Valam waited patiently for Mikhal and Danyel’ to return with the scouting party. The group of riders, anticipated to be large, turned out to be only the small band that had been dispatched earlier and a large group of strayed horses. His eyes lit as he saw Mikhal and Danyel’ race their mounts toward the place where he waited. He did not waste any time with pleasantries and quickly invited the two to accompany him.
The three went to Valam’s quarters, where Teren yet waited without saying a word to anyone else. Teren listened intently as Valam spoke to the others, waiting for the correct time to speak his mind also.
“Prince Valam, if I may interrupt for a moment. You are missing the most important point. The four of us were given the gift of sight for a reason, a very specific reason. We merely saw you move through the steps. You must decide for yourself, but remember this in your decision. Choose your path with great care and follow it through to its completion.”
“I wish I knew for sure,” quietly whispered Valam. “I always pictured Captain Evgej and Seth at my side, no offense—”
“The future has many turnings. Perhaps it will be so. Perhaps we play a part in the paths of your future, or maybe we are your turning points in the path.”
“That is a curious statement, Brother Teren,” said Danyel’.
Two days passed and still Valam struggled with the choices in his mind. He knew not which direction to take. Thoughts of home appealed to him even though he knew the dangers that awaited him if he returned. This day weighed heavily on him. Teren returned to the plains, which were now completely buried beneath a very thick blanket of snow. Even the coastal areas received a fair amount.
The sky overhead promised that today would be clear and cloudless, and it was with a heavy heart that Valam returned to the affairs of the camp. The cold spell had left its mark on the camp, and supplies of wood for their fires were now depleted once again. They also had to face the fact that many months of cold might lay ahead, and the tents would not make this hardship any easier. They needed to find adequate shelter.
The small villages of the plains now lay deep in snow also, but the heart of the plain was not where they wished to go. The cold was just tolerable here; there it would be more than unbearable. They needed to find a better solution and soon. The cove where their ships were moored was suggested by Father Jacob, and Liyan also seemed to think this would be a good choice as it was partially sheltered from the winds and close enough that the move would not be excessively taxing.
The move began slowly and for a brief period it kept everyone occupied. Teren returned during the interim and took Danyel’ and Mikhal away with him. When the change of camps was completed, Valam came to the hard decision to use their remaining wagons as the source for their fires. He vowed even if they had to start burning the longboats they would always have a fire in each hearth through the cold nights.
Valam stood still, oblivious to the light drizzle falling around him. His thoughts were heavy and his mood decidedly stern. He muddled over words he must speak when he returned to where the others waited. Jacob called a second meeting to solve their current problems and to find insight on the direction they were moving. Inside, all sat waiting; even the seven lieutenants were present. Seth ventured out into the elements, finding Valam gazing fixedly at some distant point that was probably only known to Valam. Seth knew and understood Valam’s situation. He had discussed this at length with Liyan over the past several days, and he knew Valam actually didn’t have a choice to make but rather to accept.
Valam hadn’t even turned to acknowledge the presence beside him although he had noticed. His voice began softly, gaining volume only as it reached the final syllable. “—I must return to Leklorall and from there, perhaps home—”
“Yes, I know.”
“I wanted to tell you before I told the others.”
“You need not explain. I understand. I will miss you heartily.”
The two stood silent for a long time before they joined the others in the meeting. Father Jacob was pleased to see the two enter together. As Jacob took his place at the table, Valam looked to each face around the room, recalling the names of each as he did so. Brother Liyan had donned the gray of his office; Tsandra was arrayed in brown; even Seth, Valam noted for the first time, wore the red of his order; and Teren wore black.
Cagan was not in attendance, but Valam had not expected to see him here, with ships so close by. Stretched out in a line to the right of Captain Mikhal sat the seven lieutenants. Valam looked puzzled for a moment upon seeing two empty chairs in the far corner before he recalled who was not present.
He crossed to the head position without further delay. His mind stumbled and stuttered, as did his tongue, as he began to speak. “Father Jacob, Brother Liyan, Brother Seth—as all of you know, I have been quite pensive as of late. It is very difficult to hide the discontent of your heart. Oftentimes the facts speak for themselves, and as I have considered the many things that are ahead for all of us here, I have stumbled over a host of obstacles, which were mostly phantoms of my own creation. I soon realized I really only had one choice to make, and this did not come without the help of a very close friend—and just a few, short moments ago—”
“Storm approaching!” interrupted the page as he burst into the tent.
“Will we never get this meeting completed?” asked Jacob, raising his eyes, and speaking upward.
“Storm?”
“Yes, sir, a storm—”
“Shoo, shoo, go back to where you came from. Go on, Prince Valam, please finish. Wait, wait, wait, one minute there—pass the word to raise stocks high in case the snows are severe and to prepare for the cold—”
“Yes, sir—but begging your pardon, of course, you don’t understand.”
“And just what don’t I understand?” asked Jacob with more vehemence than he intended.
“Nothing, Father. May I return to my duties?”
“Yes, go!”
The page departed with an appearance of defeat on his face. Father Jacob shook his head and then reclaimed his seat. Valam hesitantly began again although he paused long to recall where he had left off. Now the import of what he had been carefully building up to seemed trivial, so he just came out and said what he intended to do.
“I must return to Leklorall, for only there, I believe, will I find the answers I seek. From there, I may perhaps find that I need to return to Great Kingdom.”
Surprised gasps issued from many, quickly followed by a loud murmuring. A few, like Father Jacob, had been expecting it, and the anxiety of waiting to actually hear it was finally released. Valam was most surprised by Teren’s response, which was disbelief. He had received a similar response from Mikhal, which he counted as disappointment.
“I will select a small group to accompany me, but I will only take those who willingly choose to return with me.”
“I do not think that will be a problem, your highness,” said Redcliff. Danyel’ immediately responded with a wide grimace and a sharp glare, forcing silence upon those around him. Valam started to speak again but stopped abruptly as Evgej entered.
“Didn’t the page reach you?”
“Yes, he did, and as a matter of fact, he just left. Don’t worry, captain, we are well prepared for the snow. We have already made provisions.”
“Snow? No, Prince Valam, the storm comes from the sea. Cagan is extremely worried.”
“This cove should harbor us from the worst. We will be safe.”
“I am not so sure. Perhaps you had better accompany me.”
Father Jacob stood with a pained look stretched across his features and approached. He spoke in low whispers to the two, carrying them off a short distance to the corner. When he finished, he excused himself from the meeting and accompanied Evgej outside, leaving Valam behind, very confused.
As Valam walked to the front of the table and stared into the eyes of those about him, worry and fear touched him. Jacob’s words played in his mind, “You must decide now,” he had said, “you must decide now or it will be too late.” Jacob already knew what the winds carried toward them.
“I think the time has come, the time when I must leave. I must return to Leklorall before the sun sets this day. There are powerful forces at work here both for and against us. Brother Teren, Brother Tsandra, I would have you accompany me if you would.”
Valam ignored the pointed remarks that jumped into his thoughts mid-stream and continued. “Brother Seth and Brother Liyan, I regret that I think your place is here for now. Lieutenant Eran, you think I don’t remember your name, but I do. Willam the Black, Pavil the Bearded, S’tryil, Son of Lord S’tryil of High Province, Ylsa, sister to Eran, and Tae, Master of Redcliff, your places are here, save you, S’tryil.”
Valam regarded S’tryil for a moment. “I shall need a new captain, and you shall be the one. Captain Mikhal and Lieutenant Danyel’ shall accompany me. Father Jacob and Evgej shall remain.”
S’tryil waited until it appeared that Valam was finished speaking before he responded. “I cannot accept the honor bestowed upon me. I request that you pass the rank of captain to Ylsa. She has already earned it.”
“Lieutenant Ylsa’s time will be soon; your time is now, Captain S’tryil. Take command of your men and follow Father Jacob’s instructions.”
Valam continued to ignore Teren and Tsandra’s remarks, which hit him full, even as he walked away. The wind outside, a strong breeze, immediately assaulted his senses, carrying with it sand and debris from around the camp. Valam had to shield his eyes with his arm to see clearly. He was amazed at the speed with which the storm raged towards them.
“Prince Valam, wait!” came the plea into his thoughts, even as he fought to seal them.
“I do not have time to waste! Tell the others to meet the long boat crew and go out to the flagship. She is Cagan’s favorite, or so I have heard.”
“They spoke nothing of Tsandra. Why is she—”
“Perhaps I have my own reasons. Now please hurry!” shouted Valam.
“Valam wait!”
The voice aloud caught Valam by surprise for an instant until he recognized it. “Yes, Captain Mikhal, take the lieutenant’s detachment to the flag ship. Cagan is already there.”
“But they are not—”
“Yes, I know,” replied Valam as he walked away.
“Yes,” returned Valam in thought as yet another voice disturbed him. Tsandra was quick to pick the thought from his center. “How many?” she asked. “The choice is yours,” he replied.
Valam was interrupted one more time on the way to his tent, but this intrusion did not bother him. He and Seth had been through a lot together and to part now when they had come so far seemed ironic. But sometimes, thought Valam, “Irony was truth.” And so when all preparations were made, he watched Cagan’s steady hand lead the ship into the tack, turning back only after great hesitation.
“Goodbye,” he whispered in his thoughts to Seth, Liyan and the others. “I have faith we will see each other again soon.”