Gondell's Quest - Book 1 - Destiny - Free Sampler Edition
Chapter 13
A pair of huge iron gates slowly swung open, soundlessly they moved on massive hinges. To either side stood bleak and imposing grey stone built towers, the entrance to a fortress, Gondell understood as he gazed in awe, and when the gates are locked I can't imagine any force that could breach them.
The gates were set in a high and wide wall, solidly built between the towers that were set into the cliffs that pinched together before opening out onto the rolling plains. Impregnable, Gondell decided as he looked up at the towering stonework, on the top, crenellated battlements stood black against the sun like a row of uneven and broken teeth. Even a whole army of Trolls couldn't break into this place, he decided, Troll's coming to mind as the only creatures he considered strong enough to offer the fortifications any real test.
As he trotted through the great barrier he understood that his potential to escape on the grasslands would be slim. A verdant ocean rolled endlessly away from his feet unmarked by tree or bush. Only fresh spring growth as far as the eye could see in every direction. Well Gondell lad, he thought as his rekindled hopes faded and flickered away, unless the scenery changes drastically forget about sneaking away unnoticed out there, not a bush or rock to hide behind, and unless I can crawl away on my belly like a snake I will soon be spotted, and I don't doubt the cover of night won't help me much either, these Goblins have better night eyes than myself.
And so it was, that with a sinking feeling of desolation and defeat, Gondell began his long march across the Plains of Akar.
In happier days the grasslands had teemed with life, all manner of game had wandered in vast herds, a never ending supply of meat on the hoof for the southern hunters who braved the hardships of the long journey around the mountains and the hovering rumour of wild and terrible desert creatures that ventured from their desolate and sun-baked home in the sands to prey on the unwary. But the herds had gone, the antelope and wild horses hunted to extinction by roving bands of Goblins, only the mighty Aurochs now survived in scattered pockets, wary beasts, ever watchful, always roaming ahead and out of range of their hunters, some strange sixth sense giving an awareness of approaching danger. Their flaring nostrils constantly sampling the breeze, and beady bovine eyes forever scanning the featureless horizon. At the first hint of peril they would shake their heads and bellow, and as one the herd would flee, a stampede of heavy bodies and massive horns that caused the ground to shake with its passing.
All other game had disappeared, leaving behind only rodents and serpents and a multitude of insects that claimed the plains as their own.
A clear path stretched out into the distance, its course, straight as an arrow ran to the horizon, a shimmering heat haze forming as the sun gathered strength. A path of red baked earth, worn smooth by countless marching feet and iron shod wagon wheels. A trade route? Questioned Gondell as he attempted to keep his mind occupied as the miles and hours passed slowly by, maybe the only road from the north down to the mountain stronghold. Casting his mind back to his youth he tried hard to remember the maps that he had studied with such interest, at the time he had longed to see the sights that had been named in his books, now all he wished were to be back in his comfortable home, the kettle singing merrily in the hearth and a fine midday meal of fish on his table. Stop thinking about food, he warned himself as his stomach groaned at the mental images flooding his mind. Since his meal of stew and bread in the Great Hall he had eaten little, and what he had been given would barely keep a mouse on its feet and satisfied. The strips of cured meat that served as trail food tasted little like the rich Aurochs flesh, yet despite his worst imaginings he forced the meagre food down, ignoring the protests and suspicions that flooded his mind.
The sun had risen high overhead before Ruaq called the first halt and the Goblin soldiers threw themselves down onto the dusty path, casting aside heavily laden packs. Well, I'm not lying in the dust, Gondell declared silently before laying his weary body to rest in the thick lush grass.
“Get up, fool,” snapped Ruaq only seconds after Gondell had closed his eyes, the warm sun on his face lulling his aching body toward sleep, “Do you know nothing of the plains?”
“Of course I don't know anything about the plains,” he snapped in reply not opening his eyes, “And I was very comfortable knowing nothing, I didn't ask to come along on this trip with you.”
A ripple of quiet laughter sounded around him as Ruaq roughly snatched Gondell from the soft grass, “Idiot,” he hissed as he dropped the Gnome onto the track. “The grass is infested with scorpions and venomous snakes.”
“Don't forget about the ticks.” laughed one of the soldiers, at which Gondell automatically began to itch.
“Yes, millions of bloodthirsty ticks,” agreed a grinning Ruaq,”Millions of them just waiting for a foolish runt like you to offer a meal, they would suck you dry without you noticing, and then leave your shrivelled carcase for the carrion birds... Why else do you think we rest on the road?”
Even less chance of escape now, Gondell thought dejectedly as he searched his small body for parasites, heaving a sigh of relief to find nothing. If the grasslands really are that bad, how long would I last if I did manage to get away? Probably not very long, he decided.
Dejectedly he sat in the dust and nibbled a stick of dried meat, the group of Man soldiers had also paused at the rear of the file, yet they had not cast themselves down as the Goblins had, they sat silent and proud, ever watchful of the road behind. They seem almost as an escort, Gondell decided as his attention focussed on their bearing, they carried larger packs than the Goblins, yet they seemed little fatigued. They must be incredibly strong and hardy, I'm carrying very little yet I am so tired, they are marching under heavy packs, yet they look still fresh. His attention was drawn away as a small Hobgoblin offered water, the warm and stagnant liquid served with a ladle straight from a leather bucket, how many others have supped from this same ladle? thought Gondell with distaste, but need overcame his scruples as he realised that a diet of cured and salted meat fuelled a burning thirst.
It felt only minutes that he had slept, but marking the position of the sun as he reluctantly opened his eyes Gondell understood that he had been asleep for at least an hour when Ruaq ordered his troops back to their feet. Oh well, he groaned, here we go again, how many more hours on my tired feet?
Afternoon passed slowly into evening, and the steady march continued. Gondell felt his strength ebbing with the setting sun, and as the shadows cast by the Goblins around him lengthened so his stamina shortened, stumbling frequently as darkness surrounded him he felt himself being passed by the ranks of following soldiers. Slowly but surely he found himself nearing the back of the line, his appointed guard clearly unaware of his lagging. For just a moment he considered escape, fatigue had dulled his Goblin captors, why else would they pass me? he wondered, maybe the others don't know the importance that Ruaq attaches to me, if the prisoner escapes it's no concern of theirs. A flicker of hope sparked in his heart as he heard the marching feet ahead pulling away. He was now in the space between the irregular Goblin lines and the small company of Man soldiers bringing up the rear, and an idea sprung to mind. But I have to act now, he cautioned himself urgently as his mind raced, if I dive into the grass and lie still in the darkness, perhaps they will pass me by.
His heart beat fast, the sound of pumping blood loud in his ears, it's now or never, he thought as the sound of Goblin feet disappeared, to be replaced by the faint steps of the following group. I have to trust to luck, he decided, if they pass me by I can wait for a few minutes... and then run as fast as my legs will carry me back along the path, if I can make it back to the gates without being caught I can get into the mountains. The towering, snow capped peaks filled his mind as he took a deep breath and quickly dived headlong off the path. “I don't care about a few ticks if it means I can get away from these filthy creatures,” he whispered as he strained his hearing, anticipating the steady clumping of heavy boots that approa
ched rapidly from the track that led back to the mountains, the path back to freedom.
Long moments passed and time appeared to stand still as Gondell held his breath, his body frozen as he strained to make no movement, please just pass, he begged silently, and for a moment his spirits rose as the steady beat of feet on earth maintained their regular rhythm, they didn't see me, he began to hope, they are not slowing.
His heart sank down into his sturdy leather Gnome boots as, without breaking stride or pause, the leader of the group of Man grasped the back of his waistcoat and scooped him easily from the darkened grass.
“You appear to have tripped, Keeper,” the Man chuckled, “But luckily for you, we see well in the darkness. So don't worry, there is no risk that you will get lost or left behind on this journey, this is not a place to be alone, many fearsome creatures prowl in the shadows here, some natural and some beyond your darkest imaginings.”
His voice matched what Gondell had imagined, deep and resonant, confidence clear in the tone and timbre. I still don't believe that these people are truly evil, Gondell told himself as he dropped back onto his feet, his short legs pumping hard to match the long strides of his new guard, there is something about the way that they carry themselves, they don't stoop and skulk like those Goblins, these are proud people, they might be hard, but I would like to imagine that they can be fair.
“I think that you should continue the journey with us,” stated the leader firmly, “It will be too easy for you to get lost if we rely on those animals.”
An uneasy alliance, just as I guessed, Gondell congratulated himself as he heard the distaste in the tall Man's voice, they are allied, but certainly not friends.
“You or them, it is the same to me,” replied Gondell in quiet resignation, “I'm still a prisoner regardless of my captors identity, the front of the line, or the rear, it means little to me.”
“But it should mean a great deal,” laughed the Man, “Not all jailers are the same, and I think that you should have already noticed, your race would appear to share much in common with ours, more than you share with those snivelling tunnel rats, for we were also once considered one of the fair folk.”
“And you aren't now?” asked Gondell, feeling rather pleased with himself that his assumption, made on face value alone, appeared to be close to the mark. They do seem civilized, he nodded as the leader began to reply to his question.
“We fell from grace,” came a sad reply, “But that happened many generations before my time, I am just a humble captain in the service of my king, who am I to ask questions or have doubts.”
“But I hear regret in your voice.” replied Gondell, prompting deeper discussion, all the time his quick mind searching for hidden opportunities. He does seem sad to be involved in all of this... whatever this is?
“Not all the servants of Kangan are evil, there are some who wish for a better life, a peaceful life.”
“Then why follow?” Gondell's question direct and to the point, earning a quiet laugh in the darkness.
“As I mentioned, I am but a humble captain in the service of my sovereign lord, I am his tool, let him use me in the best way he sees fit.”
“Do all of you feel this way?” asked Gondell, wondering why the Man voiced his dissent so openly.
“All of us here,” came the reply, “And many more back in the capital, but we are loyal to our king.”
“It can't feel good to know you're on the wrong side.” Gondell sympathised, instantly a chorus of quiet tutting could be heard throughout the marching ranks
“The wrong side? What do you know of right or wrong, especially when it comes to sides in this matter, we do not believe we are on the wrong side, nor the right either. We simply wish for a lasting peace, a time without the constant threat of war that is imposed upon the race of Man. No young keeper, we believe not in sides, or who is in the right or wrong.”
“Surely you don't believe the Guild threatens you?”
“Who else?” replied the captain, “There are always reports coming to the capital, their forces lurk on our borders, waiting, ominous, ready to strike.”
“Well, such news never reaches us,” Gondell replied, “In fact, all that we ever hear is rumour that it is your armies that gather on our borders! But my home is far from here, who can say what is true, and in all honesty, I seldom listen to the rumours, they don't concern me.” Or, they didn't concern me, he thought, that is until I got dropped right into the middle of this mess.
“This is interesting,” the captain replied, his tone thoughtful, almost cautious, “So in your land there is no great mobilization, no preparation for impending war? No movement and gathering of troops?”
“Oh dear me, no.” Gondell laughed aloud at the absurdity, “We have no army, only a few bailiffs, and all that they do is settle disputes, of which there are few, and patrol the county.” They really don't do anything, he realised, “In fact, I'm not sure why we even have the bailiffs.”
“No standing army of any kind, maybe a reserve force?” asked the Man, disbelief and incredulity in his deep voice.
“We don't need any army, we haven't needed one for centuries.”
“This is news indeed,” Gondell heard a slight confusion in the Man captains tone.
“Of course, I only speak for my own race, who knows what happens in the Dwarf homelands, but they are many miles from Hevershire, we rarely see any Dwarves in Hendle.”
“I would like to believe you,” a hesitancy in the captains voice, in the darkness Gondell imagined the Man sifting through new information, trying it for size, seeing if he could make it fit into his view of the world. “But all reports would point to lies, disinformation.”
“You are free to believe what you want,” Gondell retorted, slightly annoyed that his word could be doubted, “It makes little difference to me, if you prefer to think that Hevershire is crammed full of battle ready soldiers, so be it, suit yourself.”
“That is my concern,” replied the Man slowly, “I detect no dishonesty in your words, and I consider myself to be a fair judge of character... what you say conflicts with all of our beliefs and understanding, yet I suspect that there is a truth in your words, a truth that has been hidden from us.”
“And, if you don't mind my asking, who feeds you this information? Fairy spies?”
An uncomfortable silence followed, I appear to have struck the bullseye, thought Gondell, puffing slightly as he struggled to maintain the pace. “I'm correct... aren't I?”
Long moments passed before the captain spoke. “That is more than I know, possibly you are correct, but I do not know from where our information comes.”
As good as an admission, Gondell gave a wry smile before continuing. “So your understanding is probably based on the word of the most spiteful and dishonest of the free people, this sounds to me to be a very unwise way to plan strategy.”
“I am but a humble captain...” the Man began, before being cut short by Gondell.
“Yes, yes, you have already told me that, in the service of your king. Your duty to follow orders without question, even if your orders are based on falsehoods. Have you ever seen the massed and threatening Guild armies with your own eyes? If you have, you will not have seen any Gnome in their ranks. Our greatest concern is to gather enough provender to see us comfortably through the dark months of winter. Wars and aggression... Bah, I have never heard such rubbish.”
“You have given me much to think upon, keeper. But I am big enough to admit, I have not seen the Guild armies, only small patrols of scouts. Now they may be hidden as most say, but they hide their numbers well if it be fact. I must ponder a while, these thoughts that fill my head unsettle my heart.”
Plant a seed, Gondell suppressed a small chuckle, maybe it has landed in fertile soil, maybe it will grow and spread. For all that I know the Dwarves and Elves may have huge armies, but I told him no lie... there is no threat from my people.