“I screamed, I cried, I denied everything that had happened. Swords and weapons all over the ground, yet the portal was closed and I couldn’t charge through to help my father. I never saw him again. I had lost my mother, friends, kinsmen, and my father was trapped in another world. That day I grew out of my childhood for good.”
Trestan finished recounting Cat’s story and weighed the visible effect that it had on her. A tear fell from her eyes as she remembered the day she had spoken about. Trestan continued, “That day changed your whole life, and it still haunts you. You were worried I would charge into a losing battle, just like you fear your father did. You already lost one battle to them and nearly died. You are as scared as the rest of us.” Trestan glanced at the dwarf. “Well, almost all of us. You want to stand up for what is right but you refuse to do so if the odds are against you.”
The raven-haired adventuress spoke again, “I try to be realistic. What good is it if one dies for a goal they never accomplish? What good is it to throw your life away for nothing? I pray I could go back to that day and tell that to my father, and damn you Trestan for bringing it up!”
She turned away from them all. Her head lowered, Trestan could see her shoulders shake as she cried. Mel broke the silence, “So…do I prepare to unleash my array of boom spells on the camp or are we just going to walk away here?”
Trestan choked back his own tears and stood up. He was angry at Cat, but he could never hate her for her reasons. He walked over to Cat and placed his hands on her shoulders. She roughly shook them off, but then he grabbed her hard and spun her around. The smith took a weak fist in the gut before he pulled her close into a hug. Her resistance dropped and she sobbed into his chest. Trestan himself wasn’t sure if he wanted to scream or cry. The young man looked to Abriana’s philosophies for guidance. He remembered the words of his mentor over the years.
“Cat,” Trestan started. “Your friends call you Cat, and we are your friends. You’ve been there for us all this time, and we are all a part of this nay matter how we feel.”
Cat was silent, but Trestan knew she was listening. “Petrow and I knew we were taking a big risk, but we chose to take it. My friend Jareth told me once, a good man has nothing to fear from an early death. Nobody wants to die, but when the time came for Jareth he thanked his goddess even in the face of his enemies. Sometimes people have to be willing to fight and die for something. Abriana expects us to fight for what we love.”
Trestan paused a moment, unsure what to say next. Mel and Salgor offered no comments. With the half-elf held in his embrace, the young smith finally spoke again. “You hurt me so much by your actions last night, but I forgive you. You were just thinking of our welfare, and the tragic loss of a loved one in your past. But you have to forgive us for being willing to face long odds and death to set things right. I feel angry with the people up there, though I try to guide my actions by what’s right for their captives and not necessarily vengeance. Don’t tell us you won’t join us. Don’t tell me that Petrow isn’t worth attempting a rescue. Mel, Salgor and I are going to try to free Petrow and Lady Shauntay from that camp. You want to help too, because sometimes you have to be willing to risk it all for those you love. Sir Wilhelm and Reatheneus Bilil both taught us that.”
There was a moment of silence, but Cat nodded her head against his chest. Salgor didn’t like one of the things Trestan said, and had to set the record straight. “You may not be interested in vengeance, but I am! I’ll shove my fist so far up that wizard’s ass that I’ll be able to move his mouth like a puppet and have him beg for mercy…”
Trestan shook his head, “Ok, I didn’t need that image in my head.”
Mel laughed and joined in, “Yeah! And I get to play with my new wand!” Mel indicated the wand that had been tucked into his belt since he joined. “I hear it is supposed to work real well. It should send some of them running.”
Cat gently eased herself from Trestan’s hug and shook her head, “Wait, wait. If you all are determined to do this I’ll go, but there is something you have to know first.”
Salgor replied, “What could be worse? What more is there to know?”
Cat looked up at Trestan with her cheeks moistened by tears and concern in her eyes, “I came back when I saw something new around the camp. A ship has moored offshore from the bluff, and there were men rowing ashore to be greeted by the members of that band. Now we know why they built the large fire last night…it was so their friends could find them.”
* * * * *
Petrow stared through a small hole in their tent at the furled masts of the ship anchored offshore. “Well this can’t be good news. They have a ship out there. Nay wonder they ditched the horses back around Barkan’s Crossing.”
No reply answered him, so he glanced back to check on his partner in captivity. Both of them had arms and hands tied tightly behind their backs. About a foot and a half of rope existed between each ankle, allowing them to walk but not run. Lady Shauntay sat against one of the uprights supporting the tent. She didn’t acknowledge him or speak, nor had she given him much notice at all during the whole time they were stuck together. The young noble sometimes looked at him like he might be nothing more than an insolent fly on the wall, but mostly she stared blankly at thin air. Petrow wondered what kind of sad state she was truly in. The young man had never respected the spoiled noble much, though he felt some sympathy for the rough treatment she endured. The road had battered and dirtied her. Her jewels were gone. He judged that she was trying to shut away the world, and maybe even retreat from the pains of her mind and body. Petrow shuddered thinking she might have endured a torture session under the minotaur and cleric. They beat, healed, and beat him again, in one of the longest nights he could ever recall.
He pulled his thoughts away from the memory. Not having anything else to do, he paced the small tent in short steps and spoke out loud. “Barkan’s Crossing has a good harbor. Cat said they had appeared from nowhere without horses except for the minotaur. I bet the ship secretly dropped them off and was waiting to take them back to wherever they wanted.”
No reply came from the noble’s lips, though she looked up towards him. She didn’t seem to see him as a real person, but he continued his one-sided conversation. “They made a big scene when they traveled through that town before, and they knew someone would pursue them, so they must have sent one of their lackeys into town to arrange a meeting spot with the ship rather than go through town. Seems logical. They sold their horses and came close to Barkan’s before turning and heading up the shore a bit. That’s a lot of trouble to kidnap a minor noble from a village; I didn’t think you were worth that much. You must be proud.”
A whisper finally broke past her lips, “I’m not.”
Petrow stopped and looked at her, but she turned her head away. He shuffled so he could get in front of her again and spoke, “Well, it is alive. I see they didn’t harm your ability to speak. You certainly screamed loud enough last night when I tried to rescue you.”
She glared. Her voice came through a little stronger. “That was a rescue? You should have just ended my life for me. That would have been more merciful.” She looked him up and down, which was the only time she had studied him at all. Lady Shauntay changed the conversation when she spoke again. “I’ve seen you before, but I can’t remember where.”
Petrow sarcastically attempted a flourish, but the ropes prevented him from doing any kind of dance. “I’m just one of your local home town heroes. Petrow the handyman, any service at your request. I chop firewood, kill chickens, collect eggs, farm fields, patch roofs…anything done really well…except rescue a damsel.”
“Humph,” She snorted, “I remember you now. Just another lovesick commoner from that hole in a hole some call a village. So where did you come up with the money to buy that mismatched assortment of outdated fashions?”
Petrow frowned. He was obviously seeing more of her selfish attitude than her ‘lovesick commoners’ of the village knew
about. “I’ll have you know this was a nice mix of colors before they got dirt and blood all over them. That was blood spilled for you, my spoiled lady. A few of us came out to save your hide. I can at least say, after seeing how you have retained your uppity attitude and standoffish behavior, that you weren’t worth the trouble.”
She turned away from him again, giving a flat reply, “I guess I should be honored, you have my thanks.”
Petrow was about to respond with something harsh, but he saw a change in her face. She softened a bit somewhat and seemed to fight back tears. The handyman paused to consider the noble. He never had liked her much, and even now she didn’t seem a very good person. She was only human, however, and hurt in one way or another by the events of the past few days. He was tempted to remain spiteful in the light of her attitudes. He decided it would do him no good to rub her face in her own shortcomings.
“Look, I didn’t come out here because anyone asked me to. Well, my friend Trestan wanted to help you. Do you remember Trestan?”
She looked up at him and he could see she struggled to recognize the name. It stung Petrow to remember how it had brightened Trestan’s day when she had flirted with him, and apparently the young woman couldn’t even remember his name. “He is the smith’s son. You used his attention and flirted with him for some copper hairpieces. Trestan fell under your influence, as all young men in town seem to do, and he gave you those copper pieces free. They must have cost him a bundle to buy and make and you used them as a horse decoration and then promptly forgot he ever existed.”
Lady Shauntay frowned and turned away without a reply. Petrow was so mad he didn’t try to say anything else right away. It hurt knowing they had gone through all this trouble for someone who would never appreciate it.
Finally Petrow simply sighed as he said, “Well, I know you’ve had a terrible ordeal. I hope we both get out of this and get a chance to live our lives again.”
Lady Shauntay spoke through quivering lips, “I want Sahbin to rescue me. I want her sword at my side. I want to go on late moonlit rides through the countryside. I want my servants to bring me new clothes and to interact with people who treat me with respect. I want my old life back.”
Petrow stood silent for a bit. “Well I don’t know what they plan to do with us, but maybe if we get these ropes untied we can still get out of here. I don’t know what happened to my friend but I’ve learned to depend on myself. We can get back to back and maybe loosen them.”
Lady Shauntay didn’t answer. She sat with her blank stare on the tent walls. Petrow spoke a little louder, “If we want to escape we have to work on it ourselves. There are plenty of guards outside but we might have a running chance. I don’t want to be sold somewhere as a slave.”
“They won’t let me live. I’m alive now only as a bargaining piece in case someone found us before they got far enough away.”
Petrow got in front of her face again, “They were just here to ransom you right? I suppose you have nothing to fear as long as your folks come up with the money.”
The noble stared right back at him. “You stated earlier: ‘That is a lot of trouble to go through to kidnap a noble from a village; I didn’t think you were worth that much. You must be proud.’ To which I replied, ‘I’m not.’ You thought I was saying I’m not proud. I’m saying I’m not worth that much trouble.”
Petrow was sure he wore a mask of confusion at that moment. “Then why are you here?”
“I am here because I saw what they were really after. I saw them trying to get away with a crime and cover it up. They needed to silence me. Instead of killing me outright on the street, they took me hostage as insurance since they knew someone might follow. When they depart on that ship, none can catch them. They’ll kill me and you so that nay person will be left to talk about what they were really after.”
Petrow looked her right in the face. “Then there is nay reason why we shouldn’t try to get free. Now tell me, what did you see that night? What was this whole thing about?”
Lady Shauntay told him, and Petrow was surprised to learn what she witnessed.
* * * * *
Revwar cast one look back at the anchored ship. Rowboats ferried supplies between ship and shore. He could make out Savannah’s form on the deck, making her way to the captain’s quarters. The elf turned and strode through camp. He looked for Orthymbar and found the redheaded man smoking a pipe with some of his mates. Petrow’s throwing axe left a bad cut on his scalp the previous evening, but the cleric healed the damage. The man nodded to acknowledge the wizard’s approach. “Hail friend, I’m wondering if we will have nice weather tonight before setting sail.”
The men near Orthymbar didn’t realize the red-haired man and the elf were having a coded conversation. Revwar replied. “I believe it shall be a good moonlit night. It is getting warmer, and Aburis’ reign is coming to a close. Soon Nirahha will command the sky.”
The other sailors and mercenaries around the fire didn’t know the special message the elf was relaying back to their companion. Aburis was the largest moon and the most prominent at that time in the night sky, Nirahha was the second largest but commanded the tides during the coming summer months. It sounded like casual conversation, but the redhead took special note of the significance of the second moon replacing the first. Orthymbar smiled in reply.
Orthymbar gestured with his pipe, “Will you men excuse us? I have something private I wish to discuss with our business associate. Take the bottle with you if it will make you happy.”
The other men eagerly took the bottle and stumbled away. Orthymbar puffed on his pipe and made sure no one was around to hear his conversation with the elf. “So, tonight then?”
Revwar nodded, “The captain lies ill. The abbess has done her job well. He has just now summoned her to his side to ease his discomfort. She will finish the job while appearing to tend his ailments. I should congratulate you, the new captain of the Silver Trident.”
The saber wielder smiled. The deal was complete. “I thank you. It has been a pleasure doing business with you.”
Revwar responded, “Nay, the pleasure is all mine. You were there when we needed you. The price was right; all you required was an assassination. You even arranged to have the ship moved on short notice to pick us up away from the prying eyes of the town.”
The red-haired man asked, “What about those two prisoners you have? Are they not to be included in any deal? I would like the blood of the man that hit me from behind last night. As far as that wealthy wench, she could be a fine ransom prize, as well as used for, other male interests.”
Revwar shook his head, “Savannah sets her mind to something and she sees it through. If you want to bed that woman, you face the abbess’ wrath. I don’t know why she can be so cold about murders and yet not tolerate the rape of another woman. However, we can’t allow either of those prisoners to live. I was surprised to learn the person who tracked us turned out to be a small town boy that would foolishly ambush us alone in the night.”
Orthymbar stated, “You doubt that he was alone.”
Revwar nodded, “By himself he could not have afforded those clothes, that weapon, and this good weed from Pluetlo’s Island.”
Revwar pointed to indicate the pipe weed the red-haired man was smoking. Orthymbar replied, “And a good brand it is too! Fine smoking.”
The elf wizard looked around the campsite at the surrounding tree line. “Someone else was with him. I would not be surprised if the half-elf that tailed us to Troutbrook was somehow involved. In either case, we hold those two as long as they might have a use to us.”
The impending captain of the Silver Trident looked towards the tent confining the prisoners. A few mercenaries stood nearby in case the pair tried to escape. “So, when the old captain is given his funeral and the ship made ready to sail in the morning…?” Orthymbar left the question hanging.
Revwar replied coldly, “Then we are done with them, and they will need to be silenced. You can h
ave your fun and kill the rainbow colored lad that charged our little army single handedly. The prudish wench will need to lose her head as well. If by some reason we are attacked by anyone else, the hostages are nay use to us. If that happens, we should silence them immediately.”
The elf stood and prepared to walk away, but spoke again. “Oh, one more detail.”
Orthymbar looked up to the elf, and Revwar added, “In the morning when Savannah is back on board the ship, and out of earshot of any muffled screams that might arise up here…who cares what else you do to the wench? But she must die, in order to hold her tongue.”
The elf turned and walked away, as Orthymbar smiled. He cast an evil smile towards the tent holding the lady captive. He looked forward to some entertainment the next morning.
* * * * *
The evening found the companions sleeping fitfully in the ravine near the bluff. They feared a delay in acting, but Cat had talked them into some measure of caution. Despite the arrival of the ship, and maybe even because of it, she gambled nothing would happen that day to change things worse than what they already were. Cat did not expect that their quarry would depart yet due to the way they moved supplies to and from shore. The half-elf also guessed that the camp would be very alert, and any chance to run in and attack would be better saved for the night or early morning. Despite their fears and desires they attempted to get some rest before sneaking up to the camp under cover of darkness. For all but Mel, it was a lost effort. Cat, Trestan and Salgor turned and moved fitfully in their attempts to get some rest, while Mel snored and talked in his sleep about running from big rats.
The Earthrin Stones 1 of 3: Inheritance of a Sword and a Path Page 23