Dreams of the Oracle

Chapter 32

Ashur had heard of Camenae and the legendary Horsemasters. "I thought the Horsemasters didn't allow their stallions outside Camenae."

"The Order is privileged in that matter," said one of the Janin before Segurant could respond.

They rode in silence for a time after that. Men were jostled this way and that as the wagon jumped and pitched at incredible speed. At one point Ashur wondered if the wagon wheels could handle much more. He decided it was probably a foolish question since these men probably did this sort of thing all the time. Another bump nearly unseated him once again and he gripped the wooden bench with his hands.

Ashur had pretty much resigned himself to the fact that there wouldn't be any talking on this trip. That was fine with him since he was having a hard enough time just keeping himself from tumbling out of that wagon. Then one of the younger looking Janin opened his mouth.

"You are the son of Abdiel?"

Everyone in the wagon turned in surprise to look at the speaker. The man looked to be in his twenties and didn't seem the least self-conscious at the sudden attention. He did not look at anybody as he spoke but stared straight ahead at nothing.

"Yes," replied Ashur after a moment glancing around, "What of it?"

"He was once one of us," said the young man. Dain, the Sword, gave him a warning look but the young man continued staring straight ahead.

"Yes, I heard he trained your warriors for a time," replied Ashur.

At this several of the Janin chuckled. Even Dain gave a grim smile.

"What?" asked Ashur, annoyed. "I traveled with one of your men who was trained by him."

"Abdiel was only a trainer for three months," said Dain the smile disappearing as though it had never been.

"Why?" asked Ashur in spite of himself. If his father had been a legend as Walther had said would it not make sense to have him train others?

More grim smiles.

"Abdiel's...methods did not meet with approval," said Dain.

"What methods?"

Dain looked hard at Ashur for a moment. He seemed to be weighing a thought in his mind. For several moments no one spoke. Then he turned to the young man who had asked about Ashur's parentage,

"Mansin, you seem to be just bursting to tell this lad all about it."

Everyone turned to look at Mansin.

"I only know what I heard," said Mansin, who continued to stare straight ahead at nothing.

"Tell the young man what you heard," came the quiet voice of Segurant. Several of the Janin looked sharply at the big man. Ashur glanced over at Segurant but then he was watching Mansin intently.

"Rumor was," began Mansin, as the wagon bounced hard against a rock in the road, "that the man didn't believe in all of the Order's principles of war."

"What do you mean?" asked Ashur hanging on every word.

"The Modus states that Janin must work in teams of at least three men, except in specific circumstances. Regular training often consists of a three or six man team being sent out into the mountains to reach an objective with little or no supplies. It is said that Abdiel believed that Janin should be trained as individuals."