The next morning saw the four of them up with the dawn.   Erica and Christine were up last - Maeve and Kai had already packed their backpacks, and put some of the gear on the horse, when the two of them were roused.  

 

      “You might want to hurry and eat,” Kai said. “It’s a long time until dinner.”

 

      “Grnnugh!”  Christine said, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes. 

 

      “Tell me about it.”  Erica groaned.  “I miss my coffee.”

 

      The two of them got up, and quickly got dressed and ready to travel.  They didn’t have much to pack - but even then, Erica’s pack seemed really heavy to her - although a little less heavy than when she first got to Kai’s cabin.   Erica smiled, pleased with herself - another sign of her building up a little bit of muscle tone.

 

      Erica and Christine sat at the kitchen table and quickly ate some porridge, flavored with a spoon of jam and honey.  It was edible - and Christine finished first, going to finish packing her few possessions.   Erica, alone for a moment, daydreamed a bit.    We’re going to do it - we’re going to try and get home.   This is probably the last time we’ll ever see this cabin.   It was with some surprise that Erica realized she didn’t want it to be the last time.   I haven’t even had a chance to see what Mercia is like - it seems sad to just walk away and leave it.   I’m not sure I want my legacy to be ‘She boldly fled home as soon as she had the chance.’  Hell, is Earth even my home anymore? 

 

      “Earth to Erica.” 

 

      Christine’s voice snapped Erica out of her daydream.  “Um... Yeah?”

 

      “If you’re done, we’re leaving.   Kai said leave the bowl in the washtub.” 

 

      “Wha...?  Oh - sorry.”  Erica scarfed down the last of her porridge, and rinsed the bowl, dropping it into the washtub.   “I’ll be ready in two seconds.”

 

      Christine laughed.  “Sure.  I’ll be outside.”

 

      Erica went to the bedroom, and grabbed her pack - it had her clothes, her brush and other toiletries, her journal and pens and ink, and her gun with one and a half magazines of ammunition left. There wasn’t much else she had left.   It felt like Kai or Maeve had stuffed some travelling rations into her pack as well - and a waterskin was tied to the back of it.   Well, at least I know why it feels heavier now - and it’s not my muscles fault this time!

 

      Pack in hand, Erica left the cabin, giving her room a wistful look.  She hadn’t had the room long, but it had started to feel like her room, not a guest room.  She was going to miss this place.   Heading outside, she saw Kai, Maeve and Christine ready to go.  Maeve had the horse’s reins in her hands, and was leading it on foot.   Kai took a moment to lock up the cabin.

 

      “You sure you want to try walking, Erica?”   Kai asked.  “We’ve got the horse if you need it.”

 

 

      Erica smiled.  “I’d rather try walking for now.  I’ve got to build up my stamina and strength somehow.  I can always ride if I get exhausted or start slowing everyone down.”

 

      “Fair enough.”  Kai said.   “Lets get moving - we have a lot of terrain to cover before nightfall - and if the weather turns bad we could end up to our asses in mud.”

 

      With that, their group started hiking north through the wilds.

 

*          *          *

 

      A day and a half later saw the four of them camped nearby the moongate - it was late in the day and dusk was approaching.   Although Kai had predicted slow going, the ground remained frozen enough to keep them from being bogged down, which helped greatly.   Not getting lost twice on the way north (like Maeve did on the way south) helped as well, although the gentle ribbing Kai gave Maeve over it was not as well received.  Maeve liked being self-sufficient and it seemed to gall her that she got lost as easily as any other city-dweller in the wilderness.  

 

      The moongate appeared much as Maeve had left it, save that the ice and snow on the stone platform had for the most part melted, leaving a slurry of wet leaves and puddles of cold water on its surface instead.   About twenty paces away from the gate, Kai had hobbled their horse, and set up a small campfire to cook dinner.   Kai wasn’t taking the time to hunt - they didn’t need the food, and the rest might be more important in the near future.

 

      Kai poked the fire with a stick, and asked Maeve a question.  “Maeve... one thing has been bothering me.   You said that the Fallen were coming to kill us - and we discovered that meant mostly me - but they fought poorly, and treated me like I’d never been in a battle before.  They must know I’ve been on at least a half-dozen adventures with you - why didn’t they send someone, well, better?”

 

      Maeve blushed a bit, looking more than a little embarrassed - but also a little smug too.  “Well, Kai, you know how paranoid I can be, right?”

 

      “Yes... go on.”

 

      “Well, I always figured that one day someone would try to get to me by trying to hurt you - so every time I informed the council that I used your help, I played you up as a simple woodsman who got me from point A to point B - and nothing more... a simple backwoods bumpkin who didn’t understand half of what I did or why I did it.   I figured that way if anyone was ever sent after you, they might assume you were a novice - and you’d give them a very nasty surprise.  Which is exactly what happened.”

 

      “Country bumpkin, eh?   Can’t say I’m thrilled to hear it - but I guess it might have saved my life.  Did anyone ever tell you you’re slightly deranged with your worries, Maeve?”  Kai sighed.  “And does the council think you pay a country bumpkin the rates I ask for no reason?”

 

      “You’re welcome.”  Maeve said.   “As for your pay, the council doesn’t care what I do with the money they give me - but I wouldn’t be surprised if they assume you’re my kept man.”

 

      Christine laughed a little, covering her mouth with her hands.  The idea of Kai being Maeve’s kept man was more than a little laughable.   Even Kai was smirking with the idea a bit.   Erica laughed as well.

 

      “Kept man?  Not bloody likely.”  Kai said.  “I don’t get NEARLY enough presents for that.”

 

      All four had a laugh at that, and got down to the business of eating an early dinner.  Dinner in this case was a meal of winter sausage, dried berries and nuts, with some flatbread cooked in a pan over the fire.   It was filling and tasted pretty good - but left Erica and Christine feeling like it was a little too salty and fatty. 

 

      After dinner, Maeve climbed to her feet and motioned for Erica to come with her.  “Come with me, Erica - I want to show you something about the moongate.”

 

      “Cool!”  Erica chimed, and followed.

 

      Kai rolled his eyes.  “I guess we’d better clean up our camp a bit, Christine - they’ll probably be a while, and once they’re done we’ll probably be on our way.”

 

      Christine stood and helped Kai clean up the mess from dinner, while Erica scrambled after Maeve towards the moongate to see what she wanted to show her.   Maeve was studying the moongate and its glyphs, walking over the patterns carved into the stone surface.  Erica watched Maeve for a few minutes, then chimed in.  “What am I supposed to be seeing?”

 

      “At the moment, not much.”  Maeve answered.  “This moongate isn’t activated - I need to see what moon-phases are required for it to work.   Before you ask, each moongate is keyed to the phases of Mercia’s three moons, Seleni, Thuria and Doviar - and if the moons are in the correct phases, the gate is activated automatically - but otherwise someone using the gates has to trick them into thinking the correct moon-phases are in play to make them work.   That usually requires Sight magic - which, fortunately I’m pretty good at.”

 

      “And searching the carvings will give you a clue as to which moon-phases are this one’s key, right?”

 

      “Pretty much.”  Maeve said, stopping her search.  “I think this moongate is waxing, new, new” - which means I’m going to have to trick this one into working.”  

 

      “Is it hard?”  Erica asked.

 

      “Not really - more time consuming really.  A novice might find activating a moongate taxing but not difficult - if they knew the trick.  The church doesn’t exactly tell many people how to use these things.   They say it’s dangerous to use - but I’ve used it twice, and had no problems.  Perhaps there’s some danger I’ve yet to see.”

 

      Erica considered that for a moment.  “Well, if the church doesn’t tell people, why are you telling me?   Won’t that get you in trouble if they find out?”

 

      “Maybe.”  Maeve said.  “But it might give you and Christine a chance to escape if everything I’ve planned goes totally wrong.  I want to give you an edge - and if nobody knows you know it, even better.”

 

      Erica was a little surprised, and kind of pleased that Maeve felt that way.   It made her feel like Maeve cared - which at times she had been less than sure of - but which was becoming more and more apparent.  “Thanks...  But I don’t know the word for Sight.  Or how to do anything with it.”

 

      “Which is why I’m going to tell you - and see if you have any talent for it.  If you want me to.”

 

      “Yeah!  That sounds pretty cool.”   Erica grinned, looking forward to seeing what another Word could do for her - although she dreaded the aching feeling her head would probably have after it was done.   “Knowing how to use these gates could come in handy.”

 

      “I thought you’d be interested.   Now just realize that you may not have much - or any - talent for Sight.  That means you might not be able to do what we have to do to make this work.  Normally a master has months, if not years to gauge her apprentice to know what Words are their forte and what Words are their nulls - but we don’t have months or years, so we have to try this quick and dirty.”

 

      Erica nodded, and sat down.  “I just calm my mind, like before - and listen, right?   Listen and concentrate?”

 

      Maeve nodded.  “Yes.  Just like before.”   Maeve gritted her teeth - she always hated uttering True Words.  It tore the heck out of her throat and left it raw and sore for hours - but if she was going to show Erica what to do, she didn’t really have much choice.   Maeve entered her nairya, and spoke the Word of Sight.

 

      Once again, Erica listened - and like before, Maeve’s voice filled her ears - expanding around her like a bubble of sound, outside of which nothing else could be heard.   Within, however, Erica felt buffeted by whispers, hints of sounds long forgotten - or some she had never experienced.  Strange sensations shivered across her body - some painful, and some pleasurable - while visions of places and people and things stranger flashed across her eyes.  The sound of Maeve’s voice filled her ears, rumbling like a freight-train, and howling like a siren at the same time - the bass rumble and the high-pitched shriek melding into a sound Erica thought would split her head or drive her mad... and then it was over.   She gasped as the flurry of concepts and visions slowly died down - and like before her brain felt like it was stuffed to bursting - like it could contain not a single piece of data more.  Erica groaned in pain, and felt something wet on her lip and realized she had bitten her lip enough to bleed.

 

      Maeve too, was groaning.  “You okay, Erica?”   Her voice sounded hoarse and rough.

 

      Erica sucked her bleeding lip for a second, and said, “Yeah, I think so...  Does it ever get any easier - learning a Word, I mean?  It feels like my head’s going to explode.”

 

      “Not really.”  Maeve said.  “The only consolation is that there aren’t more than a dozen or so True Words.”

 

      Maeve cleared her throat - which hurt more than a little - and waited for Erica to recover from the uttering of the Word.   After a minute or two, she continued.  “Now we have to activate the moongate, Erica.   To do so, we’ll be crafting an illusion - one designed to make the moons above us seem to be in the correct phase - which is waxing, new, new.  You’ll be in charge of changing Doviar - it’s the smaller, greenish moon.”

 

      “What do I do?”  Erica asked.  “Study it and concentrate like with the lock?”

 

      “Yes - but this time, instead of trying to open it, try to imagine the moon as if it was waxing, rather than being in its full phase.  Project that imagining over the moon itself, and imagine your altered version of moonlight striking the platform.  Give it a try - you might feel fatigued, like before.  Don’t worry - that’s normal.”

 

      Erica nodded - and clutched her sore head as her vision swam in front of her eyes.  Maybe don’t do that, she thought.  She tried to concentrate - it was hard with how much her head was aching - but she managed, and watched the small green moon called Doviar.   It was small - maybe one-half the size of Earth’s moon - with a green tint to its appearance.  Erica could only wonder what elements it might be composed of to have that tint to it - so she simply ignored that thought and studied its appearance.   Unlike Earth’s moon, there was no face in Doviar... it seemed pockmarked in places, like any moon - but it had a very noticeable crater on its bottom left quarter - almost looking like a beauty mark, if there had been a face on the moon.   She concentrated, trying to imagine what the moon would look like only half-full, with an expanding crescent instead of being full...  It’s hard - getting the moon to look half-full instead of full - I can’t do it.  She thought for a moment.  Maybe it’s hard because I’m trying to change the moon itself.  Maybe if I overlay what I’m imagining on top of what I see - what’s really there - it would work?   Sort of like layers on a computer program!   Erica tried to push her mental image on top of the real image of Doviar - and in a few moments, felt she had succeeded.   Around the platform, green light was shining from what looked to Erica to be a waxing moon.

 

      As the illusion settled over the moongate, Erica once again felt a draining fatigue sweep over her.  It was almost as strong as the first time she cast a spell, and once again she felt tired and dizzy.   Maeve helped steady her. 

 

      “Good job, Erica.  You did well - and on your first try too!   The illusion should hold long enough for me to finish the activation.”    Maeve continued casting illusions as Erica rested.   “If you ever have to activate a moongate, you would do what you just did to all three moons - and the gate would become powered.   When you’re ready, come here and I’ll show you the rest.”

 

      “Okay.”  Erica gulped a few breaths.  “I’m coming.”  She stood up, and came over to Maeve - and as she did, she couldn’t help but see something shimmer on the stone platform, just under her field of vision - like it was concealed in the stone itself.   “Why is the stone shimmering?”  She asked Maeve.

 

      “It Isn’t - you’re using a bit of the Sight and detecting the magical energy held within the stones.   Open your eyes - your mental eyes - and stare at the stone...  What do you see?”

 

      Erica didn’t see anything at first - but as she stared at the stone, and willed her inner eyes to open, rather than her physical eyes - she began to see more and more, like another layer of visual information overlaying her normal sight.   It was strange - but exciting and interesting.  Looking at the stone surface, she saw carvings of icons and symbols, linked by thin strands of energy and glowing auras in a sort of web.  In fact, it did look a lot like spiderwebs holding the network together.  “I see runes, and symbols.”  She said.  “Connected by energy.  Is that what I’m supposed to see?”

 

      “Yes - that’s it.  To make the gate work, you have to tell the gate where you are - which is this trio of blue teardrop gemstones - and where you want to go - which for Arathel, is little gold and white feather.   Other runes will take you to other locations.   Strengthen the connection between these two points and the gate will open.”

 

      “What happens if you tell it the wrong starting location?”  Erica asked

 

      “I have no idea.” Maeve said.  “I would imagine it would be bad - and very probably fatal.  It’s one of those things I’d rather not find out the hard way.”

     

     

      Erica gulped.  “Fair enough.  Only use the correct runes.”   It’s like a transporter accident on Star Trek, I bet - your atoms probably get scattered across the cosmos.   Better not to find out the hard way, like she says.

 

      Maeve smiled.  “The moongate is ready.  Kai!”  She called.  “Get the horse, and get over here!  We’re leaving in a minute or two.”

 

      “On it!”  Kai called back.  He and Christine had been watching at a distance, so that their presence wouldn’t interfere with the spells Maeve was teaching Erica, or casting on the gate.   Kai took the reins of the horse in his hands, and gently urged it forward, leading it and Christine towards the gate.  “We’re ready if you are.”

 

      Maeve smiled again.  “Good - now remember, once we step through the gate, we’ll have no idea what’s waiting for us on the other side.  Try to stick together and let me do the talking, and we should be okay.  We’ll head for my house - Kai knows the way, if you get separated from me - and we can figure our next move from there.”

 

      Kai, Christine and the horse came up onto the stone platform of the moongate, and stood beside Erica.   Maeve seemed pleased with their arrangement, and began to concentrate on the moongate.  Like before, it was difficult and taxing to link the two location symbols with the energy streaming between the two points in the lattice, almost as if it was trying to avoid her mental grasp.  Still, she was able to finally make the connection - and the platform began to glow, and give off a cool misty white light. 

 

       Maeve huffed and puffed from exertion - she felt tired, sore, and like her throat was on fire from all the talking she was doing since uttering the Word of Sight.  “Here it comes.”  Maeve said. 

 

      There was a flare of blue-white light - a short, continuous flare of light accompanied by the intense feeling of falling from a great height.   Maeve could hear the others yelling or giving a small scream in surprise - and then, just as suddenly as it began, the light ended - and Maeve and the others appeared in Arathel, on the platform before the twin doors that formed the Arathel moongate.

 

        However, they were not alone...  Twelve armored warriors, wearing the colors of Vigilants of the Fifth Circle, and their commander were waiting less than twenty feet away.   The warriors were wearing plate mail, and were armed with longswords and large shields - their burnished armor gleaming in the glare of the fading moongate.  Their helms were plumed with red, and they looked to be at attention - obviously awaiting someone important.   Maeve didn’t think it was her... the Hierarchs might have sent for an honor guard if they knew the time of her arrival - but this was too much...   No, she thought.  This is for someone else entirely.

 

      “Welcome to Arathel, your Majesties... I am captain Carmag.”  The commander of the troops began, while bowing deeply - and then stopped, looking at the rough spun pants and road-travelled boots of the people on the moongate’s platform.   “Allow me to welcome you to... oh, damn.”   Captain Carmag straightened up, and looked at the ragtag group on the moongate.  “It’s not them.”  He called.  “It’s Maeve and the ones she was sent to fetch!”  

 

 

      The other soldiers, who had been at attention, relaxed at ease, and smiled.  One of them called out ‘welcome back’ - while the rest just stretched and shifted.   They looked like they had been here for some time.   Captain Carmag reached up and removed his helm - he looked to be in his late twenties, with short dark hair, and a handsome face framed with a square jaw.

 

      Maeve recognized Captain Carmag - he was a high-ranking warrior in the service of the Church, and at least a Vigilant of the Third Circle, like Sir Andred back in Ogden town was.   She had a fair working relationship with him.   There have been times, though, that I’ve considered seeing if he wanted to take that any farther.  I wonder if he feels the same?  Maeve thought.   Carmag was funny, charming, and intelligent - all qualities she enjoyed in men.   Like her, he was also devoted to his work - which is why they rarely had time to socialize.  

 

      “Is this the greeting an old friend gets, Captain?”  Maeve said, with mock wounds in her speech.  “I would have hoped for at least a ‘What are you doing here?’ instead of ‘Oh, damn.’  Does it have something to do with this very elaborate honor guard?” 

 

      Carmag grinned.  “It does, my friend.  We are expecting the Fireannor and Muireanne imminently - come to confer with the Council of Hierarchs about the news you so recently brought - to which I am not privy.”   Carmag didn’t look like he was annoyed at not knowing what was going on - and Maeve knew it didn’t truly bother him, either.  He was very un-curious, another trait that endeared him to her.  “If you and your friends could clear the platform, I would appreciate it, Maeve.”

 

      Maeve motioned for the others to move off the platform.  “The High King and Queen are coming here?  Tonight?   That sounds rather important.  Will the Hierarchs be meeting with them?”

 

      “No - not until well into tomorrow at the soonest.  Oh - and don’t go anywhere, Maeve.  We have orders to summon an escort for you to ensure you and your charges are taken immediately to the Priory of Saint Jillian of the Meadow.”  Maeve made like to argue - but a quick motion from Carmag cut her short.  “Please don’t argue, Maeve - my orders don’t give me any leeway in this.”

 

      Maeve nodded, and tried to accept with good graces.  “Fair enough, captain.  Where should we wait?” 

 

      Captain Carmag motioned over to a small courtyard, near the entrance to the Grand Cathedral - but well within view of the guards and Carmag’s own honor guard.  “There will suffice.”  He said.  “And all things being equal, I’m glad you came back from your last mission well, Maeve.”  Carmag’s smile made Maeve feel a bit giddy.   “Will you be in Arathel long?”

 

      “It depends, captain.”  Maeve answered.  “I honestly don’t know.  I hope for several weeks at least.”   Maybe it’s time to see if things could work between us, once this affair with the Hierarch is dealt with?  I know my mother would like that.  She always did want grandchildren.  She thought.  I could lose myself for an hour or two in that smile of his... and I can certainly think of some things I’d like to do with him!

 

      “Perhaps we could spend some time together then?  When we both have less pressing issues.”  Captain Carmag smiled a wry but charming smile at Maeve - it was obvious to both of them that it could be quite some time before they both had less pressing issues.

 

      “Indeed.  I would like that very much, Captain.  Until then.”  Maeve said.

 

      “Until then.”

 

      Christine watched the interplay between the two of them - Captain Carmag and Maeve.  It was obvious, at least to her, that they carried a torch for each other.  Who would have thought it?  Hard as nails Maeve has the hots for a charming knight working in a city - instead of some sneaky bastard working in intelligence.  Weird.   And he seems to like her too.  

 

      Maeve led the others to the courtyard away from the moongate, and the others followed her quietly.  I am glad they’re following my instructions, she thought, feeling a flush go to her cheeks.  But I bet I’m going to get some questions over that little meeting.   It wasn’t often Maeve was smitten or embarrassed in public, but it seemed perhaps this was one of them.

 

      “Now what?”  Asked Kai.  “Was getting to your house important?”

 

      “Not really.” Maeve said.  “It gave us a place to figure out what happened next.  It seems that choice has been taken from us.   I did want to send a message to an ally - but there are other ways of doing that if necessary.”

 

      “So now we wait?”  Christine said.  “What is this priory we’re being taken to?”

 

      “It’s a religious retreat - a small monastery dedicated to one of our saints.  It’s about an hour’s walk outside of Arathel and Orovar, in the hills around the two cities.   The monks of the priory grow grapes that are made into a number of popular local wines.   It’s near some farms - not the middle of nowhere, but remote enough that I think our foe will feel safe enough to make his move.”

 

      I still don’t like this plan, Christine thought.  But I’ll be damned if I can think of a better alternative.  Erica still isn’t ready to try taking us back home, and Maeve was right, dammit.  I don’t know where we could hide, or who we could or couldn’t trust.  We don’t really have a choice here.

 

      The group of them settled down to wait for their escorts.

 

*          *          *

 

      Sir Andred watched the gate from a discreet distance.  He had been asked - told, actually - to leave the area around the moongate, so that Captain Carmag could escort important personages when they arrived.   Now that’s a job I’d like to have one day - Captain of the guard for the King and Queen of Arathel and Orovar.  I can’t begin to think of the political connections he must have to hold a post like that - while I get placed in a backwoods town like Ogden.   I guess it’s just the luck of the draw - my parents weren’t nobles - I earned my post through deeds and actions, not family connections.   Still, he must be half-decent to make Vigilant of the Third Circle, so maybe I’m being too harsh and the good captain earned his post here too?  It wouldn’t be the first time a scion of a wealthy family actually accomplished something by himself, instead of living off his parent’s name.

 

      Andred smirked at his musings.  You’re here for something more important, Andred - don’t be a fool.  Besides, I’ll bet that sir fancy-pants over there hasn’t had an Angel of the Twins appear to HIM to dispense a holy mission, so who has the higher rank in reality, hmm?   I’m on a mission from the Gods themselves.  A cushy job and great pay is nothing compared to the importance of why I was sent here.

 

 

      Sir Andred’s vigil ended a short while later, when the moongate suddenly began to glow; a few moments later, Maeve and her friends had arrived.   He saw Captain Carmag greet them, and hear his request to move away from the gate.    At last!  Maybe she can fill me in on what’s going on - before their escorts arrive.   Sir Andred left his hidden nook, and approached Maeve and the others, drawing his cloak around him for warmth.

 

*          *          *

 

      “Hsst!  Someone’s coming.”  Kai whispered.

 

      “I see him.”  Maeve said.  “You - who goes there?” 

 

      The approaching figure stopped and held up his hand, and pulled back the hood of his cloak.   “It is Sir Andred, late of Ogden town.   I mean no harm - but I would speak with you Maeve, if you have a moment.”

 

      Maeve looked a little surprised at the sight of Sir Andred - mostly because she had put him out of her mind, in the ‘not currently relevant’ category - which was obviously mistaken.   A quick look at Kai and the others showed they looked rather surprised as well, and Erica looked a little worried too.  “We can speak.  What seems to be the problem, Sir Andred?”

 

      “Quietly, Serra, if you please.  What I have to ask is not such that it would do for others to hear it.”   Andred looked more than a little furtive - and it was plain he didn’t want to be overheard. 

 

      Whatever’s got him bothered must be either embarrassing or sensitive, Maeve thought.  Why else would he leave Ogden town for Arathel.   He can’t have remained in Ogden long after we left, to get here so quickly.  He has the look of someone who has been waiting for a long while.   “I can lower my voice, Sir Andred, but if you wish for privacy I suggest you hurry - a number of guards will be arriving soon to escort us outside the city.”

 

      “Very well, I’ll come to the point.  An Angel sent by the Twins told me one of the Hierarchs was Bishop Vargas’ master, and a Hserinyar - and sent me here to kill him.  He told me you know who it is, and that I should seek you out to discover the truth.  He also charged me with protecting Erica from the corrupted Hierarch’s machinations.  I must ask if you know who it is.”  Kai made a symbol of blessing, upon hearing of the Angel.

 

      Sir Andred didn’t look like he was joking - in fact he looked deadly serious.   Maeve didn’t waste time debating if Sir Andred’s claims were true or not - the fact was if he knew about the corrupted Hierarch, he was either the hierarchs agent - which was unlikely - or he had been visited by Divine influence.   Either way, this conversation needed to be protected from prying eyes and ears.   Maeve entered her Nairya, and wove a quick spell of warding using Sight.  “I’m not totally sure, Sir Andred.  I have my suspicions, but suspicions are not enough to accuse a Hierarch.  My plan was to use Erica as bait - then strike when he made his move.   I believe he will strike when we are outside of the city, at the priory of Saint Jillian of the Meadow.”

 

      Sir Andred nodded.  “Do you harbor any suspicions?  Even lacking proof, I would hear them.”

 

      Maeve pondered the request a moment.  What harm could it do?  He doesn’t strike me as a stupid man - He’s not going to toss his life away on a suicidal charge... is he?   “Do I have your word you will not strike, until I have proof of the traitor’s identity?  Do you swear on the Skyfather and Mother?”

 

      “Aye.  Now tell me quickly, before your minders come.”   Sir Andred looked more than a little impatient.

 

      “Hierarch Donal Blaine.”  Maeve whispered the name; even though the area was warded against spells, Captain Carmag and the men and women under his command weren’t that far off.   One carelessly overloud phrase could be disastrous if it was overheard.  

     

      Sir Andred didn’t have time to respond - a group of ten men - city guards it seemed, from their uniforms and chain shirts - had approached and addressed the group.   “Is this the group of Maeve Varda?”  One of the men asked.

 

      Maeve looked at the others, and nodded.  “It is.”

 

      The city guard nodded back.  “Good.  I am Watch-captain Drostan.  We are to escort you to Saint Jillian’s priory immediately.   Are you ready to leave?”

 

      “I believe so.”  Maeve said, motioning for Sir Andred to join them.   The watch-captain didn’t seem to realize there had only been four people in her group - not five, so perhaps that would lend them an advantage?    She smiled inwardly as Sir Andred fell in behind them.

 

      “Then let us be off.  It’s nearly ten bells now - and it’ll be well after midnight before the rest of my men and I get back to the city, especially if we dawdle.”   The watch-captain didn’t look like he was particularly annoyed or pleased with the duty at hand - he was just eager for it to be done so he could get back to his usual tasks.  His men looked much the same.

 

      Their group made good time through the city streets of Arathel - the night streets had little traffic, and what traffic there was quickly made way for a large patrol of guards.   It took perhaps fifteen minutes to walk through the city and reach the city gates.   The whole time, Christine and Erica were looking around the city with their eyes agog at all the sights and strangeness compared to their world.

 

      The buildings were similar to those of Wethom - the lower floors made of fieldstone and mortar, with the upper floors being made of wood and plaster.  The difference was that there were many more floors on average, than in Wethom - the buildings were taller, and the streets a bit narrower.  It made the city seem to loom overhead.  It wasn’t a stifling warren - but it did seem crowded compared to Wethom.  Erica and Christine did see signs of a sewer system, like in Wethom, and the city seemed clean as could be expected.  It also looked to be at least six times the size of Wethom - perhaps more.   Kai was not so amazed - he had been to Arathel once before, and disliked the experience somewhat.   It was too busy, too closed in, too full of people - like an anthill made of stone.

 

      Once outside the city gates and away from the torches and lights of the city, the landscape around the city was lit by the multi-colored light of the moons.  Only Doviar and Selene were in the night sky - Doviar was full, and Selene waning - and the greenish silver light they gave off together blended into one another and cast many shadows across the ground.   There was ample light to see the road by - but making out details in the shapes and shadows only a few dozen yards from the road was very difficult.  

 

      Running beside the city was a great river.  Christine figured it was easily of a size with the Mississippi river - she’d been on the river once on a riverboat trip with her mom, and it seemed similar in size to the river running between Arathel, and another city across the river, on the other bank.  Both cities were built on hills on either side of the river. “What’s that?”  She asked.  “Is that more of Arathel?” 

 

      One of the guards snorted.  “Outlanders, eh?   No - that’s Orovar, the twin city to Arathel, and home of the King and Queen of Orvan.”

 

      Maeve joined in.  “Orovar and Arathel are called The Twin Cities” - and Orvan is the name of this Kingdom.   The King and Queen of Orvan owe allegiance to the Fireannor and Muireanne, but otherwise run their Kingdom as they wish.  The Council of Hierarchs, however, serves all of Valris - not just Orvan; the center of their power is in Arathel, where we just left.”

 

      “How come you never mentioned Orovar before now?”  Erica asked.

 

      “Ummm... because it never came up?   I figured I’d be telling you when it was important - and I guess now is that time.  I couldn’t tell you everything - I wouldn’t know where to start.”  Maeve shrugged apologetically.  

 

      “Fair enough.”  Erica smiled.  Its true - she couldn’t possibly tell us everything.  Arathel is even more impressive than Wethom - but man, I would hate to see what happens when there’s a fire, with those houses built so close to one another.   Maybe they use magic to stop fires?  It would make sense, I guess.

 

      And Sir Andred says he met an angel!  I was kind of worried he was going to put me on some sort of pedestal, but now He’s seen an angel.  Why do the Gods show themselves here, but not at home?  Or is it we’re too blind to see it?  I wonder.  I should ask him about his meeting - maybe compare notes.   I get the impression he wants to talk to me as well.

     

      They walked down the cobbled road, descending the great hill that Arathel was built upon, towards the farms and vineyards outside the city.  The road itself was well maintained, and lined with ancient and majestic trees.  It was quite attractive - and the countryside seemed pleasant and rural to Christine and Erica’s eyes - like something you might see in the rural France on television - but the strange shadow-play caused by the two moons cast everything with ominous shadows that made every dark corner or nook seem imposing with the possibility of lurking danger.  

 

      I suppose you get used to it, Erica thought about the moonlight.  It is pretty strange.   I wonder what the priory is going to be like?  Hell, I wonder if any of us will survive tonight?   I hope Maeve can pull off her plan.  Erica continued her musings, alternately worrying about the plan, and wondering if they were going to survive, for some time as they trudged along the road.  Strangely, she wasn’t getting herself into a panic - instead, she felt a distanced from it.   The guards weren’t particularly talkative, and the others seemed subdued.   I guess I’m just adjusting to the crazy things we’ve been doing since we got here?  If I think I’m worried about the plan, I’ll bet Christine is practically chewing her fingernails off.

     

      Christine was worried - although her fingernails were still whole.  She couldn’t put her worries into words - it was more like a nameless dread that Maeve’s plan would go balls up and everything would be lost.   She knew it was the best option - but she couldn’t help but think that there must be something Maeve hadn’t thought of - or that fate for some reason, would turn against them.  There are so many things that could go wrong with this plan, it’s not funny.  She thought.  The what-if’s of all the things that could go wrong were driving her crazy, so she stamped down on them, swallowed the sick feeling in her stomach, and kept walking.

 

 

      Kai and Maeve on the other hand, were neither worrying themselves nor wasting time with fear and nameless dread.  Both of their senses were alert, and their eyes watched the sides of the road for ambush or attack, even though they were surrounded by city watchmen.  Both studied the shadows with the practised look of people long accustomed to danger, who saved their energy for things they could do or affect, and didn’t waste it on needless worry.  

 

      The guards travelling with them were relatively complacent - they didn’t seem to expect attack, and neither did they detect the nervousness of their charges, nor Maeve and Kai’s alertness.   They gave the distinct impression they were here to ferry their charges to the priory - and that was all.    That’s good, at least.  Maeve thought.  The guards themselves aren’t likely to be agents of the Hierarch - so if there’s to be an attack, it’ll come from outside our group - or at the priory itself.

 

      Maeve’s musings were cut short by one of the guards speaking up. “That building there, at the base of the hill, is Saint Jillian’s priory.  The farms along side it belong to yeoman farmers, I think - but the fields surrounding the priory are their vinyards and fields.”   The building that the guard indicated was the priory was fairly large, even at this distance.  It looked to have only two floors - but it was sprawled out over a fairly large area, and looked to have at least one basement or cellar.   The fields surrounding the priory seemed to be mostly vineyards, but one quarter of the fields seemed reserved for more common vegetables, probably to help supplement the diets of the monks living in the priory.   The priory grounds were surrounded by a low stone wall - perhaps six feet in height.  Unlike many of the walls surrounding the noble villas in Wethom or Arathel, it didn’t seem to have shards of broken pottery or glass embedded in the top of the wall - so the monks were obviously not too concerned with the idea of sneak-thieves climbing over their walls.  

 

      The road switched back more than once as they descended a series of steep hillsides to approach the priory.   The cobbled road was slick with snowmelt, and several people slipped on the wet stones more than once - city guards included.   By the time they had all descended to the base of the steep hill, at least half of them were nursing a sore rump or barked knee.   Kai had to move cautiously to make sure the horse didn’t slip and do itself some serious damage, but even he and the horse eventually made it safely to the bottom. 

 

       “I’d hate to see what that hill is like in winter, when its covered with ice.”  Erica said.

 

      A few of the guards chuckled, and captain Drostan chimed in.  “If we were coming out in icy weather, we wouldn’t dare make the climb without spikes on our boots.   And I daresay getting down that hill would be a lot easier than climbing back up it in such weather.”   The captain put a fair bit of humor in his comment - so it was more of a joke than grousing.  He was obviously in better humor now that they had practically reached the priory - he and his men would soon be returning to Arathel.

 

        A few minutes later, they reached the closed gates of the priory’s wall.   Watch-captain Drostan rang the brass bell dangling from a hook, and a few moments later, a small wooden window the size of a breadbox opened in the side of the wooden gates shutting the priory off from the outer world.   A man was on the other side of the window - but it was hard to get a decent look - and a voice called out “State your business, then!”

 

      Captain Drostan replied.  “I’m watch-captain Drostan - and I’ve escorted the party of Maeve Varda under the orders of the Council of Hierarchs to your premises.  Would you kindly open the door, and take care of these fine people so me and my men can be on our ways?”

 

 

      “Sorry good captain.”  The voice called.  “Can’t be too careful when you’re outside the city walls, now can you?”   The window closed, and a few moments later, the gate gave sounds of being un-barred.  The doors opened to reveal a monk dressed in a brown robe, roughly in his late thirties.  He looked brawny and fit - probably from working the fields.  “I’m brother Graham.   Consider your duty done, captain - I’ll take care of your charges from here.   Did you wish to come inside to rest a moment?”

 

      Captain Drostan shook his head.  “My thanks, but no - the weather is still good, for Rainfall, and the sooner we leave, to sooner we’ll be back in Arathel, finding a warm meal and a bed to rest in.”

 

      “Then may the Gods be with you, good captain.”  Brother Graham said.  “As for the rest of you, come in, come in.”   Brother Graham motioned for Maeve, Erica and the others to come inside.   The soldiers from the city turned and left, and Brother Graham closed the wooden doors to the priory and re-barred the gates.  

 

      “Come with me.”  He said.  “The Abbot is looking forward to meeting with you.  We’ve been expecting you for days now.” 

 

      “The Abbot is up at such a late hour?”  Kai asked. 

 

      “No - but he asked to be woken whenever you arrived.  I imagine he’ll introduce himself and speak with all for a short while, and then we’ll be finding rooms for all of you for your stay with us.   I imagine you’ll get better acquainted with the Abbot tomorrow, once everyone’s had a good night’s sleep.”

 

      Kai and Maeve nodded, and the others fell in beside them.  Brother Graham led them towards the priory itself - and it seemed one section of the huge sprawling building was reserved for a stables.   A young acolyte came and took charge of Kai’s horse, leading him to a stall to be cleaned and fed, while Brother Graham led the others to the doors of the priory.  Brother Graham fumbled at his belt for a ring of keys, and unlocked the door - and in another moment or two, they were inside.