Kingdoms of Caelum; Autumn of the War Queen

Chapter 30

The air was cool with a hint of ice on the breeze as Katla stepped into the street. She knew immediately where she was going, to the only person that would understand the confusion and anguish; Bane. In the twenty two days that had elapsed since he had left her at the tavern, not once had he come to see how she was, but she could not brood over that now. Something was dangerously amiss. Quickly and silently, she flit between the shadows, up into the moonlit Kingdom. She ran with her red hood pulled tightly over her black hair, covering her frightened face from the eyes of the Dark Elves and drunken men. She ran until she had thought that she had run too long, but then she recognised the bends in the streets and at last came across the little tin home with the crest of Lupus; The Wolf.

Urgently, she rammed her fist against the door harder and harder until she felt her skin break and her knuckles bleed. The noise woke up the other huts; one by one, lights were lit. An old man with a long white beard opened his door and two chickens flew out. "Bane has left girl," he grunted, clearly affronted to being woken at such an hour. She caught her breath as desperate panic washed over her.

"Left? Where, where did he go?"

"He will be with the convoy, for the Lunar Agora of course." His voice trailed off and he turned to go back inside.

"Please, when did they leave?"

The old man glanced back at her as though she was mad.

"Two days ago. Did you not see the great parade?"

A convoy, it would be slow she thought. Hundreds of carts, mules and wagons, there would be children and animals travelling over unstable terrain. It would be a slow procession.

"Where can I buy a horse?" she asked.

The old man scratched his beard abashed.

"It is well into the night girl, only Dark Elves trade at this time."

"Please. Can you help me or not. I need a horse."

"Of course. There is an elf called Leg'kroyd. He has stables north of the third ward's edge. He will trade with you."

Katla thanked him and hurried away. She began to run through the streets again, feeling the ice burn her lungs and she realised she was not only afraid, but also angry. Angry he had abandoned her so completely, but then again, he had not cared enough before so why should he now? Perhaps chasing him was a foolish thing to do, but who else did she have? Bane was the only person who knew who she was, what she had been through. Then there was the bizarre connection they had once; how their lives had once been so beautifully linked and so cruelly destroyed by the same man who was now 'on business' with Elvin Royalty. The same Dark Elf who seemed to hate humans so openly, but had then saved one without hesitation. And if Katla had not believed in Volvian Spirits before, she was beginning to now. How could everything be so intricately linked like this?

She pushed it all to the back of her mind as she reached the third ward. Scanning the horizon of high slopes and open land, she saw the place she wanted. There were not many open fields in Fortis so the stables and surrounding fields made a strange, eerie landscape. She set off towards it with grass higher than her head, all noise and light except the silver of the moon disappeared and for a moment, it was strangely peaceful. It felt as though the breeze was giving her strength and encouragement, as it kissed the grasses making them sway around her. The light of the farmhouse caught her eye, gradually she walked towards it, calling as she neared.

"Hello? Is there anybody there?"

The Dark Elf stood on his porch. He had heard her voice and footsteps, and had quickly reached for a scythe. Katla spotted the movement as she emerged from the field and approached cautiously, aware of her bow and arrows resting comfortably on her back.