The Treasure of Gwenlais, page 14
part #1 of The Rienfield Chronicles Series
“They know how much you appreciate it dear Laurel. As I mentioned at breakfast, Caleb was most concerned about leaving so abruptly, and not being able to say goodbye to you himself. I shall however convey your sentiments as soon as I see them again. I am so sorry we must leave you so soon,” Queen Alana told her with remorseful tone, placing her hand on the side of Laurel’s face.
Laurel smiled back at her, moved by the Queen’s compassionate concern for her.
“I understand your Highness. I hope whatever unfortunate event that transpired will be remedied soon, for all of your sakes,” Laurel offered smiling warmly, as they began to walk back to their waiting horses and their escorts.
“Thank you dear. I am sure it will all be resolved soon,” Queen Alana replied, as they had all decided to not tell Laurel of the tragic events that took place, and to those that was still a possibility.
King Fergus had mentioned it only to King Garron and Phineas, telling them they would send word when the matter had been settled. By midday the King and Queen of Heathwin said their goodbyes and made their way toward the river camp, hoping to hear some encouraging news by the time they had arrived.
Just as Caleb and Aiden and the rest of the Sentinels had finally relaxed and were sitting back by the fire drinking hot mugs of chicory root tea, a lone Sentinel came racing into camp on horseback, coming from Heathwin. He dismounted quickly and ran up to where Caleb and Aiden were sitting by the fire.
“Sire! I bring urgent and disturbing news,” the young Sentinel declared breathlessly.
“What is it Leod?” Caleb asked, as he and everyone around the fire stood up, a feeling of dread in the pit of Caleb’s stomach.
Chieftain McCullan walked up to them, his fist and jaws clenched in anxiety.
“Sire, the small village of Avoch has been attacked by a large group of Rabkin warriors. There are casualties, I am not aware at this time of how many?” Leod told him, his eyes filled with emotion.
“The Maker help us all!” Rian suddenly cried out, as this was his home village. “Do you not see what she has brought upon us all Chieftain? Your daughter’s murderous act has brought the wrath of the Rabkins upon us once again!” Rian continued to cry out in his rage and pain, as Aiden placed his hand on his friend’s shoulder, trying to calm him.
Chieftain McCullan could not answer back, his face registering shock and disbelief as his eyes too filled with tears at the thought of the smallest village of his Clann being attacked.
“Leod, were there any women or children among the casualties? My Mother and sisters would be home this day,” Rian asked in desperation.
“I am sorry Rian, as I mentioned, all I know is that there are casualties, I know neither the number nor the specifics,” Leod answered him sadly. “I was however given this to give to you Prince Caleb, the village Elder said you would know its meaning,” Leod mentioned as he handed to Caleb a large piece of birch bark with a symbol on it.
Caleb took the piece of bark and looking at the symbol saw to his anguish the shape of some kind of organ, looking almost like a heart. It had at least three dozen small curved lines drawn through it, Caleb closed his eyes and bowed his head slightly, his jaws clenched as he tried to regain his composure. Opening his eyes he saw the entire camp was watching him, waiting for him to reveal what the symbol meant.
“What is it mo dhearthair, what does it mean?” Aiden asked him quietly.
“It is the symbol of the blood debt. This is a heart, these lines drawn through it represent the number of Rabkins that were killed at the Homestead, as I know how many were there. They took as many lives from us as was taken from them,” Caleb spoke his voice hoarse with the emotions he was struggling to hold back.
Rian looked at the symbol again, tears streaming down his face.
“Over thirty. They killed over thirty? Avoch is village of no more than eighty. Damn you McCullan! Damn you, and your wretched murderous daughter, for what she brought upon us,” Rian cried out in his despair, as he and several other Sentinels began to weep, for as they were also of the same Clann.
Chieftain McCullan began to sob wretchedly, looking over at Caleb in painful desperation.
“Mo dhearthaireacha! We have no time for our sorrows. Our people need us. We must return to Heathwin now. Everyone mount up, we will ride straight to Avoch, only stopping to change out our horses. Leod ride quickly back to the Lodge and inform Cahir we will be there soon, tell him to have fresh mounts readied for us. Tolemais, please stay behind and wait for my parents. I wish to have this grave news coming from you in my stead,” Caleb directed commandingly.
“Of course Sire. Safe journey to you,” Tolemais said in a saddened and serious voice.
Within just a few moments, they had all readied their horses and rode off at a gallop.
By late afternoon, the King and Queen and the other Chieftains had arrived at the river camp, Tolemais informed them immediately of what had occurred. Queen Alana was completely distraught and had to sit down, as King Fergus held her gently in his arms, she sobbed into his shoulder.
“I know mo chroi. We shall remain the rest of the evening and will leave at dawn. Our sons are almost there by now, and remember Cahir remained in my absence, he will know how to keep everyone calm until Caleb can arrive,” King Fergus spoke to her soothingly.
King Fergus had complete confidence in his adopted son’s ability to maintain order until Caleb returned to take over command. Cahir was Caleb’s childhood friend and orphaned at a young age, by a Rabkin attack. He was now a Sentinel Captain and well respected by the people of Heathwin.
“Oh, Fergus. What has happened? Has our past returned to us once again?” Queen Alana sobbed.
“Let us pray it has not mo chroi,” King Fergus whispered lovingly.
It was early evening when the group reached the tiny village of Avoch. The village was strangely quiet as they entered. The entire village populous seemed to be in the small square, which Caleb found hearting as he counted quickly that there was nearly seventy people, not including Cahir and a group of two dozen soldiers and Sentinels. Rian secured his Hunter before walking through the crowd, his heart leaped with joy as he heard his name being called and a young girl ran up to him, throwing herself in his arms sobbing hysterically. Two other women, one not much older than the first and one clearly their mother also ran up to him. Rian embraced them all and kissing each one in turn, crying in joy and relief that his sisters and mother were safe. Caleb and Aiden smiled and walked towards Cahir leaving the young Sentinel to be with his family.
“Tell us what happened my friend,” Caleb said sadly, with a deep weary sigh.
Cahir smiled at him in sympathy, knowing his friend would be taking this very personally as it involved his wife. Cahir’s handsome but intense features, softened a bit by his warm and sympathetic smile. His short cropped black hair and close beard, made his ice blue eyes more piercing.
“It all happened very quickly. They were in the village for a very short time. They killed a dozen men with slings and sharp staffs and then left as suddenly as they came. They left the strange symbol on one of the staffs. I assumed you would know what it meant,” Cahir explained, watching Caleb’s expression intently as he noticed Caleb looking around the village and back down at the parchment like piece of bark in his hands.
“They killed only a dozen? Forgive me, I do not mean to make it sound so trivial,” Caleb said, in response to Cahir’s raised eyebrow. “It is just, there are thirty six lines on this symbol. If they only took a dozen lives here in the village, they are not finished. They mean to take more,” Caleb said in a hushed tone, his anxiety rising as he thought what this meant. “You are aware of Morene’s betrayal are you not?” Caleb asked Cahir meaningfully.
“I am well aware. The day after Morene returned to Heathwin, she collected a group of at least two dozen men, two were Sentinels from her village. They rode off heading for Gwenlais again, then returned late the next day. I took a squad with me to find and question her, but she rode away before we arrived and has not been seen since. We feel she is now hiding in the forest. She will return to her father at some point, now that he has returned,” Cahir explained as he looked over at McCullan trying to comfort the people of the village. “We will begin to search for Morene and her group again at dawn,” Cahir said in a hushed tone as he watched McCullan with a group of the villagers approach them.
“So, Caleb, when do we begin to hunt down the vermin who did this?” McCullan said in a haughty, conspiring tone.
“We want vengeance Sire! We will begin the hunt now! The vermin’s blood will flow this day,” the village Elder Anlon shouted as the people shouted back in anger, on the verge of hysterics.
Aiden and Cahir looked at each other with concern, then looked over at Caleb watching him slowly lose his grip on his anger, his eyes narrowing with each shout from the group.
“Enough!” Caleb shouted out to the crowd, who instantly fell silent looking at him with surprise. “You would dare question me in this way? Who do you think you are to tell me what shall be done and when we shall proceed? Anlon! How many Rabkins were there when this happened?” Caleb asked the village Elder angrily.
“There was perhaps two dozen or so Sire,” Anlon answered back sheepishly.
“Oh really? Two dozen or so? So what you me telling is, that you are not even sure how many there were!” Caleb shouted at him again, which caused the rest in the group to shrink back slightly. “What do you think you pathetic fools will accomplish in the night? In the forest, where they move about as easily as fish in a stream? You clumsy fools would be stumbling around in the darkness, and be dead before you realized it. Look around you, now! The women, children and old ones were all spared were they not?” Caleb asked, giving them a moment to answer him.
“Yes Sire. They were indeed all spared. Twelve men were killed, all swiftly, my mother herself said they died almost instantly,” Rian suddenly spoke up coming forward with his mother and sisters.
“So there were two dozen Rabkin warriors in this village? You are all well aware, with that number, they could have wiped out this entire village in short order. Yet….they did not. Does anyone know what this is?” Caleb asked, as he held up the bark parchment for all of them to see. “The Rabkins call this a notice. It is telling everyone that a blood debt is owed them. Thirty six lives in exchange for the lives that were taken from them,” Caleb explained, his voice strong and clear.
“How were thirty six lives taken from them? No one here attacked the Rabkins,” Anlon asked in genuine confusion, looking at the others around him.
“Correct, no one here did. But Chieftain McCullan is well aware who took those lives,” Caleb said bitterly as the Chieftain looked about nervously. “Seeing as I am involved in this as much as he is, I will explain. My former wife, as she renounced her pledge to me before this occurred, went directly against my orders and returned to the borders of Gwenlais. She and a group of two dozen men, attacked and killed a defenseless Homestead consisting only of one female Elder and the rest old ones and younglings, while only one youngling escaped. Thirty six defenseless very young or very old Rabkins perished without cause, at her hands and those who were with her. The Rabkins responsible for Milna’s and the Ollams’ deaths, as well as the lives of those in the village, were not even from our region.
Morene was aware of this. Yet her need, no, her lust for vengeance, had to be satisfied and the attack on your village in a result of this,” Caleb explained in a strong and officious tone.
“But why our village Sire?” a small voice asked.
Caleb looked towards the voice and smiled sadly, at seeing it was a young woman with two small children. He could see her eyes were red and swollen from crying.
Caleb walked towards her, then gently caressed the head of the young child she was holding.
“What is your name my dear?” he asked, the young woman gently.
“My name is Soairse, Sire,” she answered in a trembling voice, her beautiful deep blue eyes filled with pain.
“Was your husband among the casualties?” Caleb asked her in a warm deep voice, as he held her hand.
“Yes Sire, he was. He was struck by a stone from a sling. He…he died instantly,” Soairse broke down in tears as Caleb embraced her, the child standing next to her began crying as well putting her small arms around his leg.
“I am so very sorry for your suffering Soairse. Do you have any other family here in the village?” Caleb asked her as she moved back to look up at him.
“No…no Sire. My family lives in Welstone. My father and mother have a small shop there. I am not even sure if they have gotten word of what has happened,” she answered tearfully.
“Leod will escort you there in the morning, as he has family in Ardara,” Caleb told her, as he looked over seeing Leod nodding in acknowledgement. “To answer Soairse’s question,” Caleb stated clearly as he placed his arm around her shoulders. “This village was chosen for several reasons. It is one of the villages of Clann Donncha, Morene’s Clann. It is also the smallest and most vulnerable. The Homestead that was decimated was likewise. The ones who are truly responsible for this outrage will be found and face justice. No more lives will be taken from our villages. The soldiers will remain and guard the village the rest of the night. Those of you who lost a loved one today, are welcome to return with Captain Cahir, as he assembles more Sentinels in the search for the rebels. The Grand Hall will be arranged as a temporary shelter, you will be given food and a place to sleep until the rebels are caught and you feel safe to return. The rest of you, return to your homes and stay there. Should the rebels come, no one is to give them safe haven. To do so will be considered harboring fugitives,” Caleb declared in a commanding voice.
“You would dare call my daughter, your former wife a rebel?! A fugitive?” McCullan asked in despair and rage.
Caleb looked at him coldly before answering. Gently letting go of Soairse, he stepped forward to face the Chieftain.
“That is exactly what she is McCullan. She and her group went against a direct order. She broke the peace agreement that we all strived to achieve, for the good of all of Heathwin. Her saying to me, in front of the entire Patrol, that she would defy me and all the Clanns, to do what she felt she must do. They then went to a defenseless Homestead and slaughtered defenseless beings without cause. She incurred the Rabkins’ wrath, hence why they left the notice of a blood debt,” Caleb explained in a calm and unemotional manner.
“What?!” Anlon exclaimed. “A blood debt? McCullan you fool! Do you not see what your daughter has brought upon us? Sire, they killed twelve in our village, there are two dozen more lives left to fill is there not?” Anlon asked with concern.
“They are now seeking the lives of the ones who took the lives of the Kindred in Gwenlais. We will be searching for them at first light as we make camp just outside of the village. The word will be spread to not harbor the fugitives should they show up. They will be brought before the Tribunal and face justice. Now we have no more time to waste. Those who will be going back to the Great Lodge, be ready to leave in a short time, take only what you need. The rest of you, return to your homes and remain there until the word is given that all is safe. Rian, return to the city as well, and inform the other Keepers we will need more Hunters to track Morene,” Caleb commanded, then turned and walked towards Aiden and his waiting horse.
“Caleb! What is it that you think you are doing? You will hunt down my daughter like a common criminal?” McCullan asked in desperation, his eyes tearful and filled with agony.
“You have my deepest sympathies McCullan. But Morene is being hunted by a group of angry Rabkin warriors. Her survival depends on who finds her first. Should she return to you, convince her to stay, until I come for her,” Caleb told him with a pained expression, as he turned away with Aiden and began to make his way out of the village.
Rian made his way over to Cahir, who smiled at him sadly.
“You have my sympathies my friend. I am most sorry for what has happened to your village,” Cahir said placing a hand on Rian’s shoulder.
“I am just grateful my family is safe. Is Ione back at the Lodge at this time?” Rian asked with a slight smile, his eyes softening.
Ione was Rian’s betrothed, as well as Caleb and Aiden’s cousin, the daughter of the deceased older brother of King Fergus. She was also Cahir’s Lieutenant, one of the few female Sentinels.
“Yes, she will be most happy to see you my friend, but she will insist, as you know, in joining the search for Morene and her group of renegades,” Cahir grinned at him knowingly.
“I have no doubt. I hope however to convince her to look after Mother and my sisters tonight, as I have insisted they return to the Lodge as well. Mother has told me that all the woman who have lost husbands or sons today have accepted Caleb’s generous offer. There will be quite a group of women and little ones coming back with us,” Rian smiled sadly as he saw the group begin to assemble together.
“Well, let us waste no time in getting them there then,” Cahir replied hitting Rian on the arm.
“Here. Please try to eat something Caleb. Anlon sent over supper for all of us. You need your strength, you have not eaten anything since the river camp, and that was only a bit of meat,” Aiden said handing him a wooden plate, which had beans, toast and bacon on it.
Caleb took it and began to eat, realizing he was suddenly ravenous. He still continued to stare into the fire looking sullen and exhausted.
“I am sure Father and Mother will be here by morning,” Aiden mentioned, trying to engage Caleb in conversation.
“Yes I am sure they will, Father will wish to waste no time in getting home, especially with Mother. Do you know Mother was going to try to convince Laurel to stay with us through the winter? She was worried for her, feeling Garron would not pay much attention to her, absorbing himself with his friends of the nobility. As much as I agree with her, I hope Laurel did not agree to come. I do not wish for mo chailin to deal with all this insane drama and tragedy. She has been through enough already. I fully admit I would enjoy her company this winter, but it would all be too much for her I think,” Caleb said thoughtfully, tossing the empty plate on the ground and drinking his tea.
