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Chapter 43. Truth and Freedom |
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alaika Zo snapped abruptly awake at the tramp of approaching feet. To her chagrin, she had nodded off beside the fire when she could have retired to her tent an hour ago and had a decent rest. The low murmur of her startled unit caused her to reach for her spear and shield. Negash and Ebony were already beside her staring off across the grassland at the approaching party. The two necromancers made her uneasy and it did not help matters that she mistrusted the hidden motives of the Order of Whispers. At last she recognized the pristine gleam of Giselle Starria’s gold-edged armor. The evening breeze played through her russet locks as she marched triumphantly beside dour red-robed Farishta. Two of her warriors carried a stretcher while three prisoners staggered amid the other eight members of her unit. The trio were disheveled and stumbled now and then with their hands trussed behind their backs. The three were linked by a long cord and a noose around each of their necks. “Welcome back,” Malaika said with more cheerfulness than she felt, “I see that your hunt was successful.” “Yes,” Giselle replied, glancing anxiously behind her as Negash and Farishta moved aside to converse in low whispers. Assured that they could not see her expression, Giselle’s face became tense. “We need to talk,” she whispered. Malaika saw that Ebony and her two Canthan friends were watching the proceedings with feigned disinterest. The man who claimed to be her student clenched his fists, betraying his concern. Farishta gestured for the stretcher to be borne into the largest of the encampment’s three tents. She guessed the blanket-draped figure that lay upon it was Master Bei and the three exhausted prisoners were his kidnappers. “Follow,” she replied quickly, brushing past Ebony and moving toward the latrine pit downwind from their guarded tents. “We can’t go through with this,” Giselle said when she was certain her rapid whispers could not be overheard, “Farishta plans to have those three executed, and Master Bei did not want to come back with us. He fought alongside them.” “But they’re traitors, they kidnapped him,” Malaika said, although she did find this revelation mildly disturbing. Giselle went behind the blind that offered a modicum of privacy around the midden pit, pretending they had reason to be there. Malaika glanced back at the camp. “I’m worried she will leave with Master Bei and the prisoners during the night. She’s got Negash and his friends with her. I think she knows I’m unhappy. I have already refused her demands to harm the prisoners.” “Harm them? What did they do?” “Nothing,” Giselle replied, “Why do you think I’m upset? The minute they thought Master Bei might be harmed, those three surrendered. If he weren’t so weak, I’m sure he would have fought to the death. As it was, two of my men were wounded and he did something particularly nasty to Farishta. You should have heard her scream.” “Is he alright?” “I don’t know. He did not want to come back with her. By the time I had secured the kidnappers, she had Master Bei subdued with help from my men. She took matters into her own hands while I was busy.” Malaika said nothing as they walked back toward the camp. A fourth tent was being erected and Farishta was still busy talking to Negash. She glanced into the tent where the stretcher had been laid out on the floor. The shape of a man lay beneath the blankets, draped as if he were a corpse. He stirred slightly and she thought he might have moaned feverishly. Poor man. “Sometimes prisoners befriend their captors,” Malaika said quietly, trying to prevent Giselle from doing something rash, “Perhaps it was the only way he could convince them not to kill him or someone he cared about. The Chantry is a day away. Let the Order handle it. It’s their business, not ours.” “I thought it was odd that Spearmarshal Ghaffar took such pains to remind us of our duties and emphasize that we were only helping, not under the command of the Order. Don’t you see that he was trying to tell us something?” “Yes, he wanted us to do our jobs.” Giselle’s eyes narrowed and her face reflected her spoiled Vabbian heritage. Honestly, she had no discipline, no manners, and no professionalism. Malaika wondered why the two of them had been chosen. Of all the dozens of officers Ghaffar might have assigned to this job, why this one? “What will it take to prove that I’m right?” “You always think you’re right,” Malaika snapped, angry that Giselle had been lucky enough to bring the kidnappers to ground and did not even have the sense to be grateful. “I want to talk to Master Bei,” Giselle insisted, “I want to get to the bottom of this.” “Fine,” Malaika said angrily, “You talk to him. It’s your career at stake, not mine.” “No, I want you to witness it.” Before she could protest, Giselle thrust past her and pushed into the tent. Farishta made a gasp of alarm and reached out a second too late to stop the stubborn paragon. Negash instinctively attempted to stop Giselle but only ended up bumping into Malaika. The two of them fell over amid cursing and laughter from the watching soldiers. The ruckus drew an audience as a horrified cry pierced the sudden silence. The two Canthan men shoved past her as she regained her feet. A string of foreign syllables that sounded at once filthy yet unintelligible followed in their wake with Ebony calling out behind them. “Zhou! Gods, what have they done?” Malaika pushed several soldiers aside and looked on in disbelief. The blankets had been drawn back to reveal that the man they had set out to rescue was now their prisoner. His frail body was tied to the stretcher so tightly he could do little more than lie there and breathe. One of the Canthans was already using a knife to cut Master Bei free. The poor man wept as the burly elementalist hauled him up into his arms and held him. It was clear the three of them were close friends. The rawness of their emotions told her they had thought him dead, had nearly given up hope of seeing him alive after a long fruitless search. “I want them removed,” Farishta said harshly, turning on Negash, “Tell your friends to leave or I will have you expunged from the Order.” “We saved him from kidnappers,” Negash said coldly, “While he was in their custody, he was not bound like that.” “He is the Oracle,” Farishta protested, “Being stolen away from the Elon made him go mad. We must save him from himself.” “Ishalha said the river guardians released him,” Negash replied evenly, “Now I am inclined to believe her.” “Ishalha and her friends are innocent,” Zhou croaked, “Don’t let them be harmed. They were trying to save me.” “He is coming home with us,” Ebony said quietly. Farishta’s visage darkened with rage and she turned on Malaika. “Arrest the foreigners. They come as spies and brigands in the hour of Elona’s greatest weakness.” Giselle locked eyes with her, saying nothing. Malaika was unaccustomed to disobeying orders. And yet Giselle was right. Spearmarshal Ghaffar had told them it was their choice. Farishta was in no position to order any of them around. “No. We will return to Kamadan with Master Bei and the prisoners so that they can stand trial before the elders and the gods,” Malaika said at last, breaking the tense silence. “In the open, for all to see,” Malaika thought angrily. “This is your fault. I told you not to bring those foreigners,” Farishta raged at Negash, “I will see to it that you never wear those robes again.” Negash snarled an oath and nearly ripped the garment as he disrobed and tossed it on the dusty ground before her feet. “I did not fight a war so that innocent people could be treated like animals.” Farishta’s jaw dropped as he turned his back on her and walked away. “You are not welcome here,” Giselle said, “I suggest you take your things and leave.” Malaika felt strangely gratified when the woman obeyed them for once, silently admitting defeat as she gathered her bags and departed alone into the night. Even the members of their units were cheered by it and she could hear them laughing and joking as they dined and swapped stories. Yet she felt uneasy, as well. Farishta had left too easily. Their time together had taught her the woman’s air of superiority was not feigned. She wholeheartedly believed she had a right and obligation to do what she felt was her job. If Malaika had learned nothing else about the Order of Whispers, it was that they were as persistent as vultures. She moved toward the edge of the fire where the three prisoners knelt, heads bowed in weariness and defeat. Giselle was already there. “I suppose the elders will know what to do with them,” Malaika said as she stood beside the other paragon. For the first time she felt warmth for Giselle, glad that she had trusted Malaika to support her once she had arrived back at the camp. “They may have broken the laws of the Order, but I can think of nothing they might have done to offend Istan.” “You want them to go free? What if they are kidnappers?” “Master Bei might be weak with illness, but mentally he is not broken,” Giselle replied. Malaika nodded and drew her knife from her belt pouch. She knelt beside the smallest of the three and carefully cut his arms loose and tugged the noose up over his head. To her surprise, he did not rise, but instead lowered his face and bowed to her as if he were worshipping a queen. “I am but a lowly servant of Dwayna,” the man said, “but from this day forth I will honor Kormir equally. Her truth shines through you.” The burly man and the scar-faced woman also lowered their faces, silently echoing the words of the little monk. It was clear they were thanking both Giselle and Malaika. She swallowed against a rising tide of emotion for she was touched by the man’s sincerity. She offered him her hand and helped him to his feet, then gave him the knife to free his friends. It seemed fitting that he should be the one to liberate them. “I am Ishalha,” said the red robed woman when she was finally free, and she proffered a deep bow to them before continuing, “I am grateful that you stood up to Farishta and agreed to help us. How far is the nearest outpost with a sigil gate?” “There is one in Kodonur Crossroads. We could probably reach it in four hours,” Giselle said. “You had better believe Farishta will,” Ishalha said, “and when she does, she will be back with reinforcements.” Giselle’s eyes widened at the news but Malaika was not surprised. “What do you suggest?” “We get there first and use it to speed to Kamadan and safety before she can summon support.” “Can we outrun her?” the monk asked. “She is alone and there are beasts afoot between here and the safety of the outpost,” the burly man said, “She will be forced to tread carefully while our numbers will ensure that most everything will flee rather than face us.” Giselle nearly laughed out loud, remembering the rampaging ntouka they had faced that morning at the watering hole. The stupid beasts had charged into their midst with no regard for how severely outnumbered they were. She almost felt sorry for the beasts given how easily they had been cut down and transformed into meat for the stew pot. Of course, a lone woman against even one ntouka was taking a risk. The beasts habitually traveled in herds of three or more. The man had a point. “I’ll prepare my unit for departure,” Giselle said, nodding at Malaika respectfully before marching toward the tents. “There’s stew in the pot over the fire. Feel free to grab a bowl and rest a little while we’re striking tents and packing up.” “Thank you,” Ishalha said before the others could speak, “I’m sorry you became embroiled in this.” “I am curious about what’s going on,” Malaika said before she turned to depart, “Perhaps you’ll tell me once we’re marching.” “I’d be glad to.” Malaika nodded respectfully to them before following Giselle. She was proud of her soldiers for they moved quickly and efficiently to take down the tents and fold them away. A pair of them had already left with two members of Giselle’s unit to bury the midden pit. The four donkeys they had brought with them to carry gear were nearly loaded down with tents and blankets. They had thoughtfully redistributed some of the stuff to allow Master Bei to ride on the largest of the beasts. His friends and the little monk were fussing over him as he was gently eased onto its back. In no time at all they commenced their march over the twilight landscape. Four soldiers bore lanterns ahead and behind them to ward them from night creatures and guide them over the gentle grassy terrain. After an hour of their steady pace, however, they had to slow for Ishalha and her friends. They talked then. The old necromancer told Giselle and Malaika of her long years serving the Order and of the miraculous visions of their new oracle. Her steady voice set the rhythm for their march as they talked about the geas and the work Master Bei had done in service to Elona. Nothing was stirring when they finally drew within the sheltered confines of Kodonur. Most of the villagers had fled during the war and Varesh’s brutal reign was still in evidence as the wind rattled the old bones moldering in the gibbets at the crossroads. It was well past midnight and the stillness came as a relief. No sooner had they begun breaking of into small groups for their brief jump back to Kamadan than did Ebony and her Canthan companions intervene. “Master Bei has never been to Kamadan. We cannot take him there by this method,” the strangely scarred necromancer said. “However, I can take him home with me,” Ebony said. “Master Bei would like you to know you are welcome to seek sanctuary in Tyria if the need arises,” Kazuma continued, his one blue eye brilliant in the firelight, “We will sail with Khunzar, Ishalha and Yajebe on the first ship out of Kamadan. You are welcome to join us.” Giselle and Malaika stared at them blankly. It had never occurred to her to leave Elona. As much as she distrusted the Order of Whispers, it had never crossed her mind that she might be in danger for standing up to one of their members. “Do you think Farishta will seek revenge?” Ebony shrugged. “Ishalha seemed to think so. That is why Master Bei wished us to speak to you. Think about it and let Kazuma or Mashiro know before they depart.” “We have little time,” Ishalha said sharply, arriving at Ebony’s side, “Please, you must take Zhou to safety now.” Ebony nodded to the woman, then bowed her head to Giselle and Malaika. “Thank you and farewell. I hope to see you again in less trying times.” And with that she walked back quickly to the weathered circle of stones that marked the sigil where Master Bei awaited her. In an instant the two of them were gone. Malaika held up her hand in farewell, numbly considering the possibility of leaving her home and everything she knew. |
