curious
wizard tried to contact the Lady. The Lady manipulated him, effected her
release. The Ten rose with her. Within a generation she and they forged a new
dark empire. Within two they were embattled with the Rebel, whose prophets
agreed the White Rose would be reincarnated to lead them to a final victory.
For a while it looked like they would win. Our armies collapsed. Provinces fell.
Taken feuded and destroyed one another. Nine of the Ten perished. The Lady
managed to Take three Rebel chieftains to replace a portion of her losses:
Feather, Journey, and Whisper-likely the best general since the White Rose. She
gave us a terrible time before her Taking.
The Rebel prophets were correct in their prophecies, except about the last
battle. They expected a reincarnated White Rose to lead them. She did not. They
did not find her in time.
She was alive then. But she was living on our side of the battleline, unaware of
what she was. I learned who she was. It is that knowledge which makes my life
worthless should I be put to the question.
“Croaker!” the Captain snapped. “Wake up!” Everybody looked at me, wondering how
I could daydream through whatever he'd said.
“What?”
“You didn't hear me?”
“No, sir.”
He glowered his best bear glower. “Listen up, then. Be ready to travel by carpet
when the Taken arrive. Fifty pounds of gear is your limit.”
Carpet? Taken? What the hell? I looked around. Some of the men grinned. Some
pitied me. Carpet flight? “What for?”
Patiently, the Captain explained, “The Lady wants ten men sent to help Whisper
and Feather in the Barrowland. Doing what I don't know. You're one of the ones
she picked.”
Flutter of fear. “Why me?” It was rough, back when I was her pet.
“Maybe she still loves you. After all these years.”
“Captain. ...”
“Because she said so, Croaker.”
“I guess that's good enough. Sure can't argue with it. Who else?”
“Pay attention and you'd know these things. Worry about it later. We have other
fish to fry now.”
Whisper came to Frost before the Limper. I found myself tossing a pack aboard
her flying carpet. Fifty pounds. The rest I had left with One-Eye and Silent.
The carpet was a carpet only by courtesy, because tradition calls it that.
Actually, it is a piece of heavy fabric stretched on a wooden frame a foot high
when grounded. My fellow passengers were Elmo, who would command our team, and
Kingpin. Kingpin is a lazy bastard, but he swings a mean blade.
Our gear, and another hundred pounds belonging to men who would follow us later,
rested at the center of the carpet. Shaking, Elmo and Kingpin tied themselves in
place at the carpet's two rear corners. My spot was the left front. Whisper sat
at the right. We were heavily bundled, almost to immobility. We would be flying
fast and high, Whisper said. The temperature upstairs would be low.
I shook as much as Elmo and Kingpin, though I had been aboard carpets before. I
loved the view and dreaded the anticipation of falling that came with flight. I
also dreaded the Plain of Fear, where strange, fell things cruise the upper air.
Whisper queried, “You all use the latrine? It's going to be a long flight.” She
did not mention us voiding ourselves in fear, which some men do up there. Her
voice was cool and melodious, like those of the women who populate your last
dream before waking. Her appearance belied that voice. She looked every bit the
tough old campaigner she was. She eyed me, evidently recalling our previous
encounter in the Forest of Cloud.
Raven and I had lain in wait where she was expected to meet the Limper and lead
him over to the Rebel side. The ambush was successful. Raven took the Limper. I
captured Whisper. Soulcatcher and the Lady came and finished up. Whisper became
the first new Taken since the Domination.
She winked.
Taut fabric smacked my butt. We went up fast.
Crossing the Plain of Fear
wizard tried to contact the Lady. The Lady manipulated him, effected her
release. The Ten rose with her. Within a generation she and they forged a new
dark empire. Within two they were embattled with the Rebel, whose prophets
agreed the White Rose would be reincarnated to lead them to a final victory.
For a while it looked like they would win. Our armies collapsed. Provinces fell.
Taken feuded and destroyed one another. Nine of the Ten perished. The Lady
managed to Take three Rebel chieftains to replace a portion of her losses:
Feather, Journey, and Whisper-likely the best general since the White Rose. She
gave us a terrible time before her Taking.
The Rebel prophets were correct in their prophecies, except about the last
battle. They expected a reincarnated White Rose to lead them. She did not. They
did not find her in time.
She was alive then. But she was living on our side of the battleline, unaware of
what she was. I learned who she was. It is that knowledge which makes my life
worthless should I be put to the question.
“Croaker!” the Captain snapped. “Wake up!” Everybody looked at me, wondering how
I could daydream through whatever he'd said.
“What?”
“You didn't hear me?”
“No, sir.”
He glowered his best bear glower. “Listen up, then. Be ready to travel by carpet
when the Taken arrive. Fifty pounds of gear is your limit.”
Carpet? Taken? What the hell? I looked around. Some of the men grinned. Some
pitied me. Carpet flight? “What for?”
Patiently, the Captain explained, “The Lady wants ten men sent to help Whisper
and Feather in the Barrowland. Doing what I don't know. You're one of the ones
she picked.”
Flutter of fear. “Why me?” It was rough, back when I was her pet.
“Maybe she still loves you. After all these years.”
“Captain. ...”
“Because she said so, Croaker.”
“I guess that's good enough. Sure can't argue with it. Who else?”
“Pay attention and you'd know these things. Worry about it later. We have other
fish to fry now.”
Whisper came to Frost before the Limper. I found myself tossing a pack aboard
her flying carpet. Fifty pounds. The rest I had left with One-Eye and Silent.
The carpet was a carpet only by courtesy, because tradition calls it that.
Actually, it is a piece of heavy fabric stretched on a wooden frame a foot high
when grounded. My fellow passengers were Elmo, who would command our team, and
Kingpin. Kingpin is a lazy bastard, but he swings a mean blade.
Our gear, and another hundred pounds belonging to men who would follow us later,
rested at the center of the carpet. Shaking, Elmo and Kingpin tied themselves in
place at the carpet's two rear corners. My spot was the left front. Whisper sat
at the right. We were heavily bundled, almost to immobility. We would be flying
fast and high, Whisper said. The temperature upstairs would be low.
I shook as much as Elmo and Kingpin, though I had been aboard carpets before. I
loved the view and dreaded the anticipation of falling that came with flight. I
also dreaded the Plain of Fear, where strange, fell things cruise the upper air.
Whisper queried, “You all use the latrine? It's going to be a long flight.” She
did not mention us voiding ourselves in fear, which some men do up there. Her
voice was cool and melodious, like those of the women who populate your last
dream before waking. Her appearance belied that voice. She looked every bit the
tough old campaigner she was. She eyed me, evidently recalling our previous
encounter in the Forest of Cloud.
Raven and I had lain in wait where she was expected to meet the Limper and lead
him over to the Rebel side. The ambush was successful. Raven took the Limper. I
captured Whisper. Soulcatcher and the Lady came and finished up. Whisper became
the first new Taken since the Domination.
She winked.
Taut fabric smacked my butt. We went up fast.
Crossing the Plain of Fear
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