By the time she made it back to Meric, Brody had an arm around Neil's shoulders and was talking to him in a quiet murmur while leading him over to a bench at the front of the house. Meric was smiling at her as she took his arm and started cleaning off the blood with the cloth she had wet at the well. He turned to fully face her as she worked.
"That was pretty impressive. I think things could have gone badly if you had not been here," he told her.
"I am just glad I did not miss and that there were not more of them. Splitting my focus like that took more out of me than I thought it would. I am out of practice. Too much time spent in secluded corners at the keep, not enough spent practicing my craft." She tried to sound reproachful, but could not quite pull it off. Not with the way he was smiling at her. She tied off the bandage and let his arm go. "So... now what?"
He looked around before answering. "We will do what we can to lay the dead to rest, make sure we convince Neil to get a message to Carter's Landing where it can be sent on to your father, and then Malina and I will thoroughly scout the area to make sure there are no more bad guys lurking. After that we get back on the trail, because we cannot really afford to waste any time."
She agreed and then asked, "Do you think this was an advanced scouting party?"
"Not sure. It is possible, but they did not usually send wargs out with those. The beasts are too conspicuous and hard to control once they smell food. Could be something else too." He had a thoughtful look on his face as he stopped talking.
"What is it?"
"Their shamans had the ability to control animals. We could only guess, but our troops eventually noticed the presence of ravens following them and always there when they made camp."
"Well, you were at war. Carrion birds are often found at such times."
"Yes, but these birds had either one or both eyes glowing. They tried to explain it away as firelight reflecting off of them, but most of the time, the glow was blue. There were also men who came forward later and admitted that they had seen it when there was no fire around. They had been too scared that people would call them crazy to say anything at first. And closer to the end of the war, Malina kept finding signs of a wolf that appeared to be following our company. There were several times when it was as if the enemy knew where we were even if we used stealth to cover our movements."
"So we could have one of these tracking us now? We will just have to be vigilant, and keep moving. They cannot possibly know where we are going, so that will be to our advantage."
The two of them looked around the yard one more time, and then she moved in the direction of her horse. She ran her hand across his lower back as she passed behind him and whispered, "Time to get moving, Commander."
A quick smile was thrown over his shoulder and then he strode over to Brody. She watched him for a second and then continued on to Dela, so she could get the items needed to write the message for her father. The horses had been tied up at the stand of trees, and so she made use of the picnic table nearby to write her report. She shivered as a cool breeze whipped through the trees and hurried to finish so she could grab her cloak. Now that the excitement had died down the cool air was rapidly drying the sweat and she could feel the chill more readily. Settling her cloak around her shoulders, she headed over to give the message to Meric, so they could get back on the trail.
CHAPTER THIRTY
Warm Welcome
The actual crossing of the Gannett River into the kingdom of Rennick went unnoticed as far as they could tell. They had traveled at a steady pace for a week and a half after leaving the farm, until they reached the wide river that was part of the border between the two kingdoms. Rising early and stopping to set up camp only when it was too dark to continue safely. They had to take some risk with the crossing, because there were only a couple of places that had a ferry big enough to accommodate all of the horses and gear. They had been fortunate that there was one such not too far out of their way, and that it was stationed at a smaller town with less traffic. The odds were very good that no one would recognize the four Rennick natives as they passed through. The group had certainly been noticed, but for no other reason than they were well armed and moving with purpose. There was a checkpoint on both sides of the river at these crossings that were usually manned by four, and the one on the Rennick side had been a concern. Alyssa had gotten them through the Glendon post with no trouble. It was apparent that her father's orders had already reached the checkpoint since there were two more guards than normal, and all of them were alert. The Lord Marshall had probably sent word to all of the crossings while they were still in Seegrin. They need not have worried about the other side.
As they passed the small checkpoint they could see one guard lying under a shade tree by the shack they used for sleeping quarters. He had a flat wineskin laying on his stomach, with a small red stain on his gray tabard where the opening slowly dripped the last of the wine down his side. He was snoring, loudly. There were two men playing cards at a table in front of the shack who did not even get up as they waved them through with barely a glance, and she could see one more sleeping on a cot inside the little building. Her group continued down the road until they were out of sight of the soldiers, and then turned north through the woods.
Even though the pace was tiring, Alyssa had begun to find some small amount of enjoyment in the trip. She was under no misconception that what they were doing was not dangerous. She knew it was, and she knew how important their mission was. She remained cautious and watchful of their surroundings, but did not have the constant fear she had on the trip to Dallena. The safety of the girls had always been on her mind and that fear for their well-being took up any idle thoughts, even with soldiers all around. She had spent some time with Meric, Brody, James, and Malina on their first trip, but had not really tried to get to know the others. Now that she did not have to worry about the girls, she was free to turn all of that part of her mind to getting better acquainted with her current companions. The danger was still there and was just as real, but everyone in the group was well aware and quite capable if trouble were to strike them. That did not mean that one, or even all, of them could not die, but they all knew the risks and had still volunteered to be here.
She had spent a little time each day riding next to a different person, talking to them about anything that came to mind. Fortunately their small party got along and worked together very well. There was no resentment that Meric had been given command, even though he was not from Glendon. All in all, they were becoming a tight knit unit. She knew that they did not have the cohesion of a team that had been relying on each other for a long time, but she also knew that would only improve as they went on.
Her wandering thoughts were interrupted by Meric's shoulder brushing her own as he leaned forward slightly and stoked the fire with the stick he kept next to him for just that purpose. The two of them were usually the first to rise in the morning, and it had become their habit to sit huddled next to one another and enjoy a cup of coffee, the morning stillness, and each other's company while they waited for the others to wake. The spot they had found to camp the night before had several large boulders sticking out of the rocky ground and she and Meric were now leaned back against one of them. They had built the fire in an open area that was surrounded by the big rocks and it made a good shield for the wind while also keeping the fire from being seen at a distance. She took another sip of the hot coffee, then leaned back and laid her head against his shoulder, breathing in the cool morning air and sighing it back out.
She tried not to dwell on might have beens, but times like now made her wish she could have met Meric under different circumstances. It was pointless to wish that the fire in front of them was in one of their rooms back at the castle and that there was more privacy and less clothing involved. That thought did help to warm her up, but she quickly tucked it away as it was very much not helpful. Without actually speaking about it, they both seemed not to want to push their relationship forward unti
l this mission was done. They were not avoiding each other or hiding the affection they both felt, but they mostly kept the physical displays to a bare minimum. There would be time for that later. She would make sure of it.
To distract herself she asked a question.
"Do you think we will still make this town you spoke of before nightfall?" Her voice was just barely above a whisper.
"Should be a couple of hours before dark," he responded just as softly.
"And they will help us?"
"We stayed there a few times while we were hiding out. They are good people, and have grown weary of Xavier and his harsh rule."
He finished poking at the fire and switched his coffee back to his right hand, then moved his left arm up and around her shoulder. She turned into him slightly, resting her drawn up legs on his thigh and shifted her head to a more comfortable position on his shoulder. She knew they would be moving again before long and decided to try and enjoy the moment for as long as she could. The crickets and an owl keeping them company as they relaxed.
The peace was indeed short-lived, and they were headed down the trail on their horses before the sun cleared the trees. They rode more north than east this morning in search of the logging road that connected a large camp with the town they had decided to visit for supplies. According to Meric and Brody it was a little smaller than average, but because of the logging camp there was always a decent stock of supplies. The group made good time and arrived at the outskirts of the town a few hours before sunset. Alyssa watched along with the others as Malina rode off to do a quick circuit to ensure that all was quiet, which meant no patrols were in town. The spot that they waited gave them a view of most of the buildings and they studied the comings and goings of the people, hoping they would not find anything to make them pass the town by. It did not take the scout long and she soon rode up giving the all clear.
"Alright," Meric began. "It should be safe enough; we can stay at the inn tonight and get back on the trail early in the morning. One last chance to sleep in a bed before we head into the mountains. We do not know what to expect after that, so when we leave here it will be as fully stocked as possible. Depending on what we find up there, we might be traveling back to Glendon with some haste."
With that, he turned his horse toward the town and rode onto the path from out of their hiding place in the edge of the woods. There were a handful of people crossing from building to building, or heading out of town in either direction. They passed an empty wagon at the town's edge that was twice the normal length and was being pulled by six horses. The two scruffy, broad shouldered men driving the timber hauler nodded to Meric as they went by and both looked upon Malina and herself a little longer than was polite, but otherwise paid the group no more attention.
Meric dismounted at the front of the inn prompting the others to follow suit. A young teenager and another boy not quite into his teen years came forward and caught the silver coin Meric flicked to each of them. The boys both listened, wide eyes jumping back and forth between the coin and the man in front of them, as he instructed them on the care of the party's animals and gear. As the two started gathering reins, Meric stepped toward the inn's entrance followed closely by herself and Brody.
Meric came to an abrupt stop with just enough room for her and Brody to pass through the threshold and step to either side. Standing four feet in front of him was a black-haired man about his height with a few more pounds of muscle and wearing a Rennick Army uniform. Behind the man were four more soldiers standing two deep behind either shoulder, a sword and a truncheon strapped at each of their waists. The soldier and Meric blinked at each other and then the man snarled and reached for his baton, opening his mouth to yell out something. The soldier was a split second faster than Meric, but instead of pulling a weapon, Meric shot forward and attacked. He drove his left forearm down on the man's weapon arm and smashed his right fist into the center of his face. The man's nose crunched and immediately started pouring blood, but Meric did not hesitate to follow with another blow that the man never saw coming. Her father and other instructors had told her more than once during her hand-to-hand training that this blow was almost always effective in blinding an opponent, because it would immediately tear up the eyes and it was hard to hit something you could not focus on.
As she began to concentrate on the two men behind the now falling soldier's left side, she noticed Brody tackling the two other men down to the ground. She planned to wrap up the two men long enough for Meric to deal with the one closest to him, but was not fast enough. Before Meric could fully turn to the next threat, the man directly behind the lead opponent slammed a fist into the side of his head. The blow staggered him and his legs got tangled up with the man lying on the ground at his feet. This just might have saved him from a severe injury, because he went down so quick that his new attacker missed with the truncheon he had finally freed. The man's wild swing caused Alyssa to jump back to avoid getting struck. Fortunately she had succeeded in immobilizing the last man in strands of air so she only had the one to deal with. The baton wielding soldier hesitated, looking from her to Meric, who was still struggling to get clear. That pause cost the man, as Pierson came through the door at full speed and dove into him, catching the weapon arm with his left hand and driving his right forearm into the soldier's throat as they fell back. They collided with the magically trussed man and since Alyssa had him firmly rooted in place Pierson's opponent came to an abrupt stop, most of him that is. The arm holding the cudgel out wide went a bit farther and made a loud snap as it broke at the elbow, and since there was an arm now crushing his windpipe, he only made one short choking cough before he passed out. Pierson scrambled to his feet watching the man they had run into and then after a glance at Alyssa he punched the man in the head. She had recognized the look for what it was and released the trapped enemy just as the lieutenant's fist connected. The soldier crumpled to the ground with the rest of his cohorts. She and Pierson looked to Brody to see what help he needed, but they found him unwrapping his arm from an unconscious soldier's neck and dumping him to the floor. The last man was also out cold, flat on his back about five feet away. His head was angled as it was propped up at the foot of the bar, where it had likely landed hard enough to put him out.
Meric made it to his feet as Brody was dusting his hands off. The Sergeant looked at his friend and said, "Graceful."
"Shut up," was the only reply he got.
Meric had a hand to his head where he had been hit and bent over to put the other on his knee for just a moment. Brody chuckled, but put a steadying hand to his friend's shoulder until Alyssa got to him. She stepped in front of Meric and held his head up so she could look him in the eyes. He blinked a couple times, shook his head and then, giving her a quiet "I'll be okay", he rested his head on her shoulder while she looked around the room. The rest of her party had entered and were securing the men they had just put down, so she turned back to Brody. The big man scanned the room once and then looked to the bar at the back. He clapped his hands together loudly and then spoke in that direction.
"So... what kind of swill do you serve to drink in this hole?" Brody was grinning widely at the man behind the bar and Alyssa's eyes went round at the words. She was just thinking about using her magic to gag Brody when the innkeeper responded.
"We only have real ale here, not that fancy crap you have to drink with your pinky stuck out, like what you got in that big citified inn of yours." Both men scowled at each other for a second before busting out laughing. The innkeeper came out from behind the bar and exchanged a back-slapping hug that Brody had to bend down slightly to receive. The man was about a foot and a half shorter than her friend, and was properly round as an innkeeper should be, with a fringe of gray hair running from just above each ear and topped by a shiny bald crown. As they separated she noticed an irritated knot on the local man's head. The skin also had a ragged tear and was bleeding. Alyssa looked back at the bar and saw the woman that had been standing next t
o the man Brody was now introducing to her as Zeke. Zeke waved the woman forward and she hurried to press an already bloody rag to the man's head.
"Quit with the fussin' woman," he groused and brushed her hands away. Not deterred, the woman reached up quickly and took Zeke's ear in hand and twisted until the man's head was at the level she wanted and then reapplied the rag. This time the response was to meekly stand there and let her tend to him, with a chagrined look on his face. She was a perfect complement to the man. Short and plump, she had her graying, brown hair up in a bun and a reasonably clean apron tied around her woolen dress.
"Brody, you remember my wife Mable?" Zeke asked.
"I remember thinking she was a saint for putting up with you for so long."
Zeke just snorted, earning another twist of the ear.
"It's good to see you again Brody," Mable said with a fond smile. As she finished speaking she searched the rest of the room with her eyes, stepping away from her husband.
"Meric? Are you okay?" There was real concern on her face, but she must have believed his quiet reassurance since her gaze moved on to Silas, who nodded out a greeting with a warm smile on his face. Mable returned the smile which then turned to a full on beam as she set her sight on the last Rennick native in their party.
"Malina! My dear, you look as lovely as ever." She wrapped the scout up in a bear hug before stepping back and holding her at arm's length as the two smiled at each other. "But you are still too skinny. Come on, we'll feed you." The woman huffed and led a red cheeked Malina toward the bar.
"Gonna try and teach her to cook again?" Brody asked as they passed him. His breath huffed out sharply as Mable gave him a hard punch in the gut.
"Hmmph, feels like you can afford to skip a meal or two."
"Don't be like that, Mable. I was only teasing," Brody pleaded.
Mable ignored him and walked past the rest of them on the way to the bar.
A Soldier's Honor: The Scepter of Maris: Book One Page 21