Chapter 4
Valun
woke the next morning to sunlight coming so sharply through the window
that he could see the dust motes hanging in the air. He relaxed in the
bed for some minutes, fascinated by the fact of seeing the light appear
and make an insubstantial bar across the room. He was just beginning to
settle down to the prospect of gaining yet more sleep when the door was
rudely thrown open to reveal Richard standing in the breach, helm on
head and sword belted at his side, like some vengeful hero of old.
Conan
stood at Richard’s side, and John had found a place underneath the
Longfurrow’s outstretched right arm, which that boy was using to prevent
the door from swinging back on him and his friends from the shock of
the blow. “Up, my lord Prince, and take the reins of the day! We were
told by your kinsman that it would be an early start, and yet we find
you lying abed as you cared nothing for our trouble.”
Shocked
to full awareness by this abrupt start to the day, Valun threw back the
covers and leapt from the bed sufficiently prepared at once, having
rested in the same clothes he had worn into the villa. It was then the
work of few moments for him to replace his riding boots upon his legs
and his belt and sword around his waist. “I stand ready, my friends. I
understand that we are to leave?”
Conan’s
tone was frosty. “We should have done so already. The duke’s men have
come to him once already to ask when or if we were ever going to start.”
“What is the time now?”
“Four
hours after sunrise. The boatmen came for us when the the third had
passed. We did not think you would have such need for rest.”
“Well, You have got me up now. Come along then.”
On the ground floor of the house, they met the duke, who showed great relief at the sight of his four guests prepared to depart.
“You had best get yourself down to the dock straightway. My men are impatient to start.”
“Thank you for keeping us under your roof, sir. There is nothing keeping us here and we will be off now, by your leave.”
“You have that without asking. Godspeed be with you and your minds and arms in your exile.”
With
that, the boys took their leave. They found their horses prepared and
waiting in the courtyard, and all of them mounted without wasting words.
Just before they rode through the open gate, duke Tyrone came to his
door with some bags in his hands. “You left these. They were just found
in your rooms.”
Stopping
short, Valun, John, and Conan wheeled about and took their parting
gifts from the duke. Richard, who was already wearing the contents of
his own sack, waited for them alongside the gate.
When
they finally managed to get out of the duke’s villa, they were picked
up in moments by men-at-arms who had been standing nearby all night.
They were then guided straight to the correct vessel, where they were
left to themselves.
Fortunately,
there was a man on the lookout for them who lost no time in alerting
his fellows, so that the boys were aboard the vessel not ten minutes
after they had arrived at it. The boys then saw to their horses security
for themselves, and after this was done, went about securing berths for
themselves. However, they could find none, as the ship was not intended
to hold more than its full complement of men at any point in its normal
operation. Having discovered this, Valun subsequently gained an
audience with the captain.
“My companions and I have no berths. What is to be done about it?”
Looking
up from the inventory of cargo which had been handed to him but a
minute prior to Valun’s entrance, the captain said “Nothing can or will
be done about it. You were taken on short notice as a favor, onto a
vessel that does not have the space for you. We can barely fit your
horses. If you want to share their bedding, you may do that. Or you may
sleep on the deck. It is all the same to me until I can get you off my
boat, which I will do gladly. Name the moment. I have no more time for
you. Go.”
Dismissed
like a common menial, Valun left, steaming at the captain’s bluntness.
When Richard approached, with anxiety evident on his face, Valun brushed
him off and moved to the end of the boat. He sat there alone for some
time before John approached, looking ready to run away at a sign of
trouble. However, by this time Valun was indifferent to to the world. He
hardly noticed as the boy came nearer, and offered the same small
degree of attention to the words John was saying at him.
“Is
it really that hard to give it up? Why should it matter so much that
you have to ignore your friends? What is upsetting you, anyway?”
At
this sharp question, Valun woke up and said “The man doesn’t care. He
thinks we’re only so much baggage and he could care less what happens to
us. But we’re nobles! We are not to be ignored, like that!”
“Oh,
is that all it is? You live, and someone doesn’t care where, or for how
long. There are people yet who don’t know your name. Are you going to
hunt them down, shout it in their faces, and then slay them for the
crime of not knowing you? I wanted to help, but there is no help in your
case.” In one abrupt motion, John rose and moved away.
In
the end, the young exiles passed their nights on the deck, wrapped in
the cloaks they had brought from their homes. Valun’s worries about the
lack of comfort on board were dispelled, as the natural rolling motion
of the boat moving down the river worked as well as any sleeping-draught
in bringing him to look upon that dark palette where thoughts and
dreams are wont to play out before one’s eyes.
They
had spent four nights on board before they came within sight of the
village of Quage in Ronaiera. True to his word, the captain of the boat
wasted no time in coming to shore only as long as it took Valun and his
friends to disembark with their animals and baggage. As soon as they
were safely off the boat, they found themselves watching helplessly as
the vessel moved back into the river without a sign that anyone aboard
it cared that some of the lights of Corridane’s future stood alone in a
land unknown to them.
