Tylywoch ~ 09

 Tylywoch ~ 09 Coming of Age III 

By Len Morgan

“Weilla, you have been assigned to the personal bodyguard of the Divine Light, Empress of Cheilin. for the next two years, you will protect her from harm, and if necessary lay down your life to ensure her survival.   You are no doubt aware that the very existence of the 13^th Clan is dependent upon her continued wellbeing.   If the ruler of the Empire dies from other than natural causes, events will be set in motion that will end only when the last of the Tylywoch is dead.  We will be hunted down and destroyed, with every Clan's hand, set against us.” 

“Why have I been chosen to carry such a burden?” she asked.

“Our other available generalist is Galyx, who is to take over the duties of Aldor  until such time he returns from his current mission…”

“But, Aldor is dead!”

“Not so…”

“Meillo my mother died believing…”

“She died of an incurable disease.   She knew he lived, but was not able to keep the sickness at bay any longer, she took both secrets to her grave.” The counselor looked deeply into her eyes. 

“You, Galyx, and the members of this council are the only ones who know that he lives.   His life is in your hands, do not repeat it outside these walls.

“Thank you for sharing this with me,” said Weilla.

“It is not shared for your sensibilities,” said Galyx, “we need to know this to fulfill our function.”

“I know that, but thank you anyway,” she said.

“You will leave together at noon, speak to no one, take with you only what is necessary for the journey, and to enable you to accomplish your mission in the Eternal city.   The journey will take you two weeks.    On the journey, Galyx will teach you the necessary protocols and court etiquette, that will enable you to fit in.   Any questions?”

They looked at each other and shook their heads.

“May chance never be a factor,” said the supreme counselor ritually.  They bowed formally and left the council chamber. 

.-...-.

Their journey to the Eternal City was unhurried, but not without incident.   At noon on the fifth day, they stopped to eat and train.   As they sat discussing the finer points of her new position, two travellers stopped nearby.   They watched as the men carefully unloaded their horses, one took a bucket to the stream for water as the other fed and groomed each beast in turn.   Weilla noted that one horse was sweating heavily and seemed distressed with colic.   When the second man returned, and the horses were watered, she expected them to eat.   Instead, they knelt, facing in an east-ard direction in a prayer posture.   Finally, they unpacked their food and ate.  

The elder of the two men smiled in their direction.

"Can we offer you anything?" he asked.

"Thank you no, we have eaten sufficient for our needs," Galyx replied politely.   "Is there anything we can do for you?"

"Thank you no.   Unless you happen to be in possession of a simple emetic, our pack horse is suffering possibly from something he has eaten."

"I have some small skill with healing," said Galyx, "If you would allow me to view the beast at close quarters?"  

The old man beckoned him to join them.

Galyx took some of its sweat on his fingertips and sniffed.   He touched it on his tongue.   "Her stomach is heavily distended, it's hard and bloated, an emetic would not work fast enough in this instance," he said, speaking his thoughts aloud, as he did when teaching.   He felt around her girth as he did so until he found the spot he was seeking.   He drew back his arm and hit it with a blow of some force, and the animal toppled over onto its side.   The young man ran in pushing Galyx away and taking the horse's jaws in his hands.

"You've killed her you oaf!" he exclaimed angrily.

"Do not stand there," Galyx warned, as a rumbling sound came from deep in her bowels.   All at one the animal jumped to its feet regurgitating most of the contents of its first stomach straight into the concerned young man's face.   This was accompanied by a sharp whip-like crack, and the vilest soup exuded from its other end.   Galyx and the older man beat a hasty retreat, the young man was not so lucky, the foul stench took his breath and left him reaching like the unfortunate beast.   Weilla smiled as she watched him hurry in the direction of the stream.

"My thanks traveller, I think you just saved its life," said the elder man offering his hand, "We are Maliq and son.   It was indeed fortunate for us that we stopped here.

"It is always good to practice one's skills, without use they atrophy," Galyx explained.

They continued their journey just as Maliq the younger returned from his prolonged bath.   The horse was back on its feet and breathing easier.   Maliq the elder offered food to his son and returned their wave as they left.

Invariably, they camped beneath the stars, rather than be recognised in some local inn.   They preferred to remain nameless and anonymous, the last thing they wanted was to arouse the curiosity of local authorities.   So, they were in the habit of stopping early and moving well away from the side of the road so that Galyx could coach her on court etiquette, and the best ways of dealing with the local populace.   In addition, they needed to maintain their physical and mental edge for combat situations and to centre themselves spiritually.

They engaged in an hour of hand-to-hand combat, in a rotation of set situations, individually and as a pair.   When their routine was completed, they made their way to the stream and bathed.   As they returned to the road, they heard voices and moved closer… 

"Their pack horse is heavy ladened see how it's sweating up?   There are only two of em, I'd say the three horses alone would be worth a few bruises, ok lads, let's take em!"

There were eight rough-looking men, four with swords, two cudgels, and two bowmen.

 "Let's do it the easiest way possible, you two shoot the riders, we'll finish them off and grab the horses."   The bowmen moved towards the road, Galyx and Weilla moved in parallel with them, closing the gap as quickly as possible without being seen.   As they flexed their bows, Weilla realised they may still not be close enough to make an effective intervention.   On impulse, she pulled out her signal mirror.   A switch flipped inside her brain and increased the flow of blood through her arteries, she began moving at super speed along the tree line at the side of the road.   As she closed on her targets, she flashed a beam of light into the eyes of the lead horse.   The beast reared up and bolted, the other two followed suit.   The bowmen had lost their clear targets and hesitated.   In that instant, the horses had passed by.   Weilla and Galyx plucked the shafts from the taunt bows, delivering vicious kicks to delicate parts of their anatomy before their presence could be detected.   Efficient percussive strikes to the forehead silenced them permanently.  The whole action lasted less than six seconds.   The bowmen were only vaguely aware of them, their victims and the other six members of the band knew nothing.   As things turned out, it looked as though the horse shying had kicked the bowmen prior to running off.

(To be Continued)

 

Copyright Len Morgan