Chapter Four
Whilst Gundren councils the party concerning the portent of Merlynar's dream carried warning from Mohimas & the words spoken by the now dead necromancer, Vorg. Keros, sidling up to Vorg's cold corpse unseen rifles his body pocketing a purse of gold, a pretty dagger, a black wand topped with a corvid's skull & a peculiar silvery ring from his finger which seamed to flow to the shape of Keros's finger, to cover his actions Keros draws Vorg's horse into a conversation concerning its former master & his words to Gundren.
Joined by the others talk turns as to what should be done with this vile beast, reasoning that it cannot be left to betray their passage it is set upon by sorcerous means by Veli however this only serves to anger the beast, pushing to the front Lung raises his staff & splits the skull of the monster in one fell blow then turning to Keros, having heard the beasts last words, Lung demands of Keros what he has pocketed from Vorg's possessions. Muttering Keros offers up the dagger, the one armed Pelmas, after a brief inspection dismisses the blade as insignificant & the conversation regarding thier intended passage continues.
Having all agreed that Mohimas's warning should be heeded but that his suggestion as to where to go & who to contact be ignored, it is agreed that their intended route to the forest of Maldrik via the high passes be abandoned as surely by now Mohimas would have revealed thier intentions to Korvin or Illeum Runesabre. Instead it is agreed that they will about turn & move North towards the Bretonian city of Halstran & from there to cross the lower mountain slopes towards the coast hoping to then follow the coast back South towards Maldrik hopefully confounding their pursuers in the process.
As they mount all notice the dozen or so crows silently watching from the trees above, Veli, raising her hand towards them releases her frustration & several of the birds explode in a cloud of feathers, turning back to the others Veli announces these are no ordinary birds.
Moving away at the gallop Keros calls upon his powers to cover thier passage to any who follow however when they pause to rest the horses several hours later all can see the growing crowd of carrion eaters perched as if listening in the trees around them.
Turning accusingly to Keros, Keros's companions demand to know what else she has concealed from them, cursing Keros remembers the skull mounted wand beneath his cloak & meekly offers it up to the group.
Much to Keros's consternation Lung rages at him for his attempts to withhold the wand or anything else from him in the future, afraid but angered, Keros rebukes Lung for his words but to late realises that Lung's anger will not be thwarted so easily. Double mounted as they are Lung lunges at Keros with his iron shod staff before any one else can react, desperate Keros throws up his hands & calls upon the trees to bind Lung before he can strike. Keros's efforts are partly successful however Lung's strength, enhanced by the sorcerous girdle about his midriff, shrugs aside the branches & lays about the cowering Keros.
Late in the day Keros groggily opens his eyes, head pounding, he finds himself astride one of the horses with Gundred mounted behind him, as he slowly recovers his composure Gundred urges him to let the matter rest & that the dark powers of the carrion stick are best handled her the sorcerous hand of her lady in waiting, Veli. Listening to Gundren's pleas, Keros notes that whilst both Vorg's ring & Illyana's bane remain on his fingers, a purse containing nigh on one hundred good gold coins has been removed from his pack.
Seeing that Keros has returned & with nightfall imminent the party halt for the night, as Gundren continues to urge Keros to consider his actions he addresses all of his companions announcing that their is a thief amongst them, not content with the wand, someone has removed his purse. Amongst the denials Pelmas apologies to Keros for its loss & tries to assure him that it must have been dropped for surely nobody here would do such a thing to one of their own. Muttering that it must be so, Keros knows full well that it has not been dropped as it was secure inside his bags which remain tightly fastened. With regard to Lung's outrageous assault on him, well, yes, Keros was well aware that there now numbered a hundred or so crows silently roosting in the trees about thier camp, but if Lung was so concerned why hadn't he cast aside the wand instead of allowing Miss Mysterious to keep it for herself, & besides that his head still hurt, with such thoughts in mind Keros removed himself to the very edge of the circle of light cast by thier campfire.
With the coming of dawn, Keros woke with a throbbing headache, splashing cold water on his face, as he dried he glanced to the skies only to realise that other than the occasional cawing, the flight of crows from the previous evening had gone. Talking with Pelmas, Pelmas adds that Veli's hawk reports that they disappeared not long after midnight, Pelangor also adds that the hawk could see the highway between Gran Breton & Halstran not to far ahead.
As the party mount up, Keros watches Lung, the others have double mounted the remaining horses apart from Lung, only Keros sits a horse on his own, with an audible sigh of relief Lung makes no attempt to share the horse with Keros, instead choosing to walk,
"Well that suits me just fine" muttered Keros,
"I can only hope there's plenty of thorns between here & the road"
Reaching the "Queens" highway there is no sign of any other travellers, whilst Keros has never travelled this road before, he assumes that it wouldn't normally be this quiet. Turning towards Halstran it is some three hours before anybody else is seen, & then its only a labourer working in one one of the many fields they pass, pointedly Keros makes sure that he keeps as far a way from Lung as he can.
With evening approaching they eventually see a small gathering of buildings in the distance, smoke gently rising from several chimney pots. Reaching the roadside hamlet it is agreed they will take a room in the inn rather than in the state, militia controlled hostel. Entering the inn there is a reasonable sized gathering taking supper & laughing half heartedly at a one legged buffoon falling about for their pleasure. Quickly rooms are negotiated & whilst Gundren & Veli & the others bathe, Keros goes alone to watch the stars for some portent of what is to be. Whilst outside Keros is accosted by a fellow traveller who, offering coin, questions Keros & others around the tavern door for news of two ladies, a mother & daughter known to be travelling in the this area, the description he gives loosely fits Gundren & Veli, concocting a story, Keros makes his excuses & returns to the shared rooms within the inn but not before asking the stranger his name,
"Strungor" shouts the man,
"& remember, I will pay good coin for their where whereabouts"
Within, Keros puts aside his animosity for Lung & tells of the strangers, Strungor's, search, at his name Gundren shakes her head,
"I know this man, he is a warden of the royal forests & a tracker of no mean ability, once I commanded this man, but now I no not who I can trust"
Hatching a plan, Keros suggests he approaches Strungor in an hour or so, with the story that he has asked about the inn & been told that a woman has been ensconced in one of its rooms for several days & that whilst he doesn't know what she looks like he does now which room she's in.
Queen Gundren, or Gie, as she's now calling herself, agrees with the deception & thus an hour later Keros makes his way to the hostel, entering the building, which is far larger than the inn, Keros makes to look for Strungor however the warmth within its walls is overpowering, indeed as he goes to walk across the room Keros finds it difficult to breath, perspiring heavily, Keros staggers & lurches back towards the door desperate for the cool air beyond, gasping for breath, blood clouding his vision, a voice, somebody close, takes his arm & guides him to a quiet corner murmuring under his breath.
Deftly Keros's benefactor slips the so recently acquired ring from Keros's finger, instantly Keros breathes deeply, the tightness gone from his chest,
"You are assailed my son, the ring, it marks you out, its power corrupts"
Grateful, Keros regains his wits & for the thousandth time wonders how he came to be embroiled in this mess, gradually as he talks with the cloaked figure the conversation turns to questions, questions concerning the much sought Gundren, no so dim witted to give the game away, but still wondering why he shouldn't, Keros denies all, obviously dissatisfied with Keros's response the old man glowers at Keros & turns to leave,
"I think you have something of mine old man"
With barely concealed contempt the ring is thrust towards Keros's outstretched hand, taking the ring Keros hesitates before slipping the ring beneath his tunic.
Rising from the cubicle Keros spies Strungor across the bar, attracting his attention, Keros acts out the story of the inquisitive money grabber who has perchance come upon what Strungor searches for, as they vacate the hostel & move towards the inn, Keros embellishes the story with with reference to older gentleman who is also asking questions, as they enter the tavern Keros points out the gent who is nearing the top of the stairs obviously heading for his companions dormitory, Strungor, demanding Keros to stay out of the way, heads for the stairs in pursuit.
Not trusting either pursuant Keros follows at a respectable distance, reaching the top of the stairs there is no sign of the old man, but Strungor, blade in hand, is attempting to shoulder the door ajar. As Keros watches, the door is flung open & an, possibly Lung's, although he can't be sure, reaches out & grabs Strungor dragging him into the room. Taking his time, so as to avoid any blood shed, Keros reaches & pushes open the door, Strungor is sprawled across the floor, an ugly, & familiar welt across his temple, Gundren is clasping the old man to her bosom, tears of relief flooding down her cheeks.
Whilst Strungor is stripped & bound Gundren introduces them all to Clyvyan, one of her dearest & oldest friends & her teacher of all things arcane, Clyvyan chortling reminds Gundren that she whilst a pleasant student was undoubtedly the most inept he ever had the misfortune to instruct.
Keros apologies for his earlier lies, adding that it is difficult to know who to trust.
Shortly, Strungor emerges from his stupor to be greeted by a plethora of questions, Keros, making use of his earth given magic, casts an augury to befriend him, as he tells the story of Korvin's edicts concerning the search for & slaying of Gundren, Clyvyan becomes more & more evasive in his own story, confusingly reference is made to Veli's background & to the circumstances around her birth, Gundren talks of knowing Velis mother & much is made of the spilling of blood, suddenly Keros, Pelmar & the others look at Veli who breaks down confessing it is not Gundren's blood that Korvin wishes to be spilt but her own, further it becomes clear that it may not only be Strungor but Clyvyan also who serves Korvin & that Runesabre may well not be in league with Korvin as they had suspected.
Confused KEROS turns to Veli only to see her raise a sword to strike the bound Strungor, stupidly he thrusts himself forward crying that there should be no more pointless killing, fortunately for both Keros & Strungor the strike goes awry.
As Keros & the others look on, Veli's face, with her back turned to Clyvyan, distorts until it resembles Gundren, turning to confront Clyvyan all becomes confused, but before any further discourse can occur Lung strikes at Clyvyan's head with his staff, to Keros's horror Clyvyan collapses to lie dead on the bare floor boards, staring in disbelief at Lung, Lung blusters that he did not intend such a wound but merely to render Clyvyan unconscious, having seen Lung's previous performances Keros finds his tale difficult to stomach.
As Keros recalls the words of the hound only mere days before concerning the "cold one", it becomes clear that Gundren was never the quarry of Korvin's scheming, all efforts had in fact been aimed, for reasons yet unknown, at Veli, further it becomes clear that Clyvyan & Strungor were in cahoots with each other, Strungor the tracker & Clyvyan his handler. As these thoughts run through Keros's head he realises he was duped yet again in the hostel, there was no attack by any unseen assailant, the assault on his person was by Clyvyan himself.
Pelmas, crouching over Clyvyan's still form rises clutching a ring, passing his hand over the item he tells that it is the "Eye of Korvin" taking this to portend to a means of Korvin being able to see what the bearer sees it is quickly wrapped in a weighted pouch to be later cast into the inn's well.
Standing over Strungor, Keros listens as Veli casts a hypnotic veil over the would be assassin, between Veli's words & Keros's earlier charm Strungor recalls a conversation he overheard between Korvin & Illeum Runesabre, a conversation in which Runesabre told Korvin that he was not interested in Bretonia, he wanted only the girl, meaning Veli.
In the silence that follows Gundren reiterates the need still to reach Rosengrad where her undead father can protect them all including Veli, stunned by these revelations Keros can only think of at least preserving one innocents life as well as his own, that of Strungor, arguing his case, a compromise of sorts is agreed, the beguiled Strungor will be freed but compelled to return to Gran Breton to attempt to kill the mighty Korvin, to that end Keros anoints an arrow head with contact poison although secretly he hopes that Strungor will simply flee Bretonia.
Deciding that they must leave this place as soon as possible Keros leaves the others to release Strungor from his bonds intending to collect, & search, the tracker's horse from the hostel stable. As Keros ponders which of the many horses is Strungor's, the groom, a lad of ten years or so, points to a fine stallion which he informs Keros is Strungor's, before however Keros can leave the stable a lady of some beauty enters on horse back, the groom breaks off talking to Keros to deal with the newcomer who smiles benignly at the druid.
Tipping the boy handsomely she departs leaving her steed in the boys charge, curious as to who she was Keros turns to her horse & casts a spell to allow him to talk with the beast, whilst the animal does not reveal the name of her owner she does talk of her being from a long line of sorcerers & that she, the horse, has served the lady for many lifetimes, Keros, unnerved by this tale makes all haste to return to the others, immediately this latest tale is told, Veli visibly quakes & urges that hey flee with all haste, taking her fear at face value, unhesitatingly they leave the inn as unobtrusively as possible.
Turning Strungor loose to head South towards Gran Breton, Keros & the others take the highway North, despite the lateness of the hour the moons reflection on the snow covered landscape illuminates their flight along the highway. Just before dawn, some ten miles on, they come across a solitary Bretoniam trooper at the side of the road, terrified but resolute in his duty Keros beguiles the fool with a spell of friendship & tells the his new friend that evil is on the road to thier rear & hunting all god fearing men, the charmed trooper swears to protect Keros's flight with his life.
As the sun rises on this day, the twenty third of Octarius, the party abandon the road in favour of the many farm tracks that criss cross this rich agricultural Bretonian heartland, finding a secluded copse they bed down for the day & the following night. After a uneventful, but blissfully welcome rest, they reluctantly break camp in the chill morning air & press on running parallel, but out of sight, of the highway.
The following morning, the twenty sixth, they happen to pass along side several fields many sheep & cattle, as they pass the beasts leave off chewing the cud & stare until the party pass them by, intrigued, Keros again uses his talents to commune with the creatures, Keros is not surprised when the bull questioned refers to the shadow of death which follows Veli.
Late in the afternoon they crest the edge of a lushly planted crater, the inner face of the crater gently fall to a crystal clear pool at its centre, immediately Keros feels comfortable amongst the sweet smelling flowers which defy the chill winter skies, suddenly it dawns on Keros that this is the sacred grove of a fellow druid. Conversing with the many creatures which shelter within oasis Keros learns that the groves master left to perform some task the day before & has as yet not returned.
Asking the others to respect this sacred place Keros finds himself humming as he gradually relaxes for the first time in many days, perversely however the others are troubled in this place despite Keros's assurances to the contra, Lung's discomfort, much to Keros's delight, is so great that he is unable to sleep within the grove & removes himself beyond the crater, grinning to himself, Keros falls back into a peaceful sleep.