Torrold was nervous. In fact he was sweating as he walked up the steps to the thane's longhouse. What on earth could he possibly want with me? Here barely a few hours and he calls me in there. This sort of thing never ends well. As if this week could get much worse. He scrubbed his sweaty palms on his trousers and took a slow breath. He'd already gotten robbed by those damn bandits and lost the cart and his horse. That was going to make things hard enough without whatever this was. With a sigh he steeled himself and stepped inside. He stopped in the entryway and was surprised to see Thomas the steward piling up the various trinkets and hangings in the hall. Torrold cleared his throat, shifting uncomfortably from foot to foot.
"Ah, Torrold. Good to see you." Thomas straightened and walked over to him dusting off his hands. "I was sorry to hear about your misfortune on the road. You were robbed not 4 days ago, yes?"
Torrold bobbed his head in a quick nod, "5 days ago in fact, sir." He licked his lips, "Is that what this is about then?
"I wish I could tell you for certain. All I know is that Thane Kratos inquired about the bandit activity and asked for the most recent victim to be brought to him." Thomas gave him a smile, "Come now, he's in the council room."
Torrold hesitated, "What sort of a man is he, this new thane?"
Thomas paused, opened his mouth to speak and then closed it again before saying, "You'll see. This way." Torrold gingerly followed in Thomas' wake across the hall. Thomas knocked at a door and after a moment opened it, announcing them, "My thane, this is trader Torrold. He is the latest one to fall prey to the bandits that have been operating in the area." As he delivered this Thomas ushered Torrold into the room. Kratos was leaning, palms planted, over a large table with a map spread before him. Lydia was across the table from him still armored, arms folded and examining the map. Torrold's eyes widened as Kratos straightened and turned towards him.
The deep gravelly voice knocked Torrold out of his shock at seeing this ash-skinned mountain of a man. "Where were you robbed?"
"Uh, ah, most of a day's trek west of here, on the way to Rorikstead, thane."
"Show me on the map."
Torrold hesitantly approached and looked at the map. He grimaced for a moment before indicating a point on the map. "I'm not much of a one for maps, thane, but there was an old dead snag, lightning struck, on the right side of the road near where it happened. I remember thinking it was a forbidding old thing. Guess it was bad luck."
Kratos looked down at the map and nodded, "Good. What was stolen?"
"Various bits of home crafted goods, produce, some leather goods and a few of the bowyers bows and arrows.
Kratos let out a thoughtful rumble, "A cart then. Their camp is likely fairly close to the road. No recent rain means we may have a clear track if they are careless." He turned to Lydia, "We will go after the ceremony tomorrow and deal with them."
Torrold's heart leapt at that, "I will wish you and your men luck, thane, and pray for your success. It was not a small band and they seemed hard men."
Kratos let out a snort, "How many?"
"10? 15 maybe? I couldn't say for sure. I was terrified and did not even think of counting them."
Kratos shrugged, "We are sufficient to the task. Do you know anything else of use?"
"No, thane. That's all I know."
"Then go." Torrold made a jerky bow and left the room quickly. Just wait till the lands at the tavern hear about this! He's a spooky bastard! Wouldn't want to be those bandits. He beat a hasty retreat from the longhouse and headed back to The Red Fox, Havverfjord's inn, where he immediately began relating his story of meeting the new thane.
To Lydia, the previous evening and morning were a blur of activity. After discussing their plans for dealing with the bandits, Thomas and Lydia had set about making preparations for the oath ceremony the next day. There was a great deal to do. Word had to be spread, the ceremony organized, something for Kratos to wear other than armor had to be made, along with numerous other details. As far as she knew in the intervening time the thane himself had set to work clearing, leveling and expanding the training field behind the longhouse, having deemed it "unfit."
She approached Kratos' door with a bundle of clothing in her arms. She knocked sharply twice and upon hearing his simple, "Enter," did so. He had evidently just washed as his the pauldron and bracers were resting on the table near the door.
"My thane, here are some more suitable clothes for the ceremony. The people are gathering and all should be in readiness soon." She swore she heard him let out a small sigh.
"Is this necessary?"
"I would say so, my thane." She walked over and placed the clothes on the dresser next to him. "The people need to see you. This will give them a sense of security and stability. That is important and will make your rule easier." He eyes fell on his bare arm as he reached for the pile of clothing and widened in shock when she saw the thick bands of scarring that wrapped around the entirety of his forearms. She blinked and retreated to the table by the door.
"I understand. But I do not like it. I am not a man well suited for ceremony." He paused and looked down at the clothes. "I do not think that the sight of me will comfort them."
Lydia smiled, "I think that they will see someone capable of defending their home. You worry overmuch, my thane." She looked down at the bracers on the table and noticed a subtle symbol embossed on the metal plates at the back of the hand guards. It was almost a circle but it had on opening at the bottom from which the design extended down before flaring out and then up at right angles. His personal crest. I did not note that before. She turned back to him, "It is not a long ceremony." She gave him a small bow and took her leave.
Kratos stared at the clothes. This he did not enjoy. With a frustrated snort he began to change quickly. The sooner he went out and began this farce, the sooner it would be over. His clothing was fairly simple but of a reasonably well to do cut. It consisted initially of fine dark grey woolen trousers and a linen shirt. Over the top went sort of open short robe that went under the final piece, an open quilted coat, edged with leather, that came down to his knees and was held closed with a broad, finely tooled leather belt.
Kratos took a moment to steel himself and then abruptly left the room and proceeded directly outside. He stepped out onto the porch of the longhouse where Lydia, Thomas and an unknown man in a hooded robe were waiting for him and looked out across clear yard in front of the longhouse, which was filled with a mass of people that extended down the main street. Apparently curiosity has driven a large turnout despite the short notice.
Thomas raised his hands and stepped forward, pitching his voice to carry, "Before you now is the jarl's representative and Thane of Havverfjord. Thane Kratos, Giant Killer and Dragon's Bane." He stepped back again, Kratos shooting him a look at the additional titles. The robed man stepped forward now, a priest of some kind if Kratos was any judge, based off the robes and the symbol hanging from his neck.
"Blessings of the Nine upon you, thane, that you may govern with the strength of Talos and the wisdom of Zenithar!" Kratos stood motionless and ignored the rest of the priest's blathering. The gods were not his business. At a point the crowd answered back a sentence or two as part of the priest's portion. A renewal of fealty he assumed. Kratos brow furrowed momentarily at that point. He felt something strange almost as if the warmth of the sun intensified for a brief moment. Strange. After an eternity that was likely only a half of an hour the priest stepped back.
Thomas leaned in towards Kratos, "My thane, would you care to address the people?" Kratos' face may as well have been carved from stone.
"No." Lydia's lips twitched into a smile that was hurriedly suppressed.
Thomas swallowed and turned back to the crowd, "As our thane believes in action rather than empty speeches, we have concluded. Blessings of the Nine." He turned back to Kratos, "It is customary that for a time you remain and allow those who wish, to greet you personally. You certainly will not see everyone, but I would recommend it as it engenders goodwill."
Kratos nodded despite his desire to have done with the whole ordeal, "Very well." Kratos stood for a time receiving the greetings and well wishes of some of the residents of Havverfjord, generally only nodding in reply or rumbling the occasional, "My thanks." Lydia watched and could not help but find the situation quite amusing. The man could kill enormous beasts and defeat her with ease, but this was both difficult and uncomfortable for him. She noticed his face subtly growing grimmer and decided that the time had come.
Lydia stepped in after the latest pair of townsfolk took their leave and spoke loud enough so that the surrounding people could hear them. "My thane, I am loathe to interrupt your greeting of the people, but if you still desire to begin the bandit hunt today we must take our leave." Lydia smiled slightly as she saw his face almost imperceptibly relax.
Kratos nodded, "Yes. We must go. I will gather my supplies. Make ready." He heard the news spread into the crowd and those closest to them called well wishes and blessings on them for going after those outlaws. Kratos turned and walked back into the longhouse, exhaling with relief as the longhouse lessened the noise of the crowd outside.
Kratos changed quickly, feeling much more at ease once he was again in his own worn armor. He stepped back out of his private room and descended to the main hall where Lydia was waiting for him. "You are prepared?"
"Yes, my thane. I am ready."
"Good. We are leaving." Lydia picked up a small leather travel satchel packed only with the essentials, not unlike the one that Kratos had slung on his own back, and followed him to the door. Kratos thumped down the long house steps and ignored the stares of the assembled crowd that had not entirely dispersed form the earlier ceremony. They had just seen him for the first time, only minutes ago, dressed in the fashion of a Nordic man of reasonable means. He still cut a frightening view with his imposing size and striking tattoos, but now in his pauldron rig, gauntlets and girdle, with his arms and most of his torso bare, he truly was a barbarous sight.
Kratos ignored the surprised glances of the people entirely, or perhaps their looks did not even register to him in the first place. He marched forward, his long legs carrying him along with surprising swiftness. The townsfolk parted before him, scattering from his path. Lydia followed along in his wake and couldn't help but wonder what impact this would have on the overall morale of the town. She would have to ask Thomas once they had returned.
Soon they cleared the town and were once again on the open road. Kratos took a deep breath and savored the clean alpine air of Skyrim. Havverfjord was not a large or highly populated place but the wilds were still a much more comfortable place for him. Free of the noise and press of humanity. Calm. Kratos set a punishing pace for them as they went along the open road. He and Lydia carried on quietly for some time before she hesitantly spoke, "My thane, if I may ask, where are you from? I know you are no native of Skyrim and every other province of Tamriel is equally unlikely. " Kratos cast her a sharp sidelong glance as they continued on their way. They walked in silence for a minute, Lydia looking over at him every so often. "Atmora. You could be from Atmora."
Kratos shook his head, "No, girl. I am from no land you know."
"Will you tell me then?"
Kratos slowed slightly, considering her question briefly, before letting out a forceful breath, "Not yet."
Lydia let out a frustrated breath of her own and looked away to the northern mountains. They walked in silence again. Lydia chewed over their previous conversations in her mind growing slowly more annoyed, brows drawing closer together. "My thane, you know I am sworn to you. But I do not think you know what that means." She looked back over to him as they walked. "I have no place and no family. All my life I have trained to be a housecarl. I have nothing else. I am your shield and right arm. I am sworn to carry your burdens and keep your secrets. I would take them to my grave." She hitched her shield higher on her shoulder, her back ramrod straight, "You will see."
Kratos gave her an appraising look and after a few beats, a nod. She could have sworn she saw his lips twitch in what may have been a ghost of a smile, "I believe you." They continued on in a much more companionable silence than before, and the miles disappeared beneath their feet.
"Look there." Came Kratos' gravelly rumble, "That must be the tree the merchant told us of." Down the road they could see the old tree, a charred ruin split by a lightning strike but somehow still standing. Lydia immediately started forward but halted when Kratos caught her shoulder. "No. Approach cautiously. They may be near." Lydia nodded and followed him as he moved off of the road a ways and then began his approach to the tree from this new angle. They moved with stealth, keeping themselves obscured with the hilly topography and brush that dominated the area. Kratos slowed even more as they neared the tree, casting his eyes over the surrounding area and asked in a low murmur, "Can you hunt? Track?"
Lydia stopped her examination of the area and looked up at him, "I am no master of woodcraft, my thane." Kratos let out a small grunt at that. She continued, pointing, "but even I can see where the wheels of the cart turned off of the main road." She held back a smile at his approving nod.
"Good. The bandits took the cart. They have grown overconfident and undisciplined." He let out a small snort, "They leave an easy trail to their home just to avoid carrying their spoils. Fools." He turned back to Lydia and gestured at the tracks, "Lead on, girl."
She swallowed somewhat nervously, certainly feeling that this was another test being posed by her new thane. The bandits appeared to be heading north, up into the foothills. Lydia took up the trail and began to follow it, careful not to disturb the original sign by her own passing. Luckily for her the bandits had truly grown bold and the trail was for the most part not difficult to follow. Whenever she was worried that she had lost the trail or was unsure of the precise direction, Kratos seemed to sense it and would silently draw her attention some minor sign that she had missed, showing her new things to look for.
At one stretch of rocky ground on the trail she reapplied one of the thane's lessons, seeing a similar track to earlier and pointed it out. Lydia could have sworn she saw a faint smile in his eyes when she looked back and saw him nodding at her. Soon they spotted an abandoned fort, not more than a low ruin, rising slightly above the low hills leading up into the mountains.
They approached in a crouch as quietly as they could, wary of sentries, and when they began to near the ruins, Kratos touched Lydia's arm to halt her. The ruins were essentially just a tumbled stone wall, encircling a small area of the wilderness. The tracks led up to and through the open arch of a gateway that had somehow remained standing. Through that they could see various members of the bandit troupe moving about the camp and heard their harsh voices. Kratos waited settled down on his heels to observe the encampment. Lydia took a knee near him, grateful for the rest. It had been a long day of travel and then tracking through fairly rough terrain. It was early evening now and she was fairly tired. Traipsing across Whiterun hold in plate armor at the pace Kratos set was not something for the faint of heart.
They waited, silently watching, for a few minutes before Kratos spoke in a rough whisper, "Girl, circle the ruins to the west. There is a gap through which they may try to flee. Do not let them. I will enter by the gate. I will wait a slow count of 400 and then attack." They nodded to each other, the plan made sense to Lydia. It never even occurred to her to question the wisdom her thane walking alone into a fight with over a dozen men. Lydia straightened slightly to go when he spoke again, "Girl." Lydia turned back to him, her eyes questioning. Kratos reached out and placed his hand on her shoulder, he examined her face for a moment, "Fight well." He withdrew his hand, gave her a tiny nod and then gestured with his chin to her path. She nodded in return and then set off. She moved in a crouch trying to set the right balance between speed and stealth. She wanted to be in position, but she knew that in steel plate, she wasn't exactly light on her feet. What she didn't notice as she worked her way west was that her fatigue was gone, she felt only a growing excitement at the prospect of the battle to come.
Kratos waited, his index finger silently tapping out the 400 count against his knee. With his count complete, Kratos stood and walked openly, his great axe resting lightly in his hand, up the trail to the open archway. He had almost reached the passage when the bandits noted his approach. Kratos could see the news travel through the camp in nudges and mutters. A lone man walking did not immediately alarm them and the band gravitated together towards the archway.
Kratos had passed the gate when one of the men called out "Hold, you." The bandit stepped forward a war axe in hand and sauntered towards him, "Who are you, and what in oblivion do you think you are doing in our camp?" Kratos stopped and remained silent, eyeing the man. The bandit continued to approach, casting a disbelieving look over his shoulder at his compatriots, "I don't know what you think you're doing here, but if you want to leave with your life, you are going to drop what coin you have and then run away."
The bandit's face twisted in growing anger, as Kratos remained silent and still, his face veritably carved from stone, arms resting at his sides, axe in hand. The bandit pointed at him his axe and took a final step forward, of which he did not realize the significance, "I've had it with – " Before the bandit could finish, Kratos' axe blurred in a low and brutal forehand. The bandit let out a blood-curdling scream as it crashed through his knee, severing his lower leg and sending out a jetting crimson spray. Before the bandit could even topple, Kratos seized the haft of his axe with both hands and let loose a horrific backhanded blow that bisected the bandit's torso, cutting off his scream and throwing blood and viscera across the yard.
Over the remaining bandits' exclamations of shock came Kratos' roar as he charged directly at the center of the clustered bandit clan. Kratos took several running steps and leapt the remaining distance, axe raised high over his head. The bandit before him futilely raised his shield, but that shield and the man behind it were both shattered and slammed into the earth. Kratos whipped his left arm up and across, using his armored bracer to deflect a descending sword blade and shot a straight kick out into his attacker's chest, caving it in and sending the man hurtling into the bandit's behind him, sowing further chaos. He spun back the other side, axe leading and smashing past a hastily raised guard to smoothly decapitate one the bandits.
The battle swiftly descended from there into a frenzy of severed limbs and arterial spray, turning the camp into a charnel house. Kratos saw a couple of the bandits near the back of the group break and run for the gap in the western wall, overcome by the scene of slaughter before them. With a snarl on his face Kratos continued to butcher the remaining bandits.
When she heard the screams tear through the bandit encampment Lydia took that as her signal to attack. She rose from her place of concealment and sprinted with all her might for the gap in the wall. Her feet flew over the ground as she ascended the hill to the gap. Her eyes widened and she nearly tripped in surprise at how she was able to push herself and the speed she was able to achieve despite her armor. Hearing yells before her, she readied her shield, but did not slow her pace.
She saw two bandits running towards the gap. The leading man was looking in horror over his shoulder and was not quick enough to heed his ally's warning. Lydia raised her shield, ducked her shoulder and slammed into him in a shield rush that rocketed him off his feet and sent him head over heels tumbling down into the rubble. Lydia did not have the luxury of time to be shocked about the force with which she struck the running man, and spun to parry a descending blade. They exchanged a few blows before Lydia knocked the bandit's blade wide with her shield and, with a twist of her hips, rammed a foot of sharp steel through his worn leather armor. The bandit spluttered blood, looking down with wide eyes at the blade transfixing him before Lydia, continuing forward, shoved him down and off her blade. She stepped over the soon to be corpse and rushed the first bandit who was just now stumbling to his feet with one hand on his head. Lydia gave him no time to recover and immediately smashed her blade into the side of his head with a shout.
A third bandit rushed her, this one a large, burly man wielding a bulky war hammer, she took the first blow on her shield, the impact setting her on her heels and reverberating through her arm and shoulder. She winced around gritted teeth; she did not want to endure any more hits from that war hammer. She shook her arm out as she and the bandit circled each other, after a moment he came in with another horizontal strike. She raised her shield as if to block, but darted back at the last moment, letting the heavy hammerhead whistle by. She immediately jumped forward again inside his reach and opened a gash on the bandit's forearm with her sword causing the bandit to lose his grip on the weapon with a cry of pain. What Lydia did not expect was the man to abandon the war hammer with no hesitation and with a roar immediately leap on her in a full tackle.
Lydia was knocked flat on her back with the large bandit atop her, but her shield between them. With the man in so close she was unable to get any viable angle stab at the man and no space to use the edge of her sword. They struggled for a moment, before her eyes widened when she saw the man grab hold of tankard-sized rock near her head. "Nine preserve me!"
The bandit raised the stone high with a snarl, "Time to die, bitch!"
"Shit!" Lydia thrashed, dropping her sword, grabbing at him, heaving suddenly with her trapped shield arm and jerking her head to the side. The stone came crashing down, smashing into the earth just to the side of her head. Lydia's eyes darted from the rock to the bandit's hate twisted face. "Kratos!" she called, panic creeping into her voice, as she clawed for the dagger at her belt, pinned under her shield. She gritted her teeth as the bandit again raised the stone when abruptly he was jerked off of her. Lydia raised her head to see that Kratos had seized the bandit's ankles and yanked him off of her.
Kratos still had the man's ankles in his steely grasp and Lydia let out a cry of shock when he swung the bandit up in the air and beat him against the stony ground. Kratos repeated the process again before he spun in a half circle and flung the remaining wreck of a man at the nearest wall of the ruin where he tore like overripe fruit.
Kratos, spattered liberally with blood, walked across the damp earth to Lydia and offered her his hand. She took it without hesitation and he hauled her to her feet. He could see the shock in her eyes, the fear from her close call, and the anger she felt at herself for that fear and for being in that position at all. He knew the recriminations. He had seen them in his son. He had not found it pleasant then and he did not find it so now. Kratos let out a small rumble and placed a hand along Lydia's face, "Girl. You are well?" She opened her mouth to speak, but closed it and instead only nodded. "You fought well." Her brown eyes darted up and met his amber ones at that statement, obvious disbelief on her face. She saw a slight crinkle at the corner of his eyes at that. "But you will fight better." He dropped his hand and stepped back. "Come. Let us gather what we may."
AN: Some work travel delayed this installment. Hope you all enjoyed it.
As always let me know what you think. If there's an aspect of the story that you think is weak, let me know specifically what that is. Always happy to get any constructive feedback that will help me improve future chapters.
Reviews are the fuel that helps keep this engine pushing onward, and I really appreciate those who take the time to leave their thoughts.
Apologies for any editing mistakes.
