A miracle.
Anelie rode at the head of the column half in a daze. She... they, had seen the hand of God. Witnessed God himself bend nature to his will.
Her will.
Someone's will.
Why did it frighten her? Her parents had been right! The Monks had been right! Hell, even Ruta had been right! God was on their side!
Yet...
"Can we keep this pace?" Felek asked. She glanced at him. His gaze was back, not at the wagons and riders, but the empty road behind. Anelie put her other thoughts aside. He was right. They had to focus on the here and now.
"Another quarter hour," she said, considering the condition of her mount. "We went so slow through the forest, the horses won't be too tired. We'll take a break, then go back to a normal pace."
He nodded, swinging his head back towards the road ahead.
"They're going to get word ahead of us. You know that."
"I know," she groaned. "Why? Why were they trying to stop us?"
"Maybe they just wanted an inspection. Maybe a bribe was expected. Who knows. We'll never find out now." He let out an exasperated sound. "And we don't even know where they were from! Who they represented! They ran west, at least. We can be thankful for that."
They fell into silence. The sound of hoof-beats on stone, of wooden wagons creaking, filled the gap. She could hear conversation behind them. Soft, whispered.
Awed.
"What do you think it means, Felek?" She looked at him. "I mean..." She waved a hand indecisively. "What was it?"
"No idea," he said.
Her eyes narrowed. He should know. Felek grew up in the Palace. Was well read. Had good teachers. Hell, probably even paid attention to them. If he didn't know, who among them would?
"We can't worry about that, anyway," he went on. "Can't let it change what we're doing. I mean, it COULD have been coincidence." His voice was skeptical even as he said it, much to Anelie's relief. Nobody could be that stupid. "At least, we can't count on it happening again. It could have been a one time thing. Next time, we might have to fight. Pay a bribe. Whatever. Divine intervention isn't a reliable plan of action."
Anelie laughed, one of her many talks with Shanna coming to mind.
"Shanna once said God is on the side with the best army."
"His Grace said something similar," Felek nodded. "He said the side with the most cannons, though, then spent a half hour telling me about gunpowder and guns. Fascinating."
"Did he tell you about their wars?"
His eyes came up to meet hers. Yes, she saw. The King had. She sighed, looking away, not wanting to talk about such things. The world of His Grace and Shanna was so... beyond what she could understand. Beautiful, yes. It had created Shanna, after all. Yet, there was much evil and destruction there as well, things Shanna was not telling Anelie. Much she was holding back. Protecting her.
Another reason for Anelie to love Shanna.
Empty fields changed to farmland. Short furry creatures knelt in the dirt between rows of plants, eyes all focusing on the Poles as they swiftly rode by. There would be no question of others being able to track them. Still... it wasn't like they had RESISTED those soldiers. They had simply fled the sudden storm in a different direction. They had done nothing wrong.
Anelie found herself urging Toria to go a little faster.
****
Felek watched as the wagons came closer.
Seeing them answered at least one of his questions. No traveler would leave a town this late in the day, starting a journey which would require sleeping under the stars mere hours later. Thus, it was likely there was no town, let alone city, reachable that day down this road. They would be camping, resupply once again delayed. Not that they were bad off, but if the locals were going to be trouble he wanted full wagons to start any prolonged hiding. Anelie let out a sigh beside him.
"Klocia!" she yelled. Felek could not help but smile. It was like no other soldier existed to her. Klocia this, Klocia that. Lewy was going to be replaced if he wasn't careful. Probably had been. The girl was competent, at least. She rode up the column, bringing her mount beside Anelie. Her body was at full attention in the saddle.
"Lady?"
"Might need your translation." Anelie jerked her head towards the approaching travelers. She then seemed to squint, leaning forward. "Or not. They look like Kikker."
Felek took another look. The beasts pulling the wagons were Perds, the slimy four legged beasts of burden used by the Kikker. That meant nothing, though, any more than horses necessarily meant Poles. Felek knew of at least one Gritic trader who had taken a stallion and three mares with him the year before. What the spiderish crab creature intended to DO with them was an open question, one His Grace had not seemed to be concerned with. Perhaps they were to be bred for food. As he continued to watch, though, it became clear the travelers were dark green Kikker. Three wagons, fully loaded with tarp covered goods, each pulled by six of the slow Perds. Two male Kikker rode at the front of each.
"Greetings!" Felek said loudly, raising an arm as they came closer. He brought his group to a stop. The lead Kikker wagoner reined in his beasts, slowly coming to a stop on the left side of the roadway. Felek rode forward a bit, coming up beside him. "I'm Felek, from Nowy Warsaw."
"Cheikh, from everywhere." The Kikker grinned at him. "This is not an invasion, I hope. That is bad for trade."
"We are good," Felek laughed, "but it would take twice this number to take one of these cities." He motioned up the road with his head. "How far is it to the next settlement?"
"We could reach it by just past nightfall," Cheikh said, transferring his reins to one hand so he could scratch under a bare armpit with the other. "I'm sure your beasts could get there sooner."
Felek blinked, surprised.
"What drove you out this late in the day?"
The two Kikker glanced at each other. Glancing into the back of the wagon, Felek noticed the cargo seemed to be arranged a bit haphazardly under a tarp which was not even tied down fully. He chuckled.
"Don't need details, my friend. However," he added, glancing back down the road he had just traveled, "you may like to know we ran into some Watu soldiers a ways back, over a hundred strong. You most likely won't reach them today, but..."
"Ah." Cheikh looked down the road, frowning. "Yes. Thank you for that information."
"What can we expect up ahead?"
"Small city, maybe ten thousand Watu. Didn't catch its name. Not that bad. Expensive, though. At least for those like us."
Felek nodded. Ten thousand was not that small, at least compared to what he was used to. He thought, glancing around the countryside.
"Do you know of any watering holes off the road up ahead?"
The Kikker pointed back over his wagon.
"There's a stream they had to bridge over a little ways back. The ground on this side looks passable, at least up to the tree line." He gestured north.
Felek looked at Anelie. She nodded. He turned back to the wangoner, smiling.
"Thank you, my friend." Felek paused, looking closer at the 'trader'. Something about him stood out. Seemed... trustworthy. His Grace had not been too specific on who Felek should contact. They just had to be... useful. Felek dismounted. "Friend Cheikh," he said, reaching into his saddlebag, "may I speak to you off on the side of the road, just for a moment? It will be well worth your time."
The Kikker regarded him for a long moment. Yes. Under his rather casual attitude was some steel. Handing the reins to his companion, Cheikh stepped down from the wagon. Felek almost got a good look under the rope kilt, but thankfully the blue and red weave covered just enough. Felek walked off the embankment, stopping when he was just out of sight of the others. Cheikh came down beside him. Felek help up a sheet of folded paper.
"This, friend Cheikh, is a letter of introduction to the royal court of King James, ruler of Nowy Poland." The Kikker's yellow eyes widened. "His Grace is looking for those who might, in some way, help our people, and those who ally with us. Or, at least, honorably work to both our benefit. With suitable rewards, naturally."
Cheikh stood for a moment, silent. He looked up the bank, towards the unseen travelers.
"My current companions are not... reliable. I must dispose of my cargo before going on."
"Do you work for anyone?" Felek had the sudden feeling he had chosen much better than he had any right to expect. Cheikh shook his head.
"No. I am Master-less."
"Do you know of my people?"
"I know they are not who they were." Their eyes met. Slowly, Cheikh nodded. "I will consider it."
"Thank you." Felek held out his right arm. Cheikh clasped it, hand grasping his forearm. Felek returned the gesture. "Travel to Fort Buffalo on the Orlan River, south of Daraja, next to the village of Puln. Show the document to Commander Shanna, the brown-skinned one. Tell her where you met us, and that... all is well." He resisted the urge to give more detail, or delay enough to write a letter. There was no need to send news which would be weeks out of date by the time it was received. "Also tell her Felek thinks the Watu bandits are, in fact, working in part with the army." Cheikh nodded again, not looking surprised. Releasing his grip, Felek handed him the paper. Cheikh pulled out the waist of his kilt slightly, slipping the paper into the pocket Felek knew many such garments had. Both made their way back to the roadway.
"We were quiet enough, I hope," Felek mumbled to Anelie as he climbed back into his saddle. She grinned.
"Didn't hear a word. You'll have to fill me in later." He saw Cheikh's companion whispering to his new ally. Potential ally. Doubt now filled him. Well, nothing he could do now. He would have to trust His Grace not to fully trust Felek's choices.
"Good luck on your journey," Felek said, loudly, starting Horse forward as Anelie motioned the column to follow. Cheikh grinned.
"And good day to you, Polock!" He shook his reins, the slothful beasts letting out moans of complaint. "Move it, you stupid beasts!" As if that had been needed, the six animals jerked the wagon forward. The two groups slid past each other. Felek settled into his saddle.
This day had become way too interesting.
****
They came to the stream an hour before sundown, the golden ball still up above the trees. Anelie continued forward, slowly, even as Felek stopped the others. The Kikker had been wrong about a bridge crossing the narrow flow of water. The road continued forward, the earthen berm it lay on as straight and level as ever. The stream, however, somehow ran THROUGH this mass of dirt. Unable to help herself, she moved to the edge, leaning over.
A pipe. A round pipe. She blinked, not quite believing it. The stream was funneled into some sort of culvert and guided under the roadway, allowed to continue on its merry way on the other side. She shook her head.
"Why?"
Felek came up beside her, horse traveling down the slope a bit for an unobstructed view. He shrugged.
"It's creative. Nobody can burn this bridge, not that the stream isn't easily forded. If it fails, you just get flooding on one side, leaving the road unaffected."
"I like bridges you can burn," Anelie said. "They're... comforting."
"And they keep the engineers employed." Felek looked north. "Tree line is maybe a half mile away. Set up camp there? Or see if we can make that city?"
Anelie let out a long sigh. Choices with no obvious winner were not her favorite thing.
"Well," she said, looking down the road towards the unseen distant city, "if we show up in front of the gate at dawn, there may be questions. On the other hand..."
"On the other hand, I do like the idea of keeping watch here tonight, seeing if a messenger passes by."
Anelie nodded, happy to see his thoughts mirrored hers.
"On the third hand, camping where that shady stranger told us to might not be wise." She slid her glance over to Felek. The boy didn't look happy. "I'm just saying."
"I know. It's a good point."
"We could ask Ruta." Felek's surprised look surprised her. "What? I mean, it just makes sense, now that we know it's real. We should be checking on everything."
"I'm just now afraid of annoying God," Felek told her, looking back at the wagons. "We don't want to..." He frowned. Anelie followed his gaze. Ruta was stumbling away from the wagon, looking as if she was in anguish. Ofure, too, had left the second wagon, was running up to the blonde.
"This isn't good," Anelie muttered. Felek was already riding back. She followed.
****
"Felek!" Ruta threw herself into the teen's arms the moment he dismounted. He stood as still as he could, her hands clutching at him painfully. Her face pushed itself against his breastplate, as if it could get to the soft, comforting person beneath. She was trembling. Crying. Ruta didn't cry. Not for no reason. He saw Ofure standing behind her. The Kikker girl, too, looked distressed. Sensing he might be able to get more sense out of her for the moment, he caught her gaze as his arms went around his love.
"What the hell's going on?"
"I..." Ofure shook her head, as if to clear it. "I can't hear her anymore."
"Hear? Who? Ruta?"
"No! The Polish woman! She..."
"She's gone!" Ruta looked up, eyes red. "Mother Mary is GONE, Felek! Gone! It's just a necklace! I can't feel anything anymore! Not now!"
Felek tried to take a deep breath, made more difficult by Ruta squeezing him. This wasn't making any sense. Not that it had ever made any sense. Grabbing her shoulders, he tried to gently, yet forcefully, push Ruta away a bit. She squeezed tighter.
"What am I going to DO, Felek?"
Damned if he knew. He looked at Anelie. She let out a long sigh.
"Bogdi! Let's take the wagons into those trees, out of sight from the road. We're done for the day."
****
The soldiers were not even pretending to set up camp.
They stood in a circle, all eyes on the two teen girls now sitting on unfolded stools. Anelie glanced at her brother. Bogdi stood tall, his two remaining children clinging to his legs. Adanya stood beside him, one slender hand on the brown-haired head of James. Anelie looked away. What could she say? What could she do?
She could find out what the fuck was going on, that's what she could do.
"It doesn't make any sense," Issa was saying. He knelt beside Ofure, the drink he had handed her clutched in her hands. "Your god helped us. Saved us. Now she's gone? What the hell?"
"I don't know," Ruta whispered. She, too, clutched a mug. Felek had given her something strong, Anelie hoped. It would calm her down. Reaching for her chest, Felek touched the silver bird hanging from its chain.
"You feel nothing?"
"Nothing. Nothing at all." Eyes closed, she took a long drink. Felek lifted the bird in his hand, as if weighing it.
"There's nothing in the Bible about God using magic necklaces. Maybe..."
"Maybe she's tired."
Anelie looked at Zuza. The red haired Kikker girl was looking up at her mother, green eyes wide. Adanya knelt down.
"What, Honey?"
"Maybe she's tired, Mommy. She made all that lightning! That was scary! Maybe Goddess Mary just needs to rest, and she'll talk to us tomorrow!"
Anelie glanced at Felek. He let out a tired laugh.
"It's as good a theory as any."
"God doesn't rest," the dark haired solder Kazik said. He looked at the men around him. "God created the world. He's strong."
"But this is supposed to be Mary," Bach replied from across the circle. "She would be weaker." Jaromira shot him a look, one eyebrow raised. "Not," he quickly continued, "that wives are weak. No. Of course not."
"You get to eat tonight, then," Jaromira told him, not a hint of humor in her voice.
Anelie let her gaze go from soldier to soldier. She saw no panic. No... well, yes, worry, but there was still confidence. If this had happened any time before that day, it would be different. There would be doubt. They had seen a miracle, though. A true, holy miracle, God's hand coming down to save them. Surely, such a God would not abandon them mere hours later. No. This was just...
"We'll make camp," Felek said, standing. "Worry about this in the morning. Bogdi, Adanya..." Anelie glanced at them again, biting her lip as Adanya stood. "Anything you want to add?"
"No," Bogdi said. He put an arm around his wife. "Except..." He looked around the circle. "Thank you."
The men murmured their response. She'd have to open up a keg that night, Anelie thought. The men deserved it. The girls, too. Klocia and the other three stood mixed among the other soldiers, no longer separated by gender or experience. Anelie smiled. That... was good.
"Mommy."
James was no longer beside his parents. He had moved closer to Ruta, but seemed to be paying her no mind. His eyes were up in the trees. Adanya walked up behind him, hands going to his bare shoulders.
"What?"
"That bird." He pointed into a tree. Anelie looked. The sun barely shone through the green leaves as it dropped to the horizon. On one of the lower branches, a bird sat, regarding them. It looked to be about a foot long, from beak to tail. The head and chest were a light blue, the color of a clear summer sky. It's back was a dark orange, almost like the setting sun. The bird looked down at the assembled land bound creatures with no apparent fear. Adanya knelt down behind her son.
"What about it?"
"It's watching us."
"Yes it is." Anelie smiled at her sister-in-law's tone. It was humor mixed with exasperation, the sound of most mothers. "We probably look strange to it."
"It looks like Ruta's necklace."
Anelie found herself taking steps towards the bird. So too did all gathered there, Ruta and Ofure standing. As if on cue, it spread its wings. They were actually blue and black, like a strip of sky over the dark ground. Yes, Anelie thought. Wings spread like that, it did...
"Zywie."
Both Ruta and Ofure said the word together. The solders before them parted as the two moved slowly forward, Kikker and Pole holding hands. Felek and Issa stayed a step behind them, a frowning glance exchanged between the two males. Anelie moved to her brother's side. He was holding Zuza to him, keeping her from joining the others.
"Ruta," Felek started to ask. She stopped, eyes never leaving the bird.
"Zywie," she said again. "It's a servant of Zywie."
"Oh God!"
Jaromira's cry startled all, except the bird. It stared down at them, unblinking. The woman had fallen to her knees. Anelie was at her side a moment later, kneeling down with Lewy before her.
"What is it, Jaromira? Tell us!"
"The name," she whispered. "That name. I know that name... I know..."
"What is it?" Anelie squeezed her hand. Jaromira squeezed it back, eyes never leaving the bird.
"She's a Goddess of Poland!”