"Oh, great," uttered Jack. "We're all going to die."
* * *
The Fiddlers Bow was a cozy little tavern, much like those found in Merceria. It was still early in the day, and the patrons were few as Gerald and Anna entered. They had decided to split the group up, giving them a better chance of hearing something. Revi, Celia and Beverly would guard the horses, along with Tempus, while Hayley had entered earlier, taking up a seat near the bar. They ignored her as they came in, making their way to a table in the corner, the better to observe the locals. They ordered a light meal and some ale and settled in, enjoying the welcoming atmosphere.
The food was soon laid out in front of them, and Gerald was pleased to see a large sausage, plump from cooking, its aroma making his mouth water. He bit into it, enjoying the flavour as the fat dripped down into his beard.
"You're enjoying that a little too much, Father," said Anna.
"You mean, Da," he said.
"What?"
"I notice that around here they like to call their father, 'Da'."
"Why is that?"
"I have no idea," he stated, "but if you want to blend in, you'd best use it."
"All right, Da," she said, trying to sound natural.
Gerald managed to demolish his food quickly, while Anna picked at hers. The ale was quite acceptable, but he drank sparingly, lest he dull his senses. Some time passed before Alric and Jack entered. The plan was for them to take a separate table and this they did, ordering a round of drinks. Jack did all the talking while Alric looked apprehensive.
The afternoon crowd began to arrive, and the cavalier made it his purpose to engage them in conversation. He was a natural at this type of behaviour, and soon he had a small group of admirers standing around as he told his tales. He bought round after round, engaging all within earshot with his stories. Gerald strained to hear details, but the cavalier was getting carried away, and instead of asking questions he was regaling the crowd.
It was Hayley that approached them in the end. She walked over to the table, followed by a local man.
"May we sit?" she asked.
"Of course," said Gerald. He used his hand to call for two more ales. "Who's this?"
"This," said Hayley, "is Simon Grayly. He's a local hunter. He has some information about the Orcs."
"Do tell," said Anna. "What can you tell us about them?"
"They're a peaceful race," he said, "driven from their hunting grounds by something."
"How do you know that?" asked Gerald.
The stranger looked around as if someone else might be listening. "I've traded with them," he explained. "They're moving south because they have to."
"What's driving them south?" asked Gerald.
"That I don't know, but I know someone who does." Once more, he looked around the room with a piercing glare.
"Are you willing to take us to this person?" asked Hayley.
"I am, provided you can prove you're not intent on killing them. That seems to be the overwhelming opinion these days."
"We're not from around here," offered Gerald, "and have no cause to fight Orcs. We would like to talk to them, nothing more."
"Perhaps," offered Anna, "we can help them?"
"How do I know I can trust you?" the stranger asked.
"You don't," stated Gerald, "nor do we know we can trust you. You could be leading us into a trap to kill us and take our coins."
"True enough," the man replied. He appeared to be thinking things over, for he stared at the table for some time before answering, "All right, I'll take you. You must meet me out front after dark. If I take you in daylight, we might be followed."
"Very well," agreed Gerald. "Hayley, here, will meet you and then we'll met up the street. If we all stand around, people might get suspicious."
Simon nodded his head and tilted back his ale to finish it off. "Agreed. I'll return at sunset," he said.
* * *
Darkness found them waiting at the edge of the village, behind the blacksmith's shop. They soon caught sight of Hayley leading the stranger, their lanterns held high.
"So," the man observed, "it appears you have a rather large group."
"Is that a problem?" asked Alric.
"No, not at all. Now come with me and watch your step, the woods can be treacherous in the dark."
"The woods? Surely not!" exclaimed Jack.
"Not the Greatwood, no, for it is some miles away. We go to Harken Wood, which lies nearby. There you'll meet a friend of mine who will tell you more."
As they stepped into the woods, the quiet night air was interrupted by the crackle of breaking branches and dead leaves as they made their way down a rough path.
"It's not much further," Simon indicated. Soon, they came into a clearing, and he stopped, placing his lantern on the fallen trunk of a tree. "Now we must wait," he explained.
Gerald took a seat next to the lantern. His legs were sore, and he knew it was his age working against him. He looked at Anna who was petting Tempus, the great dog lying in some leaves. She had said he would be grandfather to her children, but now he wondered if he would live that long. If he was feeling his years after this short walk, how long before age claimed him?
With the snap of a twig nearby, everyone froze, peering into the darkness, trying to see what made the sound. Soon, a large, dark shape came through the underbrush, pausing briefly to push a branch out of its way. The green skin left no confusion, for here stood an Orc, his massive green shoulders and chest bare to the cold autumn night.
"This is Grim," said their host. "He hails from the Wolf clan. Don't worry," he added, "he speaks the common tongue."
"Greetings, Humans," Grim rumbled, his voice a rich baritone.
It was Anna who spoke first, "Greetings, Grim, we are most honoured to meet you."
The great Orc walked through the group, examining each in turn. He stopped at Gerald, peering closely into his face. "You are a warrior," he announced, then held out his hand. "It is an honour to meet you."
Gerald held out his hand for the Orc, who gripped it with firmness.
"You have seen many battles," observed Grim. "I see it in your eyes."
"Too many, I'm afraid," offered Gerald.
Grim released his hand and turned to face Anna, "You speak for the others; you are more than just a youngling."
"My name is Anna," she said in reply. "Let me introduce the rest of our group." She pointed at each as she spoke. "This is Hayley Chambers, she's a...expert archer, and this is Beverly and Celia, they're both-"
"Warriors," completed the Orc.
"How did you know that?" asked Beverly.
"It is in your stance. You stand ready to attack, your hand is itching to grasp your sword. Do you fear the Orcs so much?"
"My apologies," offered Beverly, "if I've offered you insult."
"There is no insult," he replied, turning to Revi. "You look like a shaman," he announced.
"Revi Bloom. I'm a mage."
"Honour to you," said Grim.
"And this," continued Anna, "is Alric and Jack. They're accompanying us."
The broad-chested Orc nodded a greeting. "You may leave us now, Simon," he said.
Simon picked up his lantern, "Well, I said I'd take you to meet someone. My work here is done."
He hurried off back to the village, his lantern light dancing haphazardly as he rushed down the path.
"Why are you here?" asked Grim.
"We come seeking the Orcs," said Anna. "We wish to find out why they are encroaching on Human lands."
"You are hiding something," said Grim. "A party such as this is here to fight."
"Perhaps," replied Anna, "but not the Orcs."
"What d'you mean?" uttered Jack.
"I think something is driving you south, pushing you out of your lands. You've come here because you have no choice."
"You are very perceptive," said Grim. "I see why you are the leader."
Alric was about to object, but Jack st
illed him by touching his arm.
"Do you know what is pushing you out of the Greatwood, Grim?"
"No, but I'll take you to someone who does. One of our Shamans will want to talk to you. Do you have horses?"
"Yes, but they're stabled in town," offered Gerald.
"Then get them and meet me back here. We will travel north, into the Greatwood. You will need to bring food and water unless you can hunt."
"We will bring what we need," announced Anna. "I shouldn't like to slow down the trip more than necessary."
The Orc smiled, his ivory teeth showing in the dim light of the lantern. "You are wise beyond your years." He looked like he was about to say more but suddenly paused, looking beyond the princess. "What is this noble creature?" he said, pushing past her. He walked up to Tempus, who had risen from his bed of leaves. The great beast wagged his tail slightly as Grim gently placed his hand on the top of the dog's head.
"That's Tempus," offered Anna. "He seems to like you."
Grim looked back to the rest of the group. "A most interesting find, indeed. The shaman will want to know more about you, but first, you must go and retrieve your mounts."
"I'll take Hayley and Celia," offered Beverly. "We will retrieve the horses and meet you back here."
"Very well," said Anna. "That will give us time to talk to Grim, here."
The three knights left the clearing leaving the rest to wait. Grim seemed fascinated by Tempus who simply sat, letting the Orc scratch his head.
"Your name surprises me," remarked Anna. "I thought Orc names were different."
Grim smiled, "It's the name Simon uses for me. It's not my real name."
"How long have your people been pushing south?" she asked.
"Since the summer solstice. The game was becoming scarce so we pushed south to find better hunting."
"You killed all the game?" asked Jack. "That seems a bit silly."
"No, something else is killing the game," the Orc explained.
"Then we shall have to find out what that something else is," said Anna.
"Well," announced Revi, "since we're going to be here awhile, we might as well make ourselves comfortable." He sat down on the tree trunk, beside Gerald. The older man shifted slightly, rubbing his leg. "Is your leg giving you trouble Gerald?"
"Just my body wearing down with age," he replied.
"You should have said something, I can help you with that. Hold still." The mage began chanting, and Gerald recognized a slight tingle in the air as if a swarm of flies had suddenly appeared. Where Revi placed his hands upon Gerald's leg, a warmth soaked into his sore limbs. A moment later, the ache disappeared.
"That was amazing, Master Bloom," he announced. "I thought that spell only worked on wounds?"
"So did I," the mage replied. "But I thought it worth a try. I suspect we'll have to repeat it in a month or two, but other than that, you should be fine."
Gerald stood up, bending his legs in a squat. "I feel years younger," he declared.
Anna was smiling, "You better," she said. "You're going to have my children to look after."
Alric, who was starting to nod off, suddenly sat up straight. "Princess, are you pregnant?"
Anna blushed at the thought. "No, Alric, I just meant eventually. Saxnor's balls, I'd have to get married first. I'm not quite ready to have children, give me a few years."
Alric began to relax but Gerald wondered if there might be more to his attitude. Was the young prince starting to warm to his charge? He made a mental note to talk to Beverly about it.
"You are a princess?" asked Grim.
"Yes," she admitted, "I am of the Royal House of Merceria."
"I don't know where that is," admitted the Orc, "but you will still be welcome in the tribe."
* * *
It took some time for the knights to return with the horses and then the group, led by Grim, started heading deeper into the woods. The Orc appeared to know the area well and set a brisk pace. Early morning they finally paused, and Grim suggested they get some sleep. He explained there was still a full day's travel ahead of them, much of it through thick brush, and they would need their energy.
Beverly and Hayley stood lookout while the rest tried to get some rest. Grim kept to himself, sitting by the fire, staring into its flames. It took some time for Beverly to realize the Orc was sleeping, though it looked more like a trance.
Sooner than Gerald would have liked, they were up and moving again, covering the distance rapidly as they travelled north. They were going in single file, each riding their mount. Grim was in the lead while Tempus delighted in rushing through the green plants to either side of the path. The further north they travelled, the thicker the woods became until Tempus could no longer make headway off the road. He settled on trotting behind his mistress, the pace comfortable for him.
It wasn't long before even the trail began to get congested with low hanging branches and plants. They resorted to walking their animals while Gerald wondered how much longer this trip would take. The path, if it could still be called that, twisted and turned and he looked to the ranger to see if she had any idea where they were, but she just shrugged. It appeared they were at the mercy of their host.
The column was halted by Grim, who held his hand up in the air, signalling the stop. A moment later, there was some rustling in the woods just before two Orcs appeared, dressed in furs and carrying spears. As they talked to Grim in the Orcish tongue, Gerald noticed Revi gesticulating and came to the conclusion he was using his tongues spell.
"What do you make of it, Master Bloom?"
The mage waited until the Orcs finished their conversation before answering, "They're taking us to a camp that lies nearby. I suspect our journey is almost over."
Sure enough, Grim turned to the rest of the group, "We go now to meet Andurak, one of our Shamans."
He led them off the trail where they forced their way past the undergrowth, emerging into a small clearing. There were a number of structures here, little more than lean-to's, many of which were simply a few sticks supporting animal skins. The entire camp looked very makeshift, reminding Gerald of an army camp.
"Is this your village?" asked Alric.
"No," answered Grim. "Orcs do not live in villages, not since the days of our ancestors. This is a hunting camp. We roam the area, setting up camps like this until we move on."
He led them toward a larger shelter. The open side of the lean-to was toward them, and there sat an Orc at a fire, poking it with a gnarled stick. His head rose at their approach, and then he stood, the stick becoming a staff.
"Greetings, strangers," the Orc said. "I am Andurak, shaman of this family."
Anna bowed, "Greetings Andurak. We are humbled by your presence."
The shaman waved his hands indicating that they should sit around the fire. They spread out, forming a circle around the flames, then plopped down on the ground. Another Orc brought out a bowl containing a milky white liquid. He handed it to the shaman, bowing at the waist.
Andurak took the bowl, raising it to his lips. "Let us all celebrate our kinship by drinking of the milk of life," he said.
He took a sip from the edge of the bowl and passed it to Grim, who did likewise. It next went to Anna, then it was Gerald's turn. The liquid reminded him of milk, but with a thinner texture. He passed it to Beverly who sat beside him. No sooner had the bowl reached her hands than he felt a sudden light-headedness and he turned to Anna. She looked perfectly fine, but he struggled to maintain his focus. Her face began to blur while he tried to speak, but his tongue wouldn't work. The last thing he saw before sinking into darkness was a look of alarm on her face.
* * *
He was running through the woods, the trees rushing past him as he made his way to his destination. He looked at the ground and was astounded to see his four legs carrying him forward. He was a wolf, following a scent, he could almost see it. He stopped, perking up his ears. Something was close, so he crouched, pulling himself toward so
me nearby undergrowth to conceal his presence.
Soldiers came into view. There were dozens of them, carrying swords and axes. Some were armed in chainmail, while the rest wore rough padded armour. They looked Mercerian, but something told him otherwise. They were wearing the colours of the Royal House and yet, to his practiced eye, they were not equipped as such. On and on, they marched past, till he counted at least one hundred. Warriors were coming; he must warn Anna.
* * *
He opened his eyes to see two shapes hovering over him. Anna was there, tears freely flowing from her eyes while Revi Bloom was touching his forehead.
"Can you hear me, Gerald. Come back to me," she was pleading.
He tried to move but his body wouldn't respond, he could only look on, helpless, while she fretted above him. He heard a calm voice in the background.
"He awakens," the shaman was saying, "and will soon have a tale to tell."
He felt his limbs tingle and then moved his fingers. His whole body was afire with pins and needles as if his blood had suddenly rushed back into his veins.
"Anna," he cried out, and he felt her hands grasp his.
He sat up slowly, his surroundings still swirling. He closed his eyes, taking a deep breath, as he felt Anna hug him.
"I thought I'd lost you, Gerald," she said, through sobs of joy.
He held her tight, fighting a wave of nausea.
"What happened," asked Gerald.
"You passed out," said Revi, "just after you drank from the bowl."
"He has had a vision," announced the Shaman. "He bears the mark of the wolf."
"What does that mean?" asked Alric.
"It means our ancestors saw fit to give him a vision. Tell us, old warrior, what did you see?"
Gerald was reminded of the visions of Albreda. Is this what she experienced? If it was, he was more than willing to forgo them. "I was running through the forest, I was a wolf. I saw soldiers."
"What kind of soldiers," asked Alric.
"I'm not sure, they had a mix of weapons and armour."
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