Trail of the Gods Part 15

"Welcome to the Cooked Hog" she greets him, a warm smile upon her face. "My name's Celia. Is there anything I can get for you?"

"I'd like some of whatever it is that smells so good," he tells her. "And a mug of ale, too."

"What you're smelling is our specialty, roast pig," she tells him. "It's only half a silver and comes with some vegetables as well as a half loaf of bread."

"Perfect," he says as he hands over the coins.

Taking the money, she says, "Back in a moment."

He sits back and looks out over the other patrons as he waits for his meal. Sitting around the table next to him are five men, mercenaries by the looks of them. Scattered throughout the common room are others, perhaps ten in all. Most likely they're guards from some caravan who's stopped here in Osgrin for the night.

Celia comes out of the kitchen a minute later bringing over his meal. She sets a large plate with sizzling slices of roast pork before him, their juices running all over the plate. Arrayed around the edges of the plate are several of the favorite local tubers everyone seems to like. On the table next to it, she places half loaf of bread and his mug of ale. "Is there anything else you'd be requiring?" she asks.

Taking out his knife and grabbing the fork which had been supplied, he cuts off a large slice. Shaking his head, he stuffs the pork in his mouth as she turns and walks away. The juice runs down his chin and he wipes it off with his arm. Taking the bread, he discovers it's still warm as he tears off a chunk and dips it in the juice on the plate before eating it. He never did that before until he saw James do it one time. Ever since, he's rarely eaten just plain bread.

From the table of mercenaries next to him, he hears something that makes his blood run cold. One of them just spoke in the Empire's language before the mercenary sitting next to him stops him.

"Not here," the other man whispers. "Use only their tongue!"

"Right," the first man says.

Miko glances over to them while trying to appear that he isn't. Now that he's paying closer attention to them, he can easily tell they're from the south. The slight darkening of the skin and their facial characteristics all say they're from the Empire. They're not as prominent in these men as in others he had been around when he was in the Empire and would most likely not be noticed with just a cursory look. But after what he had been through, he's not likely ever to mistake them again.

James. They must be here after James. He continues eating, more slowly this time and tries to listen to their conversations. Most of what they're saying is barely audible and he can only make out fragments of what they're saying. He continues eating, more slowly this time and tries to listen to their conversations. Most of what they're saying is barely audible and he can only make out fragments of what they're saying.

"...just to the north of here..."

"...will kill him. That's what..."

"...soon. Maybe tomorrow, not sure..."

"...get it done and return home where..."

They're here to kill James! He wolfs down the rest of his meal quickly and takes the bread with him to eat on the road. Getting up from the table, he tries not to make eye contact with the men as he moves past them toward the door. He wolfs down the rest of his meal quickly and takes the bread with him to eat on the road. Getting up from the table, he tries not to make eye contact with the men as he moves past them toward the door.

A hand grabs his arm and he almost pulls out his sword before he realizes it's Celia. She looks expectantly at him as she asks, "Wouldn't you like to stay around a little longer?"

"What?" he asks her, confused.

"I get off in an hour," she explains, giving him a look that stirs his blood. "We could go somewhere if you like."

"Sorry," he says as he removes her hand from his arm. "But I really have to be going." Turning back to the door, he leaves a very disappointed Celia behind as he exits the Cooked Hog. Untying his horse, he quickly mounts and gallops out of Osgrin. He's got to return to The Ranch and warn James!

Three and a half hours later, the lane leading to The Ranch appears before him. In the moonlight he's able to make out the recently erected guard shack next to where the lane begins. As he approaches, a shadow detaches itself from within the guard shack and suddenly, a lantern's shutter is opened, bathing him in light.

"Miko!" he hears Uther's voice exclaim as the lantern's light turns away from him. "Didn't think you would be returning till morning."

"We've got trouble," he tells him and then gives him a brief rundown of what he overheard back in Osgrin. "You'd better keep extra alert."

"I will, and thanks," he tells him.

Kicking his horse, he races down the lane to the house. Not bothering to tie his horse, he jumps down and rushes inside and slams open James' bedroom door.

Startled awake, James wakes to find Miko framed in his doorway. Figuring him to be mad about having him ride for hours, he begins to say, "Miko, glad you made it back. "Sorry about..."

Interrupting him, Miko says, "James, there're men from the Empire in Osgrin!"

Sitting up, all thoughts of having forgotten about Miko earlier vanish. "What?" he exclaims. "When?"

Roland comes to the door behind Miko and asks, "What's going on?"

"Miko says there're men from the Empire down in Osgrin," he explains to him.

"Are you sure?" Roland asks.

"Absolutely," he replies. "After the time I've spent around them, I can recognize their speech."

About this time, Illan and the others show up with their weapons. "Uther just came and told us we're about to be attacked," he says.

"Everyone quiet!" James shouts. All talking ceases as they turn their attention to James. "Now," he says to Miko, "tell us what happened?"

Miko runs through the whole story, trying not to leave out even the most insignificant detail. When he's done, he glances from one face to another and then settles on James. "What are we going to do?" he asks.

"Illan?" James asks, looking at the veteran soldier.

"Since we know the are coming, we can be prepared," he says. "That's half the battle." To Jorry he says, "Wake up the new recruits and send them out into the forest, tell them what's going on and to keep their eyes open. After that, join Uther out by the road. One by the shack, and the other a little ways away so if they come down the road, they won't see both of you."

"Right!" he says as he bolts down the hallway to the front door.

Turning to Miko, he asks, "You say there were ten of them?"

"There were five at the table next to me," he tells him. "I saw another five scattered throughout the inn."

"So ten," he says. "With the element of surprise gone, we should be able to take them on with no trouble." To Jiron he says, "Take a horse into town, if you don't find them on the road then head on into Osgrin and see if you can locate them. They probably haven't left Osgrin yet and with any luck, they'll stay the night there and not head out till morning."

"They were at the Cooked Hog," Miko tells him. "They may be staying the night there."

"Thanks," he says as he hurries out to the stable to get his horse.

"What should the rest of us do?" asks Roland.

"Nothing much else to do until we know where they are," he says. "Go back to bed."

"But how can I sleep knowing we could be attacked at any minute?"

Giving him an exasperated look, Illan turns to James and says, "You stay here, get some sleep if you can. You too Miko, you're dead on your feet now. You'll be no use in a fight if you're too tired."

"What about you?" James asks.

"I'll be outside, keeping an eye on everything," he tells him. "Don't worry about a thing, we'll know if something's about to happen before it does."

"If you say so," Miko says as he goes to try to get some sleep.

Illan hurries to get his armor on and then goes outside where James can hear him barking out orders to those patrolling the woods. Returning to his bed, he lies there thinking about the upcoming attack. At least they know what's going on first this time. Maybe it wasn't just chance that had him forgetting about Miko? Perhaps another had taken a hand in it? His mind finally calms down enough so he can fall back asleep.

He wakes early the next morning and gets out of bed fast. Leaving his room, he finds out that nothing out of the ordinary has happened during the night. Jiron hasn't returned yet and that has Illan worried.

"Should we send someone after him?" he asks Illan when he learns Jiron has yet to return.

"Can't afford to," he says. "Should they launch an attack here, we'll need everyone we have."

"You're right of course," admits James.

"I'm going to start rotating them in for some rest and food," Illan tells him as he heads out to the woods and the new recruits on patrol there.

Worry for Jiron still nags at him so he goes out to his workshop where he gets his mirror. Laying it out in front of him on his workbench, he concentrates on Jiron. As the image begins to coalesce, he sees him riding his horse hard along a road. Enlarging the view, he's still unable to determine exactly where he is. Probably on his way here. Probably on his way here.

Putting the mirror away, he leaves the workshop and sees Jace coming in out of the forest. Moving to intercept him, he asks, "Is Illan still out in the forest?"

Jace looks at him, brown eyes widening at being addressed by him. Pus.h.i.+ng aside the lock of hair that's forever curling down in front of his face, he replies, "I think so."

"Thanks," he tells him then heads into the forest.

He finds Illan further in where he's talking with Errin. When he sees James coming, he says one last thing to Errin before she heads off into the forest. He then turns and walks toward James.

"Jiron's on the road, riding hard," James informs him. "Couldn't determine exactly where though." As Illan comes abreast of him, James turns and walks with him out of the forest. "I'm thinking he's coming back here to give us word about the mercenaries."

"Most likely," Illan agrees. "We'll know soon enough. When he returns, we'll have a better idea what's going on and then we'll know what we're going to need to do."

As they exit the forest, they see Ezra standing out by the kitchen door. When she sees them, she signals for them that breakfast is ready. James gives her a nod and heads over there.

"I'll be along in a few minutes," Illan tells him. "I just need to find Moyil and then I'll join you."

"Alright," James says. Illan angles away from him to proceed around the house as they draw near. The sound of hammering can be heard from the construction sight as the builders resume working on the house. He wonders if it's a good idea to have them here with what may be coming their way. Perhaps it's better to give the appearance of normalcy so the attackers won't think they're ready for them.

Entering the kitchen, he finds Jace, Orry and Devin seated at the table, first time any of the recruits have sat there. They're all waiting for him, Ezra must've already instructed them in the proper etiquette when eating at the master's table. Once he's seated and has begun to spoon eggs on his plate, they begin grabbing serving bowls and platters.

"Seen anything?" he asks them after swallowing his first bite.

"Nothing," replies Devin.

"What's going on exactly?" Orry asks.

Glancing at him, James replies, "I've made some enemies and we've gotten word some may be on their way to try to kill me."

"That's dumb," Jace exclaims.

"Why is that dumb?" James asks him.

"Trying to kill a mage, I mean," he says. "One spell from you and they're toast." The other recruits nod their heads at what he said.

"It's not as easy as that," he explains to them. Just then, the door opens up and Illan walks in. "Did you find him?" he asks him.

Illan takes his seat and while he begins filling his plate, he replies, "Yes I did, everyone's accounted for." He glances around the table and when he doesn't see Miko, asks, "Is he still sleeping?

James nods his head. "He was up pretty late last night."

Just then, they hear the sound of a horse racing down the lane toward the house. "Jiron!" he exclaims as he comes to his feet and practically runs through the front room to the door. He hurries outside as Jiron brings his horse to a stop.

Dismounting, Jiron comes over to him and says, "I found them."

"Where?" Illan asks from the doorway before James can get the words out.

"They spent the night in Osgrin and headed out this morning," he tells them. "It didn't seem that they were in all that much of a hurry, though. When I saw they were taking the road to Trendle, I came back as fast as I could."

"How many were there?"

James motions him to come inside as he answers. "Twenty one. The party that left Osgrin had eighteen men at arms as well as two wagons. Couldn't tell what was in the wagons, but one was being driven by a single man, the other had a man and a woman."

"A woman?" Illan asks as they return to the kitchen where they all take their seats at the table.

"Yeah," Jiron replies as he begins helping himself to the food. "She didn't have the look of a fighter."

"Maybe a mage?" James asks.

Shrugging, Jiron says, "Maybe."

"I want you and young Devin here to go back and find them," Illan tells Jiron. "If anything develops that we need to know about, send Devin back."

Devin gets an excited look in his eye when he hears that he'll be going with Jiron on a 'mission'.

Turning to James, Illan continues, "I think we should stand everyone down seeing as how an attack is not imminent."

"You know best," he says.

The rest of the meal goes fairly quickly, Jiron hurries and eats so he can return to find them. As soon as Devin is done, Illan has him go out to the stable and get two horses saddled and ready for when Jiron is finished eating.

After Devin's left, James says to Jiron, "You be careful."

"I will," he a.s.sures him. "They've probably not come too far along by now, the wagons are going to slow them down. They're most likely going to reach Trendle sometime before nightfall." Scooping up the last of the food from his plate, he stands up and makes to leave.

"Good luck," Illan says to him.

"Thanks," he replies and then goes outside to where Devin sits on his horse waiting for him. Once mounted, they quickly ride down the lane to the road where they break into a gallop as they head toward the advancing party.