Chapter Six – The Cleansing of Darnuth Keep by Kelly D. Tolman

Posted by admin on November 3, 2008

The Cleansing of Darnuth Keep is a fantasy novel describing the adventures of Colter Halfspear as he becomes a man and an initiate of magical powers.

Torbridge was wise, well more cunning than wise I suppose. But he could see through Harrim, even I knew that. I don’t think I ever did thank him for taking me on, though he probably thought it little kindness indeed. Still, a Halfspear is not passed up lightly and he was cunning enough for that.

“Go and see Handor,” said Harrim. “He’s got some of the things you will need. I’m off to see Tintelbar. Meet me there.”

Lyekal skulked around his father’s workshop as I approached their home. He pretended not to notice when I waved at him. Master Handor greeted me warmly. “I found your father’s sword, and sharpened it. It’s a remarkably good blade, far nicer than anything I could make. I never learned to fold steel like that. I’ve an old chain shirt as well. It won’t fit you, but it’s yours anyway. When you find someone who knows armor he can help you mend it properly.”

When I turned to leave Lyekal followed me. We met Wess as he began his trek to the fields. “You’ve all the luck,” said Lyekal. “I’ve begged forever to go, and now the whole village is giving you a send off.”

“They say a wizard visited the council last summer and warned them, but I thought it was all just talk,” said Wess.

“It’s real enough,” I said. I felt my stomach sinking with each step and each word. All around me the faces that I knew so well became a mix of sad smiles and discontent frowns. Harrim handed me a bundle filled with new clothes and a traveling cloak. The new boots fit my feet better than my father’s had, but the cloak was far too large. I strapped the sword across my shoulder where it hung uncomfortably for all to see.

I found mamma in the stables, holding the reins to one of Harrim’s finest stallions. Her eyes were red and glazed from the tears she had held back all morning.

I know I told her that I would be all right, that Tylos would protect me just as she had protected my father, but the words offered little comfort. The impossible suffering of a parent I could never understand.

“I suppose you will land yourself in every kind of trouble imaginable,” she warned me. “You know how to write, so write me a letter now and again. I’ve no time to warn you about swindlers and drunkenness and women and all the vices of the world, but follow your instincts. Follow your senses, and you’ll come out fine. Do as the captain orders, that much at least you know. If there is one other piece of advice I could give it would be to not act like the rest of the soldiers. Remember Colter, you’re a farmer.”

Now I felt the tears welling up in my eyes. I knew I couldn’t cry. I was going to meet the captain again soon enough and he would certainly not stand for it. “I’ll remember I’m a farmer,” I said, and for the last time she embraced me.

Harrim waited for me outside when I led the stallion to the front of the inn. “You’ve provisions to last a solid five market, lad. Your mail and camp kit are packed. And here, take this.” He handed me a small money pouch that jingled with coins. “Consider it an advance on the rents of the farm. You’ll need it, so be frugal.”

I grasped the innkeeper’s arm and thanked him the best way I knew how. Harrim was one of those men that can honestly be called good, and it was my sorrow to leave him behind.

“Good luck then,” said Wess.

“I’ll be joining you soon,” added Lyekal.

“I’ve not agreed with your father, but I wish you luck,” said Trakkin as he extended his hand. I shook his hand and looked him in the eyes.

“I’ll do my best,” I said.

Anaria handed me the fading pansy from her hair. “I’ll miss you,” she said. “The tyrnwood helped my brother.”

“Hop to boy,” growled Torbridge. “We’ve a steady ways to go today.”

I wasted no time mounting and following, but despite his hard tone, he set a relatively easy pace. The pace picked up a little later when the thunderheads began to roll in. The drought in the valley was breaking, and already the whole valley seemed to breathe a sigh of relief to see me go. A few hands waved farewell, but most continued their day with little more than a glance our direction.

“My father recruited your father the same way that I did today,” said Torbridge as we rode. “I was already an officer then, but we never met.”

“He didn’t talk much about his experiences with me,” I replied.

“The emperor repays faithful service generously. My father won lands and title for his bravery in the wastelands north of the Great Crown. In time I will expand his holdings. The peasants here don’t understand the great things of the world. You’ve an opportunity to make a name for yourself as well. I expect you’ll want to match your father’s fame at least,” he said.

I didn’t know how to answer him, so I kept quiet. We passed my fields and I knew there would be no harvest for me that fall.

“Stay close, and you can learn a thing or two about the world from me,” said the captain. “There’s more waiting for you than dying grain.”

The road west from Dunston to Havensod is as straight as an arrow and as easy to follow as any road in the empire, perhaps the only road built with any sense. Torbridge’s camp waited for us at the west end of the valley a few kilometers past my farm. We reached that camp early in the afternoon.

The camp consisted of a corporal who actually wore a uniform and five scraggly recruits in homespun clothing. One man had black skin and hair and dressed in a colorful blouse and trousers. His thin, handsome limbs moved with the same practiced grace that the captain showed. I guessed he must be a darkunder, though I had never met one in person before. The other four men appeared to be farmers or peasant workers. Each carried a short spear and a grim, helpless look.

The darkunder must have caught me looking to see if his ears were really pointed (which they were) because he observed with a wry smile, “That’s quite the little knife you’ve strapped to your back.” His accent sounded thick and strange to me. I had to concentrate to understand his words.

“It was my father’s,” I said.

“So we’ve got us a hero,” he scoffed. “Look boys, a regular hero, packin’ a pretty knife.” Others laughed and I could feel him baiting me just like other farm boys would do at festival. What a child. Even then I could see it. “And nicked your pa’s pony as well, eh.” He gestured to my horse. “Did you run off, huh? Off for glory?”

“My father is dead,” I answered truthfully. There was no need to hide that. “I didn’t run away.”

“Got a bit of a temper too, eh lads.” The man chuckled.

“Leave off, ‘arry,” said another man, older with thin graying hair and a long nose. He dressed in simple garb and had the familiar worn look of a drought beaten village farmer. “The boy’s business is his own. No one has asked which constable you’re running from.”

“I’m an honest man,” replied Harry with a wink. “As honest as they come I am. Besides I was just jokin’. Givin’ the boy a welcome. See no harm done.” Harry held out a dark hand of welcome and I shook it. The grip was firm, but there was gleam in those dark eyes that I later learned to recognize as a warning. Then it was only a feeling, a kind of sense that made me nervous, but I was willing to play his game and not make any enemies just yet. “Stick with Harry and I’ll show you the life boy. Never mind old Jarkin there.”

Jarkin gave a great harrumph, reminiscent of many of the other farmers back home. “That one’s trouble, son. Stick to your work if you want my advice, and steer clear of the darkunders. If ‘arry’s your real name then I’m a ‘orse.” Jarkin let out another harrumph and strode away to help with the work.

“Darkunder is a fine kingdom,” retorted Harry. “I’ll do my service to the empire and show you the strength of the far southern realms.”

“Then do your service a bit quicker and a bit quieter,” interrupted the gruff voice of Torbridge. “Get a move on. There will be plenty of time for chatter later. We’ll walk all night if we have to, but I want to be back to the main camp by nightfall. There have been reports of Kaarum in the area.”

Despite the captain, Harry kept up a constant stream of chatter as we broke camp. More than once Jarkin rose to the darkunder’s bait. I was the only recruit who owned a horse, armor, or a weapon other than a half spear. The others had answered the summons more to escape their lives, either of poverty or crime than to serve the empire. My hopes for glory as a soldier began to dwindle with each step.

Copyright 2008 Kelly David Tolman

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