Chapter 8: The Kingdom of Elgon

I rode into the walled town and everyone watched me closely. I stopped in front of a dry goods store and dismounted. I pulled each horse up and secured them to a hitching post before finally turning to go into the store. I moved toward the grain and dry goods and nodded to the old woman sitting beside a long wooden counter.

A couple of tall men stepped into the store and silently walked to stand beside the woman. When I carried everything to the counter the old woman smiled, “Sidhe.”

I shrugged and opened my pouch and she laughed, “One gold piece, lord Sidhe.”

I looked at her, “A little high isn’t it?”

She nodded, “With all the thieving going on, it will likely cost more soon enough.”

I nodded and set a gold piece on the counter, “There were several sets of thieves on the plains.”

I looked at her, “I am afraid they will not be returning.”

She grinned, “Now, that is good news.”

I gathered everything and she nodded to one of the men who walked out ahead of me. I moved to one of the horses with the smallest pack and put everything away. I untied all the horses and swung into the saddle before heading towards the gate at the other side of the town. The hills were covered with trees and the signs of game were everywhere.

It was a few hours before dark, I stopped beside a stream and picketed the horses. I knew there had been watchers and ignored them. As the sun got lower, a man rode out of the trees and sat his horse looking at me, “May we share your fire?”

I smiled and nodded and he turned to gesture back at the trees. I was a little surprised at the number of people that rode out and swung down. They seemed to just keep coming and my camp quickly grew. I looked around as another fire flamed to life. Several men headed towards the stream with large buckets. Women moved around and before I knew it the smell of food filled the air.

The man that had asked to share my fire cleared his throat as he squatted across for me. I looked at him and he smiled, “You are not from around here. What Clan do you claim?”

I looked at him carefully, “I no longer have a clan.”

He frowned, “Clan is everything.”

I turned as a woman came to the fire and started placing pots and pans around it. I looked back and the man smiled, “Sidhe. All sidhe have clans.”

I shrugged, “In my country they are called Travelers, but I have never been part of their clan.”

He just looked at me, ignoring the women that moved around the fire. I sighed, “I was a master in the Quirrin clan.”

He jerked as if I had just hit him and the women stopped what they were doing. I smiled, “I see you know what my clan was.”

He gestured and the women went back to work, “You said was.”

I shrugged, “I did not wish to kill for money.”

He nodded, “Honor.”

I sighed, “To protect the clan is one thing but...”

He nodded, “Beware the Kingdom of Elgon. The clans here have many enemies.”

I shrugged, “I will not take sides unless attacked.”

He tapped his chest, “I am Craig, leader of the Cnoss clan.”

I nodded, “Lan.”

It was just before dawn that my eyes snapped open. I rolled out of bed ignoring the clan around me and the dying fire. I looked into the forest and turned to pick up my bow, “Craig.”

The whisper was more than enough since his eyes were already on me. I nodded to the forest, “Someone comes with many horses.”

He hissed as he shifted away from the woman and suddenly a dozen men were on their feet. His hand gestures in the dim predawn light were swift and they nodded before moving away. When the hoard of horses charged out of the shadowy forest I was ready and began shooting arrows. The first was a big man in the lead and then the next man beside him.

The Cnoss clan seemed to find shelter before the riders could harm them and the other men Craig had warned began shooting arrows. Soon the raiders were turning to escape. When quiet returned a couple of women built up the fire as I moved to check my horses. Only two horses from clan Cnoss were injured and they were not hurt that bad. The only ones injured or killed were the raiders.

As I saddled the horses and packed up, a warrior brought my arrows to Craig who came to return them, “You are a worthy companion Lan.”

I smiled and accepted the arrows before checking them and then replacing them in the quiver. I swung up into the saddle and nodded to Craig before riding off into the morning. I rode and began thinking about what I had been told. First I knew I would have to avoid all the clans or I would end up fighting most of them.

I stopped at noon to water the horses, I was not going fast so they were eating the tall grass beside the trail. I glanced across the stream as two men walked out of the trees. They hesitated before continuing with the buckets they carried. When I started off again I was waiting, the four men that attacked an hour later never even reached me.

I put an arrow through the chest of each one and looked at the one standing next to a tree watching. He frowned and then turned away as I started moving again. That night I set up camp in a thicket after watering the horses. After cooking a rabbit, I put the fire out and moved into the shadows to one side. I relaxed into my half sleep and woke to sounds outside the thicket.

There were only two ways into the thicket and I could see both. Six men moved into the cleared space in the thicket. They were silent and from the bare knives I knew this was not a peaceful visit. I threw two poisoned darts and the two men I hit jerked and yelled, “ATACK!”

I threw two more darts and pulled two spikes as a torch flared to life. My horses were screaming and starting to panic when I killed the last two men. The other four men had begun to stumble around like they were drunk. I ignored them as I moved to calm the horses. After I had them calm I turned to the six bodies and moved to check them.