“I sure do, blondie,” Colt nodded. “Then I hand them over to the guards. They don't ask how the crooks got so bloodied - they figure they're just real clumsy and ran into a wall a couple dozen times. My point is, watch how you handle yourself, or you'll answer to me.” Pacian nodded slowly, and Colt lowered him back down to the ground. “Oh, one last thing. Hand over the coins.”
“Why?” Pacian asked cautiously.
“Because if we're going to make it through this, we'll need to buy you lightweights some proper equipment. Come on, we're going shopping.”
* * *
After a brief visit to the smithy, they headed back over to the Bracksfordshire Arms with a few pieces of new gear. Aiden now had a short sword strapped to his waist and a cured leather breastplate to protect his body, while Pacian purchased a proper combat dagger to replace his carving knife.
Despite their tremendous and illegally obtained wealth, there was little to buy at the shop. Again, the King’s army had a hand in their fate, taking all the decent weapons and armour weeks ago, leaving precious little to choose from.
Nellise returned carrying a wooden staff and backpack over her shoulder and Pacian reappeared a moment later, apparently having spent his time buying provisions which he carried in a large sack. More than that, he was wearing a full suit of leathers, dyed a patchwork of green and brown, just like Colt's.
“Where did you get that?” Colt exclaimed.
“You see that shop over the road there?” Pacian hiked his thumb over his shoulder, pointing out a clothing store just down the road from the mayor's office. “Run by a nice older gentleman and his young, young wife. A little too young for him if you ask me -”
“I know of the bloody shop,” Colt interrupted angrily, “but that's Ranger armour. It's practically a uniform.”
“Well, this elder gentleman I mentioned? Turns out he used to be a Ranger, years ago. Retired now obviously, but when I mentioned our mission to brave dangerous roads in an effort to bring urgent supplies to the town, well, he said to me 'I've got a little something here that might help you out'. And he brings out this very nice suit of armour, and insists I take it.” Pacian kept loading up his pack with the items and supplies he found as he talked.
“Never knew old Dave Patel was a Ranger,” Colt mused. “He had that weathered look about him though. Might have to talk to him about that when we get back. But if he offered it to you, you must have made quite an impression. Either that or you've somehow swindled him, and if I find out that's what you've done -”
“I know, I know, severe beatings and such,” Pacian muttered.
“As much I enjoy watching these little sparring matches between you two,” Nellise interrupted impatiently, “I really think we should start out immediately. It could take a week to get back here with supplies, and every hour could make all the difference.” His pack full, Aiden hefted it onto his back, and secured the buckles.
“I couldn't agree more,” he said, “you two can argue about whatever you like on the way north.” Colt grunted in agreement, while Pacian took out a forest-green cloak and offered it to Nellise.
“Your white robe sticks out like a sore thumb,” he explained. “This should help you blend in a little better. May I?” Nellise, still harbouring some resentment to him, eventually nodded and allowed Pacian to gently wrap the cloak around her shoulders before they set out.
After a few minutes, they reached the north gate which, like the wall surrounding the town, was made of thick oak trunks. There were four guards standing before it, looking miserable in their rusty chain armour and blue tabards. The armour itself didn't appear to fit any of them properly – mostly it was too large and draped heavily from young shoulders. One of them was even a young woman, far too small for her chain mail but appearing defiant and proud regardless.
They perked up when Aiden produced the official note from the mayor and, moments later, the heavy locking bar was lifted and the gate swung outwards enough to allow the group to walk in single file out to the highway beyond. As Aiden and his companions strode through, the biggest of the guards quietly wished them good luck, and then closed the gate behind them, locking the bar in place with an ominous ‘thunk’.
“I’m suddenly having second thoughts about this,” Pacian remarked, looking over his shoulder as they walked away.
“We’re getting through to Culdeny, one way or another,” Aiden assured him.
“What else did Olaf tell you about what we’re facing?” Colt asked as he took out his longbow and began to string it.
“Two dozen men, most likely thugs from the streets of Culdeny,” Aiden explained. “They’re not trained for any of this and aren’t likely to be well armed. I know what you’re thinking - that’s a lot to deal with, but their leader is the only one holding it together. If we take him out, the rest should break and run.”
“That strikes me as being rather specific information,” Nellise shrewdly noted.
“What can I say, the man is corrupt and has connections with some less savoury elements up north. He knows more about these bandits than he was letting on,” Aiden added, omitting the part about Olaf hiring them in the first place.
“Well, I was planning to keep it stealthy anyway,” Colt muttered, testing his longbow to ensure it was ready. “We move out and keep as quiet as possible - if we do run into any bandits they're likely to be hiding and I’ll take them out without raising an alarm. They won't want to fight us face-to-face, like real men, so keep an eye on our surroundings. Aiden, do you know how to use that sword?”
“I know which end to point at the opponent, yeah,” Aiden answered as he tested his small sword, swinging it back and forth to get a feel for it.
“Try not to stab yourself. Let’s go.” Without further ado they walked over the old Stormflow River bridge and left the safety of town behind, with Aiden wondering if they were getting in over their heads.
Chapter Four
The rain continued to fall unabated as they walked along the northern highway, though it seemed to ease as time wore on. Aiden kept his hand close to his sword hilt, and Colt’s longbow was ready to send a clothyard shaft hurtling through the air at the first sign of trouble.
Aiden's senses became heightened as they travelled and he found himself jumping at the slightest crack of a nearby branch or the subtle movement of trees. The large pines crowded in around them more and more as they went along and it was fairly clear they had now entered the south-eastern reaches of the Calespur Ranges, a large forest that was a source of wood for nearby communities and home to the King's game reserve.
They stopped for a quick break at what must have been close to midday for a meal and rest. There had been no sign of bandits or anyone else for that matter, a fact which made Colt more than a little nervous.
“I figure any group of men looking to snatch passing merchants would’ve set up a bit closer to Bracksford,” he wondered.
“Maybe there aren’t any,” Pacian suggested. “Maybe Olaf was just making it up?”
“If true, then it simply means we’ll be getting paid to go where we were heading anyway,” Aiden pointed out. “It’s three days to Culdeny, so I wouldn’t give up on running into trouble before then just yet.”
“They’re probably short-handed on soldiers as well, but they're far from defenceless,” Colt grunted, rubbing his eyes in the manner of someone with a headache. “If they got wind of any unlawful activity to the south, they'd have sent a squad to investigate.”
“It’s only a matter of time,” Nellise reminded them as she delicately ate some bread and cheese.
“You know, I wasn’t expecting a lady of the cloth to carry a staff around,” Aiden remarked. “Are you actually trained to fight?”
“Only to defend ourselves,” Nellise responded. “The last two months of my novitiate was partially devoted to dealing with shall we say, unpleasant situations. Though I’ve never been in a real fight, I am confident that I can hold my own.”
“So your order is
n't a militant one?” Aiden inquired. Nellise suddenly seemed to realise where his line of conversation was heading.
“Oh, not at all,” she assured him. “In fact, Kingdom law prevents members of the clergy from having military or civilian rank, to avoid the sort of conflict of interest there was in times past. I am an acolyte of the Resolute Heralds, our local chapter of the Church of Aielund, dedicated to bettering civilisation. It was a different chapter that was responsible for certain unfortunate acts.”
“I’ve read a little about what you’re referring to, though I’d like to hear your perspective on it,” Aiden prompted.
“Last century, the Church had great political power throughout the land, greater than the King himself, and it was used... poorly.” Her voice was passionate - clearly this was important to her. “Many suffered needlessly from accusations of impurity, heresy and other such nonsense, as the more paranoid factions of the clergy took power. Specifically, the Divine Templars, a chapter whose ethos was more focused on maintaining order and strict adherence to the Codex Morium, our holy book and centuries-old treatise on proper conduct, than any other concern.”
“The King was a weak man, so it fell to the people to rise up and stop the tyrant Archieros and restore authority to the throne. The Divine Templars were disbanded, and only three chapters of the church remain. Since then, the training doctrine for the priesthood has been very strict, and places great emphasis on service, humility, and repentance above all else.”
“Damn right they do,” Colt grunted. He held his bow at the ready, keeping a keen eye on their surroundings. “They're tripping over themselves trying to help people, and always taking the blame for things they didn't do. It's disgusting.” Nellise's face revealed a long-suffering look, but Aiden wanted to know more.
“What do you mean, Colt?” he asked.
“They've been humble and repentant for a long time, and that has become their religion. They let just about anyone treat them like dirt. You people are pathetic. Don't you have any pride in yourselves?”
“Pride is what led to our downfall,” Nellise reminded him quietly. “We seek now to make amends and reassure people that our ways differ greatly from those of our predecessors.”
“That much is obvious,” Colt grunted. “I just think you take it too far is all. There's gotta be a happy medium. I can't stand being around priests these days, they just ain't men. Especially the women.”
“Are you even aware what words are coming out of your mouth?” Aiden asked earnestly. Nellise smiled faintly at this and Pacian quietly laughed.
“You know what I mean,” Colt growled. “Look, all I'm saying is that they gotta start acting like real people again. Fawning and kissing everyone's feet for stuff that happened a long time ago by other people isn't helping. Get over it already.”
“Thank you Colt, I'll take that under advisement,” Nellise replied coolly.
Aiden was about to speak when he locked eyes with someone crouching in the shadow of the tall trees ahead. It appeared to be a woman - her long red hair bedraggled and matted against her mud-splattered face. She wore tattered animal skins and furs hung around her, but it was the look in her eyes that made Aiden's heart pound in his ears. It was like looking into the eyes of a wild animal, one that was prepared to rip his throat out if he moved too quickly.
They stared at one another, motionless for a few seconds before Aiden's companions noticed what was happening. Startled, she bolted further into the trees, running faster than he thought was possible given the conditions. Aiden suddenly gasped for air, only now aware he had been holding his breath.
Under the aegis of Colt’s longbow, Pacian rushed to where the strange woman had been standing moments before but she’d vanished. On his way back, he discovered something lying on the ground amidst the trees.
“There’s a body here,” he called. Aiden and the others quickly joined him and grimaced at the site of the bloody remains of a man, stripped of all possessions except for the blue tabard identifying him as a member of the Bracksford militia. Colt suddenly felt the urge to curse loudly.
“What's your problem?” Aiden asked. The big ranger glared into the distance, in the direction they last saw her.
“I didn't see that bloody girl until we were almost on top of her,” he grumbled. “Stupid, bloody hangover! She might have gone off to alert the rest of the bandits that we’re coming.”
“If we weren't together in a group,” Pacian muttered, “she could have killed one of us while we were busy talking. Can you track her, Colt?”
“Of course I can track her, she was right here a minute ago!” the ranger roared.
“Wait a moment,” Nellise interrupted, gesturing at the body before her. “Colt, come here and look at this.” Still fuming at himself, the big ranger swaggered over to see what she was pointing at.
“Are you seeing this?” Nellise asked quietly, drawing a slow nod from the ranger.
“I don't know who that woman was, but this man died over a week ago,” he grated ominously. Nellise nodded sagely, as if anticipating this answer.
“She may have just stumbled across the body as we did,” she explained when Aiden looked at her curiously.
“We can’t take the risk,” Colt growled. “We move, now, and assume they could be upon us at any moment.” There was no dissent from the group as they gathered up their equipment and continued on, this time in silence.
They moved at a brisk pace for several hours without incident until Colt spotted something ahead and called for them to halt, while he crept in closer to investigate. Not far ahead of them was a wagon with one of its two wheels broken, leaning heavily against a thick pine a few yards off the road. The long gouges in the ground denoted its final movements.
“How long ago did this happen?” Aiden asked when he moved in closer to see. Pacian drew his dagger and altered course to take him through the nearby trees. Colt was already kneeling to check for tracks, and it didn't take long for him to draw a conclusion.
“It came from the north more than a week ago,” he grunted. “I think we both know what happened here.”
“Someone tried to run the blockade and failed.”
“They made it this far south though, which tells me the cowards who did this can’t be far from here.”
“What about the cargo?” Nellise inquired.
“Give me a moment,” Colt rumbled, clambering into the back of the wagon for a closer look. “A couple of loaves of stale bread and a lot of empty crates back here,” he reported. “I guess they took everything of value, because who wouldn’t?”
“I think I found the driver,” Pacian called as he joined them from the forest, carrying a filthy crossbow and a couple of pouches in his hands. “If I had to guess, I'd say he ran off at the first opportunity after the attack started. Poor bloke never stood a chance really. I guess in the downpour they missed this, and a coin pouch I found in the mud.
“I'm guessing it's been mysteriously emptied,” Aiden remarked dryly.
“No, actually,” Pacian replied, raising an eyebrow at the implication. “There were no coins, but there is an interesting glove in here.” He upended the pouch and it fell into his waiting palm. It appeared to be a leather glove with a gemstone fixed onto the back of it, held in place by a metal band. The glove itself had no fingers, and seemed quite aged.
“I don't think our deceased friend will be in need of this,” Pacian quipped, “so I'll just hang on to it for safe keeping.”
“Wait, let me have a look,” Aiden interrupted. Pacian tossed the glove to him, giving Aiden a chance to examine the gem up close.
“Are you also a jeweller?” Nellise inquired.
“Not really,” Aiden murmured as he continued the examination. “But sometimes gems like this possess value of a different kind.”
“I say, is that crossbow still intact?” Nellise asked of Pacian, who took a closer look at it.
“Seems to be, though the moisture hasn’t done the string any
good.” He took a bolt from the other pouch he’d recovered and loaded the weapon, then aimed it carefully at a nearby tree and pulled the trigger. The bolt lodged into the tree as the string snapped straight, an effective demonstration of its capabilities.
“Let me use it,” Nellise advised. “If we’re going to be shot at by bandits in a forest, I’d like to be able to shoot back.”
“I’m starting to like you more every minute,” Pacian smirked as he gave her the weapon.
Aiden wasn’t paying them a great deal of attention, for his sharp eyes had noticed engraved writing in the metal surrounding the gem. It was not written in modern Aielish, the common language of the Kingdom, but he did recognise many of the letters from his years of study.
“Doesn’t take a genius to figure that gem has to be worth a small fortune,” Pacian confided to Nellise. “This expedition has just paid for itself.”
“More than you know,” Aiden mumbled. He was silent for a long moment as he concentrated on the strange symbols, trying to recall their meaning. “I think this glove was made by a wizard. See these symbols?” He leaned over to let his friend take a closer look. “I've managed to translate a bit of it and if I'm right, this is a command word that will invoke some sort of magic.”
“Any idea what it does?” Pacian inquired with more than casual interest.
“No, but I figure it's either a weapon or some kind of protective device. Either one would be the only reason to attach something this valuable to a glove.”
“What was that?” Colt suddenly whispered, whirling around and raising his bow. Raindrops hitting the soft earth were the only sound in the vast, empty forest, yet Aiden drew his sword as quietly as possible and leaned his back against a tree, his heart racing and ears pricked for the slightest noise.
Pacian and Nellise took cover behind the broken wagon, from where they watched in silence for any sign of danger and as it happened, they didn’t have long to wait. Pacian suddenly pointed ahead of them and hissed a warning to Colt, who responded by levelling his bow in the same direction, holding it steady for a few seconds, then releasing it. The sound of the shaft flying through the air was cut off abruptly as it struck something that let out a strangled sound before collapsing to the ground.
Nature Abhors a Vacuum (The Aielund Saga Book 1) Page 6