Jadde - The Fragile Sanctuary (28 page)

Josiath’s glance turned to Malkrin, ‘be at
peace citizen of the Seconchane.’ Then to Malkrin’s companions, ‘I extend good
wishes and a welcome to your friends.’

Malkrin’s warriors lowered their weapons.

The entourage reached Malkrin and the
Abbott was lowered to the ground. He waddled to Malkrin and raised his hands in
forgivingness.

‘There will be no bloodshed here Sire
Gamlyn,’ he commanded. ‘We have a dire situation to prepare for. Sire Josiath Nighthawk
and Sire Steth Harefoot have just informed me of a great find in our library which
tells of the past danger. With Malkrin’s account it is the proof you and your
fellow officials requested, we must all face this abhorrence again.’

Malkrin relaxed, and walked to face the
Abbott, ‘Thank you Sire I am glad you acknowledge the deadly peril that
approaches.’

The Abbot glanced to the cage. ‘You have a
dead Archgry?’

Malkrin nodded.

‘And you have first hand observation of
these demon hordes?’

‘I have Sire, I and my companions have
fought them.’

‘Then we must learn from you.’

Malkrin felt a warm glow, did that mean his
citizenship would be reinstated. He thanked the Abbott with a polite bow and
automatically glanced to his old mentor, noting the look of pride written on Josiath
Nighthawk’s face. Malkrin looked closer at him. A renewed sense of purpose had
caused the years to drop off, or was it the sunlight that smoothed out his
wrinkles. Malkrin realised that for years he had only ever seen his mentor in
the close confines of his dimly lit accommodation and had to admit he was not
as old as he’d always assumed. Now astride the horse he looked commanding and
cerebral as he leant down to examine the gold suns Malkrin and Palreth wore.

‘So my friend is dead – I’m sure it was not
by your hand.’

The words hit Malkrin with the force of a
stonemasons hammer. Josiath recognised they were not Seconchane suns. ‘You know
of the men that have been searching for me and the extra powers these suns
contain?’

‘Indeed Malkrin, there is a lot for us all
to learn. Some time ago we briefed the Abbott about an unknown evil rising in
distant lands. One of my friends’ highsensed distant unease and she thought it
linked to the ancient curse. The Abbott is now in full accord with me and I
have just received the written allegiance of Bredon the Fox. He is riding with the
Brenna Council to Jadde’s Hall as we speak. That is where we all must go now.’

‘Then I will speak with you later. I must
know about these unknown pursuers, and what they, and you, want of me.’

And as he spoke Josiath drew his cloak
back, placed his palm on a highsense sun that was pinned to his tunic and words
sprung into Malkrin’s highsense.
Rachel, I have found Malkrin; and one other
previously unknown talent of high ability.

The Brenna had gathered their dignity and
reunited with their horses Gamlyn and the Brenna surrounded the priests’ party
and Malkrin’s companions. The whole entourage headed for the palisade gates.

Malkrin glared at Gamlyn’s back as he
bobbed up and down astride his horse. It was hard to resist confronting Gamlyn
about Cabryce’s death, but the time would arrive once the demon scourge had
been eliminated. He walked back to Nardin who stared rigidly ahead. As he neared
him Malkrin noticed Nardin’s face light with pleasure and relief as his dulled
vision picked out his old friend.

‘It is good to see you Malkrin,’ he said as
they embraced.

‘Likewise. I will walk with you; we have a
lot to discuss.’

The procession returned through the gates where
the Abbott exchanged the ornate litter for a horse. Malkrin supported and
guided Nardin as they exchanged information. Then he asked the question that
had burnt into his every fibre.

‘And my Cabryce, have you found out more
details about how she died?’

‘I will relay what I know . . .’

And Malkrin resolved to dive and search the
Fethwerth pool then give his wife’s remains a proper burial.

Nardin continued urgently, ‘There is
information hidden in the lower library that describes the weapons and methods
used to destroy the quarter-men. Somewhere nearby I believe there is an ancient
research facility, maybe in a hidden mountain valley but I need to carry on
searching for its location – if my eyes will last long enough to allow me.’

‘If time allows I will help. I have learnt
the Brightwater written language and sampled their records so I should
recognise relevant information.’

‘We must first ensure their written word is
in the same tongue for I have discovered the ancients spoke in many languages.
I know only the one called English, which is almost our tongue. Is that the
Brightwater’s?’

‘Not sure, but I will know once we open the
first volume.’

Soon they were out of the Darent Pass and
the track opened out. There before them the familiar smoking chimneys, and
thatched roofs of Edentown opened out below. The huge Priests Keep towered above
the town, standing guard as it always had, but now not appearing as ominous as
when he had last walked by in chains.

Malkrin turned to BalthWolf who followed
closely behind. ‘You have the honour with your two companions to be the first
of the Wolf Clan to extend your ritual route into Cyprusnia.’

‘It feels good, the Goddess has honoured me.
My people will rejoice with the news.’

‘Don’t get any untimely hopes my friend; we
still have to persuade the Brenna and priesthood to change their ingrained
dogma.’

People had started to gather. Malkrin heard
excited shouts progressing through the town and more well remembered faces
appeared. He had never seen people so carefree; it was as if the weight of
oppression had been lifted by his return.

‘Welcome back Malkrin.’

‘The first to return, ever – well done.’

Their shouts heartened him; he really was
the first to return from exile.

He knew in that moment that if need be he
would lay his life down in defence of these folk – his people. Soon the Hall of
Justice loomed at the end of Highgift Row and folk were now throwing a multi-coloured
blizzard of rose petals over the procession. It warmed his heart, even the
deadly serious Palreth smiled as he waved to the crowd. All too soon they walked
up the eighty-four steps of justice and Brenna Guards swung open the huge doors
carved with the image of Jadde issuing her decree.

Memories of his previous visit to the court
returned to Malkrin but now his thoughts were cleansed with redemption. The Council
of Twelve were seated in their huge carved stone seats and attending officials
milled behind them. Goodwill emanated from the Abbott and Sire Josiath who also
sat on the council’s right. It was the most complete gathering of the rulers of
the Seconchane that Malkrin had ever known and probably the most urgent that
had been seen for generations. He still felt a film of suspicion in the minds
of the guards but the Fox’s first words changed their hostility to surprise
then relief.

‘Malkrin Owlear,’ began the Fox in his most
officious tone, ‘It appears you have done my people a great service in learning
about the returning scourge, and bringing the dire news to warn us. I hereby
reinstate your highsense status in honour of your loyalty and in respect of the
need for stout defenders like you in weeks to come.’ He staggered down from his
ornate dais and pinned two of the crudely cast suns alongside the two finely
crafted emblems. Then he whispered in Malkrin’s ear, ‘you are now the only
Seconchane ever to wear four suns. Welcome back brave warrior – I knew you
would not let us down.’

So it had been a hoax trial to banish him;
to be their eyes and ears in the deadlands. Malkrin thought quickly. No – The
Fox was just trying to save face. The priests’ had manipulated the elderly
chief. It was them that had manoeuvred the Fox into the trials judgement. The
real power in his land was wielded by the Abbott and his priests and above them
was another tier of government indicated by his three sun pursuers and Josiath Nighthawk.
Who were they? Malkrin needed to know very soon.

‘Introduce me to your brave companions
Malkrin Owlear,’ The Fox commanded and Malkrin did so, pleased at the Brenna
leaders respectful demeanour to his friends; even BalthWolf Bone-thrower. The Wolf
warrior had good reason to detest the Brenna rulers, but bowed and wished The
Fox well.

‘I have arranged refreshment for you all,’ The
Fox announced gesturing to the laden benches lining one long wall. ‘As you eat
and drink the council require a full account first from Malkrin, then please
anything his brave companions can add.’

The day wore into evening and then night. The
threat was thoroughly discussed and The Brenna Council backed by the Abbott
proposed to fortify then defend the Darent Pass against all intruders.

‘And what if these ‘intruders’ are
survivors of other encounters with the quarter-men? Are you proposing to watch
them die within reach of safety?’ Bevin Talgour asked pointedly.

The council conferred and argued in heated
whispers. ‘Very well, we would take in all human survivors.’

 And Malkrin saw a chink of light appear in
their insular outlook, dark with lifetimes of seclusion. It needed to be swept
aside in the interests of all the peoples. ’Then would it not be better to send
a force beyond Cyprusnia to help defeat the quarter-men hordes before the
necessity of taking in refugees arose?’ he said.

Again the council conferred. The debate
raged in fierce whispers and Malkrin used his highsense to split the council
members into for and against. He whispered the argument to his companions who
with their ordinary senses could not make out the words even in the great
echoing hall. Bredon the Fox and Councillor Boele the Great Bear and four
others were in favour of Malkrin’s argument. Against them were the six great
traditionalists led by Erich Gamlyn, who brooded undecided. It needed a last
push to sway the argument.

Malkrin stood up to persuade the hardliners.

‘If I may speak Sire,’ he bowed to The Fox,
who held up his hand to silence the council. ‘In my travels I have come to
realise only the quarter-men come from the deadlands. It is as I have already
mentioned; a great range of glowing mountains many, many weeks journey from
here. The great lands of Monjana in between contain many rich and varied tribes
with great traditions and varied beliefs inhabiting a rich diversity of towns,
villages and productive land. The majority of these people believe in the great
Goddess Jadde and of her return in a time of crisis. So in all ways they are
brothers of the Seconchane. They even speak in dialects of our language and
have perfectly formed children and are not mutants as the stories we tell our
children would have us believe. Also a very brave Seconchane novice priest has
already lost his life fighting the quarter-men to save another Seconchane citizen’s
life. I would not like his sacrifice to be in vain, especially as he has passed
his huge highsense ability onto Palreth Tonell of the Sylve. Palreth, because
of Olaff’s selfless act, is now the first true member of both tribes.

‘Get to the point please,’ asked one hard-line
councillor.

‘My point is the deadlands do not start at the
Darent Pass but are much further from Cyprusnia. Therefore our people are unnecessarily
contained in these sheltered valleys and need not fear the tribes beyond.

‘And what of the Wolf bandits who harass
our borders regularly. Are these not mutants in wolf-pelt disguise?’ Gamlyn
responded.

‘Does my companion BalthWolf Bone-thrower
appear a mutant to you?’

The Bone-thrower stood and removed his wolf-pelt
cloak to prove Malkrin’s point then sat down without uttering a word.

‘No he is not,’ Malkrin answered the
silence. ‘And the Wolf people have never stolen either lives or goods from us.
They merely want to continue their sacred journey which must be completed once
every four seasons. This has never been accomplished to Jadde’s precisely
specified route.’

Bredon indicated for Malkrin and Gamlyn to
sit and the council continued the heated whispering. Malkrin highsensed a distinct
softening in attitudes, and whispered the change to his companions just as
Bredon stood.

‘We have reached a final binding decision,’
he announced gravely. Gamlyn locked his eyes on Malkrin; his gaze was
unreadable, even to Malkrin’s highsense.

Had they decided to follow Gamlyn’s bigoted
views?

‘We have decided eleven for and one against
to aid our new neighbours, and to send a force of half our warriors with half
of the hunters and half of the fit townsmen to go to the aid of the Brightwater
people. They will leave the day after tomorrow to allow time to organise
weapons and provisions. We estimate it will be a force of three thousand men
and will show our new brother tribes the supportive and good neighbourly
attitude of the Seconchane. We require Malkrin Owlear to lead this force and
his companions to act as guides to these lands. We further ask BalthWolf to
ensure all acts of aggression toward the Seconchane cease, in return we will
offer his people passage through our lands once this crisis is over.’