PocMar and his gang seemed appealing at times. What he wouldn’t give to have those times again.
* * *
Thane and Jne rode up just as the last rays of the sun were bathing the plains with their glow and casting a revealing light on the outer edges of the great city of Calandra. Jack turned in his saddle, waiting for his report as Thane eyed the massive sprawl of brick and wood buildings that surrounded the city proper.
“And what is the news, my friend,” Jack had to ask, pulling Thane back to those who now crowded him to get his report. He’d been out again on the winds to check on the progress of Zadok’s army but seeing Calandra up close after watching its form ever growing at their approach had captured his attention.
Finally looking down as Jack’s voice broke his concentration, he blinked. “They have not moved. The sacrifice of those behind may not have been in vain, though they did not choose it. It would appear we have possibly a week to move as many as feasible out of the city on our race to Bedler’s Keep.”
Jack smiled though the pain he felt at those lost was still evident in his visage. “A tiny ray of light in the face of such hopelessness,” he said softly.
“Not enough time though for us,” Dor said. “Without the help of Teek’s flying friend, it will take us that long, if not more just to reach the Ardath. We may be too late to help at all.”
Teek looked at the three Chufa and then bowed his head slightly. “I am sorry, Dor,” he said meekly, “but I have no control over what Tchee will or will not do. I would gladly go for you if you thought I could retrieve the thing you seek.”
Dor shook his head. Tam smiled at the young Waseeni who, though just a couple of years her junior, seemed so innocent and naïve. “We do not blame you, Teek,” she said, trying to reassure him. “Nor do we blame, Tchee. You both have been a tremendous asset to us all. I am sure that what she has in mind will help us greatly.”
“Whether that is true or not,” Thane added, “we cannot wait much longer for her return. We need to be on our way whether the king will side with us or not.”
“We will have to camp on the outskirts of the city tonight,” Jack said, “but come sunup tomorrow morning he will have to accept our presence in court and then we will know who our friends, and our enemies, really are.”
“Aye,” said Helgar, “but it be no matter to us what his mind may be,” he said indicating himself and the dwarfs that marched with him. “We will be making our way west before the morning sun back to Thornen Dar. We have done what we could be doin’ to git ye here and the purpose of our comin’ be no longer of concern since the fight be on us already. Now we must be preparin’ our people to lend an axe or two to the battle.”
“Our thanks to you Master dwarf and to your people for what they have done to help us and what they will yet do,” Jack voiced for all present. “We will bid you safe journey with our thanks and will look to your coming at Bedler’s Keep.”
Bardolf smiled, a bright twinkle in his eye. “Ye can be countin’ on it.”
“Aye,” all the dwarfs present voiced their agreement.
“Ye will, of course, be watchin’ after me friend here, Teek, now won’t ya?” Bardolf asked, ruffling the Waseeni boy’s hair.
“You can count on that, Master Bardolf,” Jack said winking at Teek, “like he was my own.”
Teek blushed at the attention. Part of him wanted to leave with the dwarfs. Bardolf and Helgar had become like fathers to him and he still wanted to work their mines to appease his people. But he knew that Jack and his friends still needed Tchee’s help. He couldn’t leave until she came back. And after all, he would have no trouble catching up to them should he want or need to later.
Domis smiled at the exchange. He and Teek had become fast friends, both being orphans, and both falling under Jack’s care since they left Haykon. He was not
* * *
Thane and Jne rode up just as the last rays of the sun were bathing the plains with their glow and casting a revealing light on the outer edges of the great city of Calandra. Jack turned in his saddle, waiting for his report as Thane eyed the massive sprawl of brick and wood buildings that surrounded the city proper.
“And what is the news, my friend,” Jack had to ask, pulling Thane back to those who now crowded him to get his report. He’d been out again on the winds to check on the progress of Zadok’s army but seeing Calandra up close after watching its form ever growing at their approach had captured his attention.
Finally looking down as Jack’s voice broke his concentration, he blinked. “They have not moved. The sacrifice of those behind may not have been in vain, though they did not choose it. It would appear we have possibly a week to move as many as feasible out of the city on our race to Bedler’s Keep.”
Jack smiled though the pain he felt at those lost was still evident in his visage. “A tiny ray of light in the face of such hopelessness,” he said softly.
“Not enough time though for us,” Dor said. “Without the help of Teek’s flying friend, it will take us that long, if not more just to reach the Ardath. We may be too late to help at all.”
Teek looked at the three Chufa and then bowed his head slightly. “I am sorry, Dor,” he said meekly, “but I have no control over what Tchee will or will not do. I would gladly go for you if you thought I could retrieve the thing you seek.”
Dor shook his head. Tam smiled at the young Waseeni who, though just a couple of years her junior, seemed so innocent and naïve. “We do not blame you, Teek,” she said, trying to reassure him. “Nor do we blame, Tchee. You both have been a tremendous asset to us all. I am sure that what she has in mind will help us greatly.”
“Whether that is true or not,” Thane added, “we cannot wait much longer for her return. We need to be on our way whether the king will side with us or not.”
“We will have to camp on the outskirts of the city tonight,” Jack said, “but come sunup tomorrow morning he will have to accept our presence in court and then we will know who our friends, and our enemies, really are.”
“Aye,” said Helgar, “but it be no matter to us what his mind may be,” he said indicating himself and the dwarfs that marched with him. “We will be making our way west before the morning sun back to Thornen Dar. We have done what we could be doin’ to git ye here and the purpose of our comin’ be no longer of concern since the fight be on us already. Now we must be preparin’ our people to lend an axe or two to the battle.”
“Our thanks to you Master dwarf and to your people for what they have done to help us and what they will yet do,” Jack voiced for all present. “We will bid you safe journey with our thanks and will look to your coming at Bedler’s Keep.”
Bardolf smiled, a bright twinkle in his eye. “Ye can be countin’ on it.”
“Aye,” all the dwarfs present voiced their agreement.
“Ye will, of course, be watchin’ after me friend here, Teek, now won’t ya?” Bardolf asked, ruffling the Waseeni boy’s hair.
“You can count on that, Master Bardolf,” Jack said winking at Teek, “like he was my own.”
Teek blushed at the attention. Part of him wanted to leave with the dwarfs. Bardolf and Helgar had become like fathers to him and he still wanted to work their mines to appease his people. But he knew that Jack and his friends still needed Tchee’s help. He couldn’t leave until she came back. And after all, he would have no trouble catching up to them should he want or need to later.
Domis smiled at the exchange. He and Teek had become fast friends, both being orphans, and both falling under Jack’s care since they left Haykon. He was not
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