They caught up with the men and wagons an hour past Trendle. Jiron and Devin continued at a gallop past the mercenaries. When they were far enough beyond them that they were no longer visible, they turned around and followed them at a discreet distance, keeping them just within visual range.
“What are we going to do?” Devin asks.
“Follow them and see what they plan to do,” he replies. “When we know, I’ll have you ride back and alert the others as to what’s going on.”
Devin nods his head, excited at the prospect of being the one to bring back word.
The group continues traveling at a steady pace, reaching Trendle several hours past noon. Without pausing they make their way through town and continue on past, crossing over the river Kelewan. At a clearing a mile past the river they pull off the road and appear to be settling in for the night.
“Don’t you think it’s too early for travelers to stop for the night?” asks Devin.
Glancing at him, Jiron nods and says, “Yes, unless you’ve reached your destination.” He looks at the group settling into the clearing, his unease growing. Once Jiron has determined that they definitely plan to camp there, he sends Devin back to The Ranch with word. Leaving his horse a good ways away, he moves closer and finds a concealed spot from which to keep an eye on them.
The clearing they’re in is one in which Delia has used on occasion with her caravan whenever she stopped for a visit. Lately though, she’s just gone to The Ranch itself with her wagons.
Tents begin to spring up and two campfires are made, one near the wagons and the tents the civilians are using. The other is further away where most of the mercenaries congregate.
After watching the clearing from the cover of the trees for several minutes, he sees Ceryn, the forest warden in these parts, walk out of the trees on the other side of the camp. Jiron immediately gets ready for trouble but none is forthcoming. The civilians hail him as he enters their camp and waves for him to come over and sit by their fire. Strange.
Ceryn shakes his head, and says something to them, but Jiron’s just too far away from them to be able to hear what’s being said. The woman suddenly stands up and gives Ceryn a hug and a peck on the cheek. A few more words are exchanged before Ceryn begins leaving the camp as he makes for the road.
Jiron quietly makes his way through the trees as he moves to intercept Ceryn. Before he even reaches the edge of the treeline, Ceryn says, “You can come out now, Jiron.”
Surprised that he even knew he was there, Jiron comes the rest of the way out of the trees and joins him on the road.
“So, what brings you out spying?” Ceryn asks as he gestures behind them to the camp. He resumes walking down the road away from the clearing with Jiron right beside him.
“We were told they meant to come and kill James,” he explains.
Stopping dead in his tracks, Ceryn turns his full attention on him and asks, “Who told you that?” The expression on his face is one of slightly controlled anger.
“Miko,” he replies.
“Miko?” Ceryn asks. “James’ friend?”
“That’s’ the one.”
“Now why would he think that?” he asks.
Jiron then relates all Miko had told him of the conversations that he’d overheard back in Osgrin. When he’s done, Ceryn begins breaking out in laughter as he again continues down the road.
“What’s so funny?” Jiron asks as he moves to stay with him.
“That war party you think is encamped back in that clearing is in fact a betrothal one,” he says, smiling.
“What?” Jiron asks, now quite confused.
“They’re escorting the young lady to Wurt where she’ll be married to the son of an old friend.” He holds up his hand to stop any more questions as he continues. “She’s sort of my niece in a way, though not blood related or anything like that,” he explains. “This union has been arranged for many years.”
“But they’re from the Empire!” he states.
“True, but that doesn’t make them evil,” he says. “They’re just people.”
Jiron walks for a minute in silence as he assimilates all this information. Then he starts to laugh, “Wait until I tell them about this.”
“I’d love to go with you to see their reaction,” Ceryn tells him, “but I’m already overdue at the mayor’s home. I just had to swing by here to say hello and give her my best wishes.”
Still chuckling, Jiron says, “Thanks for telling me about them.” With a wave, he leaves Ceryn on the road as he makes his way through the forest back to where his horse is waiting. Wait until James and Illan hear about this. They’ll probably skin Miko alive! Then he starts laughing all over again.
Upon reaching his horse, he mounts up and heads back to The Ranch. He comes out of the forest and makes his way onto the road, then heads back to Trendle. Once over the bridge, he takes a short cut around the town along a little known way through the forest, finally coming out near James’ workshop.
The place seems surprisingly quiet, he looks around and doesn’t see anyone. Not wanting to take the time to unsaddle his horse, he ties it near the back door to the kitchen and goes in.
“Wait until you guys hear…” he stops what he was saying when he sees Ezra and Roland sitting at the table with little Arkie playing with the teddy bear on the floor beside them. “Where is everyone?” he asks.
“Went to find you,” Roland says.
Tersa comes in from the other room when she hears his voice. “Thank goodness you’re okay!” she cries as she runs over and gives him a hug.
He disengages from her and asks, “What’s going on?”
“When Devin came back and told everyone where the men from the Empire had camped,” Roland explains, “Illan took everyone and headed over to deal with it. He felt it prudent not to wait for the attack, but to fight while we have the advantage of surprise.”
Suddenly overcome with dread, he asks, “They’re going to attack them?” When he sees everyone’s nod, he swears and then runs out the door to his horse.
“What’s wrong?” Tersa cries out as she follows him out.
“They’re not here to attack!” he exclaims. “They’re on their way to a wedding. The woman is the bride.”
“Oh, no!” she cries out.
Jiron vaults onto his horse and races down the lane to the road. This way is much faster at a gallop than the short cut would’ve been. At the end of the lane, the ever present guard isn’t there either. Illan must’ve taken everyone with him. Don’t attack! he cries out silently. Then, from over where the clearing lies, he can see bright bursts of light exploding in the air.
James! No!
As they ride through town, James asks Illan for the third time, “Are you sure we need to attack them?” It took some convincing from Illan for him to even agree to this venture.
“If they are here to kill you, then attacking with the element of surprise is our best bet,” he explains. In fact, he’s explained this more than once since leaving The Ranch for the clearing. Everyone knows of James’ reluctance to kill, but there are times when it’s necessary.
They ride through the center of town, the locals stop what they’re doing when they see who it is. Some of them call out to their new recruits who just sit taller in the saddle, basking in the notoriety of just being in the same company as ‘the mage’.
James hates the stares, but knows there’s not a whole lot he can do about it. When word gets out about this escapade, there’ll probably be even more in the way of gawkers coming by The Ranch.
Once past the town, they increase their speed and ride quickly until they’re about a half mile away from the clearing where Devin told them the party was encamped. Illan has them stop and walk their horses a ways into the trees before tying their reins to the branches.
“This way no one will come along and ‘borrow’ our horses while we’re dealing with the assassins,” Illan explains.
They move back to the edge of the trees by the road and follow it toward the clearing. When they begin to see their campfires ahead of them, Illan has them move into the trees. Taking it slowly and quietly, they make their way through the trees toward the clearing. As the clearing begins to be visible through the trees, he has everyone stay where they are while he and James approach closer. Getting within several yards of where the trees end at the clearing, they stop and crouch down as they watch those within the clearing.
The mercenaries are congregating around the far campfire while the two men and the lady stay by the one near the wagons. They can hear them talking in the speech of the Empire, but neither James nor Illan understand it.
“They don’t look like they’re preparing an assault,” James whispers.
“No, they don’t,” Illan says.
One of the men begins preparing their dinner as he brings out a large cook pot and fills it with water from a barrel in the back of one of their wagons. Setting it on the fire, he returns to the wagon where he obtained the water and removes a large, bulging sack. Removing his knife, he opens the sack and pulls out a large tuber and then begins slicing it into the cook pot.
Over at the other campfire, similar preparations are in progress as well. Most of them actually have their armor removed and stacked on the other wagon.
“Do you think Miko could have been mistaken?” James asks Illan.
“I don’t know,” he says. “I still don’t like the fact they’re from the Empire.”
“Cardri’s not at war with them,” James reminds him. “They could just be traveling through, or even merchants.”
Illan doesn’t look convinced. They sit there a couple more minutes observing them when from behind them, they hear a twig snap as Miko approaches.
James glances to the clearing, fearful they may have heard. With relief, he doesn’t see any indication that they heard.
“Well?” Miko asks as he joins them.
“Are you sure they were coming after James?” Illan asks him.
“Yes, I am,” he replies. “Why?”
James gestures to the clearing and says, “Just look at them.” When Miko looks, he continues, “They’re not acting as if they plan to attack. I also haven’t felt anything that would lead me to believe one of them is a mage.”
“Did they actually mention James by name?” asks Illan.
Miko thinks back and then shakes his head, “No, not by name. But they said they were going to kill someone to the north. Who else could it be?”
“I don’t think they plan anything here,” James says, glancing to Illan.
“I tend to agree,” Illan says, giving Miko an annoyed look. “But to be on the safe side, we should leave someone here to keep an eye on them just in case.”
Suddenly from the campsite, the woman calls out and one of the mercenaries gets up and goes over to a wagon. He reaches in and picks up a small wooden chest and begins carrying it over to her.
All talking ceases as James and the other two watch what’s going on.
The guard’s foot suddenly snags on an exposed root, causing him to lose his balance and the chest flies out of his hands. The woman gasps as the chest hits the ground, the lid flying open. A dozen small tubes spill out, three of which land in the fire.
“No!” she cries as she dives away from the fire.
James gets to his feet, his eyes riveted on the tubes in the fires. Suddenly, one of them explodes in a green flash sending embers flying in all directions. Another one goes off and they watch as a trail of sparks rises into the sky and then explodes in a brilliant yellow ball.
“Magic!” he hears someone behind him exclaim.
The trees near the edge of the camp begin to catch fire from the embers thrown by the first explosion. When the third tube explodes, it sends a yellowish-orange spray of sparks toward one of their wagons. Its canvas cover begins smoking as many pinpoint fires spring to life.
The woman scrambles back to the spilled tubes and hastily replaces them in the chest while her guards rush to remove the now burning canvas from the wagon.
Without even thinking, James runs toward the edge of the clearing and begins stomping upon the growing flames, trying to put them out before they spread. Illan and the others join him as they use feet, shirts, and water bottles to slow the fire.
The guards succeed in getting the canvas off the wagon just as it bursts into flames. Throwing it to the side, it lands in the middle of the clearing where it’s quickly consumed.
Smoke fills the clearing from the fires that are beginning to be brought under control. The woman closes the lid on the chest after the remaining tubes have been placed inside and that’s when she notices James’ group at the edge of the clearing stomping on the remnants of the fire.
She calls out and her guards, some with swords drawn, place themselves between her and James.
“James,” Miko says next to him, bringing his attention to the clearing and the gathered guards.
A quick glance shows the remaining flames are being dealt with effectively by the others. Stepping out from the half burnt bushes he takes three steps within the clearing and stops. “Hello,” he says.
“What are you doing here?” she asks from behind her guards. The guards who haven’t drawn their swords all have their hands on the pommels in the event James’ group proves hostile.
“Just happened by and heard the explosions,” he tells her.
“Indeed,” she says. Her eyes flicker to the others as they come to join him having put the rest of the fires out. She looks to be about ready to say something when she turns her head toward the sound of a fast approaching horse.
James is surprised to see Jiron riding hard to the clearing. “They’re not here to attack!!” he cries out as he enters the clearing. Coming to a stop between them, he says, “They’re on their way to a wedding!” He suddenly pauses and takes in the scene; burnt canvas, smoldering brush around the edge of the clearing, and a wagon which looks to have been charred slightly.
The eyes of the woman grow cold when she hears that. “Attack?” she exclaims. “Is this why you are here? You think us assassins?” Her eyes bore into James and a growling can be heard coming from her guards.
“At first, yes,” he admits. “We’d heard rumors that you were from the Empire and grew concerned. When we came here and observed you, we realized the rumors were false and were about to leave when your fire exploded.”
She stares at him a moment as she contemplates his words, then she turns her attention to Jiron and asks, “How is it you know we are going to a wedding?”
Jiron looks somewhat sheepish under her glare and replies, “I ran into Ceryn and he told me.”
“Are you friends of Ceryn’s?” she asks.
“Yes,” replies James.
Her expression softens slightly, then looks back to James, “Why did you think us here to attack you?”
“We were at the fall of the City of Light where a friend of ours had been taken captive,” he explains. “We freed him, but killed some slavers doing it. Hearing those from the Empire were here, we feared your presence might indicate a reprisal.”
Nodding her head, she says, “I see.” A few brief words in their language to the guards and they relax. All but two return to where they were, the remaining two staying nearby.
“That was quite an explosion,” he comments. “By the way, my name is James and these men are my guards.” He gives her a slight bow.
“I am Allana,” she says. “These were meant for my wedding. I’m glad they all weren’t destroyed.”
“What are they?” Miko asks, indicating the chest at her feet.
“They are a gift from my uncle,” she tells him. “They are used in celebrations by the Illuminator’s Guild. Though I am not one of them, my uncle is a high ranking member and allowed me these for my wedding. Since it is going to be here in Cardri, there’s little chance of word getting out.”
“I’m sorry we intruded upon you,” James tells her. “We shall go now, and best wishes to you and your groom.” He indicates for Illan to get the others moving.
“Thank you,” she says.
Leaving the clearing behind, they make their way back to where their horses are waiting. “The Illuminator’s Guild must have powerful magic,” comments Miko.
“Not really,” replies James. “What those tubes were would’ve been called ‘fireworks’ back where I come from.”
“Fireworks?” asks Jiron.
“That’s right,” he explains. “It’s just something relatively harmless that people use to make bright lights and noise.”
“Oh,” says Miko. “Do you think we could get some?”
Turning to Illan, James asks, “Ever heard of anything like that before around here?”
Shaking his head he says, “No, not around here. Though I have heard talk of something like that before, but I didn’t really believe it.”
After reaching their horses and are riding back to The Ranch, James considers the ramifications of what he just learned. The Chinese used fireworks for a thousand years before the military aspects of gunpowder were realized. Should the same thing happen here, it would turn this world upside down.
Deciding not to open that particular Pandora’s Box, he keeps all this speculating to himself. An idea is one of the most powerful instruments ever devised. For once an idea gets out, there’s no going back.
By the time they get back to The Ranch, everyone is beginning to give Miko a hard time. James listens to it for awhile before putting a stop to it. “Leave him alone, guys. He made a mistake, but for the right reasons.”
Miko gives him a look of gratitude as the others quit pestering him. Once they’re back at The Ranch, James says to Illan, “We’re leaving in the morning. See that everyone is ready to go.”
“Will do,” he assures him.
The front door to the house opens up and Roland and the girls come out. “What happened?”
“False alarm,” he tells them. “Seems Miko was mistaken, they were on their way to a wedding.”
“A wedding?” Roland asks incredulously. Laughing, he asks, “How could he make that kind of mistake?”
Shrugging, James says, “He feels bad enough about it as it is, try not to bother him too much.”
“Alright,” agrees Roland.
“I’ll be out at the workshop for the rest of the day,” he tells him. “I’m taking Illan and the others somewhere for probably about a week. The new recruits will be staying here with you.”
“Very well,” he says as James turns and heads over to the workshop. Sitting on his desk is the crystal he’d infused with the defensive spells the day before. He still has the two crystals out in the woods charging, one from which he will transfer the stored power it contains into that of his defensive crystal.
He looks down to the sack that had once been bulging with crystals sitting on the floor by the workbench. Reaching down, he picks it up and only finds two crystals remaining. Taking the larger of the two, he infuses it with the receiver crystal spells and then places it on a shelf over against the wall. Have to get this set up better so it will be more visible and less likely to get lost or broken.
The box to hold the Fire is prepared with all the spells it will require. The defensive and warning crystals are out in the forest charging, he just needs to transfer the power of one and infuse the other with its spells. The receiver crystal is ready and positioned. All that’s left is to dig up the Fire tonight and place it in the box before they set out in the morning.
Leaving the workshop, he sees Miko and Roland over by the woodpile chopping more firewood. Suddenly, a scream rips through the air as he sees Uther and Jorry come running toward Miko.
“We’re under attack!” cries Uther.
“Oh, help! Heeeeeeeelllllllp!” wails Jorry.
James sees Illan grinning at their antics, but Miko has a grim look upon his face. He knows it’s him their making fun of. Doing his best not to smile, for they are pretty darn funny, he moves away from the workshop and goes over to them.
“Stop that right now!” he yells at them.
They come to a stop and look his way as the grins begin to fade from their faces.
Coming closer toward them, he continues, “I asked you not to bother him about this and I meant it.”
“We were just having a little fun, is all,” Uther explains.
Illan begins making his way over to where James is confronting Jorry and Uther.
“I don’t care if you were,” he says. “It will end, now. Do you understand?”
They both nod their heads.
James glances to Illan as he joins the others and adds, “We are a team, all of us here. We’ve been through too much together to treat each other in this manner. I will not tolerate it in my presence or on my property.”
“Yes sir,” says a chastised Jorry.
“We didn’t mean anything by it,” Uther says. Then he looks over to where Miko is standing with the axe in his hand and says, “Sorry Miko.”
Miko just nods then goes back to chopping wood. His next strike is a bit harder than it had been before. James can see him working his anger at being the brunt of a joke out on the wood.
“Now, don’t you gentlemen have something better to do?” he asks them.
“Yes they do,” Illan tells him. “Follow me please.” Jorry and Uther fall in behind Illan as he leads them off to the barn. James watches them for a moment and when they reach the barn door, Illan has them pick up a rake and shovel.
Illan glances back at him and gives him a wink as Uther and Jorry proceed to muck out the barn. James glances over to Miko who’s noticed where they’ve been put to work and he sees a slight smile begin on his face. The next chop of the axe sounds more normal as his anger begins to subside.
Heading back to the house he’s told by Ezra that dinner is still an hour away. Not having anything pressing to do, he sits in his favorite chair by the window in the front room as he relaxes until it’s ready.
Tersa comes out of her room shortly after he got himself settled and brings over a small brown object. It’s a rabbit shaped stuffed animal. “I thought perhaps children would enjoy something like this as well,” she tells him as she offers it to him. “Miko caught some rabbits today, and after their skins are ready, I’ll try using their fur as well.”
Looking it over, he nods and hands it back to her. “Looks like you’ve really taken to this whole project.”
She sits in a chair next to his and replies, “It gives me something to do and if it helps out, then all the better. I like sewing, and making these lets me feel useful.”
“I know what you mean,” he says. “You’d make a good seamstress.”
“You think so?” she asks.
“Of course,” he assures her. “The stitching you’ve done on the teddy bears I’ve seen thus far is quite excellent.”
“Thank you,” she says, blushing slightly. Getting up, she adds, “I just wanted to show you what I’ve been doing.” When she sees his nod, she returns back to her room.
James once more gazes out the window as he lets his mind wander. He’ll be glad when the Fire is hidden, that’s the major worry on his mind. After that, find someway to sneak into Saragon to look for clues as to the whereabouts of a priesthood that disappeared centuries ago. He really doubts if there is anything left that would tell him anything, but what else does he have to go on? How long have I been here and I still know very little about why I’m here? At times he wonders if he’ll ever go home again.