Bleda sat and chewed on some flatbread and cold lamb. To the south mountains reared, to the north, the trees of Forn Forest. They were camped upon the banks of a river, in a wide valley that cut through those mountains.
Dawn’s glow was beginning to seep into the world, pushing the darkness back.
He was up first every morning, liked this time to sit in silence and think on the coming day.
“More?” Ruga asked, using her knife to cut slices of meat. She was his constant shadow.
Bleda shook his head, too full of what the next days might bring.
Ripa. Battle. Riv. Will she be there? Does she even still live?
A tremor in the ground and Raina joined them with a large black pot in her hands. She set it upon the stone next to Ruga’s lamb, then saw that the fire-pit had burned out. Reaching down to a pouch at her belt, she pulled out a small jar. A foul smell like curdled cream hit Bleda as Raina wiggled open a wooden stopper. The giant carefully took a pinch of powder from the jar and sprinkled it onto the dead embers in the fire-pit. She stoppered the jar, put it back in her pouch, then took a water skin and washed her hands clean. Finally, she drew a striking iron and kindling stone from her pouch, struck some sparks that went scattering over the embers and powder.
There was a whoosh and blue flames burst into life, filling the fire-pit.
Raina gave a contented grunt, stirred her pot with a wooden spoon, then sat beside Bleda.
“What is that?” Bleda asked, staring at the blue flames.
“Giant’s fire,” Raina said with a shrug.
“I’ve heard of it,” Bleda said. “I thought it was like oil.”
“No.” Raina smiled. “It is this powder. You can add it to anything, oil, water, wood—it will make everything burn, and a little goes a long way.”
“I can see that,” Bleda said, looking at how the whole fire-pit was crackling with blue flame. Raina stirred her pot again.
“You’re an early one.” She grunted, rubbing her head, stubble scraping.
“Aye,” Bleda said. “Tell me again, where are we?”
“Those mountains are the Agullas.” Raina pointed. “And the land we are moving into was once known as the realm of Tenebral. Now it is just one more province in the Land of the Faithful.”
“Not for much longer,” Bleda said. “Win or lose this war, the world will change. Kol and his Ben-Elim will not rule.”
“Will they not?” Raina said, raising an eyebrow. “I can’t see the Ben-Elim relinquishing their power so easily.”
“They won’t have a choice,” Bleda said.
Raina shrugged. “I hope you are right.”
There was a flapping and cawing above them and a crow spiralled out of the sky.
“RAINA, RAINA!” it called, getting closer and bigger, setting dust swirling as it landed in the grass.
“Durl found Raina,” the crow squawked.
“Durl,” Raina said, a smile on her face. “I was wondering when you’d finally find me.”
“Well met, Durl,” Bleda said to the crow. “I told Raina you were looking for her.” He reached for some lamb and tore a shred off, throwing it to the crow, who caught it in his big black beak and swallowed it whole.
“Tain say hello,” Durl said, hopping from foot to foot. “Alcyon say they need you. War. Asroth. BAD MEN!”
“I am already going to them,” Raina said.
Durl cocked his head to one side, regarding Raina with one eye.
“Truth?” the bird croaked.
“Aye, truth,” Raina said.
“Alcyon say he miss you.”
Raina paused, looked away.
“I have missed him, too,” she murmured. “You can help us find them,” she said, louder. “Bleda here says that the Order of the Bright Star are marching to Ripa, to join with those who stand against Asroth. You could fly there and find out if they are there yet.”
“Durl fly to Balara,” the crow said. “Durl’s friends at Balara.”
“That’s close enough,” Raina said.
“Durl hungry, thirsty, tired. Rest first. Been looking everywhere for you.”
“Of course,” Raina said. She stirred the pot. “Break your fast with us. Meat or brot?”
Durl hopped closer, eyeing the food.
“Both,” he squawked.
Raina scooped a spoonful of the porridge-like substance into a bowl.
Bleda tore off more strips of lamb and threw them at the crow’s feet. Around them the camp was coming to life, giants and Sirak emerging from tents, setting about the process of breaking camp.
We shall be gone soon. Bleda looked to the east, wondering how far behind them Jin was. She was still following them. Seven days had passed since Bleda had seen the dust cloud of her host at the Tethys Pass, and it had followed them steadily southwards. With the extra horses that Bleda had captured, his warband had moved faster, and he had been stunned that he had not needed to slow down for the giants. They had run at a steady, ground-eating pace. Jin had followed them, but not gained. He judged she was a day and a half behind them.
“How long since you last saw Alcyon?” Bleda said to Raina.
“Thirty years,” Raina said.
Bleda blinked. “That is a long time. Why?” he asked.
Raina slowly looked at him.
“I love someone,” Bleda said. “I have been parted from her, and it hurts, like a physical pain. I cannot imagine being parted for so long.”
Raina blew out a long breath.
“My apologies,” Bleda said, “I should not have pried.”
“You are honest,” Raina said. “There is a sincerity about you that I like. And we are allies, so perhaps a little truth does not hurt.”
She gave a sigh. “Many, many years ago, our Clan, the Kurgan, were attacked,” she said. “I and my son were taken prisoner, and Alcyon was forced into slavery to a Kadoshim lord. The rest of our Clan were scattered. Years passed.” She paused. “And then two good men set us free,” Raina continued. “Maquin and Veradis were their names. And as we emerged into the world again the Long War was happening. Coming to its end, we thought, at Drassil.”
“The Day of Wrath?” Bleda asked.
“Aye, that is what it came to be called. We fought alongside Ethlinn. She united the giant Clans. Benothi, Kurgan, Jotun, we all fought against the Kadoshim and the Black Sun. And we won. But the war was not over. Kadoshim fled the battleground, hid, and then fought again. Dun Seren was built, the Order of the Bright Star established. But all the while, my heart was drawing me back to Arcona, to search for my people. Alcyon came with me, but eventually he wanted to stop, said that Ethlinn needed us. That the Kadoshim were a danger that we could not turn our backs on. I did not want to go, still believed there was hope of finding our people.” She shrugged. “Alcyon left.”
“And you stayed, and you found them.”
“I did,” Raina said. “I asked them to come back with me to Ethlinn, but they would not. They felt safe, in their caves in the dark. They would be staying, still, if not for the Shekam, and for you.”
“Me?” Bleda said.
“It was the words you spoke the night we found you. About standing against the Kadoshim. About standing against evil. They struck a chord in Ukran’s heart.”
She looked at him and spread her hands wide. “And now I am travelling with you and my Clan. Going back to Alcyon, and to war.”
The sound of hooves and jangle of harness. Bleda looked up to see Ellac leading Bleda’s horse to him, saddled and harnessed.
Time to ride.
“Aye,” Bleda said, standing and thinking of Gulla and Jin, and of Riv. He reached for his weapons-belt and buckled it about his waist. “To war.”