“At least we may get the chance to talk to Keeper Martin earlier than we planned…” she said.

 

But the opportunity never came. Captain Brodst and the others were in Duke Ispeth’s tent long after Adrina bedded down for the night. What they talked about during those many hours Adrina didn’t know, she only knew her hopes of talking to Keeper Martin had faded hour by hour.

 

With a new day came new hope. “Emel,” Adrina called out, flagging him down with her hands as he rode past. She attempted to make conversation with him but he cut her off and rode on ahead. It didn’t seem intentional, though, because he seemed worried about something. She thought it possibly related to the conversation the captain had had with the acting sergeant before they broke camp. She hadn’t been able to discern their whispers but the conversation had seemed rather one-sided, with Emel doing most of the listening.

 

Aggravated she wrapped the reins tight in her hands and spurred her mare on. “Oh no you don’t, Emel Brodstson!” she screamed after him.

 

Emel reined Ebony in and wheeled about to face Adrina. He didn’t say a word. He didn’t need to. His stare was angry and cold.

 

“Did I do something?” asked Adrina near tears.

 

Emel cast a glum stare toward the rear of the column. Adrina could only guess that it was directed at the captain. “I am sorry, Adrina,” he said, turning away and chiding Ebony into movement, “I tried, I really did.”

 

Adrina brought her mare along side Emel’s Ebony. “Slow down, talk to me.”

 

“My group has forward position throughout the morning.”

 

“Is that all that’s wrong? You don’t have to protect me at all times. I saw you relieve the central guard again last night. You can’t keep standing watch all night and riding all day. You’ll drop out of the saddle.”

 

“The Duchy of Ispeth is not all sweet-smelling orchards you know. At one time, this was swamp as far as the eye could see. That is, before Ispeth River and its tributaries dried up, or so it is said. The farther south you go, the wetter the climate becomes. In a few days, you’ll reach the swamps and if you’re lucky the company will skirt them, if you’re not you’ll take the Kingdom road through them.

 

“Since you have to keep pace with the column, it’ll take you a week to skirt the swamp. Or at the very least three days by the King’s road. Ebony and I cut through the Bottoms once. There are things in there without names, but they’ll try to take you just the same. They don’t call it the bottom of the world for nothing.

 

“Fog rolls in so thick by mid-afternoon that you can’t see your hand in front of your face. I dropped my torch, my torch, and nearly lost it. It was the longest twelve hours alone of my life. I nearly lost my wits. It’s a good thing Ebony was with me. Just before sunrise we went in, and an hour past sunset we came out.”

 

“There’s nothing that will get me,” said Adrina. A proud smile came to her lips. “I have Emel Brodstson to guard me.”

 

Emel’s next words were drowned out by the sounds of the column.

 

Adrina shrugged. “I can’t hear you.”

 

“I am to go south with the detachment to Quashan’,” said Emel, in a soft, sorrowful voice. Afterward he spurred Ebony on and didn’t look back.

 

Adrina returned to her place in the column. A dull pain in the pit of her stomach told her of emotions she sought to hold in. No tears ran down her cheeks, though several times she fought them back as they welled up in her eyes. Emel was the only one who shared her secret.

 

Anger and disillusionment found her. Hadn’t the lady in the forest said Emel was now a part of that secret? Didn’t that mean he should remain with her at least until they decided what to do? They hadn’t decided anything, except to talk to Keeper Martin, which they hadn’t been able to do.

 

She listened to the sound of hooves and heels for a long time afterward. Only the far off angry calls of birds from amidst the apple orchards aroused her to the world—apple pickers were chasing the birds from the trees.

 

As she turned to watch a flock of black birds rise from the trees, Adrina caught sight of Keeper Martin and Father Jacob returning from the rear of the column. Suddenly resolved to talk to the keeper, she slowed her mare and allowed them to overtake her. Determination in her eye, she said, “Beautiful day, Keeper Martin, Father Jacob. Keeper, what news of the dream message? We will reach the crossroads in a few hours.”

 

Gray-haired Martin grinned sheepishly. “I did not hold to my word did I, Young Highness. I am truly sorry. Duke Ispeth is both persistent and long-winded. He would have rambled on and on through the night if Captain Brodst hadn’t put an end to it when he did. And yes, Keeper Q’yer’s message arrived.”

 

Adrina flashed her eyes at the keeper. Well? They asked.

 

“Indeed,” said Martin, tugging on his unkempt beard and turning to Father Jacob.

 

Jacob who had been nibbling on an apple cast the core away. Adrina caught sight of the great swirling white circles that decorated the sleeves of his otherwise black robe. The circles that had once been bright white were now dull and dirty, coated with the dust of the road.

 

“I have given it much thought,” said the priest, pausing to sigh. “You are right. I can sense it too. It is all around us.”

 

“Then you have considered what we discussed?” asked Keeper Martin.

 

“I have, but I do not think this is the right time to discuss this.”

 

“Indeed,” said Martin, scratching at his beard again.

 

Adrina didn’t say a word. She hoped the two would forget she was even there.

 

“Please forgive us, dear,” said Martin turning to her. “Our thoughts are on other things at the moment. Perhaps it would be best if we talked later.”

 

“Then you will be continuing with us?”

 

The Lore Keeper turned to Father Jacob then said, “Yes, I believe I will.”

 

The column reached the East–West Road late in the day and here they stopped. The great road stood barren before them, its wide span thick with mud and seemingly sullen. There had been a settlement here once but all that remained were dilapidated and decaying buildings.

 

West along the sea lay the Barony of Klaive, across the swamps to the great sea lay the Twin Sonnets, the Free Cities of Mir and Veter. East, a long, long way along the great road lay the end of Great Kingdom and the beginning of the Western Territories. Here the land was shrouded in ancient woodlands, a forest as deep and rich as the whole of the Territories, Eastern and Western. Directly to their south lay South Province and its capital Quashan’. To the north, Imtal awaited their return.

 

From here, a small complement of ridesmen, two detachments and the acting sergeant at arms, Emel Brodstson, would continue south. The remainder of the great company would follow the gradual westward slope of the road for a few more hours.

 

Adrina watched as the detachment rode away to the south and she rode westward. Decidedly, she would miss Emel. She wanted to chase him down and wish him a safe journey or maybe mumble through an apology, but held back.

 

She would have continued riding west and never spoken the good-bye she was harboring if a few moments of hesitation hadn’t changed her mind—she did want to chase after him. She wrapped the leather straps tightly in her hands and pulled them sharply to one side to turn the mare quickly. A swift kick to the hindquarters sent the mount charging.

 

Not quite sure what she wanted to tell him, she was slow to call out to him.

 

“Emel, Emel!” she yelled.

 

She wanted to tell him that it wasn’t his fault. She wanted to tell him what she felt for him in her heart. She wanted to tell him that she would miss him. Yet as he turned to look at her, she found her tongue growing limp.

 

“Please give my regards to Prince Valam. Tell my brother I can’t wait until his visit next summer,” she said, saying what was safe and not what was in her heart.

 

Emel returned a pithy, acknowledging smile.