Chapter 2
The Journey to Oakfield
As we made it back to the road to Bowerstone the guard ravelled on and on about how he'd like to shake the hand of the bloke who did it (killed Thag). Jack and I didn't mention anything, somehow being mysterious or shadow heroines was better than being known all over.
"There it is." I heard Jack whisper. I looked up ahead and saw the big city...Bowerstone. Beside me Jack tensed, he had grown up in Bowerstone Old Town, he lived in the slums with his sister. Lucien called them to Castle Fairfax and shot Rose. That's the basic story I could gather from Jack when he talked in his sleep.
"Out of the way!" Jack gripped my arm and threw me aside as a horse and carriage sped passed us, dust flew from up the back of its wheels.
"What the heck was that?" Jack explains that they travel from place to place. I shake my head since I'd always walked from place to place now my legs are strong and I'm about as quick as a horse in speed...without magic.
As we continued along the road to the city the world seemed to shift, I could see it in Jack's eyes that something was stirring...
Suddenly a man that looked like a jester came storming towards us slowing down before us to catch his breath.
"You're the one who killed Thag. I'm a bard you see. I'm just starting out. Maybe if I follow you I'll gain some inspiration." Jack and I looked from each other to the jester/bard then continued to walk passed him. He followed as if we had agreed, then again others may have thrown him aside rather than just ignoring him so we kind of did agree to him following us. Carts, stalls and stores decorated every inch of the streets, people bustled about their business happy to shove you out of the way to get to their walked across the Bowerstone Bridge and into the centre of the town where an artist stood painting the clock-tower.
"Theresa won't arrive for a bit, go do whatever I'm going to get some better weaponry." I nod and Jack takes off. I decide not to go too far so I venture within the square from stall to stall until I give up and simply buy beef jerky from a meat stall. I find Jack at the blacksmith's he's working the forge. Every sword gets him so many gold. Max sits near the stairs waiting for Jack and I sit beside him to give him company. I spot Theresa and drag Jack away from the forge to the tower.
"Should you two choose to continue from now, there is no going back, no pauses, no rest. Once Lucien realises we're after him your lives will become more valuable to bandits and assassins. Do you accept this?" Jack nodded without hesitation. I had to think about my life, life is too short for thinking everything through... I step forward and Theresa gives us another lecture. "Think about your lives, all the places you've been the people you know, Thag and his men, they had just as many. And now they have none, because of you, do you feel the weight of responsibility on your shoulders?" I solemnly nodded but Jack gave a thumbs up for some strange reason. "Your enthusiasm will have it's uses but mind it doesn't consume you. Come with me." We walk through the streets following Theresa. She heads down the street away from the square until we make it to a small balcony-like area with a gem-man's cart. "That's where Lucien is now. The Tattered Spire." Jack and I stared across the water to the dark line. Something stirred...something dark was Theresa at work there.
"So that's it then...how do we get there?" I ask when Jack doesn't.
"We get the heroes together," Theresa replies, "the cards have shown me this." She hands me the fortune cards with different images that simply don't make sense. Theresa adds more information and tells us to go to Oakfield and talk to the Abbott.
We left Theresa but towards the end of the street I turn and find nothing but mist in her place. Night creeps in like the cold and we decide to stay in the inn at the market.
Dinner is simply meat pie from a stall. Jack drank ale while I had wine from the bottle.
"Are you sure you're ready for this?" I wonder aloud.
"I've waited ten years for this, if I wait any longer I'll explode." He smiles at the slightest.
"Try not to get into any trouble while I go sleep. Night." He farewells me with a wave as I make my way up stairs and into my room, separate to his.
The following morning we're up before dawn but Jack is up before me getting some more work done for the blacksmith. He comes back to leave, as I finish breakfast, with a steel longsword and simple clockwork rifle. We make our way along the path to Bowerstone Old Town and walked. You could see the architecture and scenery change. It shifted from shops and creeping eyes of hungry customers to flower gardens and Max jumping for joy at each new smell that wasn't piss.
"This is where I grew up." Jack says at the entrance to a courtyard off route to the main road. Now there settles a two storey house that seems to be in the business of bee keeping. "I kicked a chicken over that fence and I fell from that window." A burden falls on me as I take his limp hand in mine and pull him back to the main route. Max seems to have found a new smell and finds his way to a Sheriff.
"Well would you look at that! It's you! Well you've changed sine you were last running around these parts." Jack's ears prick up like a child's as he finally notices the guard. "When you gave me those documents we managed to break up Nicky The Nickname's whole crew and Lord Lucien made me Sheriff. Of course then he disappeared. But crime is way down. As a good friend of the Sheriff you'll find all the shopkeepers and stall vendors will give you a discount on all good and services. That discount extends to that sister of yours should she be in town, now, stay out of trouble will you." He passes us without hesitation. Jack stands frozen but this can't go on and so I drag him forward.
"Jack, it's all gone, Lucien can't hurt you anymore. Come on, the sooner we get to Oakfield the sooner you can kill him." This snaps jack back into the present. Once we're out of the city he seems to relax. We make our way to Rookridge, a rocky region without sun or rest. Bandits infest the area like locusts.
"They can hurt me still." Jack admits looking at Max...that arse! I think as we continue ahead.
The weather changes from the warm sun to grey and green clouds heavy with rain, within seconds my clothes are drenched. A man runs passed speaking of bandits. We turn a corner unable to see ahead because of the trees and rain. Mud clings to my boots but my toes remain snug and dry. There lays a fallen carriage with an old man raiding the body of the lady.
"Hands off." I hiss with my sword at his throat.
"Now...now this isn't what it looks like." He utters holding the deceased's handkerchief in his hand.
"Leave. Don't ever return or the dead will rise," he ascends as I lifted my sword higher urging him to run off, "and devour your body and soul using your bones for-" He scurries off dropping the white fabric after three steps. I pick it up and tuck it into my bag.
"A little hypercritical?" Jack says leaning against a tree to keep dryer.
"Help me bury them." I insist taking the shovel from his pack and beginning myself.
"Yes, let's stop by every dead body we see and give them a decent funeral. This is life outside the camp Lydia. People take what they can and run before the real threat sets in." Jack lectures removing the clothes of the nobles and throwing their bodies over the cliff.
"Don't act like you're the only one who has witnessed death." He kicks the carriage until it finds its way over the cliff as well. Harsh Lydia...very harsh. I kick a tree stump as punishment and continue walking with Max trailing a step behind me. Gun shots sound from a hill ahead and I dive behind a rock taking my bow in hand. I let loose arrow after arrow and dive as soon as I hit a target. Guns may be quicker but arrows are more effective. Jack gives me the go and we're almost off since I need to keep my arrows stocked up and do so by reclaiming them from the dead.
"Jack." I call as he stops and turns to me. "I'm sorry, for what I said about...well you know. I keep forgetting that you knew Rose more than I knew my parents." I explain waiting until he gestures for me to give him a hug. I gladly accept and we move on, nothing is as satisfying as a hug from Jack.
"I promise not to freeze if we're in Bowerstone. I was being selfish." He tries to say.
"This is your show Jack. Were it not for you I would be in Carmel's position." We both smile and laugh walking up the slope, careful not to eat any mud pie.