“Yes,” Tara replied weakly. “Where are we?”
“We have returned.”
“Returned? Returned from where?” Tara asked as she sat up, her voice growing slightly stronger. She looked at Alex in wonder and confusion. Her expression changed suddenly, as she looked wildly around for the bandits she remembered had attacked. It took a few minutes to calm her down, and as her fears vanished, the confused look returned.
Alex smiled at her and leaned forward. He whispered a few words in her ear, and then, sitting back, he spoke a single word.
“Remember.”
Tara looked puzzled for a moment, and then she burst into tears. She clung to Alex’s hand as she cried, as if afraid to let go. The members of both companies quickly busied themselves about their camps. For a long time, Tara continued to cry, and Alex did his best to comfort her.
“Thank you,” Tara said at last. “Thank you for helping me.”
“It was . . .” Alex began and stopped. “It was my very great pleasure to help you.”
Tara smiled and kissed Alex’s hand before letting it go.
Alex felt slightly embarrassed by the attention, but he said nothing. He felt sure that, in time, Tara would be able to let go of her sorrow and look forward to all that life had to offer. Alex gave Tara some privacy so she could recover herself to face her friends. He was relieved, even relaxed, and it felt like a great weight had been lifted from his own heart as well.
“You are most kind, Master Taylor,” said Nellus when Alex joined the others at the campfire. “We are even more in your debt.”
Alex nodded. He knew that Nellus and his company would honor him, but it seemed like a small thing. What mattered most to him was that Tara had returned by her own choice, and that he had been able to help her.
“Once again, you risk your own safety for others,” Sindar commented softly.
“What safety did I risk?”
“You went to the wall of your own free will,” Sindar answered. “There is danger there, even for elves, yet you went to help a woman you do not know and to whom you owe nothing.”
“I went because I could help. I chose to help Tara rather than let her cross the wall alone and before her time. There was little risk to myself.”
“So you say,” said Sindar, looking troubled. “But the wall is always a dangerous place for the living, no matter how strong they are.”
That night the companies ate together, and Nellus’s company made a point of thanking Alex many times for what he had done for Tara. Alex smiled and returned their bows, though after a while he thought it was all a bit too much. None of them knew the simple pleasure he found in helping Tara, and to him, that was reason enough to do what he had done.
The next morning, Tara was feeling much better, and the two companies rode forward together. Bregnest, insisting that they move quickly, had tied the captive bandits to their horses. Alex thought that was exceptionally kind, considering they were bandits.
They still had several days to ride before reaching Athanor, however, and the companies became friendlier as they went along. It turned out that members of both companies had common friends, and there was a great exchange of news and stories between them as they rode.
Alex welcomed the new friendships he made, though he noticed Tara seemed somewhat shy of him. He thought it might have something to do with his calling her back from the wall so he said nothing about it.
When they were two days away from Athanor, Alex noticed that several riders passed them on either side, well away from the road. None of the riders approached them, but Bregnest seemed troubled by their presence. The riders worried Alex as well, and he hoped that some evil had not already happened in Athanor.
Alex also wondered why Whalen still had not replied to his last letter. He had hoped to meet Whalen when they returned to Telous, but now doubts had entered his mind. If Whalen couldn’t reply to messages, what did it mean?
Chapter Eighteen
The Horn of Moran
When the two companies of adventurers were only one day away from Athanor, a group of soldiers met them on the road. The leader of the soldiers called them to a halt, riding forward to speak with Bregnest and Nellus.
“What business do you have here?” questioned the soldier.
“Our business is our own,” answered Bregnest. “Why do soldiers bar the road to Athanor?”
“No one’s business is their own these days,” said the soldier. “We are here by Prince Varson’s decree.”
“The prince cannot bar the king’s road,” said Bregnest, sounding surprised.
“Prince Varson has made a claim to the crown. Until the matter can be settled, we have been ordered to bar the road to keep aid from reaching Trion.”
“ KingTrion,” Bregnest corrected in an angry tone. “Trion is still king of Athanor, no matter what Varson claims.”
“You speak truly, Trion is king—at least for the time being,” the soldier replied, bowing slightly. “However, we have our orders. Now, give me your names and tell me what business brings you to Athanor.”
“I am Nellus, son of Norson, adventurer,” said Nellus. “My company and I are on a quest for Prince Varson.”
“Silvan Bregnest, adventurer,” said Bregnest, still sounding angry. “My company and I are on a quest for King Trion.”
“Very well,” said the soldier, looking troubled. “You may all ride with us to Prince Varson’s camp. I am sure the prince will wish to meet with Nellus and his company.”
“And what of myself and my company?” Bregnest questioned.
“You will remain near the camp of Prince Varson as”—the soldier paused for a moment, choosing the proper words—“guests of the prince.”
“Very well,” said Bregnest. “We will ride to the camp, but if we remain, it will be because we wish to remain, not because Varson orders us to.”
The soldier bowed slightly to both Bregnest and Nellus and returned to his company. He barked out some orders and the soldiers broke into two smaller groups. Ten soldiers rode in front of the adventurers, and the other ten rode behind. Alex thought the armed guard was unnecessary; if he and his friends wanted to ride away, there was little the soldiers could do to stop them. But Bregnest and Nellus seemed content to follow the soldiers, and Alex thought it the best course to take, at least for the time being.
It was early afternoon when they reached Prince Varson’s camp. The leader of the soldiers asked Nellus and his companions to follow him to Prince Varson’s tent. He also asked Bregnest and his company to wait where they were for the time being.
“I fear great trouble lies ahead for us all,” Nellus said to Bregnest in a lowered tone as they shook hands. “But we will not speak to Varson or Kappa of your company or your quest for any reason.”
Bregnest nodded to Nellus, who then departed with the soldiers. Alex and his friends dismounted and gathered together to discuss what had happened and what they should do next.
“It is worse than I feared,” said Bregnest softly. “If Varson has already made a claim on the crown, then there is nothing to stop open war.”
“We still have the Horn of Moran,” said Halfdan softly, looking at the company of soldiers surrounding them.
“Kappa will never let Varson try to use the Horn,” said Bregnest. “I’m sure he’d rather kill us all than let us take the horn to Trion.”
“We could cut our way through,” said Sindar. “Though I don’t like the idea of killing innocent men.”
“How innocent can they be?” Andy asked. “They are supporting Varson. They are all traitors.”
“No, they are not traitors,” said Alex. “They are deceived by Varson and Kappa. Even the captain of the soldiers we followed here seemed to be unsure of Varson’s claim.”
“We must do something,” said Halfdan. “If we wait here, we are no good to anyone.”