A Portion of Dragon and Chips

by Simon Haynes

  With their plan organised, such as it was, they sat down to a hearty meal, then lay down to snatch a few hours sleep while Thonn watched over them. Before she turned in, Tiera went to speak with him, passing him the small purse of golden coins. "This is everything I have," she muttered, keeping her voice low so that Runt didn't overhear. From the halfling's snores, she was pretty sure he was asleep, but she was taking no chances. "I'm trusting you, Thonn. Do not let me down."

  Thonn nodded, his face serious. "Your money is safe with me, you have my word."

  Tiera hadn't shown him the contents, but the weight of the purse, despite the few coins it contained, was enough to reveal its worth. "Anyone else would take this and flee," she murmured.

  "You saved my life," said Thonn simply. "I would never betray your trust." He thrust the purse into his loincloth, and Tiera gave him a grateful smile before heading off to find a comfortable spot for some sleep. A spot well away from the halfling's raucous snoring.

  — ♦ —

  Tiera winced as a twig cracked nearby. So far Runt had fallen over a tree root, twisted an ankle in a rabbit hole, smacked his head on a very low-hanging branch, and lost his dagger … twice. She was thinking about sending him on ahead, so that when the enemy heard all his muttered curses and cries of pain, she could take advantage of the ensuing scuffle to finish them all off.

  She herself moved silently, like a deadly shadow, but that only made things worse because Runt kept stopping to ask if she was still following him.

  By the time they reached the camp her nerves were stretched to breaking point, and when Runt tripped over a sleeping enemy, stumbled across the clearing and almost fell into the embers of a large campfire, her patience finally ran out. She despatched the half-awake enemy with a well-aimed thrust then melted into the trees as sleepy voices became alert voices, and sleeping forms became alert, dangerous foes.

  Runt was quickly surrounded, and he promptly dropped his dagger and put his hands up. "We surrender," he said, as he looked around the hard-bitten, angry faces.

  "We, is it?"

  "I mean … I surrender."

  "Weren't you travelling on that boat earlier? The one with the dodgy old cage?"

  "Not me. I can't stand water. I get seasick in the bath."

  One of the men held a sword to Runt's throat. "How many of you. Quick now!"

  "Ten. No … twenty," managed Runt.

  The men stared around the trees, dimly-lit by the embers. Tiera could tell they weren't common criminals … from their bearing and the way they handled their weapons, these men had military training. Deserters, then, and all the more dangerous for it. She cursed the halfling's clumsiness, quietly, and squatted beneath a bush to await developments. There was little chance of them finding her, and as long as she was free she might as well learn what they intended. As for rescuing Runt … there was no chance of that.

  "Twenty, you say. Have you been hitting the wine, little fellow?"

  "All right, you've got me. I'm travelling these woods alone, and I thought I could warm myself at your fire. I have no means to light my own, and it was cold."

  "What are you doing travelling this late at night?"

  "It is the way of my people," said Runt. "We prefer to avoid trouble."

  The man confronting Runt beckoned to another. "Fetch a rope. We'll tie him up and decide what to do with him in the morning."

  "Might be good eating," said the second man. "Maybe roast 'im up?"

  There was a round of laughter, and the men bound Runt hand and foot then tied him to a tree for good measure. Then one of the men looked around the clearing. "Hey, anyone seen Forrest?"

  One of the others shrugged. "He's probably off hunting. Told me he was hungry … let him go, I say."

  "He's probably getting away from your stew."

  "There's nothing wrong with my cooking!" snapped the man.

  "No, not if you want to build a brick wall. Eating it … now that's another matter."

  Then, grumbling about being woken from their slumber, they settled down to resume their sleep. This time, a sentry was posted on the edge of the clearing, and although he was facing away from Tiera she realised he'd have to be dealt with first. She waited thirty minutes, then left her hiding place and circled the clearing, placing her feet carefully to avoid any noise. When she reached the sentry's position, she broke cover and darted up behind him, clamping a hand over his mouth and ending him with a thrust of her stiletto. When he was still, she let him crumple to the forest floor.

  Then she hurried over to Runt and cut through his bonds. She helped him up, and he grabbed a length of tree branch as a makeshift weapon. Then Tiera turned for the fire, intending to finish off the rest of the men. Instead, there was a whooshing noise behind her, and something hit her on the side of the head … hard. The night lit up with shooting stars, and Tiera fell to the ground, stunned but not quite unconscious. Dimly, she felt herself being searched, and there was a string of muttered curses as whoever it was failed to find any valuables. Tiera was drifting in and out of consciousness, but she felt the rough rope around her wrists and ankles as her attacker bound her. Then, as the small, shadowy figure vanished into the trees with the sound of breaking twigs and cursing, Tiera finally blacked out.

  Chapter 29

  The mule shifted, crushing a branch under its hoof, and Thonn tensed at the sudden noise. Fortunately the animal had been quiet so far, and he assumed it was sleeping. It was pitch dark under the trees, and Thonn started at every squeak of a bough, every knock of branch on trunk, and every squeak or chirp from the many night-time creatures going about their business in the woods.

  It was hours since the other two had left on their mission, and he was getting worried. Already he could see a faint glow to the east, and he knew dawn would break soon. Now there was a decision to be made: sit quietly and wait for the others, or find out where they'd got to. If he followed them and they were all right, he'd get in trouble, but if they'd been captured and he waited until daybreak, he might never see them again.

  Of course, they might already be dead, but he pushed that thought away quickly.

  Thonn had no particular loyalty to Runt, but Tiera was another matter. She'd saved him from certain death, put him up in her room at the inn, tried to heal him, fed him, and then travelled by his side as they made their escape from the city. He owed her everything.

  He waited five more agonising minutes, then made up his mind. Something must have happened, he knew it, and waiting around wasn't going to fix anything. It was up to him to rescue his travelling companions.

  He took stock of his weapons - none - and his armour - none - and then considered his combat training - none. All he had was his wits.

  Then, amazingly, he heard voices.

  "I told you we should have waited until daylight."

  "Yeah, well the sooner we get the captain's little task over and done with, the sooner we can go back to our nice warm beds."

  "You're kidding yourself, aren't you? How are we going to find one woman in the entire country? We might as well give up now."

  Thonn heard a whinny, and he realised the men were on horseback. They spoke like guards from the city, and he wondered who they were looking for this far from the safety of their barracks. As they got closer he heard the horses' heavy tread, despite the thick covering of pine needles covering the forest floor, and it dawned on him they were heading straight for his position. It was still dark, but they would certainly see the mule tied to a tree. He reached for the rope and started undoing the sturdy knot, but he was too late for the men rode into the small clearing and spotted him.

  "Hold fast there!" said one of the men, drawing his sword.

  Thonn froze. The men had spoken of their captain, and a mission, but they were dressed like travellers and they didn't have typical guard weapons, nor did they bear the distinctive armour of Lord Chylde's men. Were they deserters? Or worse, were they part of the group who'd been attacking the settlement of Breen
? "I'm just a farm boy, heading back to my home," said Thonn, putting on a thicker country accent than usual.

  "Really? So what's the cage for, performing mice?" The men reined in their horses and dismounted, swords drawn. "You're not one of these bandits infesting the woods, are you?"

  "N-no," said Thonn.

  "Tell me, boy. Have you met a woman called Tiera on your travels? Tall woman, dark hair, mid-twenties."

  "I have seen many such women, but none told me their names. Why do you seek her?"

  "Our captain has a message for her."

  Thonn eyed their drawn swords. Whatever their message was, he had a feeling Tiera wouldn't want anything to do with it, which was a pity because he'd been thinking about paying the men to rescue her. Now he just needed them to leave before it got light. "If I meet this Tiera, what should I tell her?"

  "Tell her Pentonville and Islington need to speak with her urgently. It's a matter of life and death." The nearest man nodded towards the west. "We're travelling that way, trying to catch up with her. There's a reward if you get word to us."

  Thonn eyed their horses. The only way he'd get word to them was if his mule grew wings, but it was useful to know they would be travelling ahead. "I will do as you ask."

  "Good. Now be home with you, lad. These woods aren't safe."

  Thonn nodded, then watched them mount up and ride off through the trees. As soon as they'd gone he dug Tiera's purse of coin from his loincloth and buried it at the base of a tree. He chose the one the mule was tied to, reasoning it wouldn't be hard to find again.

  He wiped the dirt off his hands and headed down to the river, where he waded into the chill waters and swam strongly for the far side. Once he reached the bank, he got up and stripped, wringing his loincloth out in the near-darkness. It was cold and clammy when he put it back on, and he ran up and down the grassy bank a couple of times to get his circulation going. Then he slipped into the woods.

  He slid through the darkness towards the embers of a cooking fire, and circled the large clearing until he came across a figure lying on the ground. It was Tiera, and she was lying on her side, tied up. There was no sign of Runt, and he wondered whether the halfling had managed to get away. If so, why hadn't he come back to rescue Tiera?

  A sparrow twittered in the trees, the sudden noise startling him. It was getting light, and he could make out three other shapes in the clearing. Three men, asleep on the ground. The woman in Breen had told him there were at least six fugitives, so where were the rest?

  Stealthily, Thonn approached Tiera and put his mouth to her ear. "Tiera, it is Thonn," he murmured. "Can you move?"

  There was no reply, and he realised she was out cold. Squatting on his haunches, he glanced at the men sleeping nearby. One of them would surely wake any second now, and if they spotted him in the clearing he'd have no chance. He had to get Tiera out of there, and the only way was to carry her. After apologising silently for his presumptuousness, Thonn got his arms under her shoulders and the back of her knees, and lifted her up. His knees almost buckled, for he was only a strip of a lad, and she was a tall, athletic woman, but he managed to stagger from the clearing without dropping her. On the way he saw her stiletto sticking out of the ground, and after depositing her gently behind a bush, he ran back to fetch it. Then he returned to Tiera, cutting her bonds.

  "Where am I?" she murmured.

  "Don't speak," hissed Thonn. "There is danger!"

  Tiera opened one eye, then winced. "What hit me?"

  "Later. Can you stand?"

  She shook her head, then winced again.

  Thonn pressed his lips together. Even if he got her up, they'd be moving so slowly the enemy would catch up with them in no time. There was only one thing to do, and with a set look on his face he gripped the stiletto in his right hand and sneaked back into the clearing. He approached the first sleeping form, clapped his hand over the man's mouth, and stabbed him repeatedly in the chest. He willed himself to his feet and approached the second sleeping man, striving to keep his mind blank. Then, with two of them down, he crossed to the third and finished him too.

  Afterwards he ran into the bushes, where he was violently sick.

  Once he'd recovered, he cleaned the blade and returned it to Tiera. It was almost light now, and he'd spotted three other bodies on the way back. He found Tiera sitting up, alert, and she eyed him curiously as he handed the stiletto back to her. "Is everything all right?"

  "The men will not trouble us any more."

  Tiera let out a low whistle of surprise. "You finished them off?"

  "They were sleeping. It was not a fair fight."

  Tiera stood up, swaying slightly, and put her arm around his shoulder. "Thonn, do you remember what I said earlier, about the strong preying on the weak?"

  "Indeed."

  "Well, if you're outnumbered, there's no such thing as a fair fight. You did well to save us, lad."

  Thonn was silent. He'd never taken a life before, and it had left him feeling empty. Then he remembered something. "Tell me, have you seen Runt?"

  Tiera put a hand to the side of her head, wincing as she felt a lump. "You could say that. He's the one who knocked me out and tied me up." She frowned. "He searched me, too, the devious little thief."

  "Then it is just as well you left your purse with me for safekeeping."

  "Yeah, I'd better take that back."

  "I did not bring it with me." Thonn hesitated. "It is safe enough. I buried it next to the mule."

  "Then let's go." Tiera put out her hand, and Thonn hauled her to her feet.

  "There is one more thing," said Thonn. "I encountered two men riding horses through the woods. They asked for you by name."

  "Oh, that's not good."

  "They offered a reward for information."

  "Even worse. Captain Spadell must have sent them to silence me."

  "Naturally, I said nothing."

  "It's not you I'm worried about. If they come across Runt, he'll sell them my home address and shoe size for a few lousy coppers."

  "Why would he do such a thing?"

  "Personal information is valuable, Thonn. The worst kind of rogues and brigands earn their living selling such."

  "Then we should collect your purse and move on."

  Together they returned to the river, making slow progress. They waded in, and by the time they reached the far side the cold water had completely revitalised Tiera. On the way, she couldn't help noticing their boat had gone.

  "It helps if you wring out your clothes," said Thonn. "I will look away."

  They stripped, back to back, and water trickled on the ground as they wrung their sopping clothes out. Then they dressed quickly, and Thonn led the way back to the spot where he'd tied the mule up. It took a while, and eventually he realised they'd passed the place in the half-light. So, they turned and made their way back again, until they were almost at the river.

  "It must be further along," he said.

  Tiera shook her head. "It's Runt. He's taken it."

  Thonn frowned. In addition to the metal cage, the mule was carrying all their food. Then something else occurred to him … he'd buried Tiera's purse, and he'd never find the same tree again.

  "What's up?" she asked, noticing his expression.

  "Your money. I—"

  "You did bury it, right? You didn't leave it on the mule?"

  "Indeed, it was buried. But … I buried it at the foot of the tree the mule was tied to."

  Tiera stared at him, then looked around. All the trees looked the same, and there were hundreds and hundreds of them. "I'm going to kill that little thief," she muttered under her breath.

  — ♦ —

  "Think, you idiot, think!" muttered Tiera to herself. She had a splitting headache and the parts of her mind which were actually functioning were busy dreaming up plans for revenge. With an effort, she put the back-stabbing traitor of a halfling out of her mind, and concentrated on the hunt for her gold. Why hadn't Thonn marked the spot
with a couple of twigs? Why hadn't he kept hold of the purse like she asked him? Why hadn't he …

  Her thoughts tailed off. The lad had done his best, and neither of them had guessed Runt might betray them. Thonn was lucky the halfling hadn't stabbed him under cover of darkness.

  "Hooves," she said. "Find the mule's hoofprints."

  Thonn gestured helplessly. The forest floor was thick with fallen pine needles, and there were no tracks to be seen.

  "Not here, under the trees. You left the mule tied up, and it was grazing. The earth will be torn up. There'll be a circle of hoofprints." Tiera's head was pounding, and it was all she could do to string sentences together. Thonn understood, though, and they split up to check all the nearby trees.

  "I've found it! It's here!" shouted Thonn, and Tiera almost collapsed with relief. She hurried over to see him digging at the foot of a trunk, the tree surrounded by the mule's prints. They'd missed them in the dim light, but they were obvious now.

  Thonn stood up, brushing dirt from the pouch, then handed it to her. Tiera glanced inside, and she felt a surge of relief as she saw the gold coins glinting back at her. "Right, let's get after him. I have a score to settle."

  "We should rest. You're not fit to travel."

  "I'll rest when I've given that double-crossing little horror what he deserves." Tiera glanced through the trees at the river. "First, we need supplies. We can either return to the fugitives' camp to see what we can find …"

  Thonn shuddered, and shook his head.

  "… or we can return to Breen, let them know we've dealt with their problem, and ask for some food as a reward."

  "Can't you buy some?" asked Thonn, gesturing at the pouch.

  "Not with this," said Tiera, and she didn't elaborate. She'd already been betrayed once, and while she trusted Thonn, she didn't intend to let him know there was enough in her purse to buy the entire settlement of Breen, never mind their food stocks. "Come on, we'll walk along the bank until we get to the jetty, then swim across. With any luck they might give us some old clothes as well." Failing that, they could go into the woods on their return, and strip the dead fugutives of their gear, but she didn't reveal that particular plan to Thonn.