UNSHEATHED

Chapter Fifty Seven

She nodded. He turned and rode on again, at a walk only this time, the legion soldiers falling in line around them on foot.

The road turned a bit to the right as it rose up, following a hill. When they reached its zenith, the land beyond opened up to a large field, filled with tents and cook fires and soldiers going about their business. It was a large company, for the tents ranged in row upon row, numbering thousands, as far as she could see. Elena smiled, remembering the times she rode with the Legion and camped out just like this.

In the middle of it all was pitched an enormous pavilion of red and gold with the Imperial pennants flying from all four corners. The lions on each one danced in the wind. They would ride there and see the Emperor.

As they trotted up to the valley entrance, a company of soldiers barred their way with pikes. Elena frowned, thinking this was usual for strangers, but they had been invited, and she was the Emperor's kin. Nonetheless, they were in another army's territory, and it wouldn't help to argue with them.

Maranus spoke with the pike men for a while, longer than she thought ought to be necessary. The pike men split up and half of them followed along as they entered the valley and headed in among the rows of tents toward the Emperor's pavilion.

Elena watched the soldiers' faces as they walked along beside their company. Every last one to a man looked worn and haggard, and something else...suspicious. Elena exchanged glances with Liran who noted these expressions as well.

Within sight of the pavilion they were ordered to halt. The leader of the scouts went off toward the pavilion while they waited. She followed the man with her gaze, saw him meet with another who sat at a desk outside the tent. The man at the desk shook his head. The scout returned and spoke to Maranus, who scowled and crossed his arms. It appeared that they were not going to be given admittance soon.

Elena looked around at the soldiers going about their business. There were many who glanced over at their party, but none with anything like friendly curiosity or warmth. This did not feel like the Legion she had served in for over twenty years.

Maranus returned to her side looking annoyed.

"I don't understand it, nothing seems right. The mood here is all wrong. They won't see us now, nor will they give us any indication of when they will be available."

She had a sudden desire to stretch her legs. As she made to swing around and dismount when a broad figure of a man caught her eye. There was something about him that was familiar. He had his back to her, but she knew the shape of him, though he was heavier, perhaps than he once had been. She slipped down to the ground and handed her reins to one of the soldiers. She walked over the mound of the slight hill toward the pavilion, trying to catch up to the man she spotted, but she was waylaid by several of the pike men before she had gone too far. She saw him getting farther away as he neared the tent.

"Lord Garion!" She hoped he would hear her, hoping also that it was him. She wasn't sure. It had been a while, but she thought she recognized his dark hair and his barrel-chest. She cried out again as he continued to get further away, then he stopped, cocked his head to one side. He turned, scanning the scene before him to spot the caller. He had heard.

"Garion!" She cried once more, and he walked toward her. He was in best dress, with a furred-lined cloak draping his shoulders. He held a baton of command, much like hers.

As he approached she noted the grey hair among the dark on his head and the lines on his face. She supposed he looked his age, but it was years since she had seen him.

Finally he was near enough for Elena to talk to.

"Elena?" He came within a horse length of her. "Elena!" He held out his arms and wrapped them around her squeezing her far too tight. He released her and looked her up and down.