Braeland

Chapter 24. The Story of the Ilithium Mine

"This feels so good and comfortable," said Jim, warming himself near a fire where the travelers' outer clothing hung.  When Mortimer arrived at the George shack and had been recognized by Peter, everyone was bursting with questions to ask him.  But he had raised his hand and said that, although the guards had inspected the house that day, they might return and it was not safe to stay anywhere in Rivertown.  Luckily, the rain had let up and had become mist and he led them by a circuitous route out of the town and then along the river.  After hours of trekking they had come to a waterfall and just by that a cave with a very small and rather forbidding mouth but which, inside, was quite large and dry, with natural vents that allowed the smoke out from a fire.  

"This is one of the hiding places of the scouts.  Inside we will find blankets and some dried food," Mortimer had said.

Now they had eaten their fill, including canned beans from Peter's pack which he managed to gouge open with a dagger, and they waited breathlessly, some standing, some kneeling, for Mortimer to tell his tale.  

He began, "Much of the history of the Braeland people is now known to me and I can tell you but a small part or we would be here all this night and well into tomorrow.  You know already the story of the medallion and of the attempt of the old families of Greenwold to quell the jealousy that had uncharacteristically arisen and that threatened to lead to civil war.  For a time, the plan succeeded until a long series of Troken kings, each more proud and powerful than his predecessor, began to rule over all the land known to us in Greenwold, except for the mountains that run along the sea on the west coast.  Many years ago, there were people in the west who objected to the king's rule.  They knew that they did not have the military power to defend their own lands and so they banded together and disappeared into the mountains.  There they found fertile valleys where they could develop villages that eventually grew to become towns, surrounded by farm lands.  They lived a peaceful existence for many generations.  Their only military need was to have bands of guards who were highly skilled at defending the mountain passes.  Although various Troken kings attacked, they were easily turned back, always with great losses on the king's side.  

"Life went on this way for many years, and a lassitude settled in, and then a change came two generations ago. There was a mine near South Town that had long been used to provide iron that we use for many purposes.  One day, miners struck a vein of a metal that was strange to them.  It was ilithium, as only the chief of the miners knew very well.  As it happened it was a thin vein and soon ran out but the chief carefully conserved it, knowing that he was now the richest person in all Braeland.  He had it forged into a chain that he wore secretly.  He was an old man when he passed it on to his son.  This son had disease of the heart but he had one child, a daughter, who he had arranged to be trained to be in every way like a frontier guard, and he passed the chain down to her when he was on his deathbed."

"It's Priscilla!" said Prudence.

"Yes, it was Priscilla.  She was young then and very proud.  Within the first few days of wearing the chain, she found that it greatly magnified her power of mindspeak.  But more than this, when she wore the chain and turned in circular motions like those of a dancer she could move herself, as if in a dream, to other places that she knows on a map or has visited before. More recently she has been learning to move other people with her.  

"It took Priscilla twenty years to learn the full power of the chain and about two years ago she began to incite division among people in South Town.  She said that the mountain passes in that region were no longer safe from the king's attacks and that a much larger army needed to be raised.  When the people's counsel refused, saying that at the very most a few more guards would suffice, Priscilla was enraged, saying that such weakness was typical of the men who were running things in the town.  By mindspeak, by going here and there at speeds faster than lightning, she succeeded in developing her own army that she called The League of Women, even though men, especially those who she promised great riches, joined her army as well.  The traditional guards of the southern approach to Braeland began to be killed in greater numbers and Priscilla paraded these defeats as evidence that her army was the only protection, not only for South Town but the whole nation.  Professional and strange-looking soldiers, some of them mounted on horses, have joined up on her side.  Where did they come from?  Our spies suspect treachery – a secret accord with the Troken King.  Now the whole of South Town either worships her or cowers in her presence.  And she has ambitions to seize control of the whole of Braeland.  She lusts for one other thing as well."

"The medallion!" Peter and Prudence said together.

"Yes.  Her chain empowers her to move about magically from place to place here in Greenwold.  But, having heard of the medallion's power to move between worlds, her ambitions in this world and in yours hold no bounds.  She dreams of an empire in both worlds or, at the least, of moving weapons from your world to this." 

Back at George's shack Mortimer had already told them that Martin was alive and well in Middle Town but now he related the story of their escape from Priscilla's dungeon and the discovery of his sister.  

"Can you guide us to Middle Town?  We want to see Grandfather and bring him back with us," Peter said.    

"Even if our supporters lend us horses it would be a long journey lasting several weeks and it is more and more dangerous as each of the passes of the mountains are more guarded than they were formerly," said Mortimer.

"But if medallion were to take us there . . ." said Prudence.

"Yes, the medallion may be our hope.  Yet it is risky.  Who knows where we would land?"

"I have been there already.  Priscilla took me."

"Yes, but surely she took you to South Town.  We would be captured immediately upon landing there . . . and there is something else you need to know about the medallion.  Now that the Consensus Hall of Greater Braeland has learned of Priscilla's power through her ilithium chain and the rediscovery of the original medallion, they are anxious to have the medallion on their side in this civil war.  Therefore, even if we arrive safely in Middle Town you will be under pressure to join with us."

"I would like to join," Peter said.

"You speak hastily, my friend, although I value your words.  But it is your sister who now wears the medallion and it is your family that must decide together if this risk is worth taking because, as I have said, the ways of Braeland are now not without danger."

"What if I were to give you the medallion?  You know the ways of your nation and you could become a natural leader." Prudence said, carefully scrutinizing Mortimer almost as if for the first time.  He was rough and showed signs of his wounds but in the firelight of the cave she could see that he had caring, thoughtful eyes and was kingly even though he was only a few years older than her.  

Mortimer paused before answering.  He had been staggered by her offer.  "And what of your family?" he finally asked.

"In Middle Town we could pick up Grandfather and all go back to our world.  Then I would give you the medallion and you could come back here.  It would be yours to lead your people."

"If I were to accept your generous offer, I might indeed have enough power, perhaps too much power, to defeat Priscilla and end the civil war.  But what would happen then?  Would I become a monster like Priscilla or would I become an ordinary citizen even though I possess something worth the whole wealth of the nation and powers beyond any other citizen?  Perhaps the medallion was meant to be wielded by someone from another world for these very reasons.  There is one man who has thought long on these matters and who can advise us – Martin.  If you agree to attempt the journey to Braeland then we may discuss this there."

"Ah, yes, we are setting out on foot.  I always enjoyed a long hike," piped up Jim.

"No, that way is too long and dangerous.  I propose we move through the power of the medallion.  That will take several days of preparation."

Mortimer said he would need to ensure that he could mindspeak clearly with every member of the party, but especially with Prudence, because he was the only one who understood the way to Middle Town and its exact location.  He would also draw a map to help them ensure that the location was fixed in their minds.  They all agreed with this plan.  The work was to begin the next morning.

Before sleeping, Mortimer and Peter went out to scout around to ensure there were no soldiers or others in the area who might come across the cave.  The clouds had moved off and small pools of water lay on the rocks, resplendent in the light of the moon and stars.  It was like old times for Peter with his friend Mortimer once again.