The Purlieu Experiment
Chapter 11
Copyright 2015 & 2021
Neirin studied the brush along the ravine. This was where Celyn had said they would find the couple, but so far there had been no indication that they were in the vicinity. His gaze drifted to the two fingers of rock. Sometimes pieces of Celyn's visions were outdated. Had they missed the two? If so, where would they look?
Clud yelled and Neirin swung around to see what he wanted. A half-naked man with a tall roach of hair stood beside Clud's camelus. Neirin felt a surge of excitement as he turned his camelus toward Clud. Celyn was right. The young man had found them, and exactly where she had indicated they would meet.
As Neirin joined Clud, he reached a hand down to the young man. "Welcome. I am Neirin, King of Anialwch. You must be Donte, Prince of Bergen."
Donte held his hand out, palm up, and Neirin grabbed his forearm. Donte grasped Neirin's forearm in the traditional Mascot greeting of good will. Donte's grip was strong; his expression puzzled.
Neirin glanced around. "Where is your traveling companion - the Lochfowk woman?"
Donte released his arm, continuing to observe him with confusion. Was it possible that Donte didn't speak Anialwch, as he had heard? He repeated the question, talking slower and more distinctly. Donte continued to watch him, but he finally spoke.
"How did you know who I am…that I was here?"
Of course, he was spooked by the unexpected. Celyn said he would defend the woman. Neirin leaned forward, looking into Donte's eyes as he spoke.
"My daughter had a vision. You have nothing to be concerned about. We mean you no harm. It is to our advantage to see both of you delivered safely to Lochfowk."
Donte studied him, obviously not completely convinced about the safety of the girl. He was taller than Neirin expected. Men from the colony of Bergen were usually shorter and stocky. There wasn't an ounce of fat on Donte and his lean muscular frame was well proportioned. He was a strikingly handsome man, in spite of that silly haircut. Yet those were not the things that impressed Neirin most. Donte stood straight, his chin lifted, totally oblivious to his ridiculous state of dress. Deep blue eyes met Neirin's gaze in open challenge of authority. He wasn't going to admit the existence of the girl, much less reveal her hiding place.
The remainder of Neirin's men had converged on the rendezvous site. One of them dismounted and brought a robe and sandals to Donte.
"This will keep you from being sunburned, Monomi." He helped Donte into the robe and handed him the belt and sandals. Donte accepted them and thanked the man. With one last look at Neirin for reassurance, he turned and lifted a beckoning hand at the brush along the ravine. Neirin would have to thank the man later for the genius of using that word.
Immediately the girl climbed out of the wash. Her hair was a mess and her clothes were dirty. Both of them looked hollow-cheeked. Exhaustion; hunger or dehydration, or all three might be the cause. They were both offered water and drank before Donte returned his attention to Neirin.
"We are pursued by the Nyumbani." He said as he slid his feet into the sandals.
Neirin stiffened and looked around. "Where are they now?"
Donte shook his head. "I don't know. They caught up with us at a cliff by the river yesterday. We escaped, but they found us at an abandoned cabin south of here early this morning. We escaped again and have not seen them since.
Neirin stared down at Donte in amazement. "You escaped from Nyumbani raiders twice?"
Donte shrugged. "We were fortunate."
No doubt, but it couldn't have been all luck. "How many are there?" he asked Donte.
"I'm not certain. I only saw six at the cliffs and couldn't say this morning."
Neirin frowned. He didn't want to risk the loss or injury of either of his two guests, but if the Nyumbani were that close, and there were so few of them, he would like to capture them. He looked at Clug.
"We may be outnumbered, but we are better armed."
Clug nodded and Donte spoke again.
"I will fight with you."
Neirin smiled down at him. "I have no doubt your help would be of great value, but I do not wish to put either of you in danger."
Donte glanced at the girl and returned his attention to Neirin. "We both have a stake in this."
Neirin turned to Clug. "Send a scout to locate the Nyumbani raiders. I need to know where and how many there are."
Clug nodded and went to a man standing beside a camelus. They spoke for a few minutes before the man set out on foot. Clug returned.
"He can move through the brush faster and hide better without the camelus." He nodded to a distant clump of trees. "We can get water and shade over there until he returns." He spoke to one of the men. "Bring that extra camelus for our guests."
Neirin watched as Donte examined the camelus. It occurred to him that Donte had never seen a camelus…and that he wouldn't know how to mount or ride it. Akira came to his aid, though, instructing him through the process. When they were both on the camelus, the group moved to the shelter of the clump of trees.
A cool spring formed a small pool of water where they all drank their fill. They waited there for nearly an hour until the scout returned. He had located the Nyumbani raiders camped a short distance away. The raiders were napping in what little shade they could find.
At first Neirin suggested that Donte and Akira stay at the water hole, but they both protested. Ultimately Neirin relented. Having Donte as an interpreter was a good idea, but he instructed them to remain outside the camp until he called them. They reluctantly agreed.
Neirin and his men circled the camp and walked in. There were six raiders and they obviously had not anticipated resistance. Faced with a superior force, all but one quickly surrendered. One of the raiders ducked under the brush and ran. Neirin and Clug ran after him, leaving the other men to guard the prisoners.
When Neirin realized the raider was headed in the direction where they left Donte and Akira, it gave his feet wings. He broke free of the brush in time to see Donte leap from the back of the camelus and land on his feet. With a smooth transition, he chased the raider down. There was a brief struggle before Donte twisted the raider's arm behind his back, bringing him under control.
Neirin glance at Clug and shook his head in amazement. Obviously, this young man needed no assistance.
After a long, and sometimes heated, interrogation, Donte finally turned to Neirin.
"These are some of Farasi's raiders. They escaped when the new Nyumbani government was rounding them up." He pushed the man toward the others as he continued to reveal what he had learned. "They found our trail and followed us with the intent of killing both of us. They thought if they did that, it would bring the Lochfowk down on Anialwch and Nyumbani, creating the fall of the new government."
Neirin turned to follow them back to the camp. His stomach squeezed into a knot. The Nyumbani had almost achieved their mission. He had been so intent on using Donte and Akira to form an allegiance that he had missed the danger. Not once had he considered the fact that Lochfowk might attack Anialwch. It could still happen if they were caught in a position that made the two look like captives.
When they reached the camp, it was to a more immediate threat. A line of men on equines silently formed a half-circle around the camp. His men stood between the Nyumbani captives and the new Nyumbani force. Neirin's mouth went dry. How could he have let this happen?
Donte pushed the captive toward the group and spoke to one of the men on an equine. Their conversation sounded amicable. Donte turned to Neirin.
"These are members of the new Nyumbani government. They apologize for being on Anialwch soil without permission, but they were trailing Farasi's raiders. They ask that you turn the men over to them."
On one hand, this could be a ploy to rescue their men. On the other, they already had the upper hand, so they need not try to negotiate. Donte could be working with them, but he didn't think so. A glance around at the captured men revealed that they were frightened.
Neirin stepped forward and addressed Donte. "Who is the leader?"
Donte indicated a young bearded man in the middle, with a nod of the head. "That’s Kafil."
Neirin nodded acknowledgement of the leader and spoke to him in the only language he knew, trusting Donte to interpret accurately.
"It pleases me that you have taken the responsibility for Farasi's men."
Kafil glanced at Donte, who immediately translated. Kafil answered in his language, keeping his attention on Neirin while Donte translated his response.
"He says he is honored to meet you. He has heard much good about you."
It was in this way that Anialwch and Nyumbani communicated for the first time. Neirin made the best of that historic meeting. He agreed to release the Nyumbani raiders to Kafil and offered to host a conference with their new government leaders in the near future.
Later it occurred to Neirin that any conference would have to include Donte, because none of them could converse without him. That had to change. If Donte was successful in making a connection with the Lochfowk, he intended to learn both languages.
The Nyumbani headed for the mountains with their prisoners and Neirin and his group headed for the Anialwch palace. Neirin smiled as he watched Donte and Akira. They rode together on a camelus, he behind her with his arm protectively around her waist; and she looking up and back at him occasionally while they chatted in her language. It was important to understand the language and customs of neighboring colonies. Why had The Parliament wanted to prevent that? Perhaps the success of their experiment depended on isolation. Certainly, it would ensure that each colony would survive and progress…or fail…on their own. Why had the mother ship left so suddenly? Had the experiment been abandoned? Had they learned all they needed to know…or would they return at some time in the future to document the progress? Those were questions that often troubled him. The idea that they might return was one of the reasons he felt it was imperative to unite the colonies. It might be the only way they could survive – and, on reflection, possibly the reason for keeping them separated.
Soft Science Fiction
