by T Nisbet
Gill took the first watch, which ended up being the only watch of the night. He winked at me as Bronn chewed him out for not waking any of us. We ate some kind of dried fruit that oddly enough, satisfied my thirst. There was also smoked sausages, along with biscuits that were somewhat hard but very filling despite their small size.
I pulled my weathered hood down low over my face as I listened to the creaking of the heavily laden wagon and the sound of horse’s hooves striking the dirt covered paving stones. I’d gone to bed in a dark mood, and despite the incredibly beautiful, startlingly vivid dreams about fanciful fairies, I woke much the same way.
Fortunately everyone left me alone as the sun came over the horizon and the morning progressed into day. The groves of Aspen-like trees we passed grew more expansive as we continued up the road into Mozgul. Several dark-clad riders galloped past us heading towards the direction we’d come from, but none stopped, or even acknowledged our party in any way.
Ivy’s loud sigh drew my attention and I lifted my bent head and watched as she rode up to Guldan. The road we traveled had entered an especially large grove of trees. Up ahead it curved to the left disappearing around a large, wooded hill. She talked with him briefly then returned.
“There is a large encampment on the other side of that hill. Guldan says to be sharp and keep our hoods pulled down low,” she said. “He wants you and me up front, Jake. We are to stay behind him to either side.”
Everyone pulled his or her hoods lower. Ivy and I rode around the wagon. Bronn raised his eyebrows and then winked as we rode past. Guldan turned slightly in his saddle and acknowledged us briefly.
“You’re likely to be tested again, Master Gunn. In the daylight, Blood Elves don’t recognize anyone as a lord. That includes me. Most of the Lords in Mozgul are vampires who don’t come out during the daytime, not being of the covenant. Are you ready?”
I sighed.
“Yeah.”
“Good, do everything the same as yesterday. You’ll be able to understand what I’m saying, so follow any order I give without hesitation,” Guldan whispered.
“How will he understand?” Ivy asked in a forced whisper.
“With this many Blood Elves gathered in the same place they will all be speaking Common because of the vastly different dialects spoken in Mozgul. Yesterday was a fluke. They were all from the same city and spoke in the dialect favored by that region.”
As we rounded the tree-covered hill and exited the thick grove of trees, I could see the castle soaring above several low hills in the distance. It reminded me of the Bavarian castles in Germany that I’d seen pictures of in history class. That isn’t what gathered my attention though. At the base of the hills an army was camped. Black tents filled the valley before us. It would have taken all day to count their number. The roadway turned slowly right along the edge of the tent camp continuing on into a forest of blackened trees stripped bare by a fire that had long ago burned out.
“Steady now,” Guldan said, as we headed towards the huge encampment.
“I thought the army was already on the border, ready to attack Ceneria,” I whispered.
“It is,” Guldan replied softly. “This is one division at most, probably tasked with protecting the supply swains for the army. It will be a long supply line; their forces will be spread thin covering its full length.”
Despite the warm morning and my anxiety, a cold shiver ran down my spine as the realization of just how big this war was going to be crashed down on me. With that big a force protecting the supplies, the main force had to be enormous.
As we neared the vast encampment a large group of black clad riders wheeled around the left side of tent city and sped towards us.
“Steady,” Guldan repeated.
An overwhelming desire to turn my horse and flee swept through me. The riders whooped and hollered words I couldn’t understand as they flew towards us over the low grass.
“Halt!” Guldan ordered, lifting his hand casually in a fist.
The riders didn’t slow until the last minute, their horses stamping nervously and breathing loudly as they closed a circle around us.
I kept my head down and remained facing forward.
“Dismount, your goods, horses and weapons are forfeit,” said one of the dark-haired blood elves near Guldan.
Guldan started laughing. I ignored the sweat dripping off of my forehead into my right eye.
“Now!” the blood elf next to the leader ordered.
Guldan continued to laugh and motioned back at me with a casual flick of his wrist. Not again. I took a deep breath and dismounted from my horse handing the reins to Ivy. I shouldn’t have looked up into her face, but I did. She couldn’t hide how worried and frightened she was.
I walked before Guldan and unsheathed my sword trying to appear as relaxed as possible. I let the tip touch the road and waited, adrenaline pumping through me, every nerve in my body on edge.
Laughter slowly spread through the blood elves surrounding us.
“A challenge?” said the first blood elf with a sneer. “Excellent, some entertainment! Whoever kills this merchant’s champion gets his horse and a cask of that wine for himself.”
Almost all of the elves encircling us shouted out volunteering. The leader nodded at an elf to his left. Groans of disappointment and curses echoed from those not picked. The selected blood elf dismounted and walked forward facing me.
“I will enjoy riding your horse,” the Blood elf taunted, drawing his sword.
I didn’t move or acknowledge him in any way. I stood waiting and regarded him from beneath my hood, right eye stinging with sweat. I watched his movements carefully. I saw him settle into a stance and knew instinctively that he would lunge any second. “Quick, decisive,” I thought, preparing mentally. He lifted his sword towards my stomach. I watched his feet tense and his weight shift onto his back foot.
The elf’s lunge had the speed of a viper strike, but found only air as I slid to his right and forward, then spun, extending my sword arm. I felt Gwensorloth bite and relaxed stepping back once more to where I had been standing a second before, sword tip once more touching the ground before me.
The blood elves lifeless body thudded onto the road and a moment later his head followed, rolling over beside my leather boot. Gasps of surprise and anger spread through the blood elves surrounding us.
Guldan started laughing once more. I stood still, horrified by what I’d just done so casually, so easily. It was even worse than the murder I’d committed yesterday, though it was perhaps a cleaner kill if the surprised look etched on the dead elf’s face was any indication. I wanted to scream as a thunderous wave of adrenaline surged through me, sending my heart beating out of control. I tried to breathe through it and concentrated on the tip of my sword lightly touching the pavement and not on the elf’s severed head. Gwensorloth was clean, even if my soul was not. Guldan’s laughter continued for a few moments.
“That was rather pathetic, not much sport at all I’m afraid. Perhaps you would have better luck against my dwarf. Anyone care to test him?” Guldan asked sarcastically.
Shouts of impudent anger erupted all around us, but none of the furious blood elves got off their horses and took up the challenge. Guldan waited a moment then laughed.
“No? Then move this piece of offal out of my way! I don’t want to stain my wagon wheels with his weak blood.”
None of the blood elves moved.
“Dwarf, clear the road,” Guldan said shrugging.
“As you wish, mi lord,” Bronn grumbled.
I heard Bronn’s chains rustle in the wagon behind me as I fought to maintain my anxiety breathing. He got down and came over to my side, kicking the head lying beside my foot off the road like a soccer ball. This brought another round of shouts from the elves surrounding us. Bending over, he grabbed the dead blood elf’s tunic with both hands and tossed the body off the road like a rag doll. He turned around without saying anything, made his way back to the wagon, chain
s rattling and clinking and climbed up into the seat.
Seeing Bronn’s feet of strength, I was shocked out of my anxiety, forgetting about my racing heart.
“Did you not think King Zildian would send the best to retrieve his sweet wine?” Guldan laughed, slapping his thighs with mirth, then gestured at the leader to clear the road.
This brought a few gasps, and even though my hood was pulled low I could see the two that led this group looking a bit shocked at Guldan’s words. One of the dark-haired blood elves, the one Guldan pointed at who had done most of the talking, nodded his head reluctantly, obviously displeased he wouldn’t be getting any spoils.
“Give me your name, that I may tell my Captain who I allowed to pass?” he said, leaning forward as if to gain a better look beneath Guldan’s hood.
“Best my champion, and I will tell you,” Guldan responded. “One last time, move aside or I will count your life forfeit and have my priestess sacrifice your heart on this very road.”
I could see the blood elf’s resolve fail as he looked at Carla, his hands were clenched, but he had decided. I guessed it would go badly for him with his captain, regardless of explanation.
“Be on your way then,” the blood elf finally said, gesturing for other elves to clear a path to allow Bronn’s wagon forward. The blood elves blocking our way, moved to the side their eyes filled with undisguised hatred.
Guldan nodded.
“Wise decision. You may keep your comrades’ horse, though it is mine by right, to remind you of your choice this day,” he said with an edge of sarcasm in his voice and then nodded to me.
I sheathed Gwensorloth and turned, walking back to my horse. I didn’t look at Ivy as I gathered the horse’s reins and swung back into the saddle. Guldan gestured again and we started forward.
No one else bothered us as we continued along the road on the outskirts of the dark-draped encampment and made our way into the burnt out forest. Very few of the blood elves in the massive camp even looked at us as we passed by. I had an eerie sense that something was wrong. I couldn’t put my finger on what it was, but something seemed out of place. As soon as the camp was out of sight Guldan stopped and turned in the saddle and looked at Bronn.
“That was way too easy,” he said pulling back his hood as he regarded the dwarf.
“I agree. What Blood elf would pass up a chance at fighting a dwarf, even if he knew he’d die trying?” Bronn grumbled.
“Precisely why I suggested it. I needed to be sure,” Guldan nodded. “Their leader picked the worst fighter as well, see the others rolling their eyes when he was picked?”
“I thought as much,” Bronn agreed. “Both fights, the one at the crossroads, and this last one, were more sacrifice than duel. Only an idiot gambles his life in such a manner.”
“Or a volunteer,” Guldan said, his dark eyes narrowing. “Given the amount of wine we are carrying, and the quality of our horses, there should have been a dozen or more challenges before we were able to pass through that camp. We had just one, and a poor one at that.”
“Are you saying Jake’s fights were fixed?” Toby asked, breaking into their conversation. His voice did little to conceal his disbelief. Guldan turned his attention to my friend.
“Yesterday’s fight planted the seed in my mind, giant, and today’s fight watered it,” Guldan said nodding.
“Wonderful,” Toby sighed. “So what does that mean? Why send someone to his death like that? It doesn’t make sense. With the army sitting in that camp, they could have captured us easily. Why all deception? Why let us by?”
“I wonder...” Guldan said, a look of worry on his pale, handsome face.
“If what you’re saying is true, and we’re being set up, then …” Carla said. “They’ve been planning this for awhile.”
Bronn grunted loudly in agreement, waving a manacled hand at Carla.
“The girl’s got it by the teeth, I keen. They were issued orders allowing us to pass by long ago. That group guarding the crossroads yesterday looked relieved when we arrived, not surprised. They had several packhorses weighed down with supplies too. I’d wager my beard they had been there awhile waiting for us. And that last group just happened to wheel around the encampment and head towards us? By the fickle virgins!” Bronn cursed unhappily. “They were waiting, and worse, someone wants us to believe nothing is wrong!”
“The question becomes this then: Do they know what our mission entails?” Guldan contemplated aloud. “If they do, then why allow us to continue our quest?”
I listened, digesting what I was hearing when suddenly, the pieces started to fall into place. And just like that, I knew the answer. A wave of despair washed over me as I realized that telling how I knew meant revealing my secret but I got a sense that it couldn’t be helped now. Wishing there was some other way, I pulled my hood back and took a deep breath calming my still racing heart.
“I think I know,” I said, trying to keep my voice strong.
“Explain then lad!” Bronn barked.
“It’s kind of a long story,” I said, looking nervously down the road the way we’d come. I half expected to see a war party thundering towards us from the camp any second.
Guldan looked at me curiously.
“It will have to wait until later. I fear we need to get off this road. Corporal Gillian, scout the way ahead of us. There is a crossroad maybe a league or two distant that leads to the castle,” he said quietly to the guard. “Be careful, but be quick. If the crossroads is clear then return with all haste. We should put some distance between that camp and us but not appear to be fleeing. My heart tells me we need to play along with their deception for now, and if they spy us fleeing they will know we are on to their game.”
Gill urged his mount into a gallop and disappeared down the road.
“Lets go. Normal traveling pace, but be ready to fly when he returns. After we pass the intersection there are several places to move from the road and hide for awhile to see if we are being followed and discuss our options from relative safety.”
“What about Brianna?” I asked.
Guldan grimaced, shaking his head.
“Once we find cover, we can hike up towards the castle and check, like we planned.”