She lay down with him to say “But there is some light remaining. We never sleep till well after dark.”
He smiled and pulled her close to give her a gentle kiss. Cage then closed his eyes. She shrugged and wrapped an arm around him, enjoying his smell of sunlight and that of a clean man. They found themselves fast asleep.
Around midnight, Cage woke and roused Brooke. While she tried shaking off the sleep he searched and found about ten people still awake and the rest were exhausted. Elder Metak was one of the ten and he nodded goodbye. Brooke went to ask questions, but he put a hand over her mouth and said in a whisper “If you love me, I need you to trust me. All you need to know is you and I are leaving right now. I’m all packed, so I’ll help you ready your horse. Do not make a sound. Will you do this for me? For Meeka?”
The last part made her eyes widen. What is he saying? Brooke thought. Are we going alone? Movement caught her eye and she looked over to the old chief who seriously put a finger over his lips for silence. If the elder knows it must be part of the plan he has been so reluctant to voice.
In response to trusting in her love and that of her heart, she nodded and he took his hand off her mouth.
Cage made a barrier to appear invisible again. Metak blinked, quickly realizing what happened and looked elsewhere. The magic was easier to sustain than the last time as all he needed is to hide, not protect against flame. Together they rolled the fur and discretely packed her belongings. She tied her weapons on and walked with him, making absolutely zero noise. Brooke figured he made them disappear because he held her hand while they passed alert sentries who didn’t bat an eye in passing. They reached her horse and tied her supplies securely.
Together they left, making as little noise as possible. Away from the fire and on the road he dropped the shell and sighed.
Hearing the sound she chanced “Can we speak yet?”
“Yes.”
“Just what have you planned? The elders must have all been agreement for this. I deserve an explanation as to why we are alone.”
“You’re right, you do. You and I are going after Meeka and the others.”
“Alone?” She asked as if she didn’t believe.
It was dark so Cage brought a red orb to life in his hand. The draw on his mana was infinitesimal now. “Yes, alone.” He looked up as she rode casually beside him. “My initial plan was to go alone.” He clearly explained and saw her hard eyes narrow. “The problem I knew would arise is you would be the first person to track me down and kick my ass for something foolish. You would have been mad if I parted without you, not that I went alone.”
“Smart.” She smiled, pleased to hear he knew enough of her to avoid doing something that unwise. “Why just me? We are all good fighters.”
“Because if I brought anyone other than you I’d have to know them better and they would slow me down. I know you are the Utala’s best fighter next to me. You can handle yourself and earlier demonstrated a clear focus though you hated seeing our lover in chains. I cannot risk their fate by bringing anyone else. Metak said something like hunters know the more you bring, the greater the risk the prey will find you and flee.”
“I can understand. We could have brought two others and remain effective.”
“Truthfully, besides Meeka, you are all I trust. My honed skills and your own are better matched than anyone else’s. On this, I am not wrong. Besides, without the two of us, the tribe will need all the adults they can. I’m not worried about the wyvern. It might still be digesting. I cannot say for certain, but I believe everyone will be safe. With all the children though, every protector is needed.”
“And what are our people to do when they realize you and I left? The mates of Zatal, Moril and Lanna will likely try and follow us.”
He smiled and said “I’ve been covering the horses hoof prints the whole time while making no footprints myself.” He smiled as Brooke turned around to see not one mark leave behind them. “I’m just returning all the displaced dirt, leaving nothing for someone to follow. Also I spread our scent in every direction for close to a mile. Your people are excellent trackers, but I’ve never been caught.”
She grunted. “And what are our people going to do without us leading them?”
“Metak is taking them to Kote and will act as chief in my stead. I gave him Meeka’s knife to tell her parents everything. There, our people will remain till we bring everyone home. If all goes according to plan Hammit and Quitte will meet up with the tribe as they follow the coast all the way around.”
“What about us? What are we going to do, the two of us against so many?”
“First I have a delivery to make. Afterwards you and I get to go have some fun and wreck a little mayhem and get our woman back.” His grin made her smile.
Retribution is exactly what she had in mind. “I do not like the idea of a deviation when our love is getting further and further from us each day.”
“It won’t be much of a detour, but I made a deal and will stick to it. It is along the way and we need to go around the mountains nevertheless. With so many of the Laqura Empire swarming through the plains we wouldn’t stand a chance. The tribes are fierce and lived in relative peace and allowed to live on their own without much intervention, but without mages they fell. Emroc has been at war and has the necessary strength. When that patrolman warned us of the imminent attack I got the feeling it was an unforeseen tactic, blatantly traipsing across the Tribal Plains. He also said two weeks would be needed to drive that force back. At the moment the mountains protect us so we’ll use it to reach our destination at Castle Emroc. After I make the delivery I’ll learn the safest way to get our people freed. Be ready, this journey will take more than a few weeks.”
“I don’t care how long it takes. I just want to hold my woman again.” Brooke stated. “How long will it take for us to reach the city?”
“Taking only the needed breaks and rest periods… about four to five days. That is why I wanted to get some sleep, so we can make it sooner and travel all day. We’ll walk for now, but first light I’ll run.”
In a low voice she asked “How long will it take them to leave the plains?”
“At the rate they are traveling…” He calculated in his head. “Ten to twenty days I’d estimate. If we find the train we’ll follow for a few days and set up a way to kill all the slavers and rescue everyone with the fewest casualties.”
Brooke went quiet and contemplated how much her life had changed.
Forced from her home, separated from her people and torn from a loving mate. She also knew Cage manipulated her so she said goodbye to her daughter earlier, not realizing why he said that. She knew that his rational mind is also deeply caring. His plan carried many risks, but had valid points. Children were the greatest gift and needed protection while he gave the tribe their best chance at survival. At most only the six of them would die or be slaves while the remaining had the future to look forward to in a new land. She already missed her sisters, but she too had thought she’d leave alone first before considering bringing any of them on such a deadly quest. She looked down at her man walking with the red light and understood that he more than made up for larger numbers. He had talents she was just beginning to learn about. She knew she could learn much and smiled as he knew her so well. He was right, if he did leave without her she would have somehow tracked him down. Brooke sighed, knowing the task the elders will soon face and the hurts of her sisters. She hoped they would forgive when they return. Bringing the ones captured home would go a long way to healing the wounds of her people.
Hours later, the light came up behind them in their westerly travel. Cage stopped covering the horse’s prints two hours before. Brooke kicked her horse ahead, wanting to hurry as best she could with a man who would rather run than ride a horse. Cage easily caught his strides and ran down the road at the best sustainable speed. They paused a few hours later by a river to eat and water the horse. They moved on not long after.
Whe
n they rested for the night Cage checked the tribe and found a bunch of unhappy people, but they made camp somewhere else and everyone stayed together. Metak and the elders were all talking with the adults, calmly explaining again, from what it appeared, what the plan is. Brooke asked to see Rena and the two of them laughed as they saw her with a few other girls as their daughter was leading them in fighting techniques she learned from Cage. Brooke slept well knowing her daughter is fine and wasn’t too crestfallen. Rena was strong and seemed to understand and kept the children occupied.
By the middle afternoon of the next day movement ahead caught Cage and Brooke’s sharp eyes. They had met fellow travelers along the way and kept to themselves, but those weren’t in as much a hurry to reach the city or were simple merchants with hired guards. The two slowed from a leisurely jog to casually look towards each other. “Do you think…?” She asked and dropped down to walk beside him as if it were to let the horse walk off a hard run.
“Better be ready and put on a show.” And he laughed aloud as if she made a joke and she laughed lightly as well, playfully smacking his arm. “I saw one move behind a tree and look slightly to the right, two more are hiding in the tree.” She grabbed his hand and gave a squeeze when she noticed. Cage was quite surprised Brooke had seen the move. Few would have noticed. Years of battle and hunting had honed her senses and made her one lethal woman.
She then said “One more on the left, near the bush.”
“Good eye.” He commented, seeing the man’s outline as soon as she said it. “Looks like we get to have some entertainment this evening.”
She looked up and gave him a brilliant smile that made his heart race doubly fast. “Oh how I love the way you think. Killing stupid men always makes my day go so well.”
“Better to kill off the weaker of the species?” He asked.
“Of course. It will lessen the chance of stupid babies a sister might birth. We are all animals as the rules of nature apply to all. Stupid die, smart survive.”
He grinned. “Woman, I just hope it will be a good fight to remember.”
She brushed her shoulder against his arm, playing up their oblivious act. “If it isn’t a good fight then they were meant to die. A smart man would already realize we know where they are and aren’t helpless. My weapons are fully displayed and yet they still wish to think us prey.”
“Hello, Travelers!” A fifth man hollered, stepping out from behind a large tree. At his hip was a belted sword. He wore woodsy clothing designed to blend in with the trees.
Brooke squeaked and hid behind Cage, looking around from behind, acting the helpless female so many men believed all women were. Cage raised a hand and patted the horse as he saw the Utala do that meant for it to stop. The steed halted and he returned “Hello, Stranger! We’re headed to the capital, how many day’s journey is it from here?”
The obvious highwayman still pretended to be kind and considerate. “About two or three days. Just follow this road all the way. Now may I ask you kind folks for a favor?”
“What might we have to offer?”
The man’s visage dropped into a cruel grin. “Why… all your money and valuables. We’ll be taking your horse and your woman too. She seems mighty ripe for the picking with that scandalous outfit.” The four others also came out of hiding, each carrying a loaded crossbow. The two in the tree climbed down and took up the rear.
Brooke turned around and pretended to be startled and added a quiver to her voice. “Love, they have us surrounded.”
Then it was the bandits turn to be surprised as Cage easily snapped the four strings of the crossbows with a thought. When he clearly saw the weapons it was all too easy to break. “Love, go have your fun.” He cheerfully said.
Brooke pulled out her tomahawks and charged the two in the back. They were confused as to how their weapon broke and of the angry woman running at them. They knew immediately the ranged weapons were useless and drew swords.
Cage grinned and said “Let’s party!” He ran forward to the three, knowing Brooke is more than capable of winning. The three grew frightened at seeing his grin and drew swords and knives. He laughed as he dodged the first sloppy strike, stomped on the side of the nearest man’s knee, shattering it completely. He twisted around and crushed his windpipe with a sudden grip on the man’s throat and dug his fingers in so hard he ripped the throat out. He sidestepped and flicked the handful of meat in his hand at the next man, blood got in his eyes and momentarily blinded him. Cage grabbed his chin and ran past, towards the leader who stood further back, pulled his arm around and broke the man’s neck. The leader who spoke began running for his life, but wasn’t even close to a match for Cage’s longer and swifter stride. Five bounds later, corded arms wrapped around his neck and Cage spun the head completely around, seeing the man look backwards for the first time with a silent scream choked off.
With his three dead, Cage turned around to watch Brooke toying with her two opponents. Her tomahawks spun in complex patterns and the black crow feathers tied to the backside acted as an ornament and distraction. Cage watched her dance beautifully among the two as only she could. Usually she fought a singular opponent, but these two foolish men weren’t trained or knew what it meant to risk their life against such an opponent. She stepped, twirled, bent and avoided attacks with such ease that neither had a chance. She taunted and feinted, making them throw their attacks as shoddy amateurs.
When Brooke tired of playing around she lured the two into attacking her simultaneously. When they fell for the obvious, she hooked their swords with her tomahawks, ripped the hilts from their hands, flicked her wrists to dislodge the bulky weapons and before they could blink she outstretched her arms and spun like a horizontal windmill, cutting cleanly through their throats. The severed arteries and windpipe made their hands go up, but she turned around to find Cage clapping and smiled. She walked away as the two dropped and died seconds later.
“Quite the little actress aren’t you? You even had me fooled with that squeak and timid act. You have many talents.”
She came close and bowed dramatically with a jovial smile. She sighed pleasantly. “You’re not bad yourself. That is just what I needed to release my anger over all that has happened these past days. Sad there isn’t more though.”
“I’m glad that helped.” She noticed the blood dripping off his fingers and worried for only a moment till she saw a man without a throat.
“Did you rip his throat out with your bare hands?”
He nodded. “It requires great grip strength, which I have in surplus.”
She smiled seductively. “That I well know. I remember what your fingers did to me and Meeka the first time we made love. I’ve just never knew anyone who could actually do something so brutal though.”
“Come, lets dispose of them in case there are other highwaymen and search for anything of value they stole from others.” She agreed.
Like with the horse when they left everyone, Cage removed all traces of the skirmish after throwing the bodies in a deep ditch overgrowing with vegetation. He would have preferred doing it by hand, but there wasn’t time to cover the evidence. Brooke found a sack half the size of her head filled with coins and gems nearby where she located five hidden horses. She became delighted at the loot they gained and released the horses into the forest. She wouldn’t have a need for money, she never had a reason for so she gave it to Cage who divided it up incase. What did catch her eyes were a few pretty, uncut gems. She tied two small emeralds the size of a pea into either of her tomahawks, hiding them behind the leather handgrip so that only she and Cage knew about them.
They washed in a stream the last mountain offered. Then they ran again.
The unrelenting sun scorched overhead on the fourth day since separating from the tribe. Every now and then they would come across a farm. And when supplies ran low Cage went onto a farm where a farming family were all too happy selling him freshly grown vegetables and a few strips of smoked beef which Brooke enjoye
d. Clouds to the southwest looked to be rolling in a storm, but were still hours away. More houses sprung up the further north they went. Twice, they moved aside as a courier rushed passed, wearing a white dragon carrying a letter on the shirt which signified them belonging to the Emrocan Courier Guild.
But Brooke stopped her horse with a dropped jaw as she looked ahead and know without any doubt they looked on Castle Emroc, capital city of Emroc. She said in a subdued voice “I never have seen anything like this. I heard stories of great stone walls and homes made of nothing except wood or stone… and so many people… I’ve never in my life seen so many.”
Cage noticed it too and he sometimes forgot all she knew were the plains or seeing nearly three hundred people at most on a daily basis. He smiled and said “I too must admit it is the largest city I’ve come across in this world too. Vlara’s capital Vin’re is approximately half as large as this. We better get going. It will still take us an hour or two to still reach the city and I would like to reach it before the storm comes in and we get caught.”
“Agreed.” She urged her horse forward and Cage kept up the casual pace.
Suddenly Cage got a feeling and turned around. He looked all over from atop the hill and at the sky. There was a hollowness in his stomach that wasn’t part of his gnawing hunger. The hairs on the back of his neck stood as he kept searching the tree line. Brooke stopped and looked in concern. “What is wrong?”
“I’m not sure… I just got the feeling I’m being watched. But I don’t see anything. It’s probably paranoia from all that has happened… The feeling is gone now, let’s keep going.”
They followed the road many others used. The closer they got the more that had been seen. The city spilled outside the great walls where the buildings weren’t in the best condition. He spotted many refugees crawling all over the place. Up on the ten story siege wall were roving patrols of armed men of the military watching for danger. From the large number, they knew about the thousands of enemy soldiers to the east. Several times beggars would approach and one look from either of them made the beggars back away. Cage didn’t like people approaching. Neither did Brooke. Many merchants and caravans entered and exited the city. Tents to the east, outside the castle showed about five thousand or so soldiers being prepared to be sent against the invaders to the east. At one point a naked man armed with a long knife and a lance approached with beads strung to the back of his head and asked “Priestess of the Utala?”
Familiar's Ancient Throne(Book 2 of the Death Incarnate Saga) Page 8