Ranger Ruse

By Brian J. Meline

Basil works for the Horsemaster and has become one of the young horse-breakers, and has learned much of the craft of the stables. But great events in his life await him. The Mere, the Falls, the Bridge, and the Rangers will all figure in this new tale.
This is book two in the "Tales of Herbia".
In these current days, the daughter of the last Duke is ruling, the Duchess. The new children of Herbia also are growing up. Six turns (years) ago the little boy Thyma discovered an old secret in the Mere, and for him the world was never the same again.
But great events in his life await him. The Mere, the Falls, the Bridge, and the Rangers will all figure in this new tale.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lulu.com
• Release date: Mar 20, 2015
• ISBN: 9781312916791

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Ranger Ruse

RANGER RUSE

Copyright

This is a story of fiction, and there are many references to the society and culture of the Middle Ages of Europe. The characters are fictional, and any resemblance to people living or dead is entirely coincidental. The use of any name or label is used only for fictional representation. There no intention to represent any ideology or opinion of any person, organization, corporation, government or governmental agency. The views expressed are entirely the opinion of the author.

PHILIPI PUBLISHING

(PHILIPI PRESS)

FIRST EDITION 2015

© 2015

Brian J. Meline

This book is copyright under the Berne Convention.

All rights reserved.  No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying and recording, or by any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the author and publisher.

Meline, Brian Joel,1955 -

Ranger Ruse

ISBN #: 978-1-312-91679-1

Printed in the United States of America

10  F  E  D  C  B  A  9  8  7  6  5  4  3  2

TALES OF HERBIA

(novellas)

1. Stone Skippers (eBook)

2. Ranger Ruse

3. Weaver Woe

4. Piper Ploy

*****

Of Herbia

Imagine you are getting ready for bed, and sleep.  You’ve prepared what you need to for the next day, and got on your pajamas or night-clothes, and have gotten into bed.  You read something for a little while, your eye-lids closing once or twice, and you surrender.

You turn off the light, and your head hits the pillow and you’re out.

You begin to dream at some point, and in this dream, you wake up, but not where you expect to be.  You have entered the Dream Universe.  In that Universe there are many worlds, but there is one in particular, and on that world is the little village of Herbia, and the lands and adventures that surround it.

It is a place, not of wizards or monsters, nor of rings or wands of power; but it is a place of magic.  There are people, young and old, who do, have done and will do many of the things that you do, have done and will yet do.

Turn the page, and wake up into your dream now, into the world….. of Herbia.

Prologue

Long after the king vanished, and decades after the Duchy of Ngouwe (Now) was formed, the little village of Herbia was established. A quarry was started and a stone bridge built to speed the messengers of the Duke.

In these current days, the daughter of the last Duke is ruling, the Duchess. The new children of Herbia also are growing up. Six turns (years) ago the little boy Thyma discovered an old secret in the Mere, and for him the world was never the same again.

This new generation is now older, and a young man named Basil (met in the previous story STONE SKIPPERS) is caught between childhood and adulthood.

Basil works for the Horsemaster and has become one of the young horse-breakers, and has learned much of the craft of the stables. But great events in his life await him. The Mere, the Falls, the Bridge, and the Rangers will all figure in this new tale.

Dedication:

For Harry, Carl and Axel

Ranger Ruse

Basil’s Tale

Breaker’s Day

Basil stood at the top of the cliff, looking down into the ravine, which was dark and overgrown with trees and bushes; there were horses there at the bottom in a bare space. The sky was light, but it changed back and forth between sunset and midday. Nobody around him seemed to notice or was bothered by it. Men in drab green and brown clothing were milling about, with a man in fine clothes and a hat. Basil’s mother came up from their house, which mysteriously had been moved to the cliff-side. She said something about the ravine and Basil tried to tell her these men were Rangers; she was unimpressed and walked away; the house faded away. The man in the fancy dress and crown was talking and trying to convince Basil of something; a Waitman was saying Basil could count on the man with the crown. Birds started chirping, or jaying, or whatever. Everybody started running and Basil jumped or was pushed off the cliff and he fell. Basil woke up.

The birds chirped too loudly.  He gradually realized they were no longer a part of his dream, which invariably involved horses in some way, at least these days.  The birds were chirping around the horses in the dream, but now the sound just came in through the open window.  No longer chilly spring, it was just warm enough at night to keep the shutters open, but not so hot yet during the day.  What a great time of turn.

He was wondering if he should get up just yet, and then remembered he wanted to get to the look-out before he went to his job. Something always happened there, or nearly.  A sense of unnecessary urgency gripped him, and he moved with a little more speed in dressing.

His mother worked with the Weavers these days as his sister Bay was older now, and could go to the green during the day with the other small children. He remembered his mother describing how they worsted the wool, and he found absolutely no interest in this.  His meager breakfast was laid out, meaning she had to leave early again.  The annoying part of this arrangement was that Chervil caught up on all the news of his home as she was apprenticed to the Weaver; thus he was treated with some jibes and comments by Chervil.

Quickly downing his breakfast, he was out the door.  He crossed neighboring yards to Forkin, striding purposefully through the flowers to Merewater.  As he walked, the events of six turns past floated through his mind.  In no time, he was across the stones at the Falls, and a little ways up the path running northeast along the edge of Farwood.  As he climbed the