“Don’t worry,” said Hanna. “The trade routes will stay open. I will be coming north to look for my grandfather, but in the meantime you have an empty wagon. I will instruct Norman Warrer, who’s in charge of the company warehouse, to send a load of goods north with you.”
“Thank you. Much appreciated, Miss. I will go have that drink now.”
Hanna left Brun and headed down towards the docks and the warehouse. The warehouse was the heart of the Stoneblood Trading Company. She found Norman sorting through the loot they’d acquired from the pirate ship.
“Hanna,” said Norman. “You heard about Dincuff?”
Hanna nodded. Norman was a nice enough fellow, but he was a very direct sort of man. To the point and no time for small talk. “I’ll be heading out soon to look for Grandfather. Why was Grandfather so far north? I thought he’d decided against expanding our routes. We haven’t changed them in five years.”
“Closer to seven, really,” said Norman. “But Ayrith’s silver mines struck it rich. They found a load of unique gems, very exquisite colors. Previously Ayrith was trading with the Foxnose Traders out of Grimsfell.”
The Foxnose Traders were an aggressive trading company, and one of the Stoneblood Trading Company’s main adversaries. They often tried to poach the territories in the far north, but Thorodd had worked for years to establish good relationships with his trading partners, relationships built on honor and trust. The Foxnose Traders cared more about profits than they did honor, and Thorodd suspected they often bought goods from bandits who raided the northern villages. The Foxnose Traders’ main advantage was that they were one of the only trading companies in the far north. Other companies that tried to trade in their regions often suffered strange losses. The Stoneblood Trading Company mostly traded further inland than the Foxnoses, but there were some areas of overlap, and there would be more if the Foxnoses had their way. If the Foxnoses found out about Thorodd visiting Ayrith, it would mean trouble. Was it the Foxnoses who killed Dincuff?
“I told the man from Elms Grove to take a load of goods back to his village. The attack has them nervous about their shipping route,” said Hanna.
“I’ll go speak to him,” said Norman. “Our regular wagons will take extra riders with them for the next while. I’m more concerned about your grandfather. You should take Egred and Regan with you. They know those mountains.”
Hanna agreed, “I will. I’m taking Azad with me as well.” Egred and Regan were fine warriors, among Thorodd’s best men, but Hanna was used to fighting on the Lady of the Evening. She’d only ever been in fights with the men from her father’s crew. She wanted a warrior who she was used to fighting with accompanying her. “Have them all meet me at my mother’s house. We leave within the hour.”
As she went back towards her mother’s house, Hanna thought about the implications of an attack on Thorodd. Her grandfather was old, yet he was still a fierce warrior, whoever dared to attack him wasn’t fearful of retribution. It was possible that the Foxnoses had attacked, yet a dirk was not a northern weapon, nor was poison a northern tool. There was something else going on.
“How bad is it?” asked Rowena as Hanna returned.
“Bad,” said Hanna with a grim look on her face. She placed the sack on the table.
Rowena opened it up, revealing the dirk.
“Careful, it was poisoned,” warned Hanna.
Rowena raised an eyebrow, but made no comment. Instead she went into her pantry room and returned with two small vials. She placed the dirk over a bowl and then poured water over the blade. The water dripped down into the bowl.
As Rowena worked with the dirk, Azad knocked on the open door to the cottage. Hanna waved him in. She watched as Rowena opened the first vial and placed a drop in the water. Nothing happened. She then opened the second vial and placed a drop of fluid into the water. The water turned a bright red.
“Blackeye poison,” said Azad.
Rowena nodded in agreement as she carefully wiped the blade clean and then handed it to Azad.
The warrior examined the blade, tested it for balance and then handed it back to Rowena. “That is the blade that killed Dincuff?” asked Azad.
“Yes,” said Hanna. “What does it mean? What is Blackeye poison?”
“Blackeye snake venom. It paralyzes and kills in strong enough doses. A weak dose would turn the water pink when birch oil is added to it. Red means the blade was saturated in venom. An assassin’s weapon,” said Rowena. “Azad and your father knew all about these blades.”
Hanna turned to Azad and waited for an explanation.
“Before your father started working for your grandfather we often sailed with the Creytan navy. Creyta was at war with Mykoznia. Mykoznian warriors like to tip their blades in poison. Most Mykoznian warriors fight with swords or spears. However, the elite brigade of Mykoznian warriors, their King’s Guard, used dirks like these.”
Hanna looked at the blade in surprise. “I’ve met Mykoznian sailors before; they are arrogant and loud, and proud of how big their swords are. I’ve never seen one with a small blade before.”
“That is because you’ve only met Mykoznian men,” said Rowena. “The Mykoznian King’s Guards are all women.”
“A woman killed Dincuff?” asked Hanna in surprise. “He was one of Grandfather’s best.”
“You are a woman. Are you not a dangerous warrior? A woman could walk right up to them, especially a beautiful one. You know how northern men are. A Mykoznian woman would seem small and harmless to them. They would never suspect how dangerous they are. You should go and find your grandfather’s body, and bring it home.”
Hanna looked at her mother in surprise. “What do you mean?” Her green eyes clouded.
“If a Mykoznian King’s Guard attacked your grandfather he is already dead,” answered Azad. “Your mother is right. It is possible that it didn’t happen this way. After all, we only have this blade to go on for now. But we should be prepared for the worst.”
Hanna’s eyes started to swell with unshed tears. She refused to believe her mother or Azad. Her grandfather wasn’t dead. He was too tough to die. She would miss him too much if he died. She quickly wiped her eyes as the tears spilled. “Are Egred and Regan here yet? I want to get going.”
“They’re gathering horses and supplies. They will be here any minute,” said Azad. He turned to Rowena. “I believe it is time you officially took charge. The wolves will be at the door if you don’t.”
Rowena sighed. “Yes. I suppose I must. I’ve put it off for far too long. My father was very kind to allow me as much time as he did.” She noticed the confused look on her daughter’s face. “Your grandfather has been handing over control of the shipping company to me for some time now. His health has been deteriorating. He was still fit, but keeping track of everything was giving him bad headaches and he was starting to forget details. I’ve been running things for a couple years now. It was a secret, only a few needed to know. Your grandfather didn’t want you to know as he was too proud to admit he was slowing down.”
Hanna nodded, it made sense. She’d often wondered about the frequent visits from her grandfather that she wasn’t privy to. And even she’d noticed that his memory wasn’t what it once was, but she’d never put it together that her mother was in charge of the family business. But it didn’t surprise her. It was probably easier for her mother to stay in the shadows and run things from there. “How will the villagers respond to you running the company?”
“There will be some who hate it,” said Rowena. “Some may even leave the village. But Irontide was built around the Stoneblood Trading Company, not the other way around. We may lose some business with traders that don’t see a woman as capable of leading, but for the most part we will be fine. Thorodd has been warning his most important partners for years that there would be a day that they would be dealing with me and not him. They have had plenty of time to adjust to the idea. The rest will eventually realize we are the fairest trading company a
round. That won’t change. So, they will stick with us. And our enemies may try to be aggressive; they will try and take our territories. But they will find out that I am a Stoneblood, just like my father. We won’t be pushed or intimidated.”
It was strange to hear her mother talk so. Hanna was used to hearing her speaking softly and forcing Hanna to think of others, to be something other than just a warrior. Her mother’s eyes shed no tears. Sadness was clearly visible, but no tears. This version of her mother was strong, and wrought from iron. “I will do my part, mother. I will do more to help you.” Hanna dried her eyes and sniffled. She straightened her shoulders. If her mother could be strong and stoical, her daughter would do no less.
“You have already done much,” said Rowena with a smile. “Your exploits on the Lady of the Evening are well known among the men in the company. They all respect you and see you as one of them. You’ve grown into a little tigress. I’m proud of you. As would be your father if he was here to see you. Together we’ll face whatever foes that come our way.”
Hanna could hear horses outside the cottage. Egred and Regan had arrived. It was time to leave. She gave her mother a big hug and then grabbed her weapons. It was time to go find her grandfather.
4
Travel North
After two days of hard riding, Hanna and the men reached the village of Elms Grove. Brun had told them where the trail from the village north was.
When they arrived in Elms Grove, one of the first to greet them was Gytha, Brun’s wife. “You are Stoneblood riders?” she asked Hanna.
“Yes,” replied Hanna.
“I will show you the road north,” said Gytha as she led them out of the village. She pointed to a small set of wagon tracks heading north. “It isn’t much of a road, just enough for a wagon to travel. We trade a little with the Nordviks. But we only use wagons in the summer months. That is the road Thorodd traveled.”
Hanna thanked Gytha and started following the road.
They moved slower now, not wanting to miss any details. Even though days had passed, there would likely be sign of the attack on the road. They were five miles from the village when they found the grave of Thorodd Stoneblood. Someone had taken the time to cover his body in rocks and had placed his sword as a marker.
Hanna bit her lip, as she held back tears. Her grandfather, the stern yet caring man who’d been such a big part of her life, was dead. She wanted to mourn him, yet now was not the time for grief. Now was the time to find answers. Hanna straightened her back, took a deep breath and turned to her grandfather’s warrior. “Egred, what happened here?”
Egred was one of the best woodsmen in all the company. He was as good a scout as one could ever hope to have. He patiently scouted the area. He ignored the stones marking Thorodd’s grave, and focused on the tracks on the road. “No one has passed since the attack, a small bit of luck,” said Egred. “Thorodd and Dincuff were stopped here. Someone was blocking the road. A single person. That person walked up to Thorodd.” Egred pointed to a set of horse tracks, barely visible to Hanna’s eye. “I would know the tracks of Thorodd’s stallion anywhere. The stranger walked up to his stallion. Neither Thorodd nor Dincuff dismounted. The attacker had small feet, light footed. From the looks of it, the assassin attacked Thorodd first and then threw the dirk at Dincuff.”
“A single warrior, small feet, lightweight, and using dirks,” said Azad.
Hanna didn’t need Azad to finish his thoughts. She was already coming to the same conclusion. Her mother had been correct. A Mykoznian King’s Guard, one of the elite female warriors, had killed her grandfather and Dincuff. But why? What was the protector of a foreign king doing, acting as an assassin?
The sound of pounding hooves interrupted Hanna’s thoughts. A swarm of riders came around a bend in the road. Azar swore. “Foxnose riders!”
Hanna looked around. They didn’t have time to mount and ride away, and the horses were already tired from the hard ride. The only option they had was to fight. “Egred, Regan, guard my flanks.” Azad needed no instructions from Hanna. They two had fought together enough that the trust between them was rock solid. It was Egred and Regan that she worried about. Individually, they were competent warriors, but how would they fare against many enemies? Would they fight as individuals or maintain their positions?
As the Foxnose riders closed in, Hanna studied the warriors. She counted sixteen riders, possibly more if there were any lagging behind and had not yet come around the corner in the road. Instead of meeting the riders head on, Hanna turned and ran into the trees, Azad and the others hard on her heels. Hanna spotted a grove of trees that were tightly grouped. She slid between two trees and then slowed down. This is where they would make their stand. The tight grove of trees would prevent the Foxnose riders from attacking on horseback. It was one thing to fight a superior number of fighters; it was another entirely to face them while on horseback.
The first of the Foxnose riders had already dismounted and were rapidly approaching. The first one to the woods was a pinched face man with a prominent Adam’s apple that bobbed as he spoke. “Thorodd is a fool for sending you into our territory. Maybe when we send him your corpses he’ll smarten up. Ayrith is our territory; I don’t care what the Nordviks say. They trade with us or not at all.” The man signaled and the first wave of his riders attacked.
Eight warriors formed a half horseshoe and attacked. The warriors, all strong northern men with large broadswords and axes, moved in swiftly through the trees. Hanna waited until they were only a few feet away. She sprinted forward toward the two warriors focused on her, as she got close she jumped to her right, and then when her foot connected with the tree she’d lined up with she launched herself up into the air. She stabbed down at the first warrior with her glaive striking him in the throat before he had time to raise his sword and block her. As she landed on the ground the second warrior took a vicious swing at her with his axe, but he failed to account for the tree between them. His axe blade sunk into the tree Hanna had landed beside. The warrior growled in frustration as he yanked his blade free from the tree. But it was too late to block Hanna from stabbing him with her glaive.
“Now,” yelled Azad from behind her.
Hanna ducked down as a third warrior had come up on her side and swung his sword around the tree. As she felt the blade slicing over her head she watched Azad’s knife strike the man in the eye. From there the battle went downhill fast. Egred killed the first warrior who reached him, but as more came at him he moved out into the opening away from Hanna and the others. Hanna understood the northern warrior wanted more room to swing his sword, but more room for him also meant more room for the warriors coming in against him. Hanna swore in frustration as two warriors attacked at once. Egred blocked the first but the second sliced Egred through the leg. The warrior grimaced and fell to one knee. He gamely raised his sword to block the next attack, but it was the last block he would make as a third warrior came up behind him and stabbed him and then pushed his body out of the way so he could attack Azad.
“Behind you,” yelled Hanna, before raising her glaive to block another attack. She fought with two warriors, ducking between trees, slashing out with her glaive. Azad also was surrounded and teamwork was no longer an option.
Hanna fought with desperation. When her glaive got stuck in the chest of a warrior, she let go and grabbed her eagle’s claw daggers. Without her glaive, Hanna lost her advantage of distance. The fight was now in close, and Hanna slashed and hacked, instinctively blocking as many of the attacks coming her way as possible while sneaking in her own attacks where she could. Several times she felt the sting of metal against her skin, and one man yielding a thick witch wood staff landed a heavy blow to her ribs.
The battle raged for several long minutes before one of the Foxnose riders yelled, “Nordvik men approaching!”
The remaining Foxnose riders disengaged from battle and jumped back onto their horses, riding south away from the approaching group of rider
s.
Hanna, grateful for the reprieve, slumped down to the ground. She felt weak. Breathing was difficult and she was starting to feel dizzy. She tried to rise. She needed to look to Azad and Regan. But when she tried to stand, Hanna blacked out and fell to the ground.
5
Hanna Wakes in Ayrith Village
Hanna blinked. The light in the room was soft. It came from four blue globes that hovered in the corners of the room. Hanna blinked again as her mind registered that the four globes were floating in the air and not attached to the walls. She rubbed her eyes to clear them of sleep dust, and with a grimace she sat up. A shooting pain slammed into her belly, forcing her to lie back down on the bed.
Where am I? Hanna thought as she rested her head on the pillow. The last thing she remembered was the battle. Now she was in a magical room with a wonderfully soft bed and the fluffiest pillow she’d ever had. The strange room smelled wonderful. Lavender, vanilla and bilbub were the scents she could detect, but she was sure there were other subtler aromas lingering in the background. The magic globes seemed like they were the source of the wonderful scent but without getting up, there was no way she could be sure. And she was in far too much pain to attempt such a maneuver just to find out how the magical globes worked.
Hanna was no stranger to magic. While Northern Solotine, and the rest of Solotine for that matter, was not friendly towards magic and mages, many other kingdoms that Hanna had sailed to were far more tolerant of magic. Some, like Balta and her father’s home of Creyta, openly celebrated magic. Many of the kingdoms Hanna had visited were more neutral, they didn’t hunt magic users down like Solotine had been known to do, but they didn’t openly trust mages. Although, even those kingdoms prejudiced against and outlawing magic tended to have a mage or two kicking around if you looked hard enough.
Hanna Halfblood: A YA fantasy tale Page 3