WORRLGENHALL (22 page)

Irek raised a disapproving brow.
“What?”

“
It is a hushed rumor.”

His brow
raised, his expression turned to a frown as he looked at him. “The guild warriors swore an oath of brotherhood, yet you speak coarse of your brother. I would wage much that his sword has saved your hide more than once.”

“
It has,” he admitted, “It is only rumor. I meant no harm by speaking of what I have heard.”

“
Then hold your ungrateful tongue,” he scolded, “Your coarse words have no place among men who bravely fight and die for the other.”

“
Forgive me.”

“
There is nothing to forgive, just hold your tongue,” Irek’s blunt comment as he turned his horse and rode towards the gate.

Once at the gate, he waited until he saw Laad and called out to him.

“Farewell and do well,” he said him, as he put his hand on his shoulder, when Laad came to him, “Just as I know you will.”

“
I will give nothing short of my life for my king and kingdom.”

“
Then, you will do well.” Irek confidently nodded, and rode away.

**

For days Irek pondered the idea Belon and Ogorec trying to make himself doubt his suspicion, yet the more he thought back in time, the more he remembered that often during his restless nights more than once he had seen Belon or Ogorec walking from the other’s hall in early hours of the morning.

Now only da
ys after the men had left, still having difficulty sleeping, he rose from bed with his wife and dressed to walk the garden to clear his head until he got sleepy again.

As he walked, also in the garden to clear his head he came across Belon who was outside
training by himself, and reasoning it was fate that both were out at such an hour, he took the time talk to him.

Quietly, he stood and watched him for a time observing his skill.

“Well is your skill,” Irek complimented, as he now approached him, “Yet, remember Belon, do not hold your sword so far from your body when you turn. Your arms are to long for such.”

“
It is one of my weaknesses,” Belon confessed, “That I shall keep from at once.”

“
A weakness indeed…” Irek said; then added, “There is another weakness I want to have words with you about.”

Belon looked at him curiously. “
What such weakness?”

“
Walk with me,” Irek only said, “That we may speak away from ears of others, should someone be awake too.”

Belon stuck his sword in his sheathe and followed; then
as they walked when they got by the east wall as they looked out into the darkness, he began to speak to Belon.

“
I would reason the men just before the Valley of Tul near the trading settlement,” Irek said, “If Laad stayed the course.”

“
Then they are moving with haste,” Belon said.

“
Such was the set course,” Irek said, and looked at Belon to see his expression, “Who wants to be away longer than needed from loved ones.”

Belon said nothing, as he looked out into the darkness.

“Speak it Belon,” Irek said now facing him, “What is this between you and Ogorec?”

“
We fight under brothers who fight battles together,” Belon only said, “And in so we have fought side by side often.”

“
Belon,” Irek said annoyed with him, “Such battles have the king, Orem, or I not sent you out on to fight that I know that already. Your answer to me, makes me reason you believe I am a fool.”

“
What has made you ask me such a question?” Belon asked to avoid answering it, “I fear it is a trap.”

“
One with ease to answer if nothing was hidden,” Irek said, “If there was nothing between you to hide.”

Belon said nothing, again looking out into the darkness.

“You will answer it,” Irek said, his voice firm, “But as I watched you look at Ogorec as he rode off, the answer was clear.”

“
Then I will not answer it.”

“
How long has it been?” Irek asked, Belon answering his question by refusing to.

“
Over two springs.” Belon sighed, his answer his confession.

“
And what will it lead to?”

“
I cannot say,” he said inwardly glad to speak of it to another, “Other than we both cannot end it. We have both tried many times.”

“
I dare speak and shudder,” Irek said and recalled a fear, “To bring up the name Tohlor.”

“
He fell from the outer wall drunk,” Belon lied, “And it grieved us much to hear it.”

“
Then it gladdens me to hear you both had no hand in such a fate.”

Without words, Irek began to walk away and Belon followed him.

“It is good that even in hushed rumors all hold you both in high regard such that they follow you into battles,” Irek said and stopped, “But it is a wrong between you and Ogorec for the you both serve under lords who are brothers, and one that I will not turn my head and look away.”

“
What do your words means?”

“
Dare you both quarrel and be angry with the other in battle. How can you protect each other as well as our lords? With no will of your own tempers may rule you and harm to others come from it”

“
Shall I turn in my guild warrior’s bands and armor, and leave this place?”

“
Will you end what is between you?” Irek asked.

“
As my words before,” he confessed, “I cannot stop what burns within me for him.”

Irek sighed; then began walking again.

“Shall I turn in my guild warrior bands and armor, and leave?” Belon asked again.

“
With Ogorec away,” Irek commented, “How will he find you when he returns? Such anguish I reason he has already to torment him.”

Belon looked at him; then nodded his head. “
I am grateful to you.”

“
When he returns set your course,” Irek said, “It will grieve me greatly to lose two such brave men.” 

**

Three days since they set out, as the band of men camped just before the Valley of Tul, Laad stared at the stars late into the night.

Just before he prepared to sleep now something he did always when he felt lonely away from Nona, he held her hair
beads in his hand and thought of her until he grew tired enough to close his eyes, but as he searched his pouch for them, he came across something else too.

At first unable to find them, his heart grew anxious at the thought of losing something so precious
, until he saw a deep green long embroidered thin sash just about the length of his arm with black patterns along its edge.

Surprised, he picked it up; then unfolded what it wrapped, which were her hair beads and wrapped it around his hand; then as he held
the sash, he smelled it.

Her scent from it filling his nostrils, he inhaled deeply through his nose and wondered when she could have secretly put it in his bag.

“Oh my wife,” Laad said under his breath, as he smelled it, “Before you was there even life within me?”

Once more, he smelled the sash before he tucked it under his sleeve, then twirled the beads she gave him between his fingers, as now his mind flooded with thoughts of their unborn child.

His thoughts of would he have a son again or now a daughter consumed him, and the more the thought of it, the more his heart soared with joy.

As Laad
’s mind recalled the vision of how a smile as warming as the sun sweep across his son’s face whenever he held him, his brief thoughts of joy, again turned to anguish as his heart longed to have him in his arms, as well as his mother.

The moon bright, Laad turned and looked at it and wondered if Nona was awake or asleep, and again he pulled out the sash she made him to smell it, and the scent of her so strong upon it,
a rush of desire went through him.

Such was its smell a deep ache seized him, as the soft wind blowing upon him in the cool of the night sent a surge between his legs, as beyond his control he felt himself become rigid with want.

So great was his want, had she been by his side, he would have been upon her at once with unbridled vigor so passionately he would make her moan loud enough for all throughout the land to hear.

“
There is no sleep for me again this night,” Laad said to himself as he again put away the sash, but this time along with the beads; then walked to his horse.

As Wurden lay nearby, when he saw Laad mount his horse, he rose and went to him.

“If you ride again this night to look over the land before we go inside the Valley of Tul,” Wurden said, “I will ride with you.”

Laad looked at Wurden; then nodded. Friends before both could even ride a horse; he thought him as brave and skilled and could think of no other to have by his side in battle, as well as by his side in all
things.

As both now rode, Wurden looked over to Laad and knew his mind was far away.

“What haunts you?” he asked, “And brings that faraway look in your eyes.”

“
Nona,” Laad said, “Again a child grows in her womb, but she is only five moons along. I will not be with her when the child comes.”

“
Ah, someone broke his vow,” Wurden said, through a laugh.

“
How do you mean?”

Wurden laughed harder.
“Not so long ago you paced back and forth and swore never to put your seed in her again. I may not be gifted for learning, but I dare say I only know of one way to put her in such a state.”

Laad said nothing at first as he rode alongside him, yet within him, he laughed.

“Spill, spill,” Wurden teased, “And spill.”

“
Careful,” Laad now teased back, “I command over you too. Should I make you dig holes or groom horses and clean up after them?”

“
You dare speak such words,” Wurden said, as he looked at him, “If you do, I will reveal to all what I know about you.”

“
Speak it,” Laad said curious.

“
As a boy how you ran screaming like a girl,” Wurden threatened, “As a wild goose chased and pecked at you.”

Laad laughed.
“That slipped from my head.”

“
Aaaahh, I am well sure it did,” Wurden’s playful threat, “I have many boyhood tales of us.”

“
As I,” Laad said, “Dare I speak of the boy who could not swim and I saved.”

“
Huh,” Wurden said, “That one escaped me.”

“
Shall I go on?”

“
No.” Wurden gave in, “But I am sure your son Elaad would love to hear that goose tale.”

“
Speak of it,” Laad said, “And I will tell your son Bine how you climbed a tree and afraid to come down because you went to high how I had to throw rocks at you to make you come down.”

As both laughed at their threats to the other, they stopped when they noticed others riding behind them, and Loth and Glen in the lead, who ever since they saw Laad fight with Borek, then show him mercy, had from that day forward other than the
king or lords, pledged their loyalty to him.

“
What reason is there for a small band to trail us?” Laad asked them when they caught up with them.

“
What better way to make the time pass, if we cannot sleep,” Loth answered.

“
I see ten behind you.” Wurden noticed.

“
It seems to be a restless night for many,” Glen added.

“
Then we shall ride,” Laad said, and rode off.

Laad and Wurden rode hard, as Loth and Glen, along with ten others followed; then when they reached the river of black sand, as they stopped to allow the horses to drink, Laad spoke of something that bothered him.

“When we ride out again, we should arrive by mid morning,” Laad said, “Yet I wonder why since we are so close not one has ridden ahead to meet us as done before.”

Loth looked at Glen, and at once, both stepped forward.

“If you grant it, we can ride ahead and see if there is trouble there,” Glen whose voice was heard above Loth said, “And if so, one of us can ride with haste back and give word of it.”

“
I grant it,” Laad said, “We will stop at this river and wait before we cross it.”

“
I will go with them,” Wurden said, as he mounted his horse.

“
Wurden,” Laad said warily, “Do you reason it wise? They are faster riders and younger.”