Shades Of The Past Part 6

"Yes, sir," Nerrin says and then they begin running down to the gate.

"Delia, take our prisoners around back and keep an eye on them," he tells her. "Don't want them seen should anyone approach."

"Right," she replies and then gets her slingers to escort the prisoners to the rear of the house.

Illan gives James a glance then enters the house with James, Jiron and Miko right behind.

The front room looks just like any other lady's drawing room with couches where visitors can rest and so forth. He makes his way deeper into the house, pa.s.sing a side corridor and several doors before coming to what looks to have at one time been a strong wooden door. Axes or something had chopped away at it until a hole was wide enough for a man to enter.

"What's in there?" Jiron asks.

"Some of the more important items my family holds dear," he explains as he stops before it. Reaching into his pocket, he produces a key and inserts it into the lock. Turning it, he unlocks the door and swings the broken door open.

"Shouldn't we go get your son and his family out of jail?" questions Miko.

"All in good time," he replies. "They've been there for months, another hour won't do them any more harm." Entering through the door, he takes the stairs down to the bas.e.m.e.nt.

Signs of looting are everywhere. Shelves smashed, boxes and chests opened if not outright destroyed. "They took everything!" exclaims James.

Illan turns to him and asks, "Can we have some light?" An orb springs to life on the palm of James' hand, flooding the bas.e.m.e.nt with light. He glances to the others and says, "They didn't take everything."

He moves to the far wall where two chests stand smashed open. "Give me a hand," he says and the others move to help him slide the chests away from the wall. Once they've been moved back four or five feet, he leaves the chest where it sits and returns to the wall. He simultaneously presses four bricks and a soft 'click' can be heard.

Another brick looks to have been damaged at one time, a jagged hole, barely an inch in diameter sits just off center. Illan inserts his finger into the hole and then pulls. The wall swings open to reveal another room on the far side.

Indicating the smashed chests and boxes in the outer room he says, "In case of thieves, we kept some of our money and treasures out here, those we were willing to lose. The important items lay in this room."

Several chests sit undisturbed against one wall. Many weapons of master craftsmans.h.i.+p are displayed upon the walls. Other items, including statuettes and figurines are situated upon various shelves lining the room.

"Magnificent," James says as he comes into the room.

"Why did we come in here?" Jiron asks. "I mean, we have plenty of coins and gems."

"That's not why we're here," Illan says as he crosses through the room and comes to the far wall. He again removes a key and slides it in a crack between two bricks and turns it. Pulling on the key, he opens yet another secret door.

When the door opens, James hears Jiron gasp when he sees what lies on the other side. Looking within, he finds a breast plate, a helm, a s.h.i.+eld, a sword, and a banner, all bearing the same insignia. A black bird of prey in flight poised to strike, upon a red heraldic field. Behind the hawk are two crossed swords.

"You're the Black Hawk?" Jiron asks with a trace of awe in his voice.

Nodding, Illan says, "I was." He begins removing his old sword belt from around his waist and casts it aside. Stepping within the room, he takes the sword belt with the Black Hawk insignia and straps it on.

"Black Hawk?" questions James.

"The Black Hawk was a ruthless leader during the War of Barrowman's Field," explains Jiron. Glancing to Illan, he says in a subdued voice, "Said to have committed all manner of atrocities upon the enemy."

"I heard that the Black Hawk once put an entire village to the sword as an example," Miko says.

Illan continues putting on his accouterments bearing his insignia without commenting.

"What supposedly happened to this Black Hawk?" questions James all the while watching Illan.

"None knew for sure," replies Jiron. "Some thought he had been killed while others claim he went to a far land in search of more blood."

James looks to Illan as he puts on the last item, the helm. "Illan?" he asks.

Turning back toward the others, he stands there in all his glory. From head to toe he looks like a hero out of the sagas. "It's true I'm sorry to say," he says. "When the war was over, I put Black Hawk away and became Illan. I had enough blood and death to last a lifetime. We did what needed to be done to stop the Empire, though I'm not proud of it."

"My Alaina knew and some close friends," he explains. "There are others from my men who came to live here with me, many joined the regular army. It was a bad time and one which I wished to put behind me."

"So why come here and don your old armor?" asks James.

"My Alaina is gone. There will be those who remember the Black Hawk, both here in Madoc and within the Empire, which may be to our advantage. It was a name to strike terror in the enemy, and it may serve us with what's to come."

He walks away from the room, leaving the banner behind. "Aren't you taking the banner?" Miko asks.

Shaking his head, he says, "No." He glances to James and says, "Now let's go find my son." Securing the secret door behind which the banner lies, he then takes them from the treasure room and closes the secret door. With their help, he puts the chests back in front of the hidden door and takes a moment to hide the fact they were ever moved. When he at last is satisfied, he turns and heads back up the stairs.

Chapter Five.

When Illan comes out of the manor house, whatever conversation the others were engaged in comes to an abrupt halt when they see what he's wearing. Murmurs of 'Black Hawk' and other awed exclamations are heard as each comes to understand just what they are seeing.

Some of the recruits, having come from Cardri, are not familiar with the significance of the emblem he's wearing. The others quickly fill them in.

James comes out behind him and says, "We camp here this evening. Delia, you're going to be in charge for awhile. We have some business in town to take care of."

"Very well," she says.

Illan steps down off the porch and comes to where Moyil is holding his horse for him. Moyil's eyes widen as he draws near. Without saying a word, Illan takes the reins from him and mounts.

To those gathered around, James says, "We're going to rescue his son. Jiron and his group will join us. Delia, you and your slingers will remain here to look after the prisoners until our return."

The recruits look upset at not being allowed to accompany them, but realize there is little use in protesting. Those who are leaving with Illan and James mount up and follow them down the lane to the gate.

As they near the gate, Shorty and Scar see him riding toward them in his new armor. "I knew it!" exclaims Shorty with a holler.

"I can't believe this," Scar says somewhat at a loss for words, for once.

When Illan draws close, Shorty stands there with a grin on his face and says, "I knew there was something about you."

"You did, did you?" Illan replies from the back of his horse. "You two stay here and watch the gate." Without any further explanations, he continues through the gate and heads into town.

As Potbelly pa.s.ses Scar he says, "Things should be more interesting from here on out."

"You got that right," agrees Scar.

Once past the gate, James drops back a little bit and rides between Uther and Jorry. To them he asks, "So what's the full story behind the Black Hawk?"

On the way into town, they fill him in on the details.

About twenty five years ago, the Empire made a push into Madoc in an attempt to swallow up a section of fertile farmland to feed its growing populace. The army was sent to expel them back to the Empire but the fighting raged for many years until a sort of stalemate was achieved.

Unfortunately for Madoc, that stalemate happened to be where the Empire had decided to stop anyway. A portion of the lands now held by the Empire was known as Barrowman's Field and thus the name for the war.

Some believe that the Ruling Council in Madoc decided to create a band of men whose job was to destroy as much of the Empire as they could to force them to draw off some of their forces defending the area known as Barrowman's Field.

The Black Hawk was in charge of that band. Black Hawk and his raiders somehow got through their lines and then it began. The destruction of town after town, some say they slaughtered every last man, woman, and child. They're also rumored to have salted the fields so nothing would grow.

Whatever the real truth is, it worked. The cry from its citizens forced the Empire to pull forces from the border to deal with the Black Hawk which allowed Madoc's army to push them out.

Black Hawk's band supposedly destroyed over twenty villages and small towns, all the while staying one step ahead of their forces. They even managed to avoid direct confrontation with their mages, how no one's ever been able to find out.

Sometime after the end of the War of Barrowman's Field, Black Hawk disbanded his men and was never heard from again.

"Many thought he had died," Uther says, winding the tale to a close.

"But now he's back," James says.

"That's right," agrees Jorry. "But what that's going to mean is anyone's guess."

"Thanks," James tells them as he moves to rejoin Illan at the fore.

"Sure," replies Uther.

Coming abreast of Illan, he glances over to his friend aghast at the things they just told him. He knows Illan must have heard all that was said, he definitely was close enough to have overheard the conversation.

"Did you do all those things?" James asks him.

He rides in silence for a minute before replying. "Yes, to a point," he finally says. "We did destroy towns and villages, sow fields with salt and other acts of destruction. But the wanton deaths of innocents? No, we never did that. Unfortunately, in the fog of war, innocents were killed and for that I shall always feel remorse. But we did what we had to do."

James digests that for a moment then asks, "Why didn't you resume your role as Black Hawk when the Empire first attacked last summer?"

Illan glances to him and then says, "I'm getting old. Sure, I thought about it but my Alaina counseled me against it. Said it would bring back too many bad things. But I couldn't simply stand by and do nothing so I went south to see what I could do."

"I left home before the fall of the City of Light. I hated to leave my Alaina, we both knew it was unlikely we would ever see each other again. She understood and sent me with her best wishes. My son offered to accompany me but I told him to stay and take care of his family." He pauses and then says with a catch in his voice, "It seems that's all I have left now."

They ride in silence for awhile before he gets his emotions under control and is able to continue. "By the time I reached the City, the Empire had already encircled it and I thought it would take months before it fell. Then the following morning to my disbelief, it was over. I worked my way to Lythylla and joined with Miller and his band, seemed like the logical thing to do at the time. The rest you know."

He always knew there was something about Illan. Always an air of command about him and in a crisis always knew what to do and took charge. Now it all makes sense. "After we rescue your son, what do you plan to do? Now that Black Hawk has returned."

"Nothing has changed," he says. "I'm still your man and will stand by you till the end."

"Thank you for that," James tells him.

Illan simply nods in reply.

By this time, Seastar appears ahead in the road. The sun now just dropping below the horizon, the lights of town begin to wink into life. "Where do you think we'll find him?"

"My son will be in the jail," he says. Then adds, "I hope."

"No, I mean Lord Faetherton," clarifies James.

"Who knows?" he says. "Though I don't plan to leave until I deal with him." He glances to James and is relieved to see him nod agreement.

Entering the outskirts, they make their way between the buildings, finally coming into an area lit by an oil streetlamp. When Illan rides into the light, his armor blazes forth and gasps are heard from those nearby on the street.

"Black Hawk!" "He's returned!" and other exclamations are heard in an increasing number as more and more people gather round.

"Sir!" a middle aged man exclaims as he comes from a nearby tavern.

Illan pauses in the street and turns toward the man. "We ride," he says. "Brook's Hollow at dawn. Spread the word."

With a whoop, the man turns and races down the street.

As they progress through town, that scene replays three more times. Each time all Illan says is, "We ride, Brook's Hollow at dawn, spread the word." The crowd gathering around them grows as they progress further into town.

When the press of people becomes too great, Illan brings them to a halt. At that, the street grows quiet. "Please return to your homes," he tells them and then takes off his helm, revealing his features to all.

"Illan?" some people ask in shock. Still others stand in dumbstruck amazement. Never before had anyone known who Black Hawk had been. But once they knew, it didn't take them long to realize where he's going. All knew of what Lord Faetherton had done and where his family lies.

"They're in the jail Illan," one man cries out.

Illan nods and says, "Thank you. Now you should all return to your homes." He glances around at the faces he's known all his life. Some he's watched grow to adulthood.

Still shaking their heads in wonder, they begin to disperse.

Sighing, Illan replaces his helm and glances to James. Then he resumes riding toward the jail. Before they reach it, they see lined up before the front door, thirty or more men, ten of whom have crossbows. Standing before them is a man dressed regally and can only be Lord Faetherton. Illan approaches and stops a good twenty feet from him.

"I've come for my son," he announces.

"Your time is past, Black Hawk," Lord Faetherton says derisively. "You and those with you are under arrest for the illegal release of a prisoner."

"I don't think so," Jiron says.

"If you don't remove your weapons, we will be forced to fire," he says.

"If you don't drop your weapons and stand aside, I will kill each and everyone who stands against me!" Illan says with utter conviction.

From his vantage point behind Illan, James watches Faetherton's men begin to s.h.i.+ft in their ranks. Each has grown up with the tales of Black Hawk and the viciousness with which he pursues his enemies. Several crossbows actually dip to the ground as the men holding them begin to reconsider supporting Lord Faetherton in the face of Black Hawk's rage.