Test The Awakened: Book Two, page 12
Chapter 11
The weeks passed quickly for Maeryn as she carried out her plans on the island of Tur’cen. Just as anticipated, Thaddius and the other two thirds of the freed slaves were dead when Maeryn arrived. It was a horrific sight, made worse by the fact that the bodies had to be moved away from the encampment and buried. Maeryn did her best to organize the remaining members, now only one hundred and fifty, into groups for providing food, water and shelter. After the many weeks of traveling, the group had become quite efficient in providing for itself. Maeryn was relieved that they had become self-reliant and didn’t require much in the way of leadership. But despite this, they still looked at her with great admiration, though she didn’t know why. Her only conclusion was that they were counting on her to deliver them, and she was committed to doing just that.
Following three grueling weeks of labor, Maeryn left Aelia and the group and set sail for Orud. She took with her two older men, experienced in sailing and fishing in the bay of Bastul. The air had grown cold and winter was fast approaching. Though it wasn’t smart to sail during this time of year, or to travel in general, everyone knew the gravity of their situation. After discarding all the original supplies at the outpost, they were too far behind to store up enough food for the winter. Aelia was in tears when Maeryn left, but it was understood that if Maeryn wasn’t successful in her quest, none would survive the winter. She gave them specific instructions to be diligent in their foraging and fishing, and to gather wood to keep the fires burning. This was not a time to relax, but a time to survive.
And after a heartfelt goodbye, Maeryn left for Orud in one of their small sailing vessels to make the arrangements that Thaddius spoke of. She hadn’t a clue how to make contact, but remembered what Thaddius had said about the Resistance headquarters being in the temple of Equitus. She knew nothing of the protocols for making contact, but there were no other options.
After enduring two weeks of freezing nights and eating only what could be caught on the way, Maeryn arrived in Orud. At once, she encountered feelings of relief and fear. The presence of a bustling city excited her after living on the run for the past months. At the same time, she was a fugitive hoping to make contact with an underground movement working against the Empire, and for this reason she carried a secret that could cost her her life. In spite of this, Maeryn tried her best to stroll with confidence down the streets of the city with her two slaves following loyally behind her as they were expected to. She knew that they wouldn’t pass careful social examination as they were dirty from their travels and not presentable to the general public. But she hoped to blend in and keep from being noticed.
Without so much as a warm meal, Maeryn asked directions to the temple and walked straight to it. The afternoon sun was warm on her skin and the white stone of the temple walls reflected intensely. There were no people outside the temple which made her feel even more nervous. Her stomach growled, followed by an intense wave of hunger, but she swallowed hard and marched up the steps. Her companions waited outside as they weren’t allowed in places of worship.
Once inside, the intense sunlight gave way to a soft glow coming from colored glass in the ceiling. The interior was circular with a giant statue of Equitus in the center. She was reclining on a rock, bare-breasted, holding scales in one hand, the other outstretched with her palm upward, as if to suggest that she would accept the petitions of those seeking justice and equality. The temple was almost empty, except for a man on his knees at the opposite end, and a small group to Maeryn’s left.
She looked around the room to see if there were any clues as to how she should proceed, but there was nothing. After circling the building and examining the walls and all sides of the statue, Maeryn found herself back at the entrance. She received only a few curious stares from the worshipers, but otherwise was ignored.
“I have a message to deliver,” she announced suddenly. Her voice rang out in the quiet marble interior.
The others in the building glanced at her, shocked by the disturbance of their silence. A soft voice from one of the women replied. “The Lady will hear your petitions.”
“No. I want to speak with someone.”
“Sister,” called the man from across the room. “Didn’t I ask you to wait for me?” Rising to his feet, he walked briskly toward Maeryn. “I am sorry, ladies. My sister is not well and doesn’t understand.”
Three of the women just stared in disgust, but one nodded in acknowledgement of his words.
“Sister,” he said, taking Maeryn by the arm and leading her outside. “Please don’t disturb these worshipers…” His words trailed off as soon as they were out of temple. “What do you think you are doing?” he asked in a low whisper. He was clearly enraged. “Who are you?”
“I’m sorry,” Maeryn replied. “I didn’t know what else to do.”
“WHO ARE YOU?” he asked, his voice rising as he eyed the slaves suspiciously.
Maeryn wasn’t sure if she was speaking to the right person, but decided to risk everything. She didn’t know how else to proceed. “Thaddius is dead. All of his men are dead.”
The man’s expression softened. “Is this some sort of prank? Who do you think I am?”
Maeryn ignored his words and proceeded to explain her situation. “I am Maeryn, the Governess of Bastul. I took five hundred slaves and fled from Bastul with Thaddius and several soldiers…”
The man quickly put a finger to Maeryn’s lips and glanced over his shoulder. No one was near the temple and they were obviously alone. “Come with me and don’t speak another word until you are instructed.”
Turning quickly, he walked around the building and entered a garden of dense vines through an iron gate. Maeryn looked to her two companions, then followed. Trees lined the perimeter of a low stone wall, just tall enough to offer privacy. The layout, like most others in Orud architecture was circular. Vines all but covered the wall, showing only the occasional patch of white stone. At the center of the garden was a fountain with a smaller statue of Equitus rising from the water.
The man held out his hand, indicating that they should stay and wait for him. He angled over to where the garden intersected with the temple building and disappeared from sight behind the trees. After a few minutes he came back.
“Come with me.”
Again, Maeryn followed with her two companions. Once past the trees, the wall opened into a short and narrow doorway. Their escort stood to the side and beckoned them to enter. Maeryn could see that the vines had been moved away to reveal this secret place. Stooping to fit through the doorway, she was startled by a presence inside to her right. As her eyes adjusted to the darkness, she could make out a bladed spear and the dull glint of light reflected off armor. Though this should have evoked fear, she was relieved that they were in the right place. The man was obviously a Resistance guard.
After all were inside the crowded space, their escort led them down an unlit passage. Following only the sound of footsteps, Maeryn began to feel trapped. Then slowly the light returned. The footing changed to a descending staircase and the walls opened to reveal a small cavern. Everywhere she looked, Maeryn saw ancient symbols chiseled into the stone, looking menacing in the flickering torchlight. She wondered if they had any significance to the Resistance, or if they had merely adopted this place as their home.
“Please wait here,” the man said and disappeared through another doorway.
Maeryn waited patiently, trying to think of what she would say. The minutes passed slowly and she found herself thinking of the two men who had accompanied her on this trip. They were good people; they were all good people. Always willing to work hard without complaining, even when their efforts seemed futile.
They nodded back at her and she realized that she had been staring. “What’s taking so long,” she wondered aloud as she turned her eyes to the symbols on the wall.
“Come with me.”
The voice startled Maeryn. The man didn’t seem to notice and simply turned to walk back through the door behind him. Again, Maeryn followed until they arrived at another cavern, this one larger than the first. Tree roots lined one side of the space, indicating that they were either near the surface, or the trees were very large. A small stream flowed through the center of the room only to disappear into a hole in the wall to Maeryn’s right. Their escort pointed to the other side of the room where there were small, square boulders arranged in a circle.
“He will be with you shortly.”
Maeryn raised her eyebrows and looked at her companions. They only shrugged their shoulders.
By the time their new guest joined them, Maeryn was ready to fall asleep. The sound of trickling water and the cool damp air were relaxing.
“Maeryn,” came a soft voice from across the room.
Maeryn stood as the young man walked over. He was of medium height with straight black hair. He had a soft quality about him that, when coupled with his impeccable manner of dress, indicated that he was very conscious of his looks. He wasn’t quite what she expected, young enough to be her son. When he was close enough, he extended a hand.
“Maeryn, it is a pleasure to finally meet you.”
“And your name?” Maeryn replied.
The man shook his head. “I’m sorry, but you understand the need for secrecy.” It was a statement that sounded like a question. “I understand that Thaddius will not be joining us?”
“Yes. The provisions at the outpost were spoiled. He and many others are dead because of it.”
“I’m sorry to hear that,” the man replied honestly. “So are you all that remains?” he asked, gesturing to the others.
“No,” Maeryn corrected. “There are still one hundred and fifty waiting at the outpost.”
“Congratulations on your success. We were doubtful that any would survive.”
“I would hardly call it a success. We started as five hundred.”
“Yes, that is horrible. I’m afraid that was Thaddius’ responsibility,” he replied, starting to sound defensive.
Maeryn was angered. “And what is your responsibility?” she asked. “You orchestrated this.”
“Oh my…no! According to Thaddius, this was your idea. And I had nothing to do with it.”
“Who are you?” Maeryn asked. “Aren’t you the Resistance leader?”
The man chuckled. “I am flattered that you would think so, but no. I am, however, able to speak on his behalf.”
Maeryn paused for a moment, realizing that this man was here to support her and not the other way around. She was pleased that Thaddius had cast her in such a good light. It was her idea after all, but all the details were handled by Thaddius.
“Here is what I need. I have one hundred and fifty freed slaves hiding out on the island of Tur’cen. Their supplies will not allow them to last the winter. Therefore, whatever arrangements were made for transport must happen immediately.”
The man raised his eyebrows. “That is not possible. The slave boats will not be traveling again until the spring time. Without this disguise, we are unprepared to grant your request.”
“What are we supposed to do? Winter is coming and we will starve on that island. We need to be evacuated immediately.”
“I understand, but the arrangement was…”
“I don’t care,” Maeryn interrupted. “For someone who is working for a cause, you’re not trying hard enough. I am offering you hundreds of new supporters and my own services as well. And for such generosity, I expect to be accommodated.”
The man was speechless.
“If you cannot provide a larger vessel, then I demand that you provide food and clothing so that we may survive the winter.”
The man took a deep breath and replied after a long moment of silence. “Let me see what arrangements I can make.”
Maeryn nodded, her heart now beating fiercely in her chest.
“For now,” he continued, “come with me and we will get you settled. Are you hungry?”
“We are famished. But we don’t have much time, we must get back.”
“Of course. But I must send word to our leader for authorization of your requests. Until we hear back, you are our guests.” The man turned and beckoned for them to follow.
Maeryn turned around and smiled at her companions who had tears of joy in their eyes.
After a hearty stew, the guests were shown to their quarters. Maeryn was given her own room and was grateful for the accommodations. She didn’t bring any belongings and so didn’t need any time to settle in. Instead, she asked if there was anywhere to bathe.
“That is one of the best things about this place,” replied the man. “Come with me.”
They walked along more torch-lit passageways, descending even farther into the earth. Faintly, the sound of water came to Maeryn’s ears.
“These passageways extend to various parts of the city. This one leads to the ocean.” Just as he finished his explanation, the walls widened to reveal an underground spring which formed a small lake. “There on the far side, you can see daylight.”
Maeryn looked and could see a small crack of daylight shining through the wall of the cavern on the other side of the lake.
“The spring runs to the ocean through that passage,” he said, pointing to where Maeryn was looking.
It was a beautiful sight to behold and the thought of a bath warmed Maeryn’s weary heart.
“I will have fresh clothing put in your room. There are plenty of secluded areas for your privacy. Take all the time you need.”
“Thank you,” Maeryn replied.
“Of course,” the man responded with a smile.
“How long will it take to get authorization?”
“You must know that your request may not be granted, but you should receive a response in just a few days.”
“Oh, so he’s close?”
“Who says it’s a he? And no…not necessarily. There are many means of quickly sending messages.”
Maeryn nodded. “Just let me know as soon as possible.”
The man only smiled and retreated, leaving Maeryn alone in the cavern.
Maeryn’s time at the Resistance headquarters moved quickly, filled with warm meals and regular baths. It was strange though, not seeing the daylight since she arrived. And though her time was enjoyable, she grew uncomfortable when she thought of Aelia and the others back on the island. She hoped they were doing well and couldn’t wait to return.
Just as promised, the dark-haired man came to her quarters after two and a half days. Maeryn’s traveling companions were with him.
“I have a message for you.”
“And?” Maeryn asked, with anticipation.
“Your request has been granted.”
Maeryn couldn’t help herself. She hugged the man and then apologized, as he tried not to show his blushing face.
“I also have this,” he said, handing her a small rolled piece of paper.
“What is it?” she asked.
“It is a message from our leader. You are very fortunate.”
“What do you mean?” she asked, proceeding to read the message containing only two lines of text.
glad to hear that you are safe
look forward to seeing you in the spring
“It is unusual for him to send personal messages.”
“So it is a he,” she replied with a smile.
He ignored the joke. “Have you heard directly from him before?”
Maeryn smiled. “Yes, he sent me a letter many years ago. It took me a moment to realize who it was from.”
“Well you are fortunate indeed. The leader doesn’t have any contact with those who are not officially part of the Resistance.”
“How does one ‘officially’ become part of the Resistance?” she asked.
“I will let him tell you, since it seems that he wants to meet you next spring. Oh yes, your request has been exceeded.”
“What do you mean?” Maeryn asked.
“I have been given instructions to assign you one of my men as well as a larger vessel. It won’t transport your refugees, but it will be large enough to carry supplies back to the island. I will need the rest of the afternoon to get your shipping papers prepared and to make other arrangements. But you must defer to my man’s authority, especially when in public. It is important that you appear in your proper womanly role so as not to raise any suspicions. He will take the three of you to the shipyards tomorrow and you will set sail for Tur’cen.”
Maeryn couldn’t believe her ears and she couldn’t keep the tears from her eyes. “Thank you,” she said simply.
* * * *
The morning after the battle’s end, Kael was up and out of his bed, after being treated for a broken nose and ribs, as well as a deep wound on his right thigh. He didn’t remember much of the previous night, only that he somehow made it back to Leoran. What was clear in his mind, perfectly clear, was his encounter with Narian. He replayed the events over and over in his head. And as he did so, several questions came to mind.
Is Narian leading this invasion? Did he escape from the monastery too? Should I feel guilty? No! I will not feel guilty about killing him! He chose his actions and happened to come across my path. If it wasn’t me, it would have been someone else.
Actually…it probably wouldn’t have been anyone else. With his upbringing and the training he received at the monastery, Kael had always excelled in combat. In fact, he had never met a worthy opponent since his escape. That is, until Narian.
I almost didn’t make it out of that one alive!
He tried to shrug off his current train of thought. The city of Leoran was beautiful in the morning as Kael strolled along the city walls overlooking the lake. After a few minutes of concentrating on the present and trying to forget about the previous day’s events, Kael became aware of something. As he passed the Leoran citizens, he noticed a hesitation in their demeanor, a mixture of fear and awe. Whispers and hushed voices passed among the people, and when he looked them in the eyes, he received nods of respect. Though not the kind that seems to accompany friendship or trust, but something else. He wondered if it had something to do with not remembering how he got back to the city. It was almost as if he had drunk too much wine the night before and embarrassed himself. Oh well. He made a mental note to ask Dacien about it when he got back.
