Aelethia's Hope. Leandra Martin
his head in warning, but Ruan spoke anyway. “There’s something I want to propose to you, cousin.”
“Okay. Emerick, please inform the kitchen that I’m ready for my breakfast now.”
Emerick stood from his chair and bowed to his liege. “Very well, Sire. Was your trip into the burial shrine enlightening?”
“As a matter of fact it was; thank you. I’m ready for anything now.”
“Good, because what Ruan has to propose will take everything to even hear. Good luck with that, Your Majesty.”
Dain looked at Ruan who was smiling awkwardly, then back to Emerick who was scowling. “I guess I should sit down then?” he said somewhat in jest.
“Indeed.” Emerick started to leave then turned back to his king. “By the way, Sire. Melenthia is on her way home. She was seen on this side of Mercer two days ago. She should be within the keep walls by dark tomorrow.”
A look of peace fell over Dain’s features, and he smiled. “That’s the best news I’ve heard in a great many months, Emerick. You have just made my day.”
“Good. Remember how you feel at this moment. Maybe it will keep you calm when you hear what your cousin has to suggest.”
“That will be enough, Emerick. You may go.” Ruan scowled.
He bowed again and left the room. As Dain seated himself and waited for his breakfast he looked at his cousin, chin in hand on the table. “Well, Ruan, what is it that has my Prime Minister so on edge?”
“Let me pour you some wine, cousin and I’ll tell you.”
CHAPTER 4
Alek and his entourage trudged through the desert sands, the horses hooves struggling over the loose deep dunes. The sun was hot and the air dry. Alek was tired of seeing nothing but blazing white everywhere he looked. He was beginning to think that the Isamarians didn’t live here anymore, that they had all died off from heat stroke or dehydration. He thought for sure they would be coming to civilization soon, any civilization. Maybe he was going crazy from the incessant heat burning his skull, or the glare straining his eyes. This was not how he thought he’d pass from this world into the next, as a crispy critter.
Tallyn pulled up beside him, and Alek turned to him. “There is a group of men approaching us from the south.”
“How can you see anything in this blessed sun?”
“Elves’ eyesight is a bit keener than humans, and our eyes can adjust to whatever conditions are required. There are men approaching, and there seems to be at least twenty.”
“Thank goodness. I was going stir crazy out here in this blaring heat and glaring sun. I’ll be happy to make conversation with anyone right now.”
“You may not feel that way when they reach us. They are not from the city; they are nomads, and they are armed to the teeth.”
“Aren’t all the Isamarians nomads?”
“No. Some of them choose to live out here in the desert, away from the villages or the main city. They are warriors only, and the chancellor leaves them alone only because they protect the borders for him without compensation, except to be left alone. I do not know what kind of reception we will get.”
“What can we barter with to ensure our safety through the dunes if they don’t want money?”
“We won’t know that until they reach us. I would inform your men to stand down and do not show hostility of any kind. There are twenty of them, and they are ruthless killers. There are only seven of us.”
“Aye. The last thing I want is to die out here before we can even reach the chancellor.”
Alek turned his horse around and faced his men, and the squire Henri. “Men, huddle up. There are about twenty warriors coming our way from the south. They are nomads who protect the land from undesirables. They are armed and dangerous and probably not too keen on making conversation. Stand down. Do not make any sudden moves that will be construed as hostility. If we want to make it to the city, or out of this God forsaken land alive, I command you to stay calm. Tallyn and I will handle this. Stay alert though. If provoked I expect you to do your job and protect yourselves and each other. Understood?”
They all nodded. Alek turned his horse back around and motioned for them to continue on. They would ride on until otherwise stalled. They were here on a mission and nothing would sway them from that. There wasn’t time.
They rode on for probably another half a league when the group of men became clear in the afternoon glare. There was twenty men, just as Tallyn had surmised, and they were all extremely tall and muscular. Most of the men wore nothing but thin animal skin on their torso and middle, but nothing on their legs or arms. Their skin was bronzed and shiny (Alek assumed they used some kind of oil to keep the sun from burning their leather like skin). Their hair was long and braided down their backs, and they wore no adornments on themselves at all. The rider in the front of the pack, whom Alek assumed was the chief, wore his hair loose, and it cascaded down his back, reaching his saddle. The animals they rode were all white but had paintings on them. They were not horses Alek noticed as they neared. The animals were horse like, but their legs were longer and had no hair on them except for a puff at the end of their scaly tails. They had long necks like a giraffe and yellow eyes. Alek peered over at Tallyn.
“What in the hell are those?”
“I have not seen animals such as these for centuries. I do not even know how they kept them alive all this time. They are ancient creatures called jazas. They were brought over by merchants from across the Eirene Sea almost four-hundred years ago. They were used for fighting and war, but I have not laid an eye on one for over a hundred years. They are not friendly once trained, so do not provoke them or get too close. Only when invited can you touch.”
“I’m not even sure I want to.”
“Keep your horses reined in or they may decide to have one for breakfast.”
“Great. There’s no way I’m going to be left to walk across this hell.”
He passed on the message to his men. Henri was staring across the sands, his eyes scrunched up, a bead of sweat making a trail down his temple. Alek could see him visibly shiver even though it was over a hundred degrees.
Alek readjusted the head cloth on his skull, wiping away sweat from his brow. It was worse with the mail, Alek knew, but he forced his men to keep it on, never knowing when a threat would present itself out here in no man’s land. He looked over at Tallyn who, as usual, was calm and not a bead of sweat was apparent anywhere on his face or body.
As the party got closer to the approaching riders, he could see the leader take out a spear from under his jaza and place it in a cradle that was attached to the side of the saddle. The end of the spear was barbed with tiny hooks. Now Alek shivered in the heat.
“How can we be sure these guys won’t become skittish and run us through. I don’t know about you, but I don’t feel like being skewered today.”
“I will speak for us. Just keep still and calm and things should go smoothly.”
Alek swallowed. The riders finally reached them, and Alek could now see them clearly. He could tell they were very tall, even when not astride the giant beasts, who themselves stood at least two heads higher then the largest horse. They had to be at least six-six. The leader reached Tallyn, who bowed in his saddle. The lead man bowed back. He glanced over his shoulder to the rest of his men, and they reined in, staying tucked in behind him, spears at the ready. The party of warriors surrounded Alek and his men and pointed the barbed spears at them. The jazas breathed down on the horses. Alek could see the animals becoming spooked. His men did a good job keeping them calm, but he knew it wouldn’t last. He could see the jazas breath coming out of its nostrils, the stench of them hit Alek, and he wrinkled up his nose. They smelled awful. The leader glared at each one of them in turn and looked them over inconspicuously.