“Alright.”
“You know,” Alyndra started to smile, “There are more cultures whose custom it is to have many wives, than there are cultures who believe in only one?”
“Is that true?”
“Would I lie to you, my handsome man?” she asked, “Do you wish to eat? Or, do you wish to go to bed?” Her smile was devilish.
At the fire, Katlin sung an elvish song in lieu of an apology for his absence. When he was done, Grik clapped for him, while Satana and Rayna couldn’t help but at the very least smile. Um’Vec however, circled the camp, slowly, keeping watch. He had no need for camaraderie or conversation of any kind. He would stand in one area for a while looking around, then move to another and repeat the process.
“The song was a pretty thing, but I would have been happier if you could have produced some drink from behind a log.” Grik said referencing their first encounter with Katlin.
“I’ll take drinking over singing, anytime.” Satana added.
“But the songs of the bard, my lady, reminds us of love and passion, and the why behind every noble act?” Katlin put his hand to his heart as though he were about to start a new song.
“Please!” Rayna stood quickly, putting her hands out for him to stop, “There has to be a bottle somewhere!” She said walking away from the fire to the supply horses. Grik laughed and slapped his knee.
“My lady,” Katlin said turning to his side, “I have something here. Don’t bother rummaging around, return to the fire, tell us a tale, a tale of you?”
He pulled a bottle from a bag at his side, then presented it for the group to see. Grik leaned forward and took it from him, then looked down his nose trying to read the label.
“Elvish, again, have you ever had a good dwarfish blend?” He asked, then popped the cork and took a swig from the bottle. He handed it to Satana who did the same. Rayna sat back down near Satana and held her hand out for the bottle to come her way, but Satana instead handed it back to Grik, who took another drink. He saw Rayna with her hand out, glaring at Satana, Grik handed it back to Satana, with a nod to Rayna. Satana took the bottle staring at Grik, who again urged her to pass it to Rayna. She took another drink before finally handing it to Rayna.
“Yes,” Grik said to Rayna, “Tell us a tale of you, girl?”
“I don’t have a tale.” Rayna wiped the bottle’s lip, not taking her eyes off Satana, then took a drink.
“And thank the gods for that!” Katlin chuckled, “It would ruin a perfectly sculpted body, a view to behold from behind, to say the least!” Rayna chuckled at his comment.
“I bet, when you talk you hear birds chirping and harps playing,” Satana leaned forward to Katlin who sat across the fire from her, “but to the rest of us… we hear pigs snorting.” Grik erupted in laughter, Rayna too laughed, until Satana turned her attention to Rayna, “You know, trying to shove yourself in our faces, would go over much easier if you weren’t so secretive.” Satana stuck her hand out for Rayna to give her back the bottle.
Rayna took another drink.
“You warmed up to me quick enough.” Grik offered.
“I fought you.” Satana said dismissively, “No truer form of communication exists.”
“I’ll have you know, Fiestell himself, declared my voice, the voice of a dryad.” Katlin put his hand to his chest and looked up at the stars.
“Wait, have you ever seen a Dryad?” Satana asked.
“Yes, of course I have.” Katlin returned with a scowl.
“Ever see a male Dryad?” Satana asked.
Katlin paused.
“I can’t say that I have?”
“So, your friend told you, you sing like a girl?” everyone erupted in laughter, except Katlin of course.
“He meant the beauty of my voice was akin to the beauty of-”
“Fiestell? Who’s Fiestell?” Grik asked still laughing.
“He’s making it up.” Rayna answered Grik, then looked at Satana, “You’re a warrior?” Rayna asked Satana.
“I am.” Satana stuck her chest out and sat up in her seat, “I was a commander in the armies of Ganlin, I headed a legion of my own. I was the best.” She finished with a growl.
“Still are, girl, ya may not be leading thousands of men, but you’re still the best fighter I’ve ever laid eyes upon, save the one in the mirror.” Grik leaned over and reached for the bottle.
Satana smiled and playfully held it just out of his reach. Katlin reached into a bag at his side and produced another bottle. He leaned up from his seat, handing it across the fire to Rayna. He started to sing again, before his butt hit the log he was sitting on. He looked Rayna in her eyes as he sung, she fought back a smile and popped the cork, trying not to watch Katlin serenade her. He sung the song in elvish. It was more beautiful to Satana than the other song, not knowing what he was saying was better. They all quieted and let him sing without interrupting him. Even Um’Vec stopped walking. It wasn’t entirely certain whether it was Katlin’s singing or that Um’Vec planned on stopping there before hand, but it happened all the same. When Katlin was done, they clapped for him.
“I’ve never heard of a bard thief?” Rayna ruminated, “It’s like saying, an archer baker?”
“Somethings we do because we’re good at it, but somethings we do, simply because we love it.” Katlin smiled.
“You must be the best thief baker in the world?” Satana chuckled making Grik and Rayna laugh.
“Make fun if you will, but I dare say I saw a tear, near the corner of your eye, during my last refrain.” Katlin said smiling and pointing at Satana.
“I was born a slave.” Rayna said abruptly, quieting the others, she stared into the fire, “My mother was a slave. When I was still a child, I was sold to a man, a man who liked young children. He used me like a whore, from the age of five. When I was eight, he told me he would be trading me to a slave trader for a younger girl. When I thought about what he had done to me and what he would do to the next girl, I killed him while he slept.” Rayna did not look away from the fire, “I’ve spent my life in the company of thieves, bandits, outlaws. At first, all they used me for, was a whore… like he did. I was too young to hold a sword, but when I could, I changed from an adolescent whore, to a teenaged assassin.” The group was quiet for a long time.
“So, you’re not a virgin, is that what you’re trying to tell us?” Satana asked breaking the silence.
Katlin’s face changed, looking at Satana in disbelief, his jaw fell open so far, it almost touched his sternum.
“Girl!” Grik said, not knowing what else to say, his face reflected the same look of disbelief as Katlin’s.
Rayna slowly turned to face Satana who had an unapologetic smirk on her face. Grik and Katlin were both, absolutely sure, fighting would ensue very shortly, but Rayna slowly started to smile.
“What gave me away?” She asked.
“That your story was a lie?” Satana asked in return, “I know elves, your mother would have slit your throat herself, before allowing you to be sold.”
“You mean to say, that wasn’t true?” Katlin asked with a very confused look on his face.
“No.” Satana answered with a smirk of satisfaction.
Um’Vec walked behind Grik as he circled the camp, yet again.
“Hey, ya grumblin’ bastard, come join us for a drink.” Grik called to Um’Vec as he went by.
Um’Vec grumbled something as he continued walking on his patrol. It made Grik laugh.
“Uh, maybe you should let him be, Master Derro?” Katlin pondered aloud.
“You’re scared of him?” Rayna asked.
“Why yes, aren’t you?” Katlin asked in return, surprised at her question.
“No.” Rayna said, “I know a soldier when I see one, that one takes orders, he won’t kill, until told to do so.”
“I’m not so sure about that!” Katlin lowered his head and his voice.
They all watched Um’Vec as he rounded the horses and tents, coming
around for another lap. Grik stood up and dusted himself off, then stepped in Um’Vec’s path. The bugbear made Grik look like a toddler in comparison. Grik held up the bottle to him. Um’Vec examined the group one at a time before returning his attention back to Grik.
“Is it made from the blood of enemies?” Um’Vec asked, Rayna and Grik both laughed. Grik urged Um’Vec to take a drink. Um’Vec took the bottle and sniffed it, curling his nose. He took a drink then handed it back to Grik, “Water.” He said then continued away.
“What did he say?” Satana asked Rayna.
“He says it’s not strong enough for him, tastes weak like water.” Grik explained.
Katlin was instantly offended and hopped to his feet.
“I’ll have you know this is the finest elven blend of wine from Kastriell’s own vineyard! You, you, you, tasteless creature!”
Um’Vec waved his hand dismissively at the fuming Katlin.
“Quiet yerself, before ya strain somethin’,” Grik chuckled, “I got somethin’ for him.” On Um’Vec’s next time by, Grik pulled out a small flask, one that was very familiar to Satana.
“You think that’s wise?” Satana asked, Grik gave her a quick wink.
“Here ya go, try this.” He started his sentence in common tongue and finished in evil tongue.
Um’Vec stopped again and looked down at Grik, this time he shook his head in disbelief of the dwarf. He took a drink from the flask sucking it dry in hardly a swallow. Grik grimaced, not intending for him to finish it entirely. Um’Vec dropped the empty flask to the ground, then went back to circling the camp.
“That was a waste!” Satana said.
Grik shrugged and sat back down.
“Would you care for some of my water?” Katlin asked, popping the cork off another bottle of wine.
“Where are you getting all of this?” Satana asked.
“He’s got a bag of holding.” Rayna pointed out.
“What’s that?” Satana asked.
“You’re a babe in the woods, aren’t ya girl?” Grik asked making Rayna and Katlin laugh.
There was a loud crash that riled the horses, Satana and Rayna leapt to their feet, Satana, sword in hand, and Rayna with her bow, arrow nocked. She was quick, it did not escape Satana’s attention, nor did her own speed escape Rayna’s attention. Grik stood up, then looked to Katlin, but there was nothing but an empty seat. Katlin was gone.
“That boy’s as skittish as a rabbit!” Grik grabbed his ax’s and moved around Satana, opposite to Rayna.
They slowly made their way around the horses. Rayna was first to arrive flanking to the left, while Satana and Grik flanked right. There was Um’Vec, face down in the dirt passed out.
“Help me roll him over.” Satana ordered, then the three of them struggled to roll Um’Vec over. Satana stood over the bugbear looking down at him a moment, “Maybe he’ll choke on his own vomit in the night, otherwise… he is not going to be happy when he wakes up,” She looked at Grik, “They’ll be a reckoning for this.”
The three of them went back to the fire, leaving Um’Vec snoring loudly behind them. Katlin had returned to the fireside.
“And he said, it was like water, ha!” Katlin exclaimed, Satana looked at Grik shaking her head, amused at the thief.
“What was that you gave him?” Rayna asked Grik.
“A Dwarfish blend.” Grik said with a mischievous smile, Rayna smirked back at him.
They continued drinking well into the night, one by one, they fell asleep by the fire, none of them made it to their tents. It was a moderate night, not at all as cold as Katlin assumed it would be. It was a solid night of sleep, every one of them, out cold. Satana woke first, she was parched, and her head hurt. Dracon was standing over her, she put her hand up, blocking the morning sun to see him better.
“What?” She asked in a scratchy voice.
“We’ve been robbed.”
“What?” She asked again, but Dracon moved on, kicking Grik to wake him.
“Get up, all of you! Check your gear!” Dracon commanded walking around kicking everyone back to consciousness.
Grik stood up grabbing his head with both hands then looked around, he put a hand down to his belt, noticing immediately his magic axes were gone. He scoured the ground for them.
“No, no, no!” Grik exclaimed, rummaging around on the ground.
Rayna popped up and looked around, all her weapons were gone, and her necklace. She looked at Katlin who was just beginning to stir.
“This is your fault!” she yelled and pointed at him, “You did this, thief!”
Katlin panicked and rolled away from her snarling face, that was stomping toward him. He grabbed at his waist, expecting to disappear but he did not. He looked down alarmed, his dagger was gone, so was his bag of holding. He rolled away from Rayna, then ran a few yards off.
“Stop it!” Dracon commanded, “Satana, come here!” Satana walked over to Dracon embarrassed, “Look.” He pointed at the ground, there were little footprints everywhere. Satana looked up at him then back at the ground, kneeling to examine the footprints.
“It looks like twenty to thirty children?” She questioned what she was looking at.
“I’ve seen a swarm of pickpockets, no older than five or six, leave a man naked in the streets, before, but this? What child would be out here?” Katlin asked.
“These aren’t children, you fool.” Rayna said, following tracks on the other side of camp.
“No, they’re not,” Grik agreed, “They lead into the mountain.” They could all see the footprints leading into the craggy rocks at the base of the mountain.
“I know they aren’t children!” Katlin announced indignant, “I was just drawing comparisons is all!”
“We’ll need to leave the horses.” Dracon announced.
“Maybe not, my lord, I can stay behind with them, with the Lady Rayna?” Katlin queried.
“I’m not staying behind with the horses.” Rayna scoffed.
“Dracon,” Alyndra called from the other side of the horses, “Come here.”
Dracon walked around the horses and saw Um’Vec lying on the ground asleep with one arm out to his side and footprints leading from his outstretched arm to one of his bracers, a few yards away. It appeared as though the creatures who took the bracer abandoned it because it was too heavy. Footprints led away from the bracer to a larger group of footprints, all leading away from camp.
“Damn!” Grik grunted.
Dracon started back around the horses, “Wake him up.” He said to Alyndra before leaving.
“They took the chests.” Grik said embarrassed, pointing at two drag marks in the dirt leading away to the mountain.
“What are we gonna do?” Satana asked, “You’re the only one who still has a weapon?”
Dracon looked at her grinding his teeth. She expected him to berate her for getting drunk, but he said nothing. He just scanned their belongings that were strewn about the camp.
“It’s pretty obvious where they went.” He said.
“Aye,” Grik said staring at the trail of footprints, “We have all day to catch them, at least it’s not out of our way.”
“Not out of our way?” Katlin asked, “You mean, this is where we were going?”
“I don’t know about you, but we were.” Satana answered.
“If you have anything you wish to retrieve, then get ready,” Dracon announced, “Find some weapons, we’re giving chase.”
Um’Vec roared from the other side of the horses, he sounded like one of them, the way he came running from around the other side of the camp, he paused and growled, locking eyes with Grik.
“Oh,” Grik looked over at Satana, “Here come a reckonin’.”
Alyndra appeared in front of Um’Vec, “Stand down!” she commanded, Um’Vec roared and slammed his bracers together.
“Stand down!” she yelled again in his tongue.
Um’Vec stopped raging but kept looking at Grik with a snarl on his face for
an uncomfortable few seconds. He looked back at Alyndra then walked away, growling all the while.
“What’s that about?” Dracon asked.
“A dwarfish blend.” Katlin chuckled. His comment made the others who had been drinking chuckle as well.
They readied themselves then tracked the culprits who robbed them in the night. Satana took point tracking the thieves, tracking was not truly necessary, the many small footprints were hard to miss. They led into the mountains, up a steep incline. It was an arduous trek. Dracon and Alyndra walked side by side as Satana tracked the creatures.
“Let me ask you something?” Dracon asked Alyndra, “Talila said something to me I haven’t been able to shake? She said that I make sport of drinking to excess, or that I like to drink too much. Do you remember a time in Ganlin, or anywhere, that she might have gotten that impression of me?” Alyndra laughed, “What? Tell me?”
“Gareth the Toothless, does that remind you of anything?”
“I remember, what about him?” He asked, intrigued.
“Not him, you!” Alyndra was amused with Dracon’s absence of memory.
“What about me? I was challenged and I accepted, what happened next was strategic.” Dracon explained. Alyndra laughed all the more.
“We were there, Dracon, we were all there. We were serving girls for Elyon Virfiel’s party, we particularly had the pleasure of keeping your goblet filled.” Alyndra said, “It was before we were introduced to you. We watched you drink, and drink, and drink, and wobble, then fight!”
Satana walked over to the pair.
“I remember that night and you were very drunk before Tasar even called you out.” She commented, “Their tracks lead this way.” She said then headed in the direction she pointed.
Alyndra followed her giggling all the while, leaving Dracon to stand pondering a night he vaguely remembered. He certainly didn’t remember Alyndra and her sisters being there.
The higher up they went, the more their way turned to a rocky walled pathway, that was a maze in different directions, the tracks dissipated, and, if not for Satana’s tracking skills, they would have easily been lost. They followed a path that narrowed, then ended.
Dracon and the Edge of the World Page 24