Ties of Blood

by D. W. Jackson

  Eloen let out a heavy sigh, and began to tell Rene the truth. Starting with where they were really from, how she had met Thad and what they were really doing in Abla leaving out only Thad’s ability to use magic. The woman gasped a few times and often asked her to elaborate on her story. When she was finished with her tale Eloen stood there waiting for the worst.

  “I didn’t know we had a force attacking Farlan again, I swear that our men can’t live without starting a war every few years.” Rene said wiping a tear from her eye. “You know when I was a child I always loved the stories my mother would tell me about the handsome prince who would brave all danger and fight against impossible odds to win the hand of the princess. I would lay awake at night and dream that I was the princess waiting for my prince to come and whisk me away. While your story isn’t the same it has the same spirit and I can’t help but wish for your success.”

  “So you’re not going to tell your husband.” Eloen asked her heart pounding fiercely.

  “I love that windbag, but he’s about as romantic as a wet bag.” Rene replied laughing. “No, I won’t tell that lummox, so you can breathe easy. I do think you’re going the wrong way though. They take prisoners of war to Treforge. It’s to the southwest a little over a fortnight from here. I would suggest you head to Boral to the south, and follow the southern road. It’s the fastest route I know of, maybe you can still catch up to them. If they reach the prison you would need an army to break him out.” Rene said placing her hand comfortingly on her shoulder. “Don’t worry I’m sure your love is safe.”

  “He better be, or I’ll kill him.” Eloen said wiping the tears away that were forming in the corner of her eyes.

  After the large meal the three companions were left alone in the common room with spare blankets to sleep. Darryl was already fast asleep but Ballard sat stoking the fire. Eloen was exhausted and wanted nothing else than to follow Darryl’s example and sleep, but she could tell something was bothering her friend. Sitting beside him, she playfully punched him on the shoulder. “What’s eating at you?”

  “Did you know that Glenn served ten years in the Ablaian army? He’s a good sort, from what I can tell he’s no different than any of my friends in Farlan. Yet because we live on different side of an imaginary line we are told to hate each other. It just doesn’t seem right. Is there a reason we spend our time hating someone simply because of where they live?” Ballard said as he poked at the fire with a long iron rod.

  “I know it just doesn’t seem right. Rene is a dear herself, but we have never started the wars between us and Abla.”

  “That may be true, but we haven’t done anything to stop it either. We tax all the goods that travel through our land to theirs so heavily that they are forced to pay exorbitant amounts for things they can’t do without. Why do we do it? Not because we need the gold but to punish them, but it’s not the government that suffers it’s the people at the lowest rung of society who have little choice but to pay.” Ballard said his voice laced with disgust.

  “I understand what you’re saying but there is little we can do about it until we return to Farlan. I promise once we’re back home I will do everything I can to help ease the tension between our two countries.”

  “Even if we find that they have executed Thad?” Ballard looked at her his eyes boring into her.

  Eloen looked into the fire pit and watched as the flames danced. “I can’t say it would be easy, but I would try. Knowing Thad it sounds like something he would agree with.”

  Ballard gave a deep laugh. “That’s true. I never saw a man who likes a hopeless cause more than that boy.”

  Leaving Ballard alone to his musings Eloen lay down to sleep. Tired as she was her mind was brimming full of thoughts. She had never really thought about her role as a soldier. It was simple, you went where you were told and fought who you were supposed to. She knew that the Ablaian soldiers weren’t evil but she never thought about trying to change things so that war might be avoided. If she was a normal soldier it might not bother her as much, but she wasn’t. One day she would be a duchess and in charge of a large section of land as well as other members of the lesser peerage. If it wasn’t her job to try and fix things whose was it?

  The thoughts bothered her. How often has she just looked past things that needed changed. She knew Thad was a slave but instead of evaluating if slavery needed changed she simply looked past it and tried to find ways around the fact. She knew that slaves were treated well in Farlan but slavery had started off by people who willingly gave themselves to their master for protection. Even the brand was a token of the people to their master to show that they were proud to be under their protection. Now slaves didn’t have a choice?

  Her mind flooded Eloen drifted off into a fitful slumber. Things she had overlooked in her life that she knew were wrong haunted her dreams. The men she had seen begging on the roadside because they couldn’t find work. The young boys she had seen at the slave auctions. Most of all, what she had done to Thad, the man she was supposed to love. When the Queendom was in trouble they didn’t seek him out and ask him. No they got together and tried to find the best way to manipulate him into doing what they wanted. Thad’s face was in the background of her nightmares his face looking at her in disgust.

  CHAPTER IV

  Eloen woke very early the next morning, still feeling rested despite her troubled sleep. Outside she could see that an early-morning fog still hung low in the air. For a while she stared at the sky though the window of the small house. Simply looking at how the whips of white blended into the light blue of the sky comforted her frayed nerves.

  Ballard and Darryl were still fast sleep. She thought of waking them but decided against it. The past few days had been hard on everyone and they deserved what little rest could be afforded them.

  Rene was the first one down the stairs. When she saw the two men still sleeping she waved Eloen to follow her into the kitchen. The kitchen was much colder than the common room had been but it warmed up quickly once the fire in the small stove was started. After their fire was started Eloen followed Rene into the basement of the hose where the air was so cold that she could see her breath hanging in the air. Large blocks of ice lined the walls of the small room. Rene began to cut slabs of meet off of a large animal that hung on a hook in the center of the room.

  “Do y’all have enough food to last you?” Rene asked looking over her shoulder at Eloen.

  “Yes, we have enough food to last us a fortnight, if not longer.”

  Once back in the kitchen the two women went to work. Eloen had always enjoyed cooking. Growing up her mother had fumed anytime she did anything that was considered below her station. That included cleaning, cooking, and fighting. At first she had done it merely out of spite for her mother but she began to enjoy the activities. While her mother disproved of her life her aunt had taken a special interest in her and named her the heir to the duchy.

  Glenn and Tim came to the table before the meal had finished cooking, while Ballard and Darryl were still sleeping the day away. Laughing to herself Eloen grabbed two cups and filled them with water from a bucket in the corner of the room. Standing over her two friends she started pouring the water while the rest watched. The two men jumped up yelling to the laughter and amusement of everyone else. Ballard took it in stride while Darryl spent a good amount time sputtering about the indecency of being awoken in such a manner.

  Rene and her family saw them off after a quick breakfast. As Rene had suggested Eloen headed toward Boral. There was no reason to travel fast as the town was only a half a day away. There she could buy some more dresses so she wouldn’t draw any attention. As soon as they were outside the sight of the farm Eloen thought about strapping her sword back on but decided instead to position it in her pack so that it could be easily reached in an emergency.

  It was the first time she had been without a sword since she was thirteen. Without it she felt naked and exposed. “I can’t wait to get this over with and get b
ack home. No offense guys but I want to be somewhere I’m not forced to wear a dress all the time.”

  Darryl looked back at her giving her a toothy grin. “You do look charming though, almost like a real woman.”

  “I know, now we look like sisters.” Eloen said returning his smile.

  “True, but I’m still the pretty one.” Darryl said batting his eyes.

  Eloen passed the time by searching the horizon. The remnants of winter still dotted the landscape, but the first days of spring were sprouting up through the ground and on the near barren trees. The further they moved in country the trees began to appear with more frequency. It made the bleak landscape more enjoyable and the songs of the robins settled in their branches were music to her ears.

  Ballard spent most of his time scouting ahead. He would disappear for long period of times and report back with what he had seen. The rocks and trees began to give way to farms and homestead they closer they got to the town. Off in the distance Eloen could see a small river winding its way across the countryside.

  The closer they got to the river Eloen began to ignore Darryl and his antics, standing in her stirrups every so often in hopes of getting a glimpse of the village. Shortly before they reached the river she was rewarded with her first look at the small village. The problem was that the town was on the other side of the river and she didn’t see any place to ford, leaving them with a choice of which direction to go.

  It was Ballard who came up with the solution. Ballard and Darryl would ride out in different directions following the river and they would take the first suitable crossing they could find. If none was found they would turn back before nightfall, and decided what to do in the morning. Eloen didn’t like the idea of being left alone but she it looked that she had little choice in the matter.

  Watching the two men ride off in different directions Eloen let out a small sigh. The village in the distance taunted her with the promise of a good meal and a soft bed. With the men out of sight, she dismounted her horse her feet sinking into the soft ground of the riverbank. Looking down at her now mud covered feet she let out a stream of curses. She should have known after the rain the night before the ground would still be soft.

  Moving back a little from the river Eloen found a spot that was solid. After laying down one of her spare saddle blankets she sat down and waited for her companions to return. To pass the time while she waited she started rummaging through her travel pack. The first two sections were filled with food and their third was filled with her gear. The others had an assortment of other items though they were mostly empty.

  It didn’t take her long to find what she was looking for, two daggers. One had a small blade only a little more than two inches long. It had a good balance and could be thrown a good distance with accuracy but in close range it was next to useless. The other dagger wasn’t as well balanced and the hilt was a gaudy and uncomfortable in her hand but its blade was sharp and long enough to use in a fight.

  Sitting the daggers aside Eloen started searching for the other items she needed. After searching for a long time all she could find was some spare horse tack. Pulling out a set of worn reins she began cutting them into strips. Once everything was ready she started affixing the strips to the scabbards of her two daggers.

  After making sure no one was around she hefted up the hem of her dress and tied the scabbards onto her thighs. The long dagger she placed on the right leg so she could reach it in a bind. Using the small dagger she cut small slits into the side of her dress. The slits weren’t very big but she could get her hands into them and they didn’t show unless someone looked closely. Once the daggers were in place she checked to make sure they didn’t stand out. Looking across the water at the village she made a mental note to buy a few heavy dresses with pockets.

  With still no sign of either of her companions and darkness slowly creeping in Eloen started looking for wood to build a fire. It was obvious that they wouldn’t be reaching the town today, unless the crossing was only a few miles away and if that was the case one of the two should have already returned. Resigned to a night on the cold wet ground Eloen let out a heavy sigh. It wasn’t that she hated sleeping on the ground, during the warm months of summer she even enjoyed it, but being so close to a town and not being able to sleep in a warm bed seemed wrong.

  It was slim pickings for wood as the surrounding area only hosted a few trees. Even after picking up everything in the area, she barely had enough for kindling. Carrying her armload of wood back to the campsite, Eloen heard the faint sound of hoof beats in the distance. At first she thought it might be Ballard or Darryl returning with news of a crossing but after a few moments it was clear that it was more than one horse coming her way.

  Rushing back to where the pack was Eloen removed her sword from her pack and laid it under the corner of her bedroll where she could retrieve it in case trouble was visiting. Not wanting to waste time she stacked the small pile of sticks and struck her dagger against a small piece of flint.

  The fire was small but it put off enough heat to chase the little chill that had entered her hands while she was picking up the sticks from the ground. Most of them were still wet and burning slowly. Normally the slow starting fire would annoy her but since she only had a few more pieces to add to the fire it was a blessing. She watched as the water dripped from the sticks she added, causing the fire to hiss in protest.

  Shortly after the fire was started she got her first glimpse of the mystery riders. There were four of them in all riding some of the most pitiful creatures she had ever seen. One of poor horses ribs were sticking out so far that she was sure the animal hadn’t seen a full bag of oats in a fortnight. The men only looked slightly better than the horses they rode. Their hair was long and tangled and the layers of dirt on their faces looked as if they hadn’t taken the time to clean themselves in days. The one thing she did notice was that each of the men carried a sword.

  As the riders drew closer Eloen positioned herself so that her hand was grasping the hilt of her sword that was hidden underneath her bedroll. As soon as they reached her campsite the four men swung from their horses letting them meander around searching the ground for any nourishment they could garner from the sparse surroundings.

  “What we got here? Little lady did you get lost? If so I’m sure we can help you find your way?” A sickly thin man said giving her a smile showing off rows with missing and blackened teeth.

  Eloen smiled back trying to keep the stench coming off the men from making her vomit. “No my companions went off to see if they could find a suitable crossing, they should return shortly. So I am not currently in need of any help, but I thank you for your offer.”

  “What kind of companions leaves a lady such as yourself alone and defenseless. You should come with us. I give you my word you won’t be left on your own.” One of other men said. He a slightly taller man with greasy brown hair and facial hair that held bits of food that had been tangled in it for who knows how long.

  “I’m sure you wouldn’t, but as I said my companions will be returning shortly.”

  “Sadly I must insist that you accompany us.” The thin man said reaching to grab hold of her.

  Eloen jumped up from where she sat bringing her sword around and holding it out toward the nearest of the men. “I would suggest you get back on your horses and find someone else to harass.”

  “Now why don’t you put that down? We can’t have any fun if you get yourself killed.” The man in front of her said taking a step toward her laughing.

  “I know what kind of fun your thinking of and I would much rather be dead than to touch one of your flea ridden bodies.” Eloen said taking a tentative step back.

  “If that’s the way you want it, but dead or alive were going to have some fun my dear.”

  Eloen had heard enough. These men were nothing short of animals that looked like they were human. Stepping forward she caught the surprised man right in the throat almost serving his head. The other men cursed
her as they unsheathed their own weapons. She tried no to laugh at the condition their swords were in. Nicked and battered and looking as dull as the men’s wits in front of her she wasn’t even sure they could cut a piece of hot bread.

  Even three against one it was easy to parry their sloppy attacks. She knew she shouldn’t play with them but it was something to entertain her while she waited for her friends to return. Each time one of the men made an attack she punished them buy only making a small cut. Before long the men were dripping blood from a series of small wounds. They knew they were outmatched but something in their minds kept them attacking, as if they believed she would simply throw down her sword and surrender.

  While she played with the men she heard another horse in the distance. She was sure it was a lone horse but couldn’t risk that it was anyone other than one of her friends. It didn’t take long to finish off the three unskilled brigands. When the last one fell to her blade she quickly cleaned off her blade and returned it to its hidden place underneath her bedroll. She tried to move the bodies but the stench they gave off turned her stomach, she hated to see what they would smell like once they started to bloat.

  A few moments later riding hard Darryl reigned in next to the small camp she had made. “I head the ring of steel. What happened?” He asked looking around at the bloody carnage that littered the ground.

  “The men wanted me to entertain them, so I did, just not in the manner they were expecting.” Eloen said kicking the dead body of the nearest brigand.

  “I see, sounds fair enough to me.” Darryl said swinging down from his horse. “I found a place to cross. It’s only a little over an hour away. I think we can reach the town tonight as long as Ballard returns soon. Honestly even if he doesn’t get back until after dark I would still rather head for town. I never did enjoy sleeping near the dead. It’s just kind of creepy.”