| General Fiction posted December 29, 2024 | Chapters: |
1 2 -3- 4... 
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Alliances
A chapter in the book Firstborn
Firstborn
by Mufasa
The author has placed a warning on this post for violence.
| Background Firstborn are human, but their aging process is slowed to the point of being nearly imperceptible. Their memories become eidetic, and they have the ability to influence the thoughts of others. |
"I'll pray for ya' safety, lass, although I think my trust would be better placed in your new companion." Allan tapped Kala's face with rough fingertips and wiped his eyes as if the sun's glare had suddenly caused them to water.
Kala thanked him, hugging him until he became uncomfortable, which made her laugh.
Robert was beside himself. The idea that she would leave them; leave him! He had pulled her from the water in the cave and had watched over her all night when--it was too much. He stood stoically as she thanked him, kissing his cheek and pulling his blonde hair away from his tanned face. He shook with pain and anger.
“Youth,” Allan said, and winked at her. He wrapped a beefy arm around Robert's shoulder, and they turned back for the boat.
Meridian made an adjustment on the packs and sat quietly upon Oros. He held his hand out his hand for Kala to grasp. She hesitated only a moment before taking it and swinging up onto the big horse. She had time to turn to see her rescuers unfurling the sail. Allan raised his hand, and a moment later she saw Robert do the same. She waved back, realizing it would probably be the last time she saw them.
Meridian turned the horse toward the path, and their journey began.
*
He is mad, that's it.
Kala was thinking this as she watched him standing on the bridge of land that jutted out into the sea. 'The Giant's Knee' is what it was called by the local farmers, at least that is what he told her. She supposed that it did appear as if a giant had lain down and stuck his leg out to dip his foot into the water.
She was sitting near the fire that he had started, finishing a small bowl of soup of dried meat and vegetables, and one of the four fish that she had brought from the boat. He had put a bit of salt into the pot from one of his saddlebags and had even given her a piece of bread that was barely stale. Her stomach hurt now, but she was warm and felt better than she had the day before.
What is he doing?
The horseman walked across the bridge of land and stood for quite some time. He now sat facing the sea. The wind had to be strong out there; it was bad enough in the wash where they had made camp. The horse was near her; his hooves were as big as her head. He rolled over now and then, snorting and kicking, frightening her every time he did this. He seemed to be dozing now, head down and breathing evenly. She had tried to touch him, earlier. One snap of that head had nearly lifted her from the ground.
Kala stood and stretched, wrapping the blanket around her more tightly. It was not cold, but the wind here was constant and it made her chilled without the blanket. She walked toward the cliff, hearing the horse gaining his legs behind her. She walked up and out of the bowl-shaped camp site and headed down to where the horseman was now sitting. She had taken only a few steps out onto the leg, when he stood smoothly and turned.
"Are you going to be much longer?" She had to yell over the wind.
He didn't answer but walked across the narrow bridge toward her.
"Are you packed?" he asked as he walked past her.
"Yes. What is the name of the town that we're going to?"
"It is not a town, it's a market, as I already said."
"Alright then, market. What is it near?" she snapped.
"The wall."
"Wall?" She stopped and placed her hands on her hips, causing the blanket to flip over her head. She caught it before the wind took it, wrapped herself once more, and followed behind him fuming.
They had ridden all afternoon on the day before and camped at the bowl in the evening. Now they were moving again, covering the ground at a steady pace thanks to the horse's long strides. She sat on a folded pack and moved easily with the rhythm of the animal.
"What is his name? Your horse."
Meridian glanced back at her. "Oros."
"Oros. I've never heard that word. What does that mean?"
"Mountain."
She leaned forward to look at the side of his face. "Where are you from?"
In response, he sighed. "I do not wish to have a conversation concerning my history."
"Why are you so angry with me? Have I done some wrong to you?" Without realizing it her hands were once again on her hips.
"You have caused my plans to change."
"My apologies for being..." She stopped as she realized what she was about to say.
"For being?" he questioned.
Nothing more was said for a long while. The wind finally died down and they were now crossing a valley of sorts, although there were no mountains nearby. The land here was as if drawn and stretched, causing deep ripples in the earth. They were following one of these ripples now, heading inland. To their left, a line of trees were all bent in the same direction.
The wind, no doubt, she thought.
The horseman walked across the bridge of land and stood for quite some time. He now sat facing the sea. The wind had to be strong out there; it was bad enough in the wash where they had made camp. The horse was near her; his hooves were as big as her head. He rolled over now and then, snorting and kicking, frightening her every time he did this. He seemed to be dozing now, head down and breathing evenly. She had tried to touch him, earlier. One snap of that head had nearly lifted her from the ground.
Kala stood and stretched, wrapping the blanket around her more tightly. It was not cold, but the wind here was constant and it made her chilled without the blanket. She walked toward the cliff, hearing the horse gaining his legs behind her. She walked up and out of the bowl-shaped camp site and headed down to where the horseman was now sitting. She had taken only a few steps out onto the leg, when he stood smoothly and turned.
"Are you going to be much longer?" She had to yell over the wind.
He didn't answer but walked across the narrow bridge toward her.
"Are you packed?" he asked as he walked past her.
"Yes. What is the name of the town that we're going to?"
"It is not a town, it's a market, as I already said."
"Alright then, market. What is it near?" she snapped.
"The wall."
"Wall?" She stopped and placed her hands on her hips, causing the blanket to flip over her head. She caught it before the wind took it, wrapped herself once more, and followed behind him fuming.
They had ridden all afternoon on the day before and camped at the bowl in the evening. Now they were moving again, covering the ground at a steady pace thanks to the horse's long strides. She sat on a folded pack and moved easily with the rhythm of the animal.
"What is his name? Your horse."
Meridian glanced back at her. "Oros."
"Oros. I've never heard that word. What does that mean?"
"Mountain."
She leaned forward to look at the side of his face. "Where are you from?"
In response, he sighed. "I do not wish to have a conversation concerning my history."
"Why are you so angry with me? Have I done some wrong to you?" Without realizing it her hands were once again on her hips.
"You have caused my plans to change."
"My apologies for being..." She stopped as she realized what she was about to say.
"For being?" he questioned.
Nothing more was said for a long while. The wind finally died down and they were now crossing a valley of sorts, although there were no mountains nearby. The land here was as if drawn and stretched, causing deep ripples in the earth. They were following one of these ripples now, heading inland. To their left, a line of trees were all bent in the same direction.
The wind, no doubt, she thought.
They moved up onto the top of the ridge and saw it. "What is that?" Kala asked quietly.
"Offa's Wall. The market is a short distance from this point. We should be there before nightfall."
The wall was actually not so much that as a ditch, with a wall on the Powys side. Workers toiled all along this ditch from the direction that he and Kala had come, to over the next two hills and away from the market that Meridian and herself were now walking through. She could smell the newly turned earth, reminding her of her childhood and of her parents. There were long poles driven into the ditch at its low points between hills. The market was on the upper side of the ditch, on the Mercia side. The lower side, Powys, was lower than the height of a tall man on horseback.
"Why is this being done, has another war begun?"
"Offa has his reasons," Meridian replied. "It's probably more of a show of power and influence than anything military, I will wager."
Kala harumphed. "Seems a waste of time if you ask me. Why not use all of these workers to till and plant crops, or even use them as irrigation channels, or to build outposts?"
Meridian took a moment to study her before responding.
"Observant for a woman."
Kala flared at his remark. "And damned foolish of a king. Are you one to believe that a woman knows nothing of rationality or of proper planning? Do you think that we sit at your feet and await your every command so that we might please you?"
"I want no one at my feet, woman, and what I need I can get for myself. Learn to control that temper before it gets you killed."
Kala opened her mouth to retort but stopped. She could think of nothing to say
"Offa's Wall. The market is a short distance from this point. We should be there before nightfall."
The wall was actually not so much that as a ditch, with a wall on the Powys side. Workers toiled all along this ditch from the direction that he and Kala had come, to over the next two hills and away from the market that Meridian and herself were now walking through. She could smell the newly turned earth, reminding her of her childhood and of her parents. There were long poles driven into the ditch at its low points between hills. The market was on the upper side of the ditch, on the Mercia side. The lower side, Powys, was lower than the height of a tall man on horseback.
"Why is this being done, has another war begun?"
"Offa has his reasons," Meridian replied. "It's probably more of a show of power and influence than anything military, I will wager."
Kala harumphed. "Seems a waste of time if you ask me. Why not use all of these workers to till and plant crops, or even use them as irrigation channels, or to build outposts?"
Meridian took a moment to study her before responding.
"Observant for a woman."
Kala flared at his remark. "And damned foolish of a king. Are you one to believe that a woman knows nothing of rationality or of proper planning? Do you think that we sit at your feet and await your every command so that we might please you?"
"I want no one at my feet, woman, and what I need I can get for myself. Learn to control that temper before it gets you killed."
Kala opened her mouth to retort but stopped. She could think of nothing to say
*
The market was not much to look at; merchants and a few farmers and weavers, perhaps only a handful of others. Kala spotted a merchant hawking dyed cloth and wood carvings of animals. She picked up a carving of a dog or wolf — she couldn't tell which — and ran her fingertips over the wood. Meridian watched her from a few feet away.
"What can I trade for this?" she asked the woman.
The old woman raised her hands as if to grab the attention of the gods. "Ahhhhhh," she sighed. "I see ye' has the eye for high quality."
Kala smirked in response to the opening line.
"Powerful is that one. Strength in it! Speed too!"
"It is a simple piece of carved wood," Kala said calmly. "Please just tell me what you would take for it."
The old woman scratched at something invisible and studied Kala. "A bright copper. Yes, that should do nicely."
Kala stood still and looked into the woman's eyes. She spoke very evenly.
"I will bring the coin to you later. This will be fine, will it not?"
The old woman smiled and nodded at Kala. "O'course it will be, miss. Whenever ye can get back my way will be just fine. Take it and be safe. Now off with ye."
Kala smiled and wrapped the carving into her blanket, thanking the woman as she did so.
Meridian was speaking with the plate merchant as she came to his side. He thanked the merchant and walked back toward where Oros was being brushed and fed.
"What did you buy?" he asked offhandedly.
"You know full well what it is, you were watching me the entire time I was there."
"My question is what did you trade her? Are you hiding a pouch somewhere that I haven't seen?"
"Nosy, are you not?"
"What are you going to do with a carving, anyway?"
Kala hesitated. "It reminds me of something, that's all." She walked on.
They came to the holding stalls, where Oros greeted them with a loud snort and head shake.
"His hooves are good," the groom said. "Sound as steel, he is. He's a big one, that! Handsome as new bright silver, he is."
Meridian admired the man's tact. "I thank you," Meridian said while handing the man two pieces of silver.
The groom took them, eyes wide with the unexpected double payment. "Indeed sir. Anything else ye be needin,' ye come see me now."
The groom was showing all of his remaining teeth in his smile at Meridian's generosity.
As they walked back through the merchant area, Meridian tossed a copper to the carving woman, who waved and grinned at Kala, who once again found herself stopped, mouth open, not knowing how to respond. She was growing tired of this already. Meridian grinned.
"Why did you do that?" she asked quickly.
Meridian led Oros through the crowd, which parted at the sight of the huge horse coming toward them; or it may have been the sight of the man, perhaps both.
"I asked you," she started.
"I know well what you asked. Were you planning on returning here at some point to pay her? Why did she agree to that?"
Kala did not reply.
They continued out of the muddy track and into an open area of clean grass. Meridian adjusted the blanket and scratched Oros on his neck, causing a push from the horse that shoved him into Kala. He caught her as she stumbled, holding her hand and waist. She reddened and then squirmed, mumbling thanks under her breath as she pulled away. Meridian turned and winked at the horse, scratching his head.
She stood apart from them for a few moments longer, then turned. "People listen to me. They sometimes do as I ask, even though they know they should not."
Meridian seemed to consider this and continued to adjust the saddle bags.
"Can you not at least speak to me?"
Meridian turned to her, and again she felt the unease she had felt when he first looked upon her on the shore. She crossed her arms over her middle and fidgeted.
"You have a gift," he said. "It is a rarity and not to be used lightly, as to acquire trinkets from merchants." He stared at her face for a moment longer. She met his gaze unflinching.
"How long have you known this?"
This took Kala by surprise. "I do not know when it began."
"You're a terrible liar."
"How dare you!" she blustered.
"Calm yourself woman. As I said, that temper is going to get you killed."
"Don't threaten me!" she screamed and descended into sobbing tears. She tried to hit his face, but he caught her hand. She hit his chest repeatedly until she tired, then simply stood and cried while he held her arms.
"Hells devils woman, you are an emotional one," he said, releasing her.
This caused a sniff, and then tearful laughter from Kala.
The episode had not gone unnoticed. A group of ratty-looking men were walking toward their area. Meridian assessed them with a glance; more of Offa's mercenaries. Oros huffed and shook his huge head, snorting his displeasure at their smell.
"Best calm that stupid beast before he is on a spit over our fire," the skinny man in the middle said as he neared their position.
Meridian's response was to smash his fist into the skinny man's face. He was unconscious before he landed on the grass. Of the remaining two men, one made the mistake of walking up to Meridian's left, and behind Oros. The other moved in from the right.
Meridian reached and lightly tapped Oros on his left haunch. The reaction was instant and devastating. The horse slowly cocked that massive leg forward then unleashed the stored power all in one smooth motion. The following impact was audible and terrible. Kala cringed at the sound. The blow caught the man just above the pelvis. He sailed backwards and flailed like a doll. When he landed six or seven strides away, he rolled to his side, moaned and did not move again. The remaining mercenary stared at his friends, his mouth slightly agape. He looked at Oros and then at Meridian, and decided to flee.
Meridian stepped up to Oros and rubbed his huge head. "He didn't mean it. You're a very smart horse."
Meridian stepped up to Oros and rubbed his huge head. "He didn't mean it. You're a very smart horse."
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