Chapter 11

When the horse that Peryn had been using returned to the stable without him, a party of seven men was sent out to find out what happened to him. Bronas was the first to spot where he had fallen, but all that remained in the trampled dirt and grass were hoof prints, bloodstains, and some prints that Bronas could not identify. When the rest of his companions arrived at the spot, they were just as puzzled.

Searching around, they found the tracks leading off into the woods. They were like the footprints of a human or elf but without toes, and they were less than the size of a small child. Mixed in around the tracks were marks where a body had been dragged away. Bronas selected two of the men to ride hard to the village and alert the Captain to what was happening, while the rest would continue the search. As soon as the two had mounted and turned toward the settlement where the main force of the free races were located, Bronas turned toward the path carved by the strange footprints and strode forward, the tremble in his breathing betraying the nervousness that he tried to hide.

Aldren had been in quandary for quite some time. In spite of being outnumbered by the king's forces, his troops had managed to hold the border at the river. Many of the King's men deserted to the North side of the river, men who were weary of the ever more strangling edicts that seem to come from the King's Court in a constant stream. This was good news for the cause since that meant trained troops to assist in the defense of the common folk who were valiant, but without the knowledge of tactics that could save lives and assure victory.

The tales that these same men were bringing in balanced all this, tales of a growing darkness deep within the court of the king. Terrified men will exaggerate what they are recounting, but even discounting the wilder parts, the core of the tales were all along the same lines.

Ralahur had not been seen in the court for several sevendays. Orders were coming through his subordinates, but all that was known about him was that he was dealing with powers that had not been roused since the times of the ancients. His own priests were frightened and names were whispered that sent chills through anyone who had ever heard tales of the dark times.

Aldren knew that if these tales were true then what was coming was beyond his knowledge and abilities. Ameni came into their room at the inn where they were staying to find her mate staring into the fire, very deep in troubled thought. She walked over to where he sat and placed her hand softly on his shoulder.

"Anything I can help with, my love?"

Aldren took a few seconds to respond. "I don't know if there is anything we can do, if the rumors are true. I spoke with some men who had crossed the river just a few nights ago. The high priest Ralahur is delving into the dark magics that haven't been practiced in more years than we can reckon. I fear that if he succeeds and awakens the powers of destruction, there will be no way to stop them. Even being Dragon Clan, I am only one man. According to the ancient scrolls, the only way the wielders of this power were banished before was with the death of most of the old clan. I am not enough to do it alone."

Ameni was disturbed deep into her very core when she saw the look of fear in her mate's eyes. For as long as she had known him, he had never despaired about an upcoming battle. It wasn't the fear of dying in battle that was consuming him, but rather the knowledge that if Ralahur and his demon prevailed, all that had been gained would be lost and the lands would be plunged into chaos from which it would never recover.

Aldren did not speak these thoughts to her. There was no need. Since her bonding with her mate, Ameni had been able to feel his emotions. It had started when they had made love after the bonding ceremony. She had felt something much more than her own passion almost to the point of experiencing the pleasure of her lover as well as her own. Her climax was almost more than she could take, with his feelings feeding her own.

She couldn't read his thoughts but she could tell what his state of mind was. When she started paying attention to this change, she found that she could strengthen and refine the gift. Now she used it to try and aleve his despair.

She started to move her hands gently across his shoulders and up his neck, parting his hair so that it fell on each side of his neck. She then started kneading the tension out of the muscles that she felt there. It amazed her once again how this man who had dealt death to so many could be so gentle as he was with her. Especially when they would make love.

Even when she was in the village of her youth she had heard tales from the newly bonded girls about how painful it was when their mates first penetrated them and how the men did not care about the woman's needs. From the first time in the cave, Aldren had been very careful about her pleasure. She had followed his lead and found that by fulfilling his desires that it actually brought her more pleasure. And it increased her love for him more than she could imagine.

Aldren started to relax and allow his head to roll forward to expose as much of his neck as possible. Ameni's fingers, made strong from the use of her bow and knives, found the spots of tension in his shoulders and worked them away. She worked until she felt the fatigue he had been feeling slip away. He did not object when she led him to the bed and told him to lie down after removing his clothing. He was soon asleep under her gentle massage.

After Aldren had slipped into the deep valleys of slumber, Ameni slipped out of the room and down to the common room. Most of the men had gone to their beds in and around the village. Off the few that remained, she sought out Vabryn. Being Aldren's childhood friend as well as his second in command, she felt he knew her mate better than anyone except her.

He was sitting on one of the hewn benches that were along the walls, his shoulders against the wall and his legs propped up on the table in front of him. The remains of his evening meal sat next to his boot heel and in his hand was a mug that contained the last of his ale.

When Ameni approached, he dropped his feet to the floor and stood up. This courtesy was not just because she was the Lady of the North Kingdom, but also because he admired, and in his own way, loved the elf warrior-woman.

"I thought that you would have been sound asleep after making that old dog upstairs beg for mercy." Vabryn flashed her a toothy grin.

Ameni gave a tired smile in answer. She sat down opposite where he was as he settled himself on the bench. "Vabryn, I know that Aldren is worried about the reports that he has been hearing from those that have escaped from the South. If what is being said is true, he doesn't know how to handle it."

Vabryn rubbed the stubble on his chin. "And he has reason to be worried. I don't know much about magic and such but I remember the childhood stories and Ralahur may be meddling in things that even he cannot control."

"Old Belwin said something about when wild magic is used, it will consume the one who is wielding it unless they are strong enough to resist. This may be what has happened to the priest. But I must find a way to help Aldren fight this."

"Perhaps it is time for you and Aldren to talk to old Kal-angurr. He is wise in the history of the ancients. I would suggest that you ride for the Tower and seek his counsel."

"Aldren feels that he needs to be here and the Tower is four days of hard riding away. I don't know if we can convince him. But we must try." With that she stood and bade Vabryn a good night. She then returned to the room and crawled into bed with Aldren who was still asleep.

They spoke the next morning about riding to see Kal-angurr and as Ameni predicted, Aldren was concerned about leaving the troops. Vabryn pointed out that while the forces on the other side of the river were gathering, they were still not at such strength that they could attack. The reports from deserters coming to the North stated that there was still resistance in the countryside, bolstered in all probability by the success of the free peoples. The king and Ralahur could not possibly get their forces together for at least several sevendays from now.

The matter was settled by the arrival of a man dressed in the black hooded cloak of a priest of the New God. The four men who brought him in to the leaders kept as much distance from him as possible, fearing what he might do. His hands were bound behind him and he swayed a bit as he stood before the leaders.

Aldren motioned to allow him to be seated and a stool was placed in the middle of the room. The hood of the robe was pulled back revealing a young man whose eyes showed his fear and exhaustion. His bonds were cut and his arms fell limp to his side.

"State your name and why you wished to be brought here." Vabryn had taken control of the priest and started the questioning.

"Lord, my name is Temos and until two weeks ago, I was a priest of the God of the Sun. I had to come and find the leaders of the rebels. The high priest has gone mad with power and the need for revenge and someone had to come to warn you. Things have been going wrong in the kingdom for some time, but I kept trying to reconcile it with what I knew to be right. I couldn't stand the abuses of others that he has ordered done, but would make excuses to ease my own mind. But when he started to take young girls from the villages around the Keep, I started to wonder about him as well as my own sense of right and wrong."

One of the men offered him a drink of water, which he eagerly accepted. He then continued his narrative with increasing speed and urgency.

"One night I followed behind as the High Conclave of priests took the latest captives into the High Priest's lair. I lost my stomach as well as my sense of sanity with what happened next... One of the young girls, probably not more than into her menses, was stripped and placed on an altar the likes of which I had never seen before. While four of the Conclave held her down, Ralahur sliced her open and cut out her heart. He was chanting something as he held the heart above his head letting the blood drain down over his head. I was almost caught as I staggered out into the night.

Nothing in the scrolls of the God of the Sun speaks of the things he was doing. This was some spell that must have come from the dark recesses. I made it back to my hut and prayed about what I had seen. I did not know what to do. When I came out from the hut the next morning, I heard the villagers talking about how the miller's daughter had been taken the night before. That was when I decided that the only thing I could do was try and find the rebels."

After giving this narrative, the young man almost collapsed onto the floor shaking with emotion on what he had witnessed. It seemed that he had been holding in all of these horrors until he made it to his destination. Once he released all of that emotional telling, he could not support himself any longer.

Aldren moved over to the prone figure and released his bonds. He quietly spoke something into the man's ear while placing his hand on his forehead. Almost instantly, Temos relaxed and fell into a deep sleep.

A couple of the men took the sleeping man to a tent where he could rest, but under guard. Aldren turned to Vabryn and the other captains that had witnessed the tale. "This man does not lie. I could feel the fear and hatred he had and that it was directed at Ralahur. He may prove valuable in the near future. However, some of what he has said is troubling to me and I believe that it is now time to consult with others that are more well-versed in the ancient lore. I will be leaving with a small party to the Tower in the morning."

He went through the door and into the daylight to search out Ameni and get ready to ride. The arrangements were made and packs were set for the trip. Aldren selected Uskar, one of his captains along with one of the new recruits of the captain's choice. Uskar had a wife that was soon to give birth at the Tower, so this would be a chance for him to see her. The young recruit was Doale, who had come from lands to the east where the king's troops had done some of the most horrific damage to the land and its people.

Mirgan asked to ride as well. And since anywhere Mirgan was Kiran would be found, she was included. This rounded out the group. Enough of a force to effectively deal with any trouble on the trail and allow them all to rotate guard duty. There was only one more addition to the troop, and Aldren waited until they were ready to ride before he summoned him.

Temos had just awakened from his slumber when Lord Aldren had entered his tent. For the first time in months he had slept the sleep of the just, doing what he felt was right. He had been afraid that the leaders of the rebels would kill him outright instead of listening to him, but he knew he had to try and stop the evils that were brewing in the South. He heard the front flap of his tent open and Lord Aldren stepped inside. Behind him was a woman of incredible beauty dressed as a warrior from some old tale. He realized that she was an elf, and felt a blush run up his face. She stared at him for several minutes and he could almost feel her reading his mind. Just before he started to shift nervously, she broke her gaze and smiled at him.