Bell Mountain (The Bell Mountain Series) by Lee Duigon

Author:Lee Duigon [Duigon, Lee]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Publisher: Storehouse Press
Published: 2011-08-08T07:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 22

Three Guests, No Host

The lifeline of Obann was the Imperial River. Along its banks, from the mountains to the sea, the Oligarchy and the town councils saw to it that there was law and order. Ore from the mountains, lumber from the forested hills, bales of wool and sacks of grain—all found their way to market by transportation on or along the river. To keep this traffic flowing, militia patrolled, inspectors inspected, and work crews maintained the roads and docks.

Once there were roads through Lintum Forest, and taverns and hostels where the roads met, and the king’s reeves to keep the peace. Once there were hunting lodges and summer pleasances for the rich, and foresters to mind the deer.

But that was before the Empire fell. Now the land was wilderness, abandoned to the likes of Bort and Tumm and their patron, Latt Squint-eye.

Martis spent a pleasant night with the two outlaws. They knew where the hermit kept hidden a clay jug that held more than water: it was a kind of berry wine he made, just the thing for keeping warm on a cool, clammy evening in a country not yet touched by spring. Bort served them only a cup of wine each, then carefully put the jug back where he’d found it.

“I see you hold this hermit in high esteem—otherwise you’d have helped yourselves to all his wine,” Martis said. He took a sip and found it better than good. “How has he earned your respect? Tell me all about him. The Temple is very interested in him.”

Bort sat by the fire. “We all like Obst,” he said. “He’s a healer, and he doesn’t ask questions or take sides. His house is a safe place for anyone who visits it. All he asks is peace, so there’s no fighting, no killing here. If men have a quarrel, and they end up here, they set it aside for a little while. More often than not, Obst patches it up between them. We think a lot of him for that. Makes life easier for everyone.”

Humbug, Martis thought. “I can hardly wait to meet him,” he said. “If I set out after him tomorrow, do you think I might catch up?”

“Ought to catch up easily, you being on horseback and him with two children to take care of.”

Martis took care to reveal nothing beyond a mild curiosity about the children. But this was splendid news! His mission was all but accomplished. He’d found them. Now all he had to do was follow them up Bell Mountain and see what they found at the summit.

“Are they safe with the hermit?” he asked.

“Safe enough,” Bort said. “He has a safe-conduct from Latt. But that won’t stop someone from grabbing the kiddies, someone who doesn’t care what Latt thinks of it. I admit there’s some like that.”

“Funny about that donkey, though,” Tumm said.

“Donkey? What donkey?”

“Oh, the kiddies had a donkey that looked like one that belongs to a friend of ours, Hesket the Tinker,” Bort said.

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