Tales of Thuria 2: The Return of Bêlit - Chapter 4

Chapter 4: River Peril

Bêlit regarded Sonja through half-closed eyes. They had been sailing up the River Styx for almost a full moon now and the river had narrowed from a tidal estuary so wide that the far side could barely be seen to a quick flowing stream only a few hundred yards from bank to bank. The dry desert heat near the port city of Khemi had also changed to the sweltering humidity of the dense forest that crowded both sides of the river. It was a climate with which Bêlit was familiar, but that did not make it any less pleasant and the oppressive heat quickly robbed any of the three occupants of the small boat of their strength. As a result both Bêlit and Sonja were lounging in the shade of an awning that covered the stern of the boat while Haldur attended to the tiller and watched the sail.

There really wasn't much to manning the boat. The westerly breeze that had pushed them upstream from Khemi had followed them south and only twice had they been becalmed. When that happened they steered the boat into the shallows and used long poles to push themselves upstream. "It seems that the goddess is with us," Sonja remarked, rising to take a sip of water from a waterskin hanging from one of the braces holding up the awning.

"I know nothing of your goddess," Bêlit answered, but I agree that things have gone well for us so far. Let us hope your words have not reversed our good fortune."

Sonja stretched languidly. Like Bêlit and Haldur she was lightly dressed, wearing just enough to maintain her modesty; in this case a brief silk halter and short skirt. She raised her arms over her head lifting her breasts and revealing the outline of her nipples through the sheer material. She really is, Bêlit thought, a most beautiful creature. I might be interested in her myself were it not for that fact that I am not inclined that way. And then, of course, there was Sonja's fiery nature. She did not suffer fools gladly, a characteristic she and Bêlit had in common. But so far they had managed to avoid major personality clashes.

"Ah, girl," Haldur exclaimed, interrupting Bêlit's musings. "Keep doing that and you're going to have me taking another plunge in the river."

Sonja grinned. "Go ahead. I'm sure the crocodiles won't mind."

Haldur grinned back. "Aye, they wouldn't. Perhaps I'll hold off on that."

"I'll help you cool off," Sonja offered. She tossed a bucket into the river and hauled it out with the aid of an attached rope. Raising the bucket she dumped its contents over Haldur's head an act that was received with a grateful laugh.

"Ah that helps," Haldur said. "Damn me, but I'll be glad to get out of this torrid hell. Once I've got my share of the treasure it's home to Vanheim for me."

Sonja tossed the bucket back into the river. Retrieving it once more she upended its contents over herself and then tossed it back in again for Bêlit. Bêlit roused herself from her position and splashed the water over herself. "What I wouldn't give for a proper bath," she muttered. "Or even a swim in water that isn't full of monsters." She had the bucket half out of the water when a scaly head suddenly appeared about three yards away. It was bright red, and a good two yards long, and a long sinuous body soon followed until the monster's head hovered several yards above the surface of the water.

"Beware," Haldur shouted quite unnecessarily as both Bêlit and Sonja were already racing for their weapons. Fortunately, all of the boat's members kept their swords and other weapons within easy reach. Sonja seized her sword and Bêlit a spear while Haldur found his two-headed axe. The monster reared even higher, a large spine-studded frill suddenly emerging from around the neck, and then it struck.

It moved with the speed of a striking cobra, a movement no mortal could match, but Bêlit had guessed as much and had positioned herself in the middle of the deck, her spear braced on the decking. The monstrous head swept toward her with blinding speed and jammed itself full onto her spear. The shaft snapped like a straw and the head continued its strike slamming into Bêlit and knocking her over the far side of the boat. But the spear had found its target, penetrating the upper jaw of the river serpent and ripping right through its skull. The monster reared back with a scream of pain and anger, thrashing wildly as it sought to dislodge the broken spear. Its convulsions brought it into contact with the boat and Sonja and Haldur were there waiting for it.

They came at it from two sides, Sonja slashing with her sword and Haldur with his axe. Each blow cut deep along either side of the spine but, the serpent's violent spasms were not the least effective. Its huge body smashed into the boat, taking down the mast and ripping away the awning. Sonja's sword, still embedded in the monster, was torn from her grasp leaving just Haldur to fight on, however she had not come unprepared for such an eventuality. Lashed to the stern of the boat was a weapons racked containing several spears similar to the one Bêlit had used. She seized one of them and turning hurled the spear just as the huge head turned toward her. By good aim or good luck the spear found the right eye of the monster. With a further scream it suddenly pulled away, but not before giving the boat one more wood splintering blow with its tail, and then it was gone beneath the water.

A few yards away Bêlit floundered in the river. She was a strong swimmer, but the blow from the serpent's head had knocked her senseless and only contact with the water had revived her. Still dazed, she was able to remain afloat, but not much else. Haldur spotted her and tossed a rope her way and then hauled her into the boat. As she reached the deck a low comment from Sonja alerted her to the fact that she was not the only one the serpent had injured.

"I seem to have something of a problem," Sonja said. She was sitting on the deck, her left hand clutching a large barbed spine that had broken off in her thigh.

"By the Freya's tit's" Haldur exclaimed. Bounding across the deck he rushed to Sonja's side. Bêlit had known since the first meeting that Sonja and Haldur were a bit more than just partners, but they had shown admirable restraint during the long journey upriver. Now, however, Haldur was cradling Sonja like a lover.

"Easy," Sonja chided. "I'm not dead yet." Her casual remark, however, was somewhat undermined by the fact that she was speaking through clenched teeth and that she was deathly pale.

"Poison," noted Bêlit, as she scrambled across the deck. "We will have to get it out quickly."

"Barbed," Haldur replied. "If we tear it out it will rip her leg apart."

"Then it must be cut out," Bêlit said. She already had her knife out. "Are you up to it?" she asked, looking at Sonja.

"Do it," Sonja gasped. The area around the wound was already turning a most unhealthy shade of green.

"First we make sure we don't make it worse," Bêlit said. She moved to the stern of the boat, threw open a large chest, and took out a stoppered clay jar.

"Wait," Haldur objected. "I was saving that."

"I've a better use for it," Bêlit said, pulling out the stopper with her teeth. "The stuff is pretty much undrinkable anyway." She poured the clear, aromatic fluid over the blade of the knife and then moved to Sonja's side.

"What a waste," Haldur lamented, but he made no further objections as the potent drink from his homeland was used to purify Bêlit's blade.

"Wait," Sonja said as Bêlit raised the knife. "Give me some of that."

Haldur handed her the jar and Sonja raised it to her lips, taking several large swallows without stopping. Bêlit looked on in mild amazement. Her association with Sonja had not yet extended to spending any time with her in a tavern; but the redhead's almost legendary drinking exploits were now confirmed as she gulped down the turpentine-like drink.

"Save some of that; we'll need it later," Bêlit said, taking the jar from Sonja's hand.

"I'm ready," Sonja said.

Haldur handed her a leather strap. "You might want to bite on this."

Sonja clamped her teeth on the strap and nodded. Bêlit smiled. "This might hurt a little," she said as she slipped the knife into the wound.

To her credit Sonja merely grunted as Bêlit widened the wound enough that she could begin to work the spine loose. She had to work carefully to avoid making the wound worse, but quickly to reduce the pain and remove the poisonous barbs before it was too late. Through it all Sonja remained absolutely still. Whether that was due to the generous quantity of liquor she had swallowed or her iron will Bêlit didn't know or care. She focused on her task, working her blade into the wound and finally removing the barbed spine. She finished by pouring the remainder of Haldur's potent drink into the wound.

The removal of the barb was followed by considerable bleeding, but when Haldur moved to bind the wound Bêlit forestalled him. "Let it bleed a while. It will carry out the poison."

White-faced and dripping with sweat, Sonja lay on the deck with Haldur partially supporting her until Bêlit announced that it was time to seal the wound. With quick, sure movements she stitched the wound closed and then bandaged it. "There, that should hold you. It should heal if it doesn't get infected."

"It looks like I'm in charge of the tiller now," Sonja announced. "At least until I am able to move more freely."

Bêlit gave a mild shake of her head, but said nothing. Sonja's resilience was quite amazing. With her injured leg she would not be able to help manage the boat, but she could steer.

Fortunately, she boat had suffered only minor damage in the attack and Bêlit and Haldur soon had it headed up river once again with Sonja at the tiller. Despite her injury Sonja did not suggest that they stop and rest, even when Haldur suggested it.

"We've been on this Arallu-cursed river for twenty-eight days now and the goddess only knows how much longer we'll have to be on it. The sooner we get where we are going the better."

Neither Bêlit nor Haldur could disagree with that and so they proceeded as if nothing had happened, continuing their journey until night forced them to pull over to the bank. Only then did Sonja collapse; utterly exhausted from her ordeal.

Tenderly Haldur carried her to her hammock and this time Sonja did not protest. "Rest, my blossom," Haldur said, "and I will bring you food and drink. Then you sleep."

Bêlit had to hide a smile at Sonja being called a blossom. In her opinion "thorn" would have been a more appropriate sobriquet. But she said nothing and attended to preparing their simple meal. It consisted of oat cakes and fish that they had managed to catch from the river. By now the meal was becoming monotonous, but it kept them alive during their long quest for the lost temple.

Sonja managed to stay awake until she had eaten and then fell into an exhausted sleep that lasted into mid-morning. By that time Bêlit and Haldur had been sailing the boat since dawn. "Ugh," she grunted as she slipped out of her hammock. "Why did you...? Ahhh!" He injured leg buckled beneath her sending jarring pain up her thigh.

"That's why," Bêlit answered. "I checked your wound while you slept and it seems to be healing. With luck you'll avoid infection and with even more luck you'll be able to walk in five days or so."

"I'm walking now." Sonja growled. Ignoring the pain she forced herself to stand and walk across the deck. The effort must have been excruciating, but Sonja face betrayed no sign of pain, and she only limped slightly. "I'm starving," she said, throwing open the food locker.

"We left oat cakes and fried fish for you," Haldur said.

"Found it," Sonja said, wolfing down the food while still standing. Then she hobbled to the stern and took over the tiller from Haldur. "Now you rest," she ordered.

Stubborn, Bêlit thought. But at the same time she found herself admiring the redhead's intensity. She took her place on the deck adjusting the sail and watching for a repeat monster attack. However, nothing transpired that day.

Three more days brought them another forty of fifty leagues upstream. It was hard to tell exactly with the various twists and turns typical of all rivers; and the going was slower as the narrower the river got the faster the current moved. The Styx, however, was an enormous stream and although they had travelled hundreds of leagues from their starting point the riverbanks were still several hundred yards apart.

"By Bel and his servants," Bêlit muttered as the boat rounded still another bend, "how much farther does this accursed river go on?"

She was not in a particularly good mood. The wind had dropped to nothing and she and Haldur had been forced to pole the last few leagues. Sonja, because of her still-healing leg, could not help in this and both she and the northerner were dripping sweat. They had to stop often to take rests and water breaks to keep from collapsing.

At that moment, however, the river suddenly changed. Looming out of the centre of the stream was a massive black stone. Although almost overgrown with vegetation they could clearly make out the shape of a huge crowned figure; its legs spread wide enough for a vessel much larger than the one they were in to pass between. One of its arms held a shield and the other raised a spear high over its head.

"This is the place," Sonja called. "Get the map."

Haldur set down his pole and rand to the stern chest and threw it open. Quickly he retrieved an oil-wrapped package and spread it out on the deck. It was a map of Stygia and the nations adjacent to it. Haldur pointed to a point in Keshan, far up the river. On it was marked a symbol clearly meant to represent the enormous black colossus that stood in front of them. "We turn here," Haldur said. He stood up and began to search the riverbank to the west of the boat. "Somewhere here there should be a tributary that leads to Alkmeenon."

Bêlit studied the map. She could now see how far they had come. Everything looked so simple on the map. The distance they had travelled amounted to just a few inches, but Bêlit could see that they still had quite a way to go. The tributary they must travel represented at least half a moon more of travel provided everything went as planned. And she soon discovered that it might take longer than that.

Edging over to the western side of the river they found the tributary marked on the map. Its entrance was hidden by a curtain of thick vegetation and it proved to be only a fraction of the size of the Styx, measuring barely fifty yards across and overhung by a the branches of towering trees on either side. It meant that from here on using the boat's sail would be impossible. The small stream would have to be navigated using poles alone. It was not a prospect any of them were looking forward to, but the only alternative was trekking through the thick jungle; something that would take even longer.

"We'll rest today," Haldur announced. "Tomorrow we start poling."

It was a suggestion that met with general approval. It was mid-afternoon in any case and the heat was stifling. They would eat early and then sleep. Tomorrow promised to be the first of many grueling days. They tied up the boat at the base of the colossus and Bêlit looked up its staggering height. I wonder who built that, she mused, and if there are any of them left. She got no answers from the immense statue, so she helped prepare the meal and then she and her companions settled in for the night.

---

Morning found them about as well-rested as they would ever be, but the heat and humidity were already quite oppressive. However, there was nothing they could about that. They breakfasted and then Bêlit and Haldur picked up the poles and began moving the small craft up the tepid waters of the tributary. In almost no time at all they were dripping sweat, but they pushed on for the next full turn of the glass, before a shout from Sonja halted them.

"Time to take a break," she said, steering toward the riverbank so that Haldur could tie up the craft while they rested. "We'll need to rest often if we are to maintain this effort." She got up from the tiller and handed Bêlit the waterskin. "I'm spelling you. Take the tiller for the next interval and then spell Haldur. We'll all last longer if all three of us take a turn."

"But your leg," Haldur protested.

"To Arallu with my leg," Sonja replied. "I've lazed about long enough."

There was no way of talking the redhead out of it. She took Bêlit's pole and performed almost as if she had not suffered an injury, revealing a level of determination that Bêlit was forced to grudgingly admire. She seemed utterly indomitable and seemed to possess marvelous healing powers to boot. As Bêlit watched her straining at the pole she felt her animosity toward the Hyrkanian warrior slowly draining away. She still wasn't quite ready to forgive Sonja for her past transgressions, but she was willing to admit that the woman made a good partner. And then there was the fact that the redhead had rescued her from slavery hadn't she?

---

A week later they were still working their way up the slow-moving stream. For most of its length the unnamed river was little better than a swamp and they had to constantly check the position of the sun to make sure that they were going in the right direction. This was not always easy given the fact that the dense canopy completely blocked out any view of the sky for most of the day.

In order to check their direction it was often necessary to climb one of the giant trees that lined the bank or stuck out of the water. It was here that Bêlit proved her worth. With her partially healed leg still bothering her, Sonja wasn't up to much tree climbing and Haldur was much too heavy to risk the higher branches. For Bêlit, however, the task couldn't have been easier. She had spent much of her life clambering around the rigging of ships and a tree presented few problems. As a result scouting out the direction quickly became her task alone.

It was an assignment she actually enjoyed. Getting out of the claustrophobic forest and into the open air above the canopy gave her a feeling of freedom she had not enjoyed since the last time she had set sail and she sometimes tarried in the treetops taking in the view of the never-ending sea of green that spread out in all directions and enjoying the breeze that blew above the forest.

"Did you see anything interesting?" Sonja asked after she returned to the boat after one of her prolonged scouting missions.

"Just more trees," Bêlit replied sourly, annoyed at the implication that she had spent too much time aloft, and she countered with a question of her own. "Could you not have found a more convenient undertaking? All of this slogging through the jungle is becoming quite tedious. In the time it has taken us to get here I could have waylaid a dozen merchant ships."

"But you don't have a ship," Sonja pointed out. "Or a crew."

"It would have taken little time to raise one," Bêlit replied, her short-lived goodwill toward Sonja evaporating. "Are you even sure there is a treasure in this gods-forsaken temple we are seeking? This ordeal could all be for nothing."

"I stole the map from a mercenary who was in the process of organizing his own expedition to seek the treasure," Sonja answered. "You can be assured that it is genuine."

"I have no doubt the map is accurate," Bêlit said. "But what guarantee is there that the lost temple will have any treasure?"

"All lost temples have treasure," Haldur interjected. "It is a well-known fact."

"Oh, I see," Bêlit sneered. "Well, one could hardly argue with that source."

"Whatever you might think," Sonja pointed out. "There would be little point in turning back now. We can't be more than a few days away from the temple and I am for finishing this quest and at least finding out."

"Agreed," Haldur immediately chimed in. "Spending a few more days to reach our goal can hardly matter given the amount of time and effort we've already spent."

Bêlit had to reluctantly agree. After almost forty days on the river it really made no sense to turn back when they were so close. "Very well," she sighed, "but there better be a treasure."

The debate closed on that note and there was a further day of poling up the tea-coloured water of the tributary.

---

The heat and humidity sapped their strength and the boat was surrounded by swarms of biting flies. Sonja and Haldur had purchased an ointment from a herbalist in Khemi that was purported to protect the wearer from any insect attack. It was, unfortunately, found to be somewhat lacking regarding the insects that they were up against. "I'm going to gut that bastard when I get back," Haldur vowed, a sentiment shared by his companions. Sonja eventually resorted to burning green leaves on the charcoal brazier they used to cook their food, an action that worked better than anything the herbalist had supplied.

To make matters worse the current they were poling against increased, slowing their progress even further. Moreover, as the day progressed the current continued to strengthen until they were barely making any headway at all. It was frustrating and exhausting and by mid-afternoon all three companions were so tired they were ready to call an early halt, when Sonja suddenly stopped poling and cupped her ear.

"Listen," she murmured. "Can you hear that?'

Bêlit strained her ears. A faint rumble could be heard in the distance. "That sounds like..."

"A waterfall," Sonja said, finishing her sentence for her. "Let's keep going."

That was easier said than done. The strength of the current continued to increase, but they persevered until finally through a break in the trees they beheld the source of the rumble in its full glory.

From a high cliff a waterfall arced into a deep plunge pool and then overflowed into a series of other pools to feed the river they were travelling. It sent a plume of spray high into the air embellishing everything with beads of water and lowering the temperature of the surrounding forest. After so many days of suffocating heat it was a phenomenon so alluring that none of them could resist it.

Tying up the boat at the base of the lowest pool all three of the treasure-seekers clambered up the rocks to the highest pool. "Finally, a place without crocodiles," Sonja exulted. Completely unabashed, she stripped off her clothing and dove into the swift-flowing water. Haldur was only a few heartbeats behind, and Bêlit quickly joined both of them.

"Ah," Sonja gasped, rolling over on her back, "this is like a gift from the gods."

Bêlit could not have agreed more. After sixty days without a proper bath, and unable to swim in the predator-infested river, the touch of clean, cool water on her skin was almost rapturous. She dove to the bottom of the pool, rose, and then dove again, swimming until she was exhausted before joining Haldur and Sonja at the side of the pool. "I could stay here forever," she commented.

Less than fifty yards away there was another who would have been quite happy to agree with her had he been able to speak her language and had not the sound of the falling water drowned out her words. He and his companions had been watching the trio ever since they had caught sight of the boat being laboriously poled upstream. White-skinned strangers. Lamoro and his brothers had never seen anything like them. "Ghosts," he muttered. "They must be ghosts."

"They don't act like ghosts," Fasa replied. "They play in the water like children."

"Yes," Yoro agreed. "But they are all too well-formed for children. Especially the two women."

"Fools," Garuba chided. "Have you never heard of the pale-skinned strangers from afar? These must be some of them."

"I have," Lamoro said. "But I thought they were just stories meant to frighten children."

"You should pay better attention to your elders," Garuba grumbled. "We tell you these stories for a reason." As the oldest of the four watchers, he was the one in authority.

"So what do we do?" Fasa asked. "I for one find the two women quite desirable."

"You are always thinking with your cock," Garuba said. "They have defiled the sacred pool. Such a transgression is punishable by death."

"Are you sure?" Yoro asked. "It seems a shame to kill two such desirable females. They have bodies like the goddess herself."

"Such words are sacrilege," Garuba fumed. "Hold your tongue lest you offend the gods."

"Perhaps," Fasa suggested, "the gods would be satisfied with the man. Then the women could be put to other use."

"Your words are not pleasing," Garuba answered. "They have defiled the pool and they must die."

"Perhaps, we should consider capturing them first," Yoro suggested. "I note that they are armed and their weapons are still close at hand. One of us should go back to the village and get more men. We should also bring nets if we want to be sure of capturing them alive."

"I will go," Fasa volunteered. "I am the fastest." Fasa dashed off and Garuba and the others settled down to wait.

Still nude, Sonja sat on a small boulder next to the pool. She had briefly returned to the boat to consult the map and was back with good news. "It seems that we are closer to Alkmeenon than we thought. This is the falls marked on the map. The lost city is no more than a day or so away. We will stay here tonight and then push on tomorrow morning. First however, we should move the boat a little farther away from the falls."

The move was necessary in order to get the boat out of the continuous mist caused by the falls. Taking up the poles they pushed the boat a little farther upstream and then got an unexpected and pleasant surprise. The current was with them now and the boat required only that the poles be used to steer it. "The falls must be the high point of the river," Haldur theorized. "And the water flows both ways from it. From here on it must be all downstream."

---

Cheered from their swim and the change in direction of the river, they moved the boat a little farther downstream, now taking advantage of the current. None of them had bothered to dress, as their clothes were soaked from the spray. So they were caught naked and unprepared as a horde of lithe brown bodies suddenly leapt from the thick vegetation and onto the deck of the boat.

Sonja, Bêlit, and Haldur went for their weapons, but it was already too late. Even as Sonja reached her sword a net enveloped her and Haldur went down in a similar fashion. Bêlit got a bit farther, managing to duck under the canopy and avoiding the net hurled toward her. Two dark-skinned attackers made the mistake of attempting to close with her. She killed the first one with a slash of her sword, and then following through on the stroke, spun in a complete circle and took out the second man.

The sudden and unexpected death of two of their number gave the rest of the attackers pause; however they were not without their resources. Although unable to use their nets properly, they had another weapon at their disposal.

"Cursed dogs," Bêlit shouted as a bola flew toward her. It snagged her blade, rendering it useless and she quickly dropped it and picked up a spear, a weapon she had trained with since she was a girl.

"Get her," one of the attackers yelled. "Are you afraid of a woman?"

To her surprise Bêlit understood the words. The language spoken was almost identical to the Kushite tribe she had led as leader of the Black Corsairs. "I am no woman," she shouted. "I am Bêlit, Queen of the Black Coast."

The announcement brought a momentary halt in the attack. "She speaks our language," someone shouted. But the pause lasted only a few heartbeats.

"Take her. Take the defiler." This time the bolas encircled Bêlit's ankles. Although still brandishing her spear she could not move and was an easy target for the net that finally immobilized her. The now useless spear was wrenched from her grasp and several hands reached through the net to hold her arms and legs. She struggled furiously, but despite her efforts her arms were twisted behind her back and she was tightly bound at the wrists and elbows. Then she was raised to her feet to find that Sonja and Haldur had been bound in the same way. In short order they were linked together with a rope about their necks, Haldur at the front and then Sonja, with Bêlit bringing up the rear.

"Dogs," Bêlit raged, "you will all die for this."

One of her captors stepped up to her. "No defiler," he said, "it is you who will die. But not before you have suffered for your sins."

The words were spoken with such cold anger that Bêlit's protests stuck in her throat. A shiver ran down her back. Once again she was a prisoner; and this time Sonja was not going to be able to save her.

Continued in Chapter 5...

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