L. Modesitt - Mage-Guard of Hamor

"Never heard of it," murmured Shanyr.

Since Rahl had never heard of most of the hamlets and towns, he said nothing, just nodded and studied the road before them. There was.. something… ahead. After another kay, it was clear to Rahl that the road was rising to a pass in the rocky hills and that some sort of force was stationed there, although he could not sense what it was or exactly how many troopers there were. He also didn't like the vine-encrusted gullies and gulches that flanked the road ahead, even if he didn't sense any forces there.

"Shanyr, hold up here. I'm going back to talk to the captain."

"Yes, ser."

Rahl turned the gelding back along the road.

"You have that look, Majer," observed Drakeyt, as Rahl turned his mount in and rode up beside the captain.

Rahl made a mental note to practice cultivating a pleasant smile under all circumstances. "There's a force ahead. I can't tell how many yet, but they hold that pass in the hills there." He nodded toward the southwest.

"Do you think it could be more than we want to handle?"

"We probably need to find that out," Rahl said, "but I don't like the terrain ahead. Both sides of the road are filled with gullies and ravines. You can't see it from here, because of the trees and the vines and undergrowth."

"What do you suggest?"

"I'd halt the company here for a rest break and let me and the scouts and outriders go a bit farther up the road and see what I can find."

Drakeyt glanced to the side of the road. "It's pretty rugged here, too."

"Not nearly so rough as up there."

"You think we should move back down while you're checking them out?"

Rahl considered. "It might not be a bad idea."

Drakeyt nodded. "We'll take a quick break, then ride back at a leisurely pace until we've got some maneuvering room."

As he rode back to rejoin Shanyr, Rahl used his order-senses to study the terrain on both sides of the road more carefully. He had the vague feeling that there were areas just beyond the range of his ability that were similar to the marsh that held the stun-lizards. Were there more of them in the small pools and marshes bordering the road? Did they avoid the spots near the road, or had the road been built to avoid them? He almost shook his head. He didn't know that; he just had a feeling. Not for the first time, he wished that such feelings were more specific.

Shanyr was waiting, looking intently at Rahl as he neared the outrider. "What now, ser?"

"There's probably a rebel force up there near that gap in the hills. We're going to try to get close enough so that I can tell what we're facing. We'll try to signal the scouts to hold up for us."

"They're supposed to check back now and then." Again, Shanyr's tone expressed a certain doubt.

"Then they will," Rahl replied cheerfully.

Even so, Rahl and the outrider had ridden almost a third of a kay before they reached a straight enough stretch of the road for them to see the scouts. Then, Rahl had to wait until the scouts could see him and were actually looking back before he signaled for them to halt. They reined up, waiting for Rahl and Shanyr to cover the distance between them.

"Ser?" asked the older, as Rahl and Shanyr rode up.

"We've got a rebel force ahead. We'll ride a bit closer."

"Yes, ser."

Rahl didn't have to ride nearly so far as he thought he might. They had only covered about a kay when he began to sense the rebel force clearly. He reined up and signaled for the others to do so as well. Then he concentrated intently.

The rebels were riding downhill steadily and might already have been almost a kay north of the summit of the low gap in the hills and that much closer to Rahl. Third Company was facing more than a company of lancers, perhaps two companies. The feeling of their lances was especially vivid, but the lances did not seem at all enhanced by order or chaos. He still did not sense anyone on either side of the road, but his scanning of the terrain confirmed his earlier suspicions. They'd lose all too many men and mounts trying to evade that way.

"They've got two companies of lancers heading down toward us. It's time to head back." Rahl urged the gelding forward, then turned back downhill.

When the four riders finally neared the main body of Third Company, Drakeyt halted the company and rode back upslope to meet Rahl. The two officers eased their mounts away from the others.

"What did you find?" asked Drakeyt.

"Two companies of lancers moving down from the pass toward us."

"Two, and just lancers? Usually, they've got some mounted infantry as support."

"That's all so far." Rahl didn't care for what Drakeyt had said. "I think I need to head out back the way we came. If you're right, the sooner I find out, the better." He urged his mount along the right shoulder of the road, his boots brushing the tall undergrowth that had extended into the shoulder in some places.

Rahl had barely reached the end of fifth squad, which had been leading the withdrawal, when he began to sense more troopers ahead. He kept riding until he was clear of the column, then reined up. How had the rebels managed that, when he'd never sensed any of them, except the lancers? He shook his head.

"What is it?" asked Drakeyt, reining up beside Rahl.

"We've got riders moving up toward us."

"Frigging trap."

"It's worse than that," Rahl admitted. "They know you've got a mage-guard-or they've planned this assuming that you do."

"How can you tell that?"

"They stayed farther away than I can sense-except for the lancers up ahead. Now, they're moving in on all sides."

"How many?"

"I'd guess three companies… could be four. The lancers look to be two full companies."

"They're planning to charge us and throw us back onto their heavy infantry."

Rahl kept trying to sense the terrain before he finally replied. "We're still not clear of all of these gullies and gulches, but there's one flat area through the trees, just ahead to the right… just about a quarter kay ahead, and after about another quarter kay the land leads more to the east."

"Then, that's where they want us to go," said Drakeyt. "They know we wouldn't be foolish enough to ride up the road against two companies of lancers or get trapped between the two forces. There's probably a trap there or archers or something worse."

Rahl couldn't sense far enough to determine what lay farther along that supposed route of escape, but he didn't doubt what Drakeyt said. That also suggested that there was a mage-guard somewhere with the rebel forces. "The lancers aren't nearly so effective if they can't charge, are they?"

"No. That's why they need heavy infantry or archers or other support. They carry shortswords as well, though."

Rahl began to study the road itself. His eyes fell on the stream. Then he concentrated, trying to see if he could change the order-chaos composition of things just slightly. Abruptly, he nodded. It might work… if he could find the right place… and if he had enough strength and time.

"What do you suggest, Majer?"

"I'd like to try something," Rahl said. "Just a moment, if you would."

He rode farther north until he found a spot where the road dipped into a flat area, and where the undergrowth near the road was thick and the trees were close, but wide enough for mounts. Then he rode closer to the stream, checking until he found what he was looking for, just above the flat area.

After dismounting and tying the gelding to a bush, he eased down off the side of the road and began tossing stones from the riprap across the small stream until he had a crude dam. Much of the water still flowed through the stones, but he kept adding to the dam. Next he began to concentrate on a thin line that he visualized from the exposed side of the road under it, and then around, letting the line form a large oval. Absently, he rubbed his forehead, then scrambled back onto the road and remounted.