The Horn of Moran

  Bregnest laughed and led them all into a private dining room in the back of the Swan. The introductions were made, and then Bregnest rang a golden bell that had been sitting on the table. At the sound of the bell, servants brought their meal into the room and then the adventurers were left alone to dine and discuss their plans.

  To Alex’s surprise, Bregnest didn’t start talking about the adventure they were about to begin. Instead he let the group talk about whatever they wanted to talk about, while listening to what they had to say.

  “We will discuss the adventure later,” Bregnest said, noticing Alex’s questioning look. “And your friends here can tell you about the rest of our former company—that is if you can get them to stop asking you questions.”

  They all laughed at his comment and were soon lost in conversation. Alex told his friends about his studies and about his father being an adventurer. He learned that his elf friend Arconn was on another adventure, and that Halfdan’s cousin, Thrang, had been made a minister in the dwarf realm of Thraxon. It was only when they were finishing their meal that Alex was finally able to ask about his friends Skeld and Tayo.

  “When did they find wives?” Alex questioned. “They’ve only been gone for six months. And part of that time was spent getting home, wasn’t it?”

  “It was on our way home,” answered Andy. “We were all traveling through Norsland together and along the way we had to pass through Oslansk, one of the bigger cities in the area. While we were there, the two of them met a pair of sisters.”

  “Sisters?”

  “Sisters,” Andy confirmed. “We stayed in Oslansk for a week, and before we left, Skeld asked the younger sister—Lilly—to marry him. That would have been surprising enough, but just as we were leaving, Tayo asked the older sister, Indigo, if she would marry him.”

  “And they’re both settling down in Oslansk?” Alex questioned.

  “Perhaps not settling down, but I don’t think Lilly or Indigo will let them go on an adventure for awhile.”

  “It seems their wealth has caught up to them,” said Bregnest. “Perhaps they will be less frivolous on their next adventure.”

  “They’ve planned the weddings so that we could all be there when we pass through Oslansk,” Andy continued. “And Bregnest has agreed that we should stay for the week of feasting that will follow the weddings.”

  “It’s early spring, and the road we must follow is still covered in several feet of snow,” said Bregnest. “Besides, without Thrang to cook for us, I thought we’d better enjoy as much feasting as we can. Though I’m sure he has taught his cousin here a thing or two about cooking.”

  “Indeed he has,” said Halfdan. “And I will endeavor to live up to my cousin’s reputation.”

  “You’re cooking for us on this adventure, Halfdan?” Alex asked.

  “Yes, I am.”

  “That’s good,” said Alex, elbowing Andy in the ribs. “I was afraid Bregnest would ask me to do the cooking, and then our whole adventure would be in terrible peril.”

  Chapter Three

  Norsland

  Once the questions were answered and news shared, Bregnest suggested that Alex go and check his saddle and gear that he had left in Telous.

  “Shahree will be in high spirits to see you again,” Bregnest added as Alex moved toward the door. “Though your separation has been longer for you than for her.”

  Alex knew time ran differently in the world he had lived in for almost sixteen years than it did here in the magical lands he had discovered. He wondered exactly how long it had been since he left Telous.

  When Alex entered the stables of the Golden Swan, a loud whinny welcomed him. Smiling, he walked over to a familiar silver-gray horse and started rubbing her neck.

  “Well, Shahree, it looks like you have been well cared for.”

  Shahree snorted loudly and shook her head up and down in answer.

  Alex laughed and continued to rub the horse’s neck. “Looks like we’ll be off again soon. I hope you’re ready for another adventure.”

  Shahree nuzzled his shoulder, and Alex could feel her excitement to be on the road again.

  “I see that Calysto did not say enough,” a voice commented behind Alex.

  He turned around and saw Sindar standing at the stable door.

  “The two of you are close,” Sindar went on as he crossed to stand by Alex. “Closer than any horse and man I have ever seen.”

  “We have shared a lot,” said Alex, turning back to Shahree. “And there is great trust and understanding between us.”

  “So I see. And I think Calysto must be right about you.”

  “In what way?”

  “She told me that you were more like an elf than any human she had ever met,” Sindar answered, reaching out and rubbing Shahree’s forehead. “And she said that I would be lucky to go on an adventure with you.”

  “How long has it been since you last spoke with Calysto?”

  “The new moon has appeared five times since I left the dark forest.”

  “She showed our company great kindness,” said Alex. “Myself most of all.”

  “I have heard the story, though Calysto would not tell me everything that had passed between the two of you.”

  Alex remained silent.

  “I will not ask you to tell me what she would not; it is not my place. I only thought it strange.”

  “If you knew what happened, you would not think it so strange,” said Alex, patting Shahree’s neck and turning to go.

  “Already you learn to speak as a wizard.”

  “Perhaps . . .” A strange feeling suddenly came over Alex, and he stopped short at the door of the stable. His eyes moved to the crowded streets and buildings of Telous, searching for something he knew he would not find.

  “You felt it as well,” Sindar whispered. “A feeling of being watched, of a watcher with purpose.”

  “Yes.”

  “It is gone now.”

  “But what—or who—could it have been?” Alex questioned. “It wasn’t just a feeling of being watched, it was something more. I just don’t know what.”

  “I think there is little danger,” Sindar replied slowly. “The feeling is gone, and I felt no evil in it.”

  Alex and Sindar returned to the Golden Swan where they spent the rest of the day talking with the other members of the company, but Alex wasn’t as enthusiastic as he had been. The strange feeling of being watched troubled him, and he couldn’t seem to shake his unease.

  * * *

  “How far is it to Oslansk?” Alex asked.

  The company was sitting down to their feast, and Alex thought it would be a good idea to ask some questions.

  “Perhaps a week’s ride,” answered Andy. “It may take a bit longer, depending on the snow.”

  “Snow?”

  “Spring is slow to come to Norsland,” said Andy. “The snow was clearing when I rode to Telous a week ago, but we may still find some during our travels.”

  “I’ve heard that summers in Norsland are short,” Halfdan commented thoughtfully.

  “Not as short as stories tell,” said Andy. “There are almost always six months without snow, and heavy winter lasts only for perhaps three months.”

  “Though even the light part of winter in Norsland may seem heavy to us,” commented Sindar.

  “We should be fine,” said Bregnest, standing and drawing everyone’s attention. “Tonight we seal our bargain and our adventure begins. You are all experienced adventurers, so there is little I need tell you. You all know what we seek, and you also know the rules of adventurers.”

  “We do,” said Halfdan, scowling at his empty mug.

  Bregnest smiled at Halfdan. “I know how great your thirst can be, and I would not wish to keep you from quenching it.”

  “I beg your pardon,” replied Halfdan in an overly serious tone.

  “There are a few things I do need to say, however,” Bregnest continued. “The first is that we will buy most of
our provisions when we reach Oslansk. If anyone is looking for a new adventure to start, they will certainly keep an eye on the shops here in Telous. I don’t know if anyone will be looking for us, but it is always better to be a little careful early than to be very sorry later.”

  “There’s wisdom in that,” Val commented with a nod.

  “You all know that we are in a race against time, but this race is not a sprint,” Bregnest went on. “We have some time, and we will not go charging off wildly to reach our goal. When I left Alusia, the harvest was about to start. Fall and winter are wet, muddy months, and the ground often freezes. Winter is never a good time to go to war, so I believe we will have at least eight months before any real trouble starts in Alusia. With luck, we will find success—and the Horn—quickly.

  “Finally, as some of you know, Master Taylor carries several lost bags from his last adventure. We will make time for him to return one of those bags as we travel in Norsland. I believe the heir to the bag lives near our planned course of travel, so this should not be an inconvenience to us, or cause any great delay. And so, we will drink to our agreement, our adventure, and for luck.”

  Bregnest rang a golden bell that was sitting on the table. At the sound of the bell, servants entered the room, filled mugs for the company, and then departed.

  “To the agreement, the adventure, and for luck,” Bregnest repeated, lifting his mug.

  “The agreement, the adventure, and for luck.” The others stood and lifted their mugs as well.

  “Now, let’s eat,” said Bregnest, ringing the bell once more. “We will depart at daybreak and begin our adventure.”

  With the second ringing of the bell, more servants arrived, bringing large platters of roasted meats, bowls of vegetables and gravy, and everything else the company might want. They ate and talked and even told a few stories about past adventures. Alex was soon pleasantly full, but to his surprise Val continued to eat like a starving man.

  “Can’t see where you’re putting it all,” Halfdan commented after pushing his own plate away. “Never seen anyone eat so much at one time.”

  “You sound like my wife,” Val joked. “She always comments on how much I eat, and then complains that I don’t ever gain weight. She says my being so skinny makes her look bad.”

  They all laughed at Val’s words, and after some time, Bregnest suggested that they should all go to bed.

  “Sleep well, my friends,” said Bregnest, as he opened the door to the room he was sharing with Val. “We may be in a rush to finish our adventure, but I hope we have many happy times in front of us, and little danger.”

  As Alex climbed into his own bed, he noticed that Sindar was simply lying on top of the covers.

  “May I ask you something?” Alex questioned.

  “Certainly,” said Sindar, rolling onto his side so he could look at Alex.

  “Well, I was thinking about my friend Arconn and a question I never asked him. I don’t ever remember seeing him sleep, and I was wondering if elves ever sleep, or if you don’t need to.”

  “We can sleep,” said Sindar. “We remain watchful and alert, but our minds rest. And remembering things long past is like sleep for us.”

  “Oh,” said Alex, pulling his blankets around him. “So you don’t dream?”

  “We dream as well. I suppose I should have said that we do not sleep like men, and that men may not consider our rest to be sleep.”

  “That sounds like an elf reply,” said Alex. “Thank you for telling me.”

  “Not at all.”

  Alex put out the lamp next to his bed and closed his eyes. Sindar started humming softly in the darkness. It was a pleasant tune—one Alex had never heard before—and he soon fell asleep listening to it.

  * * *

  Before sunrise the next morning, Alex and Sindar made their way to the company’s private dining room. Bregnest and Val were already there, eating; Halfdan and Andy turned up shortly after Alex and Sindar sat down. There was little talk as they ate, and as soon as they were finished, Bregnest led them to the stables.

  “Are you ready to go?” Alex asked Shahree as he settled the saddle on her back.

  Shahree snorted loudly and stamped her hoof on the floor of the stable in answer. Alex patted her neck and smiled. He was fond of his horse and being with her again made him feel good.

  When the company was ready, Bregnest led them out of the stable and into the streets of Telous. Sindar fell in beside Bregnest, while Alex and Halfdan followed them. Andy and Val were last, which made Alex feel a little awkward because on his last adventure he had always ridden at the back of the group.

  They traveled south, following the well-marked path to the great arch, the magical gateway that would allow them to enter another land. Alex watched the landscape slip by, thinking that it had changed little since he had last been there. Alex thought it felt good to be back in the saddle and riding again, then, remembering something from his last adventure, he turned to Halfdan.

  “Did you happen to bring some of that ancient dwarf remedy for stiffness?” Alex asked.

  “I did,” replied Halfdan. “And I hope it works as well this time as it did the last time we used it.”

  “Why wouldn’t it?”

  “It’s a new batch,” Halfdan answered. “I’d just finished brewing it when Bregnest’s message about this adventure arrived.”

  “Does the remedy grow more potent with age?”

  “Oh, yes. Truth be told, what you had last time was almost fifty years old,” Halfdan answered. “Takes a long time to get all the ingredients. Some you have to pick in the moonlight, others on the first day of winter. Course, even if you can get everything else, there’s always the problem of moogosh berries.”

  “Moogosh berries?” Andy questioned.

  “They’re very rare,” Halfdan said. “And even if you know where a moogosh plant is, it might take years to harvest the berries. Only plants that are a hundred years old produce berries, and even then, they appear only once every twelve to fifteen years.”

  “Perhaps I should learn to brew your potion myself,” said Alex in a thoughtful tone. “But I would guess the recipe is a well-guarded secret, and I don’t know where I’d be able to find things like moogosh berries.”

  “We do keep the recipe secret,” Halfdan answered seriously. “Though that rule might be bent for a wizard like yourself.”

  Both Alex and Andy laughed at Halfdan’s reply. The laughter sounded good in the cool morning air.

  Alex wondered if all new adventures would be as bittersweet as this one seemed to be. He was happy to be on another adventure and glad that some of his friends were traveling with him, but he missed the friends who weren’t here.

  They reached the great arch easily before midday, and as they filled their water bags and containers, Halfdan prepared a meal.

  Halfdan’s cousin, Thrang, had been the cook on their last adventure together, and he was a good cook. Alex noticed Halfdan’s nervous look as they ate and suspected the dwarf was worried he wouldn’t measure up.

  “Thrang has taught you his secrets,” Bregnest commented, smiling at Halfdan.

  “Indeed, you are a master cook,” Andy added.

  “Most excellent,” said Alex. “Thrang will have a hard time getting his job back.”

  Halfdan bowed, blushing slightly at their comments.

  Alex smiled, knowing that Halfdan took a lot of pride in his cooking skills and was pleased by their words of praise.

  “And now, some final instructions before we arm ourselves,” said Bregnest, getting to his feet as they finished eating.

  “We will follow the standard rules for adventures. If anyone becomes lost, the company will search for the lost person or persons for thirteen days. During that time, the lost member or members will also search for the company as best they can. After thirteen days, the company will suspend the search and continue toward their final goal, and the lost member will be on his own to do what seems best to him.” br />
  Bregnest looked around at his companions, making sure they all understood what he was saying.

  “I would remind each of you not to speak of our final goal to anyone,” said Bregnest. “The details of our goal are not to be shared—not even with our friends or families in Norsland.”

  Alex noticed that Andy blushed slightly when Bregnest mentioned family, and he wondered if they would have a chance to meet Andy’s family.