{"id":1314,"date":"2021-12-13T19:37:15","date_gmt":"2021-12-14T02:37:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/baakay.com\/Snow\/?page_id=1314"},"modified":"2021-12-16T14:45:46","modified_gmt":"2021-12-16T21:45:46","slug":"chapter-6","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/baakay.com\/Snow\/volume-ii\/part-i-past-and-present\/chapter-6\/","title":{"rendered":"Chapter 6"},"content":{"rendered":"
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 <\/p>\n

It wasn\u2019t a long sleep. For whatever reason, Qara found herself awake again after not more than an hour or two. Perhaps it was the sense of urgency she\u2019d heard in the Jarl\u2019s voice that propelled her to wake once the worst of her fatigue washed away. Regardless, she rose, had a quick snack, crossed the bridge behind the Jarl\u2019s longhouse and began following the river east.<\/p>\n

It was a familiar sort of territory to her, if yet mostly unknown. Like her home, the place was full of colorful aspen and birch trees, and the grass was long, thick, and golden. The river\u2019s progress in its banks played a noisy counterpoint to the birds\u2019 chittering in the branches.<\/p>\n

Go east along the river until I find a stream, then turn north. So where\u2019s the stream? <\/em><\/p>\n

Qara was beginning to worry that she\u2019d gone the wrong way until she caught a whiff of wood smoke and food on the breeze. A moment later she found the stream; it had scoured all the soil from its rocky bed and was dancing its way downslope toward the river. Qara smiled and turned north. Shortly thereafter she spied a cabin nestled amongst the aspen.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

A large man, dark-haired and dressed in heavy leathers and furs, hammered on something at a workbench just outside the cabin. She approached him slowly and cleared her throat.<\/p>\n

\u201cExcuse me, but are you either Svegard or Ulgar?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes,\u201d he said. \u201cI\u2019m Ulgar. What can I do for you?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve come from Amber Creek with a message from the Jarl. There\u2019s\u2026 a situation. You and Svegard are to resume your duties as his housecarls, as soon as you can get there.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ulgar snorted. \u201cIs that bastard Yngvarr up to something?\u201d He made a disgusted noise. \u201cWe knew this would happen someday. Hrmph. Tell Agnar that we will prepare, then head down there.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAlright. Thank you.\u201d<\/p>\n

She was already on her way back when she heard Ulgar yelling. \u201cSvegard! Come on! Agnar needs us.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Qaralana went directly to Borvaldur Manor without looking around Amber Creek.<\/p>\n

\u201cJarl Agnar?\u201d<\/p>\n

It was completely silent in the longhouse. She searched in all of the side rooms and even went upstairs, feeling a bit guilty as she stuck her head into the Jarl\u2019s bedchamber; but he wasn\u2019t there, either. Frowning, she went back outside \u2013 and gasped in surprise.<\/p>\n

Agnar stood in the roadway, talking to a very tall man in gleaming black armor. She\u2019d never seen the man before and something about his posture said \u201cthreat\u201d to her. She approached slowly, one hand atop her blade\u2019s grip.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s simple,\u201d the man said. \u201cI\u2019ll only ask one more time. Let us search, and then we\u2019ll leave.\u201d<\/p>\n

Search? Is this\u2026 <\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cYou will do no such thing,\u201d Agnar answered. \u201cI don\u2019t know what you\u2019re up to, Yngvarr, but you will leave my people be.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou<\/em> will let my people search,\u201d Yngvarr said, closing the gap to Agnar. Qara noticed the mace the man wore at his side. Ebony, by the looks of it, and hefty. He was geared up for war, no doubt of it.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd if I don\u2019t? What will you do?\u201d Agnar growled. \u201cGo back to Staalgarde, Yngvarr. You are not welcome here. Leave me and my people in peace.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll be back,\u201d Yngvarr snarled. \u201cAnd you\u2019ll regret this. Your whole town will.\u201d<\/p>\n

Yngvarr turned to look at Qara. She thought he was about to address her; but all of them were then interrupted by the friendly tones of Ulgar approaching from the east.<\/p>\n

\u201cGot sick of Staalgarde already?\u201d he called out, grinning at Yngvarr as the man stomped off toward the gate. Svegard was close behind, and gave Yngvarr an equally-cheeky grin.<\/p>\n

\u201cHere on vacation, are we?\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cShut up, both of you,\u201d she heard Yngvarr mutter just before he reached the gate. The brothers had sounded jovial, but it was clear that they were deadly serious about the threat Yngvarr posed. They stared after him, making certain he was well away and the Jarl was safe.<\/p>\n

\u201cSvegard! Ulgar! It\u2019s good to see you two again,\u201d Agnar cried.<\/p>\n

\u201cIndeed,\u201d Ulgar said, turning to face his Jarl. \u201cIt has been too long, my friend.\u201d<\/p>\n

Svegard, who had continued frowning at Yngvarr\u2019s back, turned as well. \u201cHow may we serve you, my king?\u201d<\/p>\n

Agnar tsk\u2019d. \u201cSvegard, we have been over this.\u201d<\/p>\n

Svegard grinned. \u201cSorry. How may we be of assistance, Agnar<\/em>?\u201d<\/p>\n

So he really is the king, and he doesn\u2019t want the title. That\u2019s worthy of respect all on its own.<\/em><\/p>\n

Agnar sighed. \u201cYngvarr is up to something. He demanded to search the town and has mobilized his people.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHis entire army?\u201d Svegard said, frowning.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s up to something for sure,\u201d Ulgar agreed.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m afraid he may make a move on Amber Creek or Borvald. I think you two need to be here.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOf course, Agnar,\u201d Ulgar said. \u201cOur swords are yours.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cVery good,\u201d Agnar said. \u201cThen we must figure out wha\u2026\u201d He stopped as a figure in priestly robes approached.<\/p>\n

\u201cBrother Thorlough!\u201d Qara exclaimed as the monk neared them. Nice of you to show up.<\/em><\/p>\n

One of Agnar\u2019s eyebrows rose. \u201cHave you decided to help?\u201d<\/p>\n

Thorlough wasn\u2019t amused. \u201cAye. They\u2026 that bastard!\u201d<\/p>\n

Svegard frowned. \u201cWhat happened?\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\u201cThey came to the Priory, demanding to search the place. We let them search the main temple, but when they wanted to search the private quarters Brother Collens stepped in. Yngvarr\u2019s men simply killed him, and searched the place anyway. They tore it apart. We buried him, cleaned up, and grabbed our weapons.\u201d Thorlough turned to address Agnar.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe were to remain neutral until provoked. But Yngvarr just hit the beehive with a stick! Wherever you need us, we sons of Shor will be there!\u201d By the time he finished, his voice had risen from a whisper to a full-bodied shout.<\/p>\n

\u201cMay Brother Collens be guided to Sovngarde,\u201d Agnar said respectfully. \u201cI am glad you decided to fight. This could be worse than we thought.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat could Yngvarr possibly want?\u201d Svegard asked. \u201cHe tried to search the Priory, and then Amber Creek\u2026 Why hasn\u2019t he touched Borvald?\u201d His mouth dropped open as he realized the implications of his own question.<\/p>\n

Agnar\u2019s eyes opened wide. \u201cBorvald! Either he\u2019s already been there or he\u2019s headed there now. Jarl Valfred must be warned.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe are not leaving your side. You\u2019re in too much danger,\u201d Ulgar said.<\/p>\n

\u201cUlgar\u2019s right,\u201d Svegar agreed.<\/p>\n

\u201cI must stay, to mourn,\u201d Brother Thorlough muttered. \u201cAnd to think.\u201d<\/p>\n

Brother Thorlough, you\u2019re about as useless as\u2026 <\/em>Qaralana gritted her teeth. That\u2019s going to make me the messenger again, isn\u2019t it?<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cThat just leaves our friend here,\u201d Svegard said.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Redguard?\u201d Ulgar asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cHalf-Redguard, Ulgar,\u201d Qara said with a grin. \u201cMy Daddy is Nord.\u201d<\/p>\n

Agnar turned to her. \u201cYes, I\u2019m afraid so. We\u2019ll stay here and look at guard reports. Maybe we can figure out exactly what Yngvarr wants. Go to Borvald, the city on the plateau to the east, and have his housecarl take you to Jarl Valfred. Tell him what has happened. Warn him that we are on the brink of war!\u201d<\/p>\n

For a moment Qaralana stared at him, annoyed. He takes a lot for granted. I\u2019m not one of his subjects. A couple of days ago I\u2019d never even been here before. And yet\u2026<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cWould Yngvarr really attack Borvald?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBack in the war a hundred years ago they tried to take the city; but it was late in the war, and Sebedus Borvaldur was well prepared. If Yngvarr attacks now, Jarl Valfred will be completely unprepared. Borvald is in very grave danger.\u201d<\/p>\n

She looked at his expression and saw desperation just under the surface. He doesn\u2019t exactly have a lot of choices, does he? Brother Thorlough must stay here to mourn? He couldn\u2019t mourn while he walked, like a normal person in a crisis? Bah.Useless. <\/em><\/p>\n

Again she thought of the training she\u2019d had from her parents and Delvin. I might even have an advantage. They don\u2019t know me. I\u2019m not a threat to anyone on the road. And Yngvarr didn\u2019t look at me long enough for me to have made an impression, I hope.<\/em><\/p>\n

Her mind having been made up, she nodded at the Jarl and started down the road toward the east. She would keep an eye peeled as she went. It wouldn\u2019t do to run up on Yngvarr by mistake, and she didn\u2019t want to risk having to kill him. That would be an inevitable spark to war.<\/p>\n

I\u2019m not having a war on my hands. <\/em><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

There were no unwanted interruptions as she sprinted down the now-familiar road, and for that she was grateful; she needed to make good time. She slowed for a moment when she reached the crossroads just below Borvald\u2019s plateau. There was no smoke rising from the city, no attackers visible anywhere, no sounds of battle. In fact, it was so quiet that deer strolled placidly along the roadway, only moving when she started running again.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

I\u2019ve made it in time, then. Good.<\/em><\/p>\n

The path up the plateau began well around the base of the plateau itself, down the road a bit and past a mostly-ruined house that drew her interest. It felt like the sort of place bandits might hide in. But she heard nothing, saw nothing, and therefore forced herself to keep running.<\/p>\n

No. I can\u2019t stop and look inside no matter how intriguing it is. I need to get up this mountain.<\/em><\/p>\n

There was a man dressed in Falskaar guard armor stationed at the foot of the passage. He looked her over, but seemed mostly unconcerned by her presence and had nothing to say.<\/p>\n

Apparently I don\u2019t look like a bandit. You might think a stranger who looks and is dressed so differently might be worthy of at least some questioning, but\u2026<\/em><\/p>\n

The man just outside the city\u2019s closed gates took a greater interest in her as she arrived at them, panting from the run and the effort of climbing. He wasn\u2019t wearing a uniform, but he looked substantial, and official, and she had the distinct impression that things wouldn\u2019t go well for her if she tried to push past him.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe city is in lockdown by Jarl Valfred\u2019s order. What makes ye think I\u2019d let you in?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBecause,\u201d she said between attempts to catch her breath, \u201cI have\u2026 a message\u2026 from Jarl Agnar. It\u2019s imperative<\/em> that he gets the message immediately.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cFrom Jarl Agnar? Hmm,\u201d the man said, rubbing his chin. \u201cAlright. Very well. I\u2019ll show you to Jarl Valfred. Follow me.\u201d He stepped ahead of her and called out loudly enough to be heard inside. \u201cOpen the gate!\u201d<\/p>\n

For just a moment Qaralana wondered whether this man might be a bit too trusting. But as the gates swung open she was completely distracted by the beauty of the city before her. Just inside was a marketplace atop hard-packed soil and ground cover. Other buildings were Nord-style structures of wood and stone, their roofs a dark, brick red color that matched the canopies over the market stalls. The steeple of a large stone church rose above the city, its colorful stained glass catching the sun.<\/p>\n

And it was dead silent. There seemed to be nobody about aside from the guard who had opened the gate for them.<\/p>\n

He wasn\u2019t kidding when he said the place was in lockdown. People aren\u2019t even outside their homes!<\/em><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

The man led her through the city and up through several levels of attractive buildings. Finally she saw their destination: a lovely manor much like her uncles\u2019 home, set on the highest point of the plateau near the top of a short flight of stone steps. The guard opened the door for her and said she would find the Jarl within.<\/p>\n

The inside of the manor was surprisingly modest, without the fine furnishings and appointments she expected in a Jarl\u2019s home, especially in the capital city. There were no servants or courtiers bustling about, either; when she stepped around the entryway into the main hall she found a lone man, dressed in fine clothes but otherwise unremarkable, stirring something in a cooking pot.<\/p>\n

\u201cHello?\u201d she said hesitantly. \u201cAre you\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m Jarl Valfred,\u201d he said, putting the stirring spoon aside and straightening to face her. \u201cCan I help you in some way?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes. I\u2019m here on behalf of Jarl Agnar. We\u2019ve learned that Yngvarr is raising an army. He\u2019s looking for something and seems unlikely to stop until he finds it. His people already have terrorized the docks, threatened Amber Creek, and killed one of the brothers at the Priory, and we\u2019re afraid Borvald may be next.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI had a feeling that\u2019s what was happening. I\u2019m glad I had the city sealed.\u201d He tsk\u2019d. \u201cIt would<\/em> be Yngvarr. Damn Unnvaldrs up to something again. Can\u2019t they just leave us be?\u201d He sighed and shook his head, then met her gaze again. \u201cYou said he was looking for something. Do you know what?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, but his people ransacked the Priory and tried to search Amber Creek. We wouldn\u2019t let them.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe.\u201d I guess I\u2019m more a part of this than I\u2019d realized.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cHmm.\u201d The Jarl frowned. \u201cI don\u2019t like what this implies. I think I may know what he\u2019s after, but I don\u2019t want to jump to conclusions. I\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cJarl Valfred, sir,\u201d came a distressed voice from behind Qara. The man who\u2019d escorted her here was standing in the doorway, looking agitated. \u201cThe city is under attack! The bandits have breached the gates.\u201d<\/p>\n

Qara\u2019s mouth fell open. \u201cBut I saw nobody around, on the roads here! Only\u2026\u201d Only the men along the road, dressed in guard uniforms. Who\u2019s to say they weren\u2019t disguised lookouts for a hidden force? And when they saw me enter the city, they used that moment to force their way in while the gates weren\u2019t completely closed? Did I bring this about?<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cDamn it!\u201d the Jarl cried. \u201cThen we don\u2019t have much time to flee. Goran, fetch our weapons!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAlready have them,\u201d Goran said.<\/p>\n

\u201cYngvarr has the nerve to attack my city?\u201d the Jarl snapped, turning to Qaralana. \u201cThis is certainly the start of another damned war. You have to go and tell Agnar. Yngvarr\u2019s been desperate for power, though he already has a lot of it. Let\u2019s go!\u201d<\/p>\n

Valfred and Goran drew their swords and ran for the door. Qara was horrified.<\/p>\n

The Jarl has no armor, only a sword! What is he doing, running out there like that?<\/em><\/p>\n

She drew her blades and followed them out.<\/p>\n

It was pandemonium outside. The sound was overwhelming; she could hear screaming, and could see that some citizens had defied the order to stay in their homes, coming outside to defend them. Swords clashed just out of sight, on the stairs and below them in the city.<\/p>\n

\u201cGet ready!\u201d Valfred shouted, running headlong into the battle.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo!\u201d Qara cried out, following him.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Goran stood just in front of the Jarl, grunting as a bare-chested Orc bandit rushed toward them. Goran struck; the Jarl stepped around him and slashed with his own sword.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat all you got?\u201d the Orc sneered.<\/p>\n

\u201cNope, you ugly bastard,\u201d Qara said, ducking under the sweep of someone\u2019s sword \u2013 she wasn\u2019t certain whose it was \u2013 to slice at the Orc with both blades. He was good, though; he had a full shield that he used effectively to block both of her attacks. He dropped down one step.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou made a mistake coming here,\u201d Goran growled.<\/p>\n

Qara stepped back out of the line of attack for a moment, to make sure she didn\u2019t strike the Jarl or Goran by mistake. Instead, she circled around behind the Jarl, dropped down beside the stairs, and then ran up them again to attack the Orc from behind. Goran took a mighty swing at him just as she sliced him from the back, and he finally fell.<\/p>\n

An Argonian in ringmail, highly visible with his green skin and ivory horns, took the Orc\u2019s place and made directly for the Jarl. For a moment Qara stopped, in awe at Valfred, in only his gold-embroidered finery, fiercely taking aim at the bandit with a form that told of a lethal blow if his weapon connected.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\u201cThis\u2019ll be your last mistake!\u201d Goran shouted, taking a mighty swing at the Argonian and staggering him. Once more Qara rolled forward beneath Goran\u2019s upraised weapon, a move that added her own mass to the power of her blows as she came up and struck. The Argonian stumbled and fell backward off the stairs, and a guard who\u2019d been rushing to his Jarl\u2019s side finished the bandit off.<\/p>\n

She took quick stock of the battle. There was a wild skirmish involving a mage, next to the closest building. Flames had erupted on the next lower level and were racing through the stables and coops full of hay. Dead bandits, citizens, and guards littered the area. And there was noise. So much sound. She didn\u2019t know where to turn next.<\/p>\n

Suddenly a memory came to her, as vividly as though the battle had stopped to show it to her.<\/p>\n

It had been one of those happy occasions when the whole \u201cfamily\u201d had been gathered, back in the days before she\u2019d learned how unusual and important many of its members were. To her, they were just \u201cthe grownups,\u201d and Harald was simply her playmate and Chip\u2019s friend. The men, as older men often did, were reminiscing, mostly about battles; her father stood to the side looking amused, as usual. \u201cI never fought in the wars, lass,\u201d he\u2019d told her often enough. \u201cI prefer helping things out behind the scenes.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI wish I\u2019d been there, Father,\u201d Harald had said in his usual, serious fashion. \u201cI\u2019d have helped.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd I\u2019d have been up on the walls, shooting down the enemy. Thwack! Thwack! Thwack!\u201d Chip had cried, miming his bow form.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou wouldn\u2019t have needed to,\u201d Roggi had laughed, \u201cbecause Queen Frina was there.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh!\u201d Qaralana had breathed. \u201cI wish I\u2019d been there too, so I could have seen Queen Frina fighting!\u201d<\/p>\n

Frina had turned to her and smiled sadly, shaking her head. \u201cNo. It\u2019s true that I fought in the war, but\u2026 You don\u2019t ever wish<\/em> to be in a battle. None of you do. It\u2019s the most awful, most terrifying thing. There\u2019s no time to think, no air to breathe, and the noise is\u2026\u201d She\u2019d looked pointedly at her husband and then back to Qara. \u201cAnd all these big, strong men are lying if they try to tell you anything else.\u201d<\/p>\n

Qara blinked as she heard a woman shouting. She whirled to see a female bandit bearing down on Jarl Valfred, war axe readied. Qara raised her blades and started for her, but a guard stepped protectively in front of Valfred. The axe came down into the notch at the base of the guard\u2019s neck, and what started as a cry ended in a gurgle as he fell to the ground. Qara screamed and started beating on the bandit with her blades in hand, not thinking about form, or function, or anything but ridding the world of the woman who continued taunting the Jarl. She\u2019d been injured enough already that it only took a few blows to finish her off.<\/p>\n

The battle had surged to her left, into an area where sections of fallen stone wall blocked the exit. Beyond the walls everything was alight. The Jarl, Goran, several guards and a citizen in nothing but thin clothing were all attacking a pair of bandits \u2013 perhaps the last in this area, she couldn\u2019t tell. Over the general din individual cries rose.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m not letting you escape!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBring it on!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBorvald shall endure!\u201d<\/p>\n

Qara reached the knot of combatants, but not before a bandit with a huge battleaxe sliced the civilian almost in half. She screamed in rage and helped bring him down; the others had the second bandit well in hand.<\/p>\n

And then, before she even had a chance to get her bearings, the remaining guards and Goran were propelling Jarl Valfred back up the stairs toward his manor. She looked to her left and saw that the flames were spreading.<\/p>\n

Wooden structures. This is a disaster.<\/em><\/p>\n

She followed as quickly as she could. They ran to the rear of Valfred\u2019s property, where the curtain walls hugged the edge of the plateau. They\u2019d be just above the gates here and could, presumably, escape the battle.<\/p>\n

I need to get out to warn Agnar. But we need to safeguard Valfred, too, so he can return and rebuild Borvald later. <\/em><\/p>\n

The guard who\u2019d led the way dropped back to guard their backs. Qara, Goran, and Valfred jumped down from the edge of the retaining wall onto a rock outcropping and dashed around a corner toward the gates. They skidded to a stop and gaped in disbelief at the sight.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

The gates were blocked. Rubble had fallen in front of them \u2013 heavy rubble that would take far too long to clear under the best of circumstances.<\/p>\n

\u201cDamn it!\u201d Valfred cried. \u201cWe\u2019ll have to go through the crypts. There\u2019s a little-known exit we can take. Let\u2019s go!\u201d<\/p>\n

They ran back the way they\u2019d come, much to Qara\u2019s confusion. But tucked back in a low corner, well out of sight of everything else, was a nondescript iron door. Goran pushed it open, and Qara followed the Jarl through it and down into the catacombs. She didn\u2019t realize that Goran hadn\u2019t followed them until Valfred turned to look back toward the stairs. Goran\u2019s voice came down them.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere are too many bandits topside,\u201d he said quietly. \u201cI don\u2019t want any following you in. I\u2019ll stay behind and hold them off.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cGoran\u2026\u201d Qara started to say.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut Goran, you can\u2019t just\u2026\u201d Valfred yelped.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo gods damn time to argue!\u201d Goran snapped. \u201cNow go!\u201d He drew his sword and headed back up the stairs. The door clanged shut behind him.<\/p>\n

Valfred looked at Qara with dismay in his eyes. \u201cWe should go if we don\u2019t want his death to be in vain.\u201d<\/p>\n

She couldn\u2019t speak. It was too unfair. She just nodded.<\/p>\n

The catacombs were like dozens of other barrows Qara had seen, but happily devoid of ancient corpses rising up to attack. There were, however, bandits, inexplicably holed up in the twisting corridors. They heard the first not far inside.<\/p>\n

\u201cMaybe I should pay off my bounty. No sense in hiding from my mistakes.\u201d<\/p>\n

The man had a battleaxe. Valfred barreled into the chamber, yelling; but as the man fumbled with his axe Qara did what she did best, leaping out of the way only to rise up behind him and take him out with a few quick swipes at his neck and ribs.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat wasn\u2019t too bad,\u201d the Jarl said.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, but don\u2019t let down your guard,\u201d she whispered. \u201cI think there are\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

And there were, as she\u2019d been about to say, more. Two angry men with weapons held high rushed out of the shadows. Jarl Valfred easily blocked the blow that would have killed him if it had connected, but Qaralana took a solid hit from the backswing of the other man\u2019s mace. She shrieked in pain; it felt as if she was bleeding, but she couldn\u2019t stop to check.<\/p>\n

I\u2019m gonna die, gonna die. <\/em><\/p>\n

I can\u2019t die. I have to get back to Agnar, and I have to get home to Mama and Daddy and Chip. And Harald.<\/em><\/p>\n

She needed to heal herself, somehow. She had to get this man off <\/em>her. There was only one way she had left to do that.<\/p>\n

\u201cFO \u2013 KRAH!\u201d<\/p>\n

The man turned frosty white and staggered backward just as Jarl Valfred finished off the other bandit. Qara ran back into the catacombs several steps and began healing herself.<\/p>\n

I\u2019m sorry, Valfred. I don\u2019t want to leave you exposed but it\u2019s the only thing I can do! <\/em><\/p>\n

She watched the two men dance around each other as she used all the magic she had on herself. She wasn\u2019t close to being healed, but there was no time to find potions; she darted back into the fray, drawing the bandit\u2019s attention for a split second. That was all the time Jarl Valfred needed to land the blow that felled the man.<\/p>\n

They found the next two bandits in what looked like the main chamber. One was in hefty armor, carrying a shield and a club. The Jarl took a swipe at him and then sidestepped to attack the second, sparsely-armored bandit. Qara stepped between Valfred and the better-equipped of the bandits and beat against his shield, getting a sense of his timing and then reaching around his block to stab him in the heart. Valfred and the other man were exchanging blows, shouting at each other. Qara made a half-turn to see what was happening and then pivoted on her back foot, striking with her primary blade.<\/p>\n

It struck the bandit\u2019s head from his body.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

She stared down at the twitching corpse for a moment, utterly stunned, having never done anything like that in combat before. She had just begun to tremble from the shock when Valfred called from the wooden staircase leading up. Qara took a deep breath to clear her head, and followed.<\/p>\n

There was a handle embedded in the stone wall just beyond the stairs\u2019 landing; when the Jarl pulled it, a section dropped slowly down, revealing a rough, narrow passage beyond. Qara took the lead, and they hurried along the twisting path to where it emptied into a small room with a door on either side. An oval window on the opposite wall revealed a pedestal just out of reach, atop which rested a shining piece of metal.<\/p>\n

\u201cBy the Divines,\u201d Jarl Valfred breathed. \u201cWhat is that?\u201d<\/p>\n

Qara turned her head to look at him, but then heard a triumphant growl from beyond the window and whirled around again. An Orc in heavy armor snatched the item from the pedestal and laughed.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re too late. The Key is mine! Yngvarr will find the Heart of the Gods and will rule all of you!\u201d He stepped back into the darkness and disappeared.<\/p>\n

\u201cOf course,\u201d Jarl Valfred groaned. \u201cThe Heart of the Gods. That\u2019s what Yngvarr\u2019s looking for. This is very, very bad. Come on, we must hurry!\u201d<\/p>\n

He opened the door to their right and led the way through another passage, this one wider and rougher, with dirt floors. They emerged into a cave.<\/p>\n

Qara barely had time to register the barrels packed into almost every part of the cave before the bandits there attacked.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat is with all this oil?\u201d Valfred exclaimed. \u201cAre they going to blow up the city?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNot if I can help it!\u201d Qara yelled, taking on the first of two bandits rushing up a ramp to her right. She got very lucky. The man had a greatsword, and was winding up for what would have been a tremendous blow when she stepped in, using a combination of dagger strikes to ruin his neck. The second bandit, behind him, had only an iron club; and while she was tougher, she was basically unarmored.<\/p>\n

But just as Qara finished her and stepped back from her body, another bandit yelled from behind. \u201cWhy won\u2019t you die?\u201d Qara\u2019s shoulder erupted in blinding pain as the shaft of a battleaxe came down hard on her. Her peripheral vision caught the shape and the size of the axe head that would have ended her life if she\u2019d not taken that quick backward step.<\/p>\n

She turned on him, nearly blind with pain and anger, and started attacking and stabbing as hard as she could with only one of her daggers. Again she got lucky; she stepped forward as he swung backward, and buried her blade in his heart.<\/p>\n

Or maybe it\u2019s not that I\u2019m lucky. Maybe it\u2019s that I\u2019m nimble and I have good weapons, made of ebony and cared for over the years.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cCome on, we\u2019ve got to get out of here!\u201d Valfred yelled at her.<\/p>\n

\u201cOne second!\u201d she yelped, healing herself and looking around in discomfort. I have the feeling we didn\u2019t get all of them, but I don\u2019t know. I don\u2019t see anyone. <\/em>But her shoulder throbbed; her head rang from all the battle sounds, and the noisy stream rushing down the bottom of the cavern toward a metal door made even thinking impossible. She followed Jarl Valfred out the door and then gasped in dismay.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

They stood on a narrow sliver of cliff, so far above the ground below that she could barely see it. What she could make out was water \u2013 a pond, or a river into which the stream she stood in flowed. It was pouring down rain. Sounds made it clear that the battle continued to rage above them; they were being joined by intermittent explosions.<\/p>\n

The oil! They\u2019re bombing things with casks of oil! That\u2019s what was so wrong about that cave!<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cThis is it,\u201d Valfred told her. \u201cThe way out of here. Now go on, you have to jump. It\u2019s the only way you\u2019ll survive.\u201d<\/p>\n

She stared at him. \u201cOk, so take my hand and we\u2019ll jump together.\u201d<\/p>\n

He shook his head. \u201cTell Agnar that Yngvarr\u2019s trying for the Heart of the Gods. He\u2019ll understand. I\u2019ll hold these bandits off as long as I can.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re out of your mind! I\u2019m not leaving you here,\u201d she said, shocked that he would even consider such a thing. \u201cYou\u2019re an admirable fighter. Kind of amazing, even. But you\u2019re the Jarl! You have to live!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI am<\/em> the Jarl,\u201d he said quietly, \u201cand I\u2019ll have you obey my order because I am still the Jarl of Borvald and you\u2019re in my city. Now jump!\u201d<\/p>\n

And he gave her a shove.<\/p>\n

Qara went hurtling into midair, screaming as she windmilled her arms over the rapidly-approaching water. But her screams were muffled by an enormous explosion.<\/p>\n

Someone had gotten to the oil.<\/p>\n

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Home Previous \/ Next   It wasn\u2019t a long sleep. For whatever reason, Qara found herself awake again after not more than an hour or two. Perhaps it was the sense of urgency she\u2019d heard in the Jarl\u2019s voice that propelled her to wake once the worst of her fatigue washed away. Regardless, she rose, … <\/p>\n

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