Gadolor

Rumors

“Lady,” Andel said grandly, offering his hand, “Will you come adventure with me?”

He has an odd sense of humor, she thought as she took his hand. He helped her stand, and they kicked dirt over the fire’s ashes. Pink and peach streaks of cloud blazed in a field of rich blue, where the sun was rising over hills in the East. Entressa wondered if she could still see the Newr River from here, glittering in the sunrise, but thought not. After today, mountains would block their eastern view altogether.

Huan stood saddled and ready, shaking her head a little, swinging the reigns back and forth. Andel and Entressa usually walked, now that they were away from Porton. It lightened the horse’s load and let them carry more gear. They set off down a slope, keeping the mountains ahead and a little to the right. They would walk around these and cross a wide valley before reaching the pass that led into Astor.

As rumors do, the tales about Andel and Entressa had grown as time went on. At first, they said Andel chopped Sebastian’s head off, but now he was said to have fought a whole unit of soldiers. People spoke of the fugitives with a measure of awe. Andel the warrior had a magical sword that could smite ten men at once, and Entressa laughed when she heard the rumors of herself. She was a beautiful enchantress, so stunning that a man could lose his wits just by looking at her. Everything was spoken in hushed tones with nervous glances, for this was the royal pair whom Sombron was determined to find. The bitter old king had roused his garrisons and put a high bounty on his enemies, promising a lifetime of riches to whoever could catch them.

But after a while, the royal pair found they could travel openly without fear. The common man expected to see a dazzling king and lady galloping over the hills, not the ordinary travelers who made their way north. All the same, even though she’d been fooled by his Ascan persona, Entressa wondered how anyone could look at Andel and not see a prince.

It was an odd experience walking beside someone she’d heard so much about but hardly knew. She reviewed the things she knew about him. Fearless warrior, wise ruler. Courteous and inspiring knight. She felt that the main part had been left out, perhaps because the speakers were embarrassed. Andel acted like a foal in springtime.

He often seemed to forget they were in enemy country. He strode along, talking about anything that excited him, sometimes singing a song or playing his flute on the march. He greeted everyone they met with a bow or a word, which they usually returned. At times, she thought he might break into dance.

He asked Entressa about her favorite places in Esthena, which was her favorite animal, and what kinds of foods she liked. She realized she hadn’t thought about that kind of thing for a while. Squirrels were lovely with their bright eyes and bushy tails, but she didn’t like eating them. She preferred strawberries and hot, spicy bread. Of course, when traveling like she had done, one couldn’t be choosy about one’s food.

“When we reach Astor,” he said, “We’ll have a huge feast with all your favorite foods. And then we’ll ride through the whole country and see all the people. We have villages in the hills I think you will enjoy. Some of the slopes are so steep, it’s as if the houses were clinging to the rock. And the Upper Oris runs so near the mountains’ feet that I think I could take a good running leap, and land in the water.”

“That sounds frightening,” she said.

“Ah, but it’s beautiful. And the mountain villages are just the beginning.” Entressa had never had a brother, but she imagined a brother might be something like Andel.

They traveled quickly on the highland roads that connected towns. Occasionally Andel would ask, “Which way to Weddel?” and someone would point him downhill, across the long valley, toward the opposite mountains. Snow dusted their gray sides, though none had yet fallen in the valley. The pair worked for food, just as Entressa had at the beginning with Sebastian. She met a thin girl who reminded her of Marie, and she even scrubbed a few floors. It was a much chillier job now. However, she was amazed at how often people gave hospitality without asking anything in return. In the evening, Andel would knock on a door and ask for shelter, or a stranger would see them and call, “Turn in, friends, for the sun is falling.” Lamplight and warmth and even soft beds would give rest until morning.

Entressa lay in a smoky little cabin one night, listening to two men talking in low voices. Grisen was a grizzled old trapper with a tangled beard, a pockmarked face, and the pensive look of one who works alone. The pelts of wild animals hung from the walls and ceiling of his cabin, along with various dried food. He had taken Andel for a knight from a northern town, hosting them with salted meat and beer.

She lay facing the wall, eyes closed, dozing lightly. The intermittent shhlup of wood and steel punctuated the talk as the trapper whittled a stick. “She’s in bad shape, your lady,” Grisen commented after a pause, “Looks like you dug her out of a brothel. I mean no offense.”

After a moment Andel said, “You’re not far off. She was basically slave to a trickster.”

Grisen grunted. “Trapped her, did he.”

“It took all my care to convince her to leave him.”

The fire hissed as the trapper spat in it. Shhlup, said the stick. “What did you do with him?” Then he chuckled. Andel had probably shown him his fist.

“Broke his jaw like a stick of wood,” Andel chuckled darkly, “He won’t be telling any lies for a while.”

There was a pause in which the fire crackled. “Well master, I don’t know who she is, but she’s lucky to have someone like you come after her. She don’t look like there’s much left.”

“She’s worth more than this,” Andel said in a voice she was coming to recognize. If she looked at him now, she would see his hands gripping something, his jaw set, and his eyes smoldering.

— § —

Eight feet plodded on a rocky path, four of them equine, four of them human. It twisted this way and that, dipped into creek beds, and climbed over hills. Gnarled pines stood with a carpet of brown needles at their bases, which piled in drifts and made their footfalls soft. Above, the cloud was a gray sheet from one horizon to the other, swirling a little near the highest peaks and blurring the farthest shapes. Much smaller clouds puffed from their mouths at each breath.

The girl glanced sideways at the man. She spoke at last, “Why did you come here?” She hastened to explain the question. “I mean, why would you risk it? You’re the prince. Sombron wants your head of all people, and here you came, walking through his country.”

Andel walked a moment in silence. “There are many easy paths in this world,” he said, “And some paths are hard and sorrowful. But the best ones are worthwhile, worth the fight of walking them. My father always says the best things rarely come without a cost. You are worth fighting for, my lady. I would face the old king himself before I leave you here.

“And,” he said more loudly, swinging his arm at the whole rugged scene, “It’s an adventure! What man has the chance to escort a lady through enemy ground? It’s a great thing. It’s a thing they might sing about in ballads. They’d stitch the story into tapestries and tell the children how Knight So-And-So fought an army with his magic sword. The whole country was hunting them, but the woodsmaiden knew how to hide. Who gets the chance to fight such fights? The warrior craves it—haaah,” he grunted like an animal.

He’s insane, she thought, not for the first time. The twinkle in Andel’s eyes was brightest during his monologues, and she pondered whether it was the gleam of passion or madness. Astor has a madman for a prince. She bit back a smile.

— § —

Grisen’s words had reminded Entressa of Mala’s jewelry. When the sun set and they stopped to cook their food, she took off one of her rings and examined it. It was black and serpentine, with tiny glass shards set in it for eyes. “Mala gave me this,” she said, not sure if Andel was listening. “She wrapped it with spells to keep misfortune away.”

She looked up. He was glaring at it. “Those are vile charms. Each is a call to darkness, like a chain for its wearer. Get rid of it.” She stared at the ring; Mala had given it a spell that mothers apparently gave to daughters in this country.

But he’s right. She couldn’t keep these things where they were going, for the northern kingdoms trusted in holiness, not petty magic. Entressa hesitated a moment, then tossed the ring into the fire. She felt instantly lighter and began pulling off her other rings one by one. Each met the serpent’s same fate. “If we were wise,” Entressa said, tugging on a ring that had stuck on her finger, “We would keep these and sell them for bread.”

Andel chuckled encouragement. “Since we are wise, we’ll not delay.” Her hands felt bare without the dozen ornaments, but they moved freely. Then she suddenly remembered her hair, and digging through her things, brought out a comb to begin work on Mala’s braids, which had become a tangled mess. Combing out the knots and beads and feathers was a long and painful task, but at last the comb’s teeth slid smoothly through her hair. It was disheveled after being tied up so long, but she liked the feeling of it tumbling around her head. By that time, dusk had left the West, leaving only flickering firelight. She felt clean but a little chaffed, as one feels after delaying a bath too long.

Andel had stopped talking and was staring at her. She thought there might be something behind her. “What is it?”

His voice had a different tone. “You are beautiful.” She blushed as he continued, “They told me so. They call you the crown of all Esthena’s beauty. I suppose a man doesn’t believe it until he sees it himself.” Entressa was sure she hadn’t felt beautiful in a long time.