In the Shadow of Mountains: The Lost Girls

Chapter Thirty-Four

  A Just Man

  The thought that either the Destroyers or the Tun-Sho-Lok –aliens– had visited Earth at some time drove Becky wild. She couldn’t stop thinking about it. Whether it had the same affect on the other girls Becky couldn’t say and didn’t notice. Neither did she care. But it drove her wild. And one of the reasons it drove her wild was that she had studied Greek for a time at school.

  I am an Androktone, a clone of the Tun-Sho-Lok.

  Becky was almost expecting Soo-Kai to admit that they had visited Earth after that. There was no question about it. They spoke the same language here; the culture was similar to that in Earth’s past, and the name, Androktone. It all pointed to the same conclusion.

  It drove Becky wild.

  She knows.

  Yes, she is wiser than the rest.

  She will be dangerous.

  What she knows or suspects is not dangerous, merely the truth.

  Knowledge is always dangerous. When she is older she will use what she has learned. You should kill her! You should kill them all!

  I will not. I am bonded and such a task is not mine, and neither is it one I would entertain.

  You speak against the Purpose! Your bond was right! You seek to turn against me!

  You already knew this. Like the truth Beck-E has learned, it is a truth that is not yet complete, but also one that cannot be hidden.

  Her mind seethed, but moved on.

  And what is this truth the Terran female has learned?

  That we once trod the same world as her; that we originated there, during another epoch.

  But are the Terrans Atlantians?

  No. The Atlantians and these Terrans are as mixed as are the Navak and the Terrans that dwell here. This would require a prolonged existence side by side with free relations between the two races, as occurred here. Therefore the Terrans must live on Atlantis. And therefore we were not deceived. The Atlantians no longer exist. It is only their genetic heritage that lives on, stronger in some than in others. There were also traces of Klysanthian gene sequences present.

  Those that fled the sacking of Klysanthia sought safety on Atlantis.

  Then all is as we would expect it to be.

  Soo-Kai wondered if her mother knew.

  She will know. Your fear for her is not permitted.

  I will fear for her for as long as my bond persists.

  And then?

  Then I will merely fear her.

  As they came closer to Jasanta, Rolf tried to keep to the trails that were well to the north of the village, sticking to the outskirts and hoping to avoid as much contact as he could with the villagers. But it was no good. People soon crossed their path. Travellers, merchant men, even farmers with their stock came upon them. Most of them stared. They stared at the girls and at Soo-Kai with envy. And they stared at Vanessa and Bernice with wonder.

  Rolf recognised some of the people that passed them on the trail. They were merchant men he had traded with, or farmers he had sold garments to. He would nod and smile, but urge everyone to move on quickly.

  One of the farmers Rolf had traded with had his two sons with him. They were pulling a cart laden with wheat. From the moment Rolf saw them he knew they would be trouble. The farmer had been one of those who had seen him with Soo-Kai on one of his earlier visits, and although he continued to trade with Rolf, his animosity to Destroyers, and his criticism of Rolf for having one as a wife, had always been clear and very vocal.

  The farmer stopped his cart as soon as he saw them, blocking their path. Both his sons stared at the girls with open mouths. It was obvious that they had never seen girls such as these. For their part, the girls did what all girls did when faced with two healthy looking boys, they visibly glowed, and Sophia basked in the attention she received.

  Rolf brought their cart to a halt and held up his hand. “Now, Edgar, I don’t want to argue with you on this trip. I merely wish to pass by. Move aside, and tell your sons to stop staring at my daughters like foxes staring at chickens!”

  The farmer grunted. “Yours are they? Spawn of the devil! You have a nerve bringing them here!”

  “I want no trouble, Edgar. I didn’t come here to trade on this trip, just to pass by. Now move your cart.”

  Edgar grunted again. “Move yours!”

  As Rolf and Edgar argued, and the two parties were halted on the narrow trail, the boys were quick to take advantage of their opportunity. Rolf’s description of them was very apt, as they almost fell over each other in their rush to reach the girls. One of them went straight for Sophia, while the other went to Vanessa and Bernice.

  “How old are you?” Sophia’s hopeful suitor asked her bluntly.

  “Too old for you!” she replied in a haughty manner.

  “I am nearly a man!” he claimed. “My brother is William and I am Jonathan. He is sixteen while I am seventeen. Be my wife! I am the oldest! Soon I will have my own lands! And a farm house with animals! Be my wife and we will have fine children!”

  “In your dreams!” Sophia replied. But she blushed at his straight forward advances. To her surprise, as soon as he heard her reply he stepped aside and spoke to Jane.

  “Then you marry me,” he said to her. “You are not as shapely as she, but you are tall and strong and you can help in the fields.”

  Jane stared at him, open-mouthed.

  William was just as blunt as his brother. “My father is rich,” he told Vanessa and Bernice. “And both my brother and I will have land and food to spare. I like you. Others may be scared of you, but I find your strangeness appealing. You are as alike as a reflection in water, and your skin is as dark as night. I want you both! Marry me, and I promise you I will love you equally.”

  Jemma laughed out loud, and the twins stared at him in wide-eyed shock, while behind them, Jane reacted to Jonathan’s quick change of affection in the only way she knew how. The sight of Sophia’s crestfallen expression brought an instant reaction.

  “You sod!” she exclaimed, and punched him in the eye.

  As Jonathan fell over, his brother turned and pushed Jane aside.

  “Leave him alone, witch!” he cried.

  Jane fell over Rolf’s cart, dislodging pots and pans and falling to the ground.

  It was the start of all out war.

  Jemma jumped on William’s back, and as he spun round trying to dislodge her, Bernice kicked and punched him. Before Rolf could stop them, all the girls quickly joined in, and William fell over under the weight of Jemma, Karen and Bernice. Jonathan fared no better. Before he could get up, Becky shoved him back down again and Sophia sat on him.

  Vanessa ran back and forth between the two groups, trying to pull them off the boys and shouting, “Stop it! Stop it! You’ll get us into trouble!”

  Amy would have joined in, but Craig grabbed her and pulled her back, holding her firmly as she shouted encouragement to the others. Only Rowena stayed out of it, cowering behind Soo-Kai, but watching avidly.

  Jane, meanwhile, had recovered the fallen frying pan and was rolling her sleeves up as she approached William menacingly.

  Edgar saw his sons being attacked by the girls and took a large stick from his cart.

  “Spawn of the devil!” he shouted and hit Bernice across the back with his stick. He was about to do the same to Jemma when Rolf grabbed him and pushed him back. The two of them fell against the cart and it tipped over, spilling the wheat everywhere.

  There was a loud clang as Jane took her revenge on William with the frying pan. Having knocked him out she advanced on Jonathan.

  Edgar and Rolf rolled among the spilled wheat. But Edgar was a much bigger man, and he soon shoved Rolf aside and raised his stick. It instantly disappeared at his fingertips and the chopped off end landed on the other side of the cart.

  Edgar turned to see Soo-Kai, her sword inches from his throat.

  Rolf saw her too. “Don’t kill him!” he shouted straight away, holding out his hand
to Soo-Kai. She stepped back, and Edgar dropped the end of his stick.

  Rolf sat up, wiping the wheat from his face and spitting it from his mouth. “Enough!” he shouted to the girls. “Stop at once! All of you!”

  They all froze. Even Jane, the frying pan raised in her hand as she stood over Jonathan. Becky was holding him ready, her hands round his neck, while Sophia was still sat on him.

  Then a voice said, “Wise words tailor. Fallen wheat can be recovered from an over-turned cart, but blood once spilled is lost forever.”

  They all turned to see a man on horse-back standing on the trail. He was dressed as a Knight, a blue chevron and lion on his breast-plate. Even his horse was draped in a white robe with the royal crest emblazoned on it. And on its head it wore a plume of blue feathers. Behind him other men approached on horses and on foot. Many men, and many horses. Knights and men-at-arms. In a few seconds they were surrounded.

  Rolf sighed. “Prince Harold.”

  Prince Harold smiled. “I am glad you still recognise me, Rolf L’Epine. It has been some years and I am older now. You, on the other hand, look the same. A bit older maybe, but the same. I believe you still owe me a shirt.”

  The girls fighting spirit dissipated at the sight of Prince Harold’s army. They all got to their feet and moved nearer to the cart. Craig pulled them all close, standing in front of them as best he could. Rolf went to Soo-Kai and urged her to lower her sword. She did as he asked, and the two of them joined Craig and the girls by the cart.

  Edgar and Jonathan now went to William and dragged him to his feet. He moaned and held his head.

  Edgar moved closer to Prince Harold, bowing subserviently before his horse.

  “We were attacked, Sire!” he pleaded. “This man has wedded a Destroyer, and he and her brood attacked us. If you had not come we would have been killed. I ask for retribution!”

  Prince Harold wasn’t impressed. He kept his eyes on Soo-Kai while he spoke to Edgar. “I saw the attack. We were crossing the trail on our way into the forest and would have passed by but for the sounds of screams and mayhem. For this at least I am grateful. But there will be no retribution.” He turned and shouted to one of his men. “L’Barr! Have the wheat returned to this cart! And see that this man gets two pieces of gold for his trouble and his injury!”

  L’Barr struck his chest with his fist. “At once, Sire!”

  In a moment men ran forward and began to help William and Jonathan recover all the fallen wheat. In a very short time it was all back on the cart.

  Edgar bowed gratefully as the gold was put into his hands.

  “Thank you, Sire! You are overly generous!”

  “Then honour me by telling all you meet of my generosity.” Prince Harold dismissed him with a wave. “Now be on your way. I will have words with this bandit tailor and his Destroyer wife.”

  Edgar bowed several more times before beckoning to his sons to grab their wheat laden cart. They pulled it quickly away. Rolf’s cart still blocked the trail, and some of Prince Harold’s men had to help Rolf and Craig to move it aside. The girls looked on them with fright, but the men were concerned only with moving the cart.

  With Edgar and his sons out of the way, Prince Harold seemed to relax a little. He took off the helmet he wore, climbing down from his horse, and walked calmly up to Soo-Kai. She turned to face him, her sword still in her hand. Behind Harold, one of his Knights called out a warning.

  “Be careful, Sire! Her sword is still drawn!”

  Harold held up his hand for silence. “I thank you for your warning, Sir Malcolm, but I think I am safe.”

  Prince Harold stood in front of Rolf and Soo-Kai, but it was Soo-Kai he was interested in. Rolf could tell from his almost constant gaze on her face. It worried him, and he spoke up quickly.

  “We sought only to pass Edgar on the trail, Sire. We want no trouble!”

  “That depends on her,” Prince Harold replied, his eyes fixed on hers. Soo-Kai stared back at him coldly.

  Rolf became even more worried. He put his arm around her and held her tightly. “She has harmed no-one!”

  “I will take her word for that, not yours. Let her speak for herself. I have questions to ask her.”

  Rolf was surprised by Prince Harold’s demand. He didn’t know what to say. He turned to Soo-Kai, and found her already looking at him and waiting for his decision. He sighed and nodded, squeezing her waist. Soo-Kai turned to the Prince.

  “Ask and I will answer,” she said.

  Prince Harold nodded. “Good! But before my questions, you will hear my reasons for asking them.

  “My brother has long held an interest in Destroyers, an interest I myself have never been party too. You are the first I have seen alive and up close. I can see now why my brother has this…,” he paused, thinking of the right word, “…this fixation. I can also see how it could prove addictive. But this addiction has its dangers. The Crown Prince has not returned to the Palace. This is not unusual, but my mother worries and I am here on her errand as much as I am on my father’s. I have visited all my brother’s usual haunts in the villages between here and Ellerkan and he is nowhere to be found. I have three questions to ask you. Answer them honestly and you may yet pass Jasanta safely.

  “Carl once told me that a Destroyer could smell the relationship between a man and his son at thirty paces. He has also said that Destroyers do not lie. Are these things true?”

  Soo-Kai nodded. “They are true.”

  “Then answer my next question. I stand close before you; close enough for you to know my brother from me if you should meet, or to recognise me as his brother if you and Carl had already met. Have you been close to my brother, Prince Carl this day?”

  Soo-Kai didn’t hesitate. “Yes.”

  Rolf tried to speak out, but Prince Harold shouted him down. “Do not interfere, tailor! I told you, it is her answers that I am interested in, not yours!”

  Prince Harold turned back to Soo-Kai. “Did he still live when you left him?” he demanded.

  Again Soo-Kai didn’t hesitate. “He did.”

  Prince Harold stared at her. “I know my brother. He would not have let you pass without a reason.”

  Rolf at last managed to speak out. “I shamed him.”

  Prince Harold looked at Rolf in surprise. “You? Shame my brother?” He laughed. “Even my mother cannot shame him! What could you possibly do to shame my brother?”

  Rolf spoke with venom. “I was there, six years ago, when your brother raped Soo-Kai. When they felled her with an arrow, and it still took five of them to hold her down so that Prince Carl could prove his manhood! You never went on one of the Hunts, you were too young. But you remember me! The tailor that sneaked away in the night? Well, now you know why. Because the sight of what your brother did that night so sickened me that I could stand to live in Ellerkan no longer! This I told him to his face! And it did shame him, as it shames you now! I accuse the Crown Prince of rape and murder! And none of you can deny it because you know it to be the truth!”

  Craig and the girls were waiting for Rolf to repeat his bombshell. And when it came, it was just as successful as before. Prince Harold went bright red, and his men murmured and muttered of treason until the Prince held up his arm and shouted at them.

  “Silence!”

  Prince Harold’s expression grew stern as he turned back to Rolf, and he spoke through gritted teeth. “I am not my brother! What he does is his concern, not mine! I have never been on a Hunt, and my conscience is clear!”

  Rolf didn’t give up. “You knew of them! And you did nothing to stop them–”

  “Enough!” Prince Harold shouted at him. “I am not the King! I cannot pass laws! Nor can I repeal them!”

  A soft voice said, “But you can judge.”

  Prince Harold turned and stared at Soo-Kai. She stared back, but her eyes no longer held the same cold look.

  “I answered three of your questions,” she went
on. “Now answer one of mine. To kill us in battle is one thing, but was what your brother did to me honourable and just?”

  Prince Harold was stunned. For a while he couldn’t answer, and there was an uncomfortable silence. Only the sound of horses snorting and stamping their hooves filled the air.

  Prince Harold could have joyfully killed Carl himself for getting him into this situation. He could feel the eyes of his men boring into the back of his head. But he had to answer the way he felt.

  “No.”

  Soo-Kai nodded. “Then you are a better man than your brother.”

  Her answer surprised him as much as her question had scared him. Prince Harold stared at her in wonder.

  Behind him, Sir Malcolm had grown impatient. “Sire! Sire! The day is short! We must proceed if we are to find the Crown Prince before nightfall.”

  Prince Harold made a snap decision. He was never sure afterwards whether it was through wisdom or through some physical need to keep Soo-Kai close by. But he would have been the first to admit to anyone that he was intrigued by the Destroyer.

  “Then get L’Barr to find a mount for this Destroyer!” he shouted back to Sir Malcolm. “She comes with us on our search!”

  Rolf started to protest, but Harold held up his hand. “I will hear no arguments! Your wife can scent my brother. I need her.”

  Prince Harold turned back to Soo-Kai. “Find him, and you shall all go free. You have the word of a just man.”

  In answer, Soo-Kai raised her sword. “Separate us and I will fight you!”

  Prince Harold nodded. “So be it! L’Barr! Find more horses! They have all decided to come with us!”