The three became silent. Mace kept noticing that Simon would stare for an uncomfortably long time at the back of Jenevi's head with a strange expression on his face. A slight smile formed on the former knight's lips. Mace's lips, on the other hand, formed into a scowl.
"What are you staring at?" asked Simon without turning his head. The two men kept a safe distance behind Jenevi and were close enough to each other to have their own conversation.
"I could ask you the same thing," retorted Mace. "You better not be up to anything that would make me have to kill you."
Simon laughed and then looked over at the young man. "Oh, trust me, if I tried anything that Jenevi did not approve of, she would kill me first."
"And what makes you say that? You've never seen her in battle."
Simon's smile vanished as he turned his head back around. "Fighter's intuition, I guess."
Mace looked at the older man curiously one last time before turning his head towards the scenery. They saw a few giant beasts standing over a cliff above them. They stared down at the three, growling. They each had three large horns on their head that were all the same shade of gray.
"What are those?" asked Mace, trying to hide the fear in his voice.
"Bullerbacks," replied Simon. If you think they are huge from up there, just wait until you see them right in front of you."
"I'm okay with this distance, thanks."
After almost two days of traveling, the three had approached the two dead harpies.
"What a mess," commented Simon. "I bet you made quick work of them, Jenevi."
The young woman turned her head to the side, showing one of her glowing green eyes. "I was not the one who killed them."
"Then who did?"
Mace cleared his throat and then puffed out his chest. "That would be me."
Simon stayed silent as he stared at the young blacksmith with his mouth slightly open. "You killed both harpies? You?"
Mace scoffed. "Is that so unbelievable?"
"It was quite the shock to me as well," said Jenevi. "We should make camp soon. It's already dark."
The three got off their horses and climbed the mountain for a short time to get to the cave Jenevi sensed when the sky became black. Mace's stitches reopened as he climbed, and he hissed in annoyance more than pain.
"The young one cut himself," commented Simon once the three walked into the small cave. It was slightly smaller than the fist one they slept in, but it would have to suffice.
Jenevi looked at Mace who was holding onto his injured hand. He smiled shyly and asked, "Do you have any more of those flowers, by any chance?"
Jenevi sighed as she set her things down. "I don't have anything to clean your wound with, and we're not very close to the stream."
"That's fine. We'll clean it tomorrow."
Jenevi went back down to get the medicinal herb from her pouch that was tied to her horse. A dark scowl was etched into her beautiful face. When she came back up, she told herself that she would be more rough than necessary.
As Mace cried in pain while Jenevi rubbed the petals into his flesh, Simon howled in laughter.
"This isn't funny, old man!" cried the blacksmith, tears involuntarily leaving his tear ducts.
"Old man?" Simon stopped laughing. "I'm only twenty-five years old, boy. How old are you? Twelve?"
Jenevi got up after finishing the job and threw what was left of the petal that she used onto the ground. Ignoring the two, she went to go lay down and rest.
Mace looked down at his hand that was starting to heal quickly before glaring at Simon. "I've already told you, I'm seventeen!" The smith looked over at Jenevi who was laying down on the animal skin she had set out and asked, "So how old are you? Nineteen?"
"I'm not entirely sure, but that sounds right," replied the Magus before shutting her bright green eyes.
Simon ruffled Mace's hair before saying, "Get some sleep kid. You're going to need it."
The blacksmith grumbled incoherent words as he watched Simon in the dim light lay close by their female traveling companion. Giving up for the day, the teen finally lay his head down to rest near the entrance of the cave.
Getting better at sensing movement while he slept, Mace's eyes snapped open the moment he heard someone get up. Thanks to Jenevi, he has now grown paranoid that he was going to be left behind. The blond turned his head to find Jenevi sitting up, and he watched as she pushed her long black hair away from her face. She turned her head towards him with her dull green eyes staring into his hazel ones.
"G-Good-morning," stuttered Mace as he quickly sat up.
Simon sat up as well. He yawned as he stretched his arms up before smacking his lips.
"You boys need a bath," muttered Jenevi as she scrunched up her nose. "Thank Slarin we are getting closer to the stream. You both smell like rotten corpses."
"You don't smell any better, sweetheart," retorted Simon as he got up and started packing his things.
The three ventured back to their horses that were patiently waiting for them. The effect of the deathbird that was inside a sack of Mace's horse was still active. When the travelers got back on their horses, they rode down the rest of the mountain.
"Any particular special skills you possess, boy? Are you adept with a particular weapon other than the sword? Do you do well with hand-to-hand combat?" questioned Simon to Mace as Jenevi rode in front of them as usual.
Mace frowned, but the young woman let out a scoff. "He was just lucky when he killed the harpies. He couldn't take down a single brute who nearly killed him.
Simon snickered as if he was expecting to receive that type of answer.
"I've asked you to train me so I could be of better use!" whined the smith. He sighed heavily, tired of being bullied all the time.
Jenevi turned her head to the side. "I'm not going to waste my time training you."
It was nearly mid-day when the three stopped once they reached the bottom. Mace took out the deathbird and threw it up the mountain and then continued on the path towards the stream. Once there, Simon told Jenevi to get in the water first. Memories flooded back into Mace's head, causing him to redden.
"You two better not do anything stupid," hissed the young woman before disappearing through the trees.
Mace let out an exasperated breath, causing Simon to crack a smile. "What's the problem, boy?" the older man asked as he draped an arm over the smith's shoulder after the two dropped from their horses.
"None of your business," muttered Mace as he turned his face away.
"So you want to learn how to fight?"
This peaked Mace's interest. He remembered Simon saying something about being a knight for years. He must have been an advance fighter, and if he couldn't get lessons from Jenevi, he would be perfectly fine with Simon. "Would you teach me?" asked the teen with a glint of hope and excitement in his eyes.
Simon grinned from ear to ear. His teeth were white, and a few were noticeably crooked. "Of course. I kind of like you, kid. I would expect someone like you to have given up on this wild ride a while ago, but you've stuck to it. I'd be happy to teach you. What would you like to go over first? Hand-to-hand? Or did you want to practice sword fighting with sticks?"
"I think I would rather learn hand-to-hand first."
Immediately upon finishing his sentence, Simon kicked the back of Mace's leg and then pushed him the rest of the way to the ground. The blacksmith apprentice landed on the dirt roughly with an "oof!" After pushing himself off of the ground and wiping the dirt off of his clothes, he turned to Simon, brows knitted in anger, and asked, "What in holy Slarin's name was that for?"
Simon let out a cackle. "Don't let your guard down, boy! And be suspicious of everyone. You never know when someone might turn on you, so never give anyone your full trust."
"But what about family?"
A frown dawned upon Simon's face. "Especially family." After a few moments of uncomfortable s
ilence, the man smiled once again and said, "Let's try this again."
In a period of an hour, Simon showed no mercy while teaching Mace basic defense moves. Multiple times has the smith's face met the dirt. Filled with irritation and eager to get the day's lesson over with, Mace was able to dodge Simon's leg. Mace sighed in relief, feeling triumphant that he was finally able to avoid the older man's blow, but Simon saw that the teen let his guard down again and smirked. While they were facing each other, the man quickly hooked one arm around Mace's back, and with the other hand, he held onto the teen's arm. Simon then quickly turned around, forcing Mace to roll onto the man's hip before making him land roughly on the ground. The blacksmith groaned in pain while Simon laughed.
"I'll teach you how to do that one tomorrow," said Simon, holding a hand out.
Mace took it with a smile. "I would like that," he replied once he was standing. He then looked over at the direction of the stream and commented, "Jenevi sure is taking her time...I wonder if she left..." The realization of that happening finally clicked, and Mace started for the stream, only to be pulled back by forceful hands.
"Woah there, charger," said Simon. "Where do you think you're going?"
"To check up on Jenevi. Either something happened, or she left us."
The former knight looked over at the brown horse and said, "Well, she left her horse, so I highly doubt she's gone. And knowing her, I'm sure she's fine. She's probably just taking a long bath. I don't blame her." A frown formed on Simon's face as Mace kept trying to escape his hold. "Unless...you want to check up on her for other reasons."
Mace immediately stopped and blushed. "W-What do you mean?"' he stammered. "With my experience with her...she...well..." the young man sighed. "Alright. I give up. I won't go. But if she is long gone by the time we decide to check the stream, I'm not to blame."
A few moments later, Jenevi appeared. Her hair was soaking wet and clinging onto her clothes. "What are you not to blame for?" she questioned.
Simon released his grip on Mace. "The boy thought you left us."
"I don't blame him. Besides, I did think about it a couple of times."
Mace turned to face Simon and said, "What did I tell you?"
The former knight chuckled softly. "But she didn't leave. Let's go, kid."
The two washed far from each other in the stream, and Mace hurried and cleaned himself so that he could go back to camp as soon as possible.
"Stop worrying, kid!" called Simon from the other side of the water. "She'll still be there!"
For the first time since they've entered the stream, Mace looked over at the older man. Not only was there a scar on his face, but there was also one large one across his chest. Upon seeing the man's toned muscles and hard abs, Mace became jealous. He had muscle, but they weren't as defined. His skin was pale, and he hoped then he could soon get a darker pigment from being out in the sun often.
Mace quickly turned away before Simon got the wrong idea.
When the two walked back to camp shortly later, Mace was relieved to find Jenevi sitting on a log, eating a piece of bread. "That was quick," she commented.
"Do you own a comb?" asked Simon from out of the blue, catching even Jenevi off guard.
The young woman stopped eating, and with her mouth slightly full she asked, "Excuse you?"
Simon smiled. "I don't mean to offend, but I couldn't help but notice your hair is tangled all the time. I would think someone with long hair like yours would like to keep it out of the way. It's dangerous to have long hair in battle, you know."
"That's what I said," muttered Mace.
Jenevi said nothing as she proceeded to swallow her food. "If you are implying I should cut my hair, I would be happy to cut your face first. I have done just fine in battle with my hair like this, so you can just mind your own business."
Simon started to walk towards his horse when he said, "I wasn't implying that you should cut your hair. I'm just saying that it should be out of the way. I like keeping my hair neat, so I take my comb with me. I'd be more than happy to get the tangles out of your hair and even braid it."
Mace narrowed his eyes. He was feeling slightly uncomfortable with this situation. He looked over at Jenevi, expecting her to deny his offer.
"I..." started the young woman. She looked down at her bread, causing her hair to move in front of her face, but Mace could tell she reddened a bit. "I guess that's alright."
The smith's mouth slightly opened in disbelief as he watched Simon comb through Jenevi's hair.
Forty minutes later, as Mace was throwing rocks at the trees in the distance, he looked over to see that Simon finished working on the Magus's dark hair. He froze as he stared at Jenevi's beauty. She looked so soft, weak, and innocent, but he knew she was anything but that. Mace left his trance once Jenevi started to glare at him, hardening her facial features.
"Should we get moving?" asked Simon as he put his comb away.
"Where did you learn how to braid hair?" asked the young woman as she hopped onto her horse, followed by the two men.
"I had two sisters growing up," Simon responded.
For the very first time since starting their trip, the two men were able to witness a rare occurrence. The corners of Jenevi's lips curled up into a beautiful smile. "Thank you, Simon."
CHAPTER SEVEN
"What city is that?" wondered Mace as the three rode over a big hill to see a small city nearby. Lush, green hills surrounded it.
"That would be the Collis City," responded Simon. "They are known for their beautiful hills..." the older man paused and smiled, turning his head towards the young smith. "And orcs."
Jenevi rode forward, not interested in the conversation. It was midday, and she craved some alcohol.
"Orcs?" said the young blacksmith. "You mean...those ugly and vicious creatures?"
The two men trailed behind their female leader as they continued to talk. "Not necessarily," said Simon. "It seems like you've got orcs all wrong. They are truly an entirely different species, but they aren't as vile as you think. Because of the lack of female orcs over a hundred years ago, many males ended up mating with human women. With their consent, of course. Now more orcs have more human features. When we get to the city, I'll show you pictures of them. The people love these creatures."
"Where are the orcs now, then?"
"They live far under the ground. The two races have this sort of peace that confuses the rest of the kingdom."
"I don't see why they don't understand," commented Jenevi, suddenly interested in the conversation. "It's not like everyone in the kingdom is after blood."
Simon sighed heavily. A dark cloud of gloom overshadowed his usually happy expression. "I only wish more people could have as good of morals. Anyways, we better get down there and rent rooms before nightfall."
The grass around Collis was the brightest shade of green Mace had ever seen. The cumulus clouds floated above them like giant balls of cotton and were complemented by the amazing bright blue sky. It was surely a sight to behold.
The three slowly rode down the hill, each feeling a sense of calm. It wasn't agonizingly hot, for there was a cool breeze, but Jenevi took her dark cloak off nonetheless.
The Collis City buzzed with life when the travelers got there. With all the resources, the city was a hot spot for merchants. Mace eyed the fresh fruit and vegetables one beautiful woman was selling. Simon grabbed the boy's shirt and pulled him back without a second glance.
"We've got to earn some money first, kid," said the man. "And I know an easy way how. But we've got to do it before we leave."
"Why?" questioned the blacksmith, finally able to get out of his male companion's grasp.
Simon smiled widely. "It's not necessarily a good way to earn some coins."
Mace sighed, fully knowing soon, they would all be in trouble.
"Excuse me, girl," started Jenevi as she stopped a little girl in her path. The child could hav
e been no older than ten. Her light brown hair was chopped short and messy. She wore clothes of a peasant and was dirty from head to toe. The girl tilted her head up at Jenevi who sat on her horse. "Where can we find the tavern?"
"Coins," stated the child. Her green eyes gleamed when she saw her window of opportunity.
Simon let out an amused chuckle. "Kid's smart."
Jenevi reached into Mace's coin pouch she still had secured to her waist and pulled out two silver coins. Mace frowned as he thought about the food he could have bought with it. He was sure Jenevi knew that Simon would have more than likely known where the tavern was but was baffled she hired help.
Jenevi handed the money to the girl as she stretched her arms out to reach. Once she received her payment, the girl smiled from ear to ear and said, "follow me!"
She ran, and the three followed hastily. Mace was almost worried the girl would leave them and pocket the money without earning her keep, but being on horseback, it wasn't too hard to follow the kid. In a short amount of time, they stopped at the Collis tavern. The two men thanked the girl, but she only paid attention to Jenevi.
"This is it," she said in her high voice. She looked up at the dark-haired woman expectantly, as if she waited patiently for a dismissal.
Jenevi didn't say a word, but she nodded her head. The young girl smiled from ear to ear once more before running back the way she came.
After tying their horses up, the three ventured into the building where patrons were already gathered. Many men exited with their bellies first, and mouths open as they let out loud howls of laughter. Jenevi was starting to grow tired of all the jolliness that surrounded her and frowned deeply.
"Hey, looks like a party in here!" exclaimed Simon, rushing passed Jenevi to get into the tavern first. Simon's immediate actions momentarily paused the young woman and Mace, but they resumed walking inside.
Darkness Falls (The Dark Series Book 1) Page 8