Author's Corner:
I humbly thank all who reviewed, and deeply apologize for my lack of updates for the past week or so. I have been busy trying to construct a departure from The Scouring, and school has also been a factor. Constructive criticism is always appreciated and I'd especially like to thank TealTerror for spending valuable time and effort to find and point out any errors/problematic areas.
I also received many reviews stating that they were rather particular to the name of the tactician. Here is a little spoiler and something to think about: Would a deserter use his real name while on the run? Find out what this means later on…
Hammer of Terrascars – Chapter 2
Of Bulgar and Bandits
March 23rd, 6 days after I met Lyn
Nearly a week has passed since I have accepted Lyn as a traveling companion, and still I gripe at the possibility of dragging her into a mess beyond her comprehension. By Saint Elimine, I am a deserter on the run with a trained group of assassins hounding me across Elibe! What possible benefit could she derive from traveling with me? Perhaps I should just tell her the truth and separate our paths forever… Oh wait, she was already suspicious of my involvement with the Lorca earlier, and the truth might not be accepted in the most promising manner. What am I going to do?
"Drake? What are you doing over there?" Lyn asked.
"N-nothing," he replied, fumbling to stuff his journal back into his knapsack. If she actually reads what I have written, I can pretty much sign my own death warrant.
Lyn's puzzled glance clearly showed her disbelief, but to the relief of her tactician, she let the matter slide.
"At any rate, we have arrived at Bulgar," she stated calmly, "We'll be stopping here for supplies and perhaps a night of rest."
"As you wish," Drake replied softly as he gazed upon the walls that surrounded the city. Bulgar, he thought, Last time I was here was on an expedition to Ilia to assist in a joint operation with the mercenaries up there. I never understood the need to build high stonewalls in the middle of the plains, but that's just my opinion. Maybe the bandits here are more problematic than I remembered.
As the pair passed along the crowded streets filled with vendors, Drake couldn't help but notice the variety of goods available in the market. Granted, Bulgar was the central commercial lane that connected Etruria, Bern, and Sacae, but the extravagance was still quite overwhelming. Though Sacaens were renowned for their frugality and tendencies towards nature, Bulgar boasted of splendid furs from Ilia, magnificent armor from Bern, and of course, the famous Etrurian wine, cultivated from the finest wineries Elibe had to offer.
Currently being enjoyed by innumerous people from different countries, he observed as both Lyn and he could hear the rowdy taverns serving their patrons. I suppose any man becomes the same vile, uncivilized pig after stinting himself in liquor, Lyn fumed as she listened to the drunken calls to passing barmaids, why they must waste their lives away doing such things is beyond belief. I wonder if Drake is like that as well?
"Say, Lyn, take a look at…"
"Oh my heart, what a dazzling vision of loveliness."
Compliments were readily accepted in Sacaen culture, but flattery bordering on mockery was potentially dangerous to the uncouth tongue. Nomads were famous for brutally punishing insincere hearts. Lyn's eyebrow twitched as she turned around, prepared to give a scathing rebuke to Drake's words. This had better be good, she sighed exasperatedly, only to find Drake admiring the fine points of an iron scimitar with a blacksmith. Sensing someone's eyes on him, Drake turned around and blinked at Lyn.
"Yes? What is it?" he asked, and then stared at her, "What? What's with the look?"
"Did you just…" Lyn started, evidently bewildered, and taking her hand off the sword by her side.
"Wait, could you please favor me with your name? Or better yet, your company?"
Both of them blinked at that, realizing that a third party was the cause of their confusion. As one, Lyn and Drake turned their heads to find a brown-haired cavalier dressed in green armor bowing in Lyn's direction. Out of pure shock, Drake could only gape at the appearance of the cavalier. What the bloody hell is wrong with me these days? How can someone sneak up on me time and time again without me noticing any more?
Lyn, however, kept her composure, "And who are you, sir knight, who so freely converses with strangers in a foreign land?"
The cavalier's eyes seemed to sparkle with joy as he made another elaborate bow, "Fair damsel, I thought you would never ask. I am from Lycia, hailing from Caelin, famous for its knights of passion and fire."
If at all possible, Drake's eyes widened even further. Is this guy for real? What sort of buffoon accosts random people on the streets? Adding a mental note, Drake reminded himself not to visit Caelin any time soon.
The same thought seemed to reverberate through Lyn's mind as she brushed off the Caelin knight, "Shouldn't it be more appropriate to say 'infamous for its callow oafs with loose tongues?'"
The knight clasped his hands before his bosom as he gushed, "Ah, you're even lovelier when you're cruel."
At this point, Drake politely coughed and turned around to cover his face. Truth be told, he was trying not to crack up in laughter at the poor fellow's imminent demise. Lyn's eyes flashed dangerously before settling her hands upon the sword at her side, and in actuality, Drake wouldn't have minded if she split the offending cavalier in two.
"Sain, you idiot!"
"Ouch!"
Another cavalier had appeared, garbed in a similar fashion to the first one, albeit clad in red. Applying his armored glove in a quick smack to his companion's head, the new arrival bowed in apology.
"Please excuse my friend here. It is a shame that he takes these flirtations more seriously than his duties as a knight."
"I accept your apology. You at least seem honorable enough," Lyn replied evenly.
The red knight was about to speak again when he stopped and looked Lyn up and down. She looks so familiar somehow, he thought, where in the name of the gods have I seen her before?
Unaware that he was staring, the knight murmured, "Have we met somewhere before?"
Lyn raised an eyebrow. "Excuse me?"
"Whoa, Kent, but I believe I have dibs on her!" Sain quipped from behind.
Her confused state evaporating before a cloud of anger, Lyn's hand strayed once more to the sword at her side. Noticing the death glare coming from his traveling companion, Drake decided to intervene.
"Are there no decent men amongst Lycian knights?" Lyn began, drawing her sword two inches from the sheath before Drake's hand on her shoulder stopped her.
"I sort of understand what you are feeling," Drake whispered, "But cutting people into pieces in the middle of a crowded street over a few impolite words would be slightly unseemly."
"You're right, of course. Come, Drake, I've run out of patience with these…"
Muttering some unintelligible word, Lyn proceeded to drag Drake out of Bulgar.
Snapping out of his reverie, Kent managed to stammer out, "Wait, it's not like…"
Obviously the pair halfway down the street did not hear heads or tails of that.
Slapping an armored hand to his forehead in frustration, Kent groaned, "Sain, can't you just keep your damnable flirtations in check until AFTER we finish our task?"
"Eh? But, I thought you were…?"
"I am NOT you! I suspect that she is actually the person we were sent to find. Now mount and follow them."
Ignoring his friend's skeptical glance, Kent swung himself into the saddle and dug his spurs into the steed's flanks. With a neigh of discomfort, the horse stormed after the fleeting pair in the distance.
Beyond the gates of the city, Lyn was still muttering incoherently. Straining his hearing, Drake could scarcely make out what she was saying. However, that could be dealt with later, as other matters more important needed his immediate attention.
"Uh, Lyn, I know you're not in a good mood right now, but could you please desist from pulling me around by the neck?"
That stopped her dead in her tracks, "What?"
"You do realize that you've been literally hauling me by the collar through the streets of Bulgar right?"
Lyn's sheepish look clearly testified that she, indeed, had not realized that. Removing her hand from the back of Drake's collar, Lyn looked down in embarrassment.
"I'm sorry, just what they said was really getting on my nerves and… Drake?"
Drake motioned for her silence, then pointed towards the patch of trees to their right. Cocking her ears, Lyn could faintly make out the rustling of dry leaves and dead twigs. If they were normal travelers, he mouthed, they wouldn't keep to the trees without showing themselves. It'd be safe to assume they're hostiles, and stupid ones at that.
Sure enough, several bandits appeared through the undergrowth. Realizing their cover was blown from their target's abrupt halt along the path, they emerged and surrounded their prey. Lyn fingered her sword hilt nervously as she counted the foes around them. Four, she mentally cursed; four bandits are too much for me to handle alone. I wonder what provoked them to come after us?
The lead bandit whistled, "You have looks that would fetch me a good price at the slave auction, wench. Pity someone paid me more to kill you. You are Lyndis, are you not?"
Lyn started at his words. How does he know that name, she wondered, only those of the Lorca knew that!
"Who are you? And how do you know my name?"
"I am Zugu, and I don't need to waste my breath with those about to die!"
"I beg to differ."
The bandits turned at the voice of another party. Galloping into the clearing were the two knights that Lyn and Drake had spoken with earlier in Bulgar. Brandishing a lance, Sain warded off an approaching bandit while Kent halted before Zugu with a sword in hand.
"My apologies for the misunderstanding in Bulgar, my lady," Kent began, "Sain and I would like to explain our purpose in length to you at a more appropriate time. But I believe we should attend to the brigands first?"
The said bandits were fidgeting nervously. Zugu had easily persuaded them to come and pick on a lone girl for a hefty sum, but adding two knights to the fray was another story altogether. The money was alluring, but what was the point of gold if you weren't alive to spend it? I'm not sticking my neck out for him to get rich, they thought as one, better get out while the going's still good. Without another word, they bolted away from the clearing, hoping to distance themselves as much as possible before any pursuit.
"Argh, you cowards!" Zugu roared, "Wait, don't kill me! I may have information you need." There goes any hope of support, but I can still pull this off if I can lure them off guard. He inched forward two steps towards Lyn.
"Speak," Lyn replied, relaxing now that the danger was largely dissipated. Perhaps I can figure out who wanted me dead so desperately that they hired bandits.
"Well, this man from Lycia hired me to do the job. I hate picking on women," Zugu lied, "But he paid me good money to finish the job, so I accepted his offer," he moved forward another two steps, "To come and kill you."
"Who was he?" Lyn asked, while Drake whispered something to Kent, who nodded in acceptance.
"He was…" Zugu stopped, as if trying to recollect while stealthily drawing his ax from behind his back, "DIE!" he roared as he swung his ax forward.
Unfortunately, his attempt was futile. Blocking the ax with his own sword, Kent signaled to Sain, who stabbed the treacherous bandit in the back with a lance. Lyn hardly seemed surprised, as if suspecting the attack all along. This was a bandit she was dealing with, after all. Turning her head towards the knights, she calmly asked, "So what was it that you two wished to speak with me about?"
"We ventured to Sacae in search of someone under orders," Sain explained, "Our lord, the marquis of Caelin, sent us to meet with his daughter, who had eloped with a nomad some 19 years ago. His daughter's name was Madelyn."
"Madelyn…" Lyn repeated softly, her eyes suddenly moistening.
"The marquis was furious of course," Kent picked up, "He declared that he had no daughter after the incident, heartbroken at her departure."
"Heartbroken, until he received a letter from Lady Madelyn this year saying that she was living comfortably in Sacae with her husband and daughter of 18 years. She also added that their daughter's name was Lyndis, after her own deceased mother and the wife of the marquis."
"But then," Lyn stammered, "The bandits…"
"Yes," Sain replied sadly, "We learned in Bulgar that their tribe was shattered several days after the letter was sent by bandits. The marquis had always wished to see his daughter's family one more time, and thus sent us on a mission to fetch the family back to Caelin. We also learned in Bulgar that you, Lady Lyndis, had survived. So, as to honor our lord's command, we had hoped to bring you back to Caelin."
"As luck would have it," Kent added, "Your image is almost the exact replica of your late mother's portrait hanging in the castle's hallways. I managed to identify you based on that."
"Lyndis," Lyn murmured, her eyes seemed to look beyond the horizon, "I never thought someone would call me by that again. Only my parents called me that in private. To the rest of the tribe, I was always Lyn."
"In that case, we would have a problem," Drake commented. The other three jumped, so engrossed in their conversation that they had forgotten his presence. He had remained silent throughout their explanations, focusing on soaking up as much information as possible. Noticing their blank looks, Drake explained dryly, "You do recall that the bandit referred to you as Lyndis, correct? And how would he know that name again?"
"Lundgren," Sain muttered.
"And who is that?" Lyn and Drake asked simultaneously.
"Your grandfather's brother," Kent explained, gritting his teeth, "While Lady Madelyn was presumed to be gone forever, the heir to Caelin's rule would fall naturally to Lord Lundgren. Now that Lady Madelyn has reappeared and presented an heir, that would make you, Lady Lyndis, the next in line for Caelin's stewardship. In a nutshell…"
"You are an obstacle for his ambitions," Drake finished softly. He held up a hand to ward off Lyn's protests, "Whether you care for Caelin's throne or not, he will see you as a threat and do his utmost to remove you."
"Seeing what happened here," Kent grimaced, "I'd be forced to agree."
"Likewise," Sain replied.
"Then what should I do?" Lyn asked, looking at Drake, "Wherever I go, he will send assassins after me."
"Some say that the best defense is a good offense," he answered, "You can kill two birds with one stone by doing what he dreads the most: head towards Caelin. There you can meet your grandfather, and deal with this threat once and for all."
The four travelers departed Bulgar together after their run-in with the bandits, stopping only to make a detour that Lyn insisted upon. Traveling the beaten path, they found themselves before an old temple upon the outskirts of the city. Inside, the chanting prayers of monks accompanied the soft smell of burning incense.
"It is a custom for Sacaens who set out on a distant journey to pray here for luck," Lyn explained, "This may be the last time I visit here in a while."
"That'd be fine," Kent replied, "We'll wait out here for you."
Lyn excused herself before starting into the temple, leaving her new companions to pour over a map and decide upon the best route to Caelin. Approaching the altar, she knelt and offered a prayer imploring the gods to watch over all of them during this adventure. Veiled by the burning incense, Lyn didn't notice the commotion starting outside.
While Sain was tethering the horses, Kent and Drake were deciding the ideal approach to Caelin. Kent suggested that they retrace their steps and follow the path Sain and himself had taken on the way to Sacae, but Drake pointed out that this would be the most heavily guarded path. As they were conversing, another group of travelers approached the temple. This group, however, was notably different in that the majority of them were quite drunk. The leader, a roguish young man, was sober but held a naked blade in his grasp. Without a word, he took one of his followers and entered the temple.
Drake took one glance, rolled up the map, and turned back to Kent, "We have company, though I sincerely doubt Lundgren would be foolish enough to hire idiotic knaves to do his bidding."
"Two of them have already entered, should we go after them?" Kent asked.
"Lyn is a competent enough swordswoman that she can handle them without us," Drake replied, "But I do believe we should make sure that, ah, no reinforcements interfere with her?"
"I was hoping you'd say that," called out Sain as he headed towards the ruffians near the temple gate. Drake and Kent looked at one another before slapping themselves in the forehead.
Inside the temple, Lyn became increasingly aware of a large pair of boots thumping noisily across the stone floor. Impatient at the disturbance, she tried to block out the offending noise and finish her prayer. The priest, however dismayed, moved forward to greet the next worshipper. The said 'worshipper' shoved the priest roughly aside while adding, "Geezer, stay over there and be quiet."
Picking himself up with a great dignity, the priest moved in front of the altar, "It matters not what you say to me, my son, but the divine sword stays on this altar."
"Sure it will," the young man scoffed, pushing the priest aside once more, "I am Glass, the greatest swordsman on the plains! If there is anyone worthy of this sword, it should be me!" Glass laid his hand upon the pommel and eagerly drew the blade. It refused to budge.
"How dare you," a low voice muttered behind him. As Glass turned, a stinging slap was applied to his cheek and he staggered away from the sword. Clearing his vision, Glass saw that the impudent person was merely a girl!
"Out of my way, wench," he growled, "Lest I be tempted to butcher you."
"I will not," Lyn replied, "Filth such as you shall not defile the sacred sword."
"Then you will move, in pieces!" Glass roared as he charged, swinging his sword at Lyn.
Lyn backed away from the downward stroke, though inwardly she had to give this man credit. She had made the miscalculation of not drawing her sword beforehand, and now his aggression was keeping her from bring her own weapon into play. Unarmed, she could only back up until she stood almost upon the pedestal of the altar. Without thinking, Lyn yanked the sword out of its sheath and turned to face her opponent, only to have everyone gape in wonder at her.
"I never though I'd live to see the wielder of the Mani Katti in my life," the priest murmured incredulously.
"Bah," Glass grumbled, "I can't draw it, so she can? Heh, I'll just kill her and take the sword from her dead hands."
Glass and Lyn swung nearly at the same time. Their two swords clanged against one another, though with varying effect. The Mani Katti, living up to its reputation, suffered nary a scratch, while Glass' worn out iron sword shattered at the impact. Reeling from the impact, Glass could only step back, gazing at the remains of his sword.
"C-Carl," he whimpered to his crony, who was also quaking in his shoes, "Go get the others and beat the living daylights out of her."
Carl was only too happy to comply, as long as he got away from that terrible sword. So intent was he upon leaving that he failed to notice a booted leg extend itself from behind a pillar. Tumbling head over heels, he halted unceremoniously after his head painfully thudded against the wall.
"Your, ah, buddies are not in any condition to help you in any way. I'm afraid they suddenly had the gall to pick a fight with two knights, and are still sleeping off the resulting headaches."
"Drake!" Lyn exclaimed happily, ignoring the fact that Glass took this opportunity to hightail out of the premises.
Outside, Kent and Sain were none worse for the wear, except Sain was sporting a small bruise on his temple that he tried to hide with his headband. Kent sighed disapprovingly before chiding the miscreant, "You could have just scared them off with a weapon, Sain, and there was no need to actually brawl it out."
"Ah, but what feat is there to boast about to our lovely lady if we knights only use intimidation?" Sain responded cheekily.
"You're incorrigible," Kent despaired, "I just hope Lady Lyndis and Drake can put up with you…"
"Speaking of them," Sain interjected, "There they are!"
Lyn seemed to be in a small daze, clutching the Mani Katti in her right hand, "I can scarcely believe this. The Mani Katti, surely the most famous sword in Sacae, in my hands right now."
Kent shook his head again, "Many epics or sagas tell of similar occurrences, where a legendary weapon waits for its proper owner to come. Such weapons choose their owners, and the Mani Katti chose Lady Lyndis.
"A blade without equal, huh?" Sain admired, "Score! Lundgren would never stand against it."
"B-but," Lyn stuttered, her cheeks turning slightly red, "I'm nothing special…"
"Certain weapons just fit your hand better, right?" Kent supplied, "I'm sure the Mani Katti feels perfect in your hand, making you its designated owner. To that extent, I doubt any of us will be able to wield it either."
"A blade that no one else can wield," Lyn murmured as she gazed upon the sword.
A cough, and all three of them jumped again. Drake raised an eyebrow in annoyance as the three apparently forgot his presence again. I suppose it is my fault for being so quiet while things are being discussed.
"At any rate, our path has not changed in the slightest," Drake went on, "I believe our destination was Caelin?"
"Yes, Caelin," Lyn replied firmly, "Where my grandfather is."
"To Caelin!" chorused Sain, "Where lovely maidens dwell and heroic knights fight for all that is good and jus…"
"Sain!"
Well, there's another chapter done. Read and review please! They make my life a whole lot easier!