Chapter 15

Chapter 15: Rivers of Memory

 

 

As the sun slowly sank on the horizon, casting its burning colors across the clouded sky, the small group of travelers hunkered down for the night. The rain had finally let up as they had crossed the border between the Plain and Karpel. The tiny dirt path they had been following since they left the main highway apparently was hardly used; they hadn’t met a single soul since leaving the previous village.

Kailah wrapped her blanket more snugly about her shoulders as Don got the fire going. Despite the relative warmth of the morning the temperature was dropping rapidly the further the sun sank below the horizon. Just as its final rays disappeared the larger of the two moons shone through a break in the clouds.

“How long do you think it’ll take us to get to the Southland’s compound?” Kailah asked Cameron as he sat down next to her, “I’m a little worried about Councilman Gin’s letter.”

Cameron shrugged his knowledge, poking the fire with a stick, “If the weather keeps up, and we avoid bandits and other distractions, about a week.”

“If we’re extremely lucky.” Don piped in from across the fire, “So far that doesn’t seem to be the case.”

Kailah sighed, her demeanor saddening slightly. Cameron nudged her shoulder, “Hey, it’ll be alright. One thing I do know is Esma will definitely keep Chelry out of trouble.”

“How did you and Chelry meet?” Kailah smiled softly tucking her hair behind her right ear, “I know you’ve known them awhile, but not any details.”

Cameron grinned at Don, chuckling, “Well, Chelry and I grew up in the orphanage together; we kept in touch after he joined the Casters, and I met Esma after I joined the Swords. I was about thirteen when she royally kicked my butt.”

“What do you mean?” Kailah asked confused as Don grinned.

“Well, know it all that I was, I challenged her when she enrolled. Thought I could take the scrawny elf girl. The other boys put me up to it,” Cam glared across the fire at Don, “she wiped the floor with me.”

Don nodded, “And then all the rest of the recruits in the room after that.”

“How old is she?” Kailah asked after she finished laughing, “I’ve never had the nerve to ask her.”

“She’s twenty-seven, though she looks about sixteen.” Cam smiled shaking his head in amazement.

Kailah laughed, “So is she the only woman you’re scared of?”

Cam barked out a laugh, “Women in general scare me. But Esma’s not a woman; she’s a compact siege engine.”

“Indeed,” Don chimed in, “ask any of the squad and they’ll tell you the same, though, maybe not Yorrie or Itsui.”

Kailah narrowed her eyes confused, “The squad?”

“Oh, you haven’t met them,” Cameron realized, “the squad Don is referring to is the squad Skiff is in command of. The one I use to belong to before I joined with Shalia.”

“Ah, ok.” Kailah smiled, “I knew Skiff had a command, but I didn’t know you had been a part of it.”

Cameron nodded, “I was, when Shalia had died and Maltoris grounded me, he put me under Skiff’s command again. Thought he would keep me out of trouble.”

“For the most part I did.” Skiff interjected from his position of watch a little way from the fire, “Not as easy as it sounds, as I’m sure you well know, Kailah.”

Kailah laughed as Cameron protested, “Hey! I’m not that difficult.”

“Mmhmm.” Skiff replied noncommittally, “If that’s what you want to believe.”

Cameron flipped his hand in dismissal in Skiff’s direction, “How’s the prep for the tournament going?”

“We’ll get into the finals for sure.” Don grinned, “I heard a rumor their lifting the ban on Attached Swords.”

“Sorry,” Kailah interrupted, “what Tournament?”

Don threw some more logs on the fire as Cameron answered her, “The Grand Sword Tournament. The one held every year between the twelve districts, surely even as a Caster you know of it?”

Kailah shook her head apologetically, “Sorry, I was kind of sheltered in the Compound.”

“Oh,” Cameron raised his eyebrows in surprise, “not even when you were younger, your parents never took you to a Tournament?”

Kailah smiled sadly at him, “No, they didn’t.”

As she stood Cameron watched her walk to the horses confused by the sudden change in her mood. From his perch leaning against a boulder Skiff shook his head.

 

Cameron sighed, mentally cursing the mugginess of spring in the district of Karpel. Slapping another mosquito into oblivion he stole a glance at Kailah. She hadn’t said two words to him outside of asking basic questions about their surroundings since he had mentioned her parents two days ago. Pursing his lips he scratched his beard, being on the road none of them had been able to properly groom themselves.

“Hold.” Skiff called from a few feet in front of them, “Cameron, come.”

He rode forward without waiting for a reply; Cam glanced back at Don who kicked his horse nearer Kailah’s. Nodding at him Cam kicked his horse after Skiff. The air had a strange feel to it as Cam’s horse climbed the hill to where Skiff waited at the top, pulling his horse to a stop Cam understood why.

Below them nestled in a small valley caused by the surrounding hills was the village on Skiff’s map, or at least the remains of it. Cameron’s skinned crawled at the sight of the Chaos Zone that took up three-quarters of the village. The houses that hadn’t been swallowed were decayed, abandoned for years it seemed.

“See any sign of survivors?” Skiff’s matter of fact tone brought Cameron out of his brooding thoughts, “Judging by the state of the outlying structures I highly doubt it.”

"Do you want us to take a look?" Cameron asked silently hoping Skiff would say no.

As the silence echoed around them, Skiff's stoic face gave Cameron no hint of his decision. Cameron glanced behind them to where Don and Kailah waited at the bottom of the hill. They seemed to be discussing something, Kailah glanced at him and smirked then turned her attention back to Don.

"No," Skiff's sudden answer brought Cameron sharply back to the issue at hand, "we'll inform the authorities when we reach the Karpel Compound."

Cameron nodded in understanding as he pulled his horse around to follow Skiff back down the hill. When they approached Kailah was giggling with Don grinning like a Cheshire cat.

"What's so funny?" Cameron narrowed his eyes in suspicion as Kailah's giggles intensified when she looked at him, "What did you tell her?"

Don shrugged his shoulders feigning innocence, "I have no idea what you could mean by that Cameron."

"Sure you don't." Cameron growled flicking his eyes from one conspiratorial smile to the other, "And I'm the emperor."

Before Don could retort Skiff interjected, "Enough, we have miles to go yet and the sun doesn't seem inclined to wait on us."

Without further comment nor waiting to see if they followed, Skiff kicked his horse into motion. Cameron glared one last time at Don's smiling face then set off after his captain, leaving the desolated village behind them.

 

Cameron sighed in relief when the trade route came into view. He hadn’t realized he’d been holding his breath since they had left the desolated village three days ago, waiting for ambush or worse.

At the sight of the well-traveled road Skiff kicked his horse into a faster trot. The others followed suit and soon all four of them were kicking up dust as they raced further south. Don grinned at Cameron as he passed, his spikey black hair pressed back from the wind.

“Oh no you don’t.” Cam growled as he grinned, kicking his horse to catch up with Don.

The two of them pulled away from Skiff and Kailah racing ahead. Cameron gripped the reins of his horse with both hands silently urging the beast faster. Don glanced back at him over his shoulder, startled to see how close Cam had caught up.

A bend in the road came at them fast and both of them rode the curve with hair’s breadth precision. Off in the distance they could see a village, before it was a small creek with a bridge. Without verbal agreement both of them tore off for the bridge.

Children from the village sat on the fences and laughed, cheering the two racers on. They’re dirt smudged faces blurred past the two racers, their cheers drowned by the wind rushing past their ears.

Cameron grinned as his horse slowly overtook Don’s and finally passed him. As the bridge neared he felt the elation rise in his chest. The bridge was so close, thirty, twenty feet.

Out of nowhere Kailah flew past on her black mare, overtaking both Don and Cam. Her black hair had come loose and was whipping behind her. She smiled at them as she past, her red eyes laughing. Kailah crossed the bridge a good five feet before Cameron and Don.

The few villagers that had seen their race clapped and cheered Kailah’s victory. The children had jumped down from the fence and run to greet them. Cameron shook his head as Kailah grinned in his direction, somehow he couldn’t help but grin back.

“Well that was quite something.” An elderly man commented as Kailah dismounted, “Where you folks from?”

“Kalm,” Cameron replied glancing back down the road to check Skiff’s progress, “we’re passing through on assignment to Southlands.”

The elder nodded sagely, “Make a habit of racing down trade routes in Kalm, do ye?”

Cameron snapped his mouth shut feeling very much the scolded child as Skiff rode up behind them. The elder winked at Cam as Skiff dismounted and strode over to them.

“Take it ye’re the leader?” The elder narrowed his brown eyes at Skiff’s uniform and sword.

Skiff nodded curtly, “Aye, Captain Skiff Wraithorn. We’re on assignment from Councilman Maltoris, on the way here we passed a village that had been swallowed by a Zone.”

The elder’s nod cut off further explanation, “Aye, we’ve known for some time. Young Franmish is from there,” The elder’s weathered face softened slightly as he looked at the boy, “he and his family moved here ‘bout a year ago, they were one of the last families to leave.”

“I assume the Compound knows then,” Skiff nodded, “we need some supplies if there is ample here.”

The elder shrugged as the children ran off after the excitement of the race ebbed, “There be some if ye have coin or trade for it.”

Skiff turned to Cameron, “Go to the tavern, rest there till I get our supplies.”

Cameron nodded, taking the reins of his horse he led Don and Kailah further into the village after the elder gave them directions. Feeling eyes on his back, Cameron discretely glanced over his shoulder to see a man leaning against a post staring in his direction. The shadow cast by the man’s hood from the bright sunlight effectively hid his facial features from Cameron, the only visible part his mouth and chin. The man noticed Cameron looking in his direction, smiled, and then sauntered off as if it was common courtesy to stare at strangers.

 Shaking his head Cameron led the way to the tavern, Don and Kailah oblivious to the event just now. As they neared the tavern Cam’s subconscious tugged at his attention, recalling a familiarity of the way the man had smiled at him.

The three of them hitched their horses to the post after they arrived at the tavern. The village was quite productive being situated along the main trade route between Central and Karpel. The Karpel Mountains loomed majestically to the west of the village, still capped with snow from the winter, a stark contrast to the fresh green leaves around them.

Stepping through the door of the tavern Cameron had to pause to let his eyes adjust from the bright sun to the dim common room. After he could finally see again he surveyed the room out of habit. The room was considerably vacant; Cam guessed it was due to the time of morning, most of the villagers would be about their livelihoods.

“Want anything?” Don asked the two of them as they sat down at a table, “Though, I might have to actually go get it.”

Don’s voice trailed off as he scanned the empty room for any sign of a barmaid or life in general. Pursing his lips he shrugged turning back to Cam and Kailah. Cameron shook his head glancing towards a doorway he figured led to the kitchens.

He pointed the door out, “Maybe try there?”

Taking one last look around the room Don nodded and left the two of them sitting at the table. Cameron watched him walk through the door calling out if anyone was there. As the door shut behind him Kailah let out a long sigh, leaning back in her chair and stretching.

“You alright?” Cameron looked at her with polite concern.

She smiled at him, “Yeah, just worn out. From the trip here, not the smoking both your butts in the race, that was fairly easy.”

“Awe, come on!” Cameron sighed in exasperation, “You cheated, somehow, you used your magic to cheat.”

“What a sore loser, just admit it,” Kailah laughed leaning her elbows on the table and pointing at him, “I won fair and square, I’m just a better rider than you.”

“Whatever.” Cameron scoffed grinning at her, “If we had a rematch I’d beat you out the saddle.”

Kailah narrowed her eyes at him, “Uh-huh, I’d love to see you try.”

Cameron rolled his eyes as he leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms. Kailah laughed at his mock pout, flipping her long hair over her shoulder. She set her chin on the backs of her interlaced fingers, looking at him in amusement. A smile slowly blossomed on Cameron’s lips the longer he looked into her red eyes.

“What?” Kailah asked him softly, “Something wrong?”

Cameron shook his head, “Nothing, just glad you’re not ignoring me anymore.”

“What do you mean?” Confusion furrowed her brow as she tilted her head to the left, “I was ignoring you?”

Shrugging Cameron uncrossed his arms and leaned forward onto the table, “You haven’t really said much to me since we talked about the tournament.”

Understanding slowly lit her face as he continued, “I’m guessing I stuck my foot in my mouth some kind of way when I mentioned your parents. Whatever it was I said to upset you, you have to know I didn’t mea-“

“No,” Kailah held up her hand interrupting him, with a soft smile she gently touched his arm, “don’t apologize. You couldn’t have known, and it was rude of me to treat you that way without proper cause.”

Cameron nodded slowly, “I’m guessing from what you had said that your parents

are-“

Kailah nodded her demeanor saddening slightly, “Dead. My parents died when I was very young, in a Beast attack, that’s where I got the scar on my back, or so I was told. I didn’t have any other family, and there was nothing left of my village.”

She paused for a second pursing her lips in thought, her eyes distant as she stared at the old wood of the table. Cameron waited patiently for her continue, from her taut jaw he guessed this was difficult for her to talk about.

 Taking a breath she continued in a matter of fact tone, “I was taken into the Compound in the Southlands when it was discovered I had magic at three and never made any friends while I was there.”

“Really? Chelry said he had lots of friends in the Compound in The Plain. Is each Compound different?” Curiosity getting the better of him.

Kailah shrugged, “I guess, the only ones I was in were the ones in Southlands, Draggus and then Kalm where I joined with you.”

At Cameron’s raised eyebrows she elaborated, “I was sent to Draggus when it was discovered I could cast all the elements at the age of eighteen.”

 “I thought you could cast them since you were born?” Cameron narrowed his eyes confused, “If you couldn’t till eighteen, why hadn’t you attached before, us?”

Kailah shook her head smirking, “Nah, it wasn’t till eighteen for all of them, I was able to cast two when I was seven, three at fourteen. The Councilman of Southlands at the time didn’t put me in any joining, I didn’t need to attach after I started casting two elements so they put me in Council training. When Councilman Gaven retired and Gin took over I was transferred under Jorvis, then…”

Kailah paused and clenched her jaw in aggravation, “Then Surkaust tried to get me under his control after I started casting three.”

Cameron waited for her to continue, after a few moments she looked up at him, “Surkaust would send me gifts trying to sweeten up to me to join him. He saw my power as a way to enhance his own political position; he wanted to groom me as his apprentice.”

Tears of anger welled in her eyes and Cameron felt his blood rush at the sight of them, “He visited me all the time while I was staying in the Compound. He wouldn’t leave me alone. Sometimes he-“ Kailah paused, the memories choking her, “Blood Casters can do things to make your body…respond…in certain ways…”

“After four years of it I got Jorvis to transfer me to Kalm after I quit the training.” She smiled softly at him, “Three months later I joined with you.”

Cameron sighed raising his eyebrows, “That’s intense.”

“Yeah,” Kailah laughed, “just a little.”

Her laughter subsided, her mood somewhat in better spirits as she smiled at him, “Well now you know the story of little orphan Kailah Malavander.”

Smiling softly at her Cameron gently touched her cheek with his fingers, “Well, you’re not an orphan anymore.”

He meant it as a friendly reassurance but as his fingers lingered on her skin the world faded from existence, his mind zeroing in on the warmth under his touch. Her red eyes looked deep into his ice blue, trusting him completely. Both of them leaned forward, caught in the moment, their lips inches from each other. Closing his eyes he breathed in her scent, she smelled of flowers and spice, intoxicating.

“Finally!”

Both of them jumped back from Don’s sudden return through the door. He had kicked it open, his hands full with three pitchers of what looked like ale. He walked over to them dodging tables on his way.

“Took forever,” Don sighed setting his burden down on the table, “finally found the owner, he was out back chopping wood.”

Looking back and forth between the two of them he furrowed his brow, “Why are you two blushing?”

Reviews

[Wolven]

Intriguing. Firstly, I love Skiff's second name. I haven't really noticed it til' now, but 'Wraithorn' is pretty awesome sounding. Having read the previous draft, I know the vast majority of Kailah's history with Surkaust, but I find the new additions to be intriguing, like the political battles taking place and Surkaust's part of it. Also, the fact that Kailah does not go into much detail about what Blood Casters can do creates a great sense of tension and wonder about the subject, but also a great deal of hatred towards Surkaust, whom we know by now to be not a terribly likeable character.
The inserts about how Don and co. came to know Esma I think is quite good. Up until now, no-one really knew what the craic was with them, so that's good.
Furthermore, I find that your writing style seems considerably more mature, which is great. It means you're improving.
As always your use comic relief is excellent (Don's timing is as sterling as ever). The Race was good fun to read. One last little thing is the Title of the chapter. Its an excellent choice, because it gives subtle hints as to what the chapter might contain. (As a suggestion, it can sometimes be fun to give a misleading title to a chapter, hinting at one thing, but instead going for something people do not quite expect)
Good stuff as always dreamer. :)

[Dreamer]

thanks wolven!
yeah Skiff's name wasn't mentioned at all before now, cause i just realized he needed one >.> so i fixed it in earlier chapter when he was introduced for the first time, same with Don, eventually i'll reupload that chapter.
i've been trying to flesh out the characters more, but not take up too much read time doing it, its hard :P
yay better writing style! lol
the race i added in cause i honostely got tired of them treking across the land so i needed a way to get them where i needed them without a time lapse (i use those way too much :P )
i'm really trying to get Kailah and Cameron's relationship going without rushing it, so many times in books its like they meet then bam they're a couple, so trying to go at a reasonable pace that doesn't go so far as to be soap opera pace :P
i get what you're saying about the titles and i may (or not) give it a try in a chapter coming up :P
as always thank you so much for the feedback Wolven!!!
its great to know i have at least one fan :D

[Wolven]

To be fair, I got hooked on it early on. ;)
I actually fully understand what you mean about the couple's thing. In fact I had a bit of an issue with it in my own 'original' book (Wolven- which then became my online namesake) with the protagonist and the love interest. At first it was pretty run-of-the mill, dating etc; but then I realised that it didn't really fit into the horror genre that I was shooting for. So, fleshing the characters out like you are doing is great, but the problem is trying not to make it mundane. You seem to have a pretty good hand at it like, so you've got very little to worry about.
You know, rather than posting whole new chapters by the way, you can simply go into 'Manage writing' and edit the chapter. just copy and paste from wherever you have made the changes onto the webpage, and then at the bottom just tick the box that says 'This is a new version of this chapter.' just food for thought.
I'll try and get other people into this story as well. :)