Yes, I know it's been a while. Longer than I wanted, but something called Senior Exit and then visiting grandparents and THEN Marching Band came up and it just sort of went down hill from there...x.x Anywho, here's your chapter 11, enjoy!
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Jenny spoke with the Captain of the docks as the rest of her crew spread out through the market place to scout out new goods they might consider trading for. Once their docking space was rested for a week, and they were registered like all the other ships in the harbor Jenny joined them as well, meeting up with Tanner first by the smithies.
Inspecting some iron goods with a practiced, but masked eye he commented to her just loud enough that the owner might hear that hopefully they'd find some real iron work soon or their journey would be a waste. Jenny, who had observed the process many times before by now, just shrugged and stated that she would be about assisting the others if he came across anything that she might like.
The smith, as wary as the rest of the kaqs they dealt with as Traders, approached Tanner as she left, his hopes of selling some of his finer pieces of work obviously in mind as he did. Jenny just smiled to herself and walked on, finding Gwen and Nicole up to their elbows in fine silks and glasswork. With the young nymph there to spot flaws in the weave that might've otherwise been hidden, and the youngest member of their crew having learned a great deal about glass from Trevor during many of their talks around the kitchen fire at night they were both on their way (with Gwen doing all the talking while Nicole hid in the background) to making great deals to the benefit of their next shipping run.
Tyler was, as usual, with Trevor as they inspected some raw materials like metal ores and roughly hewn planks of wood that they might use to not only trade for other goods in areas that were short of such things but to also repair their ship.
Going on, she went to the smallest section of the market, the one that was devoted solely to mages and the one she usually worked on her own. Having been taught the rituals and rights of trade from Tanner and Trevor, she began her work there in finding any source of mage goods that was in a great quantity for a cheap price that they could sell elsewhere for a higher price due to its scarcity there. Sorting through the goods with a practiced eye, she quickly marked a few things in her mind that might do and headed back for the ship at a leisurely pace, meeting up with Nicole, Gwen, and Tanner along the way.
"And how was your first search?" asked Tanner respectfully as he came up beside her, a half a smile on his face that spoke of triumph.
"Good enough, I'll head back in tomorrow with my usual box of gifts and compliments to see how much I can shave off the price before figuring what we can afford to get and how much of it we can hold," replied Jenny with a half smile of her own and a shrug. "I think this run will be most profitable for us, though."
"I should hope so," snorted Tyler as he came up behind them, nimbly skipping through them and then turning around so he was walking backwards in front of them. "After that cheat from last time...could I go back and wring his neck, by the Trader gods I would!"
"Enough," said Tanner flatly, giving Tyler a look that quickly made the boy duck his head in shame and fall back in behind them. In Tradertalk, he added, "Don't speak like that, Tyler! You've been raised better than to do such a thing as that."
"Yes, sir," replied Tyler in their native tongue, Trevor giving the younger boy a supportive pat on the shoulder before he joined Jenny on his other side and Gwen fell back to walk with the younger boy.
"None the less, we'll make up for it here," he said simply, still in Tradertalk, as he walked along with a light spring in his step. "The wood is of better quality than I'd hoped...there will be enough to trade and to reinforce a few weaker spots in our hull."
"Which is very good, considering I don't feel like sinking out in the middle of the ocean anytime soon," Jenny added wryly, crossing her arms with her staff cradled in the crook of her elbow so it stuck up over her left shoulder.
"Yes, very good indeed," admitted Trevor with his usual grin. "Come on, I believe someone left us a pie warming in the kitchen and I'm getting rather hungry..."
"Hey, I get first dibs 'cuz I made it," cut in Gwen with a happy look on her face.
"You made the crust," Jenny corrected her. "I made the filling."
"Ok, then...we both get first dibs!"
Jenny glanced over at Gwen and slowly raised and eyebrow. "Two people can have first dib?"
"...they can now!" Gwen went on ahead, skipping happily with Tyler in her wake.
"Right..."
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"You, come with me," said Brenna as she finished eating breakfast, waving at Jem who was just finished inhaling his porridge with milk and honey as well. "I'm going to need him most of today sorting the seeds...any one object to that?"
"I'm sharpening the axes and knives, so I'm good," said Cheeks with a shrug, getting up and gathering his things to take to the sink.
"I'm just doing the usual animal chore things," added Libby from where she sat loitering over a cup of hot coffee.
"And I'm heading out with the twins, so I won't need him," called Kaitlin from the kitchen where she finished cleaning up from making breakfast.
"Ok, then. Come on, kid, we've got a lot of work ahead of us."
"Yes, ma'am!"
Brenna walked out to the barn, waiting for Jem to catch up as he hopped on foot while trying to tie his boots and keep up at the same time. Coming to her side, they both slipped in and back to where it opened up to another storage shed, this one lined with shelves that held pack upon pack of seeds for that years planting.
"Ok," she said as she sat down on a stool beside the farthest shelf away from the door, an empty crate at her feet ready to be used. "Here's what you do. Check the label and either put the seeds in the vegetable garden crate, the herb garden crate, or the fields crate."
"How'm I 'sposed to know what they says?" asked Jem in confusion as he picked up a packet and inspected the label. "I kin hardly read."
"Oh, right...hm. Then here." Brenna picked up two of packets, one which was labeled 'Spring wheat' and the other which was labeled 'Spring Oats'. "Can you memorize what these look like and just put those in the crate there to your right?"
"Uh...sure." Jem took a good look at both, tracing the letters with his finger as he did. "What're these for? Seeds, I mean?"
"What do you think plants grow from?" asked Brenna in surprise as she looked up from the packet she had in her hands at the moment, tossing it in the herb garden crate after glancing at its label.
"...themselves?" Jem shrugged. "Never really though 'bout it. Never had a chance to learn."
"Do you want to learn?" offered Brenna, raising her eyebrows ever so slightly. "I mean, you do live on a farm now...most of what we do is with plants and animals!"
"Yeah, I guess so, then." Jem came and sat at her feet as Brenna began to explain what a seed was and how is grew into a plant, using the simplest terms possible and elaborating only once she was sure he'd gotten a good grip on what she'd already told him.
"You mean to tell me that this lil'thingy is gonna grow into plant that's taller'n me with rows and rows of these things on it?" asked Jem as he held up a kernel of corn, his eyes wide in surprise. "Wow..."
"I guess it is pretty amazing, isn't it?" admitted Brenna with a slight smile. "I never thought about it that way, though."
"Will you teach me how to grow'em?" asked Jem suddenly, turning around to look at her with eyes wide with anticipation. "Please??"
"Sure, you can take over the herb garden, if you want," offered Brenna with a shrug. "One less thing for me to watch over all the time."
"Yeah! So...when do I get ta start??"
"Spring."
"Spring?! But that's weeks away!"
"Yeah, I know."
"Well...it'll be worth it."
Brenna chuckled to herself as Jem sat back down and began to sort out his 'Spring wheat' and 'Spring oats' packets again, happily dreaming of his own garden beside the house as he did. He sure was a strange boy, she though, but one that she was happy to have around none the less.
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Briteyes woke staring at the ceiling of the attic, the place she'd chosen to reside since she was well enough to move around on her own again and move out of Rosethorn's room so the dedicate could have it back again. There wasn't any actual partition up there that separated her space from the rest of the huge room, but she'd taken the crates of clothes and supplies up there and moved them about to fit her needs, providing a space there for herself that she was completely comfortable moving about it.
Her hand held something rough in it, and she brought it up to her face as she squinted in the near darkness the attic. The only light coming from a small window above her cot, she shifted so she could see better and was surprised to see a bit of rough canvas with a wolverine head on it, that is before the memories of her dreams came back in a flood. Devan's help and directions for what she should do first, and from there she was on her own.
Sitting up slowly, she shook her head to clear it from the dreams of the night before and moved Silven from her lap to the pillow to the squirrel-girl could get some more sleep before facing the day ahead. Getting up, she stretched out and moved about, quickly packing that which she'd decided the night before would not be of any help to her such as her old outfit, instruments, and scrolls. Everything else went into a pack, including her leather armor and smaller weapons. The larger ones she placed in their sheaths if they had them and then wrapped them in yards of canvas, strapping them to her packs so they appeared to be nothing more than packages of sorts.
Dressing in comfortable tunic and trews, she was lacing up her wrist guards that she'd decided to wear regardless when Lark came up, a small wicker basket in her hands as Briteyes had requested the night before.
"Are you sure?" asked Lark as she set it down on the table, a worried look in her eyes.
"I am," replied Briteyes, though her voice betrayed her feelings as otherwise. "I might lose her too...I'll come back for her someday, I promise." She reached over to Silven, who sat up suddenly and took everything in in a single glance before something occurred between her fuzzy little ears that something was not quiet right. By then it was too late, and Briteyes had already picked her up and held her firmly in both hands.
"I'm sorry," said Briteyes as she looked in the squirrel in the eyes, willing her to understand why this had to happen. "But...you're staying here."
#I'm WHAT? LIKE HECK!! PUT ME DOWN RIGHT NOW, YOU-#
"Don't!" The command was obvious in Briteyes voice, but the squirrel went on anyways, quickly finding her words had no affect and deciding her fangs might do better instead. Sinking her teeth into the fleshy part of Briteyes hands between thumb and first finger, she clamped her jaws together for all she was worth and hung on with a grim determination that quickly had blood welling up around the wound in a rather large amount.
Briteyes grimly forced her jaws back open by putting pressure on the hinge of it from either side and pushed her into the basket, putting the lid back on before the small creature could scamper out again.
#NO!# yelled Silven as she fought against those wicker bars. #Don't you DARE leave me behind! You need me! I've all you've got left...#
"And you know I have to come back eventually," replied Briteyes flatly turning away. "Hate me all you want, but...I'm not dragging you into this, Silven..."
#I'm going to KILL you when you get back!#
"You can't remember?"
#I'LL MAKE YOUR LIFE A LIVING HELL THAN!! GET YOUR BUTT BACK HERE RIGHT NOW!!#
Briteyes turned away and walked down the stairs with her pack on her back, leaving Lark to follow behind with the basket in her hands. Rosethorn met them at the bottom of the stairs, only nodding in greeting and farewell as the performer-turned warrior walked through the kitchen and to the front door. By her clothes now she could be any traveling wanderer, but once she left the temple she'd don her armor and weapons to complete the task for which she'd set herself.
"You'll take care of Silven?" she asked as she paused by the door, still facing away from the two.
"We will," replied Rosethorn roughly. "She'll be waiting when you return."
"...thank you." And she was gone.
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Bryanna frowned as she sat there looking at her hand and the strange scar that now twisted along the base of her index finger. Just a moment ago she'd cut it trying to slice some herbs she needed for the new medicine she was to prepare for their present teacher and his arthritis. As always, it only took a touch of her power to heal it, so she'd done so without thinking...but somehow it had turned rouge and instead of healing cleanly left a red, curving, twisted scar in its place.
"I think this place hates me," announced Olivia as she came into the room, another ruined ice creation in her hands. "I swear, not a week ago replication was as easy as breathing, and now I'm back to square one..."
"I know exactly what you mean," sighed Bryanna, holding up her finger so it could be seen. "Does that look right to you?"
"It looks like you let it get infected and it healed wrong," replied Olivia with a shrug. "Then again, I'm not healer, so I really couldn't tell you. That's just what I happen to think."
"And I think you're right...but I only did it a moment ago and it wasn't like I've lost control of my abilities before, especially when taking care of myself." Bryanna stood up and moved to the other side of the room, picking up a volume on healing as she did. "Maybe I'm developing a rouge magic...? But it would've shown itself before this, right?"
"I dunno, maybe it's one of those strange mage holidays you read about in books back home," speculated Olivia lightly. "Like, where everything magical goes awry for 24 hours and the next day everything's back to normal again."
"I don't think it could be that," said Randy from the door, standing there with their dinner in his hands. "My illusions and light spells have worked all day. Maybe you too are just getting lazy..."
"Are you suggesting that I would slack off while trying to make money so I can freakin' feed myself?" challenged Olivia, giving him what would be a lethal glare if looks could kill.
"Ah...no...but..."
"Then shut up."
"Yes, ma'am..."
"Anyway, I have to get this finished for tomorrow," sighed Bryanna as she turned back to the bowl of chopped herbs that had been soaking in water. "It'll work, magic or no magic, considering just how bad Master Silas is right now."
"Alright. I'll put together something from what the resident moron has brought us, and you can clean up afterwards, deal?"
"Sure."
"What can I do?" asked Randy as he edged a little closer.
"Go take a long walk off a short pier?" suggested Bryanna, as she was still rather ticked off with him.
Randy glared at the back of her head. "Feh, to hell with you."
Bryanna smiled to herself for having gotten a rise out of him. "Just a suggestion..."
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Kristen growled in frustration as she waited with the other three in front of their new School of Combative Arts, dressed in a fine new gown while the others were decked out in styles of the same brocaded tunic, pants, and shirt. Chris and Jon, the only ones not among them, had decided not to come and there had been little fuss about that, considering he was to Sir 'Lover boy' he was just a Trader who lived among them and didn't have any real connection with the fighting school itself. Jon had been allowed not to come because the nobleman considered him to be a rude, moral-less wretch who would be tolerated only for his skills as a fighter.
"You know, if his carriage doesn't show soon, I'm thinking I'm not going," stated Kristen suddenly, startling the other four out of their own thoughts. "Business or no, there's only so much of this dress nonsense I can take..."
"I would agree with you, but I'm not wearing a dress," said Matt rather pointedly as he smoothed down his hair on top and stood a little taller, the darker shades of his outfit complimenting his fair skin nicely. "That, and it will be nice to get to mingle with a few ladies of higher decent, so you're going whether or not you want to because you're our ticket in, sister."
Kristen glared at him defiantly. "And what if I suddenly don't want to?"
The carriage pulled up right then, and Mike quickly steered them both towards it with a firm hand on both their backs. "Get in and stop fighting children," he said quickly so only the two of them could hear. "Now. This guy funds most of our food right now, let's not forget that, ok? You may be willing to go hungry, Kristen, over your feminist views, but I'm not."
"Gee, nice to know you care about what I think," came the sarcastic reply, but Kristen obeyed none the less and allowed Cam to lean against her as the carriage made it's way to the richer section of Summersea.
"Two hours at the most," she warned as she alighted from their ride with the help of the driver. "At the very most, that's all I'll be able to stand. Less would be better...but I swear if you don't come and find me in two hours and insist we leave, I'm going to leave without you and you're going to have to find your own rides home."
"I think I'm staying with you anyways," said Cam nervously as he fidgeted with the edge of his tunic, looking at some of the other nobles and wealthy merchants who were arriving as well. "I don't know anyone else here..."
"And behave!" added Kristen as Matt and Mike strode off, already laughing at some joke shared between the two. "I will disown you if you start trouble because you're drunk!"
"Milady!" cried the all-too familiar voice of Sir Gwain as he appeared to her right, quickly making his way to her side and offering her his arm. Knowing she had no other choice but to accept or offend him horribly at this event that was supposedly in their school's honor of finally being reopened, she took it lightly and touched him as little as possible without making it obvious that she wanted him to be as far away from her as the east is from the west.
"Sir Gwain," she greeted with a slight curtsy, choking back the desire to smack him at the same time. "We, the Masters of the school, thank you for this celebration you've hosted for us."
"Ah, the pleasure is all mine," he replied suavely, leading the way back inside as Cam trailed just behind and to her right the whole way. Glancing back, she shared a knowing glance with him and was glad for his support at least. Time, thankfully, seemed to pass quickly enough and through several conversations with other Masters of this Combative school or that she gained much more knowledge of the different dojos and salles around and what they had to offer.
"I'm glad to see you are enjoying yourself," said Sir Gwain loftily as he came and pulled her away from another conversation which she'd much rather finish than follow him somewhere else.
"I wouldn't say enjoying myself, but passing the time in a less than disagreeable way would do," replied Kristen stiffly, hoping it would push him away enough that he might leave her alone for awhile. Unfortunately, he either didn't get or ignored the slight insult and continued to chatter on about his own supposed 'great wealth' and 'wonderful trading skills' while she listened on, completely bored to tears.
She was about to excuse herself on the first reason she could think of when something caught her eye in the crow, drawing it away from him to where he noticed and followed her line of sight out into the crowd itself.
"Do you see something?" he asked lightly, a note worry barely showing through his voice. "Is something wrong?"
"Uh...no, I though I saw someone I knew," replied Kristen as she searched the faces she could see one more time before letting it drop. "It must've been my imagination."
"Apparently so. And back to what I was saying-"
"Excuse me," said Matt as he appeared out of nowhere, Matt right beside him with a slightly plastered look on his face, but standing just the same. "My apologies for interrupting, Sir Gwain, but it is time we escorted the fair lady Kristen home that she might get her rest before the arduous day she has head."
"Oh, of course, how foolish of me to keep you to myself when you have other duties to attend to!" exclaimed Sir Gwain regretfully. "Shall I escort you home personally, fair lady of my heart?"
"No, thank you, I believe my partners shall do," replied Kristen roughly as she quickly backed away from him and stood beside Matt and Mike, Cam taking his place in front of her as usual. "We thank you for your hospitality, Sir Gwain. Goodnight."
"Goodnight, oh fairest of the maidens!"
"I ought to kill him," stated Kristen as they got in the carriage. "I honesty ought to just chop off his head and then this'll all be over with...give me one good reason why I couldn't, Matt? Because I can't think of one."
"Because you know you'd never have the guts to lift a blade against that defenseless man, and besides." Matt smirked to himself. "You might get blood on your new dress. Wouldn't want that, would you?"
Kristen's eyes narrowed as she sat back and sighed. "Maybe I ought to kill you instead..."
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"Hey, Cap'n!" called Jack as he shimmied down the mast of the mainsail and waved to Jenny who was on the deck below. "We got a guy who's eyeing the ship just on the other side a the gangplank. Want to check it out?"
"I probably should," replied Jenny with a shrug, heading for the starboard side of the ship where the gangplank lay, Trevor appearing at her side as she went.
"It's probably someone looking for passage to someplace along our route," he guessed in a low voice. "That or a shipment of goods to get to a certain port along our way. We have to be careful, regardless, there hasn't been a report of stolen goods or an escaped criminal recently but if he hasn't any proof of who he says he is, I will be checking into his background before we let him on board."
"That's fine," agreed Jenny with a slight nod of her head. "We can't really afford to make mistakes like that, after all. Not with only a six person crew plus a nymph, you know?"
"Yeah, I know."
"Heyla," said the stranger who stood there, dressed entirely in black with only his eyes and long, beak-ish nose showing. "This be the First ship Windsor, and thee it's fine Captain?"
"Yes," replied Jenny slowly, standing there with her arms cross. "And who are you?"
"I be Velan, a mage who wishes to journey to Shahben, which I am told is your next port," explained the man with a slight bow. He raised his head over so slightly and eyed their ship emotionlessly. "I suppose this tub thy posses would do...what thee say, Trader Captain?"
"I'd say what is it you're going to give me for letting you on board my ship, which is no more a tub than you are a king," retorted Jenny.
"My price, then, is here," said the supposed mage absently, handing her a scrap of folded paper. "My cargo be myself, and a few boxes. Return to thee here at the same time tomorrow, I will." With that he vanished down the street, leaving Jenny and Trevor standing there with only the bit of paper proof that he'd ever been there at all.
Trevor took the paper and opened it carefully, his eyes growing huge when he saw the price.
"What?" asked Jenny as she took it from him. "He want to pay too much? Because I won't argue with that..." Her words trailed off when she saw the price for herself.
"No, he wants to rob us blind," murmured Trevor angrily as he stomped back to the ship. "Bloody kaqs, thinking they can use us like dogs..."
"Relax, we'll just refuse the offer and let him make another tomorrow," replied Jenny with a shrug. "No harm done there."
"I guess..."
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Jem sat on the edge of the stall as Libby continued to show him how to curry the horses and brush out their manes and tails, keeping them clean of insets and parasites that might harm them as well as beautiful.
"Can I try?" he asked as she moved on to the next, hesitating for a moment before handing him the brush.
"Sure," she replied with a shrug. "Take Shaggy, that old fellow right there. You could yank on his ear and he won't do more than flinch and eye, so I'm thinking you'll be fine."
"Alright!"
"That doesn't mean you can just yank on his tail all you want, though!" called Libby after him as he dashed down the center isle to where the other curry combs and brushes were kept. "If he bites you I'm not going to take the blame from Kaitlin or Cheeks for you!"
"I know!" He was back a second later, panting slightly, but with the proper grooming articles in his hands and ready to get down to business. "I'll be really careful, I promise!"
"Ok, then..."
Side by side they worked, silence falling over them barn besides the occasional murmur to console the mount they worked on or snort and shuffle of hooves that waited restlessly to be let out back to the field or hooked up to something for an afternoon of work.
"Lunch is ready!" called Kaitlin from back door to the house awhile later, bringing both out of their work and back to the present just as Jem finished combing out the last of the knots from Shaggy's tail and braiding it up in a loop so it wouldn't catch in the harness later on.
"Let's go," said Libby as she tossed her tools in a bucket outside the stall and motioned for Jem to do the same with his, walking on out towards the house. "You've done well enough for now."
"Have I?" asked Jem eagerly as he rushed to her side. "Done good, I mean?"
"Yeah," replied Libby with a smile as she ruffled his hair. "I suppose."
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Briteyes wandered into Summersea through one of the side entrances, the mount she'd purchased earlier that morning with the rest of her funds walking along patiently behind her with all of her 'goods' strapped to his back. He wasn't such a bad fellow, about 14 hands high and bred with running endurance and stamina in mind rather than sprinting speed. A dark, dappled gray, he was just what she had in mind for what she needed done.
The leather armor and chain mail she wore was heavy, but hidden beneath a large cloak she'd also made that was wrapped tightly about herself at the moment. Silent, and her face hidden by her hood, no one bothered her as she walked through to the less profitable parts of town, right on the edge of the mire where less-than-honest swords could be bought to protect people or goods that weren't always legal for a decent price.
Stopping at one particular Inn along the way, she quickly flipped the stable boy a copper to watch her gelding for a few hours and walked in with her head still down and hood up. The main room itself was about half full, a few of the conversations dying down for a moment as some observed her as she took her place at the bar, but seeing she was not an immediate threat to any of them they ignored her and went back to the business at hand.
"Something you want?" asked the Innkeeper as he strolled up, wiping down the counter in front of her with a dirty rag.
"Ale, and perhaps a few words with you," she replied in a low voice, muffled by the hood so he couldn't tell her age, nor if she was male or female period.
"'Pends, what words have you to say?" he replied distantly, eyeing her as if to make sure she wasn't a threat it any which way.
"Where do I find those who carry this mark?" she asked as she slid the scrap of fabric out of her sleeve and into plain view for the Innkeeper.
"Those who bear that mark are naught but murders and thieves, stranger," said the Innkeeper hesitantly. "'Tis naught an honest-looking person like yourself would want with the likes of them."
"It is my cousin I seek," she replied slowly. "He was among them, last the family heard...I have been sent to find him."
"Well, then..." The man hesitated, obviously uncomfortable as he shifted from foot to foot. "If one were to seek those who bear that mark...one would wish to go north and east from here to the very northern tip of the Pebbled Sea. At the place which bears that mark you'll find your answer."
"Thank you." Amanda stood slowly and slipped some coins on the counter, leaving the ale behind untouched. "You have been most helpful."
"If you know what's good for you, you'll head home and never set foot in that direction," he called after her as she left, hood still up and head down.
"Too bad I don't," she murmured to herself, getting her horse and mounting quickly. Fighting her way through the crowds back out of town, she then cantered towards the said place, finding a small town there nestled among the dunes after traveling nonstop for two days straight and nearly foundering her horse as she did. Having traded him off with a merchant on the second afternoon, she now road a roan mare whose gaits were as offbeat as any rhythmically challenged drummer and nearly drove Briteyes insane with her random changes in pattern. Still, she reached her goal and soon found that which she looked for on the outskirts of town in the form of another Inn.
This one was nearly deserted, with only a few older men in a back corner dressed similarly to those who had assaulted her and her brother that fateful night. Suppressing the urge to strangle each until he told her what she wanted to know, she instead sat at the counter as she had done before and waited for the Innkeeper to take notice of her.
Eventually he did and came over to stand before her, nervously wiping down some glasses as he did. Apparently strangers rarely ever came here, and she was probably as strange as they ever got.
"Something for you?" he asked gruffly, brows furrowed as she shrugged.
"Depends on if you can tell me where I can find a Sir Constantine and his boys," she replied in an absent voice, watching him carefully from under the folds of her hood.
"I don't know a Sir Constantine," he replied flatly, turning away. "I think it'd be best if you leave, stranger."
"You do know him," she replied as she stood carefully, aware that the other men's eyes were on her back the whole time. Dropping the scrap of fabric on the table, she added, "I was told to give him a message personally, and if he's not told right away he might be very angry if he found out who it was who stalled it from reaching him..."
"The boss doesn't send his messages through lackeys, little stranger," said a gruff voice by her ear as she was suddenly grabbed from behind. "And I think you know too much for your own good."
Briteyes just smiled....
Walking out of the Inn a few moments later, she tucked the map in her tunic and rinsed her hands of the reddish filth which stained them. Those four wouldn't be talking about her visit to anyone now. Ignoring the rise of disgust, and even self loathing that she'd fallen to such a state, Briteyes mounted her mare and took off, more than ready to finish things off. She would find out who had taken and killed her brother, and she would have her revenge.
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"Come on, guys, we're leaving soon!!" called Olivia as she finished packing her bags and dragged them outside to where their horses waited impatiently to leave.
"Coming!!" called Bryanna as she ran out of her room right on her tail, slinging her own bags over her mount's bag and securing them in place before heading inside to make sure she'd forgotten nothing else.
"My stuff's ready, just give me a sec!" called Randy as he knelt beside his own bags. Making sure no one else was watching, he quickly pulled out the wooden box and a single medallion, running back into the mage's workroom where he left it under some books while Bryanna had him occupied with the store of pain relievers and teas which would help reduce the swelling around his joints.
Olivia noticed as he slipped back out of the workroom, catching his eye with a wave of her hand and asking what he had been doing with just a jerk of her head.
Randy smiled. "My mission."
Olivia frowned all the more. "Randy, I'm not so sure about-"
"I am," he cut in, turning to walk away. "Just let me have my fun, ok? No one's going to get hurt or anything..."
"Alright..."
"Where are you guys?" called Bryanna from the front. "I've got our seals, and the longer we wait the more traffic there's going to be heading through town!"
"We're coming," Randy called, trotting on out as Olivia followed at a slower, more sedated pace. She still couldn't help that feel something wasn't quite right, and the medallions had something at least to do with it. She just hoped she was wrong.
%~~~*~~~%~~~*~~~%~~~*~~~%~~~*~~~%~~~*~~~%~~~*~~~%
Cam carefully began to the most basic forms Kristen had taught him, every stance and movement perfectly executed, completely controlled and relaxed without being too loose nor too rigid. Completing the basic stances in a matter of moments, he moved on and continued right into the next, this one the next step up which taught the best forms of defense for someone of his size and speed. The third, which he went into without hesitation moments later, was the basic for attacks.
Though the first one was the same pattern taught to every one, all those after it Kristen had personalized for Cam's own style. He wasn't particularly strong, being more lean than muscle. His speed was great, though, and his reflexes probably better than hers. Short and light, his way was one which used to his speed to dodge more attacks or glance them off in one direction or another rather than block them straight on and to strike quickly and without warning rather than an all out attack.
Watching with a critical eye from a corner, both Kristen and Jon nodded to themselves as he continued as flawlessly as one could expect for someone who, though he'd only come into the art since they'd come to Summersea had trained relentlessly to the point where it had nearly become an obsession of his.
"Looks like our boy's going to be of use to us after all," commented Jon as he stood suddenly.
"He's not taking your class, Jon," replied Kristen flatly.
"But he'd be good at it!" countered Jon. "Look at him, he's got the speed and the balance..."
"And I need him to be able to take over my youngest classes," snapped Kristen in return. "Not being out for weeks at a time due to the broken arm you gave him when you sparred in the beams. Besides, he has not head for heights and you know it too."
"How'd I do?" asked Cam as he trotted over, having just completed the final patterned dance she'd taught him and come over to see what they were fussing about.
"Very well," said Kristen as she rose quickly.
"How would you like to join my class for a change?" offered Jon before she could stop him, ignoring her glare as he did. "You have what it takes right now..."
"Thanks but no thanks," replied Cam instantly, his face going white. "I enjoy learning...not going through massive amounts of pain and torture."
Jon smiled wickedly. "But that's half the fun!"
"Thankfully, neither of us happen to agree with your definition of 'fun'."
Jon just rolled his eyes and shrugged, heading back for his side of the salle. "Well, I have to get back to work. My next class will appear shortly."
"Good riddance," muttered Cam under his breath as he crossed his arms behind his head. "You couldn't catch me in that class for all the wealth this world holds."
"Nice to know you plan on living a long and fruitful life," sighed Kristen sarcastically. "Come on, we've got things of our own to do."
"Yes, ma'am!"
"Don't call me that," protested Kristen as she gave him a light push. "It makes me feel old."
Cam paused. "But compared to me, you are old..."
"Oh, hush you."
%~~~*~~~%~~~*~~~%~~~*~~~%~~~*~~~%~~~*~~~%~~~*~~~%
Jenny was waiting with Trevor at the end of the gangplank as their black robed 'mage fellow' shuffled up out of nowhere again, standing before them slightly bent over just like last time.
"Velan," said Jenny as she nodded to him gravely. "We refuse to accept that offer. Only twice that will get you on board my ship before we leave for port."
"Thieves, you are then!" declared the mage angrily. "My offer be generous indeed, for now I will pay no more than HALF what I offered!"
"Half?!" sputtered Trevor, going off on a tirade of Trader curses before turning back to the man just as angry. "That's ludicrous! What do you take us for, mage? Fools whom you can walk over like the dirt which is under your feet?!"
"Half it be, or Velan takes his business elsewhere!" threatened the mage as he stopped one foot angrily. "Thieves and murders be what your people be. Is known to all, cannot deny what is true. Should be glad I even make such a generous offer to you, brainless Traders!"
"First you insult my ship and now my crew," growled Jenny as she stood her ground, eyes flashing. "Why are you so intent upon getting passage on my ship, Velan, when there are half a dozen other ships bound to make the same voyage within the next few days? Go to one of them and make your offer, maybe they'll take it where I wouldn't and in your opinion be more honest as well."
"I would, were it not know that your tub be the fastest there is, outrunning all storms and never failing to have a good wind in your sails!" retorted Velan arrogantly as if it were his ship he spoke of and not theirs. "Valuable me and my cargo is...cannot take chances, not now." Turning suddenly he shuffled off. "Think it over, you will," he called back at them. "Return I will in two days time, when the tides are ready to set sail." And again, he disappeared.
"You know," commented Trevor as Jenny stood there with her jaw clenched shut. "He's really starting to get on my nerves..."
%~~~*~~~%~~~*~~~%~~~*~~~%~~~*~~~%~~~*~~~%~~~*~~~%
Cheeks stood outside the fenced area for the sheep and goats as Jem came scampering up out of the blue to stand beside him, watching curiously for a few moments before asking, "What'cha doin'?"
"Building a fence, maybe," replied Cheeks with a shrug. "It depends."
"On what?"
Cheeks shrugged vaguely as he looked over the pen. "On whether or not I think it needs to be done."
"...that dun make any sense." Cheeks glanced down at his young charge, who was looking back up at him as confused as could be. "You're being as...as...cunfuzzling as Kaitlin is!"
"Cunfuzzling?" Cheeks raised an eyebrow ever so slightly. "Do you mean confusing?"
"Uh...yeah? Maybe?"
"Wow, you're very special Jem."
"Tha's what Kaitlin keeps tellin' me."
"Right...but about the fence. We had a good year last year and had to make the pen bigger, so if we have the same sort of year we're going to have to do it again. So I'm debating between doing it now and saving the time later or waiting until I have to, if I have to at all, and possibly crowding them in tighter than is good for them until I can find the time to fix it." The young man glanced down at his shadow, crossing his arms as he did. "What do you think?"
"Well...do ya think you're gonna have a good year?" asked the boy carefully.
"Maybe," replied Cheeks with a shrug. "Seems like good luck follows us everywhere, as of late. But I'd hate to 'count your chicks before they're hatched' as the saying goes."
"I c'n see that, but...what can it hurt?"
"Besides a few days wasted labor, nothing really."
"Then I'd do it."
Cheeks looked down at Jem, who stared back up at him with determination written all over his face. "You really are something, you know that?"
Jem just smiled as he picked up a couple of the stakes and tools they needed to work. "Yeah."
%~~~*~~~%~~~*~~~%~~~*~~~%~~~*~~~%~~~*~~~%~~~*~~~%
Briteyes sat in a tree on the edge of the forest, one which bordered the valley bellow. Looking down she spotted the campfires of the group she had been searching for, a few sentries posted in plain sight and probably a few others in hiding, but they wouldn't trouble her in the least. Three weeks it took to find them, two days and nights she'd stalked them, observing their every movement. Tonight she was the hunter, and they were her prey.
Poking around a bit more on some marked places she'd found out just what the Wolverines, as they were called, were. A few generations back they'd been a mercenary group loyal to some noble housing to the north. Whatever had happened, for that had been the one thing she could find out nothing about, one faction had broken off and become what they are not for the least favored members of the household who had fled east. Establishing new lands, the eldest son of the man who had fled into exile became the leader of the Wolverines and hired them out to several of his less than honest noblemen who needed such sell-swords who were completely loyal to their master to the point of death. One of those noblemen would be her next target, no matter what it took to find out who it was.
The sun sank completely behind the horizon as she finally bothered to stir herself from her tree, slipping back to where her horse waited ever so patiently for her. The same roan mare who she'd traded for the gray dapple a week ago and had been faithfully carrying her where she wanted ever since.
Gathering together her bow and arrows, she left the rest of her weaponry except a few knives in case of an emergency behind in fork of a tree and slunk off to where the sentries stood. Waiting patiently as any hunter who's game was finally in sight, she finally marked where all 9 sentries were and went about the business of picking them off, one by one. A carefully placed shaft through the throat, then dragging the body off to the side under some bushes where it wasn't obvious in the dark, she completed her task before the moon had reached its zenith and began the next.
Slipping along the edges of the camp she came to where the horses were and silently cut them loose one by one, quieting each with a gentle touch and lump of sugar before sending them away from their cruel masters to a better life they might find elsewhere.
Now the moon had reached its peak, and she was prepared. The second watch would soon be coming to replace the first, and the performer-turned assassin traded her bow and empty quiver for sword and bladed staff. Waiting just within the bounds of the camp, Briteyes sat in the lone, dead tree which presided over the place and she was in plain view. The next set of guards woke on time and come out, surprised to find their comrades gone, and after Briteyes had dropped down the one closest to her and beheaded them, a killer in their midst.
"What do you want?!" demanded one of the guards, holding his spear towards her as she stood before him leather armor and all, with just a hood to cover her head from view.
Briteyes felt her lips curving up into a twisted smile, her sense of self-preservation and all other kind instincts shutting down and bloodlust and desire for revenge began to course through her veins. "It's cliche, but....your life." She leapt at him faster than he could move to block as she brought her staff in a low double arch, the first swing taking off his arm and the second his head.
Moving swiftly onward, his companions soon mobbed themselves around her in hopes of closing in so she could no longer swing her staff and they'd be able to take it from her before killing her as she'd done to some of them. Still, she saw it coming and continued to hew a path through them where she was constantly moving forward, not running away as much as keeping them at a distance where her weapon had the advantage.
Still, she was detached from the battle, each kill a distant one that felt like it was at the hands of another instead of herself. Cutting through a thin spot in the ranks to her left, she darted through and stopped a few feet above them on the slope. Planting her weapon there in the ground blade first, she drew her sword instead and her grin widened all the more.
"Come and get me," she taunted, her green eye beginning to shine with a clear, unnatural light. "If you can." Without giving them time to reply she surged forward, screaming a terrible beastlike cry from the very depths of her grief-ridden soul that tore through the hearts of those who faced her before her sword tore through them as well. Her blade no more than a flash of light, and her body a blur, she was everywhere at once and nowhere at the same time. For every drop of blood they managed to make her shed they paid with in gallons of her own. Bit by bit, man by man they fell.
Ducking under another's guard she impaled him on her sword and then rammed it to the right, bringing it out of him entirely and up in an arc so it sheared off the head of the man next to him. Flipping it around and to the back she felt it connect with solid flesh and twisted the blade cruelly. Whoever had been planning to sneak up on her was now either dead, or crippled for life and might as well be. That is, if she left him be. Yanking her blade out, she turned around and gutted him again as he fell to be sure, her thirst for blood taking away all sense of humanity that she once had.
The moon was reaching the horizon just as the last came at her in a final attack, each falling with their comrades as before. Soaked in blood that was mainly those from the numerous corpses around her, she went to the tent that dominated the center of the carnage that had once been a camp. Thrusting the front flap aside she was met with five more guards, probably the elite of those in the camp, surrounding her main target who was watching all of this with a nervous, perhaps even petrified look on his face.
"Go and kill the murderer!" he cried upon seeing her enter. "Kill her for the deaths of all those who've fought by your side! He who kills her will be my second in command without question.
The five wavered, but went forward none the less. Briteyes looked over them all as she stood there panting, exhausted but more than willing to push on through this final obstacle. Reaching behind her back she took out the three daggers she'd never touched and sent them flying, each finding it's mark in the forehead or chest of three of the five who stood there. Seeing most of their ground gone, the last two dropped their weapons and fled, Briteyes ignoring them as she walked forward slowly, one measured step at a time.
He was a beautiful as ever, she had to give him that. Even though he'd obviously been woken straight from his pallet and made to dress, every inch was immaculate as if he'd spent hours primping himself in front of a mirror. Not a hair of his golden tresses was out of place, and his skin flawless except for the horizontal scar across his cheek...the one she'd given him what seemed to be months ago.
"Who are you?!" he demanded as he backed up slowly, grabbing one of the swords from his fallen man and standing there with his hands shaking so badly that he could hardly hold the weapon let alone use it. "What is it you want with me!?"
"Information, first off," replied Briteyes as she sat down on his stool, resting her bloodied sword across her knees.
"And secondly?" he asked so quietly she could barely hear the words.
"You'll see. I'm surprised you haven't recognized me, though." She shook off the hood, looking at him with hooded eyes that seemed to burn a hole right through his innermost being.
"YOU!!" His face went from surprise, to shock, to the realization that is was she, some supposedly common whore who, who had killed his men, to anger that he would have his own revenge. "I...why you little-!!"
Briteyes stood just as he charged, easily knocking his blade aside and kicking him in the chest so he fell onto his back. Her sword at his throat, she placed a foot right where she'd kicked him and pushed down ever so slightly, making it increasingly more difficult to breath with every second that passed.
"Who hired you?" she asked quite simply.
"What will you do if I tell you?" he wheezed back.
Briteyes nicked his throat so a trickle of blood ran down his neck, leaning on his chest even more as her eyes narrowed. "That's not what I asked you. Answer me!"
"Lord...Hemson...." he gasped, eyes wide with fear as he struggled to breath. "He...wanted you...for himself..."
"I see." She paused, then stepped back long enough for him to catch his breath before she plunged her sword through his stomach almost to the hilt, secured in place by the majority of it that was now stuck through the ground. He stared back up at her, agony written in every line of his face as he began to die a slow and painful death.
"Please..." he gasped, knowing he could linger like this for an hour or more if left in this state. "Mercy..."
"To be sure you're dead, gladly." And with a single stroke of a dagger, he was dead.
%~~~*~~~%~~~*~~~%~~~*~~~%~~~*~~~%~~~*~~~%~~~*~~~%
The three Journey progressed northwards, stopping at each town to study under any mages they might find there regardless of if they needed it for credit or not, you never know when some random bit of knowledge might come in handy. Four towns they'd already gone through, Bryanna slowly gaining her control back the farther they went and Randy leaving a medallion with each of the three or four teachers in the town as he did.
Olivia was as annoyed as ever with the two. It had been weeks since they'd left, and the war was continued on from when they'd left that cursed place as if it had happened only yesterday. Granted, they did have their moments when they barely tolerated each other while others were watching, but out on the road alone and no teacher around to give them disapproving looks they were at their worst. And Olivia, but some stroke of ill luck, was right in the middle of it.
"Can the two of you at least act like you like each other?" she sighed as they rode along to their next destination, a larger city that had some mages a few days up the road. "I mean, come on, you have to be getting tired of this crap already..."
"Hey, I can keep this up for a year if I have to," cut in Bryanna with a shrug. "The idiot is wrong, the sooner he admits it the sooner I'll consider acting like he's an actual sentient being again without being forced to."
"Problem is, the little slut over there can't figure out I'm right," countered Randy, talking to Olivia as if Bryanna wasn't apart of the conversation at all. "Once she does, maybe I'll consider thinking of her as someone who thinks with her brain rather than her hormones."
"You know," Bryanna commented sarcastically before Olivia could open her mouth to speak. "I find it funny that talk of hormone control is coming from a guy in reference to a girl. Is it just me, or does that prove my earlier statement of him being an idiot?"
Olivia sighed and she rubbed her temples gently, trying to lessen the growing, pulsing pain there as she blocked the other two out. This was going to be a very long ride...
%~~~*~~~%~~~*~~~%~~~*~~~%~~~*~~~%~~~*~~~%~~~*~~~%
Matt swaggered into one of Kristen's beginner classes, watching all the students as they struggled through their forms which they'd learned last class and would be perfecting for the next several weeks. Crossing his arms as he wandered to the front, he stood there next to Kristen who was calling out corrections while Cam led the forms for her.
"You know," he commented after it ended and the students were given a moment to stretch and catch their breath. "Your discipline is really lacking, you know. Look at them, lazing about like this...I'm surprised they learn anything at all!"
"Hey!" said one of her older students before she could reply, placing himself between him and her. The young boy was about 13 years old or so and just came up to his chin, a fierce look in him eyes as he took the stance he'd mastered a few weeks before. "Don't speak to Miss Kristen like that! She teaches us better than you teach your fencing class!"
"Hey, back off brat and get back in line," retorted Matt, shooing him away with a wave of his hand. "I'm talking with Kristen, not you."
"I bet I could take you down, pansy."
"What?! A little whelp like you half my size?! You wouldn't stand a chance!"
The boy fell more securely into the stance. "Try me."
Matt shrugged, then brought up his fists and brought his fist up from under in planning to knock the wind out of the boy and have it over with. The boy blocked it much faster than he thought, though, and whirled around so his back was to Matt, slamming his elbow into his nose, his gut, and then his groin. The whole class cheered as the fencing instructor fell over, groaning in agony as Kristen just smiled and shrugged.
"You accepted his challenge," she chided him as he gave her a disapproving look. "Don't try blaming this one on me. Class dismissed, though! Try and stay out of trouble until your guardians get here, those of you who don't walk home."
"Yes, ma'am!"
Kristen motioned to Cam who took off towards the house and was back a few moments later with some ice wrapped in a towel in his hands. "You're gonna have a nice shiner from that hit, though I didn't know he could execute that part of it so well," she commented as she helped him sit up and put it over the said eye which was no swollen shut, a trickle of blood running from his nose. "So my students are undisciplined, are they? You want to say that again when one of my actual experienced classes are around?"
"Not really," he muttered through his ice pack. "I will trade you fencing lessons for hand-to-hand ones, though, so I can get that brat back."
Kristen considered his words, then nodded. "Ok. On one condition that is."
Matt winced as he turned his head to look over at her "What?"
"Your ego stays out of it when fencing or I will leave you worse off than this each time I teach you your set of lessons."
Matt muttered a curse under his breath as he tried to sit up more on his own. "Deal."
%~~~*~~~%~~~*~~~%~~~*~~~%~~~*~~~%~~~*~~~%~~~*~~~%
Jenny stood at the railing of her ship, the gangplank up and everything ready to go with one small exception. The tides wouldn't be right for another twenty minutes or so, and they were still waiting for their mage fellow to show up. There was no way he was getting on board, but Jenny did want the satisfaction of watching him jump up in down in anger as they sailed away out of sight. It would make up for all the times he'd insulted her crew and ship in each and every way.
The mage appeared right then, looking at the ship in puzzlement as some men appeared with his boxes as well.
"What you be doing out there?" he called, seeing her on deck watching him from the side.
"I'm getting ready to leave," she called back. "Without you."
The mage stood there for a moment in shock, then shook his fist at her in rage. "Do something to you I cannot right now, but I have many powerful friends, many!! It would not do to anger Valen more than he is angered right now!"
"I wouldn't take you on board my ship if you doubled the price you asked originally," Jenny called back, seeing Trevor roll his eyes at the thought that such an obviously insane mage might know someone of the least bit importance. "And that's final!"
"You will regret this!!!" he screeched as Tanner began to take them out to sea, between him and Nicole the exit from the harbor going very smoothly indeed. "You will regret the day you angered Valen the mage!!"
"If we do, it will only be because we didn't take him on board and then throw him into the sea with lead weights around his ankles just to rid the world of his annoying presence," commented Trevor as he strolled past, waving to the mage lightly before disappearing below deck for whatever else needed to be done.
Jenny rolled her eyes as they lost sight of the harbor, and the irate mage, completely. "For once, I am greatly inclined to agree."
%~~~*~~~%~~~*~~~%~~~*~~~%~~~*~~~%~~~*~~~%~~~*~~~%
Cheeks and Libby sat across from each other on the barn floor, every bit of tack the farm owned spread out around them as they checked it for weaknesses, tears, or rips that would need to be patched and mended before they could be safely used again.
Jem came and sat beside them, watching for awhile before he picked up a harness and tried to imitate them, going over it's every inch just as they had, tugging on the joints and seams to make sure they were secure. "This ones good!" he announced proudly as he stood up, taking it with him to place on the other side.
"Hold up," said Libby as she took it from his hands and put it back where it was. "We know that because I just checked it. These ones on this are the ones that are done, silly."
Jem looked at either side, then blushed. "Oh..."
"Here," said Cheeks as he pulled the boy into a sitting position once more, thrusting a bottle of oil, a bowl of grease, and some rags in his hands. "Get all the squeaks and stiff parts out of them, ok? We were gonna do it later, but having you do it now will save us a lot of time..."
Jem nodded as he settled himself to work, a smile on his face. "Ok!!"
"You are the strangest kid in the world," declared Libby as she glanced up at him and then went back to her own business.
"Why?" asked Jem as he looked up from what he was doing at her.
"Because, kids aren't supposed to like to work, they're supposed to like to run off and play!" replied Libby as if it were obvious.
"Who would I play with?" asked Jem. "It's no fun playing by yourself."
Libby opened her mouth, and then paused. "You know, that is a very good point..."
"Shot down by the little guy," said Cheeks with a grin as he dodged away from Libby's poke to his ribs. "Hey, none of that now!"
Libby gave him a perfectly angelic look. "None of what, Cheekums?"
Jem glanced between them both and backed up a bit. "And you say I'm weird."
%~~~*~~~%~~~*~~~%~~~*~~~%~~~*~~~%~~~*~~~%~~~*~~~%
Briteyes easily found her way as far as the swamp which she and her brother had gone through to reach Sir Hemson's lands. The vile, reeking lands where evil simply oozes from every pore, but it didn't matter to her anymore. Most everything, including the sword, she'd left back at the camp. Having stripped herself to only a shirt and her pants, the only things she owned that weren't stained with blood, she carried her bladed staff and bow and arrows, the only two clues that she was any sort of a fighter. Her horse had been sold to a farmer in trade for a cloak and some money, which had then been used to get her new boots and more supplies.
The bodies of the men she'd killed she burned, and the too-sweet smell of their incinerated flesh hung about her still, no matter what she might do to wash it away. Only food had she taken from their camp, the rest of it burned with the men who'd owned it past recognition. The wines and distilled spirits she'd found there had been more than enough as it was to set the entire place aflame, and the dead limbs she'd added among the bodies had helped it burn clear and hot for hours to come.
Now, though, she faced her biggest obstacle of all. The path was twisted and branched many times, she remembered that much. Where she was supposed to turn or go straight, or even ford straight through some ponds to avoid the quicksand on either side. Still, it was on the other side that her target lay, and as she began the dreary walk into it she vowed never to turn back until she reached the other side, no matter how many times it took her to die and revive before she could get past the traps that lay within.
One who watched her leave might thing the swamp had swallowed her alive as she trudged through it, slogging in muck up to her knees. And in more than one sense, they were right. A week she spent fighting to find her way through that horrid swamp, and a week's time was all it needed to work itself upon her.
Each day she struggled on through the mire and the muck, never stopping to rest nor to eat what meager meals she could find. Dawn until dusk she trudged on, often times forcing herself to take the next step only by the promise of the Lord Hemson's blood waiting for her on the other side. But at night...at night it was worse. She'd wake from nightmares screaming in terror, visions of horror far worse than anything she could ever imagine for herself. Deaths of countless friends and family, watching them writhe in pain and agony as they were tortured and torn to pieces, often times living through the same hell at the same time herself and unable to do anything about it. Her days became the same, lack of sleep making her hallucinate as she ran from demons that didn't exist and fought creations of her imagination. Slowly something other than herself began to take control and bit by bit befuddled her mind and twisted her sense of direction until she walked just to keep moving and maybe find a way to escape the shadows of her mind that followed her everywhere.
Seven days after she'd begun her journey she stumbled back out again, the swamp releasing her from its grip beaten and torn between the madness that filled her mind and the desire in her heart to kill the man who'd taken her brother from her. Fighting only made it worse, her steps slowly bringing her back towards Summersea despite what she may do to force them back to the swamp again. Day after day it went on like this, never sleeping nor eating, barely a ghost of herself that continued on until she gave in and found an unsettling peace descend upon herself once more. For now she'd obey it, she decided, for now she'd return.
%~~~*~~~%~~~*~~~%~~~*~~~%~~~*~~~%~~~*~~~%~~~*~~~%
Bryanna searched through the bags on what she assumed was Olivia's bed, leaving that which she didn't need to the side so it could be repacked or placed in drawers later on.
"You're sure it's in here?" she called back towards the door, frowning as she dug even deeper into the bag. "I swear, there isn't any sort of a package in here...wait, do you mean this box?" She pulled out a plain wooden one with a hinged lid, ignoring her odd instinct to jerk back her hand and pulling it out anyways. She'd probably just had it spelled or ordinary people wouldn't mess with it.
"Kind of hard for me to see when I'm out here and you're in there," came the sarcastic reply. "Just open it, ok? If it's the right one, it'll have about...oh...six small seals jars in it I think."
"What's the label for eyebright look like?" asked Bryanna as she set it aside, making sure there where no other boxes in there as well.
"Can't remember, you'll have to bring it out here so I can show you."
"Ok."
Bryanna picked up the box and opened the lid, blinking for a moment before she dropped it and dashed to the side, backing away from the medallions that littered the floor as fast as she could. Muttered to herself incoherently, she wiped her hands again and again on her sleeves, feeling like she'd touched something she couldn't rid herself of.
Olivia ran in a moment later. "What was that?!" she demanded, seeing Bryanna huddled by the wall staring at something out of her line of vision. "Bry, is something wrong...?"
"Hey, is everything alright?" asked Randy as he appeared just then, coming in the other door next to them and seeing his medallions strewn all over the floor and the box shattered into a million pieces around it. "Hey, what the-"
"YOU!!" Bryanna was on her feet and grabbed him around the neck, only to jerk her hands back with a shriek as if she'd been burned as his own medallion fell out of his shirt and dangled around his neck. "You...you're a traitor...how could you...?"
"What do you mean, traitor?!" he demanded as he backed away, carefully tucking the disk back under his shirt. "And what were you doing in my stuff, you sneak?!"
"I thought it was Olivia's!" cried Bryanna defensively. "Randy, I don't know where you got that but get rid of it now!"
"No! You're just jealous because the Master gave the box and delegated such an important mission to me!" retorted Randy as he turned his back on her.
"I don't care if you got if from the Duke of Emelan, get if off now!" cried Bryanna in fear and anger of equal measures. "There's something horribly wrong with those, Randy, I can feel it..."
"You're lying," snapped Randy as he gathered them back up and put them loose in his saddlebags, cleaning up the bits of what was left of the box and leaving them in a pile on the table. Crossing over to stand in her face, he leaned closer as she backed up to get away from the medallion that hung about his neck. "What, afraid?"
"Not of you," she sneered, "But you couldn't get me to willingly touch one of those thing for my life."
"Enough!" thundered Olivia who'd simply watched since Bryanna had leapt from her side to Randy's throat until now. "Randy, get those things at least out of this room right now. I don't like them anymore than she does. And Bryanna, that will be enough accusations of being a traitor for tonight, understand? Both of you go in another room, and do not speak to each until you can do so as civilized adults!"
Randy gathered his saddlebags and stalked out, Bryanna sagging against the wall once he was gone and the medallions with him. "You going to be ok?" asked Olivia as she eyed her for a moment, preparing to head back to the task she'd been doing originally.
"I...think so," replied Bryanna after a few moments hesitation. "Those medallions, Olivia....they're evil, I swear...."
"We'll work it out later," cut in Olivia as she brusquely helped Bryanna to her bed and made her lay down. "Just get some rest, ok?"
"Ok."
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Kristen stood side by side with Matt, copying his every move as he went through a drill set for her to learn. Foil in hand, neither wore any of the protective armor for they hadn't actually faced off with each other yet, and the blades were extremely dulled and blunt-tipped. You could kill someone with them, but you had a greater chance of beating them to death with the hilt rather than stabbing them with the tip.
"Put more weight on your back foot, and lean ever so slightly forward," corrected Matt as he fell out and had her do it on her own. "Straighten that wrist and make sure your grip is right....the rapier will do nothing for you if you let it slip from your fingers the first time you block with it."
"Sorry for not being perfect," replied Kristen tartly. "See, this why I never fenced with you and Amanda or Brenna with the wooden swords, you guys would've killed me in a heartbeat."
"Bruised you a bit, yeah, killed, no," he replied with a smirk. "And as much as Amanda bugged you to try it, doubt she would've had the heart to land a blow on you if you had tried it period."
Kristen rolled her eyes. "She smacked me on the arm enough times."
"Yeah, but you probably deserved those." He came around it front of her, bringing his own blade up again. "Ok, I'm going to do the opposite drill you're doing, so every time I strike you block, and every time you strike I block, ok?"
Kristen, though dubious, went back to the first position and nodded she was ready to start. Trading blows slowly back and force in the usual strike-and-block pattern, she firmly blocked each of his blows but her retaliations where weak and spiritless.
"Come on, Kristen, put some muscle in it!" taunted Matt as he put a bit more power in his own blade so it jarred her arm ever so slightly. "This is pathetic, you know. I know you have more strength than this, I've seen you throw some of your students who were my size while sparring. Com on, already!!"
"But....I don't want to hurt anyone..." protested Kristen as she continued on, her blows as hesitant as ever. "Besides, I know you have enough control not to hit me if I don't block. But you're not wearing a face mask and I would feel really bad if I broke your nose doing this..."
"I'd be a very poor fencer indeed if I couldn't block a stray hit from one of my students every now and again, wouldn't it?" teased Matt as he ran a hand through his fluffy hair. "Come on, just a little bit more muscle in it, like you mean it or something. Heck, pretend I'm Sir 'Loveboy', that aught to give you enough reason to try and get a shot in." Closing his eyes confidently, he didn't notice the way her eyes suddenly narrowed. "Ok, let's start again..."
*swish*
*SNAP*
"Uh...." One very scared weapons instructor gulped as Kristen's blade prodded ever so slightly harder at his throat. She'd struck far harder and faster than he'd anticipated, and in his belated reaction had actually snapped his practice blade in half. "K...Kristen...?"
"Don't offer to stand in that idiot's place if you're not willing to face a rather...annoyed me," she stated flatly, drawing back and putting the blade she'd used on the rack. "I have a class to teach."
"Ok....." Matt sat down where he was standing as she left and looked at the broken practice blade he still held in his hands. This might be a bit harder than he thought.
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Ben stood obediently by the huge tub in the kitchen, up to his elbows in suds and water as he scrubbed the dishes from dinner that night until they sparkled and shined, rinsing them in another nearby before handing it to another servant who dried and polished it all before putting it away.
Usually the kitchen was quiet after dinner, everyone sedated and full from feeding off the main table's remains, which there was normally a great deal of. But for once it buzzed with a hushed activity, people coming in every few minutes from another part of the house with some bit of information that had yet to be heard.
"...grooms said the horse was exhausted..." Ben overhead one man say as he shared a quick drink from the barrel of coarse beer the servants were allowed. "...been running....swamp and back..."
"His Lordship wasn't worried," another cut in with a growl. "Whatever it be...he's not worried."
"Peace, na, Gus," chided the Cook quickly. "Should 'e 'ear ya...t'would be bad for all of us, ya know."
"Yar, ye be right, but still..."
"'Nother messenger spotted, mum," said one of the serving boys as he slipped up beside the cook, who'd taken him as her own when he'd been found on the doorstep a few years back. "Sal said he'd be in 'nother hour or so."
"What in tarnation could it be?" grumped one of the old menservants, rubbing his aching joints slowly as others turned to listen to him respectfully. Of all the servants and slaves, he'd been there the longest. "Shurri defend me, anyone can see this land holds nothing of value and the lord is not nearly as wealthy as he plays to be."
"Well, t'ain't 'nother black mage fellar, that's fer sure," replied one of the guardsmen who'd been a servant before showing his skill with a sword and somehow wrangling for himself a promotion. Not that he was paid more, but everyone know the guards got better living quarters and respect from others in town. The servants might as well have been street trash in the townspeople's eyes, most of the time. "He ate his sup well'nuff, and last time t'was wanna them folk he dinna eat for a week."
"Aye, he's got hisself a point there."
"Heyla, if anyone cares to know they've just sent out one of them," said the groom someone had spoken of earlier, trying to act indifferent though his face was white as a sheet and his hands shook ever so slightly as someone handed him a pint of beer.
The Cook covered her mouth with a gnarled hand. "Ya be jokin', Farlen, ya 'ave ta be..."
"Na, I'm not," he replied softly. "The gates've been closed for now...and guards told not to let a soul in or out before sunrise...I pity the stranger found out there without shelter, I do."
"Come, youngling," said Nana as she appeared suddenly, the kitchen quieting at her appearance. "You're wanted elsewhere..." She shooed him out a side door, then paused and looked at the others. "Enough talk," she said firmly, most getting up and scattering to their various rooms as well. "Walls have ears and doors eyes...get on before one of them reports back to his Lordship and we're all whipped for it!"
"What're they talking about?" asked Ben as he let himself be led back to his room. "Who is them?"
"No one that concerns you, thankfully," replied Nana softly as she pushed him in his room and closed the door behind him. "Good night, little one."
Ben sighed and accepted the fact that she wasn't going to tell him. At least not yet. "Night, Nana!"
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And that would be chapter 11. Hope you enjoyed it, and once again sorry for the wait. Maybe with the ending of marching band in sight more updates shall appear. ^_^ Review, it's the kind thing to do!!
~CB~