The Serf and the Soldier

by Holly Law

  “A hot, barren, empty land that gets little rain and is covered in loose dirt and sand. This one has some particularly impressive rock formations. That will be a miserable stretch to pass through, but we're going through the smallest possible section.”

  “I didn't know places like that existed.”

  “I suspect you will find there is much you never knew existed. Your world was very small. I will make it much bigger.”

  “I don't know if I want a bigger world,” Elara said with a frown. “I was content how it was.”

  “Were you really, Elara? I spoke with your brother the morning we left. 'Content' was not a word he would have chosen for you and he also indicated you were very far from happy. He thought I was good for you and that it would be good for you to be further from your mother.”

  “Further from my mother?”

  “He indicated that she tended to make you think less of yourself and that she cared little for you. It is a sad thing when a mother does not love a daughter and does not rejoice in her home coming or her marriage.”

  “Can we talk about something else?” Elara asked not liking the subject.

  “As you wish.”

  A few days later they came out of the mountains and passed through a brief bit of plain before they came to a small fort on the edge of a well travelled road. They were not the only ones there and Elara saw many wealthy looking merchants with heavy carts. They had many guards and Elara wondered about that and asked Corden about it as they dismounted inside the walls.

  “We try very hard to keep the roads safe, Elara, but occasionally a few people get the ill-conceived notion that they could make a fortune robbing the highways of Corsca. The merchants are careful, nothing more. No one would attack a well armed caravan,” Corden explained as he checked over Scratch. He checked the hooves quickly. “He'll need new shoes before we leave the fort. He's almost worn these through. No wonder considering the use he has seen recently.” He scratched the affectionate horse behind the ears. “Almost home, old boy. Then you can rest in a comfortable stable and have apples every day until you get so fat we have to take them away.”

  Elara laughed. “I don't think he would let you do that,” she said giving the horse a thorough scratch behind the opposite ear. Scratch's eyes closed in delight.

  “Probably not,” Corden agreed with a grin. “But we would have to try. Let's go inside and get ourselves settled for the night.” Corden stretched and looked tired. “I'll be glad to sleep on Corscan soil tonight.”

  “We're in Corsca?”

  “This fort is right on the border. It will be another week or so before we're in the capital.”

  “So long? I don't think I like travelling so much.”

  “It's a long trip. We'll be home soon enough,” Corden told her giving her a quick kiss. He took her hand and led her inside. The interior of the building was warm and inviting. Tables were already full of merchants happily eating their dinner and laughing. The innkeeper looked up from his books in time to see them enter. He clumsily dropped his pen when his eyes fell on Corden. He bowed so low over his books his nose touched the paper.

  “Your majesty, you honor my humble establishment,” the balding man said in a stammering voice. “How may I be of service?” Corden showed no surprise at the form of address or the improvised bowing that was taking place around the room. The pretense was clearly over. Corden was back in Corsca and his rank was evident once more.

  “I need rooms for my men and myself. Your best for my wife and me,” Corden said seeming to barely notice the bowing and the respect he was being shown. He dropped a handful of coins in front of the man's still lowered nose. “That should more than cover the rooms and our meals. I would eat privately in my room with my wife.”

  “Of course, your majesty,” the innkeeper said at once. The nervous man shuffled through his keys before he presented one in a shaking hand to Corden. “Will you require anything else?”

  “I will not,” Corden told him simply. The innkeeper gave directions to the room and moments later Elara found herself being led down a long hallway to a door.

  When the door to the small in room closed Elara observed, “No more pretense of being a soldier, I see.”

  Corden stepped away from her and examined the room. “That's about the gist of it,” Corden said clearly weighing their lodgings mentally. “Not much of a room, but I suppose it will do.”

  “Things are different now that we're in Corsca? Am I in for any surprises?

  “I plan on explaining any of those over dinner,” Corden said looking at her. “I had hoped to enjoy this rare bit of privacy with you first.”

  Elara laid in bed watching Corden as he brought the heavy trays of food over to the bed. He had gone downstairs a few minutes earlier to get their dinner. The food looked good, if a bit foreign, but she had grown used to that. She took one of the dinner rolls and ate it hungrily as Corden sat down beside her. “So how are things different now?” Elara asked him.

  “Hm, I'm not certain where to start. Your life has been very different from mine,” Corden pondered. “But you're right, as soon as we arrive in Silcor the expectations of you will be different.”

  “How?

  “Where to begin?” Corden mused and thought for several moments. “You are my wife this moment, but not yet a queen. A ceremony will have to take place for you to officially be that and that ceremony may only take place in Corsca. When we arrive in the capital I will arrange for a tutor for you who will teach you what you will need to survive in my court.”

  “Like what?” Elara asked curiously.

  “At the very least, you will be taught to read and use basic math. You will also need to be instructed on etiquette as well the dances popular in court, at the moment. How you fair with those will depend what else I add to occupy your time. You will also be expected to attend functions with me and I would like it if you sat with me when you had the time. I would like someone to discuss the issues and problems I must solve with after I am done officially hearing the situations.”

  “Is learning all that hard?” Elara asked frowning.

  “You're clever. I don't think it will be a challenge for you. At the very least, it should go better than your cooking. You would have made a serf a very poor wife, but I think you will make a king a very good one.”

  “I hope I don't disappoint you,” Elara worried.

  “You have yet to disappoint me.”

  Separated

  They continued travelling the next day and Elara spent most of the day trying to get her head around her situation. Things were clearly going to be expected of her and even her discussion the previous night with Corden made her feel no better about it. She had been thrown into a world she couldn't even begin to understand. She continued trying to worry over her change in circumstance as they rode, which distracted her from the fact that she wasn't feeling entirely well. Corden noticed she wasn't quite herself around midday and asked her, “Is something troubling you?”

  “No,” Elara half lied, shaking her head. “I'm not just feeling very well.”

  “What's wrong? We'll be in the dessert soon. I would rather go back and get help than continue forward if you are unwell.”

  “I’m just a bit nauseous. Maybe I haven't had enough water today.”

  “That's it? Just a bit nauseous?” Corden asked skeptically. There was almost something a bit suspicious in his eyes

  “And a little off, but I'm not really that bad.”

  “Elara,” Corden whispered in her ear. “Has it occurred to you yet that you could be pregnant?”

  Elara did not know how to respond to that question. She had no reason to think either way on that question. She frowned slightly. “It's possible I suppose, but I don't know.”

  “We'll have to wait and find out then. But it is likely,” Corden told her kissing her cheek lightly.

  “Yes, particularly given how affectionate you are.”

  “Won't that be a surprise for t
he people of Corsca? I return not only with a wife but possibly with news of a child on the way.”

  “Or just a wife who isn't feeling well,” Elara reminded him.

  “I can hope, can't I?”

  “You can.” Elara wasn't certain she was ready for the possibility of being pregnant. She knew it would happen eventually, but she hadn't anticipated it quite so soon. She still felt like she barely knew Corden. The thought of carrying his child makes him uneasy.

  “Something bothers you now,” Corden observed. “What's wrong?”

  “I think you'll be angry with me if I say.”

  “Not likely.”

  “I just…I still feel like I barely know you Corden. It doesn't seem right that I should have a child with you yet.”

  “You know me better than you think, Elara. We have known each other months now and I have spent much of the past three months together. The suddenness of our marriage still throws you off. Nothing more. It does not anger me. I know you weren't entirely prepared to be married. You will get used to me soon enough. And I certainly look forward to having children with you. Hopefully many, many children.”

  “If I'm simply a bit ill now you'll be disappointed.”

  “A bit perhaps, but it will happen eventually. I won't bother you about it. If you are, you are. If you're not, you're not. It's that simple.”

  Elara woke to someone shouting in alarm the following morning. Corden bolted up right next to her and his hand instantly went to his sword at the commotion outside. He grabbed the pair of pistols he normally carried and belted them on. He ran out of the tent and Elara was not far behind him. Camp was in chaos and before she could even register what was going on Corden had forced her behind him.

  There were unfamiliar men flooded the camp. They didn't look particularly clean or pleasant and several of the men were already fighting the soldiers while others tried to loot tents. One was busy raiding the personal supplies outside a nearby tent and did not even glance around him. Corden did not hesitate before he shot the man. The shot brought all eyes instantly. The bandits swore as their comrade fell.

  “Soldiers!” one man cried in desperation and clearly started back pedaling away from the man he was fighting.

  “Indeed,” Corden said coldly. “A poor camp to attack. Surrender your weapons!”

  Most of the bandits did not listen and fought all the harder. Several came up to Corden to attack him. Corden was very quick with his blade but even he showed some evidence of struggle against four men. He did not have the space he required to use the strange weapon that had served him so well before. He certainly was not fast enough to stop the fifth man who slipped around from behind and grabbed Elara. She gave a startled and frightened cry as she was dragged away from Corden, a sword pressed tightly against her throat.

  The whole camp noticed, but the soldiers were all fighting with the bandits. For all the skill the soldiers possessed and they were out numbered and could do little more than defend themselves. Corden was clearly outraged and fought all the more fiercely and fell one of his attackers.

  Elara was too frightened to struggle much against the sharp blade and soon she found herself, for a second time in her life pulled onto an enemy's horse. The man gave a triumphant cry and the other bandits fell back with their loot clearly intent to get away with what they had acquired. Elara could only cry and shake as they carried her farther from safety and into the unforgiving dessert.

  They rode their horses hard for what seemed forever and Elara tried on multiple occasions to fall off the horse. Each time she was hit painfully by the bandit who held her.

  It was just after noon when they stopped beside a large rock formation the provided shelter and shade from the sun's heat. The bandits had clearly spent much time there judging from the filthy condition of the camp. Elara found herself roughly bound and thrown to the ground. The bandits pulled out their loot and examined it with delight.

  “Good raid,” one bandit commented. “Lots of goods this time.”

  “We'll have to get to a town to sell them,” another grunted. “This stuff is valuable but only if we can sell it.”

  “We'll go and see the slave trader camp to the east,” one said kicking Elara from her stomach onto her back. “This one should be worth something and they'll buy whatever else we have no questions asked.”

  Some of the other bandits looked a bit disturbed. “I hate dealing with slavers,” another bandit muttered. “You could end up as their merchandise too easily.”

  “That would be bad business,” the bandit who suggested the slavers replied. “For now, we can use this girl to cook us some dinner.”

  And so Elara found herself pressed into work preparing food for the bandits. She was very much aware they might kill her for the slightest mistake with the food and took extra care. It took all he concentration to ensure nothing burned or turned out under cooked. She was very relieved when she created one of her very rare unburned and edible meals. She still sat tensely as they ate the food. There were no compliments and the men poured the food down their throats with little thought. They came back for more and when it was clear there was little more they fought amongst themselves for the food. Elara gave a frightened squeak and backed far away from the fire.

  When they grew tired of fighting they began drinking. That led some too more fighting which the others jeered and cheered as they watched. Elara found herself the object of many rude comments and scooted a little further away from the fire. She hoped Corden would find her soon and deal with the men. She hoped he would get her away from the horrible nightmare she was in.

  Shortly after sunset most of the bandits had passed out from drinking. The amount of snoring was obnoxious and every one was an example of a different way to rub rock wrong with metal. Elara huddled by herself watching them all. She would get no sleep that night, she was confident of that. She glared at her captors and it was in the process of doing just that when she noted a bandit was still very much awake and alert. And more importantly, he was walking over to her. Elara found herself shaking as he approached.

  He walked past her and she felt him tug on the ropes on her wrists. “Listen carefully,” he whispered in her ear. “I'm going to let you go. I am no slave catcher and don't agree with those that hold to that sort of thing. Go east from here and you'll hit the road. Head south along it and you'll find yourself at the city of Silcor within a few days. North and you'll be at Fort Velin. They'll expect you to go north and will likely catch you before you get there. Go south, it's your best bet. Do you understand?”

  “Yes,” Elara said surprised, but thankful for the mercy. “Thank you.”

  “Good luck. Be quick and quiet. Do not rest unless you are too exhausted to go on.” He forced a water skin into her freed hands. “Go.”

  Elara did not pause a moment. She made her way down as quickly as she could and was soon far away from the rock formation. She quickly checked the moon and made her way east. She hoped the bandit's directions were correct and would not lead her into a worse situation. She barely noticed as time passed and watched the moon anxiously as it first raised and then lowered in the sky. She dreaded dawn and the pursuit that was sure to come even more. It was just after midnight when she found the well trampled sand and stones and marked the road.

  Her legs ached from walking but she pushed herself on and to the south. She knew if she got to Silcor she would be able to find someone who would be able to help her find Corden. He had spoken of the city for days and of his palace there. She knew she would find him there.

  At dawn things, started to become worse as the sun had finally appeared and began its sweltering hear. Her water skin quickly emptied. She held onto it hoping to find some water later in the day. She forced herself on even when the sun made her dizzy with heat. Noon was unbearable and she felt her exposed skin burn in the heat. She had never imagined such an unbearable place and to make things even worse water kept dancing on the distance and she never seemed to reach it.
>
  It was nearly sunset when she reached what seemed like paradise to her. A fresh spring of water bubbled up from the ground. She drank her fill quickly and her stomach ached afterwards. A few scraggly bushes grew around it and Elara chose to sleep among them in hopes the bandits would not see her if they passed by.

  She slept very soundly that night and her dreams were tormented with images of the day before when she had been taken from Corden. She woke feeling as though she had gotten no rest and wishing she could feel the familiar comfort of Corden's arms wrapped around her. She would have preffered his gentel waking to that of the already scorching sun of the desert.

  She quickly drank her fill of water, filled the water skin, and was on her way. The day felt even worse than the previous one and Elara found herself beyond the point of exhaustion, but things felt more promising. Vegetation had become more common along the road and she found several spots to refill the skin and drink. Each was heavenly and a relief to her parched throat. She stopped when she could force herself to go no further and hoped Corden would find her as she slept. She hoped the bandits were no longer pursuing her.

  The next day, she found herself in a golden plain that was full of unusual plants. It was still hot, but not as unbearable. She spent two days on those plains before the road started following the edge of a forest. The road became easier to follow and paved with smooth stones. Several merchants with heavy loads passed her. She tried to ask after her party and they ignored her. Some did worse than ignore her. They called her a beggar and a thief and that they would kill her if she came near them.

  The day after that, she found the edge of the forest she found Silcor. The sight of it was overwhelming. A large river ran through part of the city and yet it was entirely surrounded by thick, high walls. It went out of her sight and the massiveness of it overwhelmed her. She had been so confident if she found Silcor that she would find Corden. She suddenly felt much less certain. Finding anyone in a place like that would be impossible. It made her cry briefly before she steeled herself and forced herself into the walled city that Corden so loved. Corden was not a normal person to find. He was a king.