The Queen and the Mage by Wilma van Wyngaarden

Author:Wilma van Wyngaarden [Wyngaarden, Wilma van]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2020-03-23T22:00:00+00:00

Many miles distant in Rellant’s countryside, Queen Scylla and the troop of riders had turned north along the river road. When they reached a fork in the road, they crossed the rocky, shallow ford and trotted up the other side to a road winding its way west and north. On both sides were wide sheep pastures dotted with outcrops of rock and stands of trees. As they continued over the next hour or two, the pastures became smaller, the rocky patches larger, and the clusters of farmsteads grew smaller and further apart.

Finally, the road narrowed to a rough track, with the hills and rocks dwarfing the isolated farms that clung to nearby hills. Some homesteads were dilapidated or abandoned altogether.

“How are you doing, Jay?” asked Mako. He had been riding ahead, but turned back to cast a critical eye over the small wicker carriage. “This rocky road may soon become too dangerous for those spindly wheels.”

“It is already,” Jay admitted. He stopped the pony. “Sorry, Princess!”

“Company… halt! Are you holding up, Princess?” Mako said as the riders drew to a jangling, sidling halt. The pony chewed on his bit but stood quietly.

“How much further?” she said doubtfully, looking around. The warm wind swirled through the trees, and clouds drifted overhead against the blue of the mid-morning sky.

Mako pointed ahead where hilly inclines led to distant, heavily forested foothills. “Still a ways, but I suggest you ride. Captain Coltic will lead your horse.” He indicated a brown and white animal being led up from the rear.

Scylla’s spooked glance turned toward it. It was all very well having agreed to ride the last part of the journey, but the thought of climbing into the saddle gave her a sinking feeling.

“Curses!” she said. Jay gave her one of his reproachful glances, and she rephrased. “Good Goddess! Why do I do these things?”

“This is Lady Sorrell’s horse, as you may recall,” said Coltic. “Quite gentle, but I will lead it. It has smooth gaits.”

“What will Jay do?” she asked as a soldier dismounted and caught the pony’s headstall. She prepared to climb out.

“He will stay here and let the pony rest. Two soldiers will stay here with him. We’ll be back in an hour or less, I believe.” Mako jabbed a finger at the soldier heading the pony and another still on horseback. “You men, on guard! There is a stream a little ways away—one of you can ride over and look for it. Over that way, I believe.”

Scylla, her ankle supported by the leather binding, climbed onto the horse from a nearby rock with Coltic’s assistance. He tied her sword stick to the front of the saddle.

“Are you feeling well, Captain?” she asked, giving him a searching stare.

“Well enough, Princess.” He gave her a half-grin. “No, I will not fade away like the high priest Soler… at least, I don’t believe I will.”

“Please do not!”

“In a day or two, I will turn my mind to revisiting my skills… with caution!”

“Dear Goddess…”

“I am looking forward to it! It has been a while… before the shroud, that is.

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