Caleb's Journey
Chapter 12

Travel

After riding for weeks the questing troop had finally reached a point where the settlements had thinned. Here, the path was not fit for riding. “We walk from here,” Lord Lestrade announced. They had entered wild country, which for some resembled nothing that they had ever seen. Candellah and some of the knights had never traversed beyond the friendly confines of the capital city and a smattering of the string of towns nearby. For them, their opinions on matters stemmed from exposure to a finite amount of dirt. Terrain that they now traversed had heretofore seemed like an idea, a name, printed on a piece of paper. What they beheld consisted of tall trees, densely clustered together, branches that must be pushed aside to pass, and thick, overgrown grass, that reached the top of their boots. The reality of what lay before them had started to take hold in their minds.

Caleb’s thoughts turned to his home of the past several years. “You are a troubled man” remarked the ever observant Candellah. All of her life the perceptive, bright-eyed blonde possessed an innate talent for sensing the emotions of others. Whenever she got close to a person she knew how they felt; sad, happy, angry, indifferent, uneasy, pensive, any of the various humors that beset mankind made themselves known to her. Thoughtfully, she assessed the situation, deciding upon the best course of action to take and then proceeded accordingly. Oftentimes she found that the direct method had the best outcome as many people mistook her demure nature for a meek nature. The two are hardly guaranteed partners.

Candellah’s twinkling eyes, honeyed voice, and gentle demeanor strongly suggested notion that she lacked the capacity to harm others. So much so that when she spoke, no matter the utterance, people readily accepted her remarks without conflict, “Why do you have so much self-loathing?” She asked him.

Shocked and disarmed the stoic warrior actually found himself stammering and unable to articulate his thoughts, for he was taken aback by her inquiry, “Why miss…I….that is to say.”

“

Caleb, every one of us can replace cause to either love or loathe ourselves. As you have received Uua’s bounty in the gift of life, why cause yourself suffering?”

He politely thanked her for her inquiry and began to march to catch up to the group. It was the same rhythmic, perfect, orderly march that he kept when in the service of Lord Islooric for although he had spent years as both slave and tribesman, he never forgot the training he had received. As time passed, he shed nary a hint of the discipline with which he had been indoctrinated, including maintaining a march free of conversation.

Undeterred, Candellah bounded up beside him, her feet tramping in the mud and muck, “I mean I don’t really know your story, but I have heard many in my time at the temples. Some people dislike themselves for a trifle, some for a tragedy. Conversely, I’ve known people to be full of love for their own being, despite having committed dark crimes. The important lesson I offer to all of them is to replace a balance in self-appreciation and modesty and to share that with others in a way that improves everyone’s life. Together, we have the opportunity to build on that love and share it with the world.” Here, she paused and smiled as she delivered her next remark, “But, you have to have a foundation.” Her face beamed and with great emphasis, she repeated, “A foundation is what you need.” Decidedly pleased with her comment, she giggled and walked past him.

Still, he marched. He thought to himself that this young woman knew very little of the world, and far less about his own life to offer such candid and carefree remarks. “Humph,” he breathed in indignation as he accelerated his pace. Had she ever shamed her family into being regarded as outcasts? He doubted that she had ever watched her mentor perish in combat and witness the wholesale slaughter of men, on both sides of a conflict, for money and land? When had she heard the cries and wailing of the survivors of such melees, the unlucky ones, who bled freely or lost limbs in the conflict? Disregarded in his homeland, distrusted in his new nation, he felt alone everywhere he went.

In his estimation, she only enjoyed her life and freedoms because others had laid down their lives in combat to expand the mighty empire of the Light Kings, kept the country safe from invaders with fortresses garrisoned along the borders, and kept order among the other races due to their martial standing. How dare she take such a tone with him? He felt his heart begin to race and his pulse quickened. “Girl, for girl I call you as you are not a woman. A woman is schooled in the ways of the world and I doubt you can fathom what I have witnessed in my short time. What right do you have to speak to me about such matters? Who bade you to approach me? Return to them.”

His words, like the blades he wielded in combat, cut her deeply. “I know more than that for which you credit me,” was her soft reply. “Nobody bade me,” she replied as she stifled a sniffle, “I asked because I care. I’ll leave you now.”

No sooner had she began to quicken her pace than Caleb’s conscience and better senses took hold of him. “Wait, please. It seems that I have much to learn in the way of knightly conduct.” What he also had much to learn about the most magical and mystifying creatures that he would ever encounte

r, women. “I have known hard times and those times have worked their way towards toughening my interior like a smith hammers at an item in his forge. My heart is not beyond softening, but it will take time. You have spoken true and kind words. I humbly ask that you forgive my harsh and rash tongue. It is the tongue of a young man. While I strive to master my emotions I replace that at times they master me. Please consider this a lamentable offense on my part attributable to a defect in character.” As he finished his sentence, he lowered his head.

“

Forgiven,” she replied. “See how easy it is to forgive? Lift your head up noble warrior and let us resume our friendship. We have great matters to achieve and must work together to reach the end of our journey. Uua will safely guide us to that end.” She walked quietly for a moment, giving him silence, leaving him time to digest her words.

This mental morsel created a compulsion in the young man’s head to gain insight into his inner journey and he settled upon the comely maiden as an excellent vessel to carry him towards his destination. “Candellah, I thank you for your forgiveness and for the opportunity to continue our conversation. I have no doubt that I shall profit by your insight. Candellah is quite a lovely name. Some say that your parents were prescient in naming you, that you bring the light.”

Candellah’s face colored a bit at this. “So some people say. If that is true, then it is only that I strive to speak words and perform actions that help others understand their fellow creatures and bring them closer to Her. I merely serve at the pleasure of the Divine One and any talents that I may possess come from Her blessing.”

Caleb was not entirely unaccustomed to courtly ways and had heard his father and Lord Islooric speak in a fashion towards the opposite gender. “Gentle lady, your humility suits you well and does honor to your character. For in the brief time I have returned to this land, your praises have already reached my ears. Please, shine some of that light on me, if you’d be so kind. First, let me tell you a bit about my past so that you may brighten my future with your benevolent teachings.”

Rays of bright sun snuck through the treetops and shone onto the group. As they poured down their light, Caleb told her a condensed narrative of the lamentable choices he had made as a lad that had led him to his present position. Thus, like a cook preparing dinner he set forth the meal of his life to her and hoped for a kind review of the repast.

She chewed on each morsel in her mind as she pondered the matter with her characteristic care and consideration. Her time in the temple, listening to the cares and worries of others had finely honed her skills of insight and she possessed an innate wisdom that far exceeded her worldly years. While he talked, she noted the tone of his voice and how it altered at various points in his tale, she marked how his facial expressions changed as he spoke, such as the curvature of his mouth or the furrowing of his brow and observed subtle cues in his delivery as he gesticulated with his hands, so as to glean a view of not only the veracity of his story, but into the nature of the teller.

While he spoke, she never interrupted him and only asked him questions to clarify any explanation of his which was unclear to her, which was infrequent. When he finished, she remained silent for a moment, so as to reflect and provide a measured response. For his part, Caleb felt uneasy as he awaited her answer. He didn’t wait long, because her warm smile greeted him promptly, “You have a sense of conviction, strong and true. I admire and respect your duty to your family. However, you fetter a man for the perceived transgressions of a child. What reasonable person would replace fault with a young man not wanting to see his surrogate father suffer a horrible death, standing idly by to observe it as opposed to rushing to his aid? True enough, you broke the rules of the men you followed, but adhered to the preaching of the temples, preserve all life. What harm comes from following such a divine edict?”

Again, Caleb’s face colored with anger, and in his mind, righteous indignation. He tried to remember his courtly training so with gritted teeth, he replied, “Madam, do you mean to suggest to me that the years I spent in slavery, humbling serving my master, earning my freedom through his benevolence, returning home to suffer the judgment of the other nobility, and embarking on this quest have all been the errands of a fool?”

“

Perhaps you misunderstand me, she meekly replied,” as she lowered her head and folded her hands.

“

Perhaps you do the same,” he said with harsh inflection. “If you think that all I hold dear and sacred, the rules and orders that are the fabric of our society and tie them together, the knights and armies that provide protection for your temples, when others would tear them asunder and you with it, such as ogres, gnolls, and the like, my attempts to rectify the harm that I have inflicted upon my family, I only know of one fool walking in this pair, naïve woman!”

“

The greatest fool my dear brother is the one whose goals blind him to all else in the world,” was her placid rejoinder. “I mean no offense, only to suggest to you that you make your entire existence worse by punishing yourself for the actions that you made as a child out of love for a fellow man. Uua sees your heart and knows it better than you know it yourself and She forgives you. I know you have begged her for it and she granted you pardon long ago and wishes for you to have peace in your life.”

His words dripped with sarcasm, “Well, I thank her for Her kind wishes, truly, for all of the help that She has given me. The heart of a man requires redemption in this world before it seeks redemption elsewhere and whatever actions I must take of my own accord to achieve that end, so long as they are just, I will do…..or die trying.”

The heavy words of the young man weighed down their tongues and ended the conversation. Young and headstrong, Caleb felt wounded at the suggestion that he had erred in his perception of his circumstances and increased his gait so as to put a comfortable distance betwixt the two of them. Thus he continued, resolute in his purpose, away from his would be redeemer.

For her part, Candellah, ever gentle and forgiving, took no offense at his hastening away. Instead, she looked at him fixedly. She felt a pang of pity for him and his self-induced misery which her good heart had tried to end. To see anyone suffer caused her distress and she made every effort to remedy their sorrow. Still, something warmed inside of her, feelings which she had never known, when she saw him light up with purpose, passion, and determination.

On the one hand, she felt sorry for him due to his self-imposed quest and self-induced misery. Her good heart had sought to end that suffering and met a wall of resistance which pained her. Any sadness that she beheld she sought to remedy. However, she had admiration for his determined nature and knew, bright woman that she was, that every person, great and small has certain matters, which when hit upon, rouse their moving to action of some kind whether that action be word or deed. For those who merely commented on what they wished they had done and regretted their inaction, she had counseled at times. So, seeing this man so passionate of purpose lit a tiny fire inside of her so she followed him, not with a frown, but with her nearly omnipresent smile.

Oh, sweet and hopeful young woman! You truly embody all that is good about man, his hope, his unspoiled purity, that which is not yet tarnished by the harsh experiences of life and the ravages of time, which alter all in some form and which unconsciously forces us to forge armor that we don each day to fight that battle that we face with the rising of the sun.

“

She is beautiful,” Caleb thought as he cursed himself for his hot temper. “What a kind voice and sweet disposition. I trusted her enough to tell her about myself. I’m a fool!’

Meanwhile, at this early stage in their relationship, other members of the party were getting on as famously as the young duo. The former mage had been leading the procession followed by Seth Kitarn. “I’ve got some inclination as to the fiend’s plan,” remarked Malachael. “Last night I meditated on the matter and my supposition is that Xerax needs time to study the Tear to ascertain how to put its power to use. Undoubtedly he will know that its guardians have come looking for it and he needs to divert our attention. That much, I believe to be true. I’m cloudy on his method of distraction. I believe Donaldson Dale’s powers of divination will prove suitable to the task of shedding some insight into that matter.”

“

True enough, but who is she?” Lord Lestrade replied as he casually took a sip of water from his flask.

“

My former companion,” Malacheal replied.

“

Once we know his purpose, we might be able to thwart it. Finding that fiend shall prove to be a daunting task. Nobody has ever seen him, if he exists. Perhaps whoever stole the item stole it for their purposes and Xerax’s name has been dropped as the very front of which you speak,” Lord Lestrade answered.

Sir Welkin, always ready to watch his superior before commenting, added, “Well put my lord. Maybe his former, um, shall we say friend, can help us replace a foe. We knights know that it is one thing to replace a foe and that it remains another matter altogether to defeat that adversary.”

Seth Kitarn, strong and stoic didn’t share the prevailing sentiment. As he strode alongside Malachael his long, lean, feline legs covered more ground with each step than those of his compatriots. Smooth of action and efficiency in the execution of movements, he chose his words just as he chose his march, that is to say he sought to achieve maximum outcomes with minimal exertion. He simply spoke with his strong voice through fanged teeth, “In the heat of battle many promises become solved quickly.”