Within the Tower of Batlan Keep

"I'm the man who just saved your life," Fred answered the soldier tersely. "Now listen, we're not out of danger yet; our attackers could return at any moment. Personally, I'd prefer to be on my way rather than sitting here being asked questions that can be answered...later. Wouldn't you agree?" Konrad seemed to get a grip on himself and he nodded 'yes'. "So, how much longer till Batlan?" Fred asked him again. "A couple of hours," Konrad replied and looked over at the others. "Everyone seems fit enough and the wagons weren't damaged. As long as the Road is clear we shouldn't have a problem. Though Pall seems a bit more than rattled." 

Indeed, Pall was still in shock. A few cups of mead had steadied him, but he did not look well. Fred raised his lantern high and said in a loud, commanding voice, "We must reach the walls of Batlan Keep. Nothing else matters. Konrad will lead the way and I will take the rear. Now let us be gone from this place." Without another word the surviving travelers spurred their horses and wagons and headed down the Road. Fred and Konrad were vigilant for any hint of another attack, but as time passed there came to them no sign nor sound of pursuit. Only the night kept them company. When they reached Batlan they all gave silent praise to whatever gods they worshipped and eagerly called out to the gate keepers. The gatesmen were greatly surprised to find travelers at their door after dark, especially of the knight with the strange, red armor. But any suspicion they may have had vanished when Konrad gave them the secret sign and word that marked him as a fellow soldier of the Forts. At his request they were immediately taken to see Commander Kayne. 

It was hard to believe that just a few hours earlier things had been going so smoothly. Fred's only goal had been to return to Caemlyn as quickly as possible. There was so much he needed to tell King Emry, things he felt were urgent and pressing. And of course there was the threat of war with Aqualaria that Rowena had spoken of and about which Fred most definitely needed to speak his mind. And so, not wishing to draw undue attention to themselves which would only slow them down, Fred and Rowena had chosen to keep their true identities a secret. But then the strange beggar on the Road had unexpectedly given Rowena's true name away. And then the vicious attack had forced Fred to call upon the power of Nelheth-Mord, his cursed sword. Of all that had come to pass, that was the most bitter for him. He desperately wished that this secret horror were his alone to keep. And if that were not enough, his ensorcled armor was hidden no more, for his cloak and long shirt had been torn and stripped from him during the fight. And if nothing else, the Flamebane clearly marked him as something more than just a lowly man-at-arms. 

And now here Fred stood as Konrad gave his report to the Commander of Batlan Keep. And his simple plan of returning home was about to fall apart. He betrayed no sign of emotion, but his heart was beating wildly and his mind raced back and forth. In just a few moments Konrad would expose him as the abominable source of the spectral fog and Fred's masquerade would be revealed to them all. Commander Kayne would know that Fred was both a liar and a man cursed. And then Kayne would have to decide what to do with him. 

But Fred had his own plans, and they didn't involve being locked up in a cell. And what else would happen once Kayne was given all the facts about the Lady from Allaria and her personal guardsman? For Rowena had tried to hide her true name, and everyone now knew that. And Kayne certainly wouldn't believe that 'Denom' was who he claimed to be, not with armor like the Flamebane and the power to command a killing fog. At the very least, they would both be under suspicion of having something to do with the attack, at the worst... perhaps they were spies of a foreign power or agents of some nefarious criminal organization or they might even be minions of the Dark. But regardless of what Kayne might imagine of them, Fred was absolutely sure that the Commander would never believe that their masquerade was in any way innocent. 

Telling the truth would not help them. No one trusted a man who trafficked in magick. He'd be lucky if they didn't stone him. And what would he say, that he was Frederigo D'Honaire the Dragon Slayer, a man supposedly dead? Kayne wouldn't even believe that Rowena was who she claimed to be, let alone that Denom was Fred. Kayne would of course ask them many questions but when he didn't get any answers that he liked he would put them both under guard and hold them until he had received proof of their claims. Fred's father and the King's men would in time come but in the meantime he would be kept under lock and key in this cold mountain outpost, unable to leave or do what he must. And perhaps that, most of all, was what Fred feared. 

For the attack on the Road had done more than just undermine his plan to return home or lay bare the truth of his curse. He now had to deal with another matter as well, just as urgent and just as personal. Timon. The merchant had not been killed but had been taken by the attackers, and whether he was alive or dead Fred had to find him and bring him back. For he could not forget how he had nearly deserted the dwarves in the Haunted Wood, and it shamed him. And he had vowed that he would never leave anyone behind ever again. 

The Commander listened carefully to Konrad's report. Except for a few furtive glances at Fred, Kayne gave no hint of surprise at the story he was being told. And as for Fred's hitherto hidden armor, Kayne kept his thoughts to himself. As did the others in the room while they waited for the soldier to finish his account of what had happened on the Road. 

Konrad's report was short, concise, a military man's sketch without detail or embellishment. Some thought it was a bit too brief. Pall could barely keep still as Konrad spoke and when the soldier had finished speaking the merchant pounded his fists against his thighs and shouted, "No, no, no, no! You make it sound like we were attacked by bandits, but that is not so! I saw them. Dark things they were, with the hides of animals! They were not men. Half-men at best! And it was no sword that ripped Mokad in half, but a talon wielded by a beast of the Dark! And that hellish fog was no brigand trick!" 

Kayne held his hand up for Pall to be still. "Konrad has not said one way or the other, only that there were dark figures. But soldier, what say you to this merchant's claim. Were they bandits or something else? And this fog you both speak of, from where did it come?" 

Fred tensed, for the moment was at hand. His secret was about to be revealed and he wasn't sure what would happen next, or what he would be forced to do. 

Konrad took a breath before he replied. "I...cannot say fer certain. On either count." 

A wave of relief swept over Fred, though he did not show it. He couldn't believe it! His dire secret had not been betrayed. He didn't know why Konrad had chosen to keep silent about what he had seen, but whatever the reason, it now left him free to keep his connection with the fog undiscovered. This unseen boon now gave him the opportunity to evade the threat Kayne posed all together. Or so he hoped. 

Kayne though had other ideas. The Commander looked about the room, surveying the faces of each man and the woman, and when his steely gaze fell upon Fred he paused and said, "Denom, is it not?" The Commander was a subtle man when need be, but the truth of his simple question was not lost on Fred. Fred knew full well that the Commander had not forgotten his name. He appreciated the subtlety, but also recognized that it marked Kayne as a much more dangerous opponent than a simple battle commander was. The knight from Allaria would have to play this very carefully if he hoped to leave this room without an armed escort. He had an idea of how he might succeed, but his plan rested in part upon his sister. He only hoped he could rely on her. 

"Yes," Fred answered the Commander, "my name is Denom." Kayne eyed Fred's red-runed armor for a moment and then said, "It is rare that the knights of Allaria visit the Forts, although it is their right. Still, I have seen enough of them to know that the armor you wear is most extraordinary. The more so if worn by a mere man-at-arms." If Kayne's doubts about 'Denom' were unclear before, it was now plain to everyone in the room. And there seemed to be a collective holding of the breath as they all waited for Fred's response. "I am my Lady's personal guard," Fred replied evenly. "Any honors I have reflect her own high status, not mine." At that, Kayne's attention immediately fell upon Rowena and she regarded him in turn, the momentary smirk on her face disappearing behind a mask of aristocratic pride and indignation. 

Fred was the one who held his breath now. The full weight of the Commander's scrutiny had fallen squarely upon his sister. And he needed her to hold her ground, just long enough for him to pull out his bluff. If she didn't, his little gambit would fail. 

"Dear Commander," Rowena said, ice in her voice, "Denom is many things, but he is not a highwayman or a creature of the dark. And isn't the attack upon myself and this party your main concern?" Kayne nodded, "But not my only concern. And I believe that your man-at-arms is being less than forthright with me." Rowena stood up, anger puffing her cheeks, "I must return to my home with the greatest speed. I had hoped to be discreet during my journey, not wishing to make it generally known that I was the sister of the great Dragon Slayer. I'm sure you can understand that. If Denom seems a bit wary of you then it is only because of the demands I have placed on him. And those are not your concern." 

Kayne looked at the girl and saw that he had misjudged the young woman. Because of her youth he had assumed that he could intimidate her, but that was obviously not the case. And then he looked back at 'Denom', the man-at-arms. Who were these two? The girl claimed to be the sister of the Dragon Slayer, and the man had the bearing of a knight. What kind of game were they playing? Oh how he dearly wished to know, but even a Keep Commander had to step lightly when dealing with the prerogatives of an Allarian Duke's daughter. IF she was an Allarian Duke's daughter, that is. He could hold them of course, but if she was the daughter D'Honaire he would catch hell like nothing he'd seen before. With the Faire of Celebration so near he knew that her family must be waiting for her and any delay he caused would not be looked upon kindly to say the least. 

Kayne decided it wasn't worth it. He'd had his fair share of dealings with the aristocracy and the girl seemed genuine to him. Whatever secrets the two of them had, his only real concern was whether or not they were a danger to his Keep and to his men. And they seemed neither. If he was going to hold them, he could only do so if he discovered that they were a part of the attack on the Road. Therefore, he intended to go out and find these men-monsters. Perhaps he would discover that the Lady D'Honaire was the object of the attack. But whatever the truth, the girl made it clear that she was going to leave in the morning and so Kayne would have to start the hunt right now, in the middle of the night. But what exactly was he hunting? 

Fred was about to announce to Kayne that he was on an urgent mission for King Emry himself which he could not reveal and that necessitated his and Rowena's hasty departure (which wasn't exactly telling a lie). His hope was that the bluff would force the Commander to drop his inquiries. But to his complete surprise, Kayne suddenly turned to him and asked, "So, man-at-arms Denom, what do you make of what happened on the Road?" 

Once again, Fred found himself absolutely astonished. His bluff had been rendered unnecessary by the harsh tongue of his blue-blooded sister. He was personally intimate with how overbearing she could be, but he had never expected this. Still, he was very happy about it. Whatever the Commander's reservations, he would for the moment at least keep his suspicions to himself. With this little cat-and-mouse game over, Fred relaxed into a role he was much more comfortable with. The Commander had asked him a simple question and one that he had a very clear answer to. 

"I think we were attacked by bandits," Fred said. "It was dark and we were taken by surprise. From out of the shadows they came, dressed in black furs. But they were men. After the battle ended, Pall was too shaken from the death of his friend to take notice of what was about him. But I took care to examine one of the 'half-men', and there was nothing inhuman about him." Pall was about to protest, but the Chanticleer laid his hand on the merchant's shoulder, urging him to be calm. "But," Fred added, "if their purpose was to make us think they were dark things, their attempt was nearly successful. And that makes me wonder about the tales I have heard along this Road and the other incidents in which the Dark has come out of hiding recently." 

"But what of the fog?" Kayne asked. 

"Perhaps it was a gift from the gods, to aid us in our moment of need," Fred replied. Kayne paused, considering Fred's words. "Perhaps," the Commander said, "The gods do what they will without ever bothering to explain it to the likes of us. But as for the Dark Things, I can assure you that they are quite real. And so that leaves me with a question - were you attacked by bold and savage men or by something that hides beneath the ancient rocks of the Shreken? Whatever the answer though, it is my duty to put an end to the danger. And I assure you I will." 

"You are left with one other matter, Commander," Fred corrected him. "And what is that?" Kayne asked. "Timon," Fred answered. "The merchant was not killed during the attack. They took him, and it is our duty to rescue him." "Our duty?" Kayne said with surprise. Fred nodded, "Though I only met him this morning, he was a companion on the Road and it is not my habit to leave companions to the mercy of evil men. Since I must go with my Lady when she departs this Keep on the morrow, I intend to go back out onto the Road now. I know this must seem unusual to you, but I hope that you have no objections." 

"Unusual?" Kayne repeated the word. Only knights followed such a code. And Kayne would wager that half of them gave their code but lip service. Again he wondered just who this body guard really was. Perhaps Kayne would learn something if Denom was allowed to join him. "I intend to hunt your attackers myself, with a cadre of my best men. And the hunt will begin at once. There is no need for your assistance, but if you wish to come I have no objections. I wonder though, if your Lady does." 

Rowena stared at Fred with some consternation. She knew of knightly virtue but was surprised at his sudden notion to ride out and rescue a man she was certain was dead. And she was angry too. She felt that they were lucky that the Commander had chosen not to pry further. Why was he now putting that in danger? But as she looked into her brother's eyes she saw an intensity of emotion and an unwavering insistence that almost overwhelmed her. Her brother had changed much since visiting the Southern Caves and not for the first time she saw a man whom she did not know. But he was still a man she could not help but trust. She nodded at the Commander but said not a word. 

"All right then," the Commander spoke. "I will gather my men and in fifteen minutes we ride. But I must ask you Denom, do you know the Road or the hills through which it winds?" Fred shook his head, "Not particularly." Kayne grabbed his cloak and as he passed Fred he said, "Then you shall ride next to me. This place is dangerous enough, but we tread now in the dark of night and I don't want another of your party to be lost on my Road." Fred almost laughed for he had the Helm of the Flamebane and with it he could see into the night as a dragon might. The darkness would pose no obstacle for him. 

As he passed his sister though, she caused him to pause. "Denom, whatever happens, I need you back and tomorrow we are gone from here." 

"Tomorrow we return to the Road, my Lady," he said, "on that you have my word."
 
 

1. The hunting party rides out into the night. But what awaits them? 

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