Carack

Carack Ch8 p3

Later after Gerent had bathed and was back in his room and dressed in clean clothes Cam came to fetch him to join everyone downstairs. They had all gathered in the living room. Sancret smiled as Gerent entered and motioned him to an empty chair beside him at the table where they were all sitting.

On the seat of the chair Gerent found his hauberk had been laid out and as he picked it up Sancret said to him,‘You had better put that on at once.’ The Sancret looked around the table and said ‘Now, now that we are all gathered together again, I think the process of building trust between us should begin once more. I will commence, for those of you here who do not know this is not Hugh.’ N’zar gasped and turned to look at Gerent.

‘But I found ‘im on the knoll, like Madron said!’ Wampa protested and the others all spoke at once.

Sancret held up a hand to stop them and call for quiet.

‘I know, I know. No one disputes this is he who is to fulfil the prophecy. But no where in that prophecy does it say he will be called Hugh. Nowhere. This is Hugh’s brother Gerent.’

N’zar sat back in his chair and Cam smiled and shook his head. Sancret leaned forward

‘We must keep this information to ourselves. Madron does not know it and that may be to our advantage at least. He has studied the histories and learnt to predict what Hugh would do, he cannot predict Gerent because he has never heard of him.’

‘How has he studied Hugh? What histories?’ Gerent was bewildered.

‘It’s difficult to understand but there is a game, a computer arcade game, called you have seen it Gerent.’ Gerent nodded and Sancret continued, ‘Madron has somehow accessed the game in Gerent’s world and has watched Hugh’s past attempts. When he won the game Madron, and I’m sure it was Madron, tried to kill Hugh.’

‘The car!’ shouted Gerent, ‘That was no accident, it was Madron that tried to run Hugh down.’

‘And you thwarted him by pushing Hugh out of the way and saving im.’ Sancret nodded.

‘If he doesn’t know I’m me how did he find me today then?’ asked Gerent.

‘I believe that he has been looking for you since you left Netherzoyland, but because you wore the chameleon mail and did not wish him to find you he could not. He must scry for you; once you gave me your mail shirt, he could find you. Hence, the reason why I told you to put it on at once before he has a chance to look for you again. I suggest that you wear it always. Gerent’s hauberk,’ he said to N’zar and Cam, ‘is chameleon mail made by widn Buccas, which protects the wearer from serious harm and blends in with its surroundings should the wearer not wish to be seen. You two have been fooled by this mail and walked right passed Gerent in Netherzoyland.

‘On the steps!’ said Cam, ‘when you left us looking like a couple of idiots appearing like that at the last minute!’ Gerent smiled, ‘I didn’t sleep that night I can tell you!’ Cam finished.

‘This same hauberk is responsible for protecting Gerent from Madron’s influence charm, which he must have eaten, drunk and bathed in from the first moment he arrived at the castle. The question is N’zar how did you overcome the charm and how did Cam?’ Sancret sat and N’zar leaned forward and put his elbows on the table.

‘When my brother was made Madron’s captain of the guard we were so proud,’ N’zar said, ‘we thought Madron was a great Lord. How wrong can thee get? Each night N’zim would come home and tell us of somebody he had had to arrest for a crime against Madron and we thought it fine. Then it was a family friend who N’Zim had to arrest and that was when N’zim began to question what he was being ordered to do for he didst know the man to be honest and loyal. It was after this that N’zim told us people were just disappearing and we, still believing in Madron, said that they must have done something wrong to run away. But despite mother telling him to keep quiet N’zim questioned Madron about the arrests he was making and the next we knew N’zim had been transferred to the Northern Evells. We did not see him alive again, he did not even come home to say goodbye.  He was aaccused of being a traitor and put to death as punishment before we even knew about it. But we knew he was innocent, he wouldst never betray anyone. I was offered his position in the castle when he was transferred and I took it as I thought I could find out the truth and N’zim could have his post back. But, unknown to us, N’zim was already dead and mother and I were told where the body was hanging. So we fetched him down and buried him. Madron never knew, but from then on I also questioned Madron’s actions. Perhaps it was this questioning that kept me free from his power.’

‘That is plausible, but what of Cam, he is loyal to you I know but not your brother, did you have the same feelings Cam?’ Sancret asked.

‘No, I thought, sorry N’zar, but I did think N’zim must have betrayed Madron and plotted to overthrow him as they said. But I would follow N’zar anywhere, I owe him much, so even if it meant disobeying orders I would do so. I cannot explain how that would make me immune from the influence charm.’

‘N’zar, your family is not from this land is it?’ asked Sancret.

‘No, we come from the south, we believe in different gods and have strict rituals to observe. What of it?’

‘Did you eat what the others ate in the barracks?’

‘No, it was not prepared as we required for our faith, my mother prepared – ‘ N’zar stopped and realised, ‘we never ate the food or drank the water! Cam, you converted as thanks for my saving your life, you didst not eat the food!’

‘Well, not much, I’m sorry my faith wasn’t as strong as yours, so I did eat some of the stuff from the cookhouse.’ Cam apologised.

‘So, there, that is how it is done and now Wampa, once the effect of the food had worn off as you sat in that cell -’ Sancret began and Wampa cut in,

‘Yes that be of  it! It was while I was sittin’ there in the dark I began to hate him whoI called Master. I were right glad when Master ‘Zar came and fetched us out of that there dungeon. I were ready to go sure enough!’ he beamed round at the others at the table.

‘Well,’ said Sancret, ‘we seemed to have found the answer to that mystery. I suspect also that Madron has some one in the High King’s kitchen who prepares the king’s food o Madron’s recipes. Now, to Madron, if he has been scrying for Gerent then I believe he will have centred on Widnbrea as Gerent has been stationary here for three days unprotected by the mail. Madron may well assume that Gerent was just resting here as he started out on the fourth day. But he must have heard the folkstories and rumours that abound about this place and myself. He may have been aware that Ignatius Zoy had an apprentice before Madron killed him and took over Netherzoyland, and he may well jump to the conclusion now that that apprentice is here in Widnbrea, so we will need to be on the alert. N’zar, we have seen your mother and sister in Netherzoyland, so far they have not been harmed, though they have been questioned, there is nothing to say that Madron may not now scry for you as, hopefully, he now believes Gerent here to be dead.’

‘Yes, you left that a bit close for comfort!’ said Gerent and everyone at the table laughed. Sancret smiled, ‘I am sorry Gerent, I would have brought you back earlier but I was not strong enough to use my power to look in the well. When I did, it was just in time to see you being pursued by Madron into the bog forest. When I saw what was happening I felt if I could make it appear you had perished then we would have another advantage over Madron. I apologise for the distress it caused you, but remember I sacrificed a perfectly good coat rack, that I was rather fond of, for you.’

‘Why did you leave anyway?’ asked Cam looking at Gerent. Gerent glanced at Meendhu and then hung his head, no one was aware he had overheard a conversation and he was too embarrassed to admit the reason why he had left. Sancret followed his glance, looked puzzled for a moment and then he raised his eyebrows as he understood.

‘You left because of Meendhu, didn’t you?’ he asked gently, Gerent nodded.

‘Meendhu!’ said N’zar in surprise, ‘why on earth would thou run away because of Meendhu?’

‘Did ya overhear what we were saying out on the castle walls?’ asked Meendhu in surprise and Gerent nodded.

‘I didn’t mean to, I just came across you both, honest!’ Meendhu looked at Sancret and then said to Gerent:

‘Ya left so I would remain? It is I who should be ashamed, ya have more honour than I. It’s alright lad ma bad feelings toward ya have gone, Sancret has made me see sense these last few days while ya were off wandering. Besides I saw that Madron let ya die, sa I know ya were not in league with him. Ya have to remember I’m just a bear. Friends?’ Meendhu reached out his paw across the table and Gerent, smiling, took and shook it heartily.

‘Friends.’ He said.