Secrets and Guardians: Devious Intentions - H. Chambers (drm ebook reader TXT) 📗

With the help of her birds, they made good time. The roads going northwest across the country were often no more than dirt tracks. Some forked and headed back on themselves, others winded up steep hillsides, which weren't suitable for the wagon and cart. Through the eyes of her kestrels, Shade was able to find the best routes, they were taking her further north than she intended and straight to King Hylaw and his army, which she hadn't intended either. Ben Adhem believed Shade should talk to the King. Shade wasn't sure, after she had got the villagers to safety, she planned to go to Brinkton and kill Kerdred. The exact details of how she was going to achieve this had not yet formulated in her mind, but kill him she would. By the time they reached the valley where King Hylaw and his army were camped Ben Adhem had persuaded Shade to at least see what the King had planned.

It was obvious which tent was King Hylaw's, larger than the rest, surrounded by guards and a flag on the top. Shade looked at Ben Adhem and rolled her eyes.

'Now Shade, you have never met King Hylaw,' said Ben Adhem.

'Neither have you, but from what we've heard I'm not expecting to be impressed,' said Shade.

Shade and Ben Adhem walked towards the tent, leading one of the horses. The soldier guarding the entrance stepped forward and after a derisory glance at them, looked over at the wagons and the cart.

'There is an area further down the valley for the women, children and the old,' he said and stepped back.

'I wish to speak with the King,' said Shade flatly.

'Whatever your problem is, I am sure the man in charge of your area will be able to sort it out, now please be on your way,' said the soldier.

Shade looked at Ben Adhem. Ben Adhem looked at the soldier, poor man, he thought knowing what was coming.

'I am Kerdred's first wife, this is one of his horses I have another ten, along with swords and armour. The men who rode these horses are buried in a large grave next to our village, apart from one head which I left on a table with my name etched in the wood next to it. That makes my count in this war eleven, may I enquire as to how many of Kerdred's men you and your beloved King have killed so far?' Shade was about to go on, but someone spoke behind her.

'Sadie?'

Shade turned.

'Hello Haystack, I was just explaining to this young man here, that I wished to speak to the King, and my real name is Shade,' said Shade.

Haystack had heard what 'Sadie' had said about the horses and the men, he looked at her for a few moments.

'You really are Shade,' said Haystack, stunned.

'Move aside boy!' said Haystack.

'But...,' started the soldier.

'Move aside now, do you not realise who you are talking to?' interrupted Haystack.

'Look Haystack, my orders are...,' the soldier tried to say.

'Your orders! Hylaw! Get yourself out here now, before your guest is totally insulted,' shouted Haystack angrily.

Shade hadn't expected Haystack to even know her, never mind react this way.

'I am sorry Shade, had I realised who you were, I would never have tried to..., well you know,' said Haystack apologetically.

Shade remembered how Haystack had flirted unashamedly with her when she had been looking after him. It had been in good humour and had not been offensive, actually she had quite enjoyed his attention.

'Nothing you did caused any offence,' said Shade, still unsure as to why he was treating her with such reverence.

King Hylaw emerged from the tent.

'Haystack, you no good bellow squawker, what is it now?' demanded King Hylaw.

Haystack looked at Hylaw.

'Well?' asked the King looking at the woman and the old man in front of him and not seeing anything that would justify Haystack’s outburst.

Haystack had travelled far and wide, across Daranel, Korin and even for a time in Thantos and nearly everywhere he had listened to bards and minstrels in taverns, inns and around camp fires. The one song he never tired of hearing was the one about the beautiful young woman who was taken from her village, forced to marry a tyrant and rather than let her unborn child suffer at his hands, had thrown herself off his castle wall. The rest of the tale varied, some said a Nefkin tried to save her, others an angel, some even say the forest itself came to her rescue. But the end was always the same, the mysterious end, no trace had ever been found of either her or her child, despite the tyrant’s desperate searches. She had not known how much he loved her, he had not known himself until it was too late.

As Haystack stood next to Shade, his heart pounding, he wanted to ask so many questions, wanted to say so many things. Instead he simply said, 'My Lord, allow me to introduce Shade'.

'Shade?' asked King Hylaw, not wanting to appear stupid, but not sure why he should know her. Then realisation struck him.

'Not Shade as in Kerdred's Shade?' he said.

Ben Adhem prepared himself. Shade glared at the King. King Hylaw realised by Shade's reaction he had probably said the wrong thing.

'My Lady, your presence has caught me unprepared, I have heard the songs, so harrowing, grown men have cried,' King Hylaw glanced over at Haystack.

'No one knew what really happened after you entered the forest, most including myself thought you must have died. Please, will you do me the honour of joining me for some refreshments, I have many questions I would like to ask you,' said King Hylaw gesturing towards the tent.

Shade still felt annoyed, she didn't know what was sung about her, didn't want to relive what had happened to her all those years ago by answering King Hylaw's questions.

'I am not here to answer your questions. By now Kerdred will probably have received the head of Cayan and will know that I am alive and responsible for killing his men. Now your guard here has kindly informed me that the old, the young and the women have to go to an area at the back of your army. We will accept that hospitality for tonight, but tomorrow we will be leaving. I have no interest in your war, only in killing Kerdred,' said Shade and turned to go.

King Hylaw stood, not knowing quite what to say. Ben Adhem wasn't full of ideas either. Haystack however wasn't the least bit daunted by Shade’s anger.

'Killing Kerdred has now become my number one priority, not that I wish to deny you the pleasure of course. But as long as Kerdred lives, it would be inappropriate for me to swear my undying love for you,' said Haystack bending down on one knee before Shade.

'Is it your normal practice to kill the husbands of any married woman you fall in love with?' asked Ben Adhem.

'Shade is not any married woman,' said Haystack smiling wickedly up at Shade.

'Does this mean that the undying love you had for Bella, the dancer from the circus has died,' laughed King Hylaw.

'Bella?' Shade blurted out.

'I haven't said the wrong thing again have I?' sighed King Hylaw.

'Oh don't be jealous my love, I have only watched her from a distance...Shade are you alright?' said Haystack.

'Did she have a young girl with her?' asked Shade.

'I think it would be a good idea if we accepted King Hylaw's offer of refreshments, we seem to have a lot to talk about and I can't wait to hear about Cayan's demise,' said Haystack standing up and taking Shade’s arm.

Shade made it clear that she was only going to tell them what she thought they needed to know. No questions would be answered about her time in the forest. Before she began she insisted Haystack told her everything about Bella and the circus. Haystack recounted everything he could remember about the time he competed against Breaker in a show of strength and when he had watched the circus in Brinkton. He rightly suspected that she was mainly interested in the young girl with them, but he had only seen her talking to Darius and then skipping happily away. This seemed to satisfy Shade and she relaxed a bit. Shade then started her account the day after Kerdred invaded Brinkton. She had to reveal her ability to connect with birds and how through their eyes she had watched villages being torn apart. King Hylaw lowered his head as he listened, he was the King and so far he had done nothing to help them. Anger crept into Shade’s voice on a number of occasions and the King knew she felt him unworthy of his title. When she told them how she had poisoned the soldiers and slit Cayan’s throat when he insulted her, Hylaw was suitable impressed. Haystack just sat there, totally and utterly in love. Hylaw explained as much as he could about trying to get Kerdred to leave Brinkton and fight on open ground. Many of her questions he couldn’t or wouldn’t answer but by the time the talking was done she did understand better the position King Hylaw had found himself in. She agreed to go to Riftdale with them.