Warrior Priest of Dmon-Li - Brian Pratt [184]
Resuming their previous pace, they ride through the plains as the sun begins to peak over the horizon. As they ride, they see other patrols moving along the plains. Every once in a while, someone would holler a greeting to Illan as they pass.
“You seem well known here,” comments Uther.
“Like I said, I grew up here,” he reminds him.
When the sun has risen a ways above the horizon, they begin to see the glistening of the Sea ahead of them. James reflects back to the time when he was on the other side, now seeming so long ago. So much has happened since then.
Running north and south next to the shoreline is a well maintained road. Refugees from the south are plodding away on it as they seek safety to the north. Some with carts and wagons loaded with what belongings they were able to bring, others only having a pack on their backs. Children walk beside parents, often as not carrying their belongings as well.
One mother had three children who were pulling a cart with a fourth child lying within. When James comes abreast of the wagon, he sees the poor boy sick with a fever of some sort. Reaching into his pouch, he pulls out two gold coins and hands them to the woman. “Here,” he tells her, “use this to help your boy.”
With tears in her eye, she looks up at him and takes the coins, “Thank you good sir!”
“You’re welcome,” he says as he kicks his horse to join the others who had begun to pull away from him as they continue following the road north.
When he catches up with them, Illan glances from him then back at the mother and says, “That was nice of you.”
“We do what we can,” he replies.
“True,” agrees Illan. “Though most wouldn’t even have bothered themselves that way.”
“If you ride with James long enough,” Miko pipes up, “you’ll learn to get used to it.”
James glances back at him and sees him there with a big grin on his face. He returns the grin, but not for the reason Miko thinks. It’s because Miko is beginning to become more of his old self. It seems the effects of the Fire wear away after a while. Not the increase in size and muscle, but the effects it has on his spirit. It kind of dampens it, making him more solemn and serious. To see the adolescent side again gives James hope that Miko isn’t too far gone.
“How much further?” he asks Illan.
“Another hour, maybe two,” he replies.
Sure enough, a little over an hour later, they begin to see the outline of a city on the horizon. “Seastar,” Illan informs them. Several merchant ships can be seen out on the water, one’s pulling away from the docks and there are three others still moored there.
“Looks like we’re in luck,” Uther says when he sees the ships at the docks. “One of those should be able to ferry us over to the far side of the Sea.”
“I hope so,” says James.
Seastar has a defensive wall, though it’s not very high or thick. The road travels to the southern edge of the wall and passes through the gate there. Four guards are there, helping to keep the traffic of refugees and soldiers moving along quickly. Off to the east of the wall, a refugee camp can be seen. Hundreds, maybe thousands of displaced people mill around the makeshift camp. Soldiers can be seen in and around the area keeping order and generally helping the people. A couple wagons are unloading sacks and boxes of food to waiting people.
When they arrive at the gates, Illan hollers to one of the guards, “Shoen!”
Shoen looks up from where he’s supervising the others and breaks into a smile when he sees who just addressed him. “Illan!” he cries as he moves toward him, extending his hand. “Didn’t expect to see you for quite some time.”
Illan takes his hand and gives it a firm shake before saying, “Can’t stay and talk I’m afraid. We need to see about a ship to take us across the Sea.”
“There’s a couple at anchor, I know,” he informs him. “But don’t know whether they’ll take you all the way to the other side?”
“We have a letter from Lord Pytherian requesting any and all to aid us,” he explains.
Nodding, he smiles and says, “That should make some merchant happy.” They both begin laughing hard