Out of the Faold (Whilst Old Legends Fade Synchronicles) (11 page)

Pat and Krisa rode behind the pack horses by several hundred paces. The other scout rode ahead by the same distance.
As the sun started to set Karl noted that Captain Doran galloped ahead to get a report then back to the end to hear from Pat. They would be stopping soon for the night. The sky was overcast and it felt like it might rain. There were no villages nearby but there were trees they may be able to take shelter under if it became bad.

As Doran trotted past her cart he reigned in and called to her, “What is your name?”

She
was so
bewildered
by the question she couldn’t
answer.

“I can’t call you Karl if you are wearing that dress.” And he bounded off back to the front of the convoy only to look back with a wicked grin on his face.

She was forgiven. Karl let out a huge breath of air, one she didn’t know she had been holding
for days
.

The rumble of thunder came to them in the night but stayed distant. Karl sat in the darkness to watch tiny flashes of light far to the south. It was much too far away to come this far north. She put her h
e
ad down then felt a hand on her arm. She jumped slightly.

“Are you okay?” she heard his voice behind her.

“Yes.”

And his hand was gon
e. She slowed her breathing to
silently
recite
her prayer. “God
s please help me stay true to the
mission you have entrusted to me, please help my thoughts not wander to this man and his hands not wander to me. Please lead me to your true purpose and give me strength because if he touches me again I will have no strength le
ft and I will collapse into …”

She giggled to herself.
He
lifted his head to check on her again
.

The next night the rumbles were slightly louder. The lights flashing on the horizon were brighter and closer. She stayed awake longer watching them in the dark and knew he was also awake. Again it didn’t rain but the sky re
mained overcast. Each
successive
night she sat awake watching the lightning strikes and listening to the rumbles which, on the
fourth
night broke into cracks and booms. It traveled even closer than before and began to wak
e the rest of the camp.

“It’s not right,” she told Captain Doran as he also sat in surprise during a part
icularly loud crack of thunder.

“I know.”

“It will be
up
on us tomorrow night.”

“
We will need shelter,
”
he told her. “I’ll send the scouts to find a place for us to go.”

By mid-day the scouts had found a riverside town but returned to say that the people were afraid of any outsiders and didn’t want to house them for fear of the fever. Captain Doran wouldn’t accept
that
result so they
turned
cross-country to seek out shelter in the town.

The ma
yor was not pleased to see them. “
We don’t want people bringing that fever to us,”
he told
them.

Amias slapped his papers on the man’s desk, showing the King’s signature and seal. Those papers gave Captain Doran the power to stay anywhere he pleased, eat what he wanted, take horses or goods if he had to
, in order to complete his job.

“We have not come from the north. We carry no fever or sick with us. We just want shelter for the night. I will pay, that is not an issue.”

“Oh, I’m sure it isn’t,” the man recanted, having inspected the documents in front of him. “I’m
sorry,
it
’
s just these dark times. Everyone is afraid.”

“I understand,” Amias grumbled.

The only inn, little more than a stable with beds, was barely large enough to sleep them all.
The mayor vouched for the large group forcing the innkeeper to allow their lodging.
Karl slept on the floor
so the three girls could share.

The storm came upon them as Karl had predicted the night before. The entire town was awakened by the pounding of constant lightning strikes and the roar of thunder. The girls sat
huddled
in bed.
And
e
ven though Glory was the only one who admitted to being frightened, all three jumped at particularly loud thunderclaps.

Kel came to make sure they were fine, staying with them throughout. Still
no rain came. They could not
speak for fear of their voices being smothered
by the
roar
. At the height of the storm the sky was afire in brilliant white flames, which sparked and sizzled so brightly everyone hid in fe
ar the heavens were collapsing.

When it ended, it ended completely. There were no lingering rumbles or distant flashes of light. It simply stopped. Kel shook his head and released Krisa and Pearl from his arms. Glory sobbed in Karl’s but then she climbed into the bed and bu
ried her face in the coverings.

“Knockers,” Pearl muttered as she expelled a great breath.

Kel laughed as Karl gasped in surprise. Krisa giggled uncontrollably. Glory watched them confused and Pearl blushed then g
ot into bed.

“I agree,” Karl laughed.

The morning brought bright warm sun and clear skies. It was as if nothing had happened at all
during the night
. The ringing of bells and the sound of voices calling from the street drew the residents out into the square.
The Marshalls, Karl and the girls gathered on the stoop of the inn to listen.
A row of Brothers and surprisingly, a row of Sisters in yel
low robes
stood near the mayor. The Sisters
rarely left seclusion, so their appearance in the middle of the square was on the lips of everyone who gathered. Their hoods covered the top of their heads while what looked like pale yellow carv
es covered most of their faces.

“They know u
s,” squeaked Krisa beside Karl.

Karl studied the exposed eyes of the Sisters. They were watching her and the girls. The Brothers watched the mayor, who was waving to everyone to gather, bringing them forward, though there was a distinctive resistance to
getting close to the devotees.

“Come now,” he called. “The Brothers and Sisters want to give guidance during a fearful time.”

One Brother moved forward. He looked around the crowd with a pleasing smile
, welcoming all with his open arms. “Citizens, faithful, please warm your hearts with the knowledge that you are safe. We know there has been word of terrible fevers from the north, we experienced the wrath of the storm last night from the south, but know the gods look upon you with favor. During this time of great hardship the Brothers and Sisters of the
Faold
are dispersing across the land to bring assurances that wi
t
h our help you will be spared.”

The Brother stepped back and the
mayor came forward to address
the crowd again.
“We have had news from villages to the south that they have been burned or flattened by the storms. We were lucky to have this
traveling
delegation with us during the perilous hours last night. The Sisters assure us they have had communication from the gods that we will be fine as long as we have
devotees
with us to offer counsel
and to fend off the worst of the dangers
.
”

Captain Doran moved to Karl’s side and frowned down at her. “They are moving to positions of power.”

She nodded.

“They have asked us to be wary of travelers from the north as they may bring with them the fever,” he continued. “And
to shun those from the south. T
here are
unkn
own things
they may bring
.”

The Mayor turned
to look in their direction. The Brothers and Sisters followed his gaze as did all the townspeople. A wave of heat washed throu
gh K
arl as she realized the mayor was trying to blame the storm on their arrival.
She looked to Amias who
se face had gone pale
then reddened in anger.

“Please, continue your normal lives, go to the Sanctuary often for guidance and stay safe,” the mayor continued. He shook hands with
the Brothers and welcomed towns
people forward to speak to them. Most o
thers walked away, glancing
in the Marshalls
’
direction.

The innkeeper returned from the square and growled, “Out, all of you.”

Captain Amias marched forward
,
straight to the mayor, who stepped behind one of the Brothers, in the pretence of speaking to a citizen of the town.
The mayor had already relinquished his power. Karl watched what looked like a heated discussion on Amias’ part but Kel got her atten
tion and drew her into the inn.

“Get the girls ready,” he told her. “We are leaving.”

Krisa jammed things in her pack and stood ready at the door, a ver
y nervous rabbit about to bounce
out of sight at the first sign of a hound. The Marshalls pounded
in their riding boots
along the corri
dor that led out to the stables. T
he innkeeper stood at the front of house watching them go. The girls were shuffled out as Amias Doran entered the inn again. He slammed coins down on the desk and clomped hurriedly down the corridor.

Karl just left
her
room when she felt h
is arm wrap around her waist
. He
pull
ed
her with him outside to the waiting horses. He looked down into her eyes with a look of determination and said quietly, “They want the girls. We have to move.”

“Oh gods,” she muttered and ran to the wagon. To the girls she cried, “Ride with the men.”

“You too,” he told her,
helping her climb up in
back of Kel. “The wagon is too slow.”

Within moments they rode out onto a side street, the girls all with men in the middle of the group, Karl with Kel near the front, with Amias and Pat in the rear.
They took a wrong turn into a
street
that
led them into the square but it was too late to turn now. Facing them was a few dozen townsfolk still lingering after the speech, four Brothers, the mayor and five Sisters, covered head to foot in yellow. Of all the people in that square the Sisters
were the most menacing of all.

Krisa exhaled a horrible primal whine then fell from the horse to the ground. Glory soon followed. The girls stood up but seemed unable to move. Pearl and her rider were next, and then in succession all of their party was forced from the back of the horses. Everyone in the square seemed frozen in place except the Sisters.

Karl struggled against the invisible bonds holding her. Kel was perspiring and red faced with the effort. The Sisters moved forward.

“The girls come with us,” one said emotionlessly. “They will be Sisters.”

Panic tore through Karl as she realized she hadn’t protected the girls at all. She had failed. She was told by the gods, she was selected by the gods, to keep them safe and out of the Sisterhood. Tears
fell from her eyes in guilt and rage. How could they ever forgive her? How could Amias and the others ever forgiv
e her? The girls would be lost.

Pearl collapsed. She lay still for several moments then slowly got to her hands and knees, stood up straight, and stepped forward. The Si
sters took a step backward, their
eyes wide with shock. The Brothers, also frozen, stared at the little girl.

“You…will…not…take…us.” And with each word Pearl took a step f
orward
pushing the Sisters violently backward with an unseen
concussion. In
one final
word, “NO!” she slammed them into the wall of a building,
knocking them all unconscious.

Mayhem ensued as everyone in the square unfroze at the same time. Screams and rushing bodies filled the square. Amias dashed forward to grab Pearl
. He
pull
ed
her back toward them. Grasped in his arms she started crying and gulping for air. The other g
irls were hustled to the horses,
and once everyone returned to their senses the entire group made their escape and galloped out onto the road north, desperate to get away from that town and the Sisters.

Pearl didn’t stop crying for ages. Amias held her close as they tore through the countryside. Satisfied the
y weren’t being followed
, and finding a stream to water t
he horses, the group dismounted. Pearl was passed to Karl and she kept crying, “I’m sorry, I’m sorry.”