The Bonding (The Song and the Rhythm) (27 page)

Tara, Princess of the kingdom of Bordell, daughter of King Dobry, watched Vaun Tarsus the Swordsman as he strolled lazily through the gardens below her rooms. Her emerald eyes pierced the gloom of the late evening to lock upon the youth. The moon, with no clouds to cover it, gave her a fairly good view of him, but she already knew what he looked like.

She had seen him when he had first met with her father and had watched him spar and defeat the palace guard. She found it wonderful that he had so nobly saved her father’s life this afternoon and thought his limping charming. She might have been present to observe the Jaga’s attack, but her language teacher had been on time, as always, and wouldn’t wait to begin her lessons. The Swordsman’s obvious pain during his last interview with her father a few hours ago had struck her to her heart. She’d wanted to rush to him and comfort him, but that would have given herself away, something she would never do, especially with his bothersome companions hanging around. She liked Drath, had known him since she was a little girl, and thought of him as an older brother. But she couldn’t even admit to herself what she felt toward Vaun Tarsus the Swordsman.

She knew what he was and why he was in her father’s kingdom. She knew what the evil wizard, Elak, was doing and that Vaun Tarsus the Swordsman and his friends had been called upon to stop him. It fascinated her that he was from a different world, and she wondered what that place might be like. She was glad Vaun Tarsus the Swordsman and Merdel had reconciled their differences, for those two had been antagonizing each other since the day they arrived. She knew quite a lot about what the six adventurers were up to. If her father found she knew all of this, he would be very upset.

The princess had discovered all this by spying on every meeting between her father and Vaun Tarsus the Swordsman. The two had met a couple of days ago in the Great Audience Hall, after arriving in the dead of the previous night, where her father had welcomed him as formally as he welcomed all his guests. Tara thought her father appeared especially handsome when seated on his throne and crowned, the falcon heads gazing in all directions from the top of the golden circlet.

He hadn’t even mentioned Vaun Tarsus the Swordsman’s companions then. He had said Vaun Tarsus the Swordsman was visiting from Ramen to fulfill one of his many royal requests. Only when they had moved to the king’s private audience chamber, where delicate matters were discussed, did Tara discover his true origin. She had gotten a closer look then and thought he was much cuter than from farther away. Though she had not been permitted to attend any of these meetings, Tara had gone anyway. There were plenty of drapes and tapestries to hide behind, and she knew which ones would afford her the best view. She saw Bordell as her kingdom, not just her father’s, and therefore believed she should know everything that transpired inside its gates, even when her father thought otherwise.

Using her knowledge of secret passages and hiding places, she had observed almost everything Vaun Tarsus the Swordsman did. The only times she didn’t see him were when he was in his rooms or roaming about the city with that cuddly dwarf. She giggled silently at thinking of Thorne that way, knowing he would turn red if he heard her say that. In all else, however, she made sure Vaun Tarsus the Swordsman was never out of her sight for long and planned to keep him that way until he left. She was determined to ask him to teach her how to use a sword the way he did. Captain Stolar was a fine enough instructor, but he was no Swordsman. And he wasn’t nearly so charming.

She blushed at her train of thought and told herself that wasn’t the way princesses were supposed to act. She was supposed to be cool and aloof, not pining away after some dark-haired young man from another world, Swordsman or not. Of course, he was older than her by three years, and acted even older, but that didn’t stop her from almost losing her heart to him. She would never let herself like him too much, at least not until he taught her how he danced with a sword the way he did.

*
*
*

Vaun continued to move slowly through the night-shrouded gardens, thinking over what had happened to him in the four weeks since he had met his five new friends and begun this journey. He discovered he hadn’t thought much about his friends from childhood until a day or so ago and guessed that was because of all the traveling and hardship he’d endured so far. His new friends reminded him of them sometimes, and he hoped they were all well.

As he passed the shadowed outline of one of the garden’s many fountains bubbling cheerfully in the middle of yet another circular junction, he tried to guess what he might be doing if he were home instead of here. Reading was his answer. Definitely reading about an adventure some other person was having and wishing he could be that person. But now, he
lived
an adventure, and this adventure wasn’t nearly as easy as he’d thought it’d be. He was living what he had always wanted and even managed somehow to make himself fit into this world. Of course, being a Swordsman helped.

That thought made him pause in his walk. The knowledge that he was indeed part of a legend suddenly overwhelmed him. He was something most men didn’t dare to dream about, yet at times he still doubted himself. He wondered if he would ever come to fully accept who he was and be able to adjust back into his former life. He knew he’d never be the same but found within himself a confidence that told him he could find a way to make it work. He did belong in this world, but he also belonged in the one where he was born. Sometimes he couldn’t understand why he was born in one, only to dream constantly about being in the other. But that answer didn’t matter, so long as he could be who he wanted to be while in this most magnificent place.

He turned, unaware Tara watched him as he went inside to finally put an end to this harrowing and extremely tiring day.

*
*
*

“Gone?” Merdel’s eyes widened in shock. “What do you mean ‘gone’?”

“I mean they’re gone.” Vaun’s tone had grown heated with Merdel’s repeated question. “Left. Scrammed. Bolted. They’re…not…here. Haven’t you listened to anything I’ve told you?”

The wizard frowned. “Yes, Swordsman, I have. But I still want to know what you mean by ‘gone.’ Do you mean they’re not in the palace? Or that they’re not in the city? What exactly do you mean?”

“Both. They’re not in the palace, the city, or anywhere else I can think of. I don’t even know if they’re still in this kingdom. All I do know is that they’re gone, and that you’re having trouble believing me.”

“What are you two arguing about now?” Drath limped into the hallway, Thorne behind him.

“Rush and Dart have disappeared.” The mage’s eyes were still locked on Vaun’s.

Drath shrugged. “Where to?”

The bearded man turned to him. “That’s just it; we don’t know. The servants said they entered their rooms late last night and talked for hours. Nothing unusual, right? Then this morning, when they went to clean the rooms, they found the elves gone and the beds looking like they hadn’t been slept in. No one saw the runts leave the palace, and we haven’t heard from them since. They are a little absent-minded when it comes to alerting us to their movements, but after what’s recently happened, even they wouldn’t leave without telling us.”

“When was this discovered?” Drath looked concerned, as did the dwarf.

Vaun looked up at the ceiling to think. “About half an hour ago. The servants came to get me because my room is closest to the elves’. I was heading to your rooms when Merdel stopped me, began yelling, and asking questions he knew I couldn’t answer. We’ve been arguing ever since; otherwise we would’ve sought you out much sooner. I don’t know where they are.”

Drath sighed. “This is all we need! Those two idiots sure picked a great time to run off. I was planning to leave today. Now what?”

“Think you they might just be in the city, like they’ve been every other day?” Thorne didn’t sound too confident of his assumption, though.

“It’s possible, but why would they leave in the middle of the night? Plus, they knew I wanted to leave today.” The awful medicine the doctor had continually fed Drath had made him almost completely well, as it had done for Vaun. The tall man eyed each of his friends. “Any other suggestions?”

Vaun put his hands on his hips. “We should tell King Dobry. Arguing in the middle of the hallway isn’t going to solve our problem. He might even know something we don’t. It
is
his kingdom.”

Drath rubbed his temples. “I know, I know, but I don’t like the idea. He’s upset enough as it is. This certainly won’t cheer him up.”

A servant came up to them and bowed low. “My Lords. His Majesty, King Dobry, requests your immediate presence in his private chambers.”

Drath nodded, then addressed the others. “Dobry must already know. Let’s go.”

They all followed the liveried man hurriedly through the castle, Vaun still limping slightly.

The king waited in his private audience chamber with Captain Stolar and another man Vaun didn’t recognize. His Majesty sat in the same chair he’d occupied after the Jaga’s attack four nights ago, as did Stolar, and the other guardsman sat in the elves’ former place. The four entered the room and hurried to their seats, bowing to the king as they passed.

The Overlord waved away their bows and told them to sit. He wore the same displeased expression from the last time they’d met. “So tell me, gentlemen, why would your two elven companions decide to run off in the middle of the night, taking at least three days’ provisions with them?”

“They took provisions?” Drath was even more confused and began to worry. “How do you know?”

“Because when they were checked this morning, in anticipation of all of you leaving, a portion of about that size was missing. Fortunately, they were the ones you’d already bought, so I’m not mad at them for stealing food. They did, however, take one of my seals, which does upset me. That does not answer my question, though.”

“We don’t know, Your Majesty,” Merdel stated quietly. “We just discovered their disappearance ourselves and were coming to tell you when we were summoned. We don’t know for sure why they left, but we can guess.”

The king nodded in acceptance of the mage’s words, calming a little. Merdel had an astonishing gift for pacifying angry monarchs.

Dobry rubbed his broad chin. “Wherever they went and why, I’d still like to know why they snuck away. If they found something important, they should’ve told someone first. I don’t like it when people sneak in and out of my palace and take my things. It makes me nervous. They didn’t even take their horses.”

“I understand, Your Highness. We’re as upset about this as you. This may surprise you, but those two can travel faster on foot than on horses, if they’re alone. Did anyone see them leave?”

The Overlord gestured to the captain and his companion. “That’s what Stolar and this man are here for.”

Stolar sat up. “As I have told King Dobry, Private Askar saw the two elves leave last night, or rather they saw him. They gave him a message to give to us when we were all assembled. Askar, tell them what you just told us.”

The soldier made as if to rise when the captain spoke to him, but the king motioned him to remain sitting. He wore the red and black of the town watch, with three gold pine needle clusters on his breast beneath the Dobry falcon, marking him as a private ready to be promoted and gain the maple leaf of a sergeant. “Was two hours past midnight, and I was at my post by the southeast gate when the elves appeared nearby. Scared me witless when they did. One minute all was clear, and the next there they were. When I asked who they were, they showed me one of the king’s personal seals, so I did not challenge them further. They came directly to me and said I was to come to the palace at a specific time and give a message to all of you.”

Merdel bounced impatiently. “Yes, but what did they say?”

“Said they were traveling south. Didn’t give their destination, but they headed toward Darim. Looked to be outfitted for about a three- or four-day journey. Could be going somewheres else, but Darim was where they appeared to be going when our scouts lost them. Elves are hard to track.”

Drath chuckled. “Aye, that they are.” His forehead knotted in confusion. “Why would they be going there? Are they going to the capital, or some other city? It doesn’t make any sense. And why now?”

Askar waited until Drath quieted. “There’s more to their message. This part they made me memorize.” The guardsman collected his thoughts.
“‘We have gone where the creature came from. We don’t know exactly what we’ll find, but we do know it will please the king when we tell him. We don’t know how long it will take, but we think it best if all of you remain here. We know our time is short, so we will be swift. Don’t worry; we’ll return soon with answers to all of your questions. One last thing, tell King Dobry to think back to when he was young and recall who it was that told him he’d pay for his transgressions with blood….’
That was all they told me.” The soldier wiped away the sweat that dotted his face.

“Fire burn those two!” Drath slapped his hand on the arm of the couch. “They think they can solve this problem by themselves, the fools. I’d like to know how they found all this out and what they’re planning to do when they get to where they’re going.” He looked to his companions for help.

They all looked back at him with the same confused expression.

King Dobry, however, was deep in thought, and he chewed on his nails.
“‘Pay for my transgressions with blood.’
Lots of people told me that when I was younger, and some still do. What did they mean?”

No one in the room was sure which “they” the king meant, and the Overlord ignored them anyway as he tried to answer his own question.

11

Elak wandered the halls of his canyon fortress,
wondering what to do about Merdel and his friends. The scouts had turned up nothing, having lost the group after they’d left Landsby. The wizard’s men had discovered a slain Chattul, a rare sight indeed, lying in the direction of what seemed the party’s route and near the area where Elak had seen the strange aura. He still hadn’t figured that out. But the six had disappeared after that. They’d ridden further south, and hard from the indications, but the wizard’s men couldn’t determine where. They’d lost them somehow, and Elak suspected Merdel had a hand in that. He could in no way tell for sure, however, without visiting the site personally, and that was out of the question at this point in his plans.