The Book of Terrus: The Wise and Powerful

Chapter 24 - To the Sea

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"Someone's coming!"

Hurried whispers and the clatter of metal falling together roused Lhara. She had fallen asleep against a tree trunk, and her back creaked in protest as she jerked fully awake. In the dim pre-morning light only shapes could be seen; Factionists running to stand together facing the fork in the road toward Moaan. Beneath the nearby clamor a low cadence could be heard. There were indeed many someones, close by to the south and getting closer with every moment.

Ignoring the tickle of insects beneath her borrowed clothes, Lhara scrambled to her feet. She marked Reyson out from the crowd of Factionists, all anxiously watching the road with hands on their weapons. Lhara joined him, Vinie and Kiiss where they gathered. For what felt like an age they stood waiting and listening to the rolling march.

Bronze breastplates and red cloaks were the first things they saw when the Moaanese Guard rounded the bend. Vinie let out an audible gasp of relief. On and on the spears of the Guard went, tall and sharp and gleaming beneath the first rays of dawn through the forest canopy like the undulating scales of a snake. At their head rode a small company, mounted on creatures that Lhara could only describe as deer-like. Their spiral horns jutted up proudly before the riders. Their coats were dark, with vertical white stripes along their sides and one single stripe between the eyes. Between the horns and a thick ruff of beard-like hair at the neck, they really were stately looking animals. It was well that they were, because the noble pair leading the Moaanese Guard would have been suited by no less. Lhara was relieved to spot Jath likewise mounted on one of the creatures with Gideo and Dhalad riding on either side of him.

Vinie strode out to meet the approaching company. She raised a hand in greeting and called out.

"Lord Xolani, Lady Oesu! I can't begin to put in words how glad I am that you've come."

"BlackPearl," Lord Xolani replied. "Your messengers came to us in the night with news of the army's coming. It goes without saying that the Moaanese Guard will go to restore peace in Utunma."

"Our offer is accepted then?" asked Vinie, and Lhara knew she was looking at Jath.

"It is," said Lady Oesu. "Let us see if Mahir will be reasonable when presented with one of his noblemen for ransom. Are your folk ready to leave?"

"We are. Shall we fall in behind the Guard then?"

"That would be well; the Guard has its own rank and file in which to travel." Xolani swept back his colorful red and orange shoulder wrap to reveal the glittering hilt of a blade tucked into his sash. He called up one of the Guards from the front of the column. "Place the prisoner in one of the Factionist carts, and assign two men to travel with him. BlackPearl shall ride at the front with us."

Lhara watched uneasily as two guardsmen approached Jath and helped him down from his mount; his hands were tied together and to the saddle horn. They disappeared with him into the crowd of Factionists, and Vinie was called up to take his seat. She swung herself up somewhat stiffly, exchanging a glance with Gideo. The two were obviously relieved at the presence of the Moaanese Guard, but there was tension and uncertainty in that look too.

Oesu stood up in the stirrups and called out to the merging companies of Factionists and the Guard. "Move on! The king's army is days ahead now, and Utunma cannot wait for us. Move on!"

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It wasn't until the next day that Lhara worked up the nerve to approach the cart where Jath was being held. The oxen teams with their supplies were at the back of the column, and it took Lhara a while to fall back all the way past row after row of marching Guards and Factionists. She found Jath sitting comfortably enough in the back of a wagon, although his wrists were now tied to one of the sides. Despite his circumstances, Jath still brightened as he always did upon spotting Lhara.