Hidden Ability (Book 1) (16 page)

“How many wagons, lancer?” says Sedic.

“Can’t say for certain. They traveled in a line. Definitely more than one, but not likely to be more than half a dozen.”

“How long ago would you say they passed by?”

“The tracks were made in damp ground. There hasn’t been any rain as we’ve traveled along this last day and I’ve seen none ahead of us. I would have to guess at least two days if not more,” says Palst.

“How far ahead are these wagon tracks?” says Jalan.

“Maybe an hour’s easy ride, captain.”

“What are you thinking, captain?” says Sedic.

“Not sure yet. Let’s get the reports from the other scouts and set up camp. Then we’ll call a meeting of the Fist Leaders.”

“Yes, sir,” says Sedic.

The only other scouts to see anything are Lancers Reest and Brax. In their sweep south of the road they spotted a lancer in the distance and pursued him. He got away, but Reest and Brax found a campsite where at least five men had stayed. The fire pit had banked coals in it and there were a few things left scattered around that gave the appearance of the site being abandoned recently and quickly. There had been so much activity that it was not possible for the two lancers to determine which trail was made when the site was abandoned. When further questioned, the scouts report that there could have been more men based there within the last week. There were signs of a picket line for horses and depressions that could have been made by wagon wheels. Although it is clear that other tracks crisscrossed the wheel marks, Reest feels strongly that the wagons only left in the last couple of days.

The sun is level with the horizon by the time the caravan sets up camp on the raised plateau. Everyone shapes spikes from large sticks, small branches and saplings. The spikes are then planted in the ground and set at an angle with their points outward to form a barrier. Although a man could slip between the spikes, a horse would find it very difficult and an armored rider would be unwilling to attempt a treacherous jump over the bristling barrier. Jalan and Sedic inspect the spike barrier and find it to be adequate. There is little more they can do beyond lighting watch fires and posting sentries.

Jalan stifles a yawn and says to Sedic, “Send the Fist Leaders to my tent. We need to discuss our plans for tomorrow.”

“Sir,” says Sedic as an acknowledgement and he moves off toward the double row of the lancers’ canvas tents.

“Tell them they can finish eating first,” calls Jalan as an afterthought. Now that the camp seems settled he feels his own fatigue and hunger push past his other worries. He goes to the cook fires and gets a hot bowl of stew and a mug of watered ale that he carries back to his command tent.

Δ

It is not a large tent, but compared to a standard lancer’s tent it is spacious. Jalan has one large room with a small folding table and chair. The ceiling is tall enough that he can stand up. His camp box sits against one canvas wall. There is a canvas barrier that separates his small sleeping area from the rest of the tent.

Captain Jalan sits at his table and blows on large spoonfuls of stew until they are cool enough to wolf down. In between mouthfuls he takes small swallows of the bitter ale. He just finishes the last of his mug when Sergeant Sedic steps through the opening created by the tied back tent flap.

“I hope you’re not making that face because of me,” says Sedic.

“No, nothing like that. It’s the ale. Tastes bitter,” says Jalan.

“Like the life of a lancer they say,” comments Sedic.

“If the ale’s the worst of it then I am much relieved.”

“Merely the sauce we are cooked in, captain.”

“We won’t know the worst of it until the cook lights the fire, captain,” says Dost as he enters the tent.

Sedic grins while Serks, Harna, Miltrip and Reest file in behind Dost.

Jalan stands, folds up his camp chair and sets it on top his camp box. He does the same with his empty bowl and mug before turning to his men and saying, “Gather around the table as best you can.” Jalan picks up the map case that lies on the edge of the table, removes the only map he has and spreads it out across the tabletop. He uses four stones he found to weigh down the corners and keep the map flat. Looking up he asks, “Does anyone know where we are?” The men chuckle and Jalan smiles before he points to a spot on the map and says, “All right, as you all know, we are here. Reest, can you show us where the camp is that you and Brax found?”

Reest studies the map for a moment and then touches a spot saying, “About here, captain.”

Jalan nods and then indicates a new spot on the map before saying, “Palst said the wagon tracks he found are about here.” Jalan examines the map for a moment longer and then says, “Anyone have some string or cord?”

Sedic reaches two fingers into a small pouch hung from his belt and fishes out a bowstring. He hands it to Jalan.

“Thanks, Sedic. This should do.” Jalan stretches out a section of the bowstring and then lays it across the location of the discovered campsite and the wagon tracks. The bowstring forms a line that runs generally from the southeast edge of the map to the northwest edge. And along the line’s northern run it almost touches Pass Outpost. Jalan gets an uneasy feeling in the pit of his stomach and he does not think the ale has anything to do with it. The string line does not run near anything else noteworthy. But the path makes even less sense than driving heavy wagons across farm fields and rough country instead of using the road. According to the map, the men and wagons that appear to be headed toward Pass Outpost are not coming from anywhere within the Yen Holdings. Midland and Southway are both a little west and much more directly south of Pass. And from the last report, Southway no longer exits. Everyone left is at Midland. They would not be traveling across country to Pass.

“I think we’ve found the enemy,” says Miltrip.

Jalan feels excited, satisfied and worried. He is excited that they might know something the enemy has tried to hide and satisfied that he and his men have figured it out. He is worried about what to do with the information. There are still things they do not know. Jalan lets the bowstring go slack and leaves it lying across the map. His first instinct is to mount up and give chase. There is so much more to take care of than just a hunt for those wagons, but the wagons might be the most important thing, more important than the caravan. The lancers standing around him in the close quarters of his tent remind Jalan that he has help. “Does anyone have a suggestion?”

“I want to go after them,” says Serks. “Look at the refugees along the road. They’re out there causing trouble and we need stop them.” A couple of the other men make sounds of agreement.

“What about our orders?” says Sedic. “We’re to go to Midland. We can’t abandon the caravan, especially if the enemy is active in this area.”

“We could send scouts to locate the wagons,” suggests Miltrip.

“What will the scouts do when they find them?” says Sedic.

“Hmm. I see what you mean. By the time they get word back to us or Midland Outpost it could be too late,” says Miltrip.

“Then we should send enough men to engage the enemy when we find them,” says Serks.

“What do you think, captain?” says Sedic

“Serks is right. We need to send enough lancers to make a fight of it if we find those wagons or to aid Pass Outpost if it is threatened. But, Sedic is right too. We can’t abandon the caravan. The resupply wagons and merchants need to make it safely to Midland. Here are my thoughts. With luck we will take the enemy from behind. If we can capture those wagons we’ll gain useful vehicles and whatever they contain. If we cannot capture them then we can destroy them. Either way, the wagons are traveling across country and even with a couple of days head start we have a chance to catch them with a day’s hard riding.”

There is anticipation in the room. Jalan knows he is not the only one that wishes to be tested in battle. The lancers are older than he is, but they have never faced more than bandits. These could be Polnue troops from Ankena, the old enemy of Ojmara. These men are House Yen lancers. They know they represent the legacy of Lord Hallis Yen, the last great general of the kingdom, the man credited with having led Ojmara to victory over Ankena in the last Chalmar War.

“Let me lead the chase, sir. I’ll find those wagons,” says Reest.

All the men except Sedic immediately make the same request, each trying to speak over the other. Jalan holds up a hand for silence and shouts, “Hold!” He tries to make his voice sound like Major Erida because everybody listens to him. Silence falls. Before anyone else interrupts Jalan says, in the calmest most self-assured voice he can manage, “Thank you for your ideas. I will consider your requests. Dismissed.” He meets the eye of each man one by one, almost challenging them to say anything more.

Harna and Reest both look angry, but neither says a word. Miltrip and Dost act a little embarrassed. Serks’s face gives nothing away. Dost looks down and shrugs. Sedic simply nods and turns to leave along with everyone else.

“Sergeant,” says Jalan

“Yes, sir?” says Sedic as he pauses and half turns back to look at Jalan.

“Stay for a moment.”

“Yes, sir.” Sedic turns fully back around and waits.

Jalan grasps his hands behind his back and tries to let some of the tension flow out of him. “Who do you think should lead the hunt for the wagons?”

“You, captain.”

“Why?”

“You’re the captain.”

Δ

Ultimately, Jalan calls all the Fist Leaders back to his tent. He has them draw straws because he has no reason to prefer one over another. Serks, Harna and Reest pull long straws. They and their three fists have won a place in the hunt. Jalan will lead all 15 men. Miltrip and one lancer from his fist are given the task to deliver a report from Jalan to Lieutenant Caser, the commander of Midland Outpost. Miltrip leaves immediately to travel through the night and reach Midland as soon as he can. The hunters will leave at dawn. They need light to be sure they do not miss anything important as they track the wagons.

Jalan wakes up when the first night watch is called. “End of watch. All secure,” is repeated in loose unison by four voices before the response, “Start of watch. All secure,” is given by the relief watchers. He wakes again at second watch and forces himself to remain on his cot. Drawing long slow breaths, Jalan practices letting his body relax. Sleep settles over him. Jalan rises when third watch, the last watch of the night, begins. The fire ring closest to his tent still holds hot coals from last night’s banked fire. He kneels at the uneven circle of stone and earth which surrounds the shallow pit, and blows on the coals until they are hot enough to light a taper. The candle burns brightly. Jalan uses it to light a small lantern that hangs from the central roof poll of his tent, then he blows out the taper. By the light of the lantern, Jalan dons his armor. Sergeant Sedic arrives to help Jalan check over his armor and be sure everything is in place and fastened properly. Jalan does the same for the sergeant.

In the predawn gloom, the white flecks on Axe’s black coat stand out when Jalan walks to the picket line. Axe performed well yesterday. Each lancer will take two horses on the hunt. Stone looks like a magnificent horse and Jalan is delighted to have a chance to ride him. He grooms and saddles Stone while trying to be careful not to irritate the warhorse. There are enough things to worry about without getting bitten or kicked by his mount. He pats Axe and says, “You’ll get your turn today too,” as he fastens a long lead to Axe’s halter and ties the other end to a ring attached to the back of Stone’s saddle. The other lancers are forming up on the road. Each of them has their spare horse on a lead as well.

The lancers chosen to hunt the wagons chase their long shadows down the road as they ride away from the newly risen sun. Palst leads them west toward the wagon tracks he found the day before. The hunters slow their horses to a walk and continue to follow Palst when he turns north off the road and crosses open ground. When Palst halts, Jalan calls the riders to a halt as well and dismounts to examine the tracks. Signs of wagon ruts, horses’ hooves and booted feet are clear.

“Serks!” calls Jalan as he rises from examining the tracks.

“Sir!” says Serks from horseback a few yards away.

“You and Palst scout ahead along the most likely course the wagons took. Once we verify their direction of travel, we’ll ride fast to gain on them. When it is time to switch mounts, we’ll scout again to make sure we’re still on the trail.”

Jalan knows that his men can easily cover in one morning the same distance the wagons could travel in a day. He has to be careful and certain the hunters stay on the trail. Riding hard in the wrong direction would be a foolish waste of effort. He still does not know what to expect when they find the wagons. Hopefully, an opportunity will present itself.

“Sir, what will we do when we find the wagons?” says Reest.

“If they are friends we’ll help them. If they are enemies, hurt them,” says Jalan with a shrug. “We’ll figure out how when we find them.” He addresses all the lancers in a louder voice adding, “We need information. If we run afoul of anyone, capture them if you can or kill them if you must. We can’t have anyone escape and spread the alarm.”

It bothers Jalan that he and his men have to sneak through Yen territory like criminals avoiding capture. The wagons they follow are using the least populated route they can find. They are hiding and Jalan wants to know why. In order to find out, he is forced to hide too.

The lancers nod in acknowledgment of the orders. Harna and Reest both say, “Yes, sir.”

Jalan leads the lancers forward in the same direction taken by his two scouts. The hunters move at a walk when they must and a trot when the terrain allows. Once Serks and Palst return near midmorning, the direction of the chase is set and the mounted men begin to move faster by taking their horses to a gallop over open ground. Two lancers switch off acting as outriders and scout to the left and right of the main body of hunters to minimize the chance of riding right past signs of their quarry or being surprised by an enemy.