Chapter 3: For your own Good
There were no roads to Nordberg, the town had built itself around the port the surrounding villages and hunters used to sell their Magic-derived wares into the wider world. Those wares having become worth far more after the Empires ban on magic and its ensuing pacification of the monsters it produced. Nordberg was out of the way, relatively meaningful without being critical and the port was frozen eight months out of the year.
It had been a perfect hiding place for Amarok Wolfborne and, far more importantly, his daughter. His assignment there bought with a well-earned favour, and the continual line of Yetis sent back to his patron. It chafed at Amaroks pride, but having his daughter brashly complain about boys, girls and weaving instead of being scared more than made up for it.
He had heard of the Witch-boy of course, he sold some wares just outside the town gates, tonics and salves that boosted endurance and healing. Amarok had watched him from a distance, well-honed instincts warning him that the boy was dangerous, but he had acquired a couple of the boys' wares from his fellow hunters. They worked damn well, he had outright made it mandatory for the lads warming tonic to be taken before any long hunt. The grumbling had only been skin-deep; the hunters hurling insults only to appear loyal rather than any sense of actual malice.
He hadn't known that his Kelda had met the boy, she'd made some noise about a new friend. But he'd made the mistake of thinking she had made up with the Archie boy and his lot rather than the outcast o' the village. But here he was, watching his daughter metaphorically drag the lad up tae his house, and actually drag a damn wolf by a makeshift collar.
Amarok was over six feet tall and built like a bear, he knew he was intimidating and when he tried, he could be outright terrifying. His thirteen-year-old daughter had as much fear of him as she apparently did of starving wolves. Kelda walked up to him, ignoring the mutts whimpering as it tried to get away from him. He tried to stay mad, but she looked so damn happy that he knew he wasn't going to win.
"Da'!" Kelda yelped as Amarok pulled her close, large hands gently pushing her hair away from the scratch on her temple. He carefully examined the rest of her face for more injuries pushing her around so he could check her back. But besides the scratch, and a couple of rips on her hood, Kelda seemed no worse for the wear.
He'd noticed Kelda let go of the wolf while he'd checked her out, but the mutt knew better than tae try and run from him. It merely stood trembling, fur ragged and ribs showing, while the man looked over his daughters' injuries. Now he was looking he saw the thing had a couple of burns on its side, he glanced at both kids but didn't see any torches.
The Witchboy had waited politely while Amarok had looked over Kelda, seeing that he was finished the Witchboy stepped forward, nerves evident and extended a hand.
"Hello Hunter Wolfborne, I am Tybald, it's a pleasure to meet you…" The boy trailed off near quaking under Amaroks stare. His surprise was obvious when Amarok hand engulfed his.
"Nice ta meet ye Tybald." Amarok jerked his head at Kelda who was leading a resigned wolf over to the stable for reasons he would be finding out. "I got you tae blame for the new pet?"
Tybald blinked "No, Kelda and I where hunting, the wolf attacked while Kelda was retrieving an arrow. I managed to get it off her and restrain it, Kelda was the one that wished to keep him as a pet." Tybald shrugged "I suggested eating him"
"Her" Amarok corrected "Wolfs a bitch, also ya really don't want tae eat predators unless ye ain't got a choice. Lotta parasites, meats tough and tastes like crap" Amarok couldn't see anything of the kids face, the midday light somehow unable to pierce the shadows of his hood.
"Hood off," Amarok said
"No" Tybald stated
"Kid" Amarok began "Kelda and ye went off intae the damn wyld woods alone, there are buncha monsters in there that'll eat ye from the inside-out. Worst of the lot hide in thick cloths and get ya over a few days, but there are a bunch that'll make ya wish fer death that hide in yer hair." Amarok let his stare relax on the kid. "I smoke Keldas clothes wae a herbal mixture that kills the fuckers. Yaer clothes are cleaner than a nobles floors, they willnae dae jack tae stop the little bugs. Now" Amarok stated "Hood off."
The glowing eyes of the kid pretty much hid what the kid was thinking, but it was obvious that the boy was having an argument with himself. Finally, he took off his pack and carefully put it to the side. Then Tybald pulled back his hood.
Amarok stared "Well, fuck a duck."
OOOoooOOO
Kelda wasn't sure if leaving her da' and Tybald alone was a good idea, but she wanted to clean those burns her poor wolf had. She appreciated Tybald saving her life, but burns sucked.
"You need a name," she said, meeting the miserable gaze of the wolf. Kelda thought, thinking over the old stories her da' would tell her. "How about Laika?" She asked the wolf made a whimpering sound that Kelda took as a confirmation "Right then Laika it is" she smiled at the wolf, trying to keep the poor thing calm.
She clapped her hands, wincing when the wolf cowed at the sound.
"Sorry," she said, Kelda knew where everything was in the stable, giving Dew their apathetic mule, a quick pet she went over to where they kept the brushes and some of the salves her Da' used for hunting. Grabbing what she needed, she gently pulled Laika to a stool and sat, she was well acquainted with the contents of the small pot of healing salve. She wasn't sure where her Da' got it from, but it worked a good bit better than the stuff they had brought from the "Civilised" world.
Opening the salve, she grimaced at the sharp herbal smell that was released and gave a snort when she saw that Laika had a similar expression.
"Yeah it stinks doesn't it girl? But it'll make yea feel better."
Kelda gently brushed Laikas fur, carefully avoiding the burned areas of flesh Laika whimpered but didn't dare snarl or snap at her. Once she had cleared the burnt areas of fur, she rubbed the salve onto the burns, after that, she led Laika to a spare stall in the barn got some supplies for her new pet and left the wolf to rest.
Leaving the barn, she stopped and did not fight the grin that was pulling at her face. She let herself skip up to where her da' was carefully running his hands through a very annoyed Tybalds hair. During her currently brief friendship with Tybald, she had never seen his face, hair… skin, and somehow she had got it into her head that Tybald was two glowing peepers wearing a hood.
He was not.
"Your so pretty!" she squeed, watching with glee as Tybald tried to shrink into his collar. Grinning like a cat she looked over her friend, his skin was a pale blue colour, white swirls forming intricate patterns across his face. But she could ignore that, she had always thought that Tybald would look like a goblin, or something else inhuman. Instead, her robust and lumbering friend looked like a damn elf, the massive scowl he had as he glared at her did little to hide just how cute he was. Bereft of the hood the glow of Tybalds eyes had dimmed, revealing irritated gold irises.
Her Da' had completed his check during her own perusal of Tybalds face and had backed away grinning. Kelda sat on Tybalds lap, ignoring his squawk of protest took her gloves off and began to run her hands through his long, silver hair.
"It's so soft!" She grabbed a strand and brought it to her nose "It smells like gooseberries and… lavender?" She asked, "How did ya make yer hair smell like flowers? Mine always smells like bear fat." She stiffened "You do think I stink!"
Tybalt went very still "I never said that nor did I imply that you scent was unpleasant in any way." He said carefully "Our standards of cleanliness are merely different, your father has been explaining to me why cleanliness is not always preferable in survival situations." He watched Kelda work her way through his sentence, he was getting the unpleasant feeling that he had mistaken disuse for ignorance.
This was confirmed when Kelda punched his shoulder, it actually hurt "Ow!" he grabbed Keldas arm before she could hit him again, grabbing the other before she could raise it. Wrapping his arms around her, he crushed her to his chest, sealing Keldas arms to her sides. This put her face next to his neck, which she began to bite, thankfully she was too careful for it to hurt. Kelda gave up after a minute chewing, leaning back to glare at him then grinned.
"So you think that I'm gross, do ya?" she leaned forward, Tybald tried to pull back but couldn't without letting Kelda go "What are you going to do?" Tybald's voice trembled as Kelda drew close, tongue extending, behind him he could hear Amarok cackling "Wait, Kelda please let's talk ab-STOP LICKING ME!" Tybald's please fell on deaf ears as Kelda ran her tongue up the side of his cheek.
Both kids yelped as their combined efforts unbalanced Tybald and sent them sprawling, Tybald twisted, making sure that he was underneath, Kelda, however, had the same idea and tried to counter twist. This resulted in both of them landing awkwardly on their sides, instead of their backs like they had planned. The wind knocked from both of them, they simply lay there staring at each other, Kelda recovered first "I don't stink." She said poking Tybald on the nose.
"I. Never. Said. You. Did" Tybalds voice was flat as he ground out the words, "I merely meant to imply that I have several products you might prefer."
Kelda stared at him "What? You sell soap?"
"I sell several ointments and herbal products, all of which actually work," Tybald said, "I noticed that you smell of that concoction that Mrs Brothwind sells from her store."
Kelda sat up, reaching down and easily helping Tybald up with her "Stuff works don't it?" She asked, looking over at her father "kills all those damn lice n' ticks" Amarok nodded easily, but his eyes stade on Tybald.
"It works" Tybalt began "but it causes damage to the hair, and prolonged use will dry out your skin," he said "makes infections more likely. My own products utilise a combination of weaker compounds combined with some weak magical products to have a significantly greater effect with far fewer downsides." He shrugged, looking down "it really does work."
Amarok snorted "An nae one believes the weird cave kid" he looked at Tybalt "Well we were going to yer house anyway, so we can pick up some of yer soap an try it over the next coupla' days" he said walking over and hauling both kids to their feet.
Tybald went still "Why were we going to my home?" he asked voice soft
"Cause there are still some beasties in yer cloths we need tae deal with, unless yeh want to start growing vines or such" Amarok explained easily.
"I can clean myself well enough" Tybalt replied "I could pay for the herb bundle and any instructions."
Amarok shook his head "Only got enough for the smokery" he gestured to a small, sturdy building "An the stuffs expensive, only that git McCroy knows ow tae make them an he disnae share." Amaroks dark eyes focused on Tybald "An I aint letting a kid get sick cause he got some pride, aint saw my Kelda take tae someone so fast before. An I felt yer grip, that those idiots aren't at the healer's every time they go hunting tells me what sorta kid ye are."
Amarok walked away from the two kids, disappearing into his home. When he came back he was wearing a heavy jacket a giant crossbow peeking over one shoulder.
"Whelp no time like tae present let's go kiddos."
OOOoooOOO
In defiance of common sense, uncommon sense and basic sanity, a small convoy of troops and palisades trudged through the inches of snow, led by a corpulent man almost comically overdressed compared to the soldiers surrounding him. Figures lethally underdressed in white robes surrounded the convoy, blocking out the snow and freezing wind with a brilliant barrier of power. Projected by the staves they held, emblazoned with the heraldry of the Empire the figures would claim it's a blessing from their Emperor.
Staring out at the new priests of the Imperial Cult Marius decided it would be safe enough in his palisade to allow his disdain to show on his face. He had no particular antipathy for magic, like all things it had its use, but he could not deny his Emperors' brilliance. The Magical Plague had left the surrounding kingdoms ripe for the pickings, the Plague almost seeking out the most potent sources of magic and consuming all who relied on them. Even better lands once uncontestable due to the powerful things that called them home were now little more than graveyards, the only soldiers required farmers to remove the corpses blocking fertile land.
In some ways, the continual rise of the Overlords had saved the land of Stormshear from the Plague. Being the constant bulwark against such Evil meant that even the Dragons and Unicorns were rarely allowed to live long enough to grow powerful, out of either competition or as a sacrifice to destroy the current Overlord. As such Stormshear had found itself mostly untouched by the Plague and the Emperor had rapidly seized the opportunity presented.
In Marius's opinion, the Cult was a singular stroke of brilliance, the Cataclysm had destroyed the bonds the Gods had with the world and left their followers bereft of answers. Few would have dared to step into the gap, fear of reprisal once the Gods found their way back but the Emperor was no ordinary man, and neither he nor Marius would have any reason to fear Gods in time.
But first Marius would have to get rid of any potential embarrassments, and Borius, for all Marius loved him, was an embarrassment. Corpulent as Marius was thin and lacking Marius's intellect more than a few nobles had made the mistake of thinking that Borius would be an easy way to remove Marius from power. Those fools were dead now, killed by blows that would render horses unconscious, the bodies disposed of with a few words and a gesture.
The brothers had long ago found that for all their differences, their aims were always aligned, Borius wished for little more than servants and gold and had long found trusting his brother resulted in both. Few would talk to the snide and severe Marius, but many found their secrets revealed to Borius's wine and food, and what Borius knew Marius soon would.
But Marius had entered a game were life and death were little more than a few actions away, it was a game his older brother was little prepared to play. Best then to get him into a quiet region of the Empire, rich enough to support his brothers' habits, but not so important that would pull Borius into the game.
The palisade shuddered as it came to a halt, pulling Marius from his thoughts. He stepped out, looking around at the convoy as commanders began to get the men ready for camp. Looking to the West, he realised that he could see a faint glow of orange in the darkening sky.
Finally
Nordberg was near.
Hey all, so the chapter kinda went further than I planned and life is busy. Which when combined with how long its been I thought it best to publish now, before I decide to rewrite the damn things again.
Hope everyone has a Good week, think we all deserve one after the last few months/Year.