Riders of Tethra Chapter 14
Chapter Fourteen
Korlin looked at his unshaven face in the mirror in his quarters in Kelna. How much longer could he endure this endless boredom of riding stupid minds focusing on overtaking his homeland. Not that he cared much for Maginar, he had been just fifteen when his belligerent attitude and talent for trouble had called for Master Council. He saw himself, thirty years younger, swaggering unconcernedly amongst his fellow trainees. Yet, inside, he was wracked with fear. He knew he would be expelled. The boy had died. It wasn't his fault really but he had suggested the climb, knowing from riding the newly admitted boy, that he wanted to attempt it. And he had stupidly shared his dare with other trainees who warned against it. The boy died.
Korlin hadn't been exceptional by any stretch of the imagination. He struggled with everything, physically and academically. He found the Middlemost boring to say the least and returned home to solitude each night, friendless and disregarding his mother's attempts to care. He was admitted to training a mere seven months ago and already had become the delinquent among the boys. He had earned no badges of proficiency in anything. With the death of the boy, he packed his clothes and fled the only direction he knew, along the northern edge of the lake. He could ride well enough to know which people in the villages along the way would take pity on him. He felt empowered knowing that although he had little training, it was far more than any of these people. So he was housed and fed on his journey yet he didn't know if he was being followed so he never stayed long. Finally, he reached the end of the mountain range and was told of a trail which crossed the source of the Crewth. If he could escape the borders of Maginar, perhaps he could live off his hidden skills and do as he wished.
"Fifteen and stupid," he thought to himself as he turned away from the mirror and fell into the deep leather chair, a single lamp flickering on a table by his side. His mind drifted back to the days in Merton. He had flaunted his skills in a Torinar village which almost got him killed. A fifteen year old boy that could gamble and win against the best at the games of bluff, too cocky to allow himself to lose on occasion, brought accusations of cheating. His success also drew the attention of Pagnor, the young overlord of the alliance. The legends of Pandor and Farin were not limited to Maginar and soon Korlin found himself being threatened in Merton until he revealed that he could ride and proved it by reading Pagnor's thoughts. And it was then that both Korlin and Pagnor realized that riding required proximity to the person being ridden.
Merton actually was a beautiful city on the fork of the Langston. The palace was situated on the point of the split with the overlord's quarters occupying the top floor and Korlin's own just a single floor below. Pagnor offered him sumptuous lodgings, the finest of everything and of course the most beautiful girl in the alliance.
Shanna had no guile. She was as innocent and pure as she was beautiful. And when she was presented to Korlin, he was instantly in love and knew that his adoration was totally returned. He had no need to ride Shanna, ever. She truly loved him. Korlin knew that had been Pagnor's plan, a way for him to be controlled, but he couldn't help himself. The sumptuous beauty of the surroundings had only been eclipsed by Shanna. Korlin's purpose was primarily to advise Pagnor, ensure that his inner circle of staff was completely loyal and their thoughts focused on Pagnor's vision for Torinar. It was easy duty. He would serve Pagnor and live forever happy with his beautiful wife, Shanna.
He remembered that special night.
"Oh, my precious love," Shanna had said as they embraced by the fire in their drawing room. "I am so full of joy with you."
"You are my life," he had replied truly and honestly, kissing her softly.
"Are you reading my thoughts?" she had asked as her lips parted from his.
"You know I never do," he replied with a questioning expression. It was an unusual question, rarely mentioned.
"Then my love, I will tell you we are being given a gift."
"I have all the gift I need in you," he had replied.
"You have read my thoughts then," she laughed. "Because the gift is in me!"
Korlin pushed back to stare at his flawless wife. It took him a moment to digest what she had just said. Then, with tears running from his eyes, he held her so tightly he worried he might hurt the growing expression of their love.
"I hope he will be just like you," she had said.
"He can only be a hundred times better for having you as his mother," Korlin said. "And how do you know it will be a `he' and not a perfect reproduction of you?"
"I know," she had said simply.
Pagnor threw a city-wide celebration for the birth of Shayne. All the people of Torinar knew of the birth of Korlin's son. Some who had been revealed as less than supportive were not quite as jubilant but for the most part, the country was joyful. Most people felt that Korlin's presence as counsel for the overload had created peace in the land for over a decade. Nowhere was the celebration more elaborate than in Merton. Streets festooned with banners, barges of bright sails by day and shimmering lights by night welcomed the newborn into the family of Torinar.
Shayne's contagious laughter echoed through the palace as three years passed. Korlin and Shanna reveled in their son's totally wondrous curiosity, happiness and growing beauty. Nothing could ever surmount this full life of love he was living. He had thought of the poor boys of Maginar who were never allowed to know who their fathers were. What a loss for both the boy and the man. He assumed his father was in Squall's End doing something menial when he and his mother were taken to Lorenwood after he turned fourteen. Since he didn't know who the man was, it was a pleasure to leave the damp seaside village that was so appropriately named. As he thought about it now, Lorenwood wasn't that much better and he doubted after all these years he could find his way back should he ever want to.
Then the urgent call came. It was midnight and Pagnor wanted him immediately. This never happened.
In nightdress, Korlin entered Pagnor's private chambers and bowed as expected.
"Orfin invaded Harmsfail," Pagnor announced.
"When?" Korlin asked still shaking slightly.
"Two lunar rotations ago," Pagnor replied, pacing the room.
Korlin said nothing but simply waited for the overlord to continue, realizing the news was almost 50 days old.
"It is confirmed that he lost all but seven of his legion. Stupid move to attack Harmsfail but it is closest to Scarguess."
Korlin nodded, reading Pagnor's thoughts. "But they netted two boys."
"Yes," Pagnor replied not unused to Korlin's thought invasion. He knew for a long time that he could keep no secrets from his Chief Counsel and he also knew that Korlin was aware that any betrayal could result in the death of his wife and son. "We believe the boys were about twelve and Orfin apparently knew they were special."
"Boys of twelve may possess the natural ability but are no more than soothsayers without training," Korlin replied, "And other alliances don't know what you know and I now know. All Maginar boys don't develop great riding skill and range is severely limited. Most boys find it boring except maybe to see if a girl is interested in them.
"Nonetheless," Pagnor screamed slamming his fist on the table. "We have you, and regardless of those boys' abilities, they still can be used and we do not know what the captives have shared."
"They will be of little use my lord," Korlin had deferred remembering his own playful attempts at riding when he was that age.
"Can Shayne ride?" Pagnor asked, eyes focused on Korlin with deadly seriousness.
Fear surged through Korlin's body. "He's three my lord! There is no way to know. It will not be apparent until he is at least ten."
"Then we will be preparing to acquire our own addition of Maginar boys. You will accompany me to Orm Kirk and discover which boys have been watched for possible training in Leeside. The secret is out now counselor, and every overlord of the alliances will be trying for a stable of Maginar boys. And they will do what we will do, overcome opposition and capture family of the boys to prevent resistance. You will bring them to Merton and train them."
"None of the other alliances knows of the training required to skillfully ride, my lord." Korlin carefully omitted that he had never completed that training. He continued, "They only know that with me by your side at fifteen, you had an advantage for some reason. Only you know the boys require training. They are using these boys as prophets, fortune tellers. The boys not sent to training have no idea that the training even exists. They only know they must try to predict to save their loved ones!" Korlin had never mentioned the existence of Lorenwood and knew nothing of Pandor's Fen himself. It was wise to keep that information a secret to prevent Pagnor from considering an attack on Lorenwood and disrupting his perfect life here.
Korlin was already roaming Pagnor's mind and realizing that his beloved wife and son would be hostage to the overlord's decision. Any attempt to escape on his part or to obstruct success of the mission would be costly. He was certainly not going to admit that he had very little training to share with Maginar boys. He had only had seven months in the Middlemost himself, at fifteen.
"As you wish," he agreed. "I will have to be in Leeside to discover which boys may have been selected."
"Of course and we will occupy Leeside completely until you have provided us with their identity. Harmsfail is aptly named and attacking that stronghold a guaranteed failure. Leeside is virtually unprotected with even minor commerce with our own town of Orm Kirk across the Crewth. It is a sad fact that your riding skills do not travel further than they do. Prepare to meet in the morning, verify the loyalties of my commanders after the plan is developed and then be ready to leave as soon as possible."
Within four days, the forces were mounted. Korlin had held his wife and son more tightly than he had ever in his life. "My life is always with yours," he had promised. "No matter what happens, I will always be with you."
The tears of parting were only endured by Shanna believing that Korlin could always read her, ride her. She did not know of his distance limitations but she did know his love for her and Shayne.
So it had begun; the obsession of the alliances to possess the rider boys of Maginar. That had been over a year ago now and the raid on Leeside had been a disaster. They had approached by sea and were met with unexpected defense from the shore of the Maginar town. Korlin's boat had been hit, he was knocked over board and clung to the wooden wreckage until rescued a day later by a scout ship from Lokinar. Four weeks later, he had found himself prisoner in Lhanbryde being daily and painfully interrogated by Elbart's officers. Korlin reasoned that nothing would happen to Shanna and Shayne. Pagnor would know that he would do everything to return to his family.
Korlin woke from his reminiscing. Kelna was better than Lhanbryde but not much. The river offered some pleasant scenery that was considerably less bleak than the capital but he was in prison. He was never out from under guard during the days of construction. He was rarely close enough to Elbart to ride him, but then he didn't need to, the man was an ego maniac concerned only with his power and safety. Kelna had been changed from an insignificant river village to a guarded fortress. Boats had been built and test runs down the Ush had proven that Korlin's strategy was a wise one. It was easy to send anything down the river, but returning against the flow was terribly difficult and would be even more so if attacked from the frequent strongholds built along the shore. So in three months, Kelna had become a seat of power.