Alynon's Tear

by Rick Brown

  “Good morning, soldier. How are you today?’

  Ryan turned to me with his sleepy eyes. “You scared the hells out of me this morning!”

  I smiled as I remembered attacking him in his bed. “Good! No one should have hells in them. I’m glad to have scared them out for you.” Ryan just glared at me grumpily. “How about we look at that sword of yours?”

  That cheered him up immediately as he reached to his side and pulled his sword out. It truly was a beautiful blade, finer that any of us had. This blade was well designed, even lightened with a fuller running the length of the blade and a weave pattern etched into it. Lee and I have never bothered to upgrade from our guild issued swords. I whistled as I got my first real look at it.

  “That is one serious sword you have here. We will definitely have to work on making you worthy of it. Lord Breen must be furious. I wish I could have been there when Oric told him what happened,” I said with a laugh.

  Yesterday Bri had forced a blade smith to give us this sword that had originally been intended for a Lord Breen.

  “That was amazing to see,” Ryan said with a grin. “Will you teach me to fight like Miss Wellborn?”

  “Well, we’ll teach you to fight. Easily well enough to beat someone like Oric, but Bri’s got a natural ability to her that cannot be taught.”

  Ryan nodded, still smiling. “As long as I can take on a bully like Oric, I’ll be happy.”

  We came across a nice clean creek a few hours later and stopped to rest the horses. Each of us dug through our bags and found our cold rations. Jerky and hard cheese, maybe a stale bread if you were lucky. It was the standard fare for any traveler. There just wasn’t time to stop and cook a meal for lunch.

  After eating, I walked down to the creek and splashed some water in my face. The icy chill woke me immediately. Scooping up a handful, I took a deep swig and then filled my water bag.

  “Is it cold?” Whilhoit asked as he was kneeling down.

  “Absolutely frigid,” I replied smiling.

  Whilhoit took a deep breath and plunged his face into the water. He rose back up quickly with a gasp. “Good gods! Frigid didn’t do this justice. That water stings like a swarm of bees attacked my face!”

  “Whether it’s frigid water or a bee swarms, either one will wake you up in a hurry.”

  Getting up, I returned my water bag to my pack. Grabbing my sword, I walked over to Ryan. “Ready for that first lesson?”

  Nodding, Ryan popped the last bite of his lunch into his mouth and stood up. “What do I do?”

  “First let’s fix your stance. Spread your feet apart. Try to be loose. You don’t want your feet stuck to the ground when you need to be moving. There, that’s better,” I said as he shifted his feet.

  “Now, Draw your sword.” I watched as he clumsily pulled it from the scabbard. That will be fixed with time, I thought to myself. “Ok, we want your fingers to be like your feet. Your grip should be tight enough that you won’t drop the blade if it’s struck, but still flexible enough that you can shift your fingers around for balance. Everything is about being in control. If you are too set in your footing or gripping too tight, your enemy can use that to their advantage.”

  Bri walked up behind Ryan and kicked his foot in a bit. “Barad was having your balance set for someone his size,” she corrected. “Just keep your feet basically the same distance as your shoulders. Let your right foot lead slightly. There you go,” she said as he shifted his position.

  I gave her a glare, even though I knew honestly, she was right. Still, I hated to be shown up. “Alright, I’m going to start with some slow strikes. You move just as slowly and block the blow.”

  He moved his sword to slap my blade away. “Whoa whoa,” I said, freezing my sword. “Don’t use the side of your blade. You risk it snapping. Instead, block with the sword edge. When struck with force, it can chip or knick your blade, but that can be honed out. A break is final.”

  We worked a little longer on his positioning until Lee called for us to mount up. The rest of the afternoon Bri and I coached Ryan on the fundamentals of footwork. It’s a good thing for him that his brain is a sponge, because we were stuffing it with information. Sometimes Whilhoit would join us and add in his experience. With the wealth of knowledge available in this group, the kid might actually be a worthy swordsman before this trip is over.

  As the day progressed, I regained some of my rhythm for traveling. The months in Vennean had left me spoiled, but I would not trade them for anything. My time spent with Brianna had been magical. It seemed unreal, our living in the palace. It was a shock, her following me back to my room that night after we had shared the wine in Lee’s suite, and every day since then was a dream.

  That night we found an inn to sleep in. Luckily, they were common this close to Vennean. Once we were away from the city, it would become harder to find a place to sleep indoors. The bar was lively and there were even musicians playing. Unfortunately, Bri had developed a taste for dance at the King’s ball. Now, she dragged me out every opportunity she got. Luckily, the music here was fast and fun. I enjoyed it much more than the ballads that night.

  We returned to the table to find Lee already had some ale ready. “Now that’s a friend,” I said as I grabbed my mug.

  “You’re welcome,” Lee said with a smile.

  “What? No, I was talking to the ale,” I said with a wink. Lee rolled his eyes.

  “And I tell you, I don’t like any pointed-eared elves,” we heard from across the room.

  Everyone at our table stood, hands on swords, as we looked for the voice. Farloc was coming back from the bar, carrying a fresh ale. Trying to ignore a man that was following him.

  “Oh dear,” Father Yagen exclaimed. “Here we go.”

  “Are you elves deaf too?” The drunkard continued to taunt. I started to step forward, when Lee stopped me. “Oh no. You and Brianna had your fun yesterday. It’s my turn now,” He said as he walked around the table, positioning himself so Farloc could walk passed, but the man was blocked.

  “This isn’t your table, friend. Go away.”

  “I ain’t no friend of yours if you is sitting with an elf,” the drunkard exclaimed. Standing up to Lee, I realized that he was a big man. Maybe it is Lee’s turn to fight, I thought with a smile.

  Lee let loose with a powerful blow to the man’s jaw, but it only staggered him back a few paces. Smiling back at Lee, the main spit out a tooth. “Alright, boy. Let’s go!”

  With that he took a swing at Lee’s head, which he ducked under and punch the man in the belly as he swung around, sending the big man to his knees. As Lee stood over him, another man grabbed him from behind, lifting him into the air and slamming Lee down.

  Ryan started to leap up, but I waved him back down. “There’s only two. Let Lee have his fun.”

  Lee Kicked at the feet of the man behind him, sending him flying face first in the dirt. As Lee was getting up on his knees, the big man that taunted Farloc landed a forceful punch, knocking Lee onto his back.

  “Now?” Whilhoit asked.

  “Not yet,” I answered.

  Lee rolled with the punch and landed back on his feet. Jumping towards the man, he spun, landing a kick on the side of his head. The man dropped hard and didn’t get back up.

  Lee spun and faced the other opponent, who raised his hands in surrender and backed away from the fight. I could see the anger in Lee’s eyes as he looked around for another target. Disappointed when he didn’t find any. Wiping a trickle of blood from his lip, he sat back at the table.

  “Well, that was amusing,” he said after a sip of ale. “I have to admit, that beast has fists like a hammer,” He said as he watched two men carry the unconscious man from the inn.

  “I thank you, Your Majesty. I fear if I had stood up for myself, things might have been much worse,” Farloc admitted.

  “I agree,” Lee stated. “And you owe no apology. I fear my fellow humans did not treat you right.”

 
The bartender approached our table. “Sorry for that boys. The others in the bar feel bad about what happened, Drinks are on us the rest of the night.”

  “There we go!” I answered. “Humanity has been restored.”

  “Maybe we can have Farloc start a fight every night, then we can travel for free,” Whilhoit recommended.

  “Thanks, but I’ve got it out of my system now,” Lee answered. “It’ll be a least a week before I am looking for another fight.”

  “Well,” I said as I finished my mug and waved for another, “I guess I’ll need to drink my fill tonight.”

  Chapter 6

  (Lee)

  In our week on the road, we had developed a system to our travels. Bri and Barad had trapped Ryan between them as they discussed weapons tactics. The priests took turns riding with Stiven on the wagon. I suspect to give their saddle sores a break. Whilhoit and Lenux moved around the party looking for danger. Farloc was his usual distant self. I, in boredom, was working on my magic. Taking gravel from the road I would magically propel it through nearby leaves. I had tried making magic fireballs, but it spooked the horses. It only took Father Yagen being thrown from his horse once to end that practice. Each night we had been able to find an inn in which to sleep. I fear those inns are becoming harder to find the further away from the capital we traveled.

  Today was a big day as we had entered Lord Waith’s new domain. Soon, we were to be arriving at the village outside of his estate. Sitting back in his wagon, he was bubbling with excitement. Already we had seen little farms popping up in what was previously empty land along the road.

  “There it is!” Stiven’s voice yelled from behind, breaking my reverie. Looking up I spotted the first houses on the horizon.

  Farloc pulled his hood up, as he had done with each settlement since the scene at the bar.

  “Finally,” Barad stated as he rode forward to join me. “We are taking a couple of days to rest, correct?”

  “Oh yes,” I answered, adjusting in my saddle. “My body demands it.”

  The village looked like many others that we had passed along the road. There were a few people bustling around, doing whatever it is they do in a small village. In the center of the village was a well and small market with just a few shops. I waved down a lady that was passing by.

  “Excuse me, are there any employees of the manor about?”

  She glanced around the market. “Mary! This Lord wants ta talk with ya!” she yelled across the plaza. A young woman with blond hair carrying a bundle of food scurried across the plaza. Stopping before me, she did a quick curtsy.

  “May I help you, My Lord?” she asked.

  “Actually, I am not a Lord, but that gentleman in the wagon is. He is the new Lord of the Manor. Lord Waith.”

  The girl worriedly looked back to the wagon and hurried back towards Lord Waith. “My Lord, I’m sorry, I wasn’t told you were coming.”

  Waith laughed. “Do not worry, child. It’s because I did not send notice. I was anxious to see the property so I came as soon as I could. Is there a place nearby that we can talk?”

  “Yes, My Lord. The haystack is our local pub. They aren’t currently open, but for you, I am sure they would oblige.”

  “Thank you, Mary. How about you throw that bundle into the wagon and climb up. You can guide me to the pub.”

  Mary quickly threw the basket in the wagon and took the seat next to Stiven. The poor girl’s face looked ashen.

  Stiven smiled at her as he started the wagon. “You have nothing to fear from me, Mary. I only wish for news about my estate. What job do you have in the manor?”

  “I’m the cooks assistant,” The girl replied, only slightly less nervous. “She sent me to get vegetables for dinner.”

  “Oh?” Stiven asked, putting on a pouting face. “I hope it’s not only vegetables.”

  This time the girl relaxed, laughing at his joke. “I’m sure cook can find some meat for the Lord of the Manor.”

  She stopped us in front of a small village pub. A sign with a haystack painted on it swung over the door. Jumping down she started pounding on the door. “Wake up, Henry! The new Lord is here!”

  A moment later a man with curly brown hair opened the doors while tucking in his shirt. “The new Lord?” the man asked looking around.

  Lord Waith stepped down from his wagon. “Hello, good Master. I am Stiven Waith, the new Lord of the Manor.”

  Henry looked at him for a moment, a shocked expression on his face. “I’m sorry, My Lord. I heard about you, but wasn’t aware you were coming to visit.”

  “Yes,” Stiven sighed, “I fear I will be explaining that a lot. Do you mind if my fellow travelers and I come in?”

  “Of course, My Lord,” Henry answered and stepped away from the door.

  We all filed in, finding whatever seats we could, just happy they weren’t saddles. Ryan chose to stand, walking around massaging his sore rear.

  “I apologize, My Lord. We never had visitors from the manor come down to the village.”

  “No?” Stiven asked surprised. “Well, hopefully that will change. A village can’t thrive if money from the manor isn’t spent.”

  This gave Henry a very pleased look. “No, My Lord, It can’t. Thank you. This village could sure use some money.”

  “So, Mary. What can you tell me about the manor? Does Lord Hannen still have any of his people there?”

  “Oh no, My Lord. Those that was loyal to him took off as soon as they heard he was on the run, taking whatever wasn’t nailed down.”

  Stiven just nodded. “Yes, I figured that would be the case. Well, at least they are gone.”

  “Oh,” said the girl as she remembered something. “Everyone except Miss Abi, that is.”

  That caught my interest so I sat at the table they were sharing. “Who is Miss Abi?”

  This made the girl nervous again, and she started talking over herself. “Oh no, it’s not like that. Miss Abigail doesn’t like the Lord. The Hannen family exiled her here. Lord Hannen never came to visit. He always stayed in Vennean.”

  “It’s all right. We aren’t here hunting people down. Who is she?”

  “She’s the Lord’s niece, sir.”

  “And why did they exile her?”

  “I’m sorry, I just assist the cook. They never told me that. She’s real nice though, unlike any other visitors we got,” The girl said relaxing again.

  Lord Waith took mercy on the girl, handing her a silver. “Thank you, Mary. You’ve been very helpful. How about you do me a favor and go tell the manor that I am here and will be visiting soon. That way I don’t have to keep explaining why they weren’t warned. You can leave your basket in the wagon. I’ll take it up there with me.”

  “Thank you, My Lord,” She said relieved, running out the door.

  “So, a niece is here. Think she’s a problem?” Lenux asked as he took Mary’s seat.

  “I don’t know,” Stiven answered. “It depends on why the family exiled her.”

  “Being related to Lord Hannen, it’s probably that her looks are similar to a dog,” Barad joked.

  “That’s not fair,” I replied. “I’ve known some very cute dogs.”

  Bri rolled her eyes as she sat at an adjacent table. “Excuse me, Henry,” she called. “Does your pub have good wine?”

  “No,” he said with a grin, “but it will get you drunk.”

  “Then wine all around,” Bri ordered waving her finger in a circle.

  As we relaxed with our wine, the locals started coming into the pub. Stiven introduced himself to each as they walked in the door. At first everyone was nervous, but his genial manner soon put them at ease. That night he paid for all the drinks. As the evening started getting on, we decided it was finally time to visit the manor. It took a very careful approach to get back on the saddle when you were just recovering from a long ride. Easing in, we followed the wagon back up the road and towards the manor.

  Lord Hannen was the King’s top advisor prio
r to his treason, and through that, had the finances to build a fine looking manor. It had three stories and a grand circle drive in the front. Pulling up the drive, the staff was lined up before the building in greeting. At the end of the line was Mary. She still looked very nervous.

  Stiven stopped the wagon and looked at me. “Do you still wish to keep your identity concealed?” He asked.

  “For now, yes. After all, this is your time to shine as Lord of the Manor. Besides, as we keep traveling northeast, it’s likely we will run into Dommerian raiders. There’s no need to advertise, just in case any spies are around,” I replied.

  Stiven nodded and stepped down before a well-dressed man. “Good evening, My Lord. I am Tillen, the Head Butler. I am very pleased to meet you. May I present your staff?” With that he went down the line introducing each person. Stiven greeted each as he made his way to the end.

  “Thank you, Tillen,” Stiven said warmly when they were done. Please release everyone and let’s go inside.”

  Tillen clapped and everyone rushed back into the manor. The inside of the manor was very fancy, but there were obvious spots where something valuable had been whisked away by Hannen’s men.

  “I’m sorry, My Lord,” He stated when he noticed our staring. “They were men of the Lord’s and I had no right to challenge them in taking things.”

  Stiven sighed. “I understand Tillen. Which room would you recommend for our group to relax.”

  “The den, My Lord,” he said as he guided us to another room. The den already had a roaring fire that looked very appealing in the winter chill. Unsurprisingly, the priests bee-lined right for it. Stiven found a comfortable looking leather chair and sighed as he sank into it. “Tillen, do we have anything to drink?”

  “The house has a stock of wine and brandy, My Lord.”

  “Brandy?” Stiven asked, excited. “Yes, please bring us some brandy and glasses. Please bring one for yourself, as well.”