Riders of Tethra Chapter 20
Chapter Twenty
There was snow on the peaks of the Crewth Range. It and the river comprised the northern border between Torinar and Maginar. Frandown Rise wasn't much of a town; a few small shops, an inn, a school, a city hall and the requisite pub. It lay at the source of the river and comprised one of only three legal crossings between the two lands, the other two further west crossing the river. It existed to promote trade and transit**,** being the closest approach to the Torinar capitol of Merton. To the east were treacherous mountains that hid the virtually unknown Helmshill Range and Lorenwood itself.
It was here in Frandown Rise that Kevyn first met Kadia with Fellsmane and the plan was conceived. The cold seeped down the slopes, stirred by the wind as Kevyn reached the small cottage. Kevyn knocked on the worn wooden door. He heard the shuffle of footsteps and the latch being drawn. The door opened and a smallish woman of about forty-five appeared. She smiled weakly and invited the boy in. The furnishings were spartan but sufficient. The fire gave a pleasant glow and warmth that Kevyn welcomed after his journey from Merton.
"How are you**,** mother?" he asked**,** with a faint smile of his own.
"Getting along as usual, ... son," she replied, her lips almost producing a grin. "How are the journeys?"
"They are very long and tiring, Kadia," he said as he sat down by the fire. "He will not be here this time and assume that he needs to talk to me rather than simply ride me for an update. I have been summoned to Lorenwood with all haste. I will need to brief Keven this evening and then take the shadowed route across the Helmshill."
"Then I will go and get Keven now**,"** Kadia responded. "He is at the inn**,** cleaning as usual. I will tell the innkeeper his crippling condition seems to be worsening and he needs to be rested for some time by order of the healer."
"It is a three-day journey on the shadowed route to Lorenwood, Kadia. And I am to go to Orm Kirk before the next cycle. I will have little time there because I will have to be seen journeying to Orm Kirk from here. Keven must not fail to be seen at the river junction on the seventeenth day of the next cycle. I will try to meet him there to continue the journey**,** allowing him to return here in his normal role. But should I not be at the junction, Keven must go on to Orm Kirk**,** playing my part until I can intercept him."
The boy sat thoughtfully in the warmth. He had hoped this would be the end of his travels but always knew he could be asked to return. Regardless, he would be glad to see his twin brother, even for the brief time it would take him to transform himself into Kevyn. He wondered why he had the gift and Keven did not**,** but that was the advantage anyway.
Within ten minutes a boy with a limp and a patch over his left eye hobbled through the doorway. When the door slammed shut, he tore off the patch and raced easily to embrace his brother.
"It is so good to see you, my brother," he said with a broad grin.
"I had hoped we would have had more time together**,** Keven**,** but it seems it is not to be. You will need to transform quickly and Kadia will have to tell the story of your illness. I will spend the night giving you all I can to become me convincingly."
"It will be good to me in my real form for a while**,** Kevyn. This role is tiring**,** but we have been chosen for whatever is to be and you have the gift. Your gift to me is to be your brother and to be you when needed."
"Many times I think your role is more difficult than my own. You should be allowed to be Keven all the time and not the weakling you must pretend to be." Kevyn sighed wearily with genuine sympathy for his twin. "That time will come, my brother**,** and I believe sooner than we thought. I must go to him in Lorenwood**,** although I don't know why. It seems this is not something he can convey by coming here or sending a courier to Kadia. That is worrisome. I will begin my journey in the dark before dawn**,** and tomorrow you must be welcomed back to Frandown Rise as the successful trader son of Orlin. I have brought the catalog**,** and the parcels from the last visit will arrive in two days. You will tell everyone that you have been given some leisure and choose to spend it here with "mother" before heading to Orim Kirk."
The brothers sat down to a simple meal of soup and bread, sharing the details of their lives apart. Kevyn carefully related the history that his brother must now know in order to take his place. They had done this before, even as children to confuse people. And when Kevyn was recruited by Pagnor there was no knowledge of the existence of a brother. The old one had seen how useful having the two trade places could be, and the plan had fallen into place as he had designed it. But now the ruse had become dangerous; it would need to be pulled off flawlessly so Kevyn could secretly go to Lorenwood, while his twin would be seen departing for Orim Kirk and carrying on the trade.
It was cold and still dark as the brothers embraced and said their farewells. During the night Keven had changed his hair color to the sandy blond that was natural and matched his twin. It would be virtually impossible to detect he was not his brother, except if he made an error in the story he had been told.
"You remember the way to the shadowed route entrance?" Keven asked.
"Yes, and I will disappear within The Hemlshill in a half hour. Be well and wary**,** my brother."
He turned to the southeast and within twenty minutes walked into the forest where there was no path.
**********
By the third day in the healing facility, Rory was almost back to normal. He was still weak**,** but he was driving the other three crazy with his thought transmissions and his attempts to control them**,** which didn't work due to the highly developed blocking skills they all now possessed. The healer, on the other hand, was not so lucky. Often he found himself bringing in food and drinks and many desserts from the inn, confused as to why he was doing it so but nonetheless being a responsive servant to Rory's wishes.
Rory was consumed with his newly acquired skills**.** Talen finally had to demand that he stop badgering the healer, shut down his thought transmissions**,** and start talking like every other normal person in Maginar.
"There was a new boy in town this morning," Sayer told the group as they sat around Rory's room. Rory no longer needed to stay in bed and had responded quickly to the medicines from Hunter's parallel.
"What did he look like?" Rory asked.
"Blond, kind of tall**;** looked pretty hot really!" Sayer said with a grin.
Hunter gave his friend a wary look and smiled. "How old is he?"
"I'd guess he was fifteen**,** maybe sixteen. He stopped at the inn for some breakfast, only spoke to the staff and then was out of there. I watched him leave but he was quick and disappeared toward the north-eastern gate. There's nothing out there but the river and the forest**,** but maybe he was stopping somewhere before the gate; I don't know. I didn't think about trying to ride him. I guess I should have."
Rory tensed up and a serious look came over his face. "That was Kevyn**!**" he exclaimed. "Whatever is going on is serious. Kevyn has not been here since he left at about thirteen. He lived with Fellsmane as a boy but was never chosen to go to Pandor's Fen. But I think he was sent away for a reason and now he is back. He must be going where we must go, and I think I am ready."
"You are better**,** but you are not ready," Talen said. "We must be sure that all of us are `fit**,' as Fellsmane said. I suggest that all of us leave you to rest today.** We'll do the same elsewhere and leave together in the morning if you still feel ready. There is a mystery going on and all of us sitting around talking about it won't solve it. Let's let our minds rest for a day."
Hunter agreed. Reluctantly the three boys left Rory's side and roamed Lorenwood**,** eventually ending up at Jaynor's. Talen slept on the couch and the other two took their normal spots in Sayer's bedroom. They realized that they were more exhausted than they had imagined and were almost instantly asleep. The morning dawned soon enough.
Rory was completely dressed and pacing his room when the boys arrived. "It's about time. I almost shouted you awake but I decided to let you sleep!" he thought loudly at the other three.
"Don't be so frivolous about using your new powers Rory**,"** Hunter warned. "None of us knows how we developed them, really**,** and perhaps they can disappear just as easily. I know I thought I would never have them**,** and it pissed me off to be read like a book and never know who or when."
"I liked the David thoughts before we joined," Sayer laughed.
"Asshole," Hunter said loudly. "But I'm glad you were there inside. This is my world now**,** and you had to find and read me to get me here."
"Are you guys going to talk all day or are we getting out of here?" Rory demanded.
"He's well," Talen announced with a laugh. "Let's go, wherever the hell it is we're going."