Braulor tilted his head to the side and listened. The monotone drumming of rain against his tent was easing to a mere pitter-patter. This was a good sign. It would be much easier to pack up camp without rain to hinder them. They had been encamped here far longer than he would have liked and it was time to move on. Truth be told, as much of a hassle as it was, Braulor was glad to be moving. Their proximity to Brankin Huoh had started to unnerve him. The roving police bands didn't usually come this far out but if they had reason too, like the capture of the Greejon clan, they wouldn’t hesitate. Plus there were other groups of mercenaries and criminals that lived on the fringes of authority who they had to keep an eye out for.
Such was the life when you were an enemy of the state. Of course Braulor and the others of the Greejon clan didn't see themselves as enemies of the state, rather as free spirits, mavericks, people who had decided not to live in the confines of the city. People who wanted to live free of harassment and of the abundance of petty rules born of a desire to control rather than as a mechanism to keep the peace.
The Greejon clan lived off the land. They did what they wanted, when they wanted and nobody could tell them otherwise. They worked and lived in harmony with nature, taking only what was needed and trying to give back as much as they could.
The Greejon clan would return to their favored location along the Jaswulder River. It was at the foot of the mountains where the river left the valley. Perhaps a little earlier than usual to return from their foraging but supplies were dwindling, almost as fast as morale. By returning now they could continue to hunt while the supplies they had already collected could be transported to Vjeinka Rise for storage. Vjeinka Rise was where they spent the majority of the winter months living off of what they had foraged, grown or bartered for during the warmer season.
Vjeinka Rise started out as a single cave to store their goods and the clan would live outside of the cave mouth. Over time, more caves were found and tunnels hollowed out to connect them. Now it was a network of storage areas and living space that housed the entire clan and could accommodate more if it was needed. Each of the three entrance ways was guarded at all times. Even now a skeleton crew remained to guard their stores and keep trespassers out.
Movement outside his tent caught Braulor's attention, a rustling noise that seemed out of place among the drips. Hand on the hilt of the short sword strapped to his waist, Braulor pushed aside the tent flap and stepped into the dripping rain. Nothing out of the ordinary caught his eye. He nodded to the posted guard but maintained the grip on his sword and stepped around the tent with the pretence of a stalking cat. It was darker back here and it took a moment for his eyes to adjust. When they did Braulor saw a large black raven on the lowest branch of a nearby tree. Its head bobbed up and down like a cork but it remained silent. Braulor gulped and looked over his shoulder to make sure the guard hadn’t followed him. What could he possibly need right now? Braulor let go of the pommel to his sword, marched over to the now relaxed bird and took the parchment that was secured to its leg. Not waiting for a reply the crow flapped off through the trees and away into the sky. Braulor watched it go, then read the note and frowned. A cryptic ‘We need to meet’ was all it said. Braulor pocketed the note and sighed, then left the clearing, walking past his tent and the guard toward the main camp. He needed to meet with the Greejon clan council.
Braulor sat in the tent designated for official council chambers and pondered his predicament as he awaited the arrival of the other council members. He didn't need this complication right now. Why couldn't he have received the note when they were back at Vjeinka Rise? Then he could have slipped away without anyone being the wiser. Braulor often went hunting by himself so there would be no questions asked and he could have met Alrei Yqu without fear of discovery. There was no way he would ever betray the men and women of the Greejon clan but he also had interests outside of the group that were for him and him alone. He was certain many of the others did as well.
The tent flap opened, announcing the arrival of the other council members. Cortane was first, followed by Tyran, Quuvin, Hutre, Khoaux and Jolon. The grumbling that accompanied them testified that none were pleased with having to attend an impromptu meeting at this important juncture but it was part of the job and they accepted it. They took seats at the table and fell silent, turning their stern faces to Braulor.
Quuvin was first to speak. "What is so important, Braulor, that you felt it necessary to take us away from more pressing duties? You know what preparing to move camp entails."
Braulor cleared his throat before he spoke. “Fellow council members, I’m sorry to interrupt the important work each of you was no doubt involved with but a matter has come up that requires my attention and I will be leaving camp immediately." Braulor hoped his directness would diffuse a lot of the resistance he expected and shorten the whole process.
The table of assembled council members grew so quiet the sound of their breathing rose up like the rush of a gale force wind through the trees.
Braulor shifted in his chair, growing tense as he saw faces painted with disbelief staring back at him. It was about what he had expected.
"And what business would that be?" growled the always gruff Hutre, breaking the crushing silence.
"Suffice it to say that I am needed elsewhere. I will catch up with the clan at Vjeinka Rise."
"This is not the best time Braulor." Quuvin’s gentle voice brought the anxiety level in the tent down a little. "We will be breaking camp in a few days’ time. Couldn't this wait?"
"I understand your concerns Quuvin but I cannot delay in this." Braulor couldn’t waffle under the weight of guilt that was plaguing him. "We have moved camps many times before. It will happen whether I am here or not."
Although there was no formal leader appointed, often it was Braulor who had the final say in matters. It was Braulor that people sought when there was need to settle a dispute. Not that he was any more intelligent than the other councillors but he had taken the Greejon clan from a disorganized bunch of misfits and waywards and began to form the roots of the cohesive group they had become.
"Does this matter affect the clan’s safety in any way?" Jolon asked out of courtesy as it seemed the other council members would be interested in the answer. As far as he was concerned the Greejon clan would do just fine without Braulor's presence and he couldn't wait for him to be off. Jolon had always been jealous of Braulor and the easy manner in which he dealt with people and situations. Braulor was like a big brother to everyone. Affable and decisive, what Braulor said was law and this irked Jolon. With any luck Braulor would meet an unsavory end on his secretive mission and the way would be clear for Jolon to assert his rule over the clan.
"I would never put the safety of the clan behind anyone's interests, especially mine. I think my service would speak to that." Braulor glared at Jolon. He knew what Jolon was up to and normally wouldn't fall for his bait, but Alrei Yqu’s summons had left him short tempered.
"Then I for one will not restrain you. May your journey be safe and your return swift." Jolon bowed his head in Braulor's direction, then rose and left the tent.
The remaining councillors one by one nodded their consent and filed from the tent without further questions, several echoing Jolon’s sentiment of a swift return, although they really meant it. They could tell that Braulor wasn’t going to divulge his reason for leaving and each of them had tasks that commanded their attention.
Only Tyran remained behind, rocking on his heels as he waited for the tent to clear out. He was the youngest of the councillors at eighteen but had grown up in the shadow of Braulor and shared many of his traits. That was why he was nominated to the council at such a young age.
"What is it, Tyran?" Braulor’s anger from the altercation with Jolon was subsiding.
"I don't like you leaving at this critical time." Tyran was straight to the point as usual.
"Come now, Tyran,” Braulor said, dismissively waving his hand. “I have go
ne off alone many times before. I will be fine."
"Your going off alone isn’t what concerns me.” Tyran had travelled with Braulor many times into the woods and knew Braulor was at ease in that environment.
“What concerns you then?”
“It is no secret that Jolon has long desired to usurp your power. I feel that his patience is waning and he may try to take matters into his own hands in your absence."
"I can handle Jolon or whatever tricks he may have up his sleeve. He does not worry me. This summons however has me concerned. Why would Alrei Yqu contact me after such prolonged silence?"
"So this is about Alrei Yqu.” Tyran nodded his head as his suspicions were confirmed. “I had a feeling it would take someone like that to drag you from camp at such an important time."
"He wishes to meet with me,” Braulor confirmed. Tyran was the only one that Braulor had ever told about the mysterious Alrei Yqu. Braulor had first encountered Alrei Yqu when the Greejon clan was in its infancy; a small group that came together if only to provide safety for one another. Braulor was still pursuing many of his own ends then and had gone off from the others. It was early spring and he was traversing a high mountain pass when the snow pack let go beneath his feet and dragged him along with it. He was trapped under the snow and though he strained every muscle to try and get free, he couldn't move an inch. His breathing became labored and with every exhale the wet snow pressed down on him harder and harder. Like a huge white constrictor it squeezed and squeezed. Braulor was sure this was the end and gave up trying to escape. He said a word of goodbye to those he loved and closed his eyes to wait for death’s arrival.
How long he had been unconscious, Braulor didn't know. All he did know was that when he came too, he was wrapped tightly in blankets, a fire blazing beside him. For days he remained this way while he healed, his savior never fully revealing himself. Alrei Yqu stayed on the fringes of the fire light at night. During the day he remained hidden under boughs of trees and bushes. But always they talked while Braulor was awake. Braulor shared much of his past with Alrei Yqu, even though he felt that Alrei Yqu knew much that he didn't let on.
When questioned as to why he was there, Alrei Yqu said that he happened along shortly after the avalanche and dug Braulor out from the snow. That he brought Braulor to the clearing and tended his wounds, then left him, wrapped in blankets, maintaining the fire as he slept.
Was Alrei Yqu following him? How did he know where to find him under all that snow? When Braulor asked about this point, Alrei Yqu would only say that Braulor would know everything in due time.
Alrei Yqu was keenly interested in Braulor's heritage and told Braulor that he was very important. For what, Braulor wasn’t told. It was Alrei Yqu who instilled in Braulor the first thoughts of organizing other free peoples into a clan.
When Braulor awoke on the fourth day, the fire blazed as usual but Alrei Yqu had gone. After calling out several times, Braulor wriggled free of the blankets and tested his limbs. Everything seemed to be in working order so he bundled up the blankets, tying them to his nearby pack and doused the fire. With a last look around he left the area, unsure if everything was real or if he had dreamt it all.
It was several months later that the first raven had appeared. Braulor at first ignored it. The bird was persistent though and finally after much harassment forced Braulor to remove the note tied to his leg. The first note had instructions to meet Alrei Yqu in the same mountain pass where he had rescued Braulor. Subsequent notes contained the same instructions and a sentence or two about what Braulor could expect to learn from their meeting. Each meeting was the same. It didn't matter if Braulor showed up early in the day or late, Alrei Yqu did not make an appearance until dusk the next day. Food and drink were left in a nearby cache and Braulor would make a fire and wait. When Alrei Yqu did arrive the conversations were short and to the point. Alrei Yqu would foretell events that were yet to pass that he felt would be useful to Braulor. He was amazingly accurate, leaving Braulor to wonder if Alrei Yqu was some sort of shaman or seer. Braulor used this information to the benefit of the Greejon clan. They had evaded the long arms of the Citadel so far and Alrei Yqu's information always kept them one step ahead of the mercenaries and police bands. This was how Braulor had gained such importance among the Greejon clan.
"And now brother, I must go," Braulor said to Tyran, getting to his feet.
They looked one another in the eye for a moment and embraced.
"Be safe brother." Tyran left the tent without another word.
Chapter 4