The Staff of Naught (8 page)

“Shut up, Shalalee, she’s too old for me.”

“She’s part elf, she’ll look the same in ten years, and then you’ll be full grown,” said the girl and punched him in the arm. “Tylan loves Lousa, Tylan loves Lousa!”

“Stop it!” shouted Tylan and pushed the girl with his shoulder so that she rocked precariously in the wagon seat.

“Both of you stop it,” yelled a female voice from the back of the wagon. “Your father isn’t feeling well and you two fighting isn’t helping matters.”

“Shalalee started it,” said Tylan who sat up stiffly and looking straight ahead.

“I don’t care who started it,” said the voice again. “Both of you stop it.”

Shalalee smiled to herself as she studied the map and began to whistle to the same tune she sang earlier.

“Shut up,” whispered Tylan to the girl with another shove with his shoulder.

“You’re only mad because it’s true,” said the girl.

“I don’t love anybody,” said the boy. “Girls are stupid anyway.”

“Anyway,” said Shalalee and put her arm around her brother. “You shouldn’t be mad about liking Lousa, she’s beautiful, and smart too, and I heard she knows magic. I bet most of the men in Iv’s Folly are in love with her and I bet almost every man who lives anywhere near the Lake of Ghouls is in love with her. Nobody’s is ever going to be in love with me like that.”

“What are you talking about Shalalee, you’re beautiful, all my friends say so!”

“Your friends are gross little boys,” said Shalalee. “I was talking about full grown, brave champions!”

“My friends are older than you!”

“Girls grow up faster, everyone knows that,” said Shalalee who crossed her arms in front of her chest and sat up tall.

“I’ll always be older than you,” said Tylan who sat up straight himself and tried to get a bit taller than his sister did although he failed by a small margin. “There’s nothing you can do about it.”

The wagon traveled on for a bit the two young teens sat next to each other in silence as grassy plains moved by at a slow pace. A large forest spread out to the south with many birds that danced in the sky above them while smoke from the occasional small farm wafted in the air and vanished just as quickly in the heat of the midday sun.

“Do you really think I’m beautiful,” asked Shalalee as she looked up from studying the map for a moment.

Tylan looked over at his gawky sister, the long arms and legs that didn’t move well together, the long dark hair that glistened in the sunlight and reached well back behind her shoulders, the little nose, the white teeth, and the high cheekbones that gave her face an angular, sort of elf look, “Yep,” he finally said, “and you’re not even thirteen yet.”

Shalalee smiled brightly her cheeks turned a brighter shade of red in the sunlight. “I think we’re going to be coming up on trail to the south soon, see those water birds?” she said and pointed to a pair of large black and white cranes with bluish feather on their chest that floated overhead as they moved to the northeast.

“Yeah, those are Gray Crowned Cranes I think,” said Tylan. “They migrate this time of year and stop over Bone Lake and the Lake of Ghouls. Dad, those ones with the red marking on their necks are the Gray Crowned, right?”

There was a bit of motion from back in the wagon a few moments later an unshaven face, its head matted with greasy unbrushed hair popped out and look up at the birds as they moved away from the small wagon. “Yep Gray Crowns,” said the man who took a seat in the small section behind the children. “They come across the whole world they say, all the way from the western ocean and Caparal and Stav’rol.”

“Have you been that far dad?” asked the girl with a look back at her father.

“Nobody’s been that far,” said Tylan in a sharp tone. “That’s too far to go for any merchant.”

“If it’s a place then somebody has to have been there, right dad?” said Shalalee and spun all the way around to look at her father and put her hand on his leg.

“I don’t know,” said Tanner with a squint into the sunlight while he used his hand to shade his face. “It’s too far to travel and it’s wild territory, orcs, goblins, bugbears, darklings, and other things even worse. But, it’s there all right and people live there. I’ve seen goods from Stav’rol before. The come down on ships through the Great Eastern Sea, around the Great Southern Cape, and stop over at Doria with goods for the queen and her court.”

“Have you ever met anyone from there dad?” asked Tylan with his eye on the road and the donkey team that continued their even pace apparently oblivious to all else except the next step forward.

“No, no I haven’t son,” said Tanner and wiped his brown. “Why don’t you pull over and we can have something to eat.”

“Are you hungry dad?” asked the girl her eyes open wide. “Mom can make something that won’t hurt your stomach anymore.”

“Maybe I’ll try to eat,” said Tanner and ran his hand through the girl’s hair. “You are turning into a beauty, just like your mother was when I first met her. I think you’ve heard that story more than once though.”

“How about up there by that little copse of trees,” said Tylan and twitched the reigns slightly which sent the donkeys off at an angle towards the little group of sycamores.

“That looks just fine son; you’re doing a great job handling the wagon.”

“Thanks dad,” said Tylan and he sat up taller, smiled, and gave a little sideways glance to his sister.

“Keep your eyes out for the trail heading south,” he said.

“Even if we miss it’s not a big deal,” said Shalalee and pointed to a little blue streak that splashed the map. “We’ll come on the stream right afterwards and be able to turn back. It wouldn’t be more than a couple of miles out of our way.”

“I’m due back in Iv’s Folly as soon as possible,” said Tanner. “There’s something strange going on there and that old druid gave me some important information.”

“He scared me dad,” said Shalalee her thumb once again began to worry the palm on the opposite hand.

“Those Fen Druids are scary honey but you can’t let them know you’re afraid.”

“That wicker dog was creepy; it even wagged its tail like it thought it was alive.”

“I know, sweety,” said Tanner and put his hand on her shoulder. “And I’ve seen creepier things deep in the Great Salt Fen, it’s a strange place with strange creatures, but you and your brother are growing up now so you’re going to have to face that sort of thing. The world is a strange place and sometimes dangerous. Everybody gets scared Shalalee but you have to control yourself so other people don’t know you’re afraid.”

“Why do you have to hide it?”

“Because everyone is scared. So, if you hide that you’re scared then they think they’re the one who is scared so you get a better deal. If you pretend you aren’t scared for long enough then eventually you start actually being less scared.”

“That doesn’t make much sense dad,” said Shalalee her forehead scrunched up so that the little lines there bunched up. “But I guess I see sorta. But, if everyone knows that everyone is scared don’t they know you’re pretending not to be scared?”

“Sometimes they’re too scared to notice,” said Tanner with a smile as the wagon stopped its jolting and came to rest in the shade of the little group of trees. “Now help your mother with the cooking supplies while your brother goes and gets some firewood.”

“So, Shamki,” said the mayor and leaned back in his chair. “What have you and Humbort been up to with our friend Lousa?”

The big half-orc looked down at the fat mayor who sat in the mammoth chair with the huge desk between them and then cast a quick glance towards Humbort who wore the same light green jerkin he had put on to impress Lousa just a few hours before. He shrugged his shoulders, “Ask Humbort maybe.”

The mayor sat up in his chair and fixed his gaze more directly on Shamki. “I’m not asking Humbort, I’m asking you Shamki. I’ve heard what she has to say about what happened last week on the hill but I haven’t heard from you and Myris is still missing. I can only assume the little fool got himself killed one way or another and I don’t care in any case. I want to know about that staff you found and that ghost the witch woman summoned and I care to hear it from your mouth Shamki, not Humbort’s.”

“Don’t like magic,” said Shamki with a shrug of his heavy shoulders. “Like bashing heads.”

“You can use that dumb half-orc routine on the locals all you want Shamki but I know different and so does Lousa. That woman is a master manipulator and if you think you’re going to get something from her in reward for stabbing me in the back you are sorely mistaken. Now, I’ll ask you again, one last time,” went on the mayor his eyes narrowed into a glare that focused on the half-orc with tremendous intensity. “What is Lousa up to and is that witch Hazlebub involved?”

“Witch bring ghost, ghost say Staff of Naught, we keep up in hills, that all I know,” said Shamki his voice and face a mask of impassivity. “Lousa wait for Tanner to come back from Lycidas.”

“I’m aware of all of that but I was hoping you would show the good sense to tell me some things that her ladyship of the elves chose to leave out. Did you handle the staff?”

The big half-orc shook his head no.

“It was just the little girl?”

A nod of the head.

“Did she say anything about it, how it made her feel, if she heard any voices, how the skeletons reacted?”

Another shake of the head.

“I think something happened when she had it,” blurted out Humbort.

“You just tell me what I want to hear and that is useless Humbort. That is why I haven’t asked for your opinion although I ‘m not quite sure you are even capable of forming and independent, coherent thought.”

“I’m not stupid like people say,” said Humbort. “I just … I just … I’m not stupid!”

“By Itzli of the Stone Knife this is damned frustrating. The Lake of Ghouls, the Forest of Bones, this region is a hotbed of undead activity and now it turns out for the last thirty plus years some odd relic with great power over the dead has been resting just off the point of our little town. There is something going on and I am to find out exactly what it is, with our without your cooperation Shamki!”

“I’ll cooperate,” said Humbort taking a step towards the mayor. “I’m happy to cooperate. I like to cooperate. You can ask me anything!”

“Get out, get out of my sight!”

“I think the witch is up to something,” blurted out Humbort as Shamki turned to leave the well-appointed office.

“I know the witch is up to something. I know the little thief and his sister are up to something. I know that damn ghost is up to something and for all I know that merchant has his own schemes rolling as well. Stop telling me things I know, get out of here, and don’t come back until you have something useful to say. And by that I mean Shamki because you will never have anything useful to say to anyone Humbort, do I make myself clear?”

“Yes, sir,” said Humbort and backed out the room to where his friend already walked down the long corridor. “Wait up for me Shamki,” he called out. “Why does the mayor have to be so mean? I’m just a little slow, that’s all.”

Shamki waited for his friend to catch up and then gave him a hard cuff to the back of the head.

“What was that for?”

“Being stupid,” said the half-orc and then continued down the hallway.

“Wait for me,” said Humbort and once again broke into a sprint to catch up to his broader companion. The tall man ran with an awkward style his legs moved akimbo and his head bobbed up and down wildly. Once the two got out side Humbort caught up to his friend and grabbed him by the arm. “What are we gonna do now?”

“West meet Tanner,” said the half-orc with the slightest nod of his head.

“Why?”

The half-orc shrugged, “Why not?”

This seemed to puzzle Humbort who stopped and put his hand on his chin and began to think as Shamki resumed his ambling but surprisingly fast pace to the north of town. After a few moments Humbort shook his head, “It’s too complicated, trust Shamki to do the right thing. That’s always worked before,” and with that once again broke into his strange little run in an attempt to catch up.

The tall man had a long stride and had little trouble keeping up with the half-orc and the two quickly settled into a fast pace that would have left less vigorous men behind. Humbort strode along happily in the knowledge that Shamki made all the decisions for him and enjoyed the pastoral landscape of western Doria. Much of the western part of the nation suffered from depredation by the Orc tribes that lived along the border but the great volcano called Maw and the fierce Thilnog Monks who resided along its ever changing slopes made a natural border with those tribes and kept the Avakubia Province clear of threats. This is turn encouraged trade along the well-developed Shadow Mountain Road, which brought enviable prosperity to the region. Little farm houses dotted the landscape and children waved to Humbort and Shamki as they strode past.

It took them three hours along the old trail to arrive at the outskirts of Bottomlake situated directly to the south of the Lake of Ghouls and neither said a word to one another as they skirted the town and turned north taking another three hours with a short stop for lunch to reach the village of Cap. From there the road led mostly northwest and the duo stopped to camp at an old hunter’s shelter just off the road where Humbort stumbled upon a patch of Black Trumpet mushrooms that they ate with a pair of brush rabbits brought down with well flung rocks by Shamki. They slept side by side not even saying good night to one another as the clouds vanished leaving a night filled with a blanket of stars. They woke at almost exactly the same moment the next morning and the half-orc restarted the fire while Humbort unpacked sourdough soldiers biscuits made from whole wheat flour, boiled in water, and spread out in a pan. When it dried and hardened it was easy to slice into section and store and when the gangly quarter-ogre happened on a bee’s nest they were able to enjoy them with a honey topping. Humbort gathered the treat as he always managed it without stings while Shamki was never as fortunate.

After their breakfast they quickly packed up their small camp, each man going about his own business without a word spoken between them, and were soon on the road again not long after the sun rose. They walked another hour north on the old trail when they spotted the wagon headed towards them and for the first time in almost twenty-four hours spoke aloud.