Chapter 2: Catching Up 1.2 Determined to Catch Up

Chapter 2.2: Determined to Catch Up

Thinking about that event helped Jarl to relax. He pondered his situation. Wrennel said that the wagons would be heading south. Jarl thought that perhaps he could even see some dust in the distance. He started in that direction. He was not sure he could catch up to them by dusk, but he should be able to reach them before the night was full dark, unless they were pushing the horses hard. Considering how much they want this equipment to be cared for, Jarl did not think that was the case. He started down the road at a trot. Jarl quickly decided that he could not keep that pace up for an entire day and some of the night so he settled to a walk. As he walked, he saw some rocky hilltops in the distance. They did not seem to be getting closer. Perhaps they were the tops of the Southern Mountains. The road did not turn much. It not the smooth walk he had from Wilfreng though. There were hills this side of Rombol. Not like the long and rolling plains to the north, these were shorter yet steeper. There were few streams and those without bridges. Jarl could see the tracks where the wagons forded across. There were trees here and there, even a couple of thickets. These trees were not the like the oaks or pines of the Painted Forest. They were stunted and gnarled, some were even twisted. Perhaps another example of the sparse soil. He had no idea if there were any boars down here. He figured not, this close to the city. He had yet to see any animal tracks close to the road. The ground was rocky, explaining the lack of farms, this side of the river, at least. Even some rocks large enough to sit on. Jarl wondered how far away the sea was from here. He could see it from the bridge by the warehouse, but he couldn't even glimpse it when he topped a hill here.

Jarl kept on. He was sweating, glad for the water Gremmell's wife gave him. She seemed to think he'd get thirsty just crossing the city. It came in handy now. One hill looked little different than another, one thicket the same as another. He decided to stop for a snack on a hard roll and some cheese. Opening the bag he got a nice surprise. Juel had put some pastries on the top, shored up by the cheese to keep them from getting mashed. There weren't many, pastries don't keep long. He started on one. Then another. Soon they were gone. Licking his fingers he glanced north. Nothing but more of the same. Grabbing a hard roll he closed the pack and continued on.

The pastries helped. He was feeling better. He found a stream and refilled his water bladder. He had spent considerable time alone on the way to Rombol but this was different. Jarl thought there should be settlements, villages of some type, but so far nothing. Occasionally the sun would drop down below a steep hill to the west. There were a few hours till dusk yet, Again, nothing like the landscape he was used to. With all these hills, Jarl wondered if he would be able to see the camp. He intended to find it, to part of this expedition. He needed it, though he was not quite sure why. It just seemed to fit with his need to leave the farm and his tiny village. After seeing the world, that's how he saw Wilfreng now, tiny.

Topping the next hill found no sign of the camp, not that he really expected to find one. Jarl was not sure how far they could have gone, but chances were they were still moving. Unless they wanted to set that thing up during the daylight. Jarl did not get see how it was done so he had no idea how long it would take. Could they do it by firelight or with lanterns? Logic suggests that if they wanted it setup tonight they'd do so in daylight.

Just the same, three more hills down and no campsite. Now daylight was fading. He heard a horse trotting from the direction of Rombolin. Perhaps it was the lack of any life, perhaps the encroaching darkness, but Jarl began feeling apprehensive. This was nothing like the Hemly Road with all its travelers. He was alone in a barren place with a lone horseman coming over the hill behind him. Jarl began looking for a place to hide. Just to be careful, he told himself, no need in taking chances. It could be a Defender patrol. They supposedly went everywhere sooner or later.

There was a large rock ahead and Jarl made for it, getting behind it just as the clopping horse's canter grew louder. Ducking down as much as he could, Jarl hoped the rider had not seen him. The clopping grew louder then slowed and finally stopped. There was no noise for several moments. Jarl was thinking about trying to sneak a peek when the rider all but shouted "Might as well come out! I'm not going further knowing someone could ambush me from behind!"

That voice sounded familiar, but he wasn't sure who, focusing more on what his options were. He had no arrows and would not shoot someone anyways, much less in the back. Still, if the stranger wanted to chase him, Jarl had no illusions that he could outrun a horse even in this rough landscape. Beside, the man might have arrows of his own, ready to shoot him down should be run. He rose slowly as the stranger's impatience began show with another shout "Well!" Both men stared at each other in the beginnings of disbelief. "You again. Boy, what're you doing all the way out here? I distinctly heard you say you were going to be a baker's apprentice, not traveling in granite country. You're lucky no one found you before I did."

It was Lantrool, wearing mail and a sword, complete with a helmet, gauntlets, and spikes on the front of his thick leather boots, sitting atop a roan with a large, dark, black diamond on his forehead. He looked as confused at seeing Jarl here as Jarl, he. He joined the old veteran on the roadside, dozens of thoughts running through his head. Lan mumbled out loud like Jarl wasn't really there, "Can't leave you out here alone and don't have time to take you back. The only other settlement south of Rombol and east of the river is a fishing village even farther away. You'll just have to come with us until we can get you to someplace safer." Lan continued grumbling under his breath "Fool children nowadays. You'd think they had more sense." Out loud he said, "Come on, the daylight's almost gone as it is. Climb up behind me and hold on. Not sure how much farther we have to go yet.

"Thank you," Jarl replied. The horse set off at trot. As grateful as Jarl was, he also wanted to ensure he would meet up with the Surveyor and his camp. The reference to 'us' was taking the forefront of Jarl's thoughts till something clicked. He asked the question as soon as it popped into his head "Are you working for the Surveyor as well?" Jarl fully expected a no since he just could not see this proud man doing menial labor.

"Sort of, I'm to be part of his guard detail. What do you mean as well?" He turned to look at the young man, a scowl on his face, "How do you even know about this project?"

"It's not like it's a secret. Some skinny fellow in a red robe told me to seek out the Surveyor. The guards in front of the palace told the crowd I was with this morning to leave or come to the warehouse and sign up to work for him. When I got there, it seemed like they were expecting me. That was kind of strange. Then Burd, the man overseeing things there, said they were leaving as soon as they could get the wagons loaded. I ran home to get my things, say my goodbyes to the baker as his family and thank them for putting me for the night. When I got back to the warehouse they were gone, gone as if they'd left they days earlier."

"That's because they left the day before. Yesterday morning to be exact. I don't know this Burd, fellow." Lan paused a moment, mulling things over. "Don't know anything about all that. Still, can't leave you here. I expected to catch up to them tomorrow evening. You're weight is going to slow ol' Black down." With a loud humph, If we push hard enough, might still find them tomorrow night." Lan turned back around, grumbling too low to hear, something about things that don't add up.

Jarl spoke into the pause "How can they have left yesterday, I know I saw them this morning, and I have no more reason to lie about that than I have to lie about you saving me from those thieves, yesterday. How do you explain me knowing about all this if it didn't happen as I said?"

"For all I know you dreamed it all." Jarl started to protest but Lan just rolled right over him, staring hard in the eyes. "No more. I'm not going to spend the afternoon chattering on about this. Right now I need quiet. If you want to come with me, you'll speak when I say and shut up and when I say, got it?" Lan was quiet, not even mumbling, just watching the road, the trees, the rocks, the bushes, as if someone or something might jump out at them at any minute. From what was stated earlier, perhaps someone would. Jarl started to ask more the Surveyor but Lan just shushed him, seeming to watch the road even harder than before.

It was almost full dark now. Jarl was getting sleepy. The hills were getting steeper and the road was going around them more often than over now. The twisted and gnarled trees made the idea of someone or something ambushing them even more certain. Lan stopped and they dismounted. He led them around a large outcropping of rock. "Stay here, boy. There's a good camping spot up ahead, hidden from passersby. If it's empty, it will be a good spot to camp." Leaning in close "Black knows to keep still. You do the same. No noise, no movement of any kind. If you alert whomever might be in there, then if they don't kill you, I just might. Got it?"

Jarl just nodded vigorously. The old vet eyed him a moment longer then departed. Jarl did not even hear him leave. It was as if the man had never been. Jarl strained his ears trying to hear something. All he heard was a few crickets and birds in the distance. It was eerily quiet without the sound of the horse's hooves on the rocky dirt road. Black occasionally swished his tail or twitched an ear, but otherwise made no movement. It seemed like an hour passed, Black's head turned toward the road. Lan appeared soon after. Motioning for continued silence, he led the way far from the road to the promised hiding spot. It was like a large crack in what had the shape of a very large and crumbling rock. They wound their way up a winding path, leather clad soles and metal shod hooves alike kicked rocks aside and ground others underfoot, faint echoes heralding their progress. Jarl had trouble telling path from rock wall. After the second turn the walls began to take shape, lit from some unseen source. Two more turns brought them to a small, cave-like spot with a tiny fire, just large enough to cook a small meal before it went out again. Roots struck over the edge of rocky overhang, looking more like teeth in the play of shadows from the fire.

Finally, Lan said they could talk, but quietly. The tiny canyon would muffle sound but even here a normal voice could carry to anyone approaching. Better to hear someone coming than to let them know your here. All this in a gruff whisper that was somehow easily heard. Just the same, they said little. Lan started boiling some water for beans. Jarl pulled out some hard rolls and cheese. There were two pastries left which he tried to offer to Lan but was turned down.

After finishing their meal, preparing the bedding and putting out the fire, Lan quietly spoke "I've been pondering your story. I've little reason to believe you. You could be a young spy from some upstart lord or you could be taken with seeing things. Perhaps you just made it up." He raised a hand to forestall Jarl's obvious protest. "I don't think you're a spy. Granted you come from a far away, tiny village, excusing you of odd behaviors, something a spy would want. The way you bungled into that side street suggests naivety far more than playing a role. No spy would want attention nor would they risk harm without need. Besides, You could not have planned to be here waiting for me. I only received word that I could join this endeavor yesterday. I did not accept the job until a few hours ago." Lan was suddenly deep in thought, mumbling something about a woman running him off. The old war vet must really be unsettled about something. He reminded Jarl of his Pa, someone who did not waste words, saying exactly what he meant to say, no more and no less, not to mumble where others could overhear him. Jarl remained silent, deep in his own thoughts. The embers from the fire were all most completely gone, before Lan spoke again. Jarl could no longer see the man's eyes but was certain that Lan was looking straight at him when he spoke again. "Strange that, the request just came out of the blue, more like an afterthought, not like Captain Fultrik at all. Captain's usually don't do things like that, and the High Captain is well known for his planning and foresight. Strange as well that Shurm's Wisdom should favor my coming at a time when you were well down the Granite Road." Lan shook his head. "Get some sleep, we'll be rising early. I want to join them tomorrow night if at all possible."

Jarl had his bedding arranged as best he could on the hard, rocky surface. The grumpy vet propped his pack against the back wall then leaned against it. Jarl looked up through the small opening of the canyon, wondering what a canyon was, wondering what he had gotten himself into, wondering why he had left Wilfreng. He just wanted something more than a farmer's life, that's all. He was still trying to work it all out when sleep came.

Jarl was hardly asleep before he felt his legs being nudged and a muffled voice in the background. He rolled onto his back and tried to settle in again. Suddenly, there was cold water on his face and he was bolting up. "About time. Thought I was going to have to tied you to the horse like a dead weight." It was still dark out, barely a hint of dawn. A few stars remained.

"No one gets up this early, not farmers and not bakers nor anyone I ever heard of." Just the same, he started packing, amid silence from the other man, not even a chuckle about the water. "How can you keep going with no sleep?"

"Keep it down. there's still a chance someone may want to wander in here. Just be grateful you got four more hours than I did." Lan was all ready leading Black out. Jarl finished packing and caught up before they left the canyon. The man stopped at end, little more than a vague shadow in the darkness of trees, and peered out, looking for any sign of movement, A moment later they were moving again, still walking. Reaching the road Lan took a long look in both directions. Satisfied, they climbed on Black and set out at a quick trot. All this caution seemed excessive. No one could see much of anything this early.

They spoke little, Lan preferring the silence. He said a soldier, anyone for that matter, should always be prepared for trouble, especially alone. Talk not only gave you away, it distracted you from keeping a careful eye on the landscape. A good ambusher could hide from the best trackers, thus you wanted to try to pick up on whatever clues they forgot, tracks leaving the road at odd places, freshly broken branches, dirt that lacked tracks could mean someone had removed them. There were more. At first, Jarl was not sure why he would need to know any of this. Then he remembered how he felt before Lan found him.

About midday they stopped to make camp in a small thicket off the road. They quietly ate a cold meal and were soon moving again, but not before Lan studied the wagon tracks. He claimed that they were catching up, They should catch up by nightfall, if not sooner. Lan was pensive again. He waved Jarl off when asked about what it was.

The hills got steeper the farther south they went. Now they were climbing more often than not. The road started angling toward the southeast. The sun was disappearing below the hills again, earlier this time. Shortly after passing a smaller path leading west, they stopped, just long enough to grab a meal of hard rolls and cheese before continuing on once again. Lan said the road they passed led to the Giant's Breath Village. Supposedly, they chose the name out of pride, saying they chose to live where few were willing to travel.

Jarl was tired now. The only change in the landscape was that they were going higher and there were fewer trees. He was wondering if they varied in color like those north of the Western River. They did not seem to vary much, mostly a dull, dark green. Once, they topped a high ridge. The view spread out for miles, A river was laid out before them, beginning from somewhere to the east, winding north then northeast, before disappearing from view again. It must be the Giant's Breath.

More turns, They were going down as much as up now. There were a few clouds in the sky. A nice lazy, sleepy day, just like Jarl felt. Lan kept the horse at an easy trot. Jarl reflected on the past two days and on why he left Wilfreng. He wanted something more, maybe a bit of adventure. So far, he's gotten more than he expected. Whatever this Surveyor was doing, it sounded boring, but it meant traveling as well, and that meant meeting new people and seeing new places. He realized that while he did not see all of Rombol, he knew now that he wanted to see more of the world. From Rombol on the west coast to Anappon on the east coast, to the Desert of Onulli in the Northwest part of Shurm to the Cliffs like Dragon Tails north of the Forest of Painted Trees. He had no idea what a dragon was, but the cliffs had jagged edges extending out to see, some twisting left and right, others curving down, some dropping off sharply, and a few rising to a point. The forest he had seen enough of, Wilfreng being sandwiched between the forest to the north and the Western River to the south. The Painted Forest was prettiest during the fall, but no matter what time of the year it was, it seemed like different areas of the forest refused to be the same shade as its neighbors, even the color of the bark varied. But no one traveled the forest because of the boars. The regular sized boars were larger than most pigs and they ranged in packs. The Great Boars traveled alone. They were larger than a cow and could tear apart a small pack of boars. Thus, people only hunted the forest for short ranges. If they hunted the boars it was in large groups and then only to try to scare them away than to try to kill them for food. That meant going around the forest, several weeks, perhaps months traveling with no roads to follow. No one lived up there due to the cold the inhospitable landscape. The forest was one of the largest landmark in the world, second only the Boar's Back Mountains, aptly named because at dawn they tended to look like the spikes on a great boar's back. The mountains themselves ran from the Great Boar's Head Mountains north until they began to angle slowly to the northwest, just before the Northern Pass.

Jarl felt more saw the horse slow to a stop. The sound of voices brought him out of his reverie. "Bandits!" he hissed. The old solder just grunted, gesturing for them to dismount, perhaps with a slight chuckle? He whistled. Another whistle answered back. They sounded like birds but none Jarl had heard before.

A shadow appeared from behind one of the stunted, twisted trees beside the road. Difficult to see even in the fading light. "Make plain your intentions or signal or no, you'll both be shot where you stand." The voice commanded authority, for all it made Jarl think of a man not much older than himself.

"I know the drill, Petrum. My friend and I are here to join your traveling menagerie."

Soon enough the shadow was walking toward them, growing in size to be the largest man Jarl had ever seen. He was laughing long before reaching them. "You've got to be my old trainer. Never expected to see you on this expedition. Last I heard you were living in the Poor Quarter, pretending to be retired, Glad to see crime go down, but did you really have to kill so many? I think we found more bodies the first month you lived there than we have since," laughing heartily. As the soldier came close, Jarl could see he was indeed a relatively young man, despite a fresh, red scar the length of his jaw.

Humph was all Lan had to offer to that. "Let's reminisce in the morning, I'm tired and the boy almost fell out of my saddle twice." Ignoring Jarl's scowl, or perhaps not really seeing it, the old vet went on before he could respond. "Any beans left? We could use something warm for a change."

"Might be. Go on up." Stepping aside, the large man gave another whistle, yet another in response to that one. Lan started on past, leading Black, leaving Jarl to follow as he could, stumbling from time to time. It was like the land here was all in shadows and uneven. That was why he stumbled, not because he was sleepy. I was not about to fall off! Past the trees, the camp came into view, one wagon directly in the shadow of the firelight, How did he fail to see it before? Soon enough he could see three other wagons. A man was walking the very edge of the camp light, more like patrolling. Did he hear other strange whistles before they stopping on the road? Unlike most of this area, this hill was relatively flat and smooth, ideal for a large camp like this. A dozen or so men and women were sitting and standing all around the camp and the wagons. Despite Petrum's earlier stealth, these people easily made enough noise to be heard from the road, perhaps far down the road. In fact, Jarl should have seen the firelight from the previous hill. Why hadn't he? Perhaps he really was dozing sitting up. As Lan led Black away, Jarl let his eyes roam the campsite. Many here wore simple tunic and stocking like Jarl. Others had armor much like Lan's, with only minor differences here there, shorter mail or no helmet or no gauntlets. None had spiked boots though.

There were only four wagons in view. Three looked like regular wagons with high sides and leather covering stretched over bowed slats to keep the weather out. The fourth looked more like it belonged with traveling entertainers. It was built more a tiny moving house only with a wooden roof. It was tall for wagon; tall enough for Jarl to walk the door in the back without stooping. The door was facing the fire, opposite and to the side of where he stood between two of the plain wagons, being right where Lan had left him. It was oddly painted, but in the dark all Jarl could really see was the back, and that was enough. The steps leading up and panel below the door were dirt gray. like the path to a home. The door itself was painted red, bright red even in the firelight. A yellow circle above the door looked like the sun and it was shining brightly over a hill, the top of which stretched just over the top of the door. It had grass the color of early spring. There were birds flying and all kind flowers all around the hill and some branches from a tree appeared to be extending toward the handle side of the door, all of which seemed to move like the wind was gently blowing. It all looks so real?

The door opened with a tall, very thin man stepping out and down the steps, with a relatively large head for such a thin body. Like before, he stood out from everyone else. For all Jarl knew, this man would stand out anywhere in Shurm, except perhaps in a menagerie. Probably even then. He had the same red stripes from shoulders to feet and crossing at his waist. This time his clothes were pure white, even his oddly flared boots, almost glaring white when the shadows were behind him. His cuffs and collar were also flared. No hat this time, showing a scalp perfectly rimmed by his white hair, almost like it was shaved that way. This close, Jarl could see something on his face, like small pieces of wood painted white, circling his eyes, linked together so they could rest on his nose, and attached to longer pieces going straight back, hidden by his all too white hair. When his face to towards the fire Jarl thought he saw the light reflected off something inside the rims of the weird object. As if there were not enough oddities about this man.

Someone bumped Jarl, causing him to close his mouth before he realized it had been open. "You think he looks strange, wait till you hear where he's from," laughed a plumply pretty girl. She had to be at least as young as he was, himself. She had long, dark and straight hair. In the firelight he eyes appeared light brown. She was smiling at Jarl, making him a little nervous. He wasn't so sleepy now.

"Uhm, I don't know. My guess is from Anappon or some place near the desert." He'd heard the people east of the mountains were a little strange. Not that Jarl thought they were this strange. But what did he know? "Never heard of anyone like him, so he must be from somewhere over there.

"You're cute, but no. My two cousins, Gresta and Starella, and I, you call me Eleane..." this last told while looking him directly in the eye. "...come from the East, up near the desert, the villages of Zo'nill and Chemrick to be exact. Well, Gresta and I are from Zo'nill, as close to the Oolough Delta as we can get and still be next to the River Oolough. Starella is from Chemrick, twenty or so miles upriver. She's the tall one. We went to Anappon then headed for Rombolin, stopping in most of the villages along the way. I've never seen anyone dress anything like him. "She exclaimed. "I don't believe any follower of Shurm looks or dresses like him." She was still smiling, looking at him sideways like she knew the facts and was waiting for him to guess again. Jarl wasn't sure what to think.

He was not slow and her act made him feel as if he was. It started to get his back up, Schooling might not be a priority in Wilfreng but he mastered his numbers to 20 faster than most. He could add and subtract as well. Still, he was having trouble putting thoughts together. "Well, he can't be from the other side of the Great Sea." Jarl exclaimed, "Few boats ever tried to out of sight of land and even fewer returned. Those who did claimed there was only more of the Great Sea." At least, that's what he was always told. Of course, those stories also claimed the crew saw sea monsters large enough to tear their ship to pieces with ease, yet they somehow came home unharmed.

Eleane grinned "True enough. I've heard the same things." Seeing the frustration build on Jarl's sleepy face, the girl relented. "You're going to hear him mention some of it from time to time. The man hates to repeat himself though, no matter how he carries on about things we've never heard of. It's better if you hear his tale from someone...more amicable. But not tonight. You are clearly about to fall over. Here, have something to eat. I think it's still a little warm."

She led him to an empty patch of dirt beside the fire. Lan was all ready there, sitting on the Surveyor's side with plate in hand, idly chatting with two other men in mail. It was more like idly listening, nodding just enough to acknowledge the fellow was heard. Someone put a plate in his hand, some chicken, beans and cornbread, along with an apple. With the first bite Jarl's appetite woke. Everything except the apple was soon gone. He started to ask for more but the pots were all ready gone, removed while he ate. Jarl started on the apple. Most everyone was laid out sleeping now. The strange, thin man was nowhere in sight. There was something beyond the house-wagon, but he could not make it out. He heard the sound of metal on metal once or twice. Light reflected from something metallic. Another girl took his plate, but he hardly noticed, trying to puzzle out what he was seeing. Someone took his arm and coaxed into a standing position. It was the girl from earlier. She led him to a spot between the wagons where some other young men were all ready fast asleep. She handed him his pack, said something his bedding, then left. Jarl set his pack down against a wagon wheel, sitting, he leaned against it, wanting to finish his apple first. He was still fighting sleep as his hand dropped to the ground, releasing the last part of the apple.