Leaves crackled under her feet as she stepped into position, peeking carefully around the trunk to watch the men. They talked around a fire, their bellies shaking their heavy armor whenever they laughed. Their boisterous voices reached her ears, and as she slid to another tree taking care not to get caught, she listened in.
"Did you see the look on that man's face...?"
"Shhhh... Did you hear that?" One of the knights had stood up to peer toward where she hid. She pulled her head back, hoping he had not seen her.
"No, I didn't hear anything."
Astrid's heart was pounding so furiously, she was sure they could hear it.
"I swear I heard a noise, crackling or something," the man continued.
Astrid didn't dare breathe, in case the man decided to come searching for her.
"Probably an animal or something," someone else chimed in.
"Yeah, right. An animal? Anything out here has probably already been killed and brought to the king."
"You ever notice how he gets fatter and fatter while the rest of us fight each other for scraps of food?" the first man with the rotund belly spoke again,
"Yeah, everyone except you, Giovan," someone chortled.
A chorus of raucous laughter rose up.
"Hey, I don't see you going without, Venmir!" the one called Giovan retorted.
"Well, let's face it... we do have it better than the rest," Venmir said. "First pick of the best meat this side of Telluris. It's as if we've chased them all from our land, and they've come to hide in the woods."
"Right, which means that noise I heard could have been another animal. I say we go after it." It was the unfamiliar voice again, the man without a name.
"All right, all right." Giovan relented. "Let's go after it, shall we?"
"Aye!" another loud chorus of agreement echoed.
Oh no! Astrid immediately left her hiding place and ran deeper into the woods. The sudden yells of the knights told her that she'd been seen.
"Hey, it's not an animal. It's a woman!" one of them yelled.
"Still meat to me!" Another round of laughter, and then the sound of heavy footsteps coming after her.
"Run, Astrid... run like you've never run before," Aronus said.
17
Svana
Kindness goes a long way, especially coming from a stranger. However, if you're not used to kindness--you're weary of it. Why are they being kind? Do they have a hidden agenda? Or, are they an honest, kind person? If they are truly kind, it is something that will imprint in your memory forever.
King Michiel the Trusted, Third King of Caelestis, 484 A.V.
As the sun rose and fell, Svana became aware of the increasing frequency of homes along the roadway. It only confirmed that they were getting closer to the main entrance of Telluris.
"I can see the castle off in the distance."
"We're almost there. Just a little further."
Svana nodded her head. "Good, I don't want to be out here when night falls." Her eyes lifted toward the sky.
"Here will do, just across this field and you'll be where you need to be," Lingaria urged her.
"Doesn't this field belong to someone?" she asked.
"It does ... the king. So that means it belongs to you, or will soon enough." His mouth turned up in a sarcastic grin.
"You're going to get me into trouble ... I can tell." Svana focused her attention on getting through the field as quickly as possible, hoping that she wouldn't come across the owner of the land. If it was indeed the king's field, then she had no doubt there would be guards of some type standing watch.
"Not tonight. Tonight everyone has left to watch the fights," Lingaria said, the tone of his voice almost urging her to ask him what he meant.
From the distance, Svana heard yells--a disorderly crowd shouting unintelligently. Svana noted that men and women alike were cheering.
Making her way over to them, she wasn't sure what to expect.
"What is this uproar?" She turned her attention to Lingaria who was almost snakelike in his response.
"People fight each other and the winner gets a bag of coins. You'll need that if you wish to buy anything here."
"Ah, coin. The root of intense evil, and no doubt part, if not all the reason the kingdoms of Verdil are at war."
"So, Melifera has taught you a thing or two about currency," Lingaria prodded her.
"Indeed she has, and that look on your face tells me that you think it would be a good idea to partake in this caveman event, am I right?"
"Well, it would be good practice for hand to hand combat. And seeing as how you have no coin at all..." The dragon left the rest unsaid.
"Fine, Lingaria. I'll do this, but not because you want me to. I'm fairly curious as to how well I'll manage, since I've only ever had combat with my sisters."
Svana grabbed her hair and smoothed it, braiding it tightly before she approached the large crowd. As she neared, she could tell the shouts were the names of whom the crowd wanted to succeed.
"It seems like everyone, peasant and noble alike is here," she said, as she looked over the patrons and fans.
"Yes, so take care, and pay attention," Lingaria warned her.
"Of course," Svana felt annoyed with his instruction.
Making her way to the end of the rope that separated the crowd of peasants and nobles from the square, muddy area where the men were fighting. She noticed their dirty, loose tunics over thick cloth and their loose pants.
Svana looked down at her own form fitting armor. "Oh well, doesn't matter."
She marched up to the platform to a man she had observed was calling out orders to the men fighting.
"I'd like to fight," she yelled to him. The bearded man smelled of mead and sweat, the odor overpowering.
He leaned off the platform, looking her up and down as an appraiser looking over a piece of meat. With his upper lip turned into a snarl he said, "Fine, lass. Get over there, and wait your turn."
The snarling man motioned toward the small line to the left of the platform. Svana noted with dismay two other men much larger than her waiting to fight as well.
Lingaria had disappeared, no doubt aligning himself with the sword so as not to be seen. When it was her turn, she removed the sword from her waist and set it aside, getting into a crouching stance.
"Ah, a pretty girl, eh, are you sure you aren't lost, miss?" The man she faced had won the last three matches, at that moment his mouth turned into a snarl of a smile.
"No, I'm right where I need to be," she said without an ounce of fear.
Without hesitation, he charged, launching a haymaker to fell her with one blow. On the balls of her feet, she dodged easily, rabbit punching him in the temple as he passed. His body went limp before he plowed into a face-first furrow in the ground. He remained where he fell.
"My little sister fights better than you," Svana taunted into the crowd's stunned silence.
"Wait!" the fight master called, alarmed by his quick loss based on his poor judgment of her skill and the odds he delivered because of it. "Double or nothing."
Svana had no idea what her winnings amounted to, but double had to be better, twice as good, she reasoned. She nodded to the gruff man. He chuckled low in his throat.
"Hammer Toe! You're in the pit tonight," the fight master declared.
The person controlling the crowd, pulled his shirt free with a well-practiced move, and lumbered heavily past the barrier and into the arena. He balanced on the balls of his feet, as Svana did. His slow movements and large size belied a fighter's grace. She saw through his act.
Standing straight, she started to circle her opponent. Hammer Toe held his position in the middle of the area, shifting to keep her in front of him, sliding his feet to keep from crossing them.
She darted ahead, trying to get behind him, but he matched her speed. She gained no advantage. She stopped and crouched, crooking a finger at him. He shook his head and motioned for her to come to him.
"Well now, I would have never thought a big man like you would be afraid of a little girl like me."
He scoffed. "Afraid? No. Cautious? Always. You felled my trainee with a single move. I can't fall prey to such a callous overreach. Do you know what that is? Come here and let me show you."
They circled each other for a time, until Svana could stand it no more. While defense was the smart way to fight, if they both did nothing but defense, they would circle each other all night. She pounced forward, searching for an opening. Her fist met his open palm, where he clasped his fingers around her fist and twisted. Svana grunted as she felt her wrist twist. She spun around, forcing her leg into the air, and her heel connected with his jaw. He let go of her wrist as he stumbled backwards.
Svana grinned at him.
This time he rushed forward. His fist flew through the air faster than Svana would have imagined had she not seen it with her own eyes. She dipped her head to the left, and felt as air passed by her right ear. Svana raised both of her hands up, where she secured them around his elbow. She pulled him forcefully toward her at the same time his momentum was carrying his punch forward, causing him to stumble on his feet and fall toward her.
She slid forward and snap-kicked him between the legs. As he started to fall, she delivered a right hook to the side of his head. Her fist screamed in protest as if she'd slammed it into a rock wall. Hammer Toe wasn't out, but he was down.
When the crowd realized the fight had finished with the red-haired beauty standing tall over their champion, they laughed and cheered.
Svana gathered her bag of coin with a triumphant grin on her face. The yell of cheers from the crowd were enough to make her feel as if she could take on anyone. When her back had been turned, a scraggly haired man had ducked under the rope and grabbed her belt with the sword and scabbard. When she saw him making his way from the pit, she yelled after him. The crowd had gone silent as they watched what she would do. Noticing their eyes on her, she jogged easily after him.
He didn't get far before a red flash crackled about his body. He flipped into the air with the shock, landing on the ground with a sandbag's thud. Svana retrieved her sword, scowling at the would-be thief.
"That'll teach you to touch other people's things," she scolded.
The thief jumped to his feet, giving her a fearful glance before he sprinted away. When Svana turned around, she noticed whispers all around her from the people of the village.
"What was that?" someone whispered.
"Who is she?" a female voice asked.
"Don't rightly know," someone answered.
"Will you come back and fight again tomorrow, miss?" a peasant woman with a thick Tellurian accent called to her.
Svana stopped and turned to the woman. "Indeed."
She then smiled to the crowd. "I quite enjoyed myself. Just make sure that when I come back tomorrow, a worthy opponent awaits me."
The woman, and the crowd cheered in response. The fight was good practice for her, and would prepare her for the day she would meet the king.
"Quite proud of yourself, aren't you?" Lingaria asked when they had gotten clear of the crowd.
"Perhaps a little," she said smugly.
"Well, if I were you I wouldn't be so sure about yourself. You're going to need allies in the upcoming future. Don't destroy your chances of that by getting smug. Tonight was a victory. Tomorrow may not be, so take care with your words and make friends if you can."
"Do you not think that I made friends tonight?" she said with a raised eyebrow.
"Oh, I do. As long as you win. Then you ask them to bring you a worthy opponent? What if you fight him and lose? How does that win you allies?"
"Then I'd better not lose. I guess." Svana shrugged.
"No, you'd better not. Since you've had a chance to play, it is now time for rest. We have much ahead of us tomorrow. I need you at your best," Lingaria said.
"Why does it seem as if you are always scolding me?" she asked him.
"Perhaps because I am always scolding you."
"I'm tired and I've no time for your moods," she retorted.
Lingaria growled at her before stopping himself.
"There's a tavern just ahead, get a room there for the night so that you can be rested in the morning." Lingaria flicked his tail.
Svana watched as his blue light became one with the sword.
"As you wish, master," she said sarcastically, making her way up the road until the smell of fresh mead filled her nostrils. The tavern was well lit and as she entered, a few of the patrons saluted her with full cups.
"There's the lass that defeated Stovan 'The Hammer Toe,'" a man yelled out.
"Here, here!" another proclaimed.
"Here Miss, a glass on the house," an aging man with kind eyes slid her a large glass, the golden colored liquid inside filled it to the brim. Not wanting to be rude, and having never tasted such a thing, she picked it up, warily tasting the contents.
"Yuck!" she spat it out. The men, including the bartender laughed at her.
"What's the matter, lass, never had a good mead before?"
"Indeed, this tavern's got the best stuff in all of Telluris. Ask anyone!" someone else yelled out.
"Yes, so you'd better drink it down," the bartender's voice was wavering on the edge of being insulted, and thinking back on her conversation with Lingaria about the need for allies, she laughed nervously.
"My apologies, I joke like that quite often. I meant no offense," she picked up the glass, and chugged it down as if she'd never tasted anything like it in her whole life, which was completely true. She wiped froth off of her mouth and then raised the empty glass in the air. "Best mead in all the land!" she yelled jubilantly.
"AYE!" several men and women yelled back.
"Thank you, sir. I've never tasted anything like it," she reiterated sincerely, trying hard not to think about the bitter taste that lingered on her tongue.
"Please call me, Percival. This here bar wench is Eloise."
"I'm not a wench, I'm your wife!" she yelled at him, dark curls trailing down to her waist. Svana thought she was angry, but Eloise immediately winked at him and smiled, her eyes sparkling. Svana watched the woman take several cups of mead, and deliver them as smooth as you please, to demanding patrons.
"So tell me, what brings you to Ye Olde Wayward Lady?"
"I'm sorry?"
"That's the name of my tavern, named after my wife there."
"Don't lie to the poor girl. It was his father's tavern, named after the many women that saw his bed." Eloise smiled at her, and Svana felt that the two of them could be great friends. Allies.
"My name is Svana of the Sword, I've come to this tavern to seek rest. Do you have a room I could stay for the night? I've come quite a long way, and I'm afraid I'm quite tired."
"Oh, you've come a long way, huh?"
Svana nodded, her eyes getting heavier by the moment. A funny sensation happened in her stomach, and she felt comfortably warm all the way down to her toes.
"Eh, wench... do we have a room for this woman to stay?"
"Well, you're a right hero. Suppose I can fix you up with something." Eloise winked again. "Follow me, my dear." She motioned for Svana toward the end of the tavern where a narrow stairway led them up.
"Here," Svana attempted to hand the woman her bag of coin, but Eloise shook her head.
"Nope, I won't be having it. You deserve it for beating Stovan. He wins night after night and still comes back for more. It isn't right, I tell you. Until tonight though, no one has been able to beat him. I reckon he learned a hard lesson in humility getting beaten by a woman."
The idea seemed to tickle her down to her feet, for Eloise never stopped smiling. "Here you are, lass, go ahead and strip off your clothes and I'll draw you a hot bath."
"No, no... I couldn't possibly," Svana tried to protest.
"Never you mind, it's no bother. Have you eaten? I bet you haven't. I make a mean Barinella stew. In fact, I hav
e some already made. When you've bathed, I'll bring you up a big bowl of it."
Svana couldn't help but feel overwhelmed by the woman's kindness. As she peeled off her leather armor, starting with her boots, she noted the dirt that had gotten into everything. Back home at Volican, she and her sisters regularly bathed in the crystal clear waters. She hadn't had a chance to do that since hitting the road, and it was well past due.
After she had stripped off every layer, she grabbed a folded sheet that was set neatly over a rack, and sat on the bed behind her. Unlike her bed at home, this was raised off the ground and sitting in a metal frame.
"How odd!" Svana wished her sisters were there to share the moment with her, but Eloise came traipsing through.
"Sorry dear, it takes a bit to heat the water for the bath. It's just here. Well, aren't you a modest thing?" Svana clenched tightly to the sheet, as Eloise led her to the washroom where a steaming bath had been prepared for her. "There you are, dear, and I've set out a clean tunic for you to sleep in. I figured it would be better than that thick leather armor you wear. I'll leave the soup in your room for when you get out."
"Thank you Eloise, your kindness is more than I could ask for and far more than I deserve." Svana smiled genuinely at the woman, and she nodded politely before leaving the room. Hot water was not a luxury she had ever experienced and as she stepped into the steaming tub, every muscle felt as if it had turned soft as a baby's. She scrubbed herself, and used the sheet to dry before pulling on the tunic, and tying it around her waist.
When she came back to her room, Lingaria was sitting on the bed, his arms folded across his chest like an impertinent child.
"Really, after having your sword almost stolen today, you just leave it and go to take a bath?" His eyes flashed with fury.
"Well, I wasn't about to let you see me unclothed," she replied, eyebrows raised.
"Like I haven't seen a naked female before. It's repulsive really, all slick and shiny. No scales at all." He stuck out his tongue in disgust.
Svana rolled her eyes and was about to retort when she saw a bowl of soup on the desk in the corner of the room. Her stomach rumbled as chicken and dumplings lingered in the air. She rushed over to the desk where she sat and began devouring the soup. Svana was starved. She made quick work of the soup, eating every bite and licking the bowl. Svana waited almost a minute after finishing her soup before opening her pack and grabbing an apple.
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