by Dan Decker
As they passed Timor’s tanner shop, Jorad noticed an armed man that he didn’t recognize. The man was a bit shorter than most, but he looked like he knew how to fight. A merchant guard or a mercenary? It was rare to have mercenaries in Neberan. Merchant guards were more common. There wasn’t much unusual about the man’s clothes, but the sword slung on his back was out of place. Swords were rare, and those that had them wore their swords at their sides.
Jorad studied the weapon for as long as he dared. It looked familiar, even with the hilt wrapped in red cloth. He tried to make the connection, but it didn’t come. He was too focused on trying to make Soret see reason.
The man regarded him with cold eyes. A mercenary then.
“You going to answer my question?” Soret asked. “Or are you going to continue holding back?”
“Yeah,” Jorad said. “Sorry, that man just looks familiar.”
“He's just some merchant guard. What will you do after Zecarani?”
“I'm not sure.” A mercenary in town was rare but not alarming, and the man was alone. How much harm could he cause?
Soret growled. “Why won’t you tell me?”
Jorad remembered now, it shouldn’t have taken him so long to make the connection. Adar’s Radim sword was similar to the one the mercenary wore. It had been a quick look, it wasn’t wise to show too much interest in an armed man, but the longer Jorad thought, the more certain he became. The hilt of the man’s sword had been wrapped on purpose to cover the insignia of his Radim army.
Adar rarely carried his Radim sword because it was too distinctive. Jorad walked faster. What was a Radim doing here and why was he trying to pass himself off as a mercenary? Was he searching for them?
Jorad felt a chill run through his body.
The Radim had come for Adar. The last thing they needed now was to have the Radim tracking them while they were trying to find a way to fight the Hunwei.
“Jorad, why are you speeding up?” Soret demanded. They were almost to her father’s shop, and Jorad didn’t have any more time to convince her. Adar was in danger.
“I need to find Adar. I’ll tell you everything later.”
The look on her face showed she didn’t believe him, but she’d have to wait. Jorad burst into a run once he turned the corner. He had only seen one Radim soldier, but he was positive that there would be more. Adar had been one of the best swordsmen in Rarbon, and they'd know that it would take a group to bring him in. Jorad couldn't let that happen.
Several minutes later Jorad charged into the common room of the boarding house, his sides heaving as he gasped for breath. Adar wasn’t there, and their room upstairs was empty as well. Jorad scribbled a note and set it on Adar’s bed. Downstairs he found Mac, the stable boy, laughing with Harri, the cook.
“Have either of you seen Adar?” Jorad asked, still out of breath. He was wheezing.
“Not since he left for old man Koope’s place earlier,” Mac said. He smelled of manure and had a loose piece of straw in his hair. Harri's large apron covered her girth and was smeared with flour and grease. There were several burn marks as well. In Jorad's experience, it was rare for a cook to be slim. “He said something about getting money he was owed. What’s wrong? You’re covered with sweat! What’s got you so worked up?” Mac edged away from Harri. They’d been standing too close for just casual conversation. Was something going on between them? Jorad pushed the thought away. He didn't care.
He wiped the sweat from his face. He would have removed his coat if he didn't need it to cover the daggers he kept hidden. “What’s he doing at the Koope place?”
“Just told ya,” Mac said.
Jorad nodded. Mac had just told him, and he took several breaths and ended up in a fit of coughing.
“Look,” Harri said, “you need to have a talk with Adar. He tried to convince me that the Hunwei are planning an attack on Neberan. He even mentioned he was going to talk to the mayor about it. Has he lost it? I mean seriously, Hunwei?”
With a final cough, Jorad was able to breathe a bit more normally and moved to the door.
“The Hunwei are coming, but I gotta go. If Adar returns make sure he sees the note I left upstairs.” He could see Harri’s expression of disbelief but didn’t have time to continue to convince her.
Jorad ran out the door and smacked into Soret, sending her flying to the ground.
“Ouch!” she cried. That wasn’t going to help her mood.
Jorad jumped to her side and tried to help her up, but she ignored him as she stood. She did her best to brush off her pants between glares. It reminded him of a look he'd received from Hira the other night and made him feel like she wanted to skin him and use it for a rug.
“Why the hurry?” Soret demanded. She was sweating and covered in dust, but she wasn't nearly as sweaty as him. He was surprised she'd run after him. Maybe she had more feelings for him than he thought. He felt a flash of hope but pushed it away. Adar was in danger; he didn't have time for this. “You leaving right now?”
“I’ve got to find Adar. I don't have time to explain.”
“Well, I’m not done with you. We need to talk.” Soret looked even more stubborn than she had before. Of all the times!
Jorad headed to the stable. “Adar’s in danger. Come if you want, but I’ve gotta find him.” Soret looked angrier than she had all day, but she followed him to the barn.
Chapter 9
Tere examined the field and wondered if they were chasing Lous’ daydreams again. The rows of corn were shoulder high, and unless he missed his guess, some would be ready to harvest soon. Men were working between the rows, a few of whom had stopped and were watching them. Tere guided his horse over to the path that led through the middle of the field to the farmhouse. He was torn between caution and wanting to verify Lous’ claim so they could get back to Neberan.
Lous was adamant that Adar had passed by minutes before Tere had arrived. If Tarner had seen him as well, then Tere would have been a bit more trusting. He was beginning to regret his decision to come this way because Jorad had been staring at him. Had Jorad figured out who he was and what he was up to?
Tere slowed when he saw a group of men chatting in front of a two-story stone house. In the back were a stone corral and a large barn. Somewhere nearby a cow mooed and he caught a scent of the farm animals on the wind. It was more of a breeze really, and it felt good against the heat of the day. He zeroed in on the back of a man a short distance ahead.
Is that Adar? Tere asked himself. The height seemed right, but it was hard to tell since Tere sat on a horse. Adar’s build looked much the same that it had fifteen years ago. The sword on his back wasn’t Radim, but that wasn’t a surprise. People would ask questions; too many knew a Radim sword when they saw one.
Adar took a hoe from another of the workers and Tere relaxed, he hadn’t recognized them and was preparing to join the other laborers in the field. The closer they got, the more convinced Tere became that it was Adar. He dismounted, motioning for Lous and Tarner to do the same.
After all these years, Tere had found him.
Something was wrong. The conversation among the group of men just ahead had stopped.
He knows we’re here, Tere thought. He couldn’t explain what it was about the way that Adar stood or the casual way that he was holding the hoe, but he knew he was right. Tere wrapped his fingers around the hilt of his sword. The hoe, despite the blade intended for weeding, would not keep Adar from using it as a staff. How had Tere missed that?
With a staff, Adar might have a chance of winning. Why hadn’t Tere brought more men? He’d thought to spare others the trouble of the trip, but now it turned out that they would have been useful indeed.
The other men backed away as Adar turned to face them.
“You’re as arrogant as before,” Tere said, he felt his breath quicken as he spoke. The fury that had been dead for so long flared to new life in a way that was unlike anything he’d felt before. His frustration of years wa
sted searching for this man, watching his daughter grow from a distance, and feeling the distance widen between him and his wife reached a focal point. The cause of all that stood before him.
Tarner and Lous were visible to either side, but Tere didn’t take his eyes off Adar. Tere’s mind flashed back to the night when he’d found Adar bent over Nelion’s body, and Tere felt his anger burn brighter wishing that at that moment he’d slain Adar. It would have been a simple thing to do, and Adar would never have expected it. With a shake of his head, Tere returned to the present and focused on Adar who stood almost a full head over him.
“How’ve you been old friend?” Adar asked. “Hope the years have been kind.” He planted the hoe in the ground and used it for support. Pretending he wasn't threatened by Tere and the others as they advanced, ready to attack.
“Adar you’re under arrest for the murder of Nelion and for kidnapping Jorad.” Tere’s voice quavered as he spoke and he felt a stab of remorse as he remembered the bond the two once had shared. The friendship was gone now and in its place ashes swirled.
“You know I didn’t kill Nelion,” Adar said. “How can a man be charged with kidnapping his own child?”
“If you don’t submit,” Lous said. “We’ll kill you and return with Jorad.”
“You’ve come to kill me and take my son?” Adar asked softly. “Did Abel send you or somebody else?”
“We’re here at his direction,” Tarner replied, there was no emotion in his voice. That man could be cold. “The Rarbon Council stripped your title and accomplishments from you, and you’ve been declared a murderer and traitor. We can bring you back alive or your head in a sack, the choice is yours.” Tarner’s voice reminded Tere that he needed to relax or he risked losing control. If he did, Adar would provoke him and take advantage. Tere spread his feet, took a breath and focused on the blade of his sword, and pictured it piercing Adar’s chest.
Adar nodded and brought his hoe to a defensive position, which he had still been holding casually despite their advance. The fool was still cocky. The other workers were starting to gather around at a safe distance, but none of them looked like they intended to help Adar.
“You’re out of practice,” Tere said. “Fifteen years ago you might have taken us with a staff, but not today.”
Adar waited, looking as calm as a lake of undisturbed water.
Tere charged forward with Tarner and Lous closing from either side.
Adar ran to the right putting Tarner between himself and the others. Tere cursed. The movement was not that of a man in his mid-forties, it reminded him of a much younger man. Feinting with the handle of the hoe, Adar brought the blade in between Tarner’s legs and then pulled Tarner down as he howled in pain. Tere rushed to get in front of Tarner to keep Adar from bringing the hoe crashing into his head.
“Get up!” Tere yelled. It was already going badly, and they needed Tarner, or this would be over too soon. Lous circled around as Adar attacked, the hoe swirling fast enough that Tere had a hard time following its movement.
Tere wasn't sure how long it lasted, but as the fighting continued, he became covered in sweat, and his breathing was labored. Adar hadn’t lost a step as he defended their attacks and brought his own. He too was covered in sweat, but his breathing was normal.
Tere knew he couldn't do this for much longer as he moved forward slashing with his sword. Adar was faster, dodging his attack and bringing the blade of the hoe around and into Tere’s feet, it hooked a foot and knocked Tere off balance. The next thing he knew he was flying forward right into Lous’ sword who just managed to move it out of the way so that the sword only sliced Tere's left side instead of skewering him. He felt a stabbing pain in his back and crashed to the ground with his breath knocked out of him.
The sounds of the fight continued to play out behind him. He rolled until he was far enough away that he felt safe getting to his feet.
As Tere moved forward towards the men, there was a cry from behind. He turned to see Jorad charging him. As he brought up his sword and prepared for the attack, he reminded himself to be careful. He wouldn’t be given a chance to explain if he killed Rahar Abel’s grandson.
Jorad’s howl of outrage grew louder as he spun his sword while he charged, at the last moment Jorad slid to the ground. Out of instinct, Tere jumped forward and over Jorad. By the time he scrambled up, Jorad was already on his feet charging again. Tere didn’t have a chance to prepare a defense and ducked to keep his head.
He fought off Jorad’s next attacks but wasn’t able to get in any attacks of his own. From the beginning, he knew he was going to lose. Fighting Jorad was like fighting a younger version of Adar. Tere continued to parry the attacks blow after blow, but he knew he was getting too tired. Jorad had managed to score several hits. The cuts on Tere's arms were bleeding, and he continued to collect more.
Despite the fury of Jorad’s initial attack, it was clear that he spent a lot of time with his sword, and once the fight had commenced the anger was barely noticeable as Jorad went through the motions he’d done many times before when sparring with Adar.
It was a strange feeling now as Tere realized that he was going to die. After many years of struggling to keep going, to do his duty to Rarbon and his family, he was going to find peace. He thought about his wife as he deflected Jorad’s next attack. It had been his actions that had pushed her into the arms of another man. He hadn’t paid enough attention to her on those infrequent trips home. Maybe his death would be a release for her as well.
As he struggled to throw off the next attack, he thought about Sharu. She’d become a woman that he could be proud of, despite the fact that he hardly knew her. Pride filled him as he thought that although she was very different from him, she would carry on his legacy of service. The last time he had seen her she was in the Radim uniform of Korew army.
He didn’t see how he tripped, but Jorad was already charging as he fell to his knees. With a scream, Jorad prepared for a final swing as Tere brought his sword up knowing that he could not block it and closed his eyes.
Peace at last.
Tere felt the sword rushing toward his throat. There was the clank of metal hitting metal and then the sword slid into Tere’s neck.
He felt a slight pain and then nothing.
Why am I still breathing? Tere opened his eyes and looked up into the astonished eyes of Jorad. The blade of Adar’s hoe had snagged the sword when Jorad had made the final pounce for the kill.
“You can’t kill him,” Adar said, sweat and blood running down his face.
Despite the peace that Tere had felt as he embraced death, he gripped his sword. Does Adar want to kill me himself?
There wasn’t time to figure it out because Tarner took advantage of the distraction to attack Adar, who wasn't able to completely dodge the strike, Tarner’s sword glanced off Adar’s head, leaving a small cut and taking with it the tip of his ear.
Adar howled, yanking his hoe back while pulling Jorad’s sword away from Tere’s neck, and attacked Tarner with a ferocity that he had not yet displayed.
Tere watched Jorad carefully as he wiped his blade and sheathed it. There was no sense in encouraging Jorad to attack again. If his sword was put away, Jorad wouldn't attack him. He hoped.
Tarner and Adar continued their dance of death, and it was clear that Adar was going to win. Lous was getting to his feet and held his sword at his side as he watched Tarner and Adar maneuver in and out looking for an opening against the other. The sun flashed off the metal of Tarner’s sword. The ringing of it hitting the hard wood of the hoe filled the afternoon air.
“It’s over!” Tere called. Adar dodged a thrust from Tarner and stepped away as he watched for what Tarner would do. The frustration on Tarner’s face was evident as he stepped backward. It was the most emotion he’d shown today. Adar gave Tere an unreadable look.
“Are you all mad?” a young woman asked as she dismounted from a horse a safe distance away. Tere recognized her as the wo
man who had been angry with Jorad. Tere wondered if this was his wife. Things would get a lot more complicated if it turned out she was pregnant with his child. She sniffed like she was the teacher that had just discovered misbehaving students. Tere had to keep from rolling his eyes.
Chapter 10
Jorad could hear a chicken clucking as it searched for food and the squeal of a pig coming from somewhere, but other than that Koope farm had become rather silent. The men and women who'd been working had stopped to watch the fight. Many had kept their distance and gathered into groups. Several had approached as if intending to offer aid. Jorad was glad that they'd been smart enough to not get involved. The head of a young girl was peeking out the second story window of the farmhouse. Her mother had come to the front porch and stood with her hands on her hips, she wore an apron covered with flour.
Most of the bystanders wore confused looks. Jorad could relate, he was stumped as well. These men had been trying to kill Adar, and he’d spared their lives. Why? The others might have been surprised that Adar had been able to hold his own with these men using a hoe, but that’s what Jorad expected from Adar. In another circumstance, Jorad would have found it comical that Adar’s sword was strapped to his back, and his weapon of choice had been a long-handled hoe, but he wasn’t in a laughing mood.
Jorad had survived the fight without a scratch. While Adar had blood dripping down his face from his injured ear, that was the worst he’d suffered. He had numerous cuts in other places but stood with vigor and energy. Of the Radim men, the only one that looked like he could continue fighting was the last one to stop. He was a very short man and looked like he was considering an attack even though he'd been ordered by their leader to stand down.
The crunch of gravel from behind indicated that Soret was heading towards them. Her hair was in tangles from their frantic ride, and there were streaks of dust on her face. Jorad turned and motioned for her to stop. She did, but she didn't look happy about it.