oasis with a lighter heart. Sweetwater Trees was a sizable place. As was indicated by the village’s name, there were acres of waving trees laden with exotic fruit and what looked to be fertile fields, irrigated by channels of water diverted from a river that flowed from the nearby small cluster of mountains. Small homes made of stone and dried mud, shored up with timbers from the local trees, dotted the landscape. The village’s leader met them on the outskirts of the village. He was small and wizened, reminding the king a great deal of Sabine, but without that ruler’s hyperactivity. He spoke slowly, in a grave voice.
“I am Pahket, leader of Sweetwater Tree village. We welcome Your Majesty with open arms. If you are to continue along the Great Trade Road, you will need supplies. We will sell them to you at a fair price and invite you to share a meal with us this evening.”
“You are most gracious, and your offer is most welcome. This is my friend and trusted comrade-in-arms, Benjamin Finn. And this is Kalin, leader of Aurora, and Shan, a Samarkandian who has agreed to be our guide. We will recompense you fairly for what we purchase, and if my soldiers may camp close by, I promise they will cause no trouble in your village.”
“Of course, of course! We are familiar with hosting travelers though not usually so large a party! Welcome to Finn and especially Kalin, whose people we have traded with happily in the past.”
After the horrors of the night attack by the hollow-men-crewed ships and the seductive sirens, the normalcy and peace of the place offered balm to the spirit as well as the body. “Theoasis offers ample water, so all your men and beasts may drink their fill as well as refresh your supplies,” Pahket said as they walked. “We cannot cook enough in time to feed you all this evening, but we will supplement your soldier’s rations with fresh meat and milk and cheese from our sheep.”
“You are very generous, Pahket,” said the king. “I confess, I am a little stunned by our reception here.”
The dark eyes went hard for a moment. “What makes you say that?”
The king had been wondering how to broach the subject, and now seemed as good a time as any. “Because we have heard of a great darkness that has come to plague the good people of Samarkand,” he said.
Pahket looked away. “You mean the Empress,” he said in an unhappy voice. “Indeed, since she captivated our beloved Emperor, dark times have befallen us. We host few visitors these days. Aurora is too afraid to trade with us, and the road is very dangerous. So this is why you travel with an army and great weapons, not caravans.”
“It is our hope to confront the Empress and put an end to this evil,” said the king, encouraged by Pahket’s words.
“That would be a great blessing to this troubled land,” said Pahket, though he looked as if he suddenly bore a heavy burden. The king understood. Bad as things were, people sometimes were more afraid of change.
“The king of Albion has no desire to rule in the Empress’s stead,” said Kalin, whose mind was clearly going down the same path. “He helped my people throw off the darkness from Aurora, and the only ‘disruption’ to our society has been the saving of lives and the reintroduction of peace and prosperity.”
“I have no reason to doubt Aurora’s leader,” Pahket said.Which, the king noted, was not quite the same thing as saying,
I believe you
.
“The darkness that troubled Aurora spread to my land as well,” the monarch continued. “There is a chance the same thing will happen here, and I must defend my own realm by helping yours. But trust me, ruling one kingdom is quite enough!”
Pahket laughed at that though it sounded a trifle forced, and the king wished there was something more he could do to convince the village’s leader. The lingering shadow of the conversation was dispelled once they reached the village. Many people had gathered to greet the
“I am Pahket, leader of Sweetwater Tree village. We welcome Your Majesty with open arms. If you are to continue along the Great Trade Road, you will need supplies. We will sell them to you at a fair price and invite you to share a meal with us this evening.”
“You are most gracious, and your offer is most welcome. This is my friend and trusted comrade-in-arms, Benjamin Finn. And this is Kalin, leader of Aurora, and Shan, a Samarkandian who has agreed to be our guide. We will recompense you fairly for what we purchase, and if my soldiers may camp close by, I promise they will cause no trouble in your village.”
“Of course, of course! We are familiar with hosting travelers though not usually so large a party! Welcome to Finn and especially Kalin, whose people we have traded with happily in the past.”
After the horrors of the night attack by the hollow-men-crewed ships and the seductive sirens, the normalcy and peace of the place offered balm to the spirit as well as the body. “Theoasis offers ample water, so all your men and beasts may drink their fill as well as refresh your supplies,” Pahket said as they walked. “We cannot cook enough in time to feed you all this evening, but we will supplement your soldier’s rations with fresh meat and milk and cheese from our sheep.”
“You are very generous, Pahket,” said the king. “I confess, I am a little stunned by our reception here.”
The dark eyes went hard for a moment. “What makes you say that?”
The king had been wondering how to broach the subject, and now seemed as good a time as any. “Because we have heard of a great darkness that has come to plague the good people of Samarkand,” he said.
Pahket looked away. “You mean the Empress,” he said in an unhappy voice. “Indeed, since she captivated our beloved Emperor, dark times have befallen us. We host few visitors these days. Aurora is too afraid to trade with us, and the road is very dangerous. So this is why you travel with an army and great weapons, not caravans.”
“It is our hope to confront the Empress and put an end to this evil,” said the king, encouraged by Pahket’s words.
“That would be a great blessing to this troubled land,” said Pahket, though he looked as if he suddenly bore a heavy burden. The king understood. Bad as things were, people sometimes were more afraid of change.
“The king of Albion has no desire to rule in the Empress’s stead,” said Kalin, whose mind was clearly going down the same path. “He helped my people throw off the darkness from Aurora, and the only ‘disruption’ to our society has been the saving of lives and the reintroduction of peace and prosperity.”
“I have no reason to doubt Aurora’s leader,” Pahket said.Which, the king noted, was not quite the same thing as saying,
I believe you
.
“The darkness that troubled Aurora spread to my land as well,” the monarch continued. “There is a chance the same thing will happen here, and I must defend my own realm by helping yours. But trust me, ruling one kingdom is quite enough!”
Pahket laughed at that though it sounded a trifle forced, and the king wished there was something more he could do to convince the village’s leader. The lingering shadow of the conversation was dispelled once they reached the village. Many people had gathered to greet the
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