Frozen Prospects (The Guadel Chronicles Volume 1)

Chapter 3

Jasmin woke Va'del while the time globe was still giving off a very faint green glow, but he'd learned that asking questions about what was happening was almost completely useless. He simply wiped the sleep from his eyes and gathered up his few possessions at her command. Once the decision to leave with them was made, Sara brought his things. The Guadel hadn't seemed willing to let him out of their sight. Was that because they are trying to protect me, or are they just trying to ensure I don't slip away?

Betreec bustled around the suite of rooms, pulling shrouding cloths from a pair of light spheres, while her husband, I'rone, packed the group's possessions into an endless series of bags that were cleverly designed to easily tie onto gurra harnesses.

For all Va'del didn't have much in the way of baggage, the other three seemed to have an endless array of items, all of which took more than a color cycle to pack.

The time sphere had advanced to a dark yellow by the time the little bundles were all arranged to I'rone's satisfaction.

The massively-muscled Guadel looked at the time and then grunted at a number of empty bags. "Still no food, and we haven't seen the slightest hint of the other things we asked for."

Jasmin nodded sharply. "Nor have we seen their stock of trade jewels. You know that sorry excuse for a Headman has something dirty up his sleeve."

Betreec looked up from the chair and table where she'd been preparing their breakfast and made calming motions. "None of us like it any more than you do, beloved. Especially in light of other things we've learned here." She looked at Va'del out of the corner of her eye as she finished speaking, but there was no way of knowing just how much of their unhappiness really had to do with Va'del.

Unaware of the thoughts crashing around Va'del's head, the older woman continued. "Despite that, we can't take the kind of direct, violent action you would like us to. The code and laws are too important to dispose of. We have to work inside them."

Jasmin's ice-blue eyes hadn't calmed down in the least. "Deciding to do away with the Captain of the Guard and then proceeding to make every able-bodied young man the equivalent to a part-time guardsman isn't normal. He's all but building an army. Rather than patting him on the back for suppressing any and all real information about us, we should bring in ten or fifteen Guadel and forcibly remove him from power."

Jasmin momentarily looked like she was about to continue her argument, but then looked at Va'del and sighed. "We'll do it according to the code of course, but I maintain that serious problems are going to be caused by this Headman in the future. The Council would be far better off making sure that this village is visited more than once every year. This hands-off policy they've adopted can only lead to trouble."

Va'del tried to file Jasmin's words away for later analysis, but he didn't know enough yet to put them in the proper context.

Sara and Pa'chi were waiting for the group when they left the guest rooms. Va'del's friend looked up at him with green eyes that were shiny with unshed tears. "You're really going away?"

Unable to speak past the lump that'd suddenly developed in his throat, Va'del simply nodded.

In a whisper Pa'chi continued. "I won't see you again. Sara told me you'll never be allowed to return to this village, and I already know I'll never get the chance to leave."

Va'del attempted to smile and lighten the mood a little. "It's okay, you'll be better off without me. Once you aren't always trying to stick up for me, Jas'per and the others will leave you alone."

Pa'chi shook her head violently. "None of that matters. Sara says you'll be in a better place. I'll miss you Va'del. I'll miss you a lot."

Before he could think of anything else to say, Pa'chi wrapped her arms around Va'del's neck in a desperate hug. He opened his mouth to comfort her but she turned and ran away as the tears finally started trickling down her face.