Rigged from the Start
Chapter 14
Let's Just Drop the Subject
I grunted as I hefted a burlap sack onto my shoulder, "Remind me again why I needed to pack all of this crap!?" I hollered up to the driver's seat of the cart.
Fresh snow fell in gentle puffs from a dark gray sky over my head. The sun had not yet risen, which left Regna Ferox even drearier than it normally was. Although, the soft touch of snow falling on my head did make me feel a little better. It reminded me of home, and the first snowfalls of winter that came in late October. When the snow in Wisconsin looked white and beautiful, before it turned gray and filthy due to muddy tires, snowplows, car exhaust, and shoveling. Even if I was completely sick of snow, seeing the first white snowfall always brought a smile to my lips.
I uttered a wistful sigh as my mind drifted back home. It was late November when the bus hit me and I wound up in another world. So, if time flowed the same there as here, then it was probably almost January by now. Still a winter wonderland in little Appleton, but another few months then the snow will melt, and they will all see what I liked to call "Fake Spring" back home.
I shook my head and reached for another heavy pack filled with various items. Anything from extra clothes, to rations and more waterskins, were stuffed in these few burlap sacks I had to heave into the back of the cart. I reached for one that felt particularly heavy and lumpy. Then another that felt the same. The third felt especially hard and lumpy. I furrowed my brow.
"Anna!" I called as she finished attaching the cart to the horse.
Anna poked her head out from in front of the cart, "Are you complaining again?"
I frowned, "What do you think?"
"That's a yes, and I'm not interested in hearing it right now." She huffed, rubbing her gloved hands before hauling herself up onto the driver's bench, "Did you get everything in the back?"
I glanced at the ground. No more burlap sacks or crates, thank God. My arms were already sore from picking those things up and tossing them into the cart. I wiped some sweat from my brow with the back of my hand, trying to make sure it did not freeze to my forehead.
I wonder if Anna would let me snatch a hat for a little bit? I thought as I rubbed my bare hands together, trying to warm up my numb fingers, God damn, I thought I'd be used to this crap already.
I shivered as I marched around the cart, leather boots crunching in the fresh powder forming a deeper layer on the frozen ground. Once I got around the cart, I hauled myself up to my spot beside Anna and tucked my hands beneath my armpits.
"I'll take that as a yes." Anna muttered as she grabbed the reins to the cart, "Start communicating."
I glanced over at her while she snapped the reins, "Everytime I communicate, you call it complaining."
Anna shrugged, "So you need to learn a better way to communicate."
You're not the first to tell me that. I thought to myself, biting my tongue before I said something I knew I would regret. Try growing up in a world where talking online is easier than talking in real life.
The cart rumbled forward, wheels shoving their way through the fresh snow and into the slushy, main gravel road that led away from Arena Ferox and the massive camp around it. I shook my head, uttering an exasperated laugh as we rolled away from the quiet, still sleeping camp. The two sentries stationed at the edge of the camp, where the gravel road turned into dirt, snow, and slush, gave us grim nods as we departed. Both probably expected us not to return. A very likely possibility. Anna called it a suicide mission for a reason.
I frowned as my arms ached. My shoulders rolled as I tried to stretch out and loosen the muscles.
"Not used to heavy loads?" Anna asked with a slight grin, her eyes focused on the road in front of us.
I glanced back at the many burlap sacks and crates thrown into the cart. Nearest to me was the wicker cage with Cluckers sitting inside of it. I eyed the damn bird then turned my attention back to Anna.
"Is it that obvious?" I asked.
The corner of Anna's mouth twitched, "Very."
She kicked back on her bench, letting her feet rest up on top of the wooden bar in front of us. The snow became less and less disturbed the further from Arena Ferox we ventured. The sky grew darker as well, despite it being the morning hours. I drew in a deep breath of the frigid air. The cold shot through my nose and lingered in my lungs. If I wasn't awake before, I definitely was now.
"You think your cart can handle this weather?" I asked as I eyed the growing snow banks along the lonely road.
"Don't doubt the cart, and don't doubt Emm."
I blinked, "Emm?"
Anna nodded to the painted horse in front of us. I puckered my lips like I had just swallowed a lemon drop.
"You named your horse-"
"After the late Exalt herself." Anna snorted at that, "It's a bit of a compliment to her. Emm's always been my reliable, hardworking companion. Well, ever since I got her that is. I've cycled through a few horses. Snatched her from the Ylissean royal stables. Frederick was pissed." Anna chuckled some more, "But after everything I had done for the Shepherds, Lissa let me keep her. Of course, I had to get Freddy back somehow for all the rude things he called me."
"Rude things?"
Anna started counting on her fingers, "Trickster, charlatan, swindler," My eyes widened. Only Frederick would have the nerve to call Anna those things, "thief, cheat, oh, and he was on the verge of calling me a bitch too, but his knightly manners took over at that point." She snickered, "That, and Lissa smacked him. Had a good laugh at that." She nodded at Emm again, "So I got back at him by naming my horse after the beloved Exalt." She fell into quiet laughter again, tucking her chin to her chest as her shoulders jumped, "You should've seen the look on his face."
"I'm a little surprised Lissa didn't take offense."
Anna shrugged, her mirth fading a little bit, "She might've… a little bit. But at that point, I had to stick to my decision. Wasn't gonna give Frederick the satisfaction of seeing me back down. I don't back down when I negotiate, and I sure as hell don't back down when I make a decision."
"You backed down yesterday." Anna's lips twitched as a faint snarl crossed her face, "I mean, Lissa-"
"Your foot, Sam." I snapped my mouth shut, and Anna rolled her eyes, "Gods, you're too easy. Who hurt you to make you shut up so easily?"
I grimaced, "Let's um… just drop it, yeah?"
Anna eyed me carefully as the cart rumbled through the thick snow. More flurries descend on us, and a few flakes landed on Anna's red head, staying in her hair a moment before melting away.
"Alright," She nodded with a sigh, "Won't talk about that then."
I let out the breath I did not realize I was holding. There were some things I'd prefer not to talk about. Why I shut up or shut down easily is one of them, and I was grateful Anna dropped the topic.
I refocused my attention to the road in front of us. Well, there should have been a road in front of us, but it was currently buried under several inches of fresh snow. Every so often, one of the wagon wheels would slip and skid, and I would curse. But Anna never lost her composure, and she never lost control. Emm just plodded along, hooves marching through the snow without a care.
Skidding in a horse drawn cart felt different than skidding in a car. When you hit a patch of ice in a car, and the tires lose traction, you sure as shit know it. Oftentimes for me, it was the back tires. One of them would slip on a turn, and I would have to fight to straighten out the vehicle. With a cart, it just felt like one of the wheels suddenly shuddered to a stop, then kept rolling. I guess it just wasn't going fast enough and there wasn't enough ice to really throw us off balance, which was a relief.
I glanced up at the dark sky. Through the thick blanket of dark clouds, I could see a faint, white light. The sun, a faint patch of light that seemed incapable of penetrating the snowstorm raining down on our heads. I never got the impression that Regna Ferox was this dreary when playing the game. Then again, Wisconsin in wintertime wasn't much different. When I was in highschool, I would wake up before the sun rose, and by the time I was done with school, the sun had set. That would be the case from the end of November through about mid-January. It made those few months of school miserable.
Humans are meant to be in sunlight. I sighed.
"So," Anna spoked up again as she shifted in her seat, "what were we talking about before this whole," She gestured to the snow covered road in front of us, "crazy mission was thrown on us."
"Hm?" I replied, half paying attention.
Anna shrugged, "Y'know, before Vykrik," I shivered at the mention of that name, but Anna seemed unintimidated by it, "and before Lissa asked me to do this."
"Um…" I thought hard for a moment as my brain ran back to yesterday. The parlay and the subsequent hours afterwards were a whirlwind. But before the day ran afoul, it had been quite nice. Anna woke me early to train, and when we took a break, she asked me about- "We were discussing my home."
"That's it." Anna nodded, remembering as well, "Yeah, books right?"
"Yup."
"And your favorite was some Tolkien guy."
"That's correct." I replied, "He's one of my favorites."
Anna inclined her head, "So there's more than one, eh? Lots of writers in your world?"
"Oh, you've got no idea. Some do it for fun rather than for profit too."
Anna gave me an incredulous look, "Who the hell would do something like that!?"
"Fanfiction writers." I answered without thinking, "But that is a whole other can of worms you're not ready for yet."
"I can handle it."
"Trying to explain the intricacies of the internet to you is something I am not ready for. How about we go with that explanation." I quickly retorted.
Anna snorted and shook her head, "Doing something for free. I don't even get food for the kids for free." She wagged a finger, "My mother had a saying she always told me and my sisters: 'If you're good at something, never do it for free'. It just-" She furrowed her brow, "It's confusing to me why people would bother to invest their time and effort into writing for nothing."
"It's fun." I shrugged.
Anna's eyes widened as she turned to look at me, "Oh…" She nodded, "I see."
"See what?"
"You're one of them."
I sputtered, "I-I-"
She patted my shoulder, "I'm only judging you a little bit. You're not as cut throat as I am, so I can't blame you for it." She took a deep breath, "I'll beat that out of you eventually."
"Beat!?"
"Figure of speech, Sam." Anna sighed as she shook her head ever so slightly at my mild panic, "Have any of those in your world?" She returned her attention to the road as the reins sat loose in her grip, "So Tolkien, what did he write that you liked so much. Something about Fantasy, right? Knights, dragons, stuff like that?"
"Uh, yeah." I wiped my mouth with my head, feeling my hot breath wash over my frozen fingertips, "The story he wrote that I liked the most was The Hobbit."
"What was it about?" Anna abruptly asked, catching me off guard. She noticed my surprised expression and snorted, "C'mon, if there is one thing I'm a sucker for, it's a good story."
"How do you know it's any good?"
Anna shrugged, "I dunno. Call it a gamble on my part. But… if you need a reason, you strike me as someone who enjoys good stories too. So if you think they're good, then I'll probably enjoy them as well." She puffed out a blast of air as several snowflakes brushed over her mouth. One of her hands reached up and wiped them away. Finally, she gave me an impatient look, "I need some entertainment on this ride, Sam."
"R-right um… how to explain the Hobbit."
"You're not explaining, Sam." Anna remarked, a small smile on her somehow not chapped lips. How did she manage to do that in this weather without chapstick? "You're telling me a story. Loosen up, have a little fun. Naga knows, if you get anymore uptight around me I'll be able to stick coal up your ass and pull out a diamond." She blinked, "On second thought-"
"So, The Hobbit," I began, making Anna laugh under her breath, "It all begins with a hole in the ground."
Anna arched an eyebrow, "A hole?"
"Not just any hole, a Hobbit hole. A nice hole. There's furniture, very finely crafted furniture, a pantry, and a study-"
Anna furrowed her brow, puzzled, "So, a Hobbit is a nice hole?"
I guffawed at that, "No, no." I snickered a little more, "A Hobbit is a… a…" I tapped my left leg with my hand, "A short person with big, hairy feet. Mostly innocent, and naive to the dangers of the world. Content with quiet lives doing boring things."
"Ah, okay. Fantasy creature, got it." Anna nodded, "So, the story is The Hobbit, I'm guessing it's about a Hobbit."
"Yup."
"What happens to him?"
"Well…" I searched my memories. It had been a few years since I read the Hobbit. Something I mildly regretted, it was a book that I very much enjoyed, "You see, Bilbo, the Hobbit-"
Anna snorted, "Bilbo? That's his name?"
"That's the point." I replied with a small smile, "Tolkien meant for the names to be ridiculous. It was originally a story for his kids, if I recall correctly."
"Ah, go on." Anna gestured, keeping an eye on the road and one eye on me.
I nodded, "So, Bilbo, is one of those totally normal Hobbits. Never went on any adventures or did anything unexpected. Until one day, a wizard named Gandalf shows up at his door. Being the good, sensible Hobbit he is, Bilbo shooed him away, but only after offering him tea and good mornings and-"
"Ah, he let the wizard get a foot in the door." Anna clicked her tongue, "Never do that."
"Exactly." I nodded, "Gandalf, leaves a mark on his door as Bilbo goes indoors, and that mark is what attracts a party of thirteen dwarves, hellbent on taking back their home, the Lonely Mountain."
"Lonely Mountain?" Anna replied.
"Yeah, because it's-"
"How can a mountain be lonely?" Anna wondered out loud, "I mean… if it was a volcano I can see that, but," She put a finger to her chin, "is it a volcano?"
"Getting a little ahead of ourselves, aren't we?" I replied, thoroughly enjoying this conversation. It was rare for me to delve into these topics back home. Partly due to my extremely small social circle, and partly because most of the people I was around did not care for these sort of things like I did, "Anyways, their home was taken from them by a Dragon named Smaug."
Anna pursed her lips, "And I'm guessing the dwarves and Gandalf want Bilbo to help them get their home back from the Dragon?"
"Yup." I nodded, "See, the dwarves come from many different backgrounds. Many were warriors at one point. But none of them know how to sneak around. Least of all, how to break into a massive mountain with an evil, fire breathing dragon inside of it. Hobbits are short, and can move quietly. So, Gandalf believes he found his perfect burglar."
Anna let out a little laugh, "This Bilbo, a burglar? A Hobbit who is sensible and never goes on any adventures or does anything unexpected? Now he's going to be a thief?" She thought for a moment, one finger pressed to her chin. Then she closed her eyes and chuckled again, letting her hand fall back to her lap, "I can see why you like that story so much."
"Well yeah, it's a fun little adventure story. Not as epic as Lord of the Rings but-"
"Not just because of that." Anna cut me off. I looked at her, puzzled. Anna rolled her eyes at me, like she always does when I'm completely lost, "Think about it. A small, sensible, naive, boring person winds up in a situation where he has to shed all of that and become a thief? Does that ring a bell?" My eyes slowly widened and Anna gave me a knowing smirk, "Although," She looked down at my boots, "Not sure if you have big or hairy feet. Looking for that is more Gaius's thing."
I gagged a little bit. Anna threw her head back and laughed loudly.
"Why!?" I cried.
Anna's laughter lightened a little bit from loud guffaws into quieter chuckles, until they almost sounded sad, "Gaius and Panne." She glanced at me, "They were… well, not technically married. I think? I'm not really sure how Taguel do it, but Panne and Gaius were together. And let me just say, Panne was very hairy."
"I-I see." I replied, scratching the back of my neck, "Well um…"
Honestly, the comparison struck a chord. In my life story, I was Bilbo, before he went on his own wild adventure. I never had any adventures or did anything unexpected. I lived my life the safe way. I woke up with the help of five different alarms so I was never late for work. I made sure to arrive at the bus station early, so I never had to worry about missing my stop. Looked both ways before crossing the street. Didn't stay out past ten o'clock at night. The most rebellious, crazy thing I think I ever did was have a beer before I turned twenty one. And, let's be honest, if you're a guy who spent any sort of time near a college at that age, you've probably done that. It's nothing spectacular, nothing flashy or exciting. Simply… boring. And I thought I was content with that.
Now, here I am. Riding alongside a trickster merchant, borderline assassin, on our way to rescue a Princess from an apocalypse bringing dragon. The comparison even went as far as me becoming a thief, or burglar, just like Bilbo Baggins.
...Getting hit by a bus does things to a man.
All that's missing is Martin Short acting as me, and the comparison is complete. I laughed to myself.
"That's a bit crazy." I finally muttered back.
"Crazy, but not wrong." Anna remarked, "So, I'm impatient, did they get their home back or not?"
"Who got their home back?"
Anna rolled her eyes, "The dwarves? Did Bilbo help them out or not?"
"Oh!" I straightened in my seat, "Well, yeah. It was a happy ending, I guess. A few of the dwarves died, their leader among them. But they defeated Smaug and saved their home. Bilbo returned home, one of the few Hobbits to ever venture so far from the Shire, and very wealthy thanks to the treasure he got from the mountain."
Anna's lips parted into a wide grin, "Oh… I like him now. I'm guessing gold and jewels?"
"Only the finest." I replied, leaning back in my seat till my head rested against the canvass roof of the cart.
"Good, he's a decent burglar at least." Anna replied with a firm nod, "Knows value when he sees it." She my arm with her arm, "Hopefully, you'll turn out the same."
I snorted at that, "Not everyday someone hopes you turn into a good thief."
Anna laughed a little at that, "A lot of the laws went out the window when a dragon came flying in. Thieves tend to become very useful tools for those in power. We know how to sneak into those dark places no one else can get into."
"Which is why Lissa holds yours and Gaius's opinion to such a high degree." I nodded.
"Exactly." Anna breathed. She scanned the horizon, "I hope that sugar addict is alright."
I blinked, "Is that some empathy I hear from you? The Anna, worried about someone else?"
She shoved my shoulder, but there was a ghost of a smile on her lips.
"Yeah, yeah," I remarked, as she threatened to shove me off the cart next, "my foot and my mouth. I know."
Anna shook her head as she worked her jaw back and forth. Her shoulder shrugged, "Eh, you're not wrong."
I blinked, "Okay, yeah, are you alright? No fever or something?"
"I'm fine, Sam." Anna replied, mildly amused, "Just… I don't get a lot of conversation on the road like this. Hell, I used to hate it. When I was younger, I was a solo journeywoman. No help needed. I could take care of myself, damn anyone who tried to say otherwise. And..." She paused for a moment. At that moment, I saw a few lines on the corner of her eyes. The corner of her mouth twitched as she recalled years of memories on the road. Having crazy adventures on her own and with the Shepherds. Adventures I only knew about thanks to a game. Even then, I could not even begin to grasp what they really meant to her, "Well…" She sighed, "The world grew more and more dangerous. I latched onto the Shepherds because, well, they were my golden goose for a long time. Do you have any idea how rich I became because of them? Heh, it's because I could talk circles around…" Her face saddened significantly, "around Robin."
She swallowed hard and took a deep breath, "Sorry," She breathed, "Just… reminiscing. Got any other stories?"
I was tempted to press the Robin button a little more. But I also got the feeling that if I pushed that button, I would get booted, not just to the back of the cart, but off it. Both figuratively and literally. Anna would not hesitate to plant her boot straight into my backside. Like when I asked her to drop the topic on why I shut up so easily, I dropped this one.
"Other stories, hm?" I pressed my lips into a thin line as I thought hard for a moment, "Well, what kind of story do you want to hear?"
The cart jostled behind us. I figured one of the wheels caught on another patch of ice. Anna furrowed her brow and briefly glanced back at one of the wheels as well. She then looked back at the contents of her cart, brow still furrowed.
"Did anything shift?" I asked.
"Not that I can tell." Anna replied, a suspicious look on her face. She exhaled, breath misting out in front of her face, then returned her attention to the road, "As for what kind of story… let's stick with our unusual parallels theme."
"Unusual parallels theme eh?" I shivered as a biting wind hit the cart. Emm the Horse snorted and bobbed her head, shaking her mane a little bit as the cold wind hit her as well, "Well, we're on our way to save a Princess."
"Yup." Anna nodded.
"So, this might be a good time for the story of Luke Skywalker."
"Oh?" Anna's eyes briefly flicked back to the rear of the cart as her horse snorted loudly in front of us, "Is he a real hero?"
"Absolutely!" I said, patting my hand against the wood bench we both sat on, "You see, Luke was but a simple farm boy. A moisture farmer." Anna cocked an eyebrow, puzzled again, "It's uh Science Fiction with a lot of Fantasy thrown in. I'll explain it later."
"Sounds kinda important to know. Context matters." Anna muttered.
"Not for the bones of the story." I replied, my voice growing excited as I was about to discuss one of my all time favorite things to talk about. Yes… I am that much of a nerd, "So, Luke receives a secret message meant for an old Jedi Knight named Obi Wan Kenobi. It is a message from a Princess who has been captured by an evil empire, led by a Dark Lord and his apprentice, Darth Vader. Luke, finds Obi Wan, and they, along with a smuggler named Han Solo, a Wookie named Chewbacca, and two droids, go off to rescue her from the Empire."
"How heroic!" Anna declared loudly, "Wouldn't you agree?"
"Uh… yeah?" I gave her a confused look. Anna did not act like this. She was getting really excited about this story, and I hadn't even begun to explain it. Let alone tell it. Why would she-
The cart jostled again. Anna's head whipped back to the rear of the cart.
"Naga damn it." She hissed.
She yanked on the reins, forcing Emm to a stop and nearly throwing me forward off of the cart due to the abruptness of the stop. Once I regained my balance, I glanced at her.
"What's wrong? Risen?"
"No." Anna growled, anger flashing hot over her face, "If it was Risen, we'd be riding faster, not stopping." She grabbed three of her throwing knives and held them between the fingers on her right hand, "How many sacks of potatoes did you throw in the back?"
I shrugged, "I dunno. Six or seven?"
Anna scowled, "I only had three."
I blinked, "W-well I didn't kn-"
Before I could finish, Anna launched her throwing knives into the cart. All three knives burrowed into the wooden deck right beside the sacks of potatoes. To my shock, three of them jumped.
"She's onto us!" One sack cried, sitting upright and flopping out of the cart.
"Time to go!" A second sack exclaimed, simply rolling out and falling into the soft snow behind us.
"Heros do not flee from trials! Least of all the heroes of our great cabal!" A third sack cried, sitting upright.
"You better start running, Owain!" Anna barked, thrusting the reins into my lap and jumping down from the cart. Murder in her eyes.
My mouth opened and closed, "Owai- Owain and-"
Fuck!
I surged off of the cart. As I jumped down, my foot got snagged in the reins, causing me to faceplant in the snow instead of landing on my feet. I groaned and spat chunks of fresh powder from my mouth. One of my frozen hands reached up and brushed frosty flakes from my face as I scrambled to my feet.
I rushed to the rear of the cart and found Anna holding Owain, Morgan, and Cynthia at knifepoint. The self proclaimed Justice Cabal members shook with fear as Anna glared furiously at them. The red head paced back and forth, boots crunching menacingly in the snow. Not one of the kids raised their eyes to look up at her. None of them moved an inch. Not that they really could. All three only managed to get their heads free from the burlap sacks before Anna caught them.
Anna put her hands on her hips, spun on her heel, and paced back around from one end of the trio to the other. Morgan took a deep breath and opened her mouth, but Anna quickly raised a hand. Any words Morgan had got stuck in her throat.
Anna stopped her pacing and sucked in a deep breath.
"I am going to try to remain as calm as I can possibly be." She seethed, her face nearly as red as her hair, "But I am warning all three of you, if you say one single word of backsass," She narrowed her eyes at Morgan specifically, "I will take your tongues out with one of my daggers, pickle them, then sell them to Henry for a profit, and he will laugh about it."
Owain and Cynthia audibly gulped. Morgan ducked her head as Anna's gaze landed on her again.
"I know this was your idea." Anna growled, pointing a finger directly at the short, black haired girl, "These two follow your lead when Lucina is not around and-"
"And it was none of their ideas." A second voice interjected from the back of the cart.
Anna's jaw clenched tight as Severa hopped down from the back of the cart. The red head folded her arms and stepped up in front of the three members of the Justice Cabal. Anna's eyes blazed hot.
"Okay," She wagged a finger in the air, "Them," Her hand gestured to the fearful members of the Justice Cabal, "I'm willing to give a small pass to. I expect them to be dumb enough to try this shit. But you," She growled directly at Severa, "After what we talked about. I-" She inhaled deep, trying to rein in her fury, "You didn't even go talk to Lissa or Frederick, did you?"
Severa shrugged, "So what if I didn't. It's not like they would have changed my mind."
"No, but they at least know how to parent." Anna ran a hand over her forehead, "Naga damn it, I can't parent when on a suicide mission. Fuck, I can't parent period." She noticed me standing off to the side, utterly silent, "Sam-"
"My foot is on the ground, not in my mouth." I said quickly.
Anna gave me a weary look, "Back me up here."
I drew back in surprise, "M-me, back-" I blinked, "Well uh-"
"Great, he's just as much an idiot as you four." Anna sighed, exasperated. She pinched the bridge of her nose, "Do you kids have any idea-"
"We know how dangerous this is going to be." Morgan piped up quickly.
"Indeed! The Justice Cabal is fully prepared to delve into the darkest pits of Grima's Hell in order to rescue our great leader from-"
"He means we're ready to step up and save Lucy." Cynthia quickly cut off Owain, "Severa explained-"
"Oh? So Severa knows what this mission entails, does she?" Anna took a few steps forward and glowered at the younger redhead. Owain and Cynthia shrank as her eyes flicked over to them for a brief second, "What did she say exactly, hm? Did she lure you three in with promises of heroism and glory? I bet she failed to mention the blood."
"W-we've been in skirmishes, and Morgan-"
"Yes, only Morgan has been in an actual battle." Anna snapped, silencing Cynthia, "Which makes this fuck up is even more egregious for you, tactician!"
Morgan swallowed hard and ducked her head.
"Quit yelling at her. This isn't her fault." Severa muttered.
Anna's gaze snapped back to Severa, "You failed to mention what Grima does to people, didn't you?"
Cynthia and Owain shifted uncomfortably. Anna flashed her teeth in a threatening snarl. One of her daggers jumped to her hand.
"I've been to a Risen hellhole before, you four. Part of the job. Right around the time of the Siege of Themis." She paced around them four now, like a furious predator circling terrified prey. I could only stand and watch, petrified as a side of Anna I had never seen before came to the surface, "You want to know what I saw there?"
Severa's throat bobbed up and down as Anna stopped her circling and stood directly behind Severa. Her dagger jumped to Severa's throat, making the other red head gasp as ice cold still kissed her neck. Anna leaned close to her ear.
"I saw human beings, men and women… skinned alive. Walking corpses filled with black insects that slowly ate away at what made them recognizable." I saw her throat bob, but that snarl remained, "Thanatophages, that is what Miriel called the sample I brought back to her. Had to bring her an organ riddled with the stuff in order to properly identify it. Care to ask how I got it?"
Cynthia and Owain turned whiter than the snow around us. I swallowed hard as my stomach churned from Anna's story.
"Do you know how to skin a person, Severa?" Anna asked. Severa did her best to keep on a strong mask, but I could see her lower lip quivering as Anna's breath brushed against her ear, "I didn't know either. Not until I saw it for myself. One of Grima's dark mages did it to an old friend of mine. An old, friendly mercenary all of us Shepherds loved. Great drinking buddy. I'm sure you are familiar with him, Severa."
Severa swallowed hard, "Mr. Gregor."
"Mr. Gregor." Anna nodded, lowering the dagger from Severa's throat, "His fate… that could be mine and Sam's fate," My stomach jumped to my throat, "if this mission goes poorly. We could be strung up by our limbs. Tied up with cords, stripped, then skinned. Filled with those Thanatophages until we too become nothing more than walking corpses like the rest of the Risen. Mindless slaves. A fate worse than death."
Anna let the dagger fall away from Severa's throat, allowing the girl to finally take a breath. Now, she turned to the three members of the Justice Cabal.
"The less people on an infiltration mission like this, the less likely someone gets caught. The less likely someone gets caught, the more likely the mission succeeds. Less moving parts, less to worry about." She grit her teeth tight and spun around on Severa, zipping around her until she got into the girl's face, "And you have decided to directly jeopardize all of it!"
For the first time, Severa failed to meet Anna's gaze.
"We could just turn around and take them back." I suggested.
Anna glared over at me, "Yeah, and lose precious time. On top of that, who knows if Grima has spies inside of the camp. If we turn back with them, any spy will know that Sam and I are about to embark on a dangerous mission. I'm an infiltrator, and Grima knows that. Which will make our mission even more dangerous. No, we can't go back now." She shook her head, "Fuck." She hissed under her breath as she spun away from the kids, muttering 'Fuck' past me, all the way back to the front of the cart.
I opened my mouth to say something but, wisely, stayed quiet as she walked by. As Anna jumped back up to her seat, I turned my attention to the kids.
"Really?" I sighed.
Severa scowled back at me, turned around, and climbed back into the cart. Her face much paler now than it was before Anna spoke to her. Cynthia and Owain swallowed hard and kept their heads bowed. They followed Severa into the cart. Morgan stayed on the ground last, her gaze lingering on me a moment.
"If it counts, we… we didn't think this all the way through."
That's part of the problem.
I grimaced at that thought. That was something usually said to me when I had my usual mental lapses in concentration. I knew that phrase was right on the tip of my tongue, and it took effort for it to not come slipping from my lips.
"Just get in the cart." I finally muttered to the young tactician.
Morgan nodded and climbed up into the cart. I took a deep breath and marched back to the front. Emm snorted and stamped her foot, clearly sensing Anna's fury as the redhead gripped the reins so tight I could hear her leather gloves creaking. I climbed up into my seat beside her.
"Anna-"
She raised a hand, silencing me. Just like with all of the other hard topics, it was best to drop it, for now.
Anna took a deep breath, exhaling slowly as the red rage that washed over her face started to fade. Replaced by a rosy tint to her cheeks as the freezing conditions grew worse. She snapped the reins, and the cart rumbled forward.
We did not speak again for the rest of the day.
And chapter! I'm not used to writing small chapters like this, so this was an interesting one to write for me, but a very enjoyable chapter. These small character interactions are always fun. On top of that, we've got an interesting development for the suicide mission, with Severa and the Justice Cabal joining in uninvited. That might end badly... we shall see won't we?
Anyways, let me know what you all think of this chapter! As always I hope you all enjoyed! I'll see you all in two weeks! Have a nice day!
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