She Who Has No Name (The Legacy Trilogy) (38 page)

Everyone stood by the waterfall with nothing but their clothes and what they could carry, which varied as per the individual.  The god-woman was given nothing to carry, while Ambassador Canyon and Lady Wind had minimum loads on their backs.  In contrast, the fighter Horse was loaded with such a mountain of
items that
he looked set to topple over.  The magicians had what Samuel deemed sensibly
-
sized loads, but Sir Ferse seemed to be in hopeless competition with Horse and was already struggling under the weight.

‘This way,’ Daneel directed, looking at them all with amusement before beginning up the steep embankment beside the cliff face.  ‘Try not to fall.’

They continued like that, ever upwards and along steep inclines, sometimes scrambling on their hands and knees, sometimes pulling each other up and over rocks and jagged edges.  Sir Ferse had abandoned almost half of his pack along the way, periodically stopping with exhaustion and summarily sacrificing one item after another, until his pack looked similar to those of the magicians.  Horse, however, continued on as if he were made of stone, never complaining or uttering a word and he picked up each item thrown from Sir Ferse’s load and added it quietly to his own. 

There were still many trees here, overhanging their mountain path, and they were ever beside a gully or a ravine of one description or another.  Not far above them, the mountain
face
was sheer stone.  Above even that, blue ice and snow hung over them, waiting ominously.

The air was bitterly cold and the wind was blowing down hard from the icy mountaintops when Daneel finally announced that they would rest, and they made for a tiny hut amongst the trees, just as the light was fading. 

Smoke rose from the chimney and seemed to fall straight off the shingles and slide onto the ground, for the air had become so cold and heavy.  A light shone in the window and Daneel instructed them all to leave their packs beside the door while they went in.

A lone old man, few of teeth and thin of hair
,
inhabited the hut and he stood from his place and welcomed them in his chanting dialect.  He seemed to know Daneel and be expecting them, for he had a great pot boiling on his stove and hurried to ready a number of chipped
,
ceramic bowls.

‘Come, sit,’ Daneel implored them, while he stepped outside to take care of their things.

The stew seemed to fill them with strength and
,
before long
,
they were all sitting comfortably, although in close proximity, on thick rugs and cushions upon the floor.

‘Just sleep where you can,’ Daneel instructed later.  ‘We will leave at first light.’

As he went to go outside again, Lady Wind bustled
up
to him
in the doorway and Samuel had to translate what she was trying to say to him
and why she was
in a fluster.  ‘We cannot sleep here—amongst these men,’ she said.  ‘I am a
woman
.  She is a
god
.’  And she gestured to the god-woman, who was looking back at her, sitting cross-legged on the floor with her skirts feathered across her lap.

‘Fine,’ Daneel told her.  ‘You can sleep outside.’ And
,
with that
,
he nodded to her politely and stepped outside to see to his tasks.

Balten also took the chance to slip out the door, but everyone else remained firmly within the warm interior of the hut.

Samuel chuckled to himself and gathered
a few
cushions to make his makeshift bed as comfortable as possible.  They made concession to the women by ensuring that the men were all cramped tightly together, leaving a small channel of space between them, but everyone was touching and jostling each other throughout the night as they attempted to sleep.  There was little talking, for everyone was exhausted.  Only Sir Ferse and Master Celios whispered together long into the night. 

Before he
fell asleep
, when the fire had burned low and was barely glowing coals, Samuel heard the door creak open and Daneel sneaked back in with Balten beside him,
both
reeking of Fiskian tobacco.  They found spots for themselves beside the door and soon settled down to sleep.  The old mountain-man had fallen asleep long ago and was whistling through his nose as he snored, as well as smacking his lips and murmuring.  Strangely, it reminded Samuel fondly of his youth and he had barely rolled over once before he was fast asleep. 

The next thing he knew, it was morning.  Breakfast was, unfortunately, the same boiled stew, but at least the old man did have some fruit to give them.  Before long, they were struggling back into their boots outside in the freezing morning air, pulling their packs onto their aching backs. 

The world outside the little hut was grey with mist and the moss-covered trees, sheathed in vibrant green, vanished barely five strides from the path.  To their left, they could see into the gully and the low clouds meandered along, pouring off the cliff tops in a tumbling mist.  The peaks above were like meandering gods, wandering through a sea of fog and the party trudged along beneath them, with Daneel whistling a merry tune as he went, following the narrow trail up and ever up.

‘It’s time you were honest with me, Samuel,’ Eric said abruptly, as they walked along the rising path, puffing out steam.

Samuel was immediately on guard.  ‘What about?’

‘What’s happened to your magic?’  Samuel continued walking, but did not answer.  ‘Goodfellow was protecting you all along, making excuses for you right up until he died.  There are only the two of us left now, Samuel.  Won’t you tell me what is going on?’

‘It’s true,’ Samuel replied
,
after treading along in dreadful silence.  ‘I have lost my power.  There is a ring in my pocket.  It has some magic, but it’s difficult to control.’

‘How long has it been like this?’ Eric asked.

‘Since Ash.  I exerted myself too much and lost my magic then.’

‘Didn’t you think of telling us?  You’ve kept this a secret all this time?  Who else knows?’

‘No one.’

‘How could you be so stupid!’ Eric said, raising his voice.  ‘You’ve been hiding this all along and didn’t think to ask for help?  Of all the stupid things, this is the greatest!’  Samuel did not know what to say, and Eric was only becoming more furious.  ‘I never would have agreed to such a hare
-
brained idea if I’d known about this.  Didn’t you stop to think that it could be dangerous—that your full power would have been needed?  If only we’d prepared better, we could have saved him!’

‘We couldn’t!’ Samuel said defiantly, keeping his voice restrained.  ‘No matter what we could have done, we made a mistake.  Eric did, too!  Once we started that spell, it was too late and nothing any of us did would have made any difference.  He was bound to the spell and we couldn’t get him away from it.  We all made mistakes.  You know that.’

Eric only shook his head angrily.  ‘You were always the strongest, Samuel, but look at what’s happened to you.  You haven’t learnt anything in
all these
years.  If you hadn’t lost your magic you would be as strong as the Lions by now.  You could have taken down the fortress alone.’

‘We’ll never know
and t
here’s no point in guessing.  I’m as upset at losing Eric as you and I’m certainly not happy being dependent on this
ring
.  He was a friend to both of us, but there’s nothing I can do.’

‘I’m just tired of your secrets, Samuel,’ Eric said with disdain.  ‘I may
have
ke
pt
my Great Spell from the Order, but I’ve never kept anything from you.’

With that
,
he doubled his pace and strode away, leaving Samuel frustrated and furious in
his wake
.

They continued
,
dipping up and down the valleys, diving into the moist forest and back up into the chill air many a time.  The next night was spent in a vacant lodge, with Daneel and Balten again slipping out into the night air together as the others huddled for warmth, before returning late and shuffling into their blankets to sleep.  They breakfasted over the stove the next morning before heading out again early.  Soon they had left the mossy trees behind and found themselves on barren hills, covered only with rocks and the occasional puffs of spiny
,
yellow grass.

‘It’s quite invigorating, isn’t it?’  Sir Ferse said, striding along the icy mountain path.

‘What is?’ Samuel returned without enthusiasm.

‘Here—the ice, the snow, the mountains.’

‘We would probably die here in a moment if Daneel left us,’ Samuel stated.

‘I suppose we
w
ould, but I don’t think we will.  That’s the benefit of having magicians, isn’t it?  You can support us with your arcane powers in times of need.  Still, one or two of them may not make it, even with your spells,’ and he gestured over his shoulder with his thumb towards the Koians struggling along behind.  The attendant, Lady Wind
,
seemed to be lagging
farther and farther
behind.

‘And that wouldn’t bother you?’ Samuel asked.

‘Not greatly, no.  We can continue without her.  In fact, we would probably be better off.’

‘And I thought you were different to the average Turian, but I see I am mistaken.  Empire over all, yes?’

‘That is what they say, isn’t it?  Well, I guess I should learn to be more empathetic.  I’ve been trying.  Change can be difficult.’

‘How terrible that you should have to grow some compassion, Sir Ferse.  What a terrible burden.’

The man seemed unworried by Samuel’s sarcasm and continued marching merrily.  ‘Don’t be the first to start throwing stones, Samuel.  I could remind you that you are not quite the golden saviour that some make you out to be.  As I recall, you did actually kill the Emperor of Turia, who was by most accounts the greatest man in the world.  That sort of thing can put a stain on your reputation in certain circles.’

Samuel gave the man a sidelong glance.  ‘I thought you weren’t going to mention that?’

‘Actually, I said I would not tell anyone.  I can mention it to you as much as I please.’

‘Well, I wish you wouldn’t.  People do have ears.’

Sir Ferse laughed aloud and Samuel wondered if Master Celios’ madness was catching, for the man seemed to find amusement
in
the strangest of things.  He swore under his breath, for this journey seemed cursed to become worse with each step.

‘Oh, don’t curse at my laughter, Samuel.  I have lived years at times without laughing, so please let me enjoy my small freedoms.  I will tell you something.  Given that I have a secret of yours, as a sign of mutual trust, I will
share with
you a secret of mine.’

‘That sounds rather childish.  I’m not sure I really want to hear any secrets you may have.’

‘Come now, Samuel.  I know you are a magician, but you don’t need to be so stubborn.  I will keep your secret, and you will keep mine.  It sounds like a charming agreement.’

‘I don’t agree.’

‘Very well, then.  I will tell you anyway.  Our secrets are really the same.  It’s just that you don’t know it yet.  I am sure you will find it vastly entertaining once you realise.’

‘Oh?’ Samuel responded, for Sir Ferse was building it up to sound quite intriguing, after all.

‘You see, it seems that, by your own admission, you are responsible for the death of the Emperor by somehow manipulating the Staff of Elders.  Correct?’