Chapter 27
It took half a moon for Hanja and Samon to reach the Road of Lakes, travelling by day and spending nights at inns, if they were lucky, or camped out in the forest if they were not. And as they progressed, the leaves on the trees began to turn red, orange and amber in colour, cool autumn replacing hot summer. Occasionally, on the trail, they would come across other travellers, mostly friendly enough. And if there were any that meant harm, they were soon put off by the sight of Samon, broadsword sheaved across his back, leather gloves studded with metal across the knuckles, his glare intimidating to any that had yet to prove their good intentions. Hanja, for her part, kept her hood raised, knowing that in lawless times a beautiful woman can be as enticing to a brigand as a purse full of gold. And so, though at times they did not know precisely where they were, Hanja and Samon kept heading east. At last, one afternoon, they reached the Road of Lakes; somewhere, by Samon's reckoning, to the south of Casbur and not far north of Vilgen.
Once they turned south, their progress improved, although a new danger now presented itself. Troops of the Eagle Legion patrolled the route, sometimes escorting wagons of food coming up from the southern ports, sometimes riding by at speed on an unknown quest. The two travellers took care to vacate the trail whenever the noise of hooves approached and, in general, the Emperor's cavalry took little interest in two lone travellers.
"They seek Princess Kasmine and her northern warriors," a passing woodsman told them.
Once, when a column of horsemen about a thousand strong rode by, Hanja said to Samon, "Perhaps they do not know the Emperor is in retreat. Or perhaps they know but do not care. And that was Kailyn, the Emperor's daughter, at their head, Samon. In the gold breastplate. Did you see her?"
"Indeed," he replied. "An impressive woman."
Hanja scoffed in jealousy, "They say she appreciates handsome boys, Samon. But I think you would do well never to fall into her cruel hands. Come! We waste time here."
Their progress slowed as they went further south. One morning they awoke to find half the Eagle Legion camped in the countryside around them, and they laid low in the trees for most of the day until the enemy left. But on the third day after reaching the Road of Lakes, they finally slipped into the town of Vilgen and found an inn by the market square.
****
Vilgen, in that time of occupation, was a subdued place, its inhabitants keeping to themselves and going about their business, wary of attracting attention. And for good reason, it appeared. On their second day, Hanja and Samon witnessed a poor soul dragged to the market square by men of the Eagles who took turns beating him around the legs and arms with clubs.
"They believe he knows where food is hidden," said an old woman just behind them.
Hanja sensed Samon stir beside her and quickly clutched his arm.
"Don't be foolish Samon! There is nothing we can do."
They watched as Kailyn rode into the square at the head of fifty warriors and dismounted before the stricken fellow.
"Witch!" exclaimed the woman behind them.
Kailyn held the kneeling man close, his blood smearing her golden breastplate. Speaking in the language of Casbur, she softly reassured him, explaining that she would put a stop to this barbarism but, of course, she could only help him if he would first whisper his secrets into her ear.
The man lowered his head and said nothing. Kailyn, rising, made a gesture to her men and soon a rope was brought forth.
"Let us move on, Samon," said Hanja. "I do not wish to see more."
And so they continued through the narrow streets of Vilgen, asking all that they met about a handsome boy named Nikah who may have been in the town before the Emperor's army arrived. Most they asked simply scuttled away, scared, saying nothing. Others spoke only briefly, denying knowledge. One old man shook his head when asked about Nikah, but clutched at Hanja's cloak and pulled her close, whispering, "They say Prince Taneric has defeated the Emperor at the City of The Goddess, and that even now he marches on Casbur! Have faith! And pray for Good Queen Zantina!"
In the evening, Hanja and Samon returned to the inn, disheartened. But later, after darkness fell, a young boy - perhaps of twelve or thirteen summers - came to seek them out there, having heard about the two strangers asking after a boy named Nikah.
The youngster spoke to them, eating bread and cheese that they shared with him.
"When the Emperor's legions passed through this town, some moons ago, there were slavers with them. Hundreds of slavers, with whips and cartloads of shackles, and led by a woman. They took any that resisted their legions, and some that did not. Your boy Nikah; I remember him. He was with my own brother Toma and some others. They burned Vilgen's grain as our enemies approached but were taken. I saw this with my own eyes in the market square."
Hanja and Samon glanced at each other, excited to at last have news of Nikah but dismayed at the thought that he had been enslaved and taken away.
"Toma and Nikah were friends from childhood," continued the boy. "But Nikah was given to the Cargians under Charton's laws; taken far away to be sold into slavery, in the accursed City of The Goddess. Only recently did he return. And now, I suppose, he is a slave once more. Did you know him?"
Hanja spoke awkwardly, "Yes, he is much loved by me and by my sisters. Samon is his friend. Together, we seek him."
The boy looked at them more closely now.
"Why, you are a Priestess!" he cried. And turning to Samon he said, "And you are but her slave! I see it now. Nikah ran from the Temple and you seek only to return him. I wish I had not come here."
The boy rose and walked through the door, while Hanja stood, preparing to follow him. But Samon moved in her way and took her shoulders, "Let me go after him, Mistress. It is better that way."
Hanja sat for several minutes alone in the room, shocked by the boy's reaction to her. 'Are priestesses so hated in this realm?' she asked herself. Eventually, Samon returned.
"I told the boy that Nikah was a free man. That we seek him out of love. He calmed."
"That is good, Samon. Come, sit by me and hold me! I feel strangely alone at this moment.'
They sat together on the room's crude bed, Samon lifting the hair that had fallen around her face, kissing her cheek."
"Mistress, the young boy told me the lady slaver was most preoccupied with Nikah. The others were inspected quickly by her, numbered and branded right there in the square. But Nikah was put in a collar bearing her name and taken to a different cage, unbranded."
Hanja considered this for a few moments and then allowed a small chuckle to escape her lips.
"You think what I think, Samon?"
He nodded, "Perhaps it is not a bad thing, Mistress."
"A woman of taste."
"Yes, Mistress. Also, the boy says Nikah had earlier found his mother and sister. He was staying with them at their farm just outside Vilgen. He told me where it can be found."
"Oh, let us go now, Samon! I want to see them."
"Tomorrow, Mistress! It is late now, and dark, and you are weary. Come, settle in my arms on this bed! Sleep! We will go in the morning."
****
It was a pretty, well kept little farmhouse that Hanja and Samon approached the following morning. Flowers and shrubs were planted around the outside walls, golden leaves falling from the trees all about them. Samon knocked on the oak door and soon it was opened by a striking woman of middle years, instantly recognisable as Nikah's mother from her beauty and the lines of her friendly face. Samon, taken aback by the likeness, stumbled over his words as he introduced his Mistress and explained the nature of their visit.
The woman's smile faded from her face, and she turned to Samon, saying, "You may come in and sit with me for a while. The priestess may not."
As he followed her in, Samon whispered to Hanja, "I will see if I can change her mind, Mistress."
For the second time in two days, Hanja stood alone, rejected. She found a stone seat in the garden and sat, her head in her hands, reflecting on this strange new feeling. Within a few minutes, though, the door was opened once more and there stood Nikah's mother.
"Samon has told me of your great love for my boy, Priestess Hanja. And, indeed, Nikah spoke to me of you while he was with me. He adored you, and I think he would be sad if he knew of my rudeness. So, I apologise to you Priestess. Please come in and join us for food and juka!"
Hanja stood and, unable to help herself, she threw her arms around the startled woman. Extricating herself from the embrace, Nikah's mother put her hand around Hanja's waist and guided her into the house. There sat Samon on a bench with a girl beside him, staring at him in fascination, unable to take her eyes from him.
"I am Mirane, Nikah's mother. And this is Lise, my daughter. She is four years younger than her brother. Come, I have food for you here on the table."
"We should not share your food, madam," said Hanja. "We know how things are in these parts."
"Shush priestess!" exclaimed Mirane. "We have little meat but plenty of bread. Honey and berries too. Things are not so bad as you might think."
"Samon, let me pour you more juka," said Lise, snuggling up to him.
