Chasing Sparks

Chapter 36.1

Seven days had passed since the fight in the town and Tiel’s good feeling had been replaced with something a lot more irksome. Pretty much everything was getting on his nerves. The weather, the wind, the ground underfoot and constant dried rubbish he was forced to eat.

Not only that, their pace had slowed considerably and the lack of progress was very frustrating. He wanted to catch up with the boy quickly and get this business finished with. But Celie and Alona were starting to struggle and the going was slow. Despite the Valley pass not going so high into the mountains it was bitterly cold along the trail. The snow was still knee deep in places requiring considerable effort to walk through. The only consolation was, he didn’t have to carve a trail for everyone else. Bolo, did that. Everyone just followed in the big Barbarian’s footsteps.

Tiel was feeling tired himself when he spotted what he was looking for. A waystation. They needed to stop as Alona was in a bad way. She was close to collapse and currently being supported by Bolo. Celie still plodded on like the stalwart she was but she was shivering constantly and clearly suffering too. Only Bolo seemed unperturbed. Even half carrying Alona he just ploughed on clearing a path for those behind him. Bolo really was the best of us, Tiel thought.

The Valley Pass was the main route through the mountains in this region and, as such, small stone huts or waystations were spaced periodically along the trail for travellers to use. They provided a place to rest and, as most were stacked with firewood, a place to warm up.

As they entered the small hut and took off their packs, Tiel noticed Alona’s hands and fingers were very swollen and showing signs of frostbite. He really had pushed the poor Forester to her limits. He smothered the sudden impulse to go over and comfort her and instead just told himself she would warm up fine now they were out of the wind.

The waystation was a bare thing but it had a roof and walls and provided much needed shelter. Looking around the stark interior, Tiel was surprised to find the fireplace had been used recently. Judging by the embers, someone must have passed through here in the last day or so. There was still plenty of wood left in the corner however, so Bolo wasted no time getting a fire going. And it wasn’t long before all four of them were warming up.

Feeling a bit better already, Tiel turned to Bolo and said somewhat obviously, “Someone was here fairly recently.”

Bolo nodded, “Last night I would say.”

Tiel rubbed his eyes and looked at the big guy. "Would you mind finding out it was?” Both of them understood that it might actually be who they were looking for.

Bolo nodded and headed back out into the cold. Best of us, Tiel thought.

Tiel sat and wondered to himself. He hadn’t received any further word from his father since leaving the town and didn’t want to contact him without having anything definite to report. So he clung to what he had been told. The boy and girl were following the mountains on the northern side towards the Valley pass. They hadn’t crossed paths in the Valley pass, so either the boy hadn’t reached it yet or he had continued south ignoring the pass. So, it could have been them here last night.

Tiel sighed and rubbed his eyes again. The flames from the fire were bright and he was finding it hard to think. He was also very tired. Tired of walking. Tired of snow. Tired of chasing. Tired of killing. Tired of this life. Tired of everything. He glanced at Alona, still shivering as she lay next to the fire. He pushed down again the urge to go over to her. She looked so vulnerable here in the snow, ice and rocks. A million miles from the forest and her home.

But looking at Alona lying next to the fire, he couldn’t help wondering then at what she had said, what if there was another way? What if there was an alternative to all chasing and killing? But as soon as the thought arose, he dismissed it. Wishing for things to be different from the way they were was a good way of adding an extra layer of suffering on top of what you already felt. Better just to accept your lot in life and get used to it. Things were as they were.

Too tired to even follow these thoughts any further, Tiel just stared vacantly at the fire. Watching the flames flickering in the darkness and the smoke rising up through a small hole in the roof. As he gazed at the hypnotic scene he suddenly realised he hadn’t set any wards since arriving at the waystation. He quietly cursed his oversight, picked himself up off the floor and headed out the door. When things needed doing, best to just get them done.

When he arrived back in the warmth, having secured the small hut against intrusion, he was wet again and even more tired. But he did notice Bolo had returned. The Barbarian was just sitting on the roof gazing out over the mountains, with no apparent need for the fire’s warmth.

Ignoring his desire to join the women and curl up next to the fire, Tiel made his way up to the roof and plonked himself down next to Bolo.

“It was them,” Bolo said immediately, “They were here last night.”

Tiel should have been overjoyed at the news but he was too tired to feel any kind of emotion.

“A tall man and a small woman,” Bolo confirmed.

Tiel stared out into the darkness. “I want this done quickly,” he said, “We need to get back to the Capital.”

Bolo nodded. “Change is coming, fast,” he added as if reading Tiel’s mind.

“Yes.” Tiel said, “We will be needed in the Capital soon.”

Tiel altered his gaze and looked at the dark sky above trying to see the stars through the cloud cover, but to no avail.

He quietly said to Bolo, “The speed affine is said to be Barbarian. Is this going to be a problem?”

Bolo shook his head. “She is not Hun. There is no problem.”

Tiel was pleased and added, “Bolo when the time comes, please watch Alona. There is something she is not telling us.”

Bolo nodded but said, “She will not go against you.”

“Hmmm,” said Tiel neither agreeing or disagreeing.

Changing the subject, he said. “This is your territory out here. Where do you think they are going? Why are they here?”

Bolo shrugged and said, “I would have assumed they were heading for the Valley pass, trying to get back to the other side. But they just bypassed it.”

Bolo looked wistfully around at the mountains in the darkness. “I love the north,” he said, “But there is nothing here.”

After a short pause Bolo continued. “There is one thing that has been bothering me though. The boy and girl would have had to pass very close to Hun land to get here”

Tiel nodded.

“The Hun would not let outsiders pass through their land without making themselves known and this does not usually end well for outsiders,” Bolo added.

“They are not ordinary outsiders,” Tiel returned, “They can take care of themselves.”

Bolo glanced at Tiel. “You do not know the Hun,” he said. “Even if the four of us turned up in Hun territory, we could not hope to cross if they didn’t want us to.”

“Really,” Tiel said, a little surprised, “You think they could stop us.”

“I know it.” Bolo said “But, of course, they would not dare try if I am with you. But this boy and girl…” Bolo let his words tail off into the darkness.

Do not underestimate the boy his father had said. It was beginning to seem more and more like good advice, Tiel thought.

“Get some sleep, Tiel,” Bolo said. “I’ll watch tonight, we should get going before first light if we wish to catch these two before they realise we are back on their trail.”

Tiel didn’t argue, in fact, he could hardly bring himself to climb down the ladder before falling asleep.