Maelstrom, p.30
Maelstrom, page 30
Time down here seemed unending, and her lack of a recent meal came back to haunt her. She wished for some roast venison, a particular favourite of hers, but then decided a lighter meal might be more appropriate. A vision of biscuits came to mind, only to be interrupted by a familiar buzz in the air.
Two ice pillars formed, with a top block finishing the arch. The center image shifted to reveal Galina.
"Come," she beckoned. "We haven't much time."
Katrin hobbled through to find herself within a small copse of trees. "Where are we?"
"West of Karslev." Galina pointed. "Over there is a carriage I hired to take us to Porovka."
"And then?"
"With any luck, we'll find Natalia and make our way out of Ruzhina once and for all."
"Hold on a moment," said Katrin. "How are you going to explain my presence to the coachman?"
"That's not a problem. He's a cousin of mine."
"You mean a member of the family?"
"No, I mean a blood relative. Yes, I suppose technically he was born a Stormwind, but he had no magical potential to rely on, so he sought a trade."
"As a coachman?"
"Ah… you catch on fast."
They moved out of the copse of trees, across a grass field where the carriage waited: not the most glamorous vehicle as far as such things go, but it looked well-travelled.
Galina opened the door, climbing in after Katrin. Once seated, she tapped the ceiling, and they rolled forward. The road entered a thickly wooded area shortly afterward, and they finally relaxed.
"We're safe for now," said Galina, "but once we get to Porovka, things are going to get difficult."
"In what way?"
"For one thing, we have limited funds. If necessary, I can probably hire on as a Water Mage, but that may limit where we end up."
"There's still the matter of finding Natalia," said Katrin. "We don't even know if she got free from the manor."
"Nonsense. She's nothing if not resilient, not to mention powerful. If any of us could make it out of there, it's her. The bigger problem will be finding her, especially since she'll be hiding from the family."
"Then how do we find her?"
"Simple, we don't. Instead, we look for her husband, Athgar. As a Therengian, he's likely to draw some attention. Of course, if Belgast is with them, so much the better. I should imagine it's difficult to hide the presence of a Dwarf in these parts."
"I think a ship offers our best chance of escape, but to where?"
"That's a good question," said Galina. "What do you know about the Northern Kingdoms?"
"Not much, I'm afraid. Geography was never my strong suit. Yourself?"
"Let me see, what was that rhyme? Oh yes. Carlingen and Braymoor, hugging the coast, Abelard and Eidolon, angrier than most. Erlingen and just to the south, and poor old Reinwick, the top of the mouth."
"The mouth?"
"Yes, it juts out into the Great Northern Sea. I suppose by that example, Eidolon would be the jaw."
"And where did you get this rhyme from?"
"I made it up, actually. It's a technique I use to remember things."
"It seems to work well for you, but haven't you forgotten one?"
"Which one is that?"
"Andover. I believe it lies south of Reinwick."
"So much for my learning technique."
"Don't worry," said Katrin. "I won't tell."
The carriage slowed, interrupting their conversation. A group of soldiers had blocked the road, and one of them approached.
"Pardon me, mistress," the man said as he drew closer, "but I need to have a look inside."
"Is there a problem?" Galina asked.
He opened the door and peered inside. "A group of renegades has attacked Stormwind Manor. All the roads from here to the coast are on the lookout for them."
"We're not in any danger, are we?"
"As long as you refrain from picking up strangers, you should be fine. Might I ask the purpose for your travel?"
"If you must know," said Galina, "we're on family business."
"Oh? Are you one of those groups of mages sent to track down the traitors?"
"As a matter of fact, we are."
"Then I shan't delay you any longer," said the guard. "You're free to be about your business."
The carriage rolled forward, taking them into the countryside.
"Well, that was interesting," said Katrin.
"Indeed," replied Galina. "It seems the family has given us a convenient excuse for visiting Porovka."
Athgar uttered words of power, and the small fire sprang to life. They were west of the city, where a thick forest sat on either side of the Michutskin River.
"Tomorrow, we'll head downstream," said Natalia. "Although I'm not sure what to expect."
"You still fear the family?" said Belgast.
"I do. They have ways of communicating over long distances, so word of our escape has likely reached Porovka by now."
"We might be better served by sticking to land and following the coast south into Zaran."
"Too dangerous," said Stanislav, "and much too time-consuming. By the time we made it out of there, every court on the Continent would be alerted to our flight."
"Then I suppose we have no option other than to return home," said Athgar.
"No," said Natalia. "That would be admitting defeat. We need to spread word of the family's treachery."
"Why?" said the Dwarf. "They've been doing this for generations. What difference will a few more years make?"
"The family serves Halvaria."
Everyone fell silent as the implications sank in.
"Are you sure?" asked Stanislav.
In answer, she pulled the letter from her belt. "This reveals everything."
Stanislav took it and tried to read its contents, but he could make out little in the dim light. "I'm afraid my eyesight isn't what it used to be. Can you summarize it for us?"
"First off, the family was responsible for the fall of Therengia. We suspected that, of course, but now we have confirmation."
"What difference does that make? The Old Kingdom has been dead for five centuries."
"Yes, but they learned from their failure and applied it to their new conquests."
"Are you suggesting Therengia was a trial run?"
"I doubt it was a trial," said Natalia. "I suspect they hoped it would succeed. In any event, when the time came to repeat the plan, Halvaria was already a growing empire."
"So they infiltrated it, and then what?"
"They took over. It's clear from Illiana's letter, the family controls it and has done so for some time. All their efforts in the courts of the Petty Kingdoms are meant to lay the groundwork for their eventual conquest."
"The problem," said Belgast, "is the only proof we possess is a letter claiming to be written by Illiana Stormwind."
Natalia bristled. "Claiming?"
"I'm sorry, but from the perspective of a Petty Kingdom, it could be a forgery. After all, they've invested fortunes in acquiring the finest mages for their courts, and you know full well the vast majority of them are either Stormwinds or Sartellians. Do you honestly think they'll believe our claims?"
"We have to unmask them somehow," said Athgar. "Now that we know what they're up to, could we lay a trap?"
"Such as?" asked Natalia.
"I can't think in terms of specifics. We'd need to take it one court at a time."
"Or," added Belgast, "the trick would be to start with those courts who don't have a family presence."
"Great," said Stanislav. "Where do we start? Does anyone have a list, because we're talking about a lot of kingdoms and a lot of courts? And it won't take long for word to get around that we're making enquiries."
"Let's not get carried away," said Natalia. "We've yet to reach the coast, let alone sail away to some foreign kingdom. We'd be better served to deal with the present rather than worry about the future. Now get some rest. We've got a long day ahead of us tomorrow."
Return to Porovka
Autumn 1108 SR
* * *
The next day, they kept to the river's southern bank. The terrain here was relatively open, consisting of patches of forest interspersed with fields of long grass.
They were crossing one such open area when Stanislav, who had taken the lead, turned his head to speak to Athgar. His focus soon shifted from the Therengian to where they had just come from.
"That doesn't bode well," the mage hunter said.
Athgar slowed, turning to look behind them. A dozen people were emerging from the distant woods. Not in itself a threatening gesture, but as they watched, one of them pointed at their group and gave a yell.
"They spotted us," said Stanislav.
"How did they find us?" said Belgast.
"Easy," said Athgar. "They have a hunter. If I'm not mistaken, that's Ethwyn."
"It can't be," said Natalia. "I saw her fall back in Stormwind Manor."
"She obviously wasn't as badly hurt as you thought." He scanned the area. "There's a small group of huts farther upstream. You and Belgast run ahead and see if there's anything there that could help us."
"Like what?"
"Maybe a building we can fortify? Stanislav, come here. I'll need your help if we're to hurry."
Natalia raced towards the structures, the Dwarf in hot pursuit. They were sorely disappointed if they were hoping for help, for this area had been abandoned for some time. The buildings themselves were derelict, one so bad its roof was collapsed.
She felt panic rising within her. The thought of making a stand entered her mind, but she quickly dismissed it. Even if they fought, there was no guarantee they would win, and if they somehow overcame their pursuers, there was still the danger of someone getting wounded. She had already lost too many friends. She resolved not to lose any more.
The river beckoned, and she wondered if they might cross over to the other bank. It would be easy enough to bridge the river with a spell, but as she drew closer, it became apparent why this particular location had once been settled, for a natural ford lay just beneath the surface. So much for cutting off the pursuit.
Then she spotted a piece of wood jutting out of some weeds. She rushed over to find an old wooden boat that had seen better days, the bottom seam split.
"That's unfortunate," muttered Belgast. "For a moment there, I thought our luck had turned."
Natalia quickly glanced back toward the forest. Stanislav and Athgar were drawing closer, but their pursuers were catching up.
"Perhaps it has," she said. "Help me get this thing down to the water."
"Don't be daft. It'll sink!"
"Not if I can help it."
Together they grasped the nose and lifted, tearing weeds as they worked to flip the boat over. Then they pushed it towards the river, but Natalia stopped as its end splashed into the river.
"Hold tight," she said. "This may take some time."
"Time," muttered the Dwarf. "The one thing we don't have."
Natalia began casting, but Belgast's eyes were on their comrades who were now passing by the ruined cluster of hovels.
"What's this?" asked Stanislav.
Her spell went off, creating a chill in the air. "Get Athgar in," she called out in haste. "Then push for all you're worth."
Athgar climbed in right before the boat slid into the water, propelled by the others. It took only a moment for the rest to join him, and then Natalia was once more calling on her magic. The water swirled on either side, and they drifted out into the middle of the river, gradually picking up speed.
Their pursuers emerged from behind the huts, and a few stray arrows were sent hurtling towards the boat. Athgar sent sparks flying to land on the shoreline. They exploded as the enemy drew near making them wary of coming any closer.
A final arrow struck, digging into the wood of the boat, remaining there as a sign of how close the encounter had been.
"I don't understand," said Belgast. "How did you get this thing to float?"
In answer, Natalia pointed at the broken seam, now sealed with ice.
"How long can you keep that up?"
"In this weather?" asked Natalia. "All day if necessary."
* * *
They spent three days on the river, fraught with panic every time they spotted anyone nearby. As they drew closer to the coast, signs of civilization increased. It started with the odd building or two, and then small hamlets and villages appeared by the water's edge. These they passed without stopping, for they feared word of their escape may have reached the area. Finally, the river widened considerably, the distant cry of seagulls telling them the coast was near.
"Time to abandon the boat," said Natalia. "They'll probably be on the lookout for it."
"We'll go north," said Stanislav, "bringing us to the Porovka road, and from there, we can enter the city."
"Won't they be expecting that?"
"For us to walk in the front door? I doubt it. In any case, I've travelled through here dozens of times. I know what to do."
They left the boat on the bank, taking time to cover it with leaves and branches.
"Are you sure this is necessary?" grumbled Belgast.
"Yes," said Athgar. "The last thing we need is for them to pick up our trail again."
Above them, higher up on the riverbank, Stanislav stood watch. Something caught the mage hunter's attention, for he disappeared from view, returning shortly with a smile on his face.
"What are you grinning at?" asked the Dwarf.
"It seems that once again, luck is with us. I secured us a ride."
"Meaning?"
"Come and see for yourself."
They all climbed up the incline to see a wagon sitting on the roadway, its bed stacked high with hay. Judging from his clothing, a local farmer sat up front, his team of horses snorting in the chilly morning air.
"This gentleman has agreed to take us to Porovka in exchange for a few coins." Stanislav paused, seeing the looks of apprehension on his colleagues. "He also assures me of his discretion."
"Well," said Belgast, "why didn't you say so?"
"I just did!"
The Dwarf ignored him, climbing into the back of the wagon, although admittedly with some difficulty due to his height or rather lack thereof. Natalia joined him and then helped Athgar up with the mage hunter's aid. Stanislav moved to sit beside the farmer while the rest settled into the hay as the wagon moved forward.
* * *
"We must be careful," said Natalia, keeping her voice low. "The family's agents will be all over the city keeping an eye out for us. The main thing is to keep Belgast hidden as long as possible. No offence, but Dwarves are rare in this part of the Continent."
"Their loss," replied the Dwarf. "But I'm not sure how long I can remain hidden. I mean, the hay here is fine for now, but sooner or later, I'll need to leave this wagon if we're to sail, not to mention the fact that this farmer, bless his soul, will want to sell off this hay. Where is he taking it, anyway?"
"I have no idea, but we'll deal with that once we're inside."
They fell silent as they approached the city. Stanislav stayed up front but insisted the others remained concealed amongst the hay. It was a tense moment as they proceeded through the gates, but they were spared any attention other than a quick acknowledgement of the farmer's wagon. A short time later, they rolled to a stop.
"Here we are," announced Stanislav. "Now, I'm going to visit an old acquaintance of mine and see about getting us a ship. The rest of you stay here."
"What about the farmer?" asked Athgar.
"Don't worry about him. I gave him some coins to go and get a pint or two at the tavern. You'll be safe enough for now as long as you remain here."
Belgast sneezed. "Great. Just what I always wanted, to be buried in hay."
"Hush now," said Natalia. "You must be patient… and quiet. It wouldn't do for someone to pass a wagon full of hay that was cursing."
"Who said I was cursing?"
Athgar soon dozed off. In his dream, he was trying to run from a torch-bearing mob. To make matters worse, he moved as if he were running through a tar pit, and his pursuers were led by none other than Ethwyn. He awoke with a start, only to see the face of Natalia staring down at him, a look of concern gracing her features.
"Are you all right?" she asked.
"Yes, fine, aside from this throbbing leg, of course. Only a dream, nothing more."
"You mean a nightmare?"
"I suppose that would be a more accurate portrayal, yes." He shuddered. "I have this unshakable feeling Ethwyn is near."
"Then we must take extra care. The last thing we need is for you to have an unexpected family reunion."
"How long was I asleep?"
"Some time, actually. It's well past noon, and Stanislav should be back soon."
"Here he comes now," said Belgast.
The mage hunter strolled down the street as if it were a perfectly normal day. He halted at the wagon, breaking into a grin as he looked up at them.
"You found your friends?" said Natalia.
"Better than that. I found us a ship!"
The road leading into the port city was packed with people trying to enter. Guards wandered up and down the line, inspecting anything big enough to conceal someone. Upon reaching their carriage, Galina informed them they were on family business. They were waved through with no further formalities, and finally, they arrived in Porovka unscathed. They wandered around the city, wary of being recognized, but it soon became apparent they were not the object of everyone's interest. Far from it, in fact, for they found themselves approached by a fellow mage, his magerite ring quickly identifying him as such.
"Greetings," he said. "Have you received your assignments?"
"We have," said Galina, easily slipping into the lie. "They want us down by the docks."
"Might I ask why?" the man responded.
"We have some familiarity with those we seek. That is to say, we know their faces. It's thought they might try boarding a ship, and our job will be to observe the harbour and report any sightings should we be fortunate enough to spot them."
