Ties of Blood (2 page)

“Now that everything is settled we need to prepare for the journey. First we will have to go to the general and request permission to be released from our post.” Eloen said as she rose determinedly to her feet.

They found General Forman in his office at the command center. Every time Eloen had met with the general he had been full of energy and quick with a joke. The normally spry old soldier looked as if he had lost his shine.

As they entered Foreman looked up from his personal musings, and gave her a halfhearted smile. “Captain Calisaren, to what do I owe the pleasure of your company this evening.”

“I wish this was a visit of pleasure General but I have come on official business. I request that now with the war for Southpass coming to an end you discharge me and my men from our duties here to that we may pursue our other duties.”

“I see, I have no problem in releasing you. You and your men had been a great help and I see no reason that you need stay now that hostilities look to be winding down.” The general said sighing lightly.

Eloen sucked in a quiet breath. That had been the easy part. “I also request that you open the gate to allow me and two of my men into Abla so that we may attempt to rescue the master mage who was captured.”

Forman dropped his head into his hands and let out a muffled growl. “That I’m afraid I can’t allow.”

“Thad needs our help.” Eloen pleaded.

Foreman slammed his hands on his desk, forcing himself to his feet. “Don’t you think I know that?” The general yelled, and then he sat down slowly, a pained expression etched onto his wizened features. “That young man is barely old enough to hold a sword, yet without him we would have surely lost here. Don’t you think I would do everything within my power to do so? But I can’t open the gates while the Ablaian army is still sitting on our doorstep.”

Alden started to protest but Eloen silenced him. It was clear the general was stuck between his desire to help them, and his duty to protect the land of Farlan at all costs. She couldn’t fault him for his choice. It had been the right one, but that didn’t mean she couldn’t go against it. Without another word she left the command center and headed straight for her own quarters.

“What are we going to do now Captain?” Darryl asked his tone far more serious than she had remembered hearing it before.

“We get those gates open. Alden round up the boys and find out who is on guard duty tonight. Test the waters, see who will be willing to bend a few rules to help us out.” Eloen said her tone cold and calculating. “Darryl I need to acquire as many of those exploding orbs as you can get your hands on. Ballard you’re with me I need some help raiding the mess hall for supplies.

Darryl and Alden gave her a quick salute and rushed off to perform their tasks. Ballard on the other hand looked at her, his face furrowed in a deep from. “Are you sure this is what you want to do.”

“Yes!” Eloen replied fiercely.

CHAPTER II

Eloen and Ballard waited patiently in her room for news from the other two members of her group. She could tell Ballard was edgy, and she was sure she knew why. Unlike her Ballard had a wife waiting for him back home. She knew it wasn’t fair to drag him along with her in a misguided attempt to rescue Thad, but she knew he would refuse to stay behind.

“Do you have a plan to get our little buddy back?” Ballard said giving her shoulder a light squeeze.

“Honestly, I haven’t a clue how to go about it. I just know I can’t leave him with those monsters without trying something.” Eloen looked over at her childhood friend. “You don’t have to go with me. I could take Alden. You have Etta.” Eloen choked out.

Ballard gave her a warm smile. “Eloen you know I couldn’t let you go off by yourself. It would be the same if Etta had been taken. You would be right there with me fighting to get her back.”

He was right. If Ballard ever needed anything she would see that he got it. She had even given him a small parcel of land for him to farm close to her aunt’s estate so that she would have him close. He was one of the few people in the world she felt completely comfortable around.

The door swung open and Darryl walked in carrying a small box carefully in his hands. “There were only four of them ready, but it’s better than nothing.” He said sitting the box down on the small end table. “I made sure the box is well padded unless someone drops it, we shouldn’t have any problems.”

“That’s good because were strapping them to your horse.” Ballard said laughing.

Darryl looked down at the box again. “We might want to wrap it in a few blankets, just to be safe since I’m riding in front of you. Wouldn’t want it to come loose and put a bruise on those pretty muscles you’re so proud of.”

The tension that had built over the day began to drain away as she watched the two take jabs at each other. Unable to hold it in, she began to laugh. It started slow but built fast and soon she was laughing so hard tears began to stream down her face. Her two friends stopped their playful banter and turned to her with slightly worried looks on their face.

“What?” Eloen asked wiping the tears from her eyes with the palm of her hands.

“Just trying to figure out if you’ve had cracked. If you have, or plan to please let us know. I would much prefer to know beforehand if you’re going to strip naked and run around, its best to be prepared for those things.” Darryl said with a deadpan look on his face.

Eloen picked up the nearest thing to her and threw it at Darryl. The pillow hit its target but as far as weapons went it was sorely lacking and only made the man laugh. Looking around for anything else to throw she noticed the small oil lamp. As the lamp sailed through the air Darryl stopped laughing and dropped to the ground.

“Ok, I give, I give.” Darryl said getting to his feet and holding his hands out in front of him in a placating gesture.

A short while later Alden came into the room with a large smile on his face. Eloen waited for him to report what he had learned but he simply just stood in the center of the room failing miserably to keep his lips from curling into a smile.

“Report now or I will make you clean the stables with a fork.” Eloen said in no mood for Alden’s antics.

“Yes captain. It seems that since the war seems to be over the general has allowed the stores of ale to be raided for a night of entertainment. The guard has been reduced to a skeleton crew and the few left it seem are more than willing to help us leave unnoticed. Right now your horses are being saddled as we speak. If I didn’t know better I would think the general was intentional making this easy for us.”

Eloen jumped up throwing her arms around Alden and planted a big kiss on his check. “That’s great. Now all that’s left is for get on our way.”

Alden held up his hand stopping Eloen from walking past him. “Not just yet. The reason it took so long for me to come back wasn’t because I was simply trying to garner information. Every soldier here knows that its thanks in a large part to Thad, that they’re still alive.” Alden said holding out a fairly large coin purse. “Almost everyone pitched in a silver or two, it’s not a fortune but it will go a long way to helping out if you find yourself in need.”

Eloen opened the sack to find it filled to the top with silver and even a few gold coins poking through. She had her own funds too, but it wasn’t a very large amount but combined together it was more than enough to live rather nicely for a year in the capital.

After giving Alden one last hug, she turned to her two traveling companions. “Shall we make haste before the general has time to reconsider his lapse in the fort’s current level of security?”

Outside the moon was just barely peeking out from the clouds, casting a slight pale glow on the mountains. It was a strangely beautifully sight, it also allowed them to see slightly but wasn’t bright enough to give them away over a long distance. Just as Alden had told them they found their horses already saddled and ready for travel. After taking a moment to secure their personal gear and the magical spheres they mounted up and made their way toward the main gate.

As soon as they reached the gate Alden gave a low whistle and the soldiers guarding it began to get the large winding arm that would allow them to lift the massive wooden bar that held the gate closed. During the battle it had held up far better than anyone would have expected they hadn’t even been forced to lower the portcullis. Its strength was due in a large part to Thad, who had spent days making sure the wood was magically strengthened. Considering everything else Thad had done she was sure the wood could now withstand the largest of battering rams.

Eloen had to fight the urge to yell at the soldiers to move faster. In her mind she knew that they couldn’t move any faster but she couldn’t help but feel nervous this close to the Ablaian border. She could feel her hands trembling and her breath was beginning to catch in her throat. She had been in many battles over the past few years as a captain in her aunt’s army. Most of them had been against untrained bandits and some of the more evil creatures that roamed the land, but this time she knew that death was only one mistake away. There was a chance that even if they did everything right they still wouldn’t live to see their homes again.

With all that in mind she still couldn’t make herself turn back. She had promised to keep Thad safe and had failed at that mission. She would see him back home, and then force him to the altar, even if she had to do it at sword point. There was no way she was going to walk through the fires of hell to be pushed aside by that snooty princess.

“Are you ok? One moment it looks like you’re ready to go dancing in the moonlight the next I could swear you want to rip someone’s head off.” Darryl said keeping his voice low barely above a whisper.

Eloen punched him playfully in the arm. “I’m fine, just thinking of what I’m going to do to that idiot once I get my hands on him. I still can’t believe he let himself get captured of all the wool headed things to do.”

“Just make sure you get him behind closed doors first. There are some things in this world I just prefer not to have burned into my memory.” Darryl said giving her a wink, earning him another punch in the arm from Eloen.

“Clean up your mind or when we get back you will be cleaning the latrines for the foreseeable future.” Eloen said trying to keep herself from blushing. The fact that when Thad was mentioned she was so unguarded bothered her. She was used to the men making crude jokes and had thought that nothing could make her blush. Eloen made a mental note to punish Thad for that as well.

As she watched the bar being raised and pushed out of the way she started thinking of the first time she had met Thad. He had been so young and innocent, though it wasn’t like that had changed much over the past year. It had been his blue eyes that had really gotten to her, they were so much like one of the large dogs that her aunt kept for hunting.

At the time he had been injured bringing news of an impending attack on a small village she had been tasked with protecting. She had done her best to shore up the defenses, but when the attack finally came they were being overrun by the sheer numbers of enemy soldiers. Thad had come out and saved her and many of the soldiers’ lives that had been placed under her command.

In all of her life she had never met anyone who was so selfless. He hadn’t done it for duty, honor, or as a job to support his family. He had done it because of his own sense of justice, even though he knew that it could cost him his freedom. Later Eloen had helped him escape before the queen’s army could come and collect him. Ever since that day the mage had been in her thoughts.

“You ready.” Ballard said giving Eloen’s arm a slight shake.

Snapping out of her reverie she noticed that the gate had been fully opened and they were waiting on them to go through. “Sorry my mind was elsewhere.” She said more than a little embarrassed.

Spurring her horse into a gallop she rushed through the gate with Ballard and Darryl following close behind. After the fort was a few hundred yards behind her she reigned in her horse and let the other two catch up with her.

The Ablaian army may have been routed but the army was still camped only a few miles away from the fort. If they wanted to get by unnoticed they would have to rely on stealth and a good deal of luck.

Once the fires of the enemy camp came into view the three companions dismounted their steeds and moved over to the far canyon wall. “Doesn’t look like we will be able to get through on this side.” Darryl said looking at the row of tents spread out in front of them.

“We don’t really have a choice. If we try to circle back and go to the other side of the canyon the sun will be up.” Ballard said his voice not happy at all.

“Should we try and sneak through or just ride and hope they don’t follow too far?” Eloen asked more to herself than the others.