I was originally going to end this in six chapters, but since someone seemed interested I decided to make it seven. When I did the next verse I got a good idea for the ending so I'm glad I decided to do that. Enjoy!
Ch 6 A Quarry to Catch
Ware for the dark rider
If your conscience
Be not clean
Next time he is a hunting
His prey could next be
Thee.....
Rannel rode his horse silently most of the day. Gerril had tried several times to talk to him, but the one word answers weren't enough to keep a conversation open. He sighed, he supposed that he was lucky to have talked Rannel into letting him come along.
As darkness fell, Gerril tried again "Don't you think we should try to find a campsite soon, if we wait too long it'll be full dark".
Rannel started in his saddle and looked at Gerril as if he had forgotten he was there.
He nodded and looked back at the other man "Sorry, I have a lot on my mind".
"I understand" Gerril said.
It didn't take long to find a likely campsite. They found one within sight of the road. The small stream nearby was almost hidden, but reading the roadsign it was easy to find.
It was clear that the caravans used this site, they found some fire pits and firewood stacked under a slanted roof to keep it dry. It looked to be something the caravan masters had put together over time, there were many such sites scattered along the routes in Rethwellen, though most weren't as easy to find.
At the fire Rannel pulled out the meat pies he had brought from the Inn. Handing one to Gerril, he set his near the fire to warm before removing the tack from the horses and brushing them down. Gerril looked up to see Rannel staking his horse with the others before returning to the fire pit. "We'll have to put the fire out before going to sleep, I don't like sleeping at a caravan campsite" Rannel said.
"Why" Gerril asked.
"We're here by ourselves, there are those who follow the routes, they would consider two men easy pickings. I'll be taking first watch tonight" he said before biting into his meat pie.
"What did you do when you were by yourself" Gerril asked, curious.
"I didn't use the sites and I set up traps to warn of someones approach" he said watching the flames dance in the pit. "sometimes" he said after a time. "There would be a caravan staying at a site, if they knew me they would welcome another sword for the night, if not I found my own camp".
He looked up at Gerril "Sometimes the gittern found me welcome, they always welcomed music"
"Did you mind playing" Gerril asked softly.
"At first, but it became easier over time, I seemed to be closer to my family at those times" He said.
The next two days went quickly, towards the end of the third day they caught up with another caravan, perhaps the one that had hired all the fighters in Ghedsford.
The guards were alert. Rannel approved though it made things a little harder for him. When they neared the campsite, two of the guards came to confront them.
"What's yore bizness" the first of the two said. He was a large man, his red hair tied back at his neck. He eyed them suspiciously.
"Hunting Bandits" Rannel said.
"Got nothin against that, but why" the guard asked.
"These particular bandits killed my family" he said.
The guard nodded "They near here" he asked.
Rannel shook his head "Up near Timmersdale" he said.
The guard looked relieved, then he noticed the instruments the two men were carrying "You play" he asked pointing.
"He's a bard, and I play as well" Rannel said nodding in Gerril's direction.
"Ye be welcome then, Feren will show you yer place" he said.
"Follow me" the other man said.
After setting up camp for the night Rannel joined the other men at the fire, he carried his gittern and the bag that contained the strings and flute. He also carried a rabbit to add their share to the pot.
After eating Gerril asked "So what did you have in mind" he asked the men.
"How bout My Lady's eyes" one of the men said. Some of the other's laughed at him. He held up his hand " reminds me of Mya, tis her favorite tune" he said in his defense.
Rannel sighed and tuned the gittern "I'll play if you sing" he said to Gerril.
"Aw, you took the fun part" he said.
Rannel grinned, then launched into the beginning of the song.
After the next few songs Gerrin shook his hand out to loosen his hand.
"Let me" Rannel said. He pulled out the case for the flute. As he put the parts together Gerril watched fascinated, he had heard about these new flutes but he had never seen one.
They were supposed to come from Valdemar and were still fairly rare here in Rethwellen. He wondered where Rannel had found it.
Rannel put it to his lips and blew a few notes. Then he launched into a haunting song Gerril had never heard before. The men became silent caught in the spell of the beautiful music.
Gerril stilled, there, he felt the faintest stirrings of the bardic gift. He stared at Rannel in surprise, he had heard him play before but he hadn't known. As he listened he realized the gift wasn't strong enough that he would have been picked as a bard for it. And he had the feeling it only showed up when Rannel was feeling strong emotions. It made him wonder about the music.
That night when they were laying wrapped in their blankets he asked "Rannel, what was that music".
"It was something my wife wrote" he said softly. He was quiet for a time and Gerril wondered if he slept, then he added. "She had been a bard, it's how we met. She was playing in my father's hall".
"A bard" Gerrin asked.
"Yes, my father wasn't thrilled with the match. If she had a drop of noble blood, perhaps he would have felt differently" he said.
The next morning they parted from the caravan, only having three horses they would make much better time on their own. It took another day to reach the next town Rannel was aiming for. Unfortunately there were few mercenaries at the hall looking for work and none looked trustworthy enough to hire. Rannel sighed he had one more town before he would be reduced to taking the men on by himself.
It could be done, but it would take longer and the risk was much greater. He didn't particularly care if he made it through this alive, but he intended to take them all out before he was done.
On the third day after that they rode into the outskirts of Neddal, the last town on his list before they reached Timmersdale.
He left Gerril with the horses, if no men were to be found he wanted to be on his way without stopping. He came to a stop near the desk of the guildsmember in charge of this post, he was talking to what looked to be a merchant from his dress. "But they are stealing us blind, they think nothing of walking into town and taking what they want, bold as you please" the man said a long suffering look on his face.
"What about your constable" the guildsman asked.
"They killed him a couple of months ago, since then it's been intolerable" he said with a sour look.
The other merchants sent me to hire men to root them out of their bolt hole" he said.
The guildsman shrugged "I'm sorry I can't help, we don't have any men here for you. The time of year's all wrong".
"Where's your town" Rannel asked him softly.
The merchant started, he hadn't heard him come in. "Timmersdale" the man said.
"Maybe I can help you" Rannel said looking up.
"You're just one man" the merchant said, though hope was starting to show on his face.
"Sometimes that's all you need. After all, if I fail you haven't lost anything" he showed the guildsman his badge and the hire was recorded and signed. Now he was locked into his course as if he hadn't been before.
"My names Dherick, I'm staying at the Golden crown" the man said.
Do you know where the bandits are living" he asked.
The merchant nodded. "Good you can tell me tonight, we'll leave in the morning. I want to know everything you can tell me about them and there are a few things I'll need to get here to prepare".
As they walked out the door Gerril looked up from brushing his horses neck. When he saw the two men, one obviously not a mercenary, he sighed and put the brush away. When he would have mounted Rannel shook his head for him to stop.
"Dherick this is Gerril, he's been traveling with me and he pledged himself to help" he said.
"What do you mean, you haven't even talked to him yet" he asked, confused.
"I have a confession to make, I was hunting these particular bandits myself already" Rannel said.
The merchant looked outraged "And you let me hire you" he sputtered.
"It seemed like a good idea at the time" he said.
"Why, did someone else hire you too and you saw a way to get some extra money" he asked.
"No, I don't really care about the money. They killed my family, but you have information I need and because this is a signed guild contract if I fail and get killed they will notify the rest of my family, it's in the contract" he said quietly.
"Oh" the merchant said.
That evening they met in the merchants room to make their plans. This close to Timmersdale, Rannel couldn't be sure that any of the bandits weren't here. He wasn't taking any chances.
After getting his fill of the lay of the land and the number of bandits he had to deal with he was about to say something when the merchant added "One of them has noble blood. He's bragged about it".
"It won't save his head" Rannel murmured.
"But if the likes of us take him down, won't we get into trouble with the powers that be" Dherick t asked a worried frown on his face.
"I have noble blood as well. I'm actually a second son" Rannel said absently.
"Oh, that'll help" Dherick smiled.
"I need you to tell the other's you couldn't hire anyone when you get back to the town" Rannel said seriously.
"But why" Dherick asked.
"They almost certainly have a spy in your town and I don't want them to get any more warning than they already have" he said.
"If we ever find anyone working with them, they'd get the same as the bandits" Dherick said grimly.
"I'll do my best to find out, but stopping them is the first priority" Rannel said.
"I understand" Dherick said.
The next morning They left, traveling at the merchants pace, soon they would leave the road and take off on their own path. Rannel's packhorse was loaded with the oddest things. Gerril had just shaken his head at some of the things he had bought, but he didn't say anything. He had found Rannel to be a crafty man, who was always thinking ahead and planning. He wouldn't have wanted to be his adversary and he almost pitied the bandits, well almost he thought to himself.