9.8

Jewel was first to spot the flyers of the enemy. It was when they were about one and a half day’s march away from the general manor that surrounded the ‘Old High Forest Fort’.

She saw them flying on the horizon, the flapping wings of gryphons. Too distant to spot enough color to identify, but familiar motions of the original Flight Cant that the riders used before Jewel and her Father taught them the additions to cover her own abilities.

The army had been making their way up the hills along a winding switchback through the inclined woods.

This was a dangerous point, villages and hamlets were sparse and forage was more difficult in the hills.

The Road itself also presented dangers, although its incline was gentle enough for a careful cart to be moved along it.

Wide enough for most wheels and thus plenty for the army to keep formation, but otherwise quite cramped when it came to the rest every few hours.

There were precious few wide patches to stop on that were not the road itself and precious little for horses to graze upon.

Also the incline, however slight, was tiring the men and horses faster (but not the goats apparently) than the more even trails they had taken till now.

Yet the twisting path upwards made it easier on the flyers in general and Jewel in particular.

The way that, besides the hills of dense wood between them and the relative elevation, the army head and tail were now closer together then they ever had been before meant that at any given time any given flier could see almost the entire rank and file of the march from the air.

For Jewel it was especially nice in the rougher winds. The zephyrs coming around the hills from over and past the more distant mountain peaks buffeted most Gryphons terribly. She in contrast had to work significantly less to make her loop than any Gryphon.

But it also meant there was more climbing for altitude to get a clear sightline of the road ahead.

At the end of the day, the army would finally crest the comparatively gentle hills they had been trudging up. The plan was to seek camp close to that point, as after this they would be going once more down into the valleys and more importantly, would be well in range of a harassing flight by the enemy fliers.

It was also conceivably within range of the longest distance sorcery of enemy wizards, although Fizzbunches, Urul and Jaksa all were unconcerned that any working attempted would be able to avoid being repelled by the combined ability of their own sorcerous forces.

Urul had traded off with Euewyn for duty guarding Jewel’s person against attack. Which was an altogether different experience.

Unlike Urul, Euewyn visibly moved with Jewel and had a body most of the time.

The seemingly hollow Weird of Autumn riding the winds in whirling billows as easily and gracefully as Jewel herself could manage.

Green leaves would occasionally be pulled up from the grown summer foliage and, in passing into air, turn yellow, orange or red as they circled and moved over and around the two of them.

The presence of the Wizard of Autumn also brought a crisp chill to the air even for its altitude. It reminded her of Debt’s Season and the time that followed.

The reason for the freshly pulled leaves was that, for whatever reason, as she flew with Jewel, Euewyn seemed prone to losing leaves from her own dress/body.

Whether from some unknown expenditure of sorcery or just the simple happenstance of errant currents, leaves would come loose from the cloak/hat/hair of the Weird.

And in their release, they turn from brown to mulchy black before disintegrating entirely into dust and damp rich smells as they fall away.

Hence the somewhat constant harvesting of fresh leaves to pull up around them and then integrate into the Weird’s garments.

“I counted four, maybe five flyers at this distance around the skies over the fort just now. Can you see any further?”

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She spoke into the wind, but knew from experience a wizard could discern it even if Jewel could barely hear herself over the rush of air.

A shake of the head and a whisper in the chilling air all around Jewel gave a negative.

Jewel turned and tumbled to draw the attention of Father and Zephyrvam. They were closest amongst the flyers that braved the rougher winds during this route.

The extra weight of Father that impaired Zephyrvam’s endurance and maneuverability was an asset now that they were needing to hold fast against sudden chaotic gales coming off the distant mountains and cutting through the narrow canyons.

The smallest half of their Gryphons were grounded at the head of the army with Count Fiebron and Smokespear.

At the rear Baron Kliatbatrn had taken watch. Keeping an eye for deserters with his Rochford chargers and a dozen Knights.

Father swept closer to her, drifting on what warm lifting air the forest would provide. Catching the drafts that bent up from the east alongside the usual warmer air. Riding the whirlwinds where westerlies intermixed and clashed with their counterparts.

With a few tilts of her wings and then a broad flight cant of her arms Jewel relayed what she saw. He swung his arms in acknowledgement then pointed her to return to watching the horizon and the flight of the enemy. To report swiftly to the other Gryphon Riders if she saw them break to approach them.

Then he was already tilting Zephyrvam back and beginning to circle for a ‘gentle’ descent and landing at the head of the army where Count Fiebron was ‘marching’ astride Smokespear.

None of the Gryphon Riders divested themselves of their kit until camp. Barely even landing and undoing their harness to make water in the day with the target of their siege so close at hand.

Jewel watched Father make for a ‘gentle’ arrival. Barely disturbing the leaves of the forest or dirt of the road as he alighted a dozen yards ahead of the Count.

Then, matching pace with the first General of the army. Making swift gestures as he undoubtedly talked aloud. Emphasizing his words with Flight Cant.

Jewel turned her attention from the Army and her Father at its head to drive herself higher against the turbulent winds and focus upon the wheeling and swooping shapes of Gryphons and who knows what in flight.

They were all of them flying how Jewel knew Gryphon Riders did. But it was known to her from some of Tsulogothulan’s lessons and the concerns raised in the councils at dawn and dusk that there were other beasts descended from wyrmlair monsters that might be employed by aerial knights in warfare.

Jewel tried to discern enough detail from the dark shapes moving over the silhouette of the fort to say what they were, but only came to think that there must be at least nine separate flyers at the fortress (and possibly more as, without being able to tell them apart, she could not say if those nine were new beasts or old).

She turned from her task after seeing the numbers dip down again to only three in the air and addressed Euewyn.

“I know your duty is to my safety and I appreciate that, but can I ask a favor of you? Could one of you see to Father’s safety too? There is much that would not peril me but would outright slay him and Zephyrvam. Please can one of you keep him safe?”

The near winter chill in the wind caught and the wild tumult of the zephyrs all stilled around them. Jewel buoyed by her wyrmflame and the Autumn Weird by some sorcery hung in still air high above the still summer forest.

And then a soft almost voice of exhalation sighed from the gap beneath the brim of Euewyn’s pointed hat and the empty neck of their robes.

It was an ascent and the nod confirmed that but Jewel could almost taste in the autumnal chill more than that. Pained understanding, admiration, affirmation and a promise most sure of all.

It was not yet clear to Jewel enough to describe what the Wizard did to be words as she understood them. But it was already clearer to her then when she had first met Euewyn.

And it was enough to be assured that if there was something the Wizard could do to bring sorcery to protect her Father it was now a compact made with her.

Jewel read that Wizards held their word to an especially high standing.

That they even would keep an oath onto and beyond their ruin and death. Even if the one who held it became a sworn enemy.

It was the best Jewel could do to protect her Father.

And it was not an absolute promise of his safety.

Jewel could tell that much.

But if it could be done Euewyn at least would do what they could.

Jewel remained in the air watching the distant shapes of the other flyers over the fort. Wondering who they were and if they were all Gryphons or something else?

Jewel had a thought that almost shocked her so much she fell clear out of the sky. Only catching her weight in wyrmfire when a whistling cry of shock drew her attention.

“E-Euewyn... Would you be able to tell if they had a Dragon at this distance?”

The silence from her guardian wizard was of a sort that said and implied nothing.

Jewel wished it had.