Rohvim #1: Metal and Flesh (32 page)

Aeden shook his head, “No, I think we’ll just leave them alone.” They remained crouched behind the stout trees, occasionally glancing around to mark the progress of the band. Sharp cries rang out below them. They looked and saw another group of people, hidden in the trees on either side of the road begin to ambush the soldiers. They had an outlaw, brigandish look, and made quick work of the soldiers as they stabbed, slashed, punched, kicked and sliced their way through them. The soldiers, already weary and injured, could not muster any sort of defense and caved quickly before the sudden onslaught of the attackers. When all the soldiers were lying on the ground the brigands went among them, searching through their pockets and packs, taking any trifle or valuable. Then, as quietly as they had previously concealed themselves, the thieves melted back into the trees on the far side of the road and disappeared.

Aeden let out his breath—he had not realized he held it in the entire time. They waited there in the grove for about ten minutes, but there was no further sign of the brigands. Frederick said, “There is a signpost about half a mile down the road. I want to go look at it. We need to know how far we’ve come.”

Betha reacted, “We can’t go down there! They might just be waiting for the next group to come along!”

Aeden touched Betha’s elbow. “I think we should go look at it. We’re more than a match for them if they attack …”

Betha shot him a disapproving look.

“… no, I’m not just going to cut my way through them. If we’re attacked, we’ll just blast them unconscious, look at the sign, and leave.” The rest of the youth agreed, and Betha finally gave her consent, with the condition that they all promise not to use their swords on any brigand that might attack. They crept down to the road, Aeden and Frederick in the lead, followed by Darla, Rupert, Stuart, and Betha. They slowly approached the stretch of road where the soldiers all lay dead, the signpost beckoning some distance beyond. Aeden and Frederick walked along, listening carefully for any movement in the woods near the road, their eyes scanning through the trees and bushes.

Aeden stopped. He wheeled around, hearing something to his right. He listened closer, scanning the forest near the road, but the sound came from his feet. Gasping breath, hardly audible, stuttered out of one of the prostrate soldiers. He lay in a pool of blood, but his chest quivered slightly.

Relieved, Aeden continued, Frederick at his side. Rupert, Stuart, and Darla followed close by, likewise hearing the raspy breath of the fallen man, but, wary of the brigands they imagined were watching them, followed close behind the young men in front. Betha passed as well, but froze as she too heard the gasping. She looked at the poor man at her feet and immediately dropped to her knees next to him.

“Betha!” Aeden whispered, fiercely. “What in the Creator’s name are you doing? Let’s go look at this sign and get out of here!”

She glared at him, and then placed her hand on injured man’s head. She closed her eyes but for three seconds, and opening them said, “I think he’ll be alright. I fixed the worst of it, and set him free from Shiavo.”

Slowly, the man came to. He coughed up a bit of blood, let out a groan, then, looking up at the girl, confusion covered his face and he asked, “Who are you?”

“A friend. Here, take this,” she pressed a few coins in his hand, “there is a town just a few miles up the road. If you start now you might arrive there before dark. Find an inn and rest. We will arrive tomorrow and have among us a kinswoman of the town who can vouch for you if they are suspicious of you.” She helped the man to his feet, who limped a bit, but seemed to be rapidly improving.

“Thank you, but—” he stuttered, “—but, I can’t remember how I got here. Who are these people?” He looked at the other bloody soldiers at his feet. “What happened here?”

Betha took him by the elbow and walked towards the others, pulling his attention away from the dead. “You seem to have fallen in among some thieves. You got quite a knock on the head, so I doubt you’ll remember much for a day or so. Please, travel quickly, and you will be alright.”

She walked with the man until they came to the signpost.
Turku, 5 miles
, it read. Betha sent the man on his way and she and the others all walked back up the hill, finding the grove of trees where they had hid before.

Aeden said, “Let me and Frederick stay here for awhile and make sure the brigands did not mark our route.” The others agreed to this and left the two sitting among the trees. They waited for close to an hour, seeing nothing.

“I didn’t hear that man breathing. Did you?” Frederick asked.

“Yes,” Aeden answered, “I heard him. But I thought he was beyond saving, and plus, we had more pressing things to think about at the moment, wouldn’t you agree?”

They waited longer, just to be sure. Frederick wondered aloud, “I wonder who those brigands were? I’ve traveled the roads and have heard of thieves and highwaymen—met one once—but I had never heard that they traveled in groups before. Kinda funny, don’t you think?”

Aeden had not thought of that. “You’re right. That is strange.” His head snapped to his left as movement on the road caught his attention, but saw only a coyote dash across it. He exhaled in relief. “So you and Darla?”

Frederick grinned, “Me and Darla, what?”

“Known her a long time?”

“A few years. She and her family moved to Ramath many years ago, and we met when I joined the society after I turned twenty. That was five years ago. Smoking hot, isn’t she?” He blew on his hand and shook it, biting his lower lip.

Aeden burst out laughing at the display. “She’s a little of a handful, though, isn’t she?”

Frederick sighed, “Yes. A big, fiery hot, blissful handful of awesome.”

Aeden rolled his eyes at the older boy. “Well she’s got quite the friend. The first time I looked at Betha, I about lost it. I fumbled around and stuttered a bit …”

“Sounds awfully Aeden-like to me. Come on, let’s go.”

The boys rose to their feet and began the hike back to the group. Frederick went on, “Yeah, Betha is one of a kind, like Darla, but different. I’ve known her for just as long. The two of them are inseparable—they both were basically born into the society, Betha’s father had been a member for years when she was born, and Darla’s parents both were as well. They’re both strong, tough, excellent fighters, beautiful, but Betha is not as rough or sarcastic or irreverent like Darla. I guess that’s why I like her. She reminds me of me! And who couldn’t be attracted to me? Look at you. Even you’re blushing just by standing next to me!”

Aeden opened his mouth in protest, but couldn’t help but chuckle breathlessly. They arrived in the camp at last, Darla running up to them and jumping into Frederick’s arms, “Oh my honey! I’ve been so worried for you! What if you had scratched your bloated ego without me there?”

“I’m here, my darling. Nothing shall hurt you now. Except for me, of course, but you knew that already.”

They swept away, and Aeden approached the others. Betha gave him a look, and continued cutting up some salted meat to serve to the others.

Aeden sat next to Rupert, who filled him in, “Diana says that we’ve come further east than she thought, and hadn’t expected to be near Turku.”

“Is that bad?” whispered Aeden.

“Not exactly. Diana is about as anti-nobility as they come in the society, and Turku just happens to be the seat of power of one of the great noble families of Volda. The fact that she insulted the lady there is why she moved to Ramala, and then to Ramath.”

“Oh. Great. Now we just have to avoid the brigands on the road, steer clear of any stone-faced soldiers, hide from the nobles of Turku as we pass through their town, all while finding the warlard, secretly killing him so his army doesn’t attack us en masse … am I missing anything?”

Rupert’s face screwed up and asked, “Did you just call him the warlard?”

“Yeah. It’s what Frederick and Darla call him. It just stuck.” He bent over and, unbuckling his sheaths, stuffed his weapons under his bedding. “I’m just worried that when we get to the compound and find out it really is some fat guy controlling the armies of doom that I’ll double over laughing, and then he gets me.” Aeden sliced his finger across his throat. 

“Frederick is weird.” Rupert said, eliciting a raised eyebrow from Aeden, who simply patted his friend’s shoulder and got up to talk to the master healer.

The old man welcomed him back and said, “Foolish boy. Again. But at least this time you bring useful news. I’m not sure which is worse—the fact that we’ve come too far east and stumbled upon the town of Turku, or that brigands are now banding together.”

“Frederick wondered the same thing. What could it mean? The brigands, I mean.”

The master healer stroked his beard, “I do not know. Thieves usually travel alone or maybe in twos, for protection. But in groups? That cuts down on profits.”

“And why are you worried about Turku? Is it that Diana is not well liked by the nobility there?”

The man nodded, “Yes. That complicates things if we want to pass through their kingdom on her recognizance. The people of Volda don’t usually prefer strangers visiting their lands. They are even distrustful of healers—especially so, since we are viewed as witches and sorcerers there. But having Diana with us, we had hoped we could pass through anywhere we wished. We still might—we shall just have to keep a lower profile. A lower profile, I should say.”

Aeden sat next to the man. “Master, if Betha’s father were still in the society, would he be on the Elder Council?”

The master healer sat in silence for several moments before answering, “Probably. Before Alastair died, he confided to me that he wanted Solfim Solvinstra to replace him on the council. After his death however, several council members opposed his appointment, Clara included, and we chose Glory Evilspeak instead …” Aeden gaped at the man, “… I assure you she is quite pleasant, despite the unfortunate name.”

“Did he object?”

“He agreed, deeming her more prepared for the task, but he would have done just fine. Solfim is very gentle and soft spoken, and perhaps did not speak up for himself as he should have. Betha, just nine at the time, nearly ran away from home she was so angry at him for not trying to get the position she thought he deserved. Ever since then she seems to have acquired enough ambition for the both of them, and when I officially invited her to join, the first question out of her eleven year old mouth was, “how old do you have to be to get on the Elder Council?” I laughed, but seeing her stare at me, frowning, made me glad she didn’t have her sword handy. Needless to say, she has been quite involved in society affairs for many years now, always volunteering for local missions, begging to sit in on Council meetings and such.”

“She seems very capable. And such a good cook …” Aeden trailed off, staring absent mindedly at the girl who was engaged with Gregory in conjuring up yet another meal for the company.

By now, evening had come and the sun passed down behind the mountain to the west. The company retired to bed, and awoke in the morning to begin their march afresh. Scant hours went by before they began passing farms and cottages. Men and women glanced up from their fields, looks of distrust on their faces as their eyes fell upon the strangers, but no one barred their path.

They entered the town, and went straight to a pub, hoping to find information there. The shabby brick building had mud smeared on the walls and doors and hens scattered about in a coop attached to the building. They heard raucous laughter and singing inside.

The master healer told the group, “It might be best if just Diana and I, and Arturo enter. It might appear confrontational if eleven well armed men and women from the south came in all at once. The rest of you, please find the marketplace and attempt to restock our stores. If any ask, tell them we are on our way to the north—to explore the wild lands north of Ramala.”

The three entered the pub, and the rest of them continued walking on to the marketplace, which was in the center of town. They bought from the cured meat seller, and refreshed their stores of dried biscuits and wines. Aeden looked at a small, neat building on the corner of the market square.

“Hey Rupert.” He mumbled in the boy’s ear. “Follow me.”

The two approached the shop and opened the door. The confectioner looked up from her work, a scowl on her face. “Are you here to buy? Or waste my time?”

Aeden bowed lowed to the woman. “My dear lady. I am honored to meet your acquaintance. I am Lord Rossam, sent by the king of Puertamando himself to tour the northern kingdoms and return with the finest confections and candies that money can buy.”

Her eyes widened, and she wiped her sugary hands on the apron around her ample belly. “Well then come in, come in!” She grabbed their hands and bowed her head many times. She looked at Rupert. “And you? My lord’s servant, perhaps?”

Rupert opened his mouth to respond affirmatively, but Aeden interrupted him, “My good lady! This is Lord Murridock, of the capital city itself! He is cousin to the prince! He is my good friend and I’ve asked him to join me on this confectionary tour of the north.”

Rupert nodded furiously. “Do you have any daughters, madam?”

Aeden shot him an amazed look. The woman held her hand to her mouth. “Oh my. Yes! Yes, I have three. Perhaps your age!” she replied, giddy with delight. “Shall I fetch them? They are working out back grinding the flour, but ….”

Rupert held up his hand, “Unnecessary, madam, we will see them soon enough, I assure you. But please, won’t you show us around?” He kissed her hand and placed his thin arm around the woman’s shoulders as she giggled, and began showing off her wares.

Ten minutes later, the two emerged from the shop, hands full of sweet cakes and candies. Aeden opened his sticky mouth, “Wow. You’re good.”

“I had a noble as a friend growing up. I learned from the best.”

Aeden mumbled, “And I thought I was good ….”

They returned to the group and distributed the treats and after fifteen minutes the master healer, Diana and Arturo joined them, having finished their information gathering at the pub.