“You will work it out,warrior,” Tanya chirped as she sprinted across the sand to ablanket against the rocks.
Garth turned around and headed backtowards his boots. He looked and saw that Kalina had Niki sittingup, drinking tea. He picked up his boots and strode across the sandtowards the rest of the group. Niki was talking and Garth deducedfrom the smile on Kalina’s lips that Niki was going to be allright. He sat down on somebody’s blanket and dusted the sand offhis feet before putting his boots back on. Tedi was missing fromthe group and Garth assumed he was on sentry duty.
Kalina got Niki up and walked her backand forth to assure herself that there was nothing wrong with her.Once she was satisfied, she ordered the campfire extinguished andannounced that they would be leaving in five minutes.
Everyone got their belongings packedback on the horses and mounted up. Garth let Kalina lead while hepondered which way he would go when they got to a road that ledwestward. They rode for half a day before the road westwardappeared. Kalina halted at the crossroads, but the children kept ongoing. Kalina started to say something, but Arik cut heroff.
“The Alcea Rangers are boundfor Alcea,” he proclaimed. “It is about time that we saw what weare fighting for. If you and Garth don’t hurry along, you will missdinner.”
Kalina looked dumbfounded as Garthcaught up to her and he just shrugged his shoulders and grinned.Kalina shook her head in dismay, but Garth saw the corners of asmile appearing on her lips. “You orchestrated this, didn’t you?”she accused.
“This was not my decision,” hechuckled. “Our Rangers are becoming more of a tight-knit group thaneither of us would have suspected. I only mentioned my concern toTanya because she asked what we were arguing about. I do think theyhave a valid point about seeing what they are fighting for,though.”
“You would,” laughed Kalina.“It is funny to have two strong-willed people ignored by a groupthat we still call children. You better move along, I do not intendto miss dinner.”
For the rest of the day they rode on,and nobody mentioned the incident at the crossroads. Arik chose thecampsite and Garth watched with amusement and pride as the Rangersefficiently set up camp and started dinner and practice as if thiswas their daily routine. The episode in Melbin, without Garth andKalina to guide them, had melded them into a working team,dependent on each other and seemingly independent of anyone else.Garth knew better, but it filled him with admiration for the fiveof them.
Kalina mixed the rest of her concoctioninto a tea for Niki, while Garth went to observe the practicesessions. Arik and Tanya were using the bolas that Tanya hadpurchased in Melbin. The pair of balls attached by a strong cordwas thrown at the legs of a person or animal. If thrown properly,the weight of the balls caused the cord to wrap around the legs andfell your opponent. They were using a pair of sticks for thepractice and were getting better with each throw.
Fredrik and Tedi were battling with thenew staffs acquired in Melbin and Garth had to admit that thestaffs made a difference in their effectiveness. Seeing no need tointervene, he walked over to check on the stew that was cookingover the fire.
Niki recovered well from the drug andwas rattling on to Kalina about her captivity and how she had beengood in Melbin and how it wasn’t her fault. Garth smiled broadlyand announced that dinner was ready. Dinner was fairly quiet as thestew was ravenously devoured. After dinner Garth lit his pipe andthe questions started about what they should expect when theyarrived in Alcea.
“I am not really sure,” Garthadmitted. “It has been years since I was there. The informationthat I am getting leads me to believe that things have gottenprogressively worse. King Byron was assassinated and Queen Martafled the city. I do not know who rules it now. There has been apower struggle in Alcea since the time of the Collapse. Many refuseto accept Alcea as their new country. They prefer to call the cityTagaret, which was its name when Targa still existed. I think manywould prefer to resurrect Targa to its former greatness. They, ofcourse, would not be the ones whose blood was shed doingit.”
“You mentioned patriots inprison,” Tanya stated while checking Kalina’s reaction to heracknowledgment that Garth had spoken to her. “Who are they and whyare they important to Alcea?”
“I do not know the full scopeof the problems in Alcea,” Garth declared. “One of those who iscaptive is General Gregor. He was the General at the time of theCollapse and supported the move to rename the Kingdom to Alcea. Hewas the strongest supporter of King Byron and I suspect hisimprisonment was meant to keep him out of the way while the Kingwas killed. They probably are now afraid to release him because hewould be steadfast in bringing to justice whoever killed theKing.”
“This power game that they areplaying . . . ” quizzed Arik, “wouldn’t one of them point out whohad the King killed? I mean . . . wouldn’t it be to someone’sadvantage to reveal the killer?”
“It would, indeed,” Garthagreed. “The problem is that it would be to so much advantage thateveryone is probably claiming it was everyone else. The name thatthey have given to their petty scrambling is the Contest of Power,and they do see it as a game. Alcea, like Targa before it, has aCouncil of Advisors who meet with the King to determine what mustbe done for the Kingdom. I have heard that this Council has somehowmade their powers equal to the King’s and I would suspect that mostof our Contest players have a seat on it. Actually, I should saythat the Council members are probably big players in the Contest.There are probably twenty Contest Players for each seat on theCouncil.”
“So they would not have toreplace the King to rule,” summed Arik. “They would just need theagreement of a majority of this Council.”
“Exactly,” Garth agreed.“Someday we will have to face this Council, but that is not forthis trip. I mean to get General Gregor out of prison and possiblyfind the Queen and get her to safety. The General may well beinstrumental when the heir returns to Alcea.”
“The Queen may be thegrandmother of one of us,” proclaimed Niki. “We have to see to itthat she is safe. Do you know if she has red hair?”
“Is your face well known inAlcea?” asked Tanya.
Garth looked at the young woman as ifseeing her for the first time. “I suppose it is to some people,”Garth answered. “Why do you ask?”
“It may be too dangerous foryou to get General Gregor out of prison,” explained Arik. “This maybe a job better suited to the younger Alcea Rangers.”
Garth looked at the young faces aroundthe campfire and groaned. Certain that he had created a monster, hevoiced his objection. “Look,” he said authoritatively, “you all dida great job in Melbin and I’m proud of the way you handledyourselves, but you can not just go throwing yourselves into dangerat every opportunity. There are people in Alcea who will recognizeme, but that is something I can deal with. There were people inMelbin who knew me and hunted me. That didn’t stop me from doingwhat I went there for.”
“What did you do with Hanjel?”Tedi asked.
Everyone must have seen Garth’s mouthdrop open because they all started laughing, even Kalina. Garthquickly shut his mouth and began to speak, but Arik cut himoff.
“We know that Kalina and youare trying to protect us and train us at the same time,” Arikbegan. “That is not an easy task, but hear us out. We are nottrying to step mindlessly into danger, nor are we trying to keepyou out of it. We are doing what you have taught us and what youare not doing yourself. We are approaching the problem consideringall of the assets available to us. We are asking you to do thesame. You may look at us like children, but we are the ones theProphecy talks about and it is our responsibility to do what isnecessary.”
“We are not trying to revoltor chase you away,” added Tanya. “In fact, we realize now, morethan ever, how much we need you. Just try using us as fellowsoldiers and not precious artifacts that need to bepreserved.”