“I can’t leave Freya,” he said. “Holding her as he’s done, in my mind he’s lost all claim to her.”
“There are always soldiers at the manor,” cautioned Chad’s father. “You’ll never get in.”
As Riyan was about to reply, Kevik entered through the door with staff in hand. He saw Riyan next to a woman to whom he bore a striking resemblance. “Your mother I presume?” he asked.
Riyan nodded. “Mother, this is Kevik,” he introduced him. “He’s a magic user of great power, and has been an ally through many adventures.”
“A pleasure madam,” Kevik said, giving her a slight bow. “Riyan has spoken often of you.” Then he was introduced to Chad’s family.
Once the introductions were completed, Riyan turned to Chad’s father. “The south ford is passable,” he stated. “We just went through it. Lead them there and wait for us.” To his mother he added, “We’re going to rescue Freya and then will meet you at the river.”
“But Riyan…” she began to object then stopped.
Riyan took his mother by the hand. “I know,” he said. “But this is something I have to do.” Then to Raestin, “Can you and your guards see them safely to the ford?”
Raestin nodded and smiled. “I’d give my life for your mother,” he said with complete conviction. He turned his eyes to Kaitlyn and there was no denying the emotion behind them.
“Alright then,” he said. “We’ll get Freya and meet you there.”
“Kevik…” he started to say then saw that he had the far away look he always gets when speaking through the ring. Motioning for the others to remain quiet, they waited half a minute before he came back to them.
“Bart says another five men are on the way,” he explained. “They’re up the road and look to be headed here. He wants to know if you can get away in time or should they take them out.”
Eryl came in through the door and said, “The horses are saddled.”
Riyan nodded. Then to Kevik, “Tell him we’re leaving now.”
Nodding, the far away look returned as he relayed the message. “He said it’s too late, we’ll never make it,” Kevik explained when he came back to himself. “Bart’s taking care of it.”
“Understood,” replied Riyan. Then to the others in the room, he said, “We have to leave. Make your way to the ford and wait for us.” Turning to Raestin, he added, “If trouble develops, get my mother away.”
“I will,” he agreed. “You just be careful.”
Riyan grinned. “This isn’t by far the worst we’ve seen since first setting off on this journey,” he replied.
His mother wrapped him in another hug. “You’ve grown so much since I last saw you,” she said. With tears in her eyes, she said, “Your father would have been so very proud of you.”
Returning her hug, words escaped him as emotions once again welled up. “Stay with Raestin,” he managed to get out. “He seems a good man.”
“He is,” she replied.
Breaking the embrace, she walked out with him through the door. Off to one side, Paul and his guards were already mounted and waiting. The Kelon’s horses were saddled as well.
Bart, Chyfe, and the twins were still out by the main road. Once the five approaching men had been dealt with, they would stay there until Riyan, Chad, and Kevik joined them.
“No Eryl,” Chad said. “You must stay with mother and father.” His younger brother was standing next to him by his horse, pleading to be allowed to come along.
“But I can be of help!” he said.
“I understand how you feel,” replied Chad. He then directed Eryl’s attention over to where their mother was being assisted onto a horse by their father. “She’s afraid. All that we’ve known is gone.” Laying a hand on his brother’s shoulder, he said, “She needs you now more than ever.”
“But…” Eryl looked into his brother’s eyes and saw it was no use.
“Take care of them for me should I not come back,” he said.
“What?” exclaimed Eryl. “Don’t talk that way.”
Chad swung up in the saddle. “I’ll see you at the ford,” he said.
About that time, their father came to them. He stood there a moment looking at his son. In the shadows of the night, it was difficult for Chad to see what he was thinking. Reaching his hand out, his father said, “Good luck Chad.”
Chad took the hand, and it seemed as if every wedge that had unknowingly been between them, disappeared in that moment. “Thank you father,” he replied.
“Come along Eryl,” their father said. “Your brother has work to do.”
As Eryl walked away with their father he said to his brother, “You’ll be back! I know it!”
“Come on,” Riyan said. Already having said all the goodbyes he intended, he turned toward the lane leading from the Kelon home to the main road. Kevik and Chad nudged their horses into motion and followed.
Riyan glanced to his friend and could see a smile on his face. When Chad caught him looking his way, he grinned even more and nodded.
Behind them, Raestin soon had his group mounted. With Chad’s father in the lead, they headed off through the woods toward the south ford.
“I was surprised my father shook my hand,” Chad admitted as they rode down the lane.
“Why is that?” questioned Kevik.
“Well, we didn’t exactly part on the best of terms the last time we saw one another,” he explained.
Riyan saw the puzzled look on Kevik’s face and said, “The grinding stone incident.”
“Oh yes,” replied Kevik. He’d heard that story a dozen times if he’d heard it once.
“It was good to see my mother too,” stated Riyan. “I didn’t much care for the idea of Raestin seeing her at first, but he certainly seems to care for her. Couldn’t ask for more I suppose.”
Conversation ceased when shadows were seen moving up ahead. Coming to a stop, Riyan was about to turn off the lane when Bart said, “It’s us.”
They resumed moving forward and were soon joined by Bart and Chyfe. “Where are the twins?” asked Chad.
Bart pointed further ahead. “They’re taking care of the bodies,” he explained.
“Bodies?” asked Kevik. “You mean you killed those five men?”
“Didn’t have much of a choice,” he replied.
“Bunch of swine anyway,” interjected Chyfe. “Though they wore the uniforms of the Duke, they were filthy and crude. How could the Duke have such men in his service?”
“I don’t know,” replied Riyan. “But if we don’t stop killing his men, he’ll come after us. We can’t afford that.” He could see that neither Chyfe nor Bart felt any remorse about the death of those men.
Bart and Chyfe walked with them back to where the twins were now waiting with the horses. “Everything go alright?” Seth asked once they arrived.
Riyan nodded. “They’ll be waiting for us back at the ford,” he explained.
“Okay then,” replied Seth. Swinging into the saddle, he and his brother waited for Bart and Chyfe to mount. Then, with Riyan and Bart in the lead, they began making their way to the Magistrate’s manor to affect the rescue of Freya.
By working their way along the outskirts of Quillim, they came to within half a mile of the manor house without being seen. Once there, they dismounted and hid their horses in a stand of trees, deep in the shadows. The rest of the way, they would have to make on foot.
Soon, the lights of the manor house began appearing through the trees. Bart had the others stay back while he went forward alone to reconnoiter.
The last time he was here, he and Chad were planting incriminating evidence to make Rupert’s life hell. However, now thinking on the problems that followed, perhaps it hadn’t been the best laid plan. Grinning to himself, he couldn’t help but think that it had been fun.
At the edge of the trees on the border of the Magistrate’s manor, he came to a stop. From there, he observed the front and side of the house. Two soldiers were walking the grounds. After watching them for a minute, Bart determined they were making circuits around the manor, each being on the opposite side from the other. Other than the two soldiers, there didn’t appear to be any other sentries.
The house was illuminated brilliantly. Most of the windows on the ground floor were exuding light, as were three on the second floor. One of the windows having light at the back of the house was where he figured Freya to be.