Kingdoms of Caelum; Autumn of the War Queen

Chapter 38

Bane had bought a horse to find Katla from one of the Fortis travellers, a dusty coloured mare that struggled to keep up with the stallion. They now rode back towards the party in misty, cold morning air. They spoke nothing more of the Rakshasha and it was a relief to re-join the others. Katla continued to wear the ribbon as she had always worn it, but only now she felt aware of its weight, hanging in her hair like a dangerous creature. The only thing that stopped her from throwing it in the turbulent currents of the river was the link to her mother; it was her only heirloom and possession, her only memory. Hours went by like this, in her subdued and sullen state. Wasn't it enough that Ragan would kill her, possibly even Lofaid? But now this, this was another grade of fear entirely. That the demons would have killed her for the jewel in her hair, it seemed ridiculous, surreal almost. So for a long while she sulked. Eventually she attempted to distract her mind, thinking of the impending Lunar Agora, what that might entail and Bane's connection with it.

"I never asked you why you travel to the Agora Bane?" she quizzed, slowing the horse down to a steady trot beside his. Bane fixed his eyes to the Valleys that approached on the horizon and his square jaw clenched briefly.

"I go for Lofaid. Ointment for the scars."

Katla blinked away her surprise, her mood lifting.

"He pays well," Bane added.

She nodded, "You are a surprising person Bane."

Threatening a smile, Bane turned and gave a quick nod.

"I could say the same about you Katla Veurink... Come, do you want to see the coliseum before the herds arrive?"

"Is it safe? What about the Rakshasha?"

"They are opportunists; they will not attack in broad daylight. We will no doubt see them at the Agora. Perhaps make an arrangement!" he shouted as he sent the mare into a frenzied gallop. Her heart sank.

"What arrangement? Bane! What arrangement!?"

But her calls were drowned out in the noise of horse and hooves, and a wicked laugh escalating from the warrior.

The lush valley before them narrowed into a natural pass as the river split and turned into several thin streams weaving in and out of the land. It was obvious they had almost reached their destination; the pass was busy with life. Katla looked in awe at the hundreds of people before them, all squeezed across the green slopes with carts and wagons, herds of beasts from cows to sheep; and men, women and children who sang, danced and played instruments of many kinds. They filled the crag with excitement and joy.

"Come little wolf, let's go this way," Bane said and pointed up the valley's face where sparse woodland kissed the tops of the hills. The horses were guided easily through the thickets and brambles; it had been a better idea than wait for the pass to clear, within the hour they had made it to the peak.

"There!" cried Bane proudly.

He pointed down the other side of the hills; below them in a vast expanse of yellow and green fields, sat the spectacular vision of the enormous alabaster stone coliseum in all its glory. With evening sunlight kissing its walls, it was bigger than anything she had laid eyes upon, and many hundreds had already gathered under the giant shadow of the weatherworn building. An array of coloured flags and banners danced in the wind, making her heart flutter to the tense and exciting rhythm before her.

"The Six Kings gathered here thousands of years ago," Bane began, "it is where S'Lair the Greyskin Elf King was killed before the fall of Argon; his death began the Great War and the extermination of the greyskin elves, the mages and the Volvian spirits."