Zara the Wolf (10 page)

* * *

For the next few nights, I worked with Eaton and his troops.
After we had finished, he waited until Lady Shelly had joined us around the campfire
to speak.

"What you've shown us is very interesting, but who will
protect Lady Shelly as we go charging off like crazed savages?" His smile was
more of a sneer. It had been obvious that he resented me for any one of several
reasons: Shelly's interest in me, the duke putting me in charge, that I lived
with the savages, or ...

"Lieutenant Eaton, I have no interest in directing your
troops or telling you how to deploy them. I've merely shown you how the savages
fight so that if we encounter any, you'll be better prepared. I'm sure Duke
Wetzel selected his top lieutenant to guard Lady Shelly and her caravan."
I didn't need tension among the troops.

"The duke said you were in charge!"

"I don't think he meant to imply that. This is Lady
Shelly's caravan, and she is in charge. The duke asked each of us to look at
something in our area of expertise and hoped we would work together to ensure
he got what he wanted from each of us."

Shelly backed me up. "The duke wants something from
each of us. Whatever that is, if one of us fails, we have failed the duke."
This seemed to appease Eaton. She was young but mature beyond her years.

As we approached Earl Pelote's domain, the land became rocky
and hilly, ideal for bandits or small parties of raiding Indians.

"What do you think, Zara?" Eaton asked as he rode
up beside Shelly and me. He had seemed more relaxed for the past few days.

"Good country for a sneak attack."

"Indians?"

"In the Black Mountains, they live high up and
therefore don't raid every year. I don't know these mountains, but I would
presume they would be small parties of youths out to prove themselves. So I
doubt they would take on a party this well-armed during the day. The only things
of interest to them would be the mules and the swords, which would be too hard
to steal and get away with. And even at night it would take a large band of
bandits to attack us."

"Indians would only be interested in the mules and
swords?"

"Unlike bandits, they aren't going to sell what they
take. If they can't eat or use it, they won't take it—like money." I
grinned and Eaton laughed.

"What about the horses?"

"Not much use in the mountains. Slow them down."

"That makes me feel better. I wasn't worried about
bandits, just Indians." He nodded. We rode in silence afterward. Later
that morning, a detail of ten troopers rode into sight, wearing the black and
blue of Earl Pelote. The lieutenant leading the group nodded to Eaton but went
directly to Shelly and saluted.

"Lady Shelly, I'm Captain Dellett. Earl Pelote sent us
to welcome you and provide you safe escort. These hills are a haven for bandits
and small bands of Indians. We patrol regularly, but these foothills provide
lots of places to hide," he said, giving me a questioning look.

"Thank you, Captain. Lieutenant Eaton is in charge of
my detail, and Zara is my chaperone and companion."

After the introductions, the captain led us farther into the
foothills. Toward evening, we crested a small hill and the grey castle walls of
Salman could be seen atop a high plateau. A steep trail led to the top, where a
small town had grown up around the castle. A dirt road led straight through a
variety of wooden houses and shops to stone walls the height of three men and
two massive wooden doors guarded by two soldiers with halberds. They stepped
aside and saluted as the captain approached and we filed inside. The courtyard
ended at a dark gray rectangular castle four stories high. The castle looked
old from the color of the stone and vines covering the walls. A tall thin man with
several young boys and girls stood observing us at the bottom of the steps
leading to the entrance.

"Lieutenant Eaton, if you will follow my sergeant, he
will take you and the caravan to your quarters." He pointed to a group of
buildings and stables off to his right. "Lady Shelly, if you would follow
me, I'll escort you and your entourage to the castle."

Shelly smiled sweetly and nudged her horse alongside the captain's.
I fell in behind her with her ladies-in-waiting following. When we reached the
man at the steps, she dismounted. A stableboy hurried up and took the reins to
her horse while two others grabbed mine and the other women's.

"Lady Shelly, I'm Minister Lionett. The earl sends his
welcome and looks forward to seeing you after you've had time to refresh
yourself. I've prepared rooms for you and your entourage." He waved to a
teenaged girl, who ran to his side. "Cheri will take care of your needs
while you are here and will see to having your clothes delivered to your room."
He waved toward the entrance and we followed him up the steps and into the
castle. Shelly's room was spacious and included a separate sitting room. The
second room had three beds to accommodate Musa, Sarkis, and me. While her
ladies saw to getting her clothes and things arranged, I stayed with Shelly.

"Well, Lady Shelly, I'm new to castles and royalty.
What will be expected of me?"

"Strange. In the mountain with savages, wild animals,
and hostile weather, you were relaxed, yet here you are uncomfortable."

"The environment and rules have changed. There, I was a
warrior; here, I'm a slave." I thought that a good comparison.

Shelly remained silent for some time. "Yes, I see your
point. Here, the earl's word is law. Only the duke can overrule him, and he's
days and leagues away." She worried her lip for a moment before
continuing. "My ladies-in-waiting will get me the things I need and help me
prepare for events. I've named you my chaperone and companion, so you will be
allowed to follow me around and attend any functions I do, although they will seat
you with the lessor nobles and dignitaries. But the duke's letter is very
specific and says you are to remain with me at all times, implying I'm young
and need watching."

"Good, then I'll sleep in your sitting room." I
grinned at her expression.

"You can't! There is no bed in—" She
laughed. "I imagine you've slept most of your growing up years on the
ground. After you saved me, it took weeks for me to get used to a bed
again."

"Have you considered what I said about carrying a
knife?"

"No lady carries a hidden knife, maybe openly for
certain special occasions."

"How do you know, if it's hidden? Spying for the duke
and planning to be a duchess will attract enemies like deer attract
hunters."

"That's why I need you." Her face became serious,
and she pointed a finger at me. "I saw the duke's request as a game;
you've reminded me it's an adult's game where being a noble won't protect me.
I'll need instruction," she said in resignation. I nodded.

* * *

I washed and changed as Musa and Sarkis helped Shelly wash
and dress for the meeting with Earl Pelote, which was set for an hour before a
formal dinner.

"I never realized," she said when she had finished
dressing, her eyes misty. "Your body is a mass of scars. How did you
survive?"

"I used to think it was hate. I did hate them, and that
helped, but I survived because I wouldn't be a slave. To them, it was a game to
see how long it would take to break or cripple or kill the slave. But my
freedom was worth dying for, so it didn't matter what they did to me."

"Lady Shelly, it's time," Musa said from the
partially open door. "Cheri is here to take you to the meeting with the earl."

Cheri led us down to the second floor and through a long corridor
lined with paintings of men and women and life-sized statues dressed in armor
and holding weapons used over the years. At the end of the hallway, Cheri
knocked then pushed open the door. A broad-shouldered man stood inside, dressed
in silks and hunting leathers, an odd combination that appeared to suit him
perfectly—a noble and man of action.

"Lady Shelly, come in. You've grown into a beautiful
woman from the devilish little girl I remember."

"Thank you, My Lord. Those were fun years." Shelly
curtsied.

I gave a small bow of my head.

"Who's your ... companion?" he asked as he assessed
me. I had left my sword in the room but wore a short dagger inside my boot with
the handle showing.

Shelly handed him the letters from Duke Wetzel. "My
chaperone and companion, to ensure my devilishness remains in check."

"Yes, and your safety. I heard you had been captured by
savages and Duke Wetzel hired someone to free you. Your companion?" he
asked, staring hard at me.

"Yes. Earl Pelote, this is Zara, the woman who
negotiated my release."

"Well, Zara. That sounds like an interesting story. Why
don't you sit? Cheri will get us drinks and you can tell me all about it. Wine?"
He looked to Shelly.

"Berryjuice," she said. Then he looked to me and I
shook my head. He sat as Cheri scurried out the door.

"It started when uncle Hillard asked if Phillip and I
wanted ... " Shelly retold the story in some detail, except for her time
in slavery.

Pelote sat quietly the whole time, alternatively watching
Shelly then me. "You were lucky, Shelly. I've never heard of anyone
escaping the savages before." He looked to me. "I understand you claim
to have escaped them, Zara, but they made you a warrior." The implication
was clear—you are one of them.

What could I say? I'm not. How could I prove that? I decided
to say nothing. The silence dragged on until Shelly intervened.

"Duke Wetzel believes her; his Cheyo Monk believes her;
and I believe her."

"Of course, Shelly, otherwise the duke would never have
trusted your life with her. I'm having problems with the Indians lately and
would appreciate any advice Zara could give me," he said, looking toward
me. A good recovery I thought, since I doubted he had changed his mind. But I
needed to play the game anyway.

"What kind of trouble?"

"They seem to be raiding far more frequently than ever before."

"What are they stealing?" I asked. It didn't sound
right unless they had moved their camp closer to the foothills.

"Everything."

"And killing everyone? Raping the women?"

"No rapes, thank God. There are deaths but not
everyone."

"Doesn't sound like the Indians I know, but I don't
know the Indians in the Vulture Mountains.

"They are all the same! Savages."

"If they are all the same, then you don't have an Indian
problem. They wouldn't steal everything. They don't have our values. Money,
pictures, clothing, and similar items have no value for them, and they wouldn't
take anything that would slow them down. They would rape the women and kill
everyone. Children they might take as slaves. And they would return to the
mountains within days. Sounds more like mercenaries acting like Indians."

"Rape the women and kill everyone?"

"Killing everyone delays the discovery and subsequent
search for them. Besides, they consider us little better than cattle. However,
mercenaries—while ruthless—still have some reluctance to killing
when it's unnecessary. And they would work an area as long as they could."

"You make them sound blood-thirsty."

"I've heard several suggestions that we should find their
camps and kill every man, woman, and child." I shrugged.

Shelly choked back some response.

"Yes, my captain has suggested we do just that, and I'm
inclined to agree with him. The savages killed my son on a routine scouting
detail." He rose, which ended further discussion. "It's time for
dinner and wine to dull the pain. I'd like my captain to talk to you. Maybe you
have an ideal on how to catch them."

Them
wasn't defined, but I thought he meant savages—Indians—not mercenaries.
When we arrived, some fifty people were assembled at three long tables arranged
like a giant squared-off letter C. Shelly was seated at the earl's table and I
on the table on its right. I ate slowly, as I still didn't like knives, forks,
or spoons and found most of the food too rich. By design or accident, Captain
Dellett was seated to my right. We spent much of the meal discussing the raids.
He too was fixated on it being an Indian problem and pursuing them into the
mountains. I didn't bother explaining that was a stupid idea even if it were
the tribes causing the problem.

* * *

We stayed two more days. I was itching to leave, but Shelly
said she needed a few days to poke around, which I took to mean getting to know
the nobles better. She was right, looking meant meeting people and getting a
feel for the place. I wasn't sure what I was looking for or that I'd know when
I found it, but Shelly seemed to have a strategy. The morning of the fourth
day, we left with our supplies replenished and everyone rested. The earl sent a
detail of ten soldiers to see us safely out of the foothills. They stayed with
us the first night but left in the morning. We were out of the foothills, but
the land wasn't flat, mostly rolling hills of grassland and forest fed by the
Black River, which we would follow to Ayus.

"You don't mind the camping out," Shelly said as a
statement rather than a question.

"No, I've lived most of my life in the open. Castles
feel like cages and they … stink," I said with a shrug.

Shelly laughed. "I'm probably the only noble that
actually understands what you mean. Being a slave was educational, but I'm
grateful you came along before I was taught to be a mother." She was quiet
after that. We stopped in a small forest as the sun was setting. The cook,
Berra, prepared a hot stew, and we sat around three separate fires: the
soldiers, Lady Shelly and her entourage, and the caravan personnel, although
the lieutenant did join us occasionally. Shelly was quiet during the meal.
Afterward, she rose and walked over to me and kissed me on my forehead.

"Thank you, Zara. I'm not ready to be a mother."
She headed to her tent with Sakis and Musa following. I decided to wander around
the camp, noting the guards Eaton had posted.

"Satisfied?" Eaton asked as he neared me. I
nodded.

"I'm sure the duke and you picked the best men for this
trip, since it's important to him."

"To protect Lady Shelly."

"For many reasons. Did you find anything of
interest?" I asked, wondering if he would share what the duke had asked
him to investigate.