Chapter Twelve of The Lost Legend - Denkald's Trespass.

   Tauren woke up some time later. He lay on the rough pine needle bed and stared up at the roof of the small hide tent he had been put in, a couple feet away lay Detrick. A lot had happened in the past few days, his life had changed. How it was events could go so fast after so many years of practically nothing happening.

  His quest, his job, and his oath had already gone wrong. The sarcophagus was in enemy hands. He was a prisoner. Detrick was a prisoner. The Halavardes were now en-force on Netheron.

  Slowly he rolled to the side and stood, wincing slightly as his bruises were irritated.

   To his surprise he could stand up in the tent. He looked around, Detrick lay on his side, his dark grey cloak spread over him, still sleeping, other than him and a thick mat of pine needles the tent was empty.

   He took a deep breath, the dry, crisp, and cold morning air burning on its way to his lungs. He needed a drink.

   Turning, he pulled the tent flaps open and stepped outside, to his surprise it was early morning, only a light grey showing on the horizon telling him that dawn was near.

   For a moment he was confused, but then he adding things up in his head. Yes, this was about right. They had gotten into the ruins of Arluine late on the day before yesterday, they had been caught probably sometime early the next morning, then they had been brought to the Halavarde camp, reaching it late in the day. Then he and Detrick had been shown their tent and they had lain down and fallen asleep.

   Looking around he saw pale tents scattered all about, dark tree trunks showing here and there, in the thick morning mist he could see a few figures moving about, but in compare with the previous evening the camp was empty.

   He remembered crossing a stream on his way to the tent, and he instantly headed down the slight decline that he knew led to it.

   A few moments of walking over the crunching pine needles, past the sooty splotches were the previous night’s fires had been, he came to a small, splashing brook. He dipped his hands into the running water, it was bitterly cold, but he drank with gusto.

   Looking around he saw that there were tents on the other side of the stream too; vaguely he wondered how many Halavardes were here. From what he had seen so far there must be an army of some sort. Or at least a very large force!

   “Don’t cross to the other side.” He heard a voice say behind him.

   Startled he jumped to the side, turning to see who it was.

   Above him stood Turnhein, he looked tired, but he stood firmly on the massive, mossy log” Why not?” Asked Tauren carefully, not wanting to annoy him.

   Turnhein looked down at him, and Tauren got the distinct impression that he was older than he looked.” Because, that’s Denkalds territory, and my protection to you doesn’t extend there. If you went over there nothing would stop him from tearing you apart.”

   “What’s so different about your men and his?” Tauren asked, feeling that Turnhein was probably quite open to questions, and addressing one of the things that had been nagging at him.

   Turnhein chuckled.” Simple! I’m a Colonel, he’s a Captain. We’ve been contesting since we were boys! Fighting! When we grew up we both made it our life’s quest to one day lead the 7^th Battalion! He was reckless, disobeyed orders, and was needlessly ruthless while I was more diplomatic with my career. As a result I now lead the 7^th and he’s a captain in the 4^th. I can’t touch him! But he can’t touch me!

   Captains and Colonels in the army are assigned their own sections of land to take care of, protect, defend, attack, and use. Our sections are much defined and we do not infringe on one another’s land, that’s against the laws. No soldier has any business, if not on higher orders, out of his section.”

   “But why are your men so different?” Tauren asked insistently.” Why do his men look so different from yours?”

   Turnhein chuckled softly.” We’re from opposite sides of Halavarde! So are our men. Obviously we’d do things a bit differently.”

   Tauren nodded, wondering why he hadn’t thought about it.” Colonel Turnhein?” he probed.

   Turnhein winced.” Please, call me Vajik”

   “Okay.” Tauren began, surprised at what the Colonel had just offered him.” Vajik, what are you going to do with the Sarcophagus you took from the ruins?” he gulped, hoping this would turn out well and that he hadn’t assumed too much.

   But Vajik just stared at him, frowning.” What Sarcophagus?”

   “The Sarcophagus your men took when they captured me and Detrick.” Tauren answered, puzzled.

   Vajik frowned.” You will remember that it was Denkalds men that captured you.” His brows clouded, and he leaned forward toward Tauren.” Did he take something from the ruins?”

   Tauren nodded, deciding he could trust Vajik more than he could trust Denkald.” Yes, his men did, a Sarcophagus.”

   Vajik growled angrily.” Curse him! He’ll pay for this! What was in the sarcophagus?”

   Now Tauren stopped himself from answering, it most likely would be extremely unwise to answer the question.” I – I – Don’t know!” He answered, instantly knowing he wasn’t fooling anyone.

   Vajik softened his voice.” You can tell me this Tauren. Truly! I swear I will not betray your trust.”

   Tauren shook his head resolutely.” Sorry sir, on anything, but not this!”

   Vajik nodded.” I’ll be checking into this! It is a trespass into the law that simply cannot be ignored!”

   Just then they heard rough voices speaking in Halavarde from the other side of the brook, and looking up they saw a group of Denkalds men coming down to fetch water. On seeing the two of them, then began to shout things in their own language down at them that Tauren felt were not complementary.

   “Cursed Meratruines” Hissed Vajik through clenched teeth” Come on Tauren; let’s go get something to eat.” He muttered as an afterthought, though Tauren guessed that it was only because he didn’t want him anywhere near the bearded, jeering soldiers stomping down the hill on the other side of the brook.

   Tauren followed him quickly back up to the hill to his own tent, he felt surprised that Vajik would want to go here. But just before they reached his tent Vajik stopped at a fireplace were two men were tending a massive pot that hug from a steel frame of iron bars over a small, stone ringed fire of pine logs. He rubbed his hands together and grinned.” Men this is our recent prisoner Tauren Netharu, Tauren, these are two of my friends and captains, Jeral Mayburn and Evral Urakink.”

   The two men nodded and greeted them, and then they both shook hands with Tauren and sat back down while Vajik slipped into an adjacent tent. They both had short, straight, black hair, black eyes, clean shaven faces, and tall well-built tapered bodies, in contrast with the Meratruine’s long curly black hair, brown eyes, bearded faces, and short, thick, heavily built bodies. Evral was slightly taller than his companion, and he had a long thin scar across his face.

   Their faces were friendly, kind even, and their eyes twinkling and grins perpetually lingering on their lips.

   “Tauren” He heard a voice say, he glanced up from the log he had been sitting on, staring into the flames, and saw Detrick emerge from the tent, rubbing sleep from his eyes. He lumbered over to them, running his fingers through his rumpled hair.” Morning, is there any water around here?”

   Evral grinned and passed him a bucket from where it sat beside him. Detrick muttered his thanks and taking it began to drink.

   Tauren turned away and went back to staring into the flames thinking of his times back in the forest, hunting, roaming, exploring. . . .

   Vaguely he heard Detrick chatting with the two Captains, now and again he heard their laughs, but he ignored them, it was only when Vajik came back and sat down next to him that he pulled himself out of his stupor.

   Vajik had donned a fine chain mail cloak that was belted at the waist, he wore bracers on his arms and greaves on his legs, and he held a helmet in his hand. He nodded to Tauren and turning to Evral and Jeral he broke up their conversation with Detrick and quickly told them about Denkalds breach of the rules in taking away the sarcophagus.

   Detrick listened intently and at the end glanced, surprised at Tauren. He sidled over to him when Vajik was done and the two captains began to ask questions.” You trust him? Turnhein” He whispered into his ear.

   Tauren glanced side-long at him and nodded slightly.” Yes, I do. He’s a nice person. And I think. . . . I think it would be a good idea to trust him.”

   “What all did you tell him?”

   “Not much, just what Denkald took, nothing about what was in it or what it is.” Tauren answered.” Not that I’m quite sure myself.” He added as an afterthought.

4-2-2013

  Detrick nodded, knowing nothing more about the mysterious girl in the sarcophagus than Tauren did, it appeared that he had been filled in on the division in the camp.

   The mist had begun to clear, and all about them bustled, armored, cheerful Halavardes, making their morning meal, taking care of their horses, and doing other chores.

   Only a few minutes later Evral announced breakfast and quickly doled out portions of rich, meaty stew, an odd breakfast. About a dozen more soldiers, all apparently officers converged on the fire to eat.

   When they were all done, and Tauren sat uncomfortably, surrounded by the dark cloaked Halavardes, thinking, half regretfully, of the one’s of them that he had killed, Vajik stepped up.

   Tapping his spoon to his bowl, he quickly told the men of Denkalds treason. Their faces grew red, and angered, and they began to talk, yelling angrily.

   But Vajik called for order.” Men! Men! We must think this through carefully! We are outnumbered and we can’t afford a fight!”

   “Bah! One of our men is worth a dozen Meratruines!” An angry lieutenant called standing and shaking his fist at the air, his beardless face filled with rage.

  Denkalds treason appeared to be more serious than Tauren had assumed.

  “We can’t afford to be fighting among ourselves!” Vajik replied.” And his men will not agree with him in any way! We must deal with this like humans.”

   Quickly they formulated a plan, Tauren and Detrick sitting to the side, listening carefully.

   Half an hour later fifty of Vajik’s men marched down to the brook, crossed it, and headed up the other side. Just before they had left, Vajik had grabbed Tauren and Detrick, telling them that they would be needed as proof.

   As soon as they had crossed the brook, their march quickened as they headed for the command tent of Denkald. About them there were cries of alarm and soon enough they had a suspicious escort of two hundred or so Meratruines, all armed.

   Nobody in either group spoke to anyone in the other. Finally they came to a stop outside of Denkalds, massive, colorful, silken command tent. Denkald stood there, waiting to meet them, a sneer on his face, surrounded by a hundred of his own warriors.

   “What do you want Turnhein!” He demanded as Vajik and his men stopped before him.” You don’t belong here, remember?”

   Vajik stepped forward.” Captain Denkald, I have information that you entered my land, and not only took two prisoners, but you also took something from the Ruins of Arluine!”

   Denkalds men stared at their leader in amazement.

   Denkald stared at Turnhein for a moment, his mouth hanging stupidly open.” How di –“He began, but he quickly cut himself off, with a screech of.” Lies! That is a vicious lie!” But it was too late, his officers were staring at them, there amazed looks turning angry. The men around them burst into whispering in Halavarde.

    “I am here to take it, and then, Denkald, I am going to report you!” Vajik continued.

   Denkald paled.” Proof! Proof of this – this – this accusation”

   “Let’s look in his tent.” Evral suggested from behind them.

   But Denkald stepped in front of the flaps to the tent crying.” No! Men! Kill these scoundrels!” His men just glared at him, not one of them obeyed his order. It was obvious that he commanded little respect, and what he had commanded, he had just lost.

   Tauren looked between the shoulders of two of the Halavardes in front of him and saw Denkalds shoulders slump, he saw his face go slack and he saw that he did not resist as Vajik pushed him to the side and entered the tent. Tauren and the two captains followed him.

   The one room tent was beautiful, carpeted, and lush. Fresh fruit lay in bowls on a table, and un-drunk wine filled a dozen goblets over un-eaten plates of food.

   But dominating the scene was what they were looking for, the massive stone sarcophagus. It was intact, its lid still covered the body inside, and the carvings on its sides seemed to almost glow, the tiny eyes in the tiny faces looking vicious and angry.

   Tauren got the distinct feeling that the sarcophagus didn’t belong in this tent.

   Vajik and the two captains stared at it, the amazement etched into their faces.

   “This-“Vajik began, but the sound of screaming cut him off.

   The screaming of dying men, and the frantic cry of” Arrels! Arrels! We’re under attack!”