by R. S. Ford
‘I want to spend a night in a bed. That would be a start.’
Josten had to agree, but without any coin to pay for an inn, sleeping under the stars would have to do.
‘We’ll hear word on what’s happening soon enough. We just have to wait a while until we do. Once we know who’s best to fight for, and who’s paying what, we’ll head out.’
‘There’s war in all three fucking realms and we’re stuck here shivering like shitting dogs. I knew we should have taken Chulders’ offer.’
Josten was starting to think Mullen was right about that. Maybe they should just pick a direction and move off. Surely they’d find someone to take them on eventually. He was about to give in and tell Mullen to grab his gear and they’d get the hell out, when he caught sight of something down the road.
A group of dark-clad men moved up the street. There were five of them, all dressed the same, and in their midst was a woman. Her hands were bound behind her, and a gag was over her mouth. As they drew closer, Josten could see tears had streaked clean tracks across the filth on her face and she had a yellowing bruise over one eye.
He and Mullen watched as the men tramped past them through the muck and led the girl into the inn opposite.
‘What do you reckon all that’s about then?’ Josten asked.
‘Fuck do I know? Probably a criminal,’ Mullen replied with disinterest.
‘She doesn’t look much like a criminal. What could a girl like that have done?’
‘What does a criminal look like? Maybe that’s why she’s so good at being a criminal – she doesn’t look like one. Unless you want me to go and ask? Or we could just mind our business and concentrate on what’s gonna earn us some coin.’
Josten stood slowly. Mullen glanced up at him, frown creasing his bushy brow.
‘Oh no,’ he said. ‘Not that look. That’s the look that generally lands us in the shit.’
‘I just want to see what’s going on, is all.’
Before Mullen could tell him what a bad idea that was, Josten had walked from under the awning and across the street. He didn’t even stop to kick the mud from his boots before stepping into the inn. It was filled with the usual dreck he’d come to expect from a town like Ballenheim – mostly pig farmers and turnip growers – but in the corner sat the men in black with their captive on the floor.
Josten stood in the shadows, avoiding the eyes of anyone bothered enough to take an interest in him, and watched as the innkeeper approached the men. One of them, with greasy hair and a nose like a hawk, spoke for the group. From what Josten could gather he wanted rooms for the lot of them and food. When the innkeeper tried to argue, maybe to say he was full, maybe to ask what they were doing with a helpless girl gagged and bound amidst them, the man in black mentioned Duke Gothelm. Josten saw the innkeeper grow more uncomfortable as the word ‘tallymen’ was used.
Josten found himself getting excited. Whoever this girl was, and whatever she’d done, it was Gothelm’s business. And Gothelm was well known to be one of the richest dukes in all the Suderfeld. There was money here. Josten wasn’t exactly sure how, but that girl was the key to it. That was all he needed to think about.
Still unseen in the dark, he waited until the man in black had finished telling the innkeeper what was what. The old man grabbed a set of keys and led them up the staircase that ran up one side of the wall. Josten watched just long enough to see which room they put the girl in before he slipped out of the inn as quick and quiet as he’d slipped in.
‘Satisfied, you nosey bastard?’ asked Mullen as Josten took his place back beneath the awning.
Josten didn’t answer. He watched the door to the inn. The more he thought about it, the more it made sense. He and Mullen had done some shitty things over the years but kidnap hadn’t been one of them.
No better time to start than now, he reckoned.
‘I’m starting to get worried,’ Mullen said.
‘Don’t,’ Josten replied. ‘I think I’ve found the answer to all our problems.’
‘Someone wants to hire us? Or you’ve just found a purse full of coins?’
‘Better. I’ve found out who wants that girl.’
Mullen shifted uncomfortably. ‘I know I’m going to regret asking this, but who?’
‘Old Duke Gothelm.’ Josten turned to Mullen, his grin beaming out of his face.
‘No. You’re not thinking what I think you’re thinking? There’s enough people trying to kill us as it stands. Now you want to go up against his tallymen and steal a prisoner from right under their noses?’
‘That’s pretty much the long and short of it, yes.’
‘No. That’s suicide. And even if we manage to spirit her away without getting stuck with cold steel, who’s to say Gothelm’s going to pay us any coin for her? We don’t even know what she’s done.’
‘Whatever it is, Gothelm’s sent five of his best to collect her. I’d say he’s pretty keen to have her. Maybe keen enough to make us rich.’
‘Of all the stupid fucking things you’ve thought up over the years, this is by far the stupidest.’
‘And it could well make us rich.’
‘Well I’m out.’ Mullen folded his arms in a determined fashion.
‘No you’re not,’ said Josten.
‘There’s no way I’m doing this.’
‘Yes there is.’
‘I thought we were mercenaries, not kidnappers,’ said Mullen sullenly.
Josten knew Mullen was right, but this just seemed too easy. And that girl looked like she was in for a rough time whatever they did. May as well try and make some coin from her before Gothelm did whatever Gothelm was going to do to the poor wretch.
They sat there in silence for a while as the sun went down. Josten kept his peace, just watching the door to the inn as Mullen grumbled about the growing cold and how empty his belly was. As night fell Josten stood, pulling the scarf from around his neck and tying it tight over his face to cover nose and mouth. He looked down at Mullen.
‘You’re gonna be the fucking death of me,’ said the big man, rising and tying his own scarf tight about his face.
They moved across the muddy street, hidden in the dark. Josten waited at the door, listening. There was no sound from inside and he tried the handle. Locked. He drew the knife at his back, sliding it between the door and the frame until it found the latch. With a twist he released it and the door gently swung open.
Inside, the inn’s candles were burned down almost to the nub, but there was still enough light to see by. The place looked deserted as Josten and Mullen stepped across the floor as silent as the creaky floorboards would allow. They took the stairs, Mullen bringing up the rear, axe in hand. For his part Josten had no weapon in hand. He wasn’t willing to kill anyone if he could help it. There was no point trying to persuade Mullen of the same; if someone pulled a blade on him they’d be taking a gamble on their lives – one that Mullen would prove a mistake.
Josten paused at the door he’d seen them take the girl into, listening in the dark. Someone was snoring inside. Nothing else.
He turned the handle gently, pushing the door open and letting the sound of snoring fill the inn. As his eyes adjusted to the dark he saw two men on the bed asleep. On the floor was the girl, hands bound, mouth gagged. In the dark he could see she was awake, staring at him. She looked at him fearfully, and Josten raised a finger to his lips before entering the room. When he was close enough he took her by the arm and lifted her gently to her feet.
Mullen was still standing in the doorway, wringing the haft of his axe nervously in both hands as Josten led the girl out. She made no move to stop him even though two masked men had just come to take her off in the night. He could see she was scared and didn’t look a bit dangerous – not that it mattered. She was a way for them to get rich; dangerous or not they were taking her.
Josten led her into the dim light of the inn. He almost allowed himself a smile beneath that scarf – this had been easier than he thoug
ht – until he kicked something across the floor of the room.
It skittered with a metallic clang. A discarded tankard? Whatever it was it rang out like a bell, destroying the silence in an instant.
‘Take her,’ Josten said as the two tallymen stirred, rising from their beds.
Josten was on them before they could work out what was happening, his fist smashing one back onto his bed in the dark of the room. The second went for a sheathed sword but Josten was quicker, kicking it away before the man could grab it and smashing a knee into the side of his head.
With both men down, Josten ran out of the room. Mullen was already at the bottom of the stairs, dragging the girl after him. As Josten moved to the top of the stairwell, a door opened beside him. A tallyman appeared, eyes bleary, beard all bushy and black. There was a sword in his hand and Josten grabbed at the hilt before he could use it. He barged the man with one shoulder, slamming him into the doorframe, and wrested the sword from his grip, spinning it deftly. As he smashed the pommel into the tallyman’s head it gave a hollow woody echo before he went down.
Mullen waited at the bottom of the stairs, brandishing his axe as Josten came after.
‘Fucking move,’ Josten said before he reached the ground floor.
Mullen pulled the girl towards the front door as Josten raced after him. He was almost across the bar when a tallyman jumped down from the balcony above, sword drawn, eyes keen – the hawk-nosed one who had done all the talking earlier.
Josten stopped before he ran straight onto a yard of sharpened steel. For a second he thought about going for his own blade but held his hands up instead. This man looked fast and serious. There was no doubt he’d go for a killing blow if Josten made a move.
Before either of them could think what to do next Mullen rushed in, axe flailing. The tallyman ducked, swinging around and backing up against the wall. Josten moved at the same time, grabbing his wrist and banging the blade against a wooden post. The tallyman looked in no mood to give in, gritting his teeth and glaring in fury. Josten’s headbutt wiped the anger from his face, flattening his hawk nose as blood burst across his lips.
As the tallyman went down Mullen ran for the door, dragging the girl with him. Josten stuck close to their heels as they rushed out onto the muddy street.
‘That went well,’ Mullen said as they ran, and started laughing between his huffs for breath.
Josten stayed silent as they dragged the girl with them, in no mood to congratulate himself. Not yet, anyway.
19
THE sun had come up on the rough land somewhere north of Ballenheim, far enough into the wilderness that they’d be next to impossible to find. It was good enough for now.
Josten and Mullen sat next to one another watching the girl. She was sitting under a tree, hands still bound, gag still on. In the cold light of day Josten was beginning to think this had maybe been a stupid idea, but it was too late to turn back now. Best see this through to the end, whatever that might bring.
‘What now?’ Mullen asked, still staring at the girl.
Her black hair was matted, face a mess of blood and dirt. Josten was trying to convince himself she couldn’t be dangerous, but then why else was Gothelm so dead set on getting his hands on her?
‘I don’t think she needs to have that gag on, do you?’ Josten said.
Mullen glanced at him. ‘So take it off then,’ he replied.
‘You take it off.’
They both sat in muted stalemate until Mullen eventually huffed and rose to his feet.
He approached the girl cautiously. Seeing him there, big Mullen, not afraid of a thing in the world, treating this bound and gagged girl like a snarling dog, Josten realised the stupidity of it all. Mullen reached out gingerly and pulled the gag free from her mouth. Spit dribbled from one corner as she continued to stare. Josten couldn’t tell if she was afraid or not. She looked more watchful than fearful, like she was done with terror and had moved on to assessing who’d taken her prisoner this time.
Mullen backed away and Josten rose to his feet. They both looked down at her again, with no idea about what to do.
‘What now?’ Mullen asked for the second time.
Josten took a step forward, feeling a little ridiculous for the fear he’d felt. He knelt down in front of the girl and looked into her eyes. Her face was blank.
‘What’s your name?’ he asked. All he got in reply was that stare. ‘Your name?’ he repeated slowly. ‘Do you understand the words I’m saying?’
‘Maybe she’s deaf,’ Mullen said.
‘Maybe she’s foreign,’ said Josten, trying to spot anything in the girl’s expression that might give away she understood. ‘She could be from beyond the Crooked Jaw.’
‘She doesn’t look foreign. Maybe she’s just picky about who she talks to.’ Mullen had clearly given up on trying to help.
‘Why were you a prisoner?’ Josten said to her. ‘Why does Gothelm want you?’
Nothing.
‘I don’t think she’s in much of a mood for chit-chat,’ Mullen said, rubbing his hairy chin.
Josten stood, the feeling he’d made a massive mistake consuming him.
‘Maybe we should just let her go?’ he said.
Mullen looked at him, brows creasing into a single bushy mess. ‘Are you out of your fucking mind? After what we went through to get her. What happened to getting rich?’
Money didn’t seem massively important anymore as he looked at the girl, who mutely stared at him. ‘We don’t need to worry about the tallymen; they didn’t see our faces. And there’s no guarantee Gothelm will pay anything for her. Then what?’
‘Then what nothing. We’ll cross that bridge when we stumble onto it. Let’s find out if he’s willing to pay first, before making stupid decisions. I didn’t risk my neck for a payday just to see it run off into the hills. We should at least eat before we make any rash decisions.’
Josten didn’t want to argue. As Mullen went off to try and snare them a rabbit he built a fire. The girl watched him in silence all the while. It made him uncomfortable. He had no idea what the hell was going on with her, but whatever it was it unnerved him.
Mullen returned as the sun rose to its zenith in the pale sky, carrying a brace of coneys. He slumped down next to the fire and started to skin them. Josten constructed a makeshift spit from the wood that lay strewn beneath the tree and began to cook the rabbits. It was a well-drilled routine – only difference now was their silent audience.
When the rabbits were done they snapped the wooden spit in half and took one each. Mullen didn’t hesitate, falling on his like a voracious bear. Josten paused, looking at the girl and seeing her lick dry lips.
He stood, tearing a leg off his rabbit, and moved towards her. She watched him approach, or rather watched the rabbit he brought within her reach. He moved to the back of her, pulling his knife and cutting the rope that bound her hands.
‘Eat,’ he said, offering the rabbit.
She stared at the meat all blackened by the fire, then looked up at him.
‘Take it then.’
Still she stared.
Josten wasn’t about to have a battle of wills with a young girl. It looked like she’d been through it but that wasn’t his fault. If she didn’t want to eat he wasn’t about to waste good food.
‘Suit yourself,’ he said, taking a bite from the leg and moving back over to Mullen.
‘Maybe it’s your cooking,’ Mullen said.
They both ate their rabbits in silence with the girl watching them.
Later, as they sat before a pile of bones, Mullen gave a deep sniff.
‘What now?’ he said.
Josten shook his head. It was the third time Mullen had asked him and he still had no idea. There was only one way tricky questions like this could be answered.
‘Let her go or hold her for ransom, that’s what,’ he said, reaching into the purse at his side and pulling out a copper coin. It was the last one they had between them. With a f
lick of his thumb he sent the coin spinning.
Mullen snatched it from the air before it landed back in Josten’s hand.
‘No,’ said Mullen. ‘Not in the hands of the gods. There’s a reward out there for her, one way or another. I reckon it would be a good idea to claim it.’
Josten stared at the girl who acted as though she couldn’t understand a word they were saying.
‘All right. Gothelm it is.’ Josten rose to his feet. Mullen stood with him and they started to pack up camp.
‘How are we doing this?’ Mullen asked, kicking out the fire as Josten packed their meagre belongings. ‘Send him one of her fingers?’
Josten frowned. ‘What is wrong with you? We’ll find Clancy. He was tight in Gothelm’s court a few years back. He can send a message for us.’
‘Yeah,’ Mullen replied as though he’d just worked out a tricky sum. ‘That would probably make more sense.’
Josten approached the girl. ‘On your feet. There’s a long walk ahead.’
She stood without complaint, a little unsteady.
‘So she does understand,’ said Mullen. ‘Maybe she’s just got no tongue.’
‘I’ve got a bloody tongue all right,’ the girl said.
Both men stopped in their tracks and stared at her. She stared back, defiant.
‘What’s your name, girl?’ Josten said.
She paused, as though weighing the value of telling them.
‘Livia Harrow,’ she said.
‘Well, Livia Harrow, there’s a long walk ahead. And you’re gonna wish you’d eaten some of that rabbit before we’re halfway there.’ He then gestured for her to start walking along the road.
She turned solemnly and made her way down the embankment towards it.
‘That rabbit was overdone,’ she said as she walked away.
Mullen barked a noisy laugh. ‘See! I told you it was your cooking.’
Josten just shook his head. He could only hope Mullen would still be laughing after Gothelm received their message.
20
THEY hadn’t got much more out of her on the walk north. Josten had asked what Gothelm wanted from her, why he’d sent five tallymen to bring her to him, but she remained tight-lipped. Either she didn’t know or wasn’t saying. What were they going to do, beat it from her? Josten and Mullen had done some questionable shit in their time but beating a young girl for information wasn’t among it. Besides, it didn’t matter. They were in deep now and whatever this girl had done wasn’t the problem. Their main concern was sealing the deal without getting killed.