The Next Step
It was already getting darker when Stone and I had started taking stock of the bandit's' stolen goods. Knee high crates contained several pounds of dried fruits and meats wrapped in delicate looking paper. Others carried what looked like blankets and furs, each of them well made and carefully folded. A desk greeted us as we entered, atop of which was a lit candle, and what looked like several six inch long bars of pure steel. Seven of them, if I was counting right. And yet, what I noticed most was a small wooden box, just by the window sill. It seemed to catch my attention more than any of the other items, and I found myself gently walking towards it as Stone dropped an empty satchel he had taken from one of the bandits on the table in front of the office.
I gingerly lifted the small box, it was light, weighing barely anything at all. Curious, I found the seam along the well crafted pieces of wood, and opened it. Inside I found a small, well crafted pendant in the shape of two intertwined doves, wings outstretched. The diamond crafted doves faced one another, their beaks touching tenderly at the tips. A small ring that I assumed was silver connected them, a delicate looking chain resting just below it. Stone hadn't seemed to pay it mind, stuffing packs of dried meats and fruits into the satchel alongside the bars of steel…
…the memories of its discovery played over and over in my mind, the high sun of midday causing the pendant to sparkle in the box as I held it. It was a pendant made for a woman's neck, I could tell that much. Aside from that, I was practically clueless. I wasn't sure what about it captured my attention so intensely, only that it felt important somehow. As if looking at a vision, whether from the past or from events beyond me.
"Liam? Are you hearing me?" Stone's voice snapped me out of my trance, I shook my head as I looked up towards him. His flail hung secure on his hip, his hand instead carrying the unrolled map he had brought with him.
"Sorry, I was thinking over something." I said, closing the box. Stone walked towards me without comment, I'm not sure if he understood, or simply didn't care. Either way, I slipped the box into a small pouch at my side as Stone adjusted his shield to hang off his forearm, grabbing the map with both hands. I stepped closer and observed, seeing that he had marked the fort with a black "X", with small dotted lines showing the path we had taken back to Herongale, just visible from the distance.
"I'm trying to think of a symbol to put here, something for the villagers to watch out for. Any ideas?" He asked. Stone had already sketched two other 'landmarks' on the map, a circle in reference to a twisted tree, and a small slope to reference the valley just before reaching the fort. With Herongale within eyesight of the hill we were standing on, I hoped this would be the last one.
"Well, what did you have in mind?" I asked, turning to better face him. Stone turned away for a moment and tilted his head to the side, tapping his foot as he seemed to become lost in his own thoughts. After a moment he looked to the sky and groaned in frustration.
"I don't know, there's nothing up here! It's just a plain old hill with a bunch of trees on it! The heck am I supposed to do with that? The whole place is surrounded by trees!" He practically shouted, one of his hands released the map, allowing it to dangle and scrape across the snow. Stone seemed to realize this and muttered a curse as he scrambled to pick it back up. A couple of shakes produced a small flurry as he tried to blow on the map. I stifled a chuckle and looked around us, trying to figure out how to help. That's when I noticed something rather obvious.
"Stone." I called. I didn't turn to face him as I looked behind us, only to have my suspicions confirmed.
"Yeah?" He asked, his tone clearly agitated.
"Isn't this the tallest hill by the hamlet?" I pointed out, turning back to him. Indeed, the hill stood several stories higher than any others in the hamlet's immediate surroundings. While the dense tree line blocked such a view from below, once you stood so high up and saw a sea of green, it became obvious to see. Stone stared at me for a moment before he began looking to see for himself. His shoulders slumped as he seemed to realize what I was saying, followed by him shaking his head and sighing as he began to scribble something on the map.
"I swear, it's the dumbest things…" He muttered, rolling up the map and sticking it in one of the sections within the satchel. I walked up and placed a hand on his shoulder.
"You did a fine job marking the path to this point, rather skilled work if I may say." I tried to reassure him. In response, Stone lazily slung his head around to me, the skull atop his helmet almost smacking into my forehead before I flinched away.
"Kiss up." Was all he said before chuckling and shaking my hand off, continuing by saying; "Come on, let's go meet this lady friend of yours." There was an eagerness in his voice and an emphasis on 'lady' that I wasn't entirely sure I liked, but I knew Stone well enough to know he was only messing with me. I forced a chuckle and followed after him, slowly trudging through the hillside in an effort to avoid falling.
"So what comes after this? I gave my word that I would leave Herongale once my business was concluded." I asked. Stone didn't turn to face me, but did nod in acknowledgement.
"Honestly, I was planning on looking around some more, to find rumors of other bandits or raiders." He replied. It wasn't a bad idea, if I did indeed hope to rebuild the Iron Legion, it would be best to start small. Before I ever amassed an army, I would need to prove my intentions. Ashfeld had seen more than enough warlords, I knew I didn't want that. Besides, I was a servant to the people of Ashfeld, not the other way around. Spending time serving them, helping them, was the best way to give them hope.
"Any idea where to start?" I asked, resting my hand on a tree to steady myself. Stone had already reached the bottom of the hill, and paused to turn around, waiting for me to catch up.
"Morrowgale was my first thought. It treated me well last time, taverns, blacksmiths, I even heard rumors of a bathhouse, if you can believe that." He explained. I found myself mentally recoiling at the idea of a bathhouse. I had no problem with the common folk having a place to clean themselves, but I knew from my wandering that bathhouses had a bad reputation for turning into places of more ill reputation on the side. Trying to shut that down was a fool's errand, not to mention it would only serve to alienate me in their eyes. Regardless, Morrowgale did seem to be the best choice, I'd already met with the locals, and they were familiar with me. The only concern was whether or not Deborah would be willing to return so soon.
"We can bring it up with my companion when we meet her, she seemed eager to leave when I met her." I responded, hopping down the last of the hill and taking a few quick steps. Stone chuckled as he turned to walk beside me.
"You know, you've been mentioning this mystery woman fairly often, is there something I should know?" He teased. Turning to him, I couldn't seem to read him, only his tone revealed an air of smug inquisition.
"What is there to tell? I've only known her for two days. I was hired to protect her on the road, nothing more." I said. Stone turned away from me, focusing instead on the path before us. I did the same.
"I'm just saying Liam, you've mentioned her a number of times and you keep looking at that box you found, maybe you're a bit taken with her?" He said. I wasn't sure how to respond to this. My thoughts had been occupied by Deborah more than anything else, but she was my charge, that was only natural. I was her bodyguard, paid to keep her safe. Though, I did find myself thinking back to our first night, huddled around the fire. Her singing had never left my mind, nor the soft smile on her lips as she sang. I shook my head and steeled myself, such thoughts weren't appropriate.
"I will speak no more of this." I said, making sure to leave no room for negotiation in my tone. Stone didn't seem to object. As we drew closer to the hamlet, something felt amiss. Yesterday, Herongale was a mostly quiet place, it's inhabitants were slow and steady in their movements. Today, there was an audible hum of various conversations as we approached, each resident rushing from one place to the next, some working together to carry large amounts of wood planks away from the back of the settlement. I turned to Stone, who looked back at me.
"Well that can't be good." He said, hastening his stride into a jog. I followed suit, the clanging of my armor drowned out by the activity before us. After clearing the first building, we saw the various villagers rushing past us, not even stopping to observe or question us. I realized now that even the children were aiding the men and women in whatever efforts they were making, and several new paths appeared to have been cleared in the snow to speed up their work. Something had happened here, and I doubted that it was anything good. Looking around, I tried to find anyone who seemed to carry authority, the Elder, the Soldier, even a designated leader of some sort. Eventually, I settled on someone wearing what looked like white and brown brigandine. He seemed to wear several furs underneath his armor, and had a well made longbow slung over his shoulder, a quiver carrying a decent amount of arrows, and carried a sheathed blade at his side. I pointed him out to Stone.
"The elder's son? He's supposed to be in the forests keeping watch, what's he doing back here?" He asked, grabbing the handle of his weapon and holding head within his open hand.
"You know him?" I asked, Stone nodded.
"He's the one who spotted me when I first arrived, led me to Herongale when I mentioned the bandits." He explained. I glanced back at him, watching as he directed two more villagers carrying what looked like wood working tools. The elder's son, was he directing these efforts? If so, what was so dangerous that he deemed this all necessary? Perhaps we would be better off staying and offering our assistance? I didn't have any answer to these questions as I approached the son, narrowly avoiding a running woman as I did. Stone stepped ahead of me, raising his shield and calling out to him.
"Kharion! What's going on here?" Kharion, I made a note of his name. Kharion turned to face us, his ebony skin and dark hair and beard slightly dotted with snow. He turned briefly back towards the two men he had been speaking with and motioned them to the south, towards the entrance of the hamlet. The two charged off with their tools in hand as he turned to face us completely.
"Stone, I see your Warden has found you." He said, crossing his arms. For a moment I was surprised that he was aware of me, before I remembered his relations. I'm sure his father would have mentioned me to him. Stone walked forward and gave a gesture of confusion, turning to look around the hamlet at the various residents running and clamoring towards some unknown goal.
"What is all this? Why is everyone rushing around?" He asked. I did not interject, if the man was more comfortable speaking with Stone, then he would speak with him. I could complicate matters by prying too deep. Kharion followed Stone's gaze, and I his, watching as a group of residents carried axes towards a large tree deep into the forest.
"While you two were gone, we received a couple of visitors. The Blackstone Legion." He explained. My heart raced and I snapped back to him, Stone took a step back in surprise as he lowered his arms, the chain of his weapon rattling ever so slightly at the sudden movement. Blackstone was here? No, they were supposed to be several miles away, I had been sure of it before I had even gone to Morrowgale. How could they have found this place, let alone so soon after we had arrived?
"Blackstone? What were they doing here?" Stone asked, his question mirroring my own thoughts. Kharion sighed and shook his head, looking between the two of us before he answered.
"Apparently they'd heard rumors of you two visiting similar places right after one another. They were asking if we were colluding with an unregistered, illegal vigilante group." He explained. I brought my hand to my forehead and took a step back, the weight of his words sinking to the deepest pit of my stomach. Had I further endangered these people in my search for Stone? How could I be so careless? Of course Blackstone would be on the lookout for him too, how could I have overlooked that? Now all of Herongale was at risk because of me, and so was...
"Deborah..." I said aloud, my unease magnifying into genuine fear. Was she in danger as well? If they had found her here, what would happen to her? Had they harmed her? Oh God, I prayed, please no. I couldn't bear the thought. Kharion and Stone looked towards me. Stone's stance immediately stiffened, the gravity of the situation seeming to sink in for him as well. Kharion, however, held out a reassuring hand and stepped forward.
"The bard is okay, Warden. She had a run in with one of their numbers, but she wasn't injured badly." He said. His words did nothing to ease my thoughts, and I lowered my hand as I stared at him. There was only one reason for Blackstone to be tracking Stone and I. They were trying to kill us, and Deborah had gotten in their way. My heart beat even faster as I reached towards him, stopping myself just short of grabbing him, barely holding my composure.
"What happened? Where is she? Is she safe?" The questions rushed out of my mouth before I even had a moment to think about what I was saying. He must have noticed the urgency in my voice, because he held out his second hand to try reassuring me.
"I found the Knight with her outside. I talked her down, but the bard was already bleeding when I reached her, so I took her to our sick bay and bound the wound. I had our doctor tend to her at first light, they're in the third building to the right." He explained. My head snapped to the row of buildings on the right, and I began counting them as I tried to find her location. The building was no different than any of the others, but the residents seemed to give it a wide berth regardless. I turned to Stone.
"Stone..." I said. He didn't let me finish my thought, stepping forward and placing his forearm on his shoulder, taking care to keep his weapon away from me.
"Go and tend to her, I'll share what I learn when we meet back up." I grabbed his arm in appreciation, causing him to nod back at me before giving me a gentle shove. I took the hint and began half jogging, half running towards the sick bay. The residents seemed to give me a wide berth as I ran. I was unsure if it was because of my status as a Warden, or due to them realizing where I was going, but at the moment, I did not care. With a mighty shove, I threw the doors open, a wall of warm air greeting me. A sea of beds atop of straw greeted me, a series of blank tapestries strung along the walls in an effort to keep the cold out.
Almost immediately I inspected each of the beds, trying to find Deborah. The main two rows were completely empty, without a single person in sight. I couldn't spot anyone to the right either, each of the beds seemed to mock me with it's vacancy. When I finally turned to the left, I allowed myself to relax when I saw her. Deborah was by the far wall in the corner of the room, her midsection exposed with a patch of cotton held in place by what looked like bandages. A thick blanket covered everything below the waist, by her side was an elderly looking woman in a long gown, her features just barely visible behind a long white mask.
"Deborah!" I called, walking towards her faster than I expected. Hearing my call, she raised her head to look at me. Even from a distance, I could tell she looked tired, her chest was raising slowly, but heavily. Bags were under her eyes as she gave me a soft smile, wincing ever so slightly as she reached to her midsection and held it.
"Good to see you Warden, I was worried you'd forgotten about me." She jested. I slowed to a halt at her bedside, resting my sword against the bed frame and observing her closely for any other injuries besides the one at her side. She showed no other sign of assault, but her skin was paler than it had been yesterday. Even with her exposure to the elements, she didn't seem to be shivering, despite huddling as close as she could to herself for warmth. I looked to the doctor, who looked to be pulling a steaming towel from a small jar-like object off a small cart.
"Is she okay?" I asked. The doctor seemed not to react to my question at first, instead gently lifted Deborah's head, who groaned a bit in response. When there was enough room, the doctor slid the towel, still steaming, beneath her neck, then gently lowered her back down. Deborah grimaced and grit her teeth as the towel made contact, before sighing in relief and closing her eyes as she rested on the bed. Satisfied, the doctor placed her hand on Deborah's forehead, then turned to face me.
"The elder's son did well cleaning and dressing her wound, but in his haste to alert the rest of us, forgot to check her clothing. The poor lass was lying in cold, wet clothing almost all night." The doctor explained. I looked at Deborah, taking in her resting form as she continued to breathe heavily. She didn't seem to be struggling to do so, but she did seem to grimace as she rested, she clearly wasn't comfortable. I realized there was another bundled up towel resting below her back. My heart broke for her as I reached for the blanket, raising it ever so slightly to cover her midsection. I'm noy sure if it helped much, though she did look up at me and smile before closing her eyes again.
"Will she be okay? She won't..." I hesitated a minute, almost afraid to speak my next words. "...lose anything, will she?" The doctor pulled her hand away and went back to the cart, closing the jar and reaching to a small vial full of dried leaves. I recognized them almost immediately, these were opium leaves. I was a bit concerned at the idea of Deborah in such a state, but one look at her was enough to convince me of its necessity. The doctor slowly helped her take the medicine before she answered me.
'No, there is no risk of that. The blankets and warm bed kept the effects of the cold to a minimum, she will not lose any appendages." She said, the calm, motherly tone she used doing much to ease my nerves.
"Thank the good Lord." Deborah chimed in, still smiling ever so slightly. It did my heart well to see her in good spirits, despite her current state. Knowing she would be able to maintain her livelihood helped alleviate some of my concerns as well. I knelt beside her, my armor giving my actions away. Deborah opened her eyes just slightly and smiled at me as I did. I reached up to her, but stopped, my hand hovering just before the bed. I'm not sure how, but she seemed to read my thoughts, and gently extended a hand, opening it weakly. I hesitated a moment longer before I slowly reached towards her, pausing a few times to ensure she held no objections.
She made no move to pull away as I gently took her hand in mine, I in turn made no move to stop her from wrapping her fingers around my palm, squeezing tightly as I gently held her. Even through my gauntlet, I could feel no warmth coming from her hand, though I did feel her grip tighten again as she grimaced and whined, using her free hand to grasp tighter at her side.
"It will take some time for the opium to take effect. Once it does, I will bring her dried clothing and furs, and release her to your care." She explained as she began to pack her equipment. My head rose in alarm as she did, troubled by what I'd just heard. They weren't letting her stay and rest? She wouldn't last in the cold out there, not when the opium was impairing her, and certainly not when she couldn't even muster the strength to shiver. I was a Knight, not a doctor, what could I do to help her? I voiced my concerns to the doctor, who only gave me a sympathetic shake of the head as she continued packing.
"I'm afraid my hands are tied, dear Warden. She spoke ill of one of the Blackstones who came to us last night. Worse, she was caught listening in on their private meeting with the elder. If we do not exile her, and Blackstone discovers this, I fear they will kill the elder, and your friend. This is the most help we can offer her. I am sorry." She said. There was genuine sorrow in her voice, I did not doubt her sincerity for a moment. Still, this did nothing to ease my mind. Looking back to Deborah, I found myself fearing for her life, wishing it was me at the mercy of the cold.
"I... I understand. Thank you, doctor." I said slowly. The doctor nodded back at me, then turned back to her cart. Before long, she had finished packing away her equipment, and began pushing it away towards the entrance. I watched her leave, shutting the doors behind her as she went. Silence filled the sick bay as Deborah and I were left alone. Her breathing hadn't seemed to improve, but at the very least, she did seem more at ease. This was wrong, she wasn't supposed to be a victim of Blackstone, she wasn't supposed to be lying here, wounded and cold. This was my fault…
"Deborah, I am so, so sorry... This wasn't supposed to happen." I said, barely able to speak above a whisper. Deborah smiled again and opened her eyes, there was no malice in them.
"I know it wasn't, Warden. I don't blame you, if that's what you're worried about." She replied. I sighed and shook my head.
"It was my job to protect you, but I left you alone even when I knew Blackstone was after me... I did this to you..." My voice tapered off at the end of my sentence, I could feel guilt crushing down on me. Just how many times was I going to fail my oath? I could barely even bring myself to look at her. Deborah grabbed my hand even tighter than before, and seemed to try pulling it closer to her.
"Warden, stop talking like that." She said, her eyelids lowering a bit as she spoke. She seemed to breathe deeper before speaking again; "You didn't do this to me, a Peacekeeper did. This isn't on you, you hear me?" She finished. A Peacekeeper? They sent a Peacekeeper to a meeting with the elder? My mind was racing, I knew there was only one reason they would send a Peacekeeper, whoever she was after, Apollyon wanted them dead. Worse, she didn't care if more than one had to die for that. She was targeting innocent people in her effort to reach me...
"A Peacekeeper did this to you?" I asked, I didn't even notice my voice rising again. My guilt was quickly giving way to anger, my blood practically boiling at the idea of such indiscriminate killing. It was heartless, and above all, pure evil. Deborah must have picked up on my anger, what little I had fit into those few words, at least. Her expression shifted only slightly, but I could tell her nerve was wavering.
"Yes, she... she was..." She stammered out. Her grip began to tighten even more, and her voice was trembling. Whoever this Peacekeeper was, she must have terrified her. This only further stoked my fury. Easy, I told myself, now was not the time for rage, Deborah was in dire need. She needed a protector, not an avenger. I took a deep breath and forced myself to calm down as I took my free hand and placed it over hers, clasping it between both of them as I looked her in the eye.
"I swear to you, while I draw breath, I will not abandon you to them again." I swore. I wasn't sure how much comfort this would grant her, but at the least, a soft smile returned to her, and she nodded in understanding. She breathed in deeply and exhaled before she continued.
"She was like a demon. She... had these pronged eyes and a bizarre ram's head where her nose should be. Her voice... that was the worst, there was nothing there, Warden. It was as if-"
"-there was nothing behind the mask, no emotion, no soul..." I finished, bowing my head in thought. Every Peacekeeper was separated from their humanity, their training and creed demanded it. But of all I had seen, only one seemed to shed their humanity so fully. And from the way she described her helmet, I knew there was only one who wore something like that.
"You... You know her?" Deborah asked. When I looked back up to her, she seemed both relieved and alarmed at the same time. I nodded grimly at her.
"Her name is Mercy." I said. Before I could further explain, I heard the door creaking open. Both Deborah and I turned to watch the door, and I released her hands to reach for my sword. My guard eased when I recognized Stone walking through the door, though I did still reach for and take my blade. Stone looked to his left and spotted me, but otherwise did not acknowledge us as he marched towards us, slamming the doors shut behind him.
" Zulan and Siegemund have left with the Blackstone Legion. Kharion says they are making their way to Blackstone castle." He said. I took a step back on hearing this. I assumed that Zulan was the name of the elder, as it was the only name I did not recognize. If that were the case, Herongale would be without it's leader for an extended time. Blackstone castle was many miles away from here, a journey like that would prove difficult even for a small party such as theirs, especially if they planned to pass by Mount Ignis, the massive volcano that served as a beacon to all of Heathmoore. Before I could respond, Stone turned to face Deborah, and tilted his head in recognition.
"The bard from Morrowgale? She's your companion?" He asked incredulously. Again, I found a companion speaking before I could answer, only this time, it came from Deborah, alongside a soft chuckle.
"Well well, the Conqueror of Skulls. I'm surprised you even know someone like the Warden." She said. Stone lowered his head and pointed at his helmet.
"Just the one skull, actually. He's first person I bested in combat." He claimed proudly. Deborah scoffed.
"Charming." She said, her tone making it clear she didn't find it so. More than a little frustrated by how far off track we'd gotten, I stepped forward and gestured to Stone.
"Deborah, this is Stone, former knight of Blackstone and my closest friend..." I then gestured to Deborah. "Stone, this is Deborah Beuer, a traveling bard I have been sworn to, now can we please focus?" I said, trying to keep my tone collected. Instead of complying, Stone slung his weapon over his shoulder and let out a high whistle.
"Sworn to, eh? That why you didn't want to speak about her?" He teased. Blood rushed to my cheeks as I turned back to Deborah. She seemed more amused than anything, her own cheeks flushing light red as she covered her mouth and turned away from me.
"That's not what I- Ugh, can we get back on topic?!" I near shouted, more than grateful I was wearing a helmet at this point. Stone released one more laugh before clearing his throat, then lowering his weapon back to his side. His stance straightened as he looked between Deborah and I.
"The Legion demands a tribute of food and medicine or soldiers from the settlements they protect. Regardless of which one, they also have to inform them of any travelers passing through their land upon the dawn of a new month." He explained. I rested my palms on the hilt of my sword as he spoke. Stone continued; "Apparently, the leaders of Morrowgale failed to do so when I passed through. When they assigned a permanent lookout, they spotted you entering only a few days after I'd left. I don't know how, but I guess rumors of you heading to Herongale spread outside the town, right as another of their spies spotted me heading back there after a day of searching." I lowered my head in thought.
"Just how long have you been here, Conqueror?" Deborah asked, turning to her, I winced as she adjusted to be sitting upright, groaning in effort as she did.
"Including this one, four days. The past three I've spent trying to find the bandit camp nearby." Stone replied. I stepped back to Deborah and grabbed one of the hot towels from earlier, raising it to and gently placing it on the back of her neck. She grimaced briefly, but quickly raised her own hand to hold it in place, smiling through her teeth at me as she took a deep breath.
"Did Kharion mention what the Blackstone knights looked like? It would benefit us to know what to look out for." I asked, looking back at him. Stone shook his head and crossed his arms, I could see the frustration in his movements.
"No, he did not. He didn't say as much, but I'd be willing to bet he's not supposed to. Blackstone doesn't like loose lips." He guessed. I sighed and looked away, pondering what to do next. Without knowledge on who to look out for, any passing Blackstone knight would pose a threat to us. Worse yet, anywhere we went would be a gamble as to whether or not we'd be able to stay ahead of whatever spies they had. I was still trying to think of a solution when I heard Deborah speak up.
"I saw them on the way to their meeting." She said. Both Stone and I turned to look at her. She pulled the towel away from her neck and winced a bit before putting it back, sighing as she shook her head. She continued.
"They were Lawbringers, both of them. One of them had pauldrons in the shape of a lion, and he looked like he was carrying some kind of lock on the front of his armor. The other had dotted pauldrons, and his helmet had a number of slits in it, looked more like a grater of some kind than it did a helmet." She explained, rubbing the back of her neck with a towel. Cross. The first one she described was Cross, I was sure of it, he was the only Lawbringer I had ever seen with those kinds of pauldrons. As for the second, I wasn't sure, he must have joined the legion after I had left.
"The first one is a man named Holden Cross, I was under his direct employ while I was still with the Legion. He's a skilled warrior, and an even more effective adviser. As for the second, I can't say, I don't recall a Lawbringer of that kind." I offered. Stone took a step forward.
"Tepes, his name is Tepes. When the Blackstone Legion captured the ports in Valkenheim, Tepes led the assault. He's ruthless, brutal, and devastating in a fight. I've never seen him lose a battle. He goes by Belial now." He explained. Belial, a demon of wrath according to scholars. If his combat prowess was as devastating as Stone was implying, then it was a fitting moniker for a member of Blackstone.
"So now we know all three. Belial, Cross, and Mercy, seems like one heck of a trifecta." Deborah said. I noticed Stone tense a bit at those words, as though recalling a bad memory. I could understand that feeling.
"Mercy? She was here?" He asked. I turned to him and nodded.
"She was the one who did this to Deborah. If Kharion hadn't stepped in, I fear she would have killed her." I said. Stone's next action puzzled me. I had expected shock or anger akin to my own, even fear wouldn't have surprised me. Instead, he tilted his head and looked down, looking more confused than anything as he shook his head.
"No, no that doesn't make any sense, if Mercy thought that Blackstone was on to you, she wouldn't help them find you." He argued. I tilted my head and observed my friend, more than a little irritated. The idea of Mercy doing anything resembling helping me was laughable, more of an insult, really. Deborah seemed to agree, as she scoffed and laid back down on the cot.
"Right, so the Warden just mixed up the most soulless person he and I have ever seen? Come on, Conqueror, look at what she did to me!" She practically shouted. As she spoke she lowered the blanket quickly, revealing the patched up wound. The rapid motion must have hurt, because she yelped and clenched her eyes. I rushed to her, my free hand outstretched, but she held a hand out and shook her head, trying to assure me she was alright. I turned back to Stone, seeing him stare at the injury.
"I just don't get it, Liam you have to believe me there's no way she would try and track you down." He tried to say, I sighed and shook my head. Was this not proof enough that she wasn't to be trusted? Why was Stone so keen to give her the benefit of the doubt?
"Why Stone? Why are you so sure she's able to be trusted? She abandoned her oath long ago, what makes now so different?" I growled. Stone did not flinch, and turned to face me dead on.
"Because she told everyone that you died during the attack on Svengard. I was the only one she ever told about your survival, and that was only a year ago." He said, his voice steady and sure. I... wasn't sure how to react to that. I tried forming a thought, any thought in my mind, but I just couldn't wrap my head around what Stone had just told me. For so long I was sure that Mercy had sold me out, told Blackstone of my desertion. Now Stone was telling me that she covered for me? And why would he lie to me? He wouldn't, so... Why did Mercy help me?
"Liam? You alright?" I heard Stone ask. I blinked a few times and looked back at him. I couldn't even clear my head enough to read him properly. He didn't sound angry, but, aside from that, nothing. I wasn't even sure how to respond to his question.
"I... I don't know..." I stammered, taking a few steps back. Stone took a few steps toward me, I didn't stop him. My head was spinning, what other assumptions was I wrong about? Or, was Mercy playing some long con that I wasn't aware of? That Stone wasn't? I didn't know, and that uncertainty was killing me...
"Either way, she's after us now. So what do we do?" Deborah said. I shook my head and raised my hand to my forehead, trying to drive my uncertainties to the back of my mind. Deborah was right, we needed to focus, Blackstone was after us either way, that needed to be our primary focus. I sighed and looked back to Stone, who gave me one last look. I knew immediately what he meant, and nodded. He nodded back, then turned and began pacing, arms crossing as he thought.
"If what Kharion told me is right, then Blackstone knows we've all been to Morrowgale. We can't go back there." He said, his pacing carrying him from the end of the wall back to the foot of Deborah's bed. I lowered my hand and considered our options. Ashfeld was an expansive piece of land, there were many other settlements we could travel to. Unfortunately, most were either abandoned, military forts, or under the control of local warlords. What few exceptions there were, were almost all occupied by Blackstone.
"Wherever we decide must be somewhere we can seek medical help. Deborah is still injured and is suffering from the cold, the road won't be kind to her." I pointed out. Stone nodded and continued pacing, Deborah sighed and laid her head back against the bed.
"Any chance you can talk to Kharion, Conqueror? Get him to let us stay?" Deborah asked, Stone was shaking his head even before she had finished her sentence.
"Kharion is only the acting leader until his father returns, he can't overturn his laws." Deborah laughed at this.
"Brilliant." She said sarcastically. I thought back to my earlier travels on the road, reminiscing over the various places I had been. Most of them had been small towns, barely large enough to support a church, none of them would have the help we needed for Deborah. The few larger settlements I had been to had forced me to perform errands for warlords, and I had gleaned enough of their character to suspect I wouldn't be the requested servant with Deborah around. Perhaps a monastery or a church? They were sworn to aid the sick and others in need, like I was. But was I really comfortable with exposing them to Blackstone as well? No, we needed someone who was able to protect themselves.
"There have to be a few warlords out there of sound character, perhaps we could find one of them and implore them for aid?" I suggested. Stone stopped in his tracks, as though remembering something.
"There may be one..." He began. Both Deborah and I turned to him, and he to us.
"There's a large town at the foot of a small castle about a day's travel from here, it's called Castle Nov Domas. I've heard rumors that it's former warlord was ousted by a band of traveling knights. The "Midnight Howls", I think they were called." He explained. I wasn't familiar with them, nor was I hopeful of a group with that kind of a name.
"The Midnight Howls?" Deborah asked. I turned to her.
"You know them?" I inquired.
"Only from their stories." She clarified, turning her gaze toward me before continuing; "They're an old group of warriors who banded together after their village was attacked. Their songs are high class nonsense, but I've always suspected there was some truth to them." She explained. I brought a hand to my chin in thought. I knew most songs and epics were exaggerated to some extent, but if there was even a chance a reputable group was an option, did we not have an obligation to try?
"Stone, is there any way you could convince them to let us in?" Stone sighed and shook his head.
"Something tells me that they're not gonna trust a Conqueror with a human skull on his head and no colors to his name." He mused.
"But they would listen to a Warden." Deborah's voice cut through the air like a hot knife through butter. Both turned to look at me, I raised my head and inhaled. I wasn't sure I liked using my oath and order to secure lodging, or any kind of favor. The last thing I wanted was to abuse the trust my station afforded me. This, of course, was assuming these rumors were even true to begin with. If we were wrong, then we would almost certainly be marching towards enforced servitude. Then again, if we were right, it was Deborah's only hope. Not only that, but Stone's life was on the line as well, Blackstone was looking for him too, after all. If I approached alone, I could get a hold of the situation, learn what we were dealing with before having to risk their lives. Yes, this was my only choice. Slowly, I nodded and looked to Stone.
"It will take us some time, we must move slower to ensure a comfortable pace for Deborah." I insisted. Again, Stone did not flinch, and nodded.
"If your map is in the bed chambers, I can go collect it and find a path." He confirmed. I nodded, and he nodded back. Without so much as a word, he turned and marched toward the doors, opened them, and made his way towards the bed chambers. I sighed and looked behind me, my eyes resting on an empty cot. With a few weary steps, I made my way over and sat, but did not set down my sword. When I looked back up, Deborah was lying on her side, using her hand to cushion her side as she smiled at me.
"So your name is Liam?" She asked, her smile widening as she rested. A strange feeling rose in my chest at the sound of my name on her lips. I wasn't sure what it was but... It was kind of nice. With a deep exhale, I nodded.
"That is my name, yes." I confirmed. Deborah only continued to smile and stared at me.
"That's a nice name, Warden. I wouldn't mind using it, if you'd let me." She said. I should have been opposed to it, I had spent many years training and fighting for the right to call myself Warden. It was a sign of honor, commitment, and service. To allow her to call me Liam should have felt wrong. Yet, the smile on her face, and having heard her call me by my name once already, it made me glad for some reason. So, despite my reservations, I looked back at her...
...And nodded.