Over the Dunes a Rider Comes Page 2

  Chapter 4

  A Promise

  As Ashes left the room he headed down the hallway and went down the stairs searching through the castle for the one person in his new memories that he almost hoped he would not find. Stopping a passing guard he asked "Have you seen Summer?"

  The guard dipped his head in respect "The queen my lord?. Yes, I saw her just a moment ago in the stable."

  Ashes thanked the guard and made his way to the stables. The stables were in a building kitty-corner to the castle. Large and well made; warm in the Winter and with large enough doors to make them breezy and cool in the Summer; smaller doors on both sides leading to the paddocks and the pastures beyond. It was in the farthest stall that he found who he was looking for.

  Summer, his queen, the only women that he ever loved. Before he found the jewel he had left her standing both angry and crying. Back then he had nothing to offer her but a hard life and the chance of being a young widow. He loved her too much to put her through that so he had left her. That was many years ago. He never thought that he would see her again, yet here she stood. He hesitated. Would she know of their past in this place?! Summer was brushing her horse a white appaloosa with faint brown spots.

  Summer spoke to the horse as she brushed him. "You're getting fat Dugly we need to go for more rides to work off that grain. You have been getting..." Tossing his head the stallion snorted over his shoulder at her. earning him a soft slap in return. "Mind your manners stud. Remember who is mistress here, or you will find yourself somewhat lighter in the back end than you would like. I do not need two bull-headed males in my life. Neither of you are as clever as you think when it comes to trying to get by me with something." Summer spoke the last statement over her shoulder. "Are you going to say something to me or are you just going to stand there like a lout? "That is the reason that you're here is it not? To tell me your leaving?"

  "So it is a lout that I am now?" stepping closer Ashes rested his hand on the stall wall just above her shoulder trapping her between him and the stall wall. "Is that how a queen addresses her king?"

  "When her king is acting like an ass! Yes!" Summer spoke as she pushed Ashes back enough to get by him. "Who do you think you are -- not telling me about Libbor amassing armies against us?! I should not have to hear about such a thing from the captain of the guard!" When were you going to tell me?! Before or after the battle?! I am your queen as well as your wife, Damn you! And don't tell me you were trying to protect me!"

  Taken aback, Ashes gently laid the back of his hand on the side of her face. "I never said anything to you about it because I was unsure about how true the rumors were, I wanted to wait 'til the scouts returned with their reports before saying anything. I was wrong. I am sorry. You are the last person I would hurt."

  Summer met his gaze, the anger leaving her eyes. "And are the reports true? Does Libbor intend to wage a war against us?"

  "Yes,” Ashes spoke softly, "He has gotten the Hillibs the Odeans and the Reidess to join him. They are marching on Thunder Gorge now. I have sent riders to burn the bridge over the gorge before they get there but the riders may not get there in time so I will be taking our troops to meet them at the border just in case.”

  Summer dropped her gaze as he went on, "I have given orders for the farmers and villagers to be brought back to the city. They will be safer here. The livestock are at the winter graze so they should be safe, If all goes well Libbor will come to his senses and there will be no war."

  Summer stepped away from him and began brushing on her stallion once more, "But you don't think that's going to happen. Do you?"

  "No,” Ashes walked past her to his own horse, as he spoke "A man who gathers such a big army means to use it If we cannot stop them at the gorge there will be a war."

  Ashes started brushing China getting the stallion ready for his saddle. he liked doing such things himself. As he was putting the saddle on the stallion, a hand touched his shoulder.

  Summer's voice was soft but determined. "I want to come with you. You know I can fight as well as any man. I can take care of myself -- and you know it!"

  Ashes chuckled softly" I know very well how you fight and I have had my share of bruises to prove it, but I need you to stay here..."Putting up his hand, to stop her protest, he went on. .”..you need to be here to protect the people, they will be concerned. You need to be here, to ease their worries." He finished saddling his horse and put his foot into a stirrup and mounted his stallion.

  Summer stepped in front of the horse, she stroked the stallion's muzzle as she spoke. "Take care of this oaf," she said softly, "believe it or not I love him as much as you do. He may not do much more than eat and sleep but he has his good points. Please bring him back safely"

  A little surprised by her words Ashes assured Summer "China and I have ridden in many battles together. I have no intent to lose him in this one. I promise that I will bring him back safely!"

  Laughing, Summer stepped back, letting the horse move forward. "I was talking to the horse,” she said.

  Chapter 5

  A Tough Decision

  Ashes guided China out the barn door and headed toward the city gates. Trying hard not to remember the last time he rode away from this women in another place, never to see her again "Not this time!" he thought " I will be back Summer, I promise!.”

  Ashes' thoughts were shattered by an angry voice behind him. "Ashes!" Even without turning around he knew its owner. At the sound of hoof beats gaining on him, he reined in China and waited. The other rider caught up with him and turned her mount sideways in front of China, blocking his path. The animal that the women rode was smaller than China with far bigger ears, shorter legs and neck, and a stockier build. Ashes used to wonder why she did not ride a horse instead of her strange mount 'til the battle, on the edge of the Black Tooth Cliffs. Not only was the smaller animal faster than a horse, on the uneven ground, he found footing where there was none. Ashes looked past the donkey's large ears into the angry eyes of his rider. Abby the captain of the city guard.

  "Who do you think you are?!” Abby snapped angrily at him.

  Ashes had to try hard not to smile despite the anger in the woman's eyes. "What are these two doing?,” he wondered "Working as a team?.” Ashes had often wondered if the two were not secretly sisters separated at birth. They could not have been more alike if they tried, he sat back in his saddle waiting as Abby went on.

  "Fredrex told me you ordered that the pack go to the hot springs to guard the herds! What gives you the right?! You placed the pack under my protection! Or is that crown sitting so tight on your head that it cut off the blood to your brain and made you forget about that?!"

  Sighing, Ashes guided China around the donkey.

  "Greetings Brian I see that your rider is as direct as ever." Ashes could not help but smile as the donkey lifted his head and let out a ear splitting bray as if to agree.

  "Ride with me, Abby. We need to talk,” Abby fell in beside Ashes keeping Brian's head even with China’s shoulder showing that much respect for her king despite her angry words. "I know what I said Abby, and nothing has changed. The pack is still yours to watch over."

  "How am I supposed to watch over them when you send them away?,” Abby asked, still smoldering but subdued "I can't leave the city if you are going off to battle.”

  Ashes thought carefully as he spoke, he knew how much the pack meant to her and he had a great deal of respect for the woman. She had worked hard to get where she was, proving her bravery and loyalty to him and to the city time-and-time-again. " Abby, there is only, what, nine of the pack left? Out of over one hundred? If the pack is to survive, we have to keep them safe, and the hot springs are the safest place for them. Libbor's riders could look the rest of their lives and never find the Hot Spring Valley. If we go to war, then there might be a chance the war could end up being fought here." He held up a hand stopping her protest.

  "No, I don't think that the war will come here, but if it did, can
you be sure that the pack would stay safe? They're Warhounds, Abby, it is what they were bred for. It is in their blood. If the fighting did get into the city, the pack would be in the middle of it -- you know they would.”

  "And, I would be there beside them." Abby said fire burning in her eyes.

  "Well, I know that you would give your life for them as they would for you, but think, Abby. In a battle, you cannot keep track of all of them and as strong and fast as they are, they are still just flesh and blood. An arrow or spear could pierce their hearts just as easy as ours. Too many of them have already died fighting our battles, would you lose these last few as well?"

  The silence that followed was enough to tell Ashes that his words had had their intended effect. After a few moments Abby said softly. "There are not nine anymore." She smiled slightly as she went, "Angel whelped; three days ago four males and five females all healthy. Bango has not left her side since the birth. I meant to tell you, but never got the chance.”

  "That is the best news I have heard all day!” Ashes said sincerely. "It has been over ten years since any of the pack has had any young." Warhounds were blessed with a long life span, for their kind, they could live well over thirty years, but with a price. It was rare when they gave birth they had the same cycles and mated as often as others of their kind but rarely conceived.

  "The pups' eyes are not even open yet. Neither Angel nor the pups could make such a journey on their own,” Abby said worriedly.

  "The men that are going to guard the livestock will be taking supplies. Angel and her pups could travel in one of the wagons. It would make the journey easier for her she would not be trying to keep up with the rest of the pack and the pups would be sleeping most of the way."

  Ashes made the suggestion carefully. He knew Abby well. She was as headstrong as she was brave. If she got it in her mind that this was going to be bad for the bitch and her pups, then she would fight him tooth and claw over this. And he would have to end up ordering her to do this against her will. He did not want that. He thought too much of her to hurt her that way, and she was one of his most trusted friends and officers. He did not want any bitter feelings between them.

  "That's true,” Abby answered, "but there are still so many things that could happen on the journey. The pups are very young. If one of the pups fell ill without anyone there who Angel trusted, she wouldn't let anybody near them and the pup could die."

  "Angle is not stupid, and she knows and trusts the men in the city guard, what if you sent one of the guards along? Then, if something did happen there would be someone there,” Ashes suggested.

  "That would be OK, I guess, but still I...” Abby hesitated, trying hard to put her feelings into words without sounding soft.

  “You would miss them and worry about them,” Ashes finished for her. "You love them, Abby. There is no weakness in saying that. I understand."

  "Then why are you making me send them away?!” Abby yelled, startling Brian.

  "You know why," Ashes said. "You know I am right; that this would be the best thing for them, but I will not order you to send them away Abby -- not if you don't want to -- I won't do that. I will do worse.” Ashes nudged China into a trot, as he spoke, "I am going to let you decide. I know that you love them too much not to do the right thing."

  Abby reined in Brian glaring at Ashes back as China trotted away.

  "Damn you Ashes! You bastard! You know I hate it when you're right."

  The troops were already riding out of the gate when Ashes got to the courtyard. Riding four abreast the column stretched far past the gate. Ashes urged China faster as he rode to the head of the column. Fredrex, Notie and Diego rode side-by-side, in the lead. Ashes fell in beside them.

  "Told you we were missing someone,” Notie said, smiling over at the others.

  Diego grunted, "I thought Abby would be spitting out what was left of you by now, or did you just decide that fighting a war would be easier than trying to talk sense into that wildcat and just make a run for it?"

  Ashes waited for the laughter to die down from the three and the man within hearing range. He had lived too long to let such things bother him. When it finally did, he gave his friends a long look. "You know, I often think about being a king, What it means caring for the people, making laws, watching the kingdom prosper and grow and basking in the admiration, love and respect of my people, then I come to reality and wonder if it would be wrong to behead my closest friends."

  The wind tugged at Summer's blouse, as she stood on the city walls, watching the column disappear in the distance. She wrapped her arms around herself to try to stay warm. It was only early Fall but the winds already carried a cold chill.

  "I am sure that they will be alright.” Surprised, Summer looked over her shoulder at the small women who had spoken. A very pretty woman with a body that could turn many men's heads. Her snow white hair was tied in a ponytail that fell to the middle of her back. Her green eyes seemed to give off a light of their own.

  She was a head shorter than Summer who was not a tall woman, herself. Hunters had found her deep in the woods twenty years ago a small bundle lying under a rocky overhang next to a still burning fire. She had been only a few months old then and though the hunters had looked the rest of that day and into the next her mother was nowhere to be found. And there was no clue what had happened to her. Not knowing the baby's name and needing to call her something the hunters gave the baby the name, "Snowflake,” because of the child's snow white hair.

  Knowing that they would not be able to look after the child the hunters brought her to the city and left her in their care.

  Rumors spread about the girl. There had always been tales of elven folk in those woods. though none of them had ever been seen. Many people in the city believed that this small woman was at least in part, of elven blood.

  "Oh, hello Snowflake, you're looking well, how are your gardens doing?" Abby asked.

  "Well better this year than last." Snowflake answered her, stepping forward to hug the bigger woman. "Who would believe that one baby goat could do so much damage to a garden in one night!"

  "I remember,” Summer laughed, "Poor little guy had an upset belly the next day."

  Snowflake stepped back from her friend turning her gaze to the city walls and the column of men; now just a faint line in the distance. "Have faith in them Summer. They will be fine. There are no more loyal or well-trained soldiers in all the kingdoms; and Ashes is no fool." Reaching down, Snowflake grabbed Summers wrist and pulled her toward the door. "Now come on, you promised me yesterday that you would go with me looking for fire herb seeds in the woods. I'm not going to let you back out of it"

  Abby handed the last pup up to the driver of the wagon and watched as the driver placed the pup in the blankets by its watchful mother.

  "There you go Angel,” the driver said, “The last of your pups; safe and sound." The pup waddled on stumpy legs over to its mother pushing between its siblings sniffing for a teat to nurse on.

  "Just make sure that they stay safe!” Abby snapped, "Or you will have more than a mad mother to deal with.”

  "Don't worry. I will keep them safe."

  “I won't forget about your promise."

  The driver answered her as he was taking his place in the seat of the wagon, "I am very fond of my skin and other body parts you threatened to remove if they got hurt"

  Abby barely seemed to hear him as she reached down to run a hand across the head of the big dog standing next to her, Chief, the pack leader.

  Chief, like all war hounds, was a very big dog; his back reached the belly of the big draft horse standing next to him

  He was a big-chested heavily muscled dog with large paws. His black muzzle and saddle markings blended with his silver fur.

  Next to Chief, was Bango, Angel's mate, slightly smaller than Chief with brindle markings and a shorter upturned muzzle.

  Next to Bango, stood the pack bitch's, Tigress, like Bango, was brindle but with a longer
muzzle, and Candy a fawn. nexed to her stood Rain the oldest of the pack also a fawn, her muzzle graying with age.

  The other two pack males: Worf, and Felix stood close by. One light, one dark but both brindle.

  The last pack member raced across the open field towards the wagon. Brownie was just as tall as her pack-mates but was deep-chested and long-legged with a streamlined head. Her paws thudded on the ground as she raced up skidding to a stop just short of Chief. Chief aimed a warning snap in Brownie's direction, and Brownie backed away.

  "That one is the one that concerns me,” the wagon's driver said uneasily. "Her eyes. She has the look of someone who has seen the other side of madness.”

  "I am the one you need to be concerned about!” Abby said as she stepped away from the wagon. "Make sure you take care of all of them, or I will show you the other side of madness! Get on now!"

  The last remark aimed at the big horse pulling the wagon slapping his flank

  Abby watched as the pack trotted after the wagon, she knew Ashes was right. They would be safer at the hot spring valley, but that did little to ease the ache in her heart that she was already starting to feel.

  Chapter 6

  The Journey

  Ashes looked over his shoulder past the long column of men trailing behind him. The city rested against the mountains, walled in on three sides by towering cliffs with huge marble veins running through them. From the cliffs, over thirty generations ago the city had been built. It was at the base of those cliffs that the city's founders had fought a great battle with the Mullbuds, a savage group of raiders who preyed on anyone who they came upon.

  After they had driven away the raiders the people laid claim to the land as their home and chose their leaders. Bucken, their first king and his wife, Vanity both had proven their bravery in the great battle and they were very much respected.