Chapter 5

Nesho's order to evacuate resulted in action somewhat reminiscent of an anthill being kicked over or maybe a beehive that had been whacked by a stick. People were scurrying here and there in what would look to an outside observer to be complete chaos. Chaos it may have been, but a very controlled and productive chaos. Within hours the files pertaining to Dent's shipping business and governmental records were loaded into a cart and hustled off to a predetermined safe location. Most of the servants gathered what little of their personal belongs they could carry and began to disperse to homes in the village where they were to blend into the general population.

Shasta was helping Nesho and Sosho gather up the pre-staged supplies for the babies when Paco torSiso, the previous owners seneschal, and presently Clarise's second in command, rushed into the nursery.

"Mistress Nesho!" he said breathlessly. "Have you seen Mistress Clarise?"

"I think she's downstairs seeing off the last of those going to town," Nesho said thoughtfully. "Aren't you in that group Paco? Why haven't you left yet?"

"But Mistress!" he was practically crying. "The furniture! All our place setting! Linens... everything! What's to become of them?"

"It doesn't matter," she said shaking her head. "All that can be replaced. Or if it can't we'll live without it. You know as well as I what the master said: abandon everything that isn't immediately useful and easily carried. Now, you are supposed to be in town by now. Get going!"

"Yes, Mistress," Paco said, his shoulders slumping in defeat. Turning, he slowly walked out the door.

"Do we have everything?" Nesho asked, turning back to the other two.

"I think so," Sosho replied and Shasta nodded in agreement.

"Then it's time to gather up the children and be on our way."

The four women and two guards left through the rear of the mansion. Each carried a pack on their backs containing a few days of food and a very limited amount of spare clothing. Just outside the newly planted gardens they picked up a well-worn trail leading back into the hills and up the mountainside.

The babies were held in carriers strapped to their mother's front and about every half hour the women stopped to exchange their burdens between them. There was still just enough light to see when they turned off the well-beaten path onto a much more lightly trod one that looked to head straight up the side of the mountain. There they rested and ate, Nesho and Sosho feeding the babies while Clarise and Shasta replenished their water supply from a small spring beside the path.

"Mistress," Balor, one of the guards accompanying them, spoke as they prepared to resume their trek. "It's very dark. Should we maybe rest till morning? It will be difficult to see the path. I wouldn't want anyone to stumble and twist an ankle here."

"We can slow down, Balor," Nesho said. "But we can't stop. I don't know how long it will take the Malshallians to reach the mansion, but my guess is as soon as they realize nobody is there they will begin searching immediately."

"Won't they think you went into the village?" he asked. "I know I would. And why would they care?"

"They may," she admitted. "But we can't take that chance. As for why they would care... This all reeks of a plot to unseat our master. It all fits too perfectly: him being recalled to Harv'el followed by the invasion. If that is the case, then I have to believe they know who to target as potential hostages."

"Do you really think whoever did this would consider you three as hostages against his behavior?" Balor continued. "I can't believe any of that ilk would even conceive of a slave being valuable enough to be used as a hostage."

"There is certainly one who knows our value," smirked Sosho. "I'll bet he still remembers how his cock was almost burnt off trying to rape us."

"Yes," Nesho added. "I'm sure his Excellency the Putram of Jeevel remembers us well. I am also sure the Malshall ambassador remembers. He was there when Dent fought for us. He may be a bastard, but he's no fool.

"Even if they don't consider us of any value as hostages, they must have heard of the birth of his body heirs. If for no other reason than the babies they will want to find us."

"So," Nesho said with sigh as she stood up. "We must continue on for as long as we can. When we reach the top and start down the other side, then maybe we can stop for a rest."

The grade was steep and the path rocky, but there was a partial moon and a cloudless night, giving them more than enough light to proceed slowly up the side of the old volcano's weathered rim. It was just before daybreak when they reached the apex of the path and were able to look down on both sides of the summit. Like a tiny growth of moss clinging to the side of the cone's inner rim, Safehaven was visible. So too were the fifteen Malshallian warships and troop carriers as they rode at anchor in the harbor.

"I don't see any smoke or other evidence of fire," Nesho stated as they gazed down at the town. "Hopefully that means there hasn't been any fighting."

"I suppose that's good?" Balor said it more like a question than a statement.

"Certainly!" Nesho said. "It means our people won't be dying for no reason."

"But they would be dying in battle against our enemy!" Balor insisted. "Is there any greater glory for a soldier?"

"Well," Nesho started, "most of those people down there aren't soldiers: they're villagers, fishermen, shopkeepers. They have no business fighting anybody. Anyway, Dent had a saying he used to bring up anytime someone asked him about dying in battle. What is it he used to say? Oh, yes. 'The object in battle isn't to die for your lord... '"

"... it's to make the other poor bastard die for his lord," Shasta broke in with a giggle. "I don't know how many times he used to say that. A quote from some famous warrior who used to fight inside armored water carriers, or something like that. I never did understand what he was talking about."

"I'm not sure Dent ever really understood that either, dear," Nesho said with a smile. "But the idea is still valid. You don't win by dying; you win by making the other guy die. Some day we will return and retake Safehaven. What would be the point if everybody there was dead?

"Anyway, it seems relatively peaceful now. That's good. Now we must keep going. Once we start down maybe we can find a good place to rest for a while."

Shasta's feet hurt and her back ached where the pack straps dug into her shoulder but she gamely got to her feet and struggled to put Makro's carrier on her chest. It was her turn to carry the child and although she was tired and wanted nothing more than to just sit down and sleep she knew Nesho must be feeling even worse. So, with a groan, she started down the rocky path, being extra careful where she placed each footfall.

"But one thing I don't understand," Balor continued, refusing to give up on the earlier conversation. "Doesn't the master have more than a few Guild Warriors under contract? Won't they fight? Don't they have to? I thought they would fight even if death was certain."

"They would," Nesho agreed, "but Dent ordered them to declare themselves neutral and retreat into the Guild Hall in the face of overwhelming odds. Again, it doesn't make any sense to kill off your allies in a losing fight. If the Malshallians are smart they'll leave them alone." Balor grunted in agreement.

After about half an hour they came to a flat spot next to the path. There they stopped for a rest and morning meal. The sun was still behind the peak so the temperature was still mild and comfortable.

Shasta and the others were glad enough for the rest but when they tried to get started an hour later she thought her muscles were going to burst as she stood and shouldered the pack. Everything ached! The only thing good about the pain in her muscles was that it masked the pain in her feet. It didn't take long for Shasta to realize that walking down a step slope was actually much harder than walking up the slope.

The next few hours were grueling for everyone in the tiny band. The women were especially burdened since they were carrying the babies in addition to their own packs. Balor and the other guard offered to take a turn carrying them but Nesho refused, wanting them available to use their weapons if the need arose.

By late afternoon, exhausted and foot-sore, they stumbled into the tiny fishing village at the foot of the rim. It barely qualified as a village, really little more than a group of five small cottages precariously perched at the water's edge. As they straggled in two men mending nets saw them and shouted, bringing the rest of the village out into the village common.

"Can we help you, my Lady?" the older of the two said to Nesho as he approached. Briefly Shasta wondered how they knew to defer to Nesho instead of the guards. Immediately she dismissed the thought; first, she was too exhausted to care; and secondly she realized the answer was obvious.

Nesho exuded an aura of calm confidence and competency that seemed to lend itself to people naturally deferring to her in her presence. The fact that she wore a slave collar seemed immaterial; unless she was accompanying Dent she invariably became the focus of whichever group she was in. With him she faded more into the background, but that was only because his presence was so powerful and overwhelming.

Shasta knew that well. She could almost taste the power that seemed to naturally flow around him as he moved near her. She would often become a little light-headed and had trouble breathing when around him. She often wondered if that was the effect of the salidin, or just his forceful personality. She had heard he could terrify highborn nobles and even grizzled war veterans merely by staring at them with his ice-blue eyes. All she knew was when he looked at her it was like his gaze pierced her soul to the core and her knees became weak and her heart started to flutter. She always told herself it was fear that caused it. Every once in a while she was even able to convince herself it was true.

"Can we help you, my Lady?" he asked again.

"Are you Kelemen?" Nesho said panting.

"Aye, Mistress, that I am," he admitted warily.

"I believe Daniel sent word we might be passing through," she said. "Also, there should be a boat readied for a quick departure?"

"Oh, aye," he said with more enthusiasm. "That he did, my Lady, that he did. Aye, everything is pretty much ready for you. A few provisions and such and you'll be ready to go. Would you care to sit and rest awhile? Ya look dead on your feet, if I may say so."

"That would be wonderful, Kelemen!" she said with a tired smile. "A place to rest and something to drink would be nice."

"Oh, I think we can do a little better than just something to drink my Lady," he said with a grin. "For Daniel's sake, and his, ah, patron's, what little we have is yours." With a sweeping hand gesture he motioned for them toward the cottages.

"Thank you, kind sir," she said with a nod. Naturally Makro decided it was time to get fussy and started squalling for her own supper. It just so happened it was Shasta's turn to carry her and the baby turned into her breast and started mouthing the outside of her blouse.

"Now, there's nothing there for you, little one," she cooed. "Mama will be ready soon enough."