estimated each Mage could take three people plus their hut and meager possessions. By
nine, Zoran, Karel, Emil, Renata, Jarka, and Bernard began the first of many teleports.
Eighteen men and equipment went with each trip. This first day, they made four trips,
depositing seventy-two men on the beach where the fresh water stream entered the
ocean.

            
The next day, one reported that a good site had been found and the major task of
moving the whole village began. One hundred eighty were moved each day for the next
two days. The remaining fifty followed on the fourth day. As Zoran deposited the last of
the villagers, Zhou asked him to return when the moon was full again. Zoran estimated
this would occur in two weeks’ time. If all went well, she would begin to help him with
the other tribes.

            
At last, Zoran and his friends returned back to their horses, surprising the rebel,
who by now thought that he’d just acquired a number of fine horses. “Well, how did it
go?” asked Warlord Petr, when they arrived at his fortress.

            
“I do believe my solution will work. The Yellers are actually an intelligent race of
people. They thought that we were nothing but dumb white animals,” Zoran explained.
“Considering that we have been hunting them down and killing them for centuries, I
thought it went extremely well. I will return in two weeks. If all goes as planned, I will
have all Yellers moved out of your province as soon as we can. Although it is a tad
premature, I do believe that your Yeller problem is a thing of the past. Just don’t go
attacking any of them for a while, please.”

            
Warlord Petr just didn’t believe Zoran at all. Obviously, the Yellers were just a
pack of wild animals on two legs. Everyone knew that, except this new baron. However,
he would wait. If there was any chance that Zoran would get rid of the vermin from
Zovou Province, he had to give him the time. It would save him many men’s lives.

            
When the group returned to the tower, General Janos exclaimed, “Well, daughter
of mine, your husband must be God!” As they arrived home, both Zdenka and Lida came
running up to them, and he grabbed his daughter, twirling her around. Lida gave her
brother a welcoming hug. Janos added excitedly, “He learned more about them in a half
day and accomplished more for them and us in a week than the rest of us have in three
centuries!”

            
“Well?” she asked hoping to hear firsthand of their adventures. She was overjoyed
that they had all returned safely and didn’t say how much she had worried this past
week. Even though Zoran Messaged her frequently at night, she was still very concerned
for their safety. These were the Yellers, after all.

            
Janos, Lida, and Archmage Oldrich had Zoran relate all that had happened
during their visit. Although Bernard had told them a bit about the encounter, hearing it
all from Zoran’s mouth cleared up many points. When he finished, Archmage Oldrich
insisted that Zoran write a treatise on the Yellers so that future generations might learn
the truth. Lida’s comment to him spoke mountains, “How could we have been so
ignorant, so foolish for so long?”

            
“Hey how are our two mermaids doing? How are you coming on your spells?” he
asked Lida.

            
“They are doing exceptionally well. I have them both reading and writing at a
basic level in just this short time. You have a treasure in Zdenka, little brother. She’s the
best when it comes to teaching us our spells! I wish Rayna could come here and finish
her training too.” Lida praised his Archmage wife and he grinned.

            
After getting a briefing on how the construction was faring that evening, Zoran
checked with Duke Leo. There had been a slight setback; his new Circle was scheduled
for completion by the 22
^nd
of June. Next, he contacted his other sister, Rayna, who was
very glad to hear from him. Zoran briefed her on the Yellers too. Once again, Zoran
found himself idle, discovering that he disliked this immensely.

Chapter 24 Enlightenment

The next day, using his Universal Translator spell, he began studying the six ancient
volumes from the founding days of the Adapazan Circle of Ascension and his distant
relative, Valentýn Vladislov, the first baron of Adapazan. One volume described the
construction of Castle Dorumova, and he discovered the location of all its secret
chambers of which he knew nothing. Probably Kazimir stored his valuables in some. It
was a shame that he or his sisters were not still there; they could go exploring, though
they probably would get into trouble with Kazimir.

            
Another volume was Valentýn Vladislov’s diary. This he began reading, skimming
over the unimportant details. He learned that his wife was named Karen and that they
had two sons. One son had died during an attack by the Yellers. The other son, Rogdan,
was named his heir. However, a number of pages later, Valentýn began taking a dislike
to his son’s slovenly ways. A few pages later, he wrote about no longer trusting his own
son! His wife slipped and fell from the rooftop. He attributed the accident to the icy
conditions and her infernal study of the stars, which she did nightly. Several pages later,
he began to suspect that she might not have slipped. Valentýn wrote that he began a
secret investigation. On the next page, he wrote about bringing in mediums to try to
contact her spirit and see if she really did just slip on the ice.

            
Zoran grinned, “Mediums! Bah, probably just told him what he wanted to hear.”
He read on. He grinned; sure enough, one told him that she had been given a push. The
next ten pages were filled with his rambling speculations on who was behind it. Page
after page went by, and Zoran began to suspect Valentýn was likely becoming totally
obsessed or even slightly psychotic about his wife’s death.

            
Now the pages began describing how he thought his own son was behind it, and
he swore that his son would not inherit his ever growing wealth. He wrote, “By the Laws,
he inherits the Circle and Castle, but by god he’ll not get our wealth!” Now the baron
began describing the construction of his secret stash. Just as soon as it was finished, the
engineer who designed it and those that worked on it had been killed by the baron.
Another page outlined his secret trips to there in the middle of the night, moving all of
his valuables out of the reach of his son.

            
The final pages contained nearly incoherent ramblings about the possibility of his
son trying to assassinate him. The last page was almost like reading total insanity. Even
the writing became chaotic, bordering on scribbles. Then, blank pages. “Well, either he
was assassinated or he died of natural causes or he took a dive off the roof. He really
went mad, that’s for sure.”

            
Zoran moved on to the next volume and quickly discarded that one. It outlined
monthly income and expenses along with numerous trades made with other Federation
planets. Two more volumes beckoned to him. One contained a bit of history pre-arrival
on Adapazan. While it might be interesting reading one day, it didn’t seem material to
Zoran. The second one did; it was entitled
Notes on My Connection to the Circle
.

            
“Now this is incredible!” Zoran began reading the notes that Valentýn had
written. Yes, his eyes had changed to bright red, the color of Adapazan’s Circle, just as
had his! Eagerly, Zoran continued reading.