Dark One Rising (53 page)

“Pardon me, friend, but could you tell me how to reach General Thorne?”

The barman looked suspiciously at the youth, taking a survey of his own, trying to guess what his intentions might be. “What would ye want with ole Alban?”

“I bring message from Amaris.”

The barman rubbed his stubbled chin. His fat jowls were squeezed by the too tight collar of his linen shirt, and his beady eyes squinted at him from under shaggy eyebrows.

“Word is Amaris was destroyed.”

“That’s correct. It was my city, but no longer. There are only a few of us left. I have information. I need to get to Alban.” He pulled a coin out of his pocket and slid it across the bar. The barman picked it up and pocketed it into his apron.

“I think I can find someone who can get to him. The garrison walls are heavily guarded though, not many get through.”

“As well they should be; the menace is coming.”

“Aye, that it is. I don’t reckon any of us is safe anymore. It’s fight or follow from what I’ve heard.”

“You’ve heard right. I saw many a neighbor follow out of fear. Not many are brave enough to fight. I have word for Alban of what is coming. I need to see him in haste.”

The barman nodded to him, wiped his hands on his apron and motioned him to follow. He led Maddon over to the corner where a rickety table was occupied with one man. He was leaned over a half drunk mug of something, and he was hooded. The barman touched his shoulder and the man looked up but said nothing. The barman hitched his head quickly to the side in Maddon’s direction. “This lad needs to get into Thorne’s garrison. Can you take him?”

The hooded man looked in Maddon’s direction now and nodded. “He’ll make sure you get inside the garrison.” He left, and Maddon stood in front of the table, looking down at the hooded man. He motioned for Maddon to sit. Maddon pulled up a chair and sat down, his bag still across his back. The stranger finally pulled the hood from his head and looked closely at Maddon.

He was grizzled, with longish black hair which looked as if it had been trimmed with a knife, and black mustache that hung long on each side. He had a scar on his chin, as well as one on his cheek. His brown eyes were sharp, his hawk nose pointed and narrow. He didn’t scowl, but his mouth held a permanent droop on either side. He regarded Maddon with those piercing eyes, and Maddon shifted in his chair a bit. When the man spoke, however, Maddon was surprised at the lilt in his voice and the soft cadence of his tone.

“What do ya want with Alban Thorne and his garrison?”

“I bring message from Amaris.”

The stranger rubbed his chin. “Alban is a suspicious man and does not take kindly to strangers dropping in. Why don’t you give me the message, and I will take it to him.”

“I have been instructed to give the message only to General Thorne himself.”

“I could torture you for it.”

“You could, but I doubt you’d succeed.”

The man looked amused. “You think you could withstand torture in order to hold on to a message?”

“I have seen the giants come through my city and kill all who were too weak or unable to fight. I have seen unnamable creatures savagely kill everyone I know. I have fought four giants with my bare hands. I can withstand more than you think. I have been dispatched here with a message for Alban. I will deliver it, or it dies with me.”

The stranger was impressed and sat up in his chair. “What’s yur name, boy?”

Maddon stared at the man, then decided his name wasn’t pertinent. “Maddon Ellbert.”

The man’s face changed. He looked off into nothing, his expression one of recognition. “Any relation to Nalo Ellbert?”

He was surprised that his grandfathers name was so widespread. “He was my grandfather.”

“Well I’ll be.” He looked over his shoulder and yelled to the barman. “Cado, bring this boy some spiced ale to warm his veins.”

The barman nodded and immediately poured a glass of steaming liquid into a mug. He carried it over to the table and set it in front of Maddon.

“Thank you.” He reached into his pocket to get a coin, but the grizzled man shook his head.

“It’s on me. Any relative of Nalo is a friend of mine.”

Maddon took a swig of the dark hued steaming liquid and coughed a bit after swallowing. The man laughed and patted him on the back.

“Goes down smooth, don’t it?”

Maddon just nodded and took another pull on his drink.

The stranger patted the table. “You finish that, and I’ll take you to ole Alban. It’s after supper, and he’s probably relaxing his old bones by the fire, but we’ll just rouse him.” He looked Maddon over again. “Did you ride here from Amaris all by yourself?”

“Yes. I was enlisted to carry the message. I was the only one left in the city capable of surviving the ride, or the road. I spent quite some time on the back roads, until I heard the wailings of the undead. I changed course after that.”

“The creatures are making their way this direction are they?”

“It seems so. Unless they are just the spies for the lord, keeping track of the coming and going of travelers. I suspect traveling is going to become more hazardous soon. Bandits and cutthroats will be a relief compared to what’s coming.”

“We’d better get you to Alban then.” Maddon finished off his drink. The man put three coins on the table, then stood. “Come on then, let’s be movin’.”

Maddon stood too and readjusted his sack on his back. They strode through the tavern and out the front door. They went to the hitch posts and untied their mounts. The man put out his hand to Maddon, and Maddon took it, shaking. “Name’s Jedd, Jedd Porter. I’m a Bounty Hunter.”

“For the king?”

“No, private.” He swung up into the saddle and they started off. “I like having the freedom to take the jobs I want. I do some work for Alban occasionally. He’s tried many times to enlist me in his guard, but that life ain’t for me. Although, things have been tight lately, and the jobs are scarce. I may just have to take him up on his offer one of these days if things don’t get better. Fallon is bad for local business.”

“He’s not good for any business, local or otherwise, and he’s getting worse. The news I bring is not pleasant.”

“I reckon. Not if you rode all this way. Can you tell me who sent you?”

Maddon looked at the man and decided that who sent him was not pertinent enough information either. “Alekzander Morgan.”

“Alek? How’s that ole dog anyway?”

“He’s got a lot of responsibilities on his hands. He helped evacuate Amaris and then sent me here with the message. He needed to get back to the king.”

“Yes, I reckon the king will have quite a few problems to deal with soon.”

“He already does, and it’s only going to get worse.”

“Well let’s not tarry then.” He rubbed his chin again, this time with a gloved hand. “Did Alek give you admittance guarantee?”

“Yes, I have a way to ensure that I am who I say and who sent me. It’s a code that only Alban and Alek know.”

“He never misses a trick that one. I’ve known Alek a long time.”

They rode on for another twenty minutes, the stars visible in only patches of clear sky. The heavy clouds had been building for days. The cold night air caused Maddon to shiver under his thin cloak, and his fingers were numb from the ride. The spiced ale had helped to warm his insides for only a short while, but the cold winter air was starting to seep in again. It was a strange cold, not quite wintery with its common blustery winds and snow. It was more eerie, like a darkness and cold you could feel more in your soul than on your skin.

He remembered reading about dark times such as these, with strange happenings that could not be explained and people cowering from it. He didn’t think he would ever see such bizarre happenings in his lifetime, but here it was just the same.

They rode on and finally found their way on a more traveled road, with wagon ruts imbedded in the dirt and the trampled down mud of many horses coming and going. They picked up their pace, and, as they neared the gate, they could hear the shouts of the sentries on the wall as they announced the approaching visitors.

The two gate guards closed the gap in front of the gate, the portcullis locked down for night. Visitors at this time of day was a rarity; the guards were more wary than normal. When they were close enough, Jedd sat up straighter in his saddle and looked down on the guard closest to him.

“Evening friend. The young man here asked me to escort him to you. He needs to see Alban.”

The guard looked up at Maddon who only stared down at him. “Is that so? You got a tongue boy or do you need the Bounty Hunter to speak for you.”

“I need no one to speak for me. I have been dispatched here all the way from Amaris to bring General Thorne an important message.”

“What message? You give it to me, and I’ll pass it along.”

“I may be young, but I’m not stupid. You may work for him, but unless your rank is general, my message remains with me.”

The guard humphed in surprise at Maddon’s sass. “Well, I see no dispatch in your hand, and there could not be anything hidden inside that thin cloak of yours.”

Maddon tapped his temple with a frozen finger. “It’s all up here, friend. Now I come here with message from King Dainard’s Royal Advisor, and I will deliver it to General Thorne. You can rouse him, or I can just run you through with my sword. I’ll get through the gate by force. What will it be?”

The guard looked at Maddon for a long time, staring at him. Maddon just stared back, his hand resting lightly on his sword. The guard looked back up at Jedd and scowled. Jedd was smiling, obviously impressed by Maddon’s moxy.

“I’d do what he says. He rode all this way from Amaris alone and has seen more action than you boys have in several years. Let Alban decide if the message is worth bothering him for.”

The guard looked at Maddon again and then turned and nodded to the guard on the other side of the gate. “Open it and let them through.”

They waited for a few minutes for the Petit-Porte to creak open, then ducked under when there was room, riding into an outer courtyard. The gate guard turned to another man and snapped. “Squire Jac, please rouse the general and tell him he has important visitors.”

The young man ran off into the keep. Maddon dismounted and grabbed the reins, looing up at Jedd. “Are you staying?”

“No. I will head back into town just as soon as you get to see Alban. I’m not a knight or a royal guard. I have no business insinuating myself in the kings business.”

“It concerns everyone.”

“I wanted to make sure you were escorted safely and gained access to Alban. I have done what you paid me to do, nothing more.”

“Don’t you care about what happens to the kingdom? You said it yourself, Fallon is bad for local business.”

“Using my words against me now are we? Very well, if invited I will listen to what news you bring, then decide from there what I must do. Fair enough?”

“Fair enough.” Jedd dismounted and waited in the cold bailey with Maddon.

About twenty minutes later, a short but stout man emerged from the keep, dressed in woolen hosen with a thick wool cloak wrapped tightly around his muscular frame. His leg muscles were large and strong, and his torso was broad. He had straw colored hair and was clean shaven with only a bit of stubble on his prominent chin. His eyes were alert, and he walked with a gait that commanded respect. He approached the two men waiting in the yard for him and stood in front of Maddon, eyeing him up and down.

“There better be a good reason I was pulled from my evening tea and forced to dress for the cold night to come down here for a couple of uninvited strangers.”

Maddon glanced at Jedd and he nodded. “There is, General Thorne. My name is Maddon. I have ridden all the way from Amaris to bring you a message.”

“Amaris is quite a jaunt from here, so you must be a hearty lad, but what matter is that to me?”

“I bring message from Alekzand’r Morgan regarding the movement of Fallon and his army.”

“Is this recent news, or something I have already heard?”

“I hope I’m not too late. We don’t have confirmation of everything yet, but Amaris has fallen, and Fallon has been taking over city by city.”

Alban looked at Maddon and frowned, then switched his gaze to Jedd. “Why are you here?”

“I agreed to bring the boy here from town. I’m here for escort only.”

“Then git. I have things to say to this youth that don’t concern you.”

Jedd looked down at Maddon. The boy nodded his thanks. Jedd stuck out his hand and they shook. He mounted his horse and rode it back through the bailey and out the gate.

Alban looked down at Maddon again and scowled. “I don’t mean to impugn your honor, boy, as I’m sure you’ve ridden long and hard to get here, but I don’t rally my garrison for speculation.”

“I have brought you the message from Alexzand’r as I was instructed.”

“How old are you?”

“Eighteen.”

Alban looked over to the two guards who had roused him from in front of the fire and smiled. “Hardly a man yet.”

“I have seen and done things in the last month that other boys my age could never dream. I have blood on my hands now. I think that makes me older than my years imply.”