Shadow and Sword, page 9
“Don’t you jump in,” Trigg snapped.
“He has every right,” Heth said. “He risked his life to come and warn us. He is the reason we have this opportunity. A few more days and the Gray Man could have killed all of us, right here.”
“And what if the elves kill us?”
“Then we will die knowing we did everything in our power to save our lives and the lives of the only ones we love left in the world.”
“Fine,” Trigg said after a long pause. “Fine. We will do it your way. And when the elves kill us, I will tell you ‘I told you so.’”
“So be it,” Heth replied. “Now, Reith, what is your plan? Do you want to try and make it past the Gray Man and escape to Galismoor? Or will you throw your lot in with us?”
Reith hadn’t thought about this question at all. His sole purpose had been to warn the people of Suthrond. Vereinen’s face came to his mind. Where is he? I need to find him.
Then, unbidden, the voice he had heard by the trees at Erador came to his mind.
“Save them. Serve them. Fight for them. Then find me.”
Well, I have saved them. Now I must serve them.
“I will come with you,” Reith said. “Where else can I go? I am an enemy of the Gray Man, just as you are.” And perhaps more so, he thought, thinking of his sword and how the Gray Man wanted it.
“Good.” Heth nodded as she spoke. “We will be glad to have you. Trigg, give him back his things.”
Trigg handed Reith his pack, bow, and sword, which had been laying on the ground at the edge of the tent.
“Now,” Heth said, rubbing her hands together, “let’s tell everyone.”
In a matter of minutes, the survivors of Suthrond were gathered around in a semi-circle around her tent. Each face looked tired, haggard, and weary. Sadness was in each of their eyes and Reith could read the evidence of their suffering like a book. These people have known death, he thought.
Reith stood off to the side, absentmindedly stroking Aspen’s mane. When all were gathered and quiet, Heth spoke.
“My people, this is Reith,” she said, gesturing to him. He became instantly self-conscious as everyone stared at him. He did not like being the center of attention, especially after so much time on his own.
“Reith is from Coeden, and he has brought us news. The same men that attacked Suthrond also attacked Coeden. They left no survivors. Reith survived because he was out hunting when the Gray Man attacked.”
At the mention of the Gray Man, the crowd gasped as one.
“We still don’t know who he is or what he wants. But we know that he is a murderer and a villain. Furthermore, Reith has brought other news to us as well.” She paused, and took a deep breath. “He is coming here. He wants to kill us all and finish what he started. We are all in grave danger.”
A chorus of muttering rose up in the crowd as each person turned to their neighbor to discuss the news. Heth held her hand up for silence, and the whispers slowly died away.
“We cannot stay here; we would be killed like our husbands, fathers, brothers, and friends were in Suthrond. We cannot attempt to go to Palander or Galismoor. We would not make it to safety before the Gray Man attacks. We would be assaulted on the road. That leaves only one chance for escape, one hope of life. We must cross the river.”
The whispers rose like a hive of bees waking up in anger. Someone yelled from the back of the crowd.
“But the elves will kill us!”
Heth again held her hand up for silence.
“If we stay on this side, it means certain death. The Gray Man is a terrible foe. Perhaps the elves will have mercy on us.”
There was more grumbling and muttering.
“It may seem like our situation is hopeless. But as long as there is breath in our lungs, we do have hope. Our lives hang in the balance. If you wish to stay on this side of the river, you may. No one will carry you across. But I am going. It is our only hope in this hour of peril. Now go, pack your things. We will leave in two hours.”
There was more grumbling and muttering, but the survivors of Suthrond dispersed and packed up their meager belongings. Reith stuck with Heth and Trigg. Even though he had only just met them, he craved their familiarity amid such new surroundings.
“Is there anything I can help you with?” Reith asked Heth.
“Why don’t you take your horse and ride downriver a few miles to see if there is a better place to cross. If you don’t find one, go a few miles upriver and look. I think we might be able to cross here, but it will be difficult.”
Reith jogged over to Aspen and swung up into the saddle, then walked her through the camp toward the river. Everywhere he looked, fires were being extinguished, tents were being taken down, and bundles of clothes and supplies were tied up. As he passed, it seemed that every eye looked up to him, appraising him. Their eyes asked, “Are you saving us or taking us into greater danger?”
At the river’s edge, he dismounted in order to get a better look at the potential crossing. The bank here was wide and flat, covered with small rocks and pebbles. The river flowed swift, and there was some whitewater, signaling danger lay beneath the surface.
“It would be dangerous at best to cross here,” he told Aspen.
I could do it, but what about all of these older people and kids?
He mounted Aspen once more and rode west along the river bank. The bank rose and below him, the river grew immensely choppy. Presently, he found that the river entered a canyon, with steep cliffs on either side. He turned and went back.
The camp was a flurry of activity when he arrived back. From across the camp, Heth gave him a questioning look. He shook his head and pointed upriver. She gave him a thumbs up and continued bundling her possessions.
Further upstream, the river seemed to move slower than below. But the river was too rocky and choppy to consider a crossing here. About two miles away from camp, Reith noticed the roar of the river was increasing. He rounded a bend and saw a waterfall before him. Water fell from fifty feet above into a wide and deep pool before flowing downstream. At the edge of the pool, the water was not as choppy as other places on the river. He took Aspen to the water’s edge and waded a few steps out into the pool. About a third of the way across, the water was splashing the bottoms of his shoes. He turned her around, and once on dry land, directed her around to the side of the hill leading up the falls.
At the top, he looked down at a spectacular view of the river below. From this height, he could see smoke from the camp downstream. Even when the river was lost from view because of a bend, he could still see its form in the break in the trees. He had a very strong desire to leap down into the pool below, though he knew that the idea would probably result in injury or death.
Who knows what lies beneath the surface? If there’s a rock there, I’m a goner.
Above the falls, the water raced toward the precipice and was virtually uncrossable. After wrenching himself away from the cliff, Reith and Aspen carefully made their way down. He decided to attempt a full crossing himself. He left his bag, sword, bow, and arrows beside the pool and instructed Aspen to stay. On the other side of the river, there was a sturdy oak tree about fifteen feet beyond the water’s edge. He steeled himself, then began to cross.
If I’m going to ask them to do it, I might as well try it first. If only I had a rope to tie to that tree to help with crossing.
The water was cold, colder even than the water of the Great River he had forded several days earlier. Reith’s skin was on fire where the lapping river touched him. Where his clothes were wet, what little wind blew past chilled him to the bone. He clenched his fists, gritted his teeth, and forced himself forward.
The ground beneath him was smooth, with very few large rocks. He felt forward with his foot before committing to a step. About halfway across, the water was up to the middle of his chest. He managed to make it to the other side with no difficulty.
Once free of the water, the air brought out the worst of the chill. His teeth started chattering, and he immediately turned around to cross again. Back on dry ground, Reith took off his shirt and replaced it with the dry one from his pack. This helped a bit, as did mounting Aspen and feeling her warmth course through his legs.
Back at the camp, he sought out Heth.
“What did you find?” she asked him.
“The river is impassable downstream. A few miles down, it enters a canyon and there is nowhere to cross. About two miles upstream, there is a waterfall that empties into a large pool. At the edge of the pool, the water is gentle enough and shallow enough to cross.” He held up his hand to his mid chest where the water had been when he had crossed.
“And how was the terrain? Can we make it up there?” Heth inquired.
“We should be able to get there in an hour or two.”
“Okay, let’s do it.”
“Heth, the water is very cold,” Reith warned.
“So be it. It’s the only way. Will you allow your horse to be loaded down with supplies for this journey?”
“I will,” he said, stroking Aspen’s mane, “and she will too.”
Heth walked to the upstream side of camp and called for attention.
“We have discovered an easier crossing about two miles upriver,” she announced. “Everyone must try and carry what they can. The aged and very young may load their things on the horses or give them to someone stronger. Then, when we are ready, we will make our way to the crossing.”
Reith helped an elderly man place his pack on Aspen. Two small children presented their packs as well and soon, Aspen was loaded down with several packs, and Reith found himself holding two beside his own.”
Serve them, he thought, remembering the words of the voice at Erador.
With the added weight and being on foot, it seemed to Reith that it took several hours to reach the waterfall again. In reality, the sun had only moved a few degrees in the sky. The survivors of Suthrond were hardy folk. Living in the wilderness for a few weeks had shaped them into men, women, and children of action.
When they arrived, Reith volunteered to go first.
“I’ll go first. I did it earlier. Do you have a rope?”
“What do you need a rope for?” Heth asked.
“I will tie one end to that tree over there,” he said, pointing to the oak tree on the opposite bank he had seen earlier. “Then you can tie your end to a tree over here. It will give everyone something to hold as they cross.”
“That’s a good plan.” Heth nodded. “Trigg!” she called.
Within seconds, he was at her side. “Yes?”
“Do we have rope? Reith wants to tie one end on that side and one on this side so we have a hand hold.”
“I believe that we do. Hold on while I look.”
In no time, he was back with a length of rope.
“Trigg,” Reith said, “can you hold this end of the rope? Hold it all loosely so it can unspool as I cross. I don’t really want it to drag in the water. Then, once I’ve tied my end, you can tie your end.”
“Whatever you say,” Trigg said.
“Be careful, Reith,” Heth added.
“I always am, Heth.” He grinned. “When I’m across, I’ll call for Aspen. I’ll try to meet her halfway if you are willing to lead her there for me.”
With the plan established, Reith prepared for the cold trek across the river. He was not looking forward to the frigid water. He held the rope tightly in his right hand, and the rope sat on his shoulder. Then he plunged his foot in. Even though he was prepared for it, the icy waves made him gasp in shock. He paused for a few seconds, one foot on dry land, and the other losing feeling in the cold water. Then he forced himself to take the second step and third step.
He was soon halfway across. The rope was no longer tight on his shoulder, as it was sloping up toward Trigg. Finally, Reith stumbled onto dry land, teeth chattering from the cold. It was all he could do to not throw the rope down and hug himself for warmth as he headed over to the oak tree, sopping wet. He had kept his hands dry, so they were warm enough to maneuver the rope into a tight knot. He tugged it to make sure it would hold and then signaled to Trigg to tie his end.
When Trigg gave a tug, Reith began to inch his way back across with his hand on the rope. Heth came toward him with Aspen. They met in the middle, and Reith took Aspen’s reins. Then they carefully made their way across.
Once across, Reith set about making a fire. His teeth were still chattering, and it took him a few tries with his flint and tinder to get a small blaze going. When the fire was built, he joined Heth and Trigg to help people across. Hand after hand, he grabbed and pulled. Some of the children were crying because of the cold. These he carried to the fire to warm up.
Nearly all of the people had made it safely across. There were only a few left on the northern bank while several others plodded through the water. A boy, perhaps two or three years old, was screaming and squirming in his mother’s arm. Her left hand was clinging to the rope, and her right arm was holding him up. She let go of the rope and held the boy in both hands to soothe him. But when she took another step, she fell face first into the water. The boy’s howls were cut off.
“Janna!” someone from the shore screamed.
“Finn!” yelled another.
Heth, Trigg, and Reith jumped forward into the water. Neither the boy nor the woman resurfaced. Heth and Trigg reached the spot where she fell first.
“There’s no sign of them,” Trigg called out after plunging his arms and body in to look for them.
Reith began feeling around in the water for any sign of life or movement. The icy waves did not faze him because he was so intent upon his purpose.
Please, please, please let me find them.
A shout rang out from the bank, “Look!” Reith whirled around to see hands pointing downriver, where a dark shape was floating.
Reith leapt out of the river and stripped Aspen of her load. “Come on girl, let’s save them!”
Chapter Eight
They couldn’t gallop down river due to the rocky terrain, but Aspen quickly picked a path and they gained on the dark shape. After a minute, they were beside it.
“Keep going, Aspen,” Reith urged. “We have to get ahead.”
He looked back to see a few of the Suthronders following on foot about fifty yards behind. After Reith returned his gaze forward, his heart sank when he saw the terrain. The river was swiftly flowing, and rapids were present every hundred feet or so. There was no place to get in. Not if he wanted to ever get out again. I’ve got to try.
Reith finally found a spot where the river was not nearly as choppy and there were no rapids. He stepped in, oblivious to the cold, and waded nearly halfway. The dark shape was nearly upon him when he saw the tiny hand floating on the water. The current was pulling it away from him, toward the other bank. He lunged forward, and his hand closed on the shirt of the little boy. The force from the boy and the current pulled him off balance, and his head went under. Icy water pressed at his skull. He gasped at the shock as water flooded his lungs. He began sputtering under the water, all the while holding tight to the shirt in his hand.
His lungs screamed for air, and he flailed and kicked, trying to force his body to the surface. His feet kicked only water, and he soon lost sight of which way was up. His lungs felt as though they were shriveling up inside of him, and his chest felt tight. This is it.
Just then, strong arms grabbed him and pulled him up, and he pulled the little boy to himself. Water poured down his face and he coughed violently. The next thing he knew, he was on the shore on his hands and knees coughing up what seemed to be most of the water from the river. When his coughing fit was over, he collapsed and rolled over on his back, exhausted. He closed his eyes and rested for a minute.
Reith was startled when Aspen’s nose brushed his face. He sat up and became aware of his surroundings. Heth, Trigg, and a few of the others were gathered around looking at something on the ground that he couldn’t see. He slowly got to his feet and went over to them. In the middle of the group, the boy’s body lay still. Heth saw him and stood up, grass and dirt still clinging to her knees.
“Thank you for jumping in, Reith,” she said with the remnant of tear tracks down her face. “But he’s gone.”
Reith helped Trigg and two others dig a hole along the banks of the river. One of them was named Titus, and he was a boy of thirteen. His skin and hair were sandy colored. The other was named Kydar, and he was dark and Reith’s own age.
The four of them took turns digging with the only shovel in the group’s possession. One would dig, silent save only for the occasional grunt from the exertion. The others watched as the digger went down into the earth and the mound of dirt grew beside him.
The body of Janna, the mother, hadn’t been found. Reith heard murmurs of speculation that she either got carried down river or else her leg got caught in the riverbed and her body was still floating somewhere in between here and the crossing point upriver. The thought of her dead body floating there, dragged to a diagonal from the current, was very unsettling to Reith.
When the hole was deep enough and Kydar had to be hoisted out by the other three, they laid the small body of Finn in. Someone had shut his eyes. They laid his hands across his chest so that he looked like he was sleeping.
The four grave diggers used the shovel and their hands to push the dirt over Finn, a blanket for his eternal sleep. Trigg and Kydar each picked up a large rock and gently placed them on dirt above Finn’s lifeless form. Titus and Reith followed suit. Soon there was a mound of rocks in the rough shape of the body below.
The Suthronders had no more tears to shed. They had already grieved their fathers, husbands, brothers, sons, and friends. The dry-eyed sadness on every face was somehow more emotional than flowing tears.
Heth stepped forward to Finn’s grave.
“I really don’t know what to say,” she said, her eyes fixed on the pile of stones before her. “He was so young.”
