Tylywoch 4a ~ Leaving Home'

Tylywoch 4a  ~ Leaving Home'

The two women shared an intimate embrace, and a few private tears, then Weilla shouldered her bundle of possessions and left the family home, for the last time, as a child.  Meillo felt tired, and alone, she wiped the tears from her usually stoic mask.   Aldor was patrolling Cheilin, keeping the peace, winning the hearts and minds of ordinary folk.  He’d made his views plain, they would have need of friends, in the very near future, and it was his responsibility to ensure it happened.

The Natural Disasters would from now on share a Kebu, a communal hut, living as an extended family.  Fishing, hunting, cooking, bartering, and planting, whilst continuing their education as a team.  They would still work in quads but, from the age of eight, would be expected to embrace a larger team and the community.  A thirteenth warrior would be joining them, as Kebu master.  In future, all quad leaders would defer to him. 

It was not usual for Tylywoch so young to be used in live operations but they would certainly have their share of training operations, and exercises, designed to test the efficiency of other imperial units; at the express request of the Empress herself.  The Tylywoch were her shadow warriors, answerable to her alone.  They were fiercely loyal and lived by the code: death with honour.  Prior to undertaking a covert operation in her name, they would yell the oath at the top of their voices.  Since one weak link could destroy them all, they had to have complete confidence in every member of both the quad and the Unit.  A month after moving to the Kebu, the natural disasters were introduced to their Kebu master.    Galyx had recently returned from serving as Captain of the Empress’ honour guard.

He was a tall slim serious young man of eighteen, sporting short dark wispy facial hair.  He, it was who began their training in earnest!

.-…-.

  By the age of ten, 'the Natural Disasters' had grown hard with work and, to the casual observer, could be mistaken for adults.   Dressed in their warm sturdy waterproof clothing, hoods, and a full-length cape, that could double as a tent, if need be.   They headed for Sudoren, the nearest town, which was thirty miles away through narrow mountain passes.  Outsiders were reported to be lodging at the inn, asking questions about their mountain homeland, and its inhabitants.  The inn-keep, was the eyes and ears of the Tylywoch, in the area, calling them, by pigeon, to do the surveillance and vetting operation.  They had carried out similar operations before, enough to make it routine. Galyx had delegated Fire quad to slip into town, locate and identify the tools and equipment used by the visitors.  They had been taking soil, rock and mineral samples, and were studying the geological formations in the area.  They had ore samples, detailed maps, and their tools suggested they were who they said they were, mining prospectors.  Two were pale and stocky wearing heavy animal skin clothing and boots.  Their leader was tall, broad-shouldered with iron-grey hair and sharp ice blue eyes.   He was of indeterminate age and dressed in the local fashion.  “Outsiders,” Galyx said with distaste spitting on the ground.  “They must not be allowed to approach home territory, they must be followed constantly.  Either Fire or Flood will shadow them at all times.  Storm, will accompany me into Sudoren.  We are a hunting party, stopping for supplies.  Ask discrete questions, and try to get closer to them, to discover their true purpose on this side of the mountain.”

 Weilla and Mynach were physically more mature, and would, therefore, be chosen to make the first contact.

.-…-.

“Over the centuries, Meyam people have panned for gold in the rivers filtering down to the lower slopes of the Sabre Tooth Mountains," Galyx explained.   "In past times the streams and rivers had provided them with a good living.  Now, they have become greedy, they seek the mother lode; the source of all their prosperity.  They come into our lands seeking the source.  They may guard its location jealously, but others will eventually follow."

"Can they be stopped?" asked Weilla. 

 

"We will allow them to discover and mine the gold, but neither they nor the gold will leave these mountains.  There are deposits several miles upriver, not the mother lode but several rich veins that will keep them occupied for weeks.  The gold will replenish our coffers, and you will gain valuable experience.”  Galyx held up a piece of black rock, speckled with gold pieces, for their inspection.  “This is what they are seeking.  Weilla & Mynach will accompany me to the Inn where they lodge.”  He threw the rock to Weilla who caught it easily.  “You will lead them to the deposits, and stay as guide and hunter, learning all you can of their expedition.  You will need to learn their language, this will also be part of your training,” Galyx explained. 

“How do we…” Mynach began.

“You will learn key words, joining words, common words, and how to create sentences and ask questions.”

“We will need somebody who speaks both languages,” said Mynach.

“I speak many languages, one of them is Meyam.  There are tricks to learning language, I will teach you the rudiments and you will learn.” Said Galyx.

“Is one night sufficient?” Mynach queried.

“For the Natural Disasters it will be,” he answered with a smile.

.-…-.

 Two young men entered the inn unobserved.  They ordered and paid for a room, then sat down with a dish of rice wine, compliments of the house, to await their meal.  Two stocky Meyam prospectors eyed them critically, smirking with perceived knowledge; just a pair of uneducated bumpkins they thought; as their leader broke the silence of the common room.  “Are you local?” he asked.

“We come from the south, trapping fur animals and deer for preserving.”

“You must be well acquainted with the area then?” he inquired.

“Pretty well,” Galyx answered in a neutral voice.

“Names Terrek.” The northerner said in a friendly manner, offering his hand.  “These are my helpers Gardon and Spass, we are seeking certain ores and rare earths, that I suspect exist in this area.  I need them to improve the qualities of my steel.” he explained.  Carefully, he removed a dagger from his belt and slowly handed it to Galyx, hilt first. 

Galyx tested it on his palm, nodding appreciatively.  “This is indeed a well-forged blade.” He tested its tensile strength, “fine steel, do you trade in weapons or use them?”

Terrek laughed lazily, “I use them when the need arises, but I am a sword smith by trade.  I produce the finest blades you will ever see, as strong and as sharp as any ever made.  Yes I do sell them, but there are already buyers queuing up for everything I can produce, so I make to order," he sheathed his blade.  "There are certain ingredients in my steel that are hard to come by, which is why I am here on your mountain instead of working in my forge.  I can predict the presence of ores by the rock formations and the nature of the soil.”

“You are perhaps looking for a guide?  Such work doesn’t come cheap in the Sabre Tooth Mountains, strange creatures and demons frequent the area, and of course the dreaded Tylywoch, a man does not travel here lightly,” Galyx warned him.

His silent companion, who seemed to be following the conversation closely, could not be more than fourteen or fifteen.  Terrek smiled disarmingly, ‘interesting pair’  he thought.

 “I’m sure what you say is true my friend.  I’m sorry, but I don’t recall your name?”

“I didn’t give it,” Galyx replied.

.-…-.

A nondescript young woman entered the inn dressed in faded blue canvas clothing and shoes.   She carried a worn sack, of similar material, over her shoulder.   Walking up to the bar she asked to speak with the Inn-keep.   When he appeared, she showed him something and spoke in low tones.

He guffawed, “Fools Geld!” he cried aloud.  “What make you of this friend?” he called tossing a speckled black rock to Galyx, who caught it deftly, nodding his head and smiling he said “Fools Gold.”  He drew back his arm to return it.

“One moment if you please?” said Terrek.  Galyx tossed it in his direction instead.  “It’s quite an amalgam.”   He examined it excitedly hefting it, from hand to hand, as though it were a pebble.  “Yes, it contains iron pyrites, but there is also a large carbon content and some manganese, both are ingredients I am seeking.  There is also some gold, not enough to make it a viable ore for the gold alone, but if we extract the carbon and manganese, which are not water-soluble, it would then be a simple matter to extract the gold as a by-product.  Which I’m sure will please my companions no end, both Gardon and Spass would rather be panning for gold any day.  Fortunately, the purse that finances this expedition is mine.” he said with an open smile in Weilla’s direction.  “What ask you for this rock girl?” he inquired
.

“If you please sir, lodging for the night?” she answered hopefully, as she’d been schooled.

“Show me where you found it, and you shall have that at very least.”

“I found it…” she began.

“I would prefer that you show me, tomorrow,” said Terrek interrupting her.

She nodded.

“What is your name?”

“Weilla,” She replied in a small voice.

“Inn-keep put Weilla’s food and lodging on my reckoning if you please.”  Then turning to his associates, he said in Meyam “if this is a true sample of what we will find, there is carbon and gold enough to satisfy us all.” 

Weilla was thrilled to discover she understood most of their conversation, thanks to her young fertile mind and Galyx’s crash course in the language.

“Come girl,” said the Inn-keep, “Jax will feed you and show you to your bunk.” 

His eyes turned her in the direction of a grubby barefoot scullion, toasting his toes at the fire.

“Thank you sir,” she said to Terrek, who nodded and gave her a warm smile.

Such blue eyes, she thought, liking him instinctively, despite his being an outsider.  A glance at his companions confirmed her opinion of them; she mentally named them Greedy and Lascivious.  Ill met companions she thought, accepting a bowl of hot soup and a hunk of dark bread from Jax, it was good, and she ate hungrily.

.-…-.

   She set the external proximity alarm in her mind; it would awaken her if anybody or anything entered the room while she slept.  She dreamed of a blue-eyed stranger, with steel-grey hair, old enough to be her father.  But, at her age unrequited love is the stuff of dreams, and just as easily shrugged off.  Sleeping soundly despite the unfamiliar surroundings, she rose early, before the dawn, in the Tylywoch fashion.  Even so, others were already abroad.  She went into the common room, to discover the kitchen staff scurrying this way and that, fulfilling the demands of the cook – a chubby red-faced woman in her middle years, brandishing a large wooden spoon like a mace.

“In less than an hour, our guests will be rising to break their fast on bacon, eggs, oatmeal, hot oven-fresh bread, beans, sugar cake and endless bowls of tea.  If I receive so much as one complaint about the food or the service, you will all suffer my wrath!”  Her face visibly reddened as she reached a crescendo.   Good theatrical stuff, Weilla smiled, wondering if she gave the same speech every morning.  She scanned the room and caught sight of Jax standing on a large wooden crate, stirring a cauldron of what her nose told her was barley rice and fish stew.  She moved towards him.  Close up, the aroma set her mouth to watering “Mmm that smells really good!” she said, Jax smiled.  “Can I have a taste?” she asked.

“Best not,” he replied, “cook doesn’t allow tasting until it's just so!”

“Is this what you do; cook?”

“Part of it,” he replied “I stir, lay the fires, and tend them.  I help in the stables with the horses and mules.  I clear up after meals, tidy the guest rooms, draw and fetch water from the wells, fetch wine and beer from the coolers, and vegetables from the cellars and root clamps.” His eyes were bright and intelligent but his speech and manner doleful.

“Where are your family?”

“I have none; I was a foundling, left on the kitchen stoop in a basket.  Mistress Karpe took me in out of kindness, so this is my home, and these are my family,” he said fanning his arm to encompass all the kitchen staff.

“And lucky to have them!” cook crooned a foot from his ear.

“She’s a guest, she asked me a question,” he explained “I was only being polite to a guest as you always tell us to be Mistress Karpe.”

“This will teach you to be polite on your own time, and keep your mind on your allotted tasks,” she chided in an overly gruff voice.  Then she struck him a half-hearted clout across the shoulders with her ever-present spoon.   Producing an uncharacteristic smile on his face, mirroring her own; the action and reaction totally at odds; revealed a bond of the heart. 

  Weilla’s thoughts conjured up fond memories, of Aldor and Meillo, giving her a warm feeling inside.

   She wandered outside, as a soft glow brightened the horizon picking out the Sabre-Toothed mountains in sharp relief.   She waited patiently to ritually greet the dawn with a deep respectful bow.

  “Good morning Sun,” she whispered under her breath, filling her lungs with crisp fragrant spring mountain air.

To be continued/...
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