Moons' Dreaming (Children of the Rock) (23 page)

Dael left his people to their work of stacking the Abstainer bodies for cremation while he followed his father and their wagon to a campsite on the lake shore, upwind and well away from the village. Dael sat on a fallen tree trunk and concentrated on putting himself in order. The carter fetched his wagon into camp. With the wagon came a lad of about twelve who Jordy introduced to Loras as his son, Tob. The boy
’
d been left down the road, hiding in the loaded wagon, waiting for his father
’
s return. During the introductions, the carter threw a look of rebuke toward Dael, but a moment later Loras draped his lean arm across Jordy
’
s shoulder and turned him away, no doubt explaining that Dael needed some privacy to make himself civilized after a battle. At least Dael assumed that was the center of the conversation, because the next look he got from the carter had more sympathy in it.

As camp was made and the evening meal began to cook, Dael watched the wiry-framed carter and his dark-haired boy as they moved purposely and efficiently about their work. He found he liked the obvious affection between the pair, restrained though it seemed to be on Jordy
’
s part. It reminded him of his own father
’
s treatment of his children, though Loras was more open with showing his love to Nocca, Ruudy, and Dael himself. Tob had a look of the horse people about him. It would seem this
Jordy had a foreign wife
and
,
upon reflection, Dael decided that the carter also had a Dherrican accent. A man who traveled and knew the world from several sides of the Shapers
’
borders might very well be a questioning sort.

Dael gradually relaxed. Calm and control covered his natural ferocity once more. He stood and went to rejoin the others. With the world back in place, he began to think that perhaps there might be a question or two he could ask the carter.

Sunset was long past, but the fire burning in the abandoned village put its own reddish tint to the western sky. Abstainer bodies did not go into the ground. In life, Abstainers rejected the gods, as well as all that the gods expected of the Children. There was no reason to return their bodies to the source of life. Nocca and two of the other guards stayed to watch the cremation fire in the empty square. Little was left of the bodies, but the embers would not die down completely before dawn.

Loras
’
s wagon sat beneath a pair of old oak trees, its tailboard within a few inches of the carter
’
s wagon. The horses were tethered in the open space beyond the wagons, just visible in t
he flickering light of the camp
fire. A few occupied bedrolls were scattered within the angle formed by the parked wagons. Dael stepped over one snoring guard, and ignored the obvious noises coming from a couple out of sight behind a pile of driftwood on the beach. At least the carter
’
s son was already asleep. Dael wasn
’
t sure if the boy was of an age to be embarrassed in the presence of love-making.

Jordy and Loras were still seated beside the fire. The carter nodded agreeably as Dael came to sit beside Loras on the upwind side of the fire. During his solitary sojourn on the edge of the camp he
’
d overheard enough to know that his father and Jordy had taken a liking to each other. They had mutual acquaintances in Edian and several other of the larger towns in Rhenlan and Sitrine. Dael plucked a heel of bread from his father
’
s plate.
“
I
’
m still growing,
”
he said in reaction to
Loras’s
indignant stare.

“
Just don
’
t grow as much as Nocca,
”
Loras answered.
“
We
’
ve got to get that boy married. There
’
s no room for him in the house anymore.
”
Loras looked at the carter.
“
You have any more besides young Tob?
”

“
Two girls.
”

Loras sat forward. Dael suspected most of the eagerness was feigned. Most.
“
And how old are your lovely daughters, good carter?
”

“
Too young.
”
A smile softened the brusqueness of the words.
“
And I doubt they
’
ll ever grow large enough for your strapping lad.
”

“
That
’
s what all the fathers say,
”
Loras sighed.
“
Nocca
’
s been trying out the girls of Edian for some years now.
”
He gave Dael a mildly disapproving look.
“
Takes after his older brother here, that way.
”

The captain of the king
’
s guard hung his head.
“
Yes, Dad. I
’
m sorry, Dad.
”

“
A few grandchildren,
”
Loras continued.
“
Is that too much to ask?
”

Jordy chuckled.
“
I have a few years before I have to worry about Tob
’
s interest in that area.
”
He glanced over his shoulder to where the boy slept underneath their wagon.
“
I hope.
”

“
So,
”
Loras said, putting his empty plate on the ground beside him,
“
tell Dael what you were telling me about the roads west of Long Pine.
”

“
You came directly south?
”
Jordy asked, facing Dael.

“
That
’
s right.
”

“
So you haven
’
t been to Oak Mill recently?
”

“
The town west of Long Pine?
”
Dael said with sudden understanding.
“
Actually, no. I spend most of my time in Edian these days. One of the troops patrolling the Dherrican border is responsible for checking on Oak Mill when they can.
”

The lines in the carter
’
s craggy face deepened with his scowl.
“
They don
’
t visit often, from what I
’
m told, and when they do they come in from the north. I come in from the east. There were three places last year, between Long Pine and Oak Mill, where spring rains had washed out part of the road. This year there were seven.
”

Loras grunted.
“
Not easy on a wagon.
”

“
Not easy on the carter, either. Spent five days on a trip I used to make in two, and that with my son
’
s help. Without him I might have lost a nineday. What does the king think of that, Captain?
”

Dael rubbed the bridge of his nose. He wondered himself, and the wondering gave him a headache. He knew how he wanted to answer the carter
’
s question. He was less sure what sort of diplomatic answer the king
’
s representative should make. He sighed and ended up answering for himself.
“
You
’
re probably right. I suspect no one in the king
’
s service has seen that particular road for years. Too many other demands on our time.
”

“
Too many demands that have little to do with the Shapers
’
proper duties.
”

“
The borders need protecting,
”
Dael said.
“
It almost came to bloodshed with Dherrica this summer. We have to keep watch.
”

“
If all three rulers would recall their guards we could all forget this border nonsense,
”
Loras commented.

“
Dad.
”
It was almost a whine, but Dael controlled it.
“
The Shapers are doing their best to govern unusually large regions. We have to expect some uncertainty in establishing borders.
”

Loras grimaced.
“
Uncertainty, maybe. It
’
s the fighting I don
’
t understand.
”

“
The bloodshed.
”
Jordy
’
s voice was bitter.
“
I was present for the bloodshed in Edian.
”

Dael was on his feet before he realized he
’
d moved.
“
I was a witness, carter,
”
he rasped, not knowing why Jordy
’
s few words hurt him so terribly.
“
I saw the princess die. I was told it was for a good reason.
”
He wanted to stop the words, but they came out anyway.
“
I know what it is to lose a loved child to Shaper duty. I remember Emlie.
”

Jordy looked up at him, undisturbed by Dael
’
s threatening stance.
“
Continue to remember her, lad. She
’
s the clearest example we
’
ve had of how far the Shapers have come from fulfilling their responsibilities.
”

“
Sit down, son,
”
Loras said.

Dael sat. He couldn
’
t argue with the carter. He didn
’
t want to argue. He didn
’
t want to feel helpless, either. That was the worst feeling he
’
d ever known. Worse than loss or grief or the aftershock of killing. He
’
d been working for Hion for eight years now, long enough to be painfully aware of the decline that had afflicted the kingdom. He didn
’
t like his part in it. He didn
’
t know what to do about it. His own sense of duty kept him immobilized, kept him moving almost blindly from day to day. Duty was supposed to be the basis of one
’
s life. But duty left him empty. What was wrong? Something was lacking. Was it in him
—
or in what he was being ordered to do?

“
You might bring the subject of that road to the king
’
s notice once you
’
re home,
”
Jordy suggested.
“
There
’
s a nineday
’
s work there for a troop or two. And it will only get worse if something isn
’
t done.
”

“
I
’
ll report it,
”
Dael said.

“
You cleared this road of Abstainers. That should please people. Pleases me,
”
his father told him.

The carter nodded.
“
Aye. That
’
s the proper work for guards. Part of the proper work.
”

Dael smiled in spite of himself as he made the carter
’
s point for him.
“
The other part is fixing roads.
”

Loras got to his feet and stretched.
“
That
’
s agreed, then. I
’
m going to sleep.
”
He patted Dael
’
s shoulder and sauntered toward the roofed wagon.

Dael and Jordy also rose.
“
You
’
ll continue south with your father?
”

“
And back to Edian again, yes. Will we see you there? Perhaps at the fall festival?
”

“
If not then, some other time.
”
Jordy nodded at the fire.
“
My thanks for the hospitality.
”

“
My thanks for your help.
”

“
They were Abstainers. It had to be done.
”