David Gemmell – Rigante 3 – Ravenheart

Tense now, and angry, he bowed to the colonel. I will spend the afternoon with the prisoner, he decided. It will be pleasant to listen to his screams as we cut away his other foot.

The visit to the barracks had disturbed Kaelin Ring. There was something chilling about Captain Ranaud that left an edge of fear in the young Rigante. The man had known about his fight with Bael, and the fact that he had used a pistol. There was no doubt about that in Kaelin’s mind. So why had Kaelin not been arrested? The answer was obvious, and contained in the old proverb: the enemy of my enemy must therefore be my friend. Ranaud believed Kaelin Ring had cause to hate Call Jace and his family. As long as he continued to believe this then Kaelin would be safe. The moment the beetleback realized his mistake Kaelin would be arrested and hanged.

Jaim’s advice had been sound. But all that had been gained was a reprieve. Kaelin Ring would never supply Ranaud with information to be used against Call Jace and the Rigante. In fact the reverse was true. Kaelin was anxious to pass on to Jace the fact that Ranaud was gathering information about his stronghold.

He was tempted to wait until the next tribute was due, and then explain what had happened to whichever of the Rigante came for the cattle. Then he thought again of Ranaud and his knowledge of the trouble with Bael. Someone had described the scene. It could have been that word of it just spread, a casual word here and there, the information pieced together by Ranaud. But even back in Old Hills there were known to be informers who would sell information to the beetlebacks for coin. Here it would be no different. What if Senlic Carpenter or Finbarr Ustal were in the pay of Ranaud? What if some of Jace’s own men were informers? If Kaelin told the wrong person then his own life would be forfeit.

No, he decided on the third day after the meeting with Ranaud, I will confide only in Jace. Chara’s face appeared in his mind, and he acknowledged that this would be a fine way to settle the impasse that kept them both from seeing one another.

The following day he spent in the company of Senlic Carpenter and Finbarr Ustal. Five hundred and sixty steers had been grouped in the south pastures, ready for the drive to southern markets. Finbarr had hired twenty drovers for the trip. Kaelin listened as Senlic offered advice to the younger man about routes, watering places, and areas to avoid, and gave him a list of the names of prominent farmers along the way who would need to be paid for grazing rights. Finbarr was obviously looking forward to the trip, and pleased that this new responsibility had been offered him.

Later that evening Kaelin confided to Senlic that he intended to set out for the lands of the Black Rigante the following morning.

‘Not wise to go uninvited, lad,’ said Senlic. ‘What do you want there?’

‘I want to see Chara,’ Kaelin told him.

‘Aye, she’s a fine-looking lass. I heard you asked for her hand. But if she’s turned you down once she’s likely to do so again.’

‘She didn’t turn me down. She said she needed time to think on it. A month is enough.’

‘You can’t rush women into that kind of decision,’ said the old man, with a smile. ‘Took three years before my woman agreed to Walk the Tree with me.’

‘I didn’t know you were wed.’

‘Twenty-six years, Kaelin. Fine years mostly. One morning I woke up and she was lying quietly beside me. I leaned over to kiss her cheek, and I realized she’d gone. Just like that. Slipped away in the night. Twenty-six years and no chance to say goodbye. Ah, but that was hard. Mighty hard.’

Kaelin felt suddenly awkward. In that moment Senlic seemed old and fragile, his eyes sorrowful. The silence was uncomfortable. Kaelin broke it. ‘You have children?’ he asked, anxious to steer the conversation away from death and regret.

‘Seven. Six boys and a girl. Actually there were ten, but three did not survive past infancy. But let’s not talk about it, Kaelin. It makes me maudlin.’

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