Against the Giants

3

The preparations for departure took even longer than choosingthe company had. Lhors spent much of his daylight hours helping Malowan set up a staging area in the stables. They acquired horses and pack animals, tack, packs, and bags that could be fitted on saddles and racks. He and the paladin went over the food and drink, which then went into bags that would be checked a final time by Pferic, a stolid, middle-aged soldier who would serve them as horseman and cook. Lord Mebree provided a small company to travel with them by horse as far as Flen, where a flatboat was being readied to take them to Istivin.

“It’s our best choice,” Vlandar told the company on thesecond evening when they all gathered. “From Cryllor to Flen is a reasonablyeasy ride, two days without pushing the horses. The river Davish-”

“The river,” Rowan objected, “goes from its joining with theJavan River due west, and the last time I saw it, Vlandar, it was a fast-moving stream.”

“Then you saw it in the spring,” Vlandar replied. “This islate autumn. Not only is the water low and not nearly as swift, but this time of year the wind most often sets from east to west, flowing into the westernmost corner of Sterich where the Crystalmist Mountains and the Jotens meet up. Lord Mebree has ordered a flatboat for us with sails in case there is wind-and thereshould be. The south bank and the lands beyond rapidly move into the Jotens where the Steading is, but most of Sterich is flat and we will be able to see far in three directions most of the time. I need not remind you that there will be bandits, pirates, giants, and all manner of unpleasant folk watching the Davish?”

“Pirates?” Nemis murmured and rose to his feet. “Your pardon,Vlandar, but I fear I must decline this journey. You warned me of giants and other monsters and horrors, but you said nothing about pirates!”

Lhors simply stared at the mage, astonished-as did several ofhis companions. But this seemed to be Nemis’ idea of a joke. Malowan andVlandar broke into laughter, and the mage grinned. “That is well though,Vlandar. Personally, I prefer a boat under my feet to a horse between my knees. But what if there is no wind?”

Vlandar shrugged. “We pole. This time of year, the water willbe shallow and slow. It won’t be so bad.”

That evening was given over to readying for the chance that they might become separated. Bread and other rations were divided up and put in separate small packs that each of them would carry at all times. Individual tins of flint and tinder were also stowed.

The next morning, Lhors went with Vlandar, who had him fitted for thick trousers of brown boiled wool, a soft tunic to match, and a knee-length cloak and hood of waterproofed wool that could also serve as a blanket. The warrior then took him into the armory and acquired a leather harness and case for javelins, then had it cut down so it fit snugly. Seven short throwing javelins, each tipped with sharp steel, went into the case, which could be covered over and tied down so that he wouldn’t lose the weapons if thecase tipped. To Lhors’ surprise, Vlandar also bought him two long-bladeddaggers, a sling, and a bag of hurling stones.

“The blades are for defense and only as a last resort. Thesling is as good at a distance as the javelins-possibly better since they workat greater distance with less effort. Mal is better at the sling than I. I’llget him to show you.”

During those three days, Malowan and Vlandar also found the time to track down people who knew the land near the Steading. They even found one fellow who’d been taken prisoner by one of the hill giants but had managedto escape. None of them had any desire to return no matter how great the reward, but they talked freely and answered questions that Vlandar incorporated into his precious maps. He now had four. The first was a general map of the lands of southern Sterich and the Joten mountains. Another that he’d drawn himself was ofthe Steading and the lands around it for two leagues. A third, even rougher, showed the outside of the fortress-like building-what he’d been able to learn ofentries, guard towers, and the like. The last, mostly blank, was an outline of the outer walls. Vlandar had roughly marked the location of the main entry and the doors leading into the rest of the building. His only source of information had escaped by hiding amid the cloaks and wrappings piled in the entry. With the chaos of so many coming in at once, he’d been temporarily forgotten.

The first meeting of the full group-again, after dark, sinceit gave the members of the company an opportunity to comb the market for things they would need for the journey-was less pleasant than Lhors had expected.Plowys returned, sullenly mouthing threats and trying to pick fights with everyone, including Lhors.

Khlened finally picked him up by the collar and tossed him into the night. Khlened himself was in an obnoxious mood, picking on everything he saw as poorly planned. He seemed both fascinated and repelled by the rangers and raised one objection after another over division of treasure. The rangers exchanged annoyed glances whenever he turned away.

The two rangers also spent some time helping Vlandar and the others in the company work out a rough series of hand-signs.

“Maera and I have our own,” Rowan explained, “but it’scomplex-”

“-and private,” Maera interrupted. She didn’t look at allpleased, and Lhors wondered if they had quarreled about sharing their code.

Rowan glanced at her and moved her index finger and thumb sharply.

Maera nodded and added, “Mostly, it’s complicated-a twinthing.”

“But we think there might be times when it’s dangerous tospeak aloud,” Rowan went on, “and so if we all had a set of signs for suchthings as ‘danger’, ‘monster’… Vlandar, you’re our captain, you’ll knowbest what we need besides what Maera and I have worked out.”

“Well thought,” the warrior admitted. “We’ll have a littlemore time here and some time on the road each night. I’ll think on it.”

The company rode out of the city at daybreak three dayslater. Vlandar took the lead, and the others strung out behind him. Bringing up the rear was a score of Lord Mebree’s best fighters and Pferic, who led two packanimals while his assistant, Zyb, a freckled boy of perhaps fourteen years, led the third.

For the most part, they rode in silence along the east bank of the Javan River, with an occasional word from Vlandar on direction or stops. The rangers had their own mode of silent communication and moved out ahead to scout once they left the farmsteads and pastures behind. Khlened seemed to be hung over or simply sulking about yet another imagined slight. Nemis’ lipsmoved now and again-perhaps going over spells that might prove useful. Agya hadquarreled with the paladin over one of the last pranks she’d pulled in the lowermarkets the night before they left. Though she now and again spoke to Vlandar, she ignored Malowan. Lhors found himself riding most of the day next to the paladin, who pointed out an occasional landmark along the broad, smooth-flowing river that began high in the Barrier Peaks and ended in the Azure Sea.

There wasn’t much to see to the east and north but hills.Although Lhors had never been quite this far north, every tree and bush seemed to speak of home to him. It was all he could do not to turn and head south, but a small, despondent voice in the back of his mind whispered, but you have no home now….

The desire for revenge that had seized him the other night was still there, but it smoldered now, and he let it alone to do so. Better to concentrate on the task at hand.

Not very far to the west, Lhors could make out the feet of mountains, the Jotens. Somewhere among those peaks and valleys lay the Steading. Lhors swallowed, his throat suddenly dry, then stood in the stirrups to take the weight off his already stiff backside. Movement well to the rear caught his eye. Lhors stared hard, but the figure was much too distant for him to tell much.

“Malowan? I think there’s someone following us.”

“Yes,” Mal said without looking back. “I saw him earlier.Arkon the Adamant.” The paladin’s voice was dry, and the corners of his mouthtwitched.

Khlened, who was riding just ahead of them, reined in so they could catch up to him. “Green whelp,” he growled. “Believe I’ll go back there and teach him themeaning of ‘no’!”

“Leave him be.” Vlandar had apparently been near enough tocatch the whole exchange. “He’s not worth the trouble. Save your horse for thejourney ahead. The boy will either grow up or he won’t. At this point, it’s hischoice.” He kneed his mount and went back to the head of the party.

Khlened moved back to where he’d been. Lhors could hear himmumbling under his breath but couldn’t make out what he was saying.

They rode at a ground-devouring pace, though Pferic made certain they took frequent stops to rest the horses and donkeys. Khlened objected-mildly enough for him-but Vlandar backed the horseman. “We’ve at leasttwo days to reach Flen and our boat. We’re between two prosperous cities and ona well-traveled river. This is still no place to be caught afoot. Others besides honest travelers and king’s men frequent this way.”

Still, they made a long day of it to make up for the lack of speed. Most of the afternoon had been a subtle climb-enough to prove adiscomfort to a man riding who wasn’t a horseman, Lhors decided wearily. He wasready to fall from the saddle when they finally stopped for the night just after sundown.

The few oak trees around their camp were heavily festooned with vining leather-leaf, a parasitic plant that only grew at higher elevations, and the evening air was cooler than it had been in the city.

Pferic set the boy Zyb to gathering firewood while he hobbled the horses for the night. The lord’s soldiers had set guard around the campalready and apportioned watches. Lhors helped Pferic, giving a handful of grain to each animal before he accompanied Zyb to help collect kindling.

The next day was much like the previous, but just after midday, they rode into Flen. The boat turned out to be two flat-bottomed boats, each surprisingly small with a long rudder oar and two poles per side. There was a small cabin midships and a sturdy mast just before that. Lhors, who had never set foot on a boat in his life, stared wide-eyed at the arrangement and was slightly disappointed when Khlened and Nemis showed them how the sails were furled. It was a very simple operation, one even he could manage to help with.

Vlandar bid farewell to their escort and divided up the party right away. “I have given some thought to this, so if you dislike my choice, Isuggest you try to live with it, since we all must function as a team from now on. Once you know which boat is yours, get your things aboard as quickly as possible and come back out to the dock. There’s a captain coming from thecompany that patrols the rivers. We’ll all need to know what he can tell us, andhe’ll be sending four or so of his men with us to bring the boats back.”

Vlandar then sent Lhors and the rangers to the lead boat where he would be, leaving the second to Malowan, Agya, Khlened and Nemis. Lhors looked around in the brief silence that followed the announcement. He couldn’tdecide if anyone was displeased or not, but he was grateful not to be in closequarters with Agya.

“What of the horses?” Rowan asked.

Vlandar spread his hands. “What I said back in Cryllor stillholds. Unless this Captain Holken tells us otherwise, I’ll want someone besidesPferic on horse to keep an eye on the lands along both banks, possibly someone afoot as well if the terrain calls for it. Last I heard, the middle reaches of the river are not well patrolled, and there are villains of every kind who prey on travelers. We won’t need all of the horses, however. Likely we’ll leave Zybhere with most of them.”

“Sounds as if we won’t be coming back the same way we go,”Khlened mumbled.

“No, remember what I told you in the barracks,” the warriorsaid. “Maybe we’ll return as we went in-and in a hurry. If so, we’ll need theboats and the horses. But if we must go on to another place, Mal and Nemis are working on a way to let our outside party know to turn around and return here.”

“Since we don’t know what we’ll face or find,” Malowan added,“we are trying to provide for several possibilities.”

“Mmmm.” The barbarian nodded and went to unload the packsfrom his horse.

The sun was still well above the western hills when agray-bearded bear of a man with a captain’s patch on his hardened leather armorstrode up to the two boats with four men behind him.

“Vlandar, isn’t it?” he asked. “I’m Holken, and these are themen I’m sending with you. They’re experienced in the-ah-trade along theriver between here and Istivin.” He grinned. “So’m I, but worse luck, I’m neededhere and up the Javan to the north.”

Vlandar met his hand halfway and led them onto the deck of the first boat.

“Be that secret-like, or do we all listen in?” Agya asked.

Malowan shrugged. “We’ve still some loading and settling todo. Vlandar will let us know what we need to know.”

“P’raps,” the girl replied. She gazed back the way they’dcome. “Wonder where that fool of a rich lad’s got ’isself to?”

“He’s waiting,” Khlened growled. “I can almost sense himm’self, waiting for us to be on the move and out of this walled town so’s he canfollow once more.”

Malowan sighed and shook his head. “Unfortunately, Khlened, Ifear you are probably right.”

Just then, Vlandar reemerged and called the company together while the local men were storing their own weapons and supplies. When everyone had gathered, he explained, “These men patrol the river between here andIstivin, and they know the dangers. For an old landsman like myself, they’llprove good instructors at poling a boat and reading the river. We’ve only a fewhours of daylight left, but the farther we get upriver tonight means one less hour tomorrow and the day after.”

Malowan looked at each of them in turn then nodded. “It’s agood plan. Let’s be off.”

Several hours later they stopped for the night against thenorthern bank of the Davish River where it was undercut by high spring flow. Here, they could not be seen from the south, were partly protected by rock face to east and west, and reasonably comfortable on a pebble-strewn shoreline. Even without a fire-the Flen guards had advised against one-they were fairly warm.With a nearly full moon, they could see each other well even in the shadow of the overhang.

Rowan and Maera spent an hour or so scouting the area. Upon their return, Rowan announced that their tagalong was still tagging along.

“The lad’s impatient. He may yet give up,” was all Vlandarwould say.

“Well, better he’s out there than here,” Maera grumbled.

Lhors smiled but said nothing. Maera had already proven to be much sharper tongued than her sister. Rowan actually smiled and spoke to him on occasion.

Khlened mumbled something under his breath.

Rowan smiled at Lhors now, but her eyes were wicked. “Maera,I don’t believe the barbarian likes us. I wonder why.”

“Yes,” Maera said flatly. “Which is it, barbarian, that we’rerangers, female, or half-elf? Or is it just that we’re not Fist barbarianwomen?”

A tense silence followed. Lhors saw Malowan stand to arbitrate, but before he could speak, Khlened looked startled and possibly even embarrassed at being called on his rudeness. He finally mumbled, “All that,praps. Don’t know any elves-”

“Maera and I aren’t elves,” Rowan said mildly enough. “Ourfather is human, a warrior like yourself, northerner.”

“Oh.” The barbarian glanced at them. “Don’t know anyhalf-elves or any rangers either. Just that… they’re odd, live in the woods,talk to the bears.”

“Bears make more sense than people sometimes,” Maera said,and for once she sounded almost friendly. “To us, you’re the odd one. Who’d wantto live in snow and ice country?”

“Because the north is Fist country,” Khlened repliedpromptly. “Fist barbarians are born and reared there. Besides, better than tomelt in the south.”

“We don’t like heat much ourselves,” Rowan said. Silencefollowed again, but it wasn’t quite as stiff a silence as it had been. Khlenedsettled back and rummaged through his pack for a stick of jerky as Vlandar apportioned the watches.

It clouded over and rained during the late hours, but only briefly. Vlandar took the last watch. At sunrise, he had them on their way once again, both boats moving slowly but steadily upstream while Rowan and Maera scouted along the south shore and the Flennish guards took the north.

Lhors felt useless. He could pole, but he wasn’t strong enough to keep upwith Vlandar or Khlened. Vlandar put him to working the tiller because he could follow orders, but he couldn’t begin to understand how to read the river.

Vlandar seemed to have picked up river travel quickly. When the wind drove east to west for part of the afternoon and they were able to use the sails, the warrior brought Lhors up to the bow and began pointing out how to recognize shallow water, hidden rocks, swift currents, swirling currents, and other dangers. Shortly after, the winds died and Lhors went back to the tiller-still unable to work out their way by himself but easier with his role insteering the boat.

“There are hill giants prowling about,” Rowan reported atsunset when they picked her up along the southern shore, “but there is nowherefor them to cross. We’ll be safe enough along the northern shore.”

“That’s good to know,” Vlandar replied, “but we’ll still seta double guard tonight and light no fires. No use in tempting fate.”

Two more long days of hard work brought them to the Sterichcapital of Istivin. Lhors thought it a distinct step down from Cryllor. The market was smaller, and there were few goods for sale except food and weaponry. The periphery walls were utilitarian, and everything close to them stank of the cauldrons of pitch kept over low-burning fires in case of sudden attack from bandits, pirates, giants from the Steading, or other enemies. Apparently Istivin had many of them.

Vlandar kept them in the city only long enough to check with the captain of the city guard for any information about the Steading and other perils in the vicinity. While he was gone, Lhors helped Pferic and Mal replenish the company’s supply of bread, jerked meat, and other things that could be eatenwithout the need for fires.

Past Istivin, the Davish took an abrupt turn to the south and became narrower and more shallow. The current was slower, but sandbars and submerged rocks were more prevalent, so they could proceed no faster.

Two days beyond Istivin, they beached the boats on the innermost edge of a bend in the river and began distributing goods, extra maps, water bottles and various supplies in case anyone was separated from the group. The Flennish men turned the boats, then beached them again and brought out dun-colored nets to drape over nearby trees for cover. In the same way, they blocked the main opening of a cavern that could hold all the horses. Pferic and Zyb had the beasts inside and tethered to a line near a tiny stream that wound through the cave. Several paces upstream, there was a hole broken through the roof. Where sunlight came through the hole, grass grew next to the water. It wouldn’t serve the horses for long, but Pferic had brought grain enough to lasta while, and the Flennish guards knew places nearby where they could be grazed in relative safety.

Malowan spent some time reminding Pferic how to check the charm he and Nemis had concocted. With the tiny amulet, Pferic would know if he and Zyb should take the boats and horses and head back to Flen or if they should wait for the company to return.

Vlandar allowed the company one full day to rest up from the rigors of upriver travel, then set off with his band, afoot, going south across a narrow band of flat country that soon went into hills and then into mountainous country. The Steading, according to his maps, was three days away, no more.

It took all three days, partly because they needed to go to ground for some time the first day to avoid a large company of bandits, and again the next when three giants stopped to graze a flock of sheep-stolen, Lhorsthought.

Just after midday on the third day, Vlandar stopped the company in a thick copse of trees and pointed south. “See the two-pronged peak that’s covered insnow? The Steading is this side of it, just beyond that ridge.”

“Can we see it from the ridge?” Lhors asked. His feet acheddespite all his years of hunting with his father afoot, and he was cold, tired, and scared.

“No. The ridge is too high. I’m told there are caves nearby.With luck, we’ll be able to store our provisions and rest the night.”

“Caves,” Maera growled. “This near the Steading, the giantswill know them, too.”

“Yes,” Vlandar said, “but if the reports are true, there aremany that are more human-sized. Young giants might play in such caves if the Steading were not a fortress, but babes from that fort are not allowed to play outside.”

Khlened shook his head. “We’ve caves in the north. I dislike’em. Bears and worse make them their home.”

“Bears?” Agya said and shuddered.

“We’ll make sure any cave we use has a small entry and noback door,” Malowan assured her.

Rowan, who was peering out of the concealing branches to the north, suddenly interrupted their conversation. “Vlandar, come have a look.”

Vlandar and the others came to where she crouched and saw what had caught her attention. A lone figure was approaching them. Squinting to try to make out the details, Vlandar finally said, “It’s Plowys.”

Agya spat. “Hoped maybe a bear’d eaten him.”

“No such luck,” Maera replied flatly.

Vlandar sighed. “We may as well wait here. We can’t evadehim, and we can’t send him back. He’ll simply refuse to go, and we can’t tie himup and leave him, tempting as it is. Evade him, and he might ride up to the Steading gates and demand to join his company.” He gave the barbarian a hardlook. “And no, it’s no answer to let him do just that. He’d give us away as soonas he opened his mouth-or they’d torture him and learn of us anyway. I prefer tokeep our presence secret for a while. We might learn more that way. Besides, this way we may be able to keep control of him.”

Khlened grumbled. “Hah. Well, if we’re waiting, I’ll wait onmy backside.” He settled on a nearby rock, and Nemis sat down next to him.

Minutes passed as Plowys came on. Apparently, he didn’t knowwhere their company had gone, but he was making his way to the very copse of trees where they lay hid.

“Let me handle this,” Vlandar said as he stepped out of thetrees, waved to the young man, and then resumed his hiding place.

Plowys saw him and spurred his horse forward. Crashing through the trees with no attempt at stealth, he vaulted from the saddle. He was still smirking, but before he could say anything, Vlandar pounced, hauling him off his feet by his shirt and throwing him to the ground.

Maera and Rowan grabbed his winded horse and did their best to quiet the beast.

“I chose not to bring you on this journey, boy!”Vlandar hissed. “You were not wanted, and you are still not wanted!”

Plowys stared at him, slack-jawed. “I–I-”

“Silence! I am on the king’s mission. If I chose, I couldkill you now for ignoring my orders.”

The boy paled. “You wouldn’t dare!” he managed as he got tohis feet and began to dust himself off. “My mother would-”

“She is not here,” Nemis said grimly as he came to stand overthe fallen youth. “We are, and your precious mother has no holdover me, boy.”

Plowys licked his lips. “You won’t do it.” But he wouldn’tmeet Vlandar’s eyes or the mage’s. He glanced at the circle of grim faces, thenfixed on the paladin. “You won’t,” he told Malowan, “and you won’t letthem, will you?”

Vlandar and Malowan exchanged tired looks, and the paladin sighed. “I dare not, if I would remain a paladin. But neither does that mean Iopenly welcome you. My order strives for purity, but few of us are truly free of petty emotions.”

“It is not petty,” Vlandar growled. He strode forward,leveling a finger at Plowys’ nose. The boy eyed it warily. “You will give meyour solemn oath here and now that you will behave as a fighter. You will cooperate with everyone here. Everyone.” he added as he named the companyin turn. “Your life may depend on how good a thief Agya is, or how good a jobLhors can do watching our backs for enemies. You are no better than anyone else here.

“And you are a common member of a company where Iam captain. You will obey my orders or the orders of whomever I put in charge of you. Should you do otherwise, I will order you tied and left on the spot. Do you understand?”

Plowys nodded almost meekly.

“Young idiot,” Nemis muttered as the youth went to tend hishorse.

Khlened scowled. “Don’t trust the snotty little beast sofar’s I could spit him.”

Vlandar’s mouth twitched. “I know. Why do you think you’rekeeping an eye on him for me?”

Khlened smiled, but Lhors did not envy Plowys his newfound protector.