The Serf and the Soldier

by Holly Law

  “Two years.”

  “I doubt they work as hard as a real serf.”

  “You are mistaken. The parents or relatives of the nobleman arrange it with the local serfs to make sure he works as he should.”

  “How very curious. Have you lived as a serf?”

  Corden was silent for a long moment. “I have.”

  “What did you think of being a serf?” Elara found the conversation curious and hesitantly turned to face the others.

  Corden laughed, just slightly. “I would not be a serf again for all the riches in the world.”

  “If you had all the riches in the world, you wouldn't be a serf,” Elara commented, feeling awkward.

  “Also true,” Corden agreed, flashing his white teeth at her in a friendly smile.

  “If you are a nobleman, then why are you a soldier?” Lady Elisa asked curiously.

  Corden shrugged. “It is required of me. I must serve as a soldier for two years.”

  “How long have you been a soldier?”

  “A year and seven months.”

  “What will you do when your time is up?” Elara asked feeling curious despite herself.

  “I will go home to Silcor—the capital of Corsca.”

  “But what will you do?” Elara asked him again. “What work will you do?”

  Corden frowned and did not seem to know how to answer. Lady Elisa answered for him. “Most noblemen do not work as a serf would think of it. Whatever work he does would mean little to you.”

  “True enough,” Corden agreed.

  “Are you required to try to be anything else you are not in Corsca?” Lairk asked. “Or are they content to have you as a serf and a soldier?”

  “I have spent time apprenticed to a woodcarver and to a merchant. Both for a span of two years.”

  “Corsca keeps your busy it would seem. Does your king have something against lazy noblemen?”

  “It is not the king's command. It is tradition and has been tradition for hundreds of years. The king observes the same tradition.”

  “Wait, a king must live as a serf for two years?” Lairk asked, looking stunned.

  “Yes.”

  “I don't think I'd want to be the serf working beside him in a field. I bet kings are useless in the field.”

  “I understand our king was a fast learner.”

  “Were you?”

  “I tried.” Corden stretched then. “I have talked enough this night. I am tired. We should all rest so we can put effort into getting to Velshire before nightfall tomorrow. I look forward to a real bed.”

  “A bed would be heavenly,” Lady Elisa agreed.

  “Then it is agreed we will rest now.”

  Elara felt even weaker come morning. Her stomach rumbled silently and her wounds ached. As they walked along the road her feet stumbled. “Perhaps we should rest,” her brother suggested after only an hour of walking. He eyed Elara with some concern. “I don't think Lara can keep up this pace.”

  “I have another suggestion, which I think will be better for us all,” Corden told her brother. “Elara can ride with me. Scratch here can carry both of us easily.”

  “Scratch?” Lady Elisa asked, looking amused. “Why is he named Scratch? It is an unlikely name for a war horse.”

  “Because he likes nothing more than a good scratch behind the ears,” Corden said as he reached forwards and gave the horse a thorough scratching behind the ears.

  “Not much of a name for a war horse,” Lady Elisa observed disapprovingly.

  “Without his armor on he's really a big push over. An apple can win him over quickly. But he likes a good show and pretends to be all big and tough when he has his armor on.”

  “So if Elara had carried an apple with her she could have easily convinced your horse to simply throw you, rather than forcing us off that cliff?”

  Corden laughed. “Sadly, she probably could have—if she had carried an apple with her.” He looked at Elara then. “Do you want a ride?”

  Elara looked at him for a moment and wished she could refuse, but she was very aware of her own weakness. Reluctantly, she nodded. Corden pulled her into the saddle in front of him with ease. It wasn't entirely comfortable, but Elara knew they would make better time without her slowing them down. She was also aware that the last time she had been on the horse with Corden she had been his prisoner.

  “No grabbing the reins this time,” he told her in a light tone.

  “Be thankful I did or you would have been stuck with me,” Elara replied in a lighter tone than she felt. She fully remembered his remarks the previous night. They were painfully accurate, but she would not let him know that.

  Corden did not immediately respond, but when he did he talked soft enough for her to hear alone. “I should not have spoken as I did last night. You have my apologies. I did not mean what I said.”

  “I would rather you did,” Elara told him simply.

  “I will keep my promise, Elara. I do not go back on my word. But I will say if we had met under better circumstances I think we could have been good friends, at the very least.”

  “Unlikely.”

  “You think so?”

  “Yes, under better circumstances would you have taken the time to speak with a serf?”

  “My conversations with serfs are rare,” Corden confessed after a moment. They rode in silence for some time. Once in boredom, Elara reached forward and scratched Scratch behind the ears. The horse leaned into it as he walked. “I told you he was an affectionate horse. If you gave him an apple you would have a friend for life.”

  “Then it is too bad I don't have an apple.”

  “I'll buy one in town and you can see how greedy he is. Riding him by a vendor selling apples is always a challenge.”

  Elara laughed a little. “I have never seen anyone selling apples.”

  “Really? It is a very common thing to see sold. You must venture into the local town at the wrong time of year.”

  “I had never been out of my village before this trip.”

  “Then where do you barter extra goods?”

  “The village does sell the extra we have, but that is typically to pay our lord. We don’t tend to have much left over for bartering.”

  “You have a hard life, even for a serf.”

  Elara shrugged. “It doesn't matter.”

  “With that attitude it will never change.”

  “It is not likely too anyway. You've lived as a serf. You have to know our lot doesn't change.”

  “I know it is difficult, but it can happen. It is possible for a serf to leave bondage.”

  “That is rare.”

  “But possible.

  Silence stretched out before them again and Elara noted that Lady Elisa was taking the occasion to try to flirt with her brother again. Elara rolled her eyes and wished Lady Elisa would have realized she had lost the challenge already.

  “Could you toss me that stick there, Lairk?” Corden asked her brother pointing to a heavy round stick. Lairk carefully bent down and picked up the stick with his good arm and handed it to Corden. Corden hefted it in his hand in front of her briefly before he took a small knife from a saddle bag and started carving it in front of her. Elara watched his slow, steady work for nearly an hour. She could not make out what it was to be.

  “What are you making?” she asked him eventually.

  “You'll see.”

  Velshire

  Elara had never seen a town before. They had avoided the town of Velshire when they passed through the area because it was under control of the Corscans. They had given it a wide berth which had added two days onto their trip. A strong looking wall surrounded Velshire. But she knew it must have failed at its job if the Corscans controlled it. Elara could not imagine so many people living together. Elara felt very uneasy when they approached the gate and a pair of Corscan soldiers stopped them.

  “What is your business in Velshire?” they demanded.

  Corden gave the guards a long,
withering look before he held out his hand. For the first time. Elara noted a gold ring on his hand. The guards bowed low at the sight of it. “Forgive us, we did not know who we addressed,” the guard who had spoken stammered and they moved aside. They continued through the gate unhindered.

  “My, you are high ranking, aren't you?” Lady Elisa said in a mild tone. The look on her face was clearly intrigued.

  “My rank is no concern of yours.”

  Elara barely noted the exchange as she looked around Velshire in awe. There was such a variety in buildings she didn't always fully know what she was looking at. Some had been damaged in a battle, but were being repaired. Every house was different. Some were made of stone, others wood, and still others were made entirely of brick. Some had signs over them that had words she could not read, but also pictures that showed objects she recognized.

  “Do you have a destination in mind?” Lady Elisa asked politely.

  “I do,” Corden said simply.

  “Will you share it?” the lady asked again when he did not seem willing to say more.

  “There is a decent inn at the middle of the town. I have acquired a room there already.”

  “How did you manage that?” Lairk asked, looking at him quizzically.

  “We have a base here at the moment. I chose to stay at an inn rather than a tent. It should be large enough for all of us. It is a surprisingly good inn, considering this is a town of little consequence. I have seen much bigger towns with poorer accommodations.”

  “This isn't a big town?” Elara asked surprised.

  Corden laughed. “No, it is a very small one.”

  The center of the town was filled with a bustling market place. Goods of every kind were being bartered, but many of the stalls were being closed for the day. Corden led them straight to a large wood and stone building with the image of a black bull on the sign in front of it. A boy came out from the stables on the side of it and took the reins from Corden. Corden dismounted carefully and winced slightly when he put weight on his leg, but he did not pause as he helped Elara down. “Give him your best grain and an apple. He's earned it,” Corden instructed the boy.

  “Yes, sir,” the boy nodded and led the horse into the stables.

  Corden led them up to the door and every step was clearly painful for him. The door opened as they reached the top step and a soldier came out dressed in armor. His bestial helmet hung from his belt and his face was still laughing as he came through the door. He grinned when he saw Corden.

  “Look who finally showed up!” the soldier said expansively, swaying just slightly as he spread out his arms in welcome. “And still with the girl in tow, I see. She does look like she could shine up nicely. Take her around camp after you've gotten her cleaned up so we can see your prize. Nearly got you killed after all.”

  Elara flushed in embarrassment and did not like how the soldier referred to her. “And what have you been celebrating, Rushal?” Corden asked in a mild tone. “You seem to have gotten an early start on the night.”

  “Balk just received word that his wife had the baby. A nice, healthy baby boy. There is a nice celebration going on in the pub. You should join them.”

  “I may after I get cleaned up myself, but I definitely want dinner before heading off to that sort of celebration.”

  Rushal laughed again. “A good decision,” Rushal agreed and then smiled at Elara. “You've got a good one here, girl, he'll take good care of you.” Rushal continued on his way. He staggered slightly and bumped into Lady Elisa who looked offended and disgusted. “Pardon me, my lady.”

  “You didn't tell him you let me go,” Elara told Corden slightly annoyed.

  “He wouldn't have remembered come morning. He was too far gone with drink,” Corden said dismissively and led them through the open door.

  “What a disgusting man!” Lady Elisa said coldly, clearly still angry at having been bumped into.

  Corden turned and looked at her. His eyes and face were serious. “That was the king’s cousin,” Corden told her bluntly. “He is not for you, a minor noblewoman, to criticize.” Lady Elisa’s shock was both visible and audible. She looked back through the open door at the soldier still walking away, staggering in the streets.

  The inside of the building was big. The main room was filled with tables and most of those were full. The majority of the people in the room were Corscan soldiers and Elara felt distinctly uneasy. She knew she had been travelling with a soldier, but they still frightened her. Even the wonderful scent of food could not chase away her uneasiness. The soldiers didn’t even notice them, they were too busy drinking and celebrating.

  Corden surveyed the scene briefly. If he approved or disapproved of the scene Elara couldn’t tell. Eventually, Corden moved forward, leading them further into the room. Corden stopped at a desk where a petite woman stood behind it looking at figures in a book.

  “I trust my room is still my own?” Corden asked.

  The woman gave a frightened squeak at his voice. She looked up her eyes wide like she had seen a ghost. “Y…yes, sir,” the woman stammered.

  “Good,” Corden said ignoring the woman's apparent fear. He reached into a bag attached to his belt and put a handful of coins on the desk. Elara stared at the money. She had never seen so many before in her life. Silver, gold, and copper were mixed together. Elara had never seen the two former before. She could have lived her whole life with what he placed on that desk.

  “I will require your best meal of the night for myself and my three companions,” Corden informed the woman. “We will eat in my room. You will have my surgeon sent up to my room. We will require the private baths prepared as well.” Corden glanced at Elara then. “And have a local dress maker run a new dress over for this one here.” Corden gestured with his head to Elara. “The rest should cover my continued stay.”

  “Yes, sir, as you command, sir,” the woman said and called a serving girl over even as Corden led them up a flight of stairs.

  Corden unlocked a door and led them through. Elara had never seen a room at an inn before, but suspected it was a fine room, even for a room at an inn. She felt surrounded by finery and could scarcely take it all in. She had never seen a carpet on a floor before or a couch. There was a painting on the wall and Elara had never seen one of those either. A warm fire burned in the fireplace and that made the room all the more pleasant.

  Corden reclined on the couch and seemed almost relieved. “Make yourselves comfortable. We can freshen up after we have eaten and my surgeon has checked our injuries,” Corden told them. Lady Elisa found a comfortable, high backed chair immediately and seemed satisfied to sit in it. Her brother grabbed chair at a wooden desk that was covered in stacks of paper. There were no other chairs, so Elara sat on the floor. “You can sit with me, Elara,” Corden told her moving to take up less space on the couch. “I don't need to take up the whole couch.”

  “I'm fine where I am,” she assured him.

  A minute or so later, the serving girl carried a tray up to their room that was heavy with food. Roasted chicken, buttered vegetables, and warm bread filled the room with their scents. Elara's mouth watered at the sight of it. It was all placed on a table before the couch. Elara stared at it. She had never seen so much food.

  “Do you require anything else, sir?” the nervous serving girl asked. Bachelors

  “Just the rest of what I requested from your mistress.”

  “It is being taken care of, sir,” the girl told him.

  “Then you are dismissed,” Corden told her with a flip of his wrist. The girl eagerly left the room. “Eat your fill,” Corden instructed them as he filled a plate.

  They all eagerly filled their plates. Elara found the food to be wonderful. She ate several plates and for the first time in her life, ate until she could eat no more. She did not care that Corden and Lady Elisa ate with a slow measured grace. Her brother did not seem to mind either. Elara curled up on the floor afterwards, full and content. She had never had a f
ull stomach before in her life.

  There was a polite knock on the door shortly after Elara had finished. Corden told the person to enter between bites. A man with graying hair and a balding head entered. He was clearly a Corscan, but was not dressed like a soldier. He carried a heavy looking bag with him. Concern graced his face as he entered the room, but that was at once followed by relief.

  “You wished to see me, Lord Daliscas?” the man asked politely. Lady Elisa promptly dropped her fork and stared at Corden. Elara looked at her confused and noted that Lady Elisa did not seem to be breathing.

  “Yes, I was injured a few days ago during the attack and wish my injuries checked. Two of my companions are also injured.”

  “Your leg?”

  “Yes,” Corden said simply, pointedly ignoring Lady Elisa.

  The surgeon checked Corden's leg carefully and Corden winced at his touch. “It seems to be set well enough. I can provide a better splint and something for the pain, but I can do no more for you. You will need to stay off it for awhile. Did you receive this injury falling off that hill the soldiers told me about?”

  “Yes, rumors have started I see.”

  “Oh yes. I understand I am to congratulate you on your impending marriage?”

  “No, I released Elara here. She saved my life and wished to be freed from that custom.”

  The surgeon raised an eyebrow when he looked at Elara. “An understandable choice, girl, but I suspect you will grow to regret it. There are few who would turn down Corden Daliscas in marriage.”

  “Elara and her brother are also injured. Elara's leg and back were cut badly in the fall and her brother has a broken arm and I suspect broken ribs.”

  “I will treat the lady first.” Elara found her wounds examined, cleaned, and rewrapped with clean cloth. Her brother's arm was completely reset much to his displeasure before it was bound tightly in a new splint.

  “I would recommend staying on the road in the future, Lord Daliscas, it would have been very bad had you fallen and broken your neck instead of your leg.”