Kiteman of Karanga by Alfred Reynolds Read Free Book Online

to be several years younger than himself.
    "I hope you tied him tightly, Rika," said the old man as he tested Karl's bonds. "We don't want him to escape before we can deliver him to Athgar in the morning."
    Rika looked at the boy. "Rolf, bring him some food."
    "Not too much," the old man called after the boy. Then he turned to Karl. "Where are you from, thief?"
    "Karanga," Karl answered. "Far to the east. I came across the desert."
    "You are a liar as well as a thief," said the old man. "You are from the north. I can tell by your fur vest and leather leggings."
    Rolf brought Karl a small loaf of bread and a piece of cheese which he ate ravenously.
    When he was done, Karl looked up at the old man. "I was starving. That's why I killed your sheep," he said. "When I crossed the desert, I could find no game. And once I got here I didn't dare show myself and ask for food because I didnt want to be fed to one of your dread lizards."
    "It's the Hrithdon who have the lizards, not us," said Rika.
    "What tribe is this?" Karl asked.
    "This is the village of Eftah, chief village of the Nation of Eftah," said the old man proudly. "And we don't suffer sheep thieves. We turn them over to the Hrithdon."
    "And you will give me to these Hrithdon?"
    "We may," said Rika. "In the morning we will go to Athgar, the village leader, and he will decide what is to be done with you."
    For a moment Karl considered grabbing his spear, cutting the rope that hobbled his legs, and trying to fight his way out of the house. If he could only make it back to the top of the ridge and get into his wing, he knew his escape was assured. But exhaustion overcame him, and he leaned back for a moment on the wide bench. Without realizing it, he fell asleep.
    Bright sunlight flooding through the open doorway woke Karl up. A blanket had been put over him during the night. For a while he lay still, observing his surroundings. Though much smaller than his father's adobe house in Karanga, the stone cottage was cheerful and cozy. However, as Karl watched Rika and the others, he realized that these shepherds were far poorer than the hunters of Karanga. In Karanga, a couch to sit on would be covered with sumptuous hides. Here the couch was a bare wooden bench with a wooden back. Nor did Karl fail to notice that his captors were barefoot, while he still wore his sturdy sandals. The only thing they seemed to have plenty of was firewood, and he watched in amazement as Rika heaped it on the fire in a way that would have been considered wasteful in his homeland.
    As Karl tried to rise he discovered that he had been bound to the bench in his sleep. While he wriggled to get the circulation going in his stiff limbs, Rika came over to him. She stood staring at him, and Karl realized what a sorry sight he was—smelly, grimy, and unwashed. But as she stared she smiled a little.
    "I believe that you came from across the desert, even though Grandfather does not," she said. "Your spear and knife are made of black glass. We have no black glass; neither do the Hrithdon or the Northmen. And you seemed to be telling the truth last night."
    "I was telling the truth," Karl replied with a sudden hope that if this girl believed him, he might somehow be spared. "I know crossing the desert sounds impossible because my people also believe the desert is endless."
    Quickly bending down, she undid the rope that tied Karl to the bench and loosened the ropes on his wrists and ankles.
    "What should we call you?" she asked.
    "My name is Karl," he answered.
    He could now hobble about slowly. Rika gestured to him to follow her to the table where her brother and grandfather were already sitting.
    The breakfast was meager, a chunk of bread and a little rendered lamb's fat to spread on it, followed by a mug of steaming tea that smelled of mint. When the meal was done, Rika stood up and got Karl's spear from the next room. Then, retying his hands and undoing the rope on his ankles, she led him outside to where Rolf