Stranded Mage (35 page)

When they noticed that their bows were of little use they were discarded for swords. They soon found out that their swords had as little effect on the duo as their arrows had. Though numerous, the archers had little stomach for melee fighting and were soon fleeing back beyond their own border.

With the archers gone Thad turned his attention to the officers who watched them from not far away. “Want to have a bit more fun?’ Thad asked Crusher breathing heavily.

“Aye, don’t seem right that they should be left out,” Crusher replied with a nasty grin spreading across his face.

When the general noticed that the two were headed in his direction and not back toward the battle he drew his sword. Ordering the other officers to do the same he spurred his horse to bear down on the advancing duo. Thad braced himself for the horse’s weight when a grey blur flashed in front of him, lunging into the air and knocking the general from his horse.

When the dust cleared Thad saw Avalanche standing on top of the general’s battered and broken corpse. He didn’t have long to celebrate as the other three officers were not far behind.

Dropping to his knees Thad strengthened his shield letting the nearest horse run into him. The horse found him as immovable as a rock, breaking one of its legs as it fell hard to the ground. Thad wasted no time quickly getting to his feet and running the length of his blade through the down rider who had been penned underneath the horse's flank.

Turning around Thad readied himself for another attack but found that Crusher and Avalanche had already taken care of the others.

“Shall we join our friends?” Thad asked as he looked back to the tangled mess of fighters below.

“Might as well, otherwise they might end the party without us,” Crusher replied though much of the enthusiasm was gone from his voice.

Once the Rane army noticed that they were no longer protected by their archers and that their commanders lay dead on the field of battle they quickly lost heart and started pulling back. At first it was only a trickle of soldiers leaving the battle but within moments it turned into a full retreat.

A cheer went up from the Farlan force when the last of the Rane soldiers disappeared into the distance. Against the odds, they had won the day though it had not been without cost. Over a third of their number had been killed and few walked away without a new scar to show for their troubles.

The celebrating didn’t last long as Captain Orben ordered all the bodies to be gathered for a mass pyre. A select few of the Farlan soldiers were given their own pyre but the sheer amount of bodies littering the field made it impossible for much else.

Once night had fully fallen Thad was surprised at how light the mood of the camp was. He would have expected it to be sad and morose given the fact that many of them had buried friends that day, but it was anything but. No matter where you went in the camp you could hear songs and cheers to both the deeds of the living and to the memory of fallen friends.

Thad had never been a soldier though on a few occasions he had fought beside them, so he didn’t truly understand them. After finding a secluded spot away from all the commotion Thad started a small fire to warm his tired bones. He was quickly joined by a multitude of friends who wished to hear about his travels while he had been gone.

As the night stretched on Thad recounted his tale numerous times for Crusher with Reeve and the other elves piping in whenever he forgot a small detail they thought important. When Thad reached the story of his capture and subsequent torture at the hands of the Brotherhood he could see many of the faces around him grow white with anger.

Before falling asleep Thad took one last look at the stars. He was back in Farlan after being gone for so long. Now all that was left was return to the palace and to face Maria again.

The next morning Thad and his friends left the army’s encampment and started on the road toward the capital. Thad was both eager and apprehensive about seeing the princess, now queen, again but he knew that no matter how long he put it off some day he would have to face her.

A few miles down the road they passed the caravan as it prepared for its day's travel. Thad stopped for a quick word with Roger, Monique, and Jayden explain to his friends his need to arrive at the capital with due haste.

Even though they were back in Farlan it would still be days before they reached the capital. To fill the void, the group talked about all manner of things including Thad’s many faults, which seemed to be of particular interest to his friends.

As the sun began to drop below the horizon calling an end to their first day, they found a nice place to camp not far off the road. Parson disappeared for a short time returning with a small catch of hares for their dinner.

A calm feeling hung about the camp, as they sat around one large roaring fire watching the hares cook. It was so quite one could easily hear the fat dropping and sizzling in the flames below.

Each person around the fire had gone through their own trials and now it seemed an end to those times was near. It was as if each person was afraid that their voice might shatter the fragile sense of peace they had fought for.

It was much livelier back at the encampment.
Thuraman said after a long tense moment.

Thad had to agree but he could not bring himself to break the silence that hung over the group. Laying out his bedroll Thad pulled the blanket tight around him in an attempt to ward of the chill that hung in the late night air.

That night as Thad slept he found himself once again floating in the murky darkness. As the darkness cleared he found that he stood in one of the small meeting chambers that was often used to receive close guests to the crown.

“I know you must be tired but it will be days before a rider can bring news,” Maria said apologetically.

Thad took a seat across from the princess then reminded himself that she was now the queen. “We made it across the border but the Rane army followed,” Thad said and watched as Maria’s face fell.

“How many were lost?” she asked as her face hardened, reminding Thad of the previous queen.

“A third of your force was lost to battle but we won the day,” Thad replied grimly. “Rane paid dearly for steeping on Farlan soil.”

“I will shed no tears for the death of a Rane soldier,” Maria spat. “If not for them mother would still be alive and so would many of my people,” she added hotly.

“What happened while I was gone?” Thad asked, his curiosity finally getting the better of him.

Maria’s eyes watered slightly but she quickly composed herself. “Shortly after you were captured by the Ablaians a diplomat from Rane appeared asking questions about you. Mother tried to get rid of the man but he proved to be a slippery target. Over time more and more dignitaries arrived and then on the night of my twelfth birthday the dignitaries shed their cloaks and attacked, taking over the palace.”

“Thanks to Bren I was able to escape the palace,” Maria continued her voice dripping with sadness. “After I escaped the palace I went to the only place I could think of, your house. Shariel hid me until I decided to make my way to see the Duchess of Calisaren. Against my better judgment Shariel accompanied me on my journey and honestly it was a good thing she did. I had never cooked for myself or done many other things that were required during our trip. I fear without her aid I would have perished long before I reached my destination.”

“Shariel has always been a quick one. How is she? I fear I have not done right by the child,” Thad said nearly forgetting the young child he had taken under his care all those years ago. He felt ashamed as her young face flashed through his mind.

“She has done well for herself and is well liked at the school. She talks of you fondly and often talks about how grateful she was that it was you who purchased her,” Mara replied with a smile. “After we reached Calisaren I learned that they were claiming I had been kidnapped from the palace. Suddenly my mother’s policies changed dramatically and she began hunting down all the magical items you had made for the nobles. It wasn’t long before we learned that a large force of Rane soldiers had arrived in Farlan under the guise of helping keep order.’

Maria’s eyes took on a pleading look. “I was left with a choice. I could let Rane take over Farlan using my mother as nothing but an unseen and unheard figurehead or I could fight. With the duchess' help I raised and army and we fought for years. Earlier this season I was finally able to take back control of the palace, though not before they killed my mother when they withdrew. We still had opposition in eastern Farlan though so the war wasn’t over.”

Small tears began to slide down Maria’s face as she continued. “They had just brought a large contingent of soldiers into the country when I learned you were fighting your way through to them. Their soldiers turned and ran back across their border and that should about catch you up.”

Thad could clearly see the pain in her eyes. “It seems we have both been through our own trials,” Thad said, pulling Maria into a tight hug as the darkness began to close in again.

The trip to the capital was uneventful and mostly filled with silence. It wasn’t until the night before they would reach the palace that the silence was broken.

“It’s tooooooooo quiet,” Arianna finally shouted as she flew around the camp talking to one person after another. The little fairy might have grated on Thad’s nerves more often than not but she was perfect to break the dreariness that hung over the camp.

Shortly after Arianna's outbreak everyone started talking or telling stories. Crusher walked over beside Thad and gave him a hardy slap on the back. “The little ankle biter has a use after all,” the sturdy dwarf said, laughing.

“I heard you and Maria got along well,” Thad said fishing for something to talk about.

“Aye yer little queen is quite the spitfire,” Crusher replied, laughing. “She had me pinned down making me tell her everything that had happened since we met. When she thought I was skipping over something she even threatened ta have me banned from drinking ale within the whole Queendom if I didn’t come clean.”

“She probably would have done it too,” Thad said, laughing with his friend.

“I feel sorry fer ya lad, once that girl gets ahold of ya, I doubt she be letting ya go again,” Crusher added, giving Thad another painful slap on the back.

“We are just friends, so I am sure she might complain but she will let me go where I please,” Thad replied, still laughing.

“And here I thought ya had a brain between those ears,” Crusher said, shaking his head. “Ya might ta be asking yer queen if she just thinks of ya as a friend. I be betting she has far more in mind than just cozy chats by tha fire.”

Thad tried to laugh off Crusher’s words but something in his voice told him the dwarf wasn’t joking. That night as he lay down in his bedroll a new kind of nightmare haunted his dreams. In the dream Thad tried to hide from a fiery-haired queen, only to be dragged back by his ankles, and shackled to her throne.

The next morning when Thad awoke he was far more scared of seeing Maria than if he had been asked to walk bare naked back into the Merchant Guild. Crusher, seeing his look must have guessed what his fear was as he sported a large grin.

I can’t believe you never noticed it before. Even I know how the girl felt and I am just a hunk of wood.

“She was just a child when I left. How could she have those thoughts in her head?” Thad asked bitterly.

From what I have seen of females they all tend to set their mind on whatever they want and go after it like a hunting dog no matter their age.

Unable to respond Thad packed up his gear and briefly though about running back the other way. The notion was quickly squashed as he remembered the queen could simply drag him into one of her dreams.

To Thad’s detriment the capital of Farlan was within view well before midday. Thad could see people gathering as they neared the town. At first he thought it was because the elves were an oddity but when he noticed the armed guards standing next to an auburn-haired and red-haired ladies, he knew what was awaiting him. Thad tried to slow down his pace but the others would have none of it as Parson and Reeve each took and arms pulling Thad along behind them.

When Thad was only a few yards from the edge of the city
Shariel broke into a run and threw her arms around him. “Thad I am glad your home,” she said, her voice filled with tears.

Thad pushed the weeping child back from him and took a good look at her. When he had left she had still be just a child though a very mature one for her age. Now she stood a foot taller and her body was becoming that of a woman. “You have grown,” Thad said surprised.

“That happens I hear,” she replied, laughing through her tears.

Detaching himself from Shariel, Thad stepped in front of Maria who looked just as she had during his dreams. He gave her a sad smile. “I got a little lost on the way, but I have returned my Queen,” Thad said, dropping to one knee and bowing his head. He had not done it out of fear for her nor respect but in the hopes he could get out of any more emotional displays.

“A little lost, I would hate to see what really lost would look like in your eyes,” Maria said, her voice emotionless and cold. “Now why don’t we retire back to the palace and you can inform me about what has occurred in your absence.”