Chapter Nineteen

  The Order Lives

  Cailean, Gwen, and the Winter Hunters were a town away from Mythis as the sun was setting and giving way to a colder and darker night, and the people of this small town, Hideburg, were preparing for another frozen night.

  “We get what supplies we need here,” Cailean turned to Dewman, “You’ve been researching Tonics, I trust you still have your ingredients, what have you learned how to brew?”

  “Vigors, restoratives, and if we get some improot I can fashion some fire giver Tonic,” Dewman said.

  “Focus on Vigors,” Cailean said, dismounting his horse and tying it to a hitching post, “I’ll secure us some lodging, and get us some food, we need to be well rested, Goddess knows what waits for us in Mythis,” Cailean said, then turned to Gwen, “You stay with me, Edmund may have sent Dark Stalkers to the surrounding villages, try to take us by surprise before we arrive,” he reached and took her hand, weaving his fingers in hers.

  “I’m safe with you,” she said, nodding, knowing that if there was even a chance she could get her hands on the Anchor and bring the spring back by this time tomorrow, she had to be here.

  “I’ll head to the herb traders, If we tell them we’re winter hunters I’m sure I can get some rare herbs,” Dewman said.

  “I can see about getting us some more horses,” Hurlorn said, “We’ll be better rested if we don’t have to walk to Mythis, and if Gwen can get the anchor we can get away faster, that’s the plan right?” he asked, “We get the anchor and get out of there, I’m bold, but even I know we can’t fight every Dark Stalker the Night Prince is going to bring. We just go in, distract them enough for you and the Sun Maiden to find the anchor then we pull back, get far enough away, back to the mountains. We can hold up there, defend the pass long enough for the Sun Maiden to bring the spring, and then even if we all die our work is done, and the Spring is found,” Hurlorn said.

  Cailean raised an eyebrow, “You, run away from a fight, of the three of you, you’re the last one I would think that would plan to run,” Cailean smiled. It was a competent plan. Of the three students Hurlorn had been showing to have the temperament needed for a leader. If the spring was found, and if they lived through this somehow, maybe in a season or two Hurlorn could take the Huntmaster rites. Cailean saw something in the boy, he saw his brother Coulidan, and he saw someone meant to be a hunter. Maybe, when this horrible winter was over and when Gwen found the Spring and if he did indeed still have a life debt he would need to pay to the Red Lady, Hurlorn would have a season of warmth and blessing to rebuild the order. Cailean had put up a brave face and a good show for the boys, but deep down he knew that he wasn’t the right man to lead the Winter Hunter order, he was just the only man available. As brave a face as he put on training the boys, he held layers upon layers of worry that he was but a weak and muddy foundation on the building of the new Order.

  “I’ll die for the Sun Maiden,” Hurlorn said, “She’s what’s important,” he turned to Gwen, “We help you get the anchor, then we get you to safety, that’s our mission,” he looked to his brothers and nodded, “That’s how we play this,” he said.

  “We’re really going to fight Dark Stalkers,” Luris looked down, he wrung the grip of his shield, “We’ve killed monsters. If these Dark Stalkers are as mad of dogs as those beasts. They’re just as much creatures of winter, we can kill them too,” Luris looked up, looking to his brothers for assurance.

  “That’s right,” Hurlorn walked up and gave Luris a pat on the back, “Damn right we can take on the Dark Stalkers,” he said.

  Cailean approached Luris, “We’re going to need you to take point if the battle comes, you’ve been training with a shield, it’s the best weapon to have in one on one combat. I did some reading in the mountains, about that other order, they frown on shields, think that threats should only be met with an attack, that trying to defend against your enemy is a sign of weakness,” Cailean approached Luris and put a hand on his shoulder, “I’ve seen you in practice, your good with it, a Winter Hunter defends, that’s what he does and thats what we are, defenders,” Cailean said, trying to inspire this boy as well as bouy his own confidence in the small order he had rebuilt with his own hands, “From what I’ve read about their fighting style, shields throw them off balance, a Dark Stalker expects an enemy to either dodge or be killed, they don’t expect something to take a hit from them and survive, much less be able to make a counter attack,” Cailean smiled, “I’ve seen how your combat has been developing, don’t think I haven’t seen you get a few shots in on the others after you make a block,” he said.

  “Yeah, sparing them is going to be just like fighting a Dark Stalker, sure,” Luris nodded, the poor boy was scared to death but he knew that he needed to do this, and he knew his brothers would need him. If he could be the shield against that terrible cold if he could raise his arms to defend his brothers, his master, the spring, or the Sun Blood, he would raise his shield every time, he knew he would. As much as Cailean respected Hurlorn and valued Dewman, he had this fondness for the youngest of the three. He saw himself in the boy, saw someone better than himself. When Cailean started his training he was too timid to hold his sword and shield in proper stance, but Luris despite his reservations, had taken to wielding weapons much better than he would think he was capable of. Cailean had been studying the fighting styles of the three boys. Dewman lacked muscle but he could hit a target with his arrow dead center without trying, Hurlorn had the build and natural talent for a fighter, but Luris had something different. In sparing he favored shield over sword. He wore his shield on his right arm, a rarity that Cailean didn’t inform him of lest he made the boy think he was doing something wrong. Hurlorn may have gotten more hits in training, but that was a simple numbers game with how wild and reckless his swings with a weapon in both hands were. That Luris could keep up a defense against a reign of blows like that, this boy had something in him. Maybe Luris had the same spirit that Gwen saw in Cailean.

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  “Be sure to turn in early,” Cailean said, “I don’t know what kind of fight is ahead of us, but we need to be well rested for it,” he turned to Gwen, “You too, you need rest as well, you may be bringing the spring back tomorrow,” he said.

  Gwen reached for Cailean’s hands, “I will bring the spring back tomorrow,” she said, leaning up and planting a kiss on Cailean’s lips.

  The boys dispersed into town to gather the needed supplies, and Cailean made his way to the inn with Gwen following behind him. She held tight to her wolfskin coat and shivered, “It’s getting colder,” she said.

  “It’s winter, the next day is always going to be colder, till you bring the spring back that is,” Cailean said.

  “I’m worried there's a great battle coming,” Gwen stopped, and Cailean turned to look back at her.

  “There is,” Cailean said.

  “But a great battle means that you, the Red Lady, what you told me,” she looked down.

  “I told you, my debt to her was paid, I saw a great battle, and I died, but she let me come back to you,” Cailean said, wanting to reassure himself just as much as the beautiful maiden of the sun.

  “Have you talked to her again, have you seen her again?” Gwen asked, looking up at him.

  “I,” Cailean looked down, closing his eyes and wanting so bad to tell her everything he had conversed with that Goddess of war about, “I have,” he said, “I have seen her again,” Cailean approached her, and put his hands on her shoulders, wanting to comfort her, “I saw her again, and she said my work wasn’t done,” He put a hand on her face and tilted her to look at him, running his thumb under her eye and brushing away a scant tear, “She told me she needed me, so long as she needs me I’ll be here, she won’t let me die, not until she gets whatever it is she wants from me,” Cailean said.

  “So when I bring the spring back, all bets are off, she’ll have what she wants and she’ll call her debt, Cailean if that's true and I bring the spring back you-”

  Cailean moved his thumb to her lips, “We can’t think about that,” he said, silencing her, “We know what we have to do, one life is worth nothing compared with all the land, the Red Lady may yet have her due, but not yet, we need to focus on our work,” he said.

  Gwen forced a smile, “You’re right,” she moved up and wrapped her arms around the Winter Hunter, “Until the spring is found,” she said, burying her face in his shoulder.

  “Until the spring is found,” Cailean said, just holding this beautiful woman in his arms. “Go get us some rooms, I’ll get us some good food for dinner tonight, I and the boys will rest, and tomorrow, well, tomorrow we hunt,” Cailean said.

  Gwen took the coin from Cailean and acquired two rooms at the local in. What with travel between villages light in the winter, the rooms were cheap, and with the rumor that the Winter Hunters were visiting, an even heavier discount was given.

  Cailean was at the market, looking for some scant meat that could feed the boys and himself before they entered the maw of danger that was Mythis.

  One of the townspeople, a young woman came and tugged on his Ursaling coat, “Excuse me, sir,” she said.

  Cailean was still not used to being called these titles like sir, and master, even being called a hunter still felt odd to him, “Yes?” he turned to look at her, and noticed that there were several other eyes on him as he pulled off his hood.

  “You’re a-” The young woman was speechless.

  Cailean, straight-faced, nodded, “I am,” he said, knowing her question before she even said it.

  “We heard they all died, we’ve been receiving owls from other towns, warnings, worries that the Hunter’s Order was killed, they really were just rumors, the order is still strong isn’t it?” She asked, a hopeful smile on her face.

  “The Order lives,” Cailean said, straightening his shoulders and putting on a brave face for the townspeople, “So long as those with nothing need their defenders, the Winter Hunters will never be gone from this world, we will always be here for you, we will be here until the spring is found, we will find you the spring,” Cailean said.

  “Round of drinks on me!” a man said, holding up his arm and starting a cheer.

  “He’s not paying for a meal!” another man said, coming up to the counter to offer the coin needed for the food Cailean had intended to purchase.

  “Send an owl,” an old man at the back of the gathering crowd said, “The Winter Hunters live, all should know,” he said as a pair of young boys ran off on their way to the city square.

  “I am Hunt Master Cailean, I am en route to the city of Mythis, where the Sun Blood who is still alive and thriving in this world will converse with the Night family, and we will bring the Spring back, Goddess bless all of you,” Cailean said, knowing he would have to be brave for these desperate people.

  “Goddess bless you winter hunter,” another young maiden called out.

  “She already has,” Cailean said, thinking of beautiful Gwendolyn.