Raymond Feist - Magician

‘That Rulf!’ Tomas turned toward the stable. ‘I’ll thrash him within an inch of death!’

Pug grabbed his friend’s arm. ‘Wait. We don’t have time for brawling.’

Tomas stood with fists clenched, then relaxed with a relieved sigh. ‘I’m in no condition for fighting, anyway.’ He turned to see Pug inspecting the horse.

Pug shook his head, then winced. ‘Me too.’ He finished inspecting the saddle and bridle, and the horse shied. Pug gentled the horse. ‘Rulf’s also given you a temperamental mount. This fellow would have probably thrown you before noon, and be halfway back to the stable before you hit the ground. With sore legs and shortened stirrup leathers, you never would have stood a chance. I’ll trade with you.’ Tomas looked relieved and struggled into the saddle of the other horse. Pug readjusted the stirrups for both riders. ‘We can swap our travel rolls when we take our noon meal.’ Pug then soothed the high-strung war-horse and climbed nimbly into the saddle. Feeling surer hands at the reins, and a firm leg on either side, the gelding quieted.

‘Ho! Martin,’ shouted Tomas as the Duke’s Huntmaster walked into view. ‘Are you traveling with us?’

A wry grin split the face of the hunter, who was wearing his heavy green cloak over his forester’s leathers. ‘For a short while, Tomas. I’m to lead some trackers around the boundaries of Crydee. I’ll be heading due eastward when we come to the south branch of the river. Two of my trackers were on their way an hour ago, breaking trail for the Duke.’

‘What do you think of this Tsurani business, Martin?’ Pug asked.

The still-youthful Huntmaster’s face clouded. ‘If elves are given to worry, there is something to worry over.’ He turned toward the front of the assembling line. ‘Excuse me, I must instruct my men.’ He left the boys sitting alone.

Pug asked Tomas, ‘How’s your head this morning?’

Tomas made a face. ‘About two sizes smaller than when I awoke.’ His face brightened a bit. ‘Still, the excitement seems to have stopped the banging inside. I feel almost good.’

Pug gazed at the keep. Memories of his encounter last night kept tugging at his mind, and suddenly he regretted the need to travel with the Duke.

Tomas noticed his friend’s pensive mood and said, ‘Why so glum? Aren’t you excited about going?’

‘It’s nothing. Just thinking.’

Tomas studied Pug for a moment. ‘I think I understand.’ With a deep sigh, he sat back in the saddle, and his horse stamped and nickered. ‘I, for one, am glad to be leaving. I think Neala has tumbled to that little matter we spoke of yesterday.’

Pug laughed. ‘That will teach you to be mindful of who you escort into pantries.’

Tomas smiled sheepishly.

The doors to the keep opened, and the Duke and Arutha came out, accompanied by Kulgan, Tully, Lyam, and Roland. Carline followed, with Lady Marna behind. The Duke and his companions made their way to the head of the column, but Carline hurried down to where Pug and Tomas sat. As she passed, guardsmen saluted her, but she paid them no heed. She reached Pug’s side, and when he bowed politely, she said, ‘Oh, get off that stupid horse.’

Pug climbed down, and Carline threw her arms around his neck, holding him closely for a moment. ‘Take care and stay well,’ she said. ‘Don’t let anything happen to you.’ She pulled away, then kissed him briefly. ‘And come home.’ Holding back tears, she hurried to the head of the line, where her father and brother waited to say good-bye.

Tomas let out a theatrical whoop and laughed, while Pug remounted; the soldiers nearby attempted to restrain their own amusement. ‘It seems the Princess has made plans for you, m’lord,’ Tomas gibed. He ducked as Pug stirred to give him a backhanded cuff. The motion caused his horse to start forward, and suddenly Tomas was fighting to bring his horse back into line. The horse seemed determined to go in any direction except the one Tomas wished; now it was Pug’s turn to laugh. He finally moved his own horse alongside Tomas’s and herded the fractious mare back into line. She flattened her ears and turned to nip at Pug’s horse, and the short boy said, ‘We both have accounts to settle with Rulf; he gave us two horses that don’t like each other, too. We’ll trade your mount off with one of the soldiers.’

With relief Tomas half dismounted, half fell to the ground, and Pug directed the exchange with a soldier down the line. The exchange was made, and as Tomas returned to his place, Roland came down to where they stood and offered them both his hand. ‘You two watch yourselves, now. There’s plenty of trouble waiting out there without your looking for it.’

They acknowledged they would, and Roland said to Pug, ‘I’ll keep an eye on things for you.’

Pug noticed his wry smile, glanced back to where Carline stood with her father, and said, ‘No doubt,’ then added, ‘Roland, whatever happens, good luck to you, too.’

Roland said, ‘Thank you. I’ll take that as it’s meant.’ To Tomas he said, ‘And things are certainly going to be dull without you around.’

Tomas said, ‘Given what’s going on, dull would be welcome.’

Roland said, ‘As long as it’s not too dull, right? Take good care! You’re a bothersome pair, but I’d hate to lose you.’

Tomas laughed as Roland walked off with a friendly wave. Watching the Squire go up to the Duke’s party, and seeing Carline standing next to her father, Pug turned to Tomas. ‘That decides it. I am glad to be going. I need a rest.’

Sergeant Gardan came riding back with orders to move the column, and they set off. The Duke and Arutha rode in the van, with Kulgan and Gardan behind. Martin Longbow and his trackers set off at a run beside the Duke’s horse. Twenty pair of mounted guards followed, with Tomas and Pug nestled between them and the baggage train at the rear with its five pair of guards. Slowly at first, then with increasing speed, they moved through the gates of the castle and down the south road.

They had been riding for three days, the last two through dense woodlands. Martin Longbow and his men had turned east that morning as they crossed the southern branch of the river Crydee, called river Boundary. It marked the border between Crydee and the Barony of Carse, one of Lord Borric’s vassal provinces.

The sudden snows of early winter had come and draped the autumn landscape in white. Many of the denizens of the forest had been caught unaware by the sudden winter, rabbits whose coats were still more brown than white, and ducks and geese who scampered across half-frozen ponds, resting as they migrated south. The snow fell in flurries of heavy wet flakes, melting slightly during the day, to refreeze at night, making a thin crust of ice. As the horses’ and mules’ hooves cracked through the ice, the crunching of leaves underneath could be heard in the still winter air.

In the afternoon Kulgan observed a flight of firedrakes circling in the distance, barely visible through the trees. The colorful beasts, red, gold, green, and blue in color, raced over the treetops and dipped out of sight, then reappeared as they spiraled upward, with cries and small bursts of flame. Kulgan reined in as the train passed and waited for Pug and Tomas to overtake him. When they were alongside, he pointed out the display, saying, ‘It has the appearance of a mating flight. See, the more aggressively the males act, the more responsive the females. Oh, I wish we had time to study this more closely.’

Pug followed the creatures with his eyes as they rode through a clearing, then, somewhat startled, said, ‘Kulgan, isn’t that Fantus there, hovering near the edge?’

Kulgan’s eyes widened. ‘By the gods! I think it is.’