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Chapter 11 - Another Journey

So this was finally it. The end of her quest. Somehow, she'd imagined that it would be more dramatic thank this.

"Get your hands off me." Rei growled, stamping down and back with her foot to crush the bandit's instep. As the man yelled and let go, she span, drawing a throwing dagger from its sheath at her wrist and using it to open his neck. It was a stupid idea, she knew - the bandit was far from alone, and even if she'd been wearing her cloak she'd have had trouble surviving their revenge. There were two more of them in the inn's common room alone, and none of the other people there looked fit to fight. The two bandits, who were looking at her with something suddenly akin to wariness.

"Hey, you can't do that." One of them told her, stupidly, taking his axe from where it hung on his belt.

"I just did." She glared back, taking her fighting dagger back from the bandit she'd killed and holding it in her left hand. "Run away, or it's your turn next."

"... no." The other bandit - apparently the smarter of the two - responded. "Sit back down, give us your daggers, and we'll forget about it."

"I'd like to be able to do as you say, but..." Rei sighed, looking down. "I can't just let you rob these people..."

"What makes you think you can stop us?" The smart bandit smirked. "You got lucky, girlie, but that's all."

"I see." Rei murmured, walking forwards slowly towards the bandit, fiddling with her daggers as though nervous with her head still down. "Then... maybe if I give you something special... you'll let us go..?" She asked, reaching up to her neck with her left hand and taking the silver chain she wore there out, unclasping it to take the small object that hung from it off.

"Oh? What's that?" The stupid bandit asked, moving forwards, curiously.

"A present... from someone I care deeply about." She smiled wistfully, then slipped Lyn's ring on. Moving quickly, she brought u her right hand, still holding her fighting dagger, and lunged at him. He brought up his axe to block, but when she knocked it aside with her left hand he was left too shocked to think of a way to avoid the knife that buried itself in his throat. Putting her boot against his chest, she shoved the dying, gasping body away from her to free her dagger before plucking her throwing dagger again from its sheath to cut the smarter swordsman's weapon wrist open. Arterial blood, thick and red, sprayed out and covered her, forcing her to close her eyes, but even so she managed to avoid his off-handed vengeance strike. Wiping the back of her hand across her eyes to clear them, she span and ducked under his guard to shove both knives up under his ribs.

"You'll be alright now, I'm going to find help." She turned to look at the other people - mostly oldtimers and women - in the common room. Someone screamed, and another person fainted.

"She's some kind of demon..." She heard one of the oldtimers muttering, and they all looked away from her. Sighing, she turned back to the doorway and, cleaning and sheathing her daggers, pulled her cloak on before walking out into the streets. She slipped the ring off and put it back on the chain around her neck - the strength it gave her was dangerous if the ring was worn for too long, since her body wasn't built to maintain it.

"Whoa!" A man's voice exclaimed, and she looked left just in time to see a sorrel horse rearing back. She backed up in time to avoid being trampled, but the look the green-haired rider gave her nearly pinned her to the wall.

"Are you one of the bandits?" He asked, and his voice was younger than he looked. He was wearing House Pherae livery, she realised, recognising the insignia from an encounter the year before.

"No, she's been staying at the inn a couple of days now... I think." The second voice was female, and finally Rei noticed the second rider on the horse's back. A fourteen year old girl, her hair a darker green than the riders'. She was carrying a bow, using her other hand to hold on around the cavalier's waist.

"Yes. My name is Rei. I'm a wandering strategist... you're one of Lord Elbert's men, aren't you?" She addressed the chevalier

"Yes. I'm Lowen. This is Rebecca, the mayor's daughter. There's more bandits coming, we need to get to the ridge outside town. Lord Eliwood is there with Sir Marcus, then we'll be able to drive the marauders off." The cavalier told her quickly.

"Alright. I'm coming with you. How did you plan to leave? The main gate will be guarded." Rei asked, looking around warily in case more bandits approached. This was a large band.

"There's a sally port on the eastern side of the village." Rebecca told her. "We need to go, before it's too late."

"Right." Rei nodded. "Can you come with me two moments, please?" She asked them, then ran round to the back of the inn to where the small stable stood. The cavalier followed, then saw what she was getting at. With a cry, he charged the two stunned-looking bandits who were guarding the three horses currently in the stable and cut them down with broad sweeps of his sword. Rei followed quickly, letting the smallest of the three out and throwing a saddle onto its' back. She could get her bags later, she reckoned, and bridled the animal before swinging up onto its back.

"Petal, ike." She whispered to her mount, and the mountain-bred horse trotted sideways for a moment before she nodded to Lowen. The two horses took off together, heading towards the sally port.

"So Rei, tell me, what are you doing in Pherae?" Eliwood asked. They were sitting in the inn's common room again, and while Rei had cleaned the blood from her skin and clothes the locals still treated her with a kind of wariness.

"Travelling," she shrugged. "What about you, Lord Eliwood? Going somewhere in particular? I noticed you're equipped for a long trip. Are you going to meet your friend again?"

"I only wish I was." The redheaded noble sighed. "My father has disappeared. He's been missing for two months now, and mother is starting to worry."

"So you're going to look for him?" She asked, raising her eyebrows. "With - if you'll excuse me - an old man and a squire as your only warriors? Lord Eliwood, your counties' cavalry are famous throughout Elibe, but Sir Marcus should have gone into a monastery by now, and Sir Lowen is barely old enough to polish his sword. I can't see a reason for you to have just them unless..." She paused, thoughtfully. "Your father had most of the knights with him when he disappeared, didn't he?"

"Yes. He went to meet Lord Helman with them, but disappeared on his way back to the castle. If I took anyone else, Castle Pherae would be too weakly defended in case whatever attacked my father decides to finish the job." He paused, before grinning. "Besides, don't write Marcus off yet. He's got enough fight in him still to land me on my back nine times out of ten."

"With respect, Lord Eliwood, you're even younger than Sir Lowen." She paused, then chuckled self-depreciatingly. "Then again, who am I to talk? I'm only eighteen myself. You're what, sixteen? The same age as Lady Lyn was when we fought Lundgren."

"You see my point." He smirked. "Actually, I'd feel a lot better about this if you came along. I know it's not exactly an army, but your tactical advice has gotten smaller groups out of worse trouble before."

"I'll need paying. I can't afford to work for free at the moment." She told him, and he nodded.

"Of course. The full rates for a tactician in the employ of House Pherae." He paused. "How does a six month contract sound? I can't promise that this'll take any less than that."

"If we're travelling, it should be fine." She told him. "But if we have to stay in one place for any length of time, I can't stay. I'm sorry, but I can't tell you why."

"Very well. I can't imagine staying in one place for more than a couple of days at a time. We have a lot of ground to cover, and not many leads."

"Sounds good to me. Do we leave in the morning?"

"At first light. I want to be in Santaruz by Thursday." Eliwood nodded. "On that note, I'm going to turn in." He stood up, ready to leave.

"One moment. I'll talk to Marcus about drawing up my contract, but... wouldn't it be better to hire some mercenaries to help us out?"

"Perhaps. Did you have anyone in mind?" He turned back, frowning thoughtfully.

"I think I might. I'm here specifically because I heard that a man I know named Dorcas is in the area. He's a strong fighter, and loyal. I'll talk to Sir Marcus about it."

"Yes, you do that. After last year, I think I trust your judgement." Eliwood smiled and went to bed.

Getting up, Rei walked over to the table the two chevalier were sharing.

"You must have steel in your heart as well as in your belly, or you don't deserve to wear it!" Marcus was admonishing the squire, who was nodding, clearly shaken.

"Ano... excuse me, sir Marcus. If I could interrupt for a moment..?" Rei asked, tentatively. It sounded like they were involved in a fairly important discussion.

"Of course, lady Rei. You were a great help today." Marcus nodded to her, standing to pull a chair out.

"Thankyou, sir Marcus." She smiled at him as he retook his own seat. "Lord Eliwood has hired me to travel with you as strategist. He's also asked me to investigate finding other people to help, having explained the situation with his father."

"He must trust you a great deal." Marcus murmured, nodding. "You mean to hire mercenaries? Naturally, any choices you make will have to be ratified by me." He leaned on the table, steepling his fingers.

"Of course. There is a man staying at one of the other inns nearby. I plan to seek him out in the morning. His name is Dorcas, an axe man from the Bern-Sacae border. A quiet man, but he fights for the right reasons, and he's one of the men who helped Lady Lyn with the troubles in Caelin last year."

"You know him well, then?" Marcus asked, lifting an eyebrow. "I will need to meet him."

"I was hoping you would come with me to see him in the morning." Rei nodded.

"Very well." Marcus agreed. "Ah, is that not miss Rebecca?" He asked, changing the subject as the dark-haired girl approached their table. "Is there something we can do for you, lass?"

"Ah... well... um, yes." Rebecca stammered, nervously. "You're leaving tomorrow, aren't you..?"

"Here, sit down." Rei smiled, standing to give the girl her seat and pulling another over from a nearby table. "That was the plan, yes."

"Well... I was wondering if it would be alright for me to come with you." She asked. "I've already talked to my father, and he approved, but he said I needed to talk to the lord about being paid..."

"Absolutely not." Marcus told her, scowling viciously. "You did alright today, but we're going into possible danger. Besides, the road is no place for a girl your age."

"But... I want to see things. I don't want to be stuck here the rest of my life... and I'm a good shot, you saw me earlier..." Rebecca stammered, weak at first but getting stronger. "I killed three men today. I'm not a little girl any more!" By the end of her speech, she was scowling almost as fiercely as the paladin.

"Very well." The scowl faded from Marcus' face as quickly as it had arrived. "You'll do."

"What?" Rebecca blinked, stunned by the sudden reversal.

"You can come with us. We won't coddle you, though, and while you're with us, I'll expect you to train as hard as any of the knights." He paused. "We're leaving early, though. Have a bag packed. One, small. In fact, Lowen, go with her and show her what she should bring. How does two hundred gold for a six-month contract sound?"

"That's including a weapon." Rei added. "Your bow is good, but it's a hunting tool. It won't stand up to the amount of use it'll see in combat." Marcus looked at her sharply, but she met his gaze coolly until he nodded.

"Very well. Two hundred gold and your weapon." He told Rebecca, who nodded.

"I don't know what would be reasonable, but I trust you not to take advantage." She smiled at him, impishly.

"Very good. That's the standard rate you would receive if you were a member of the standing army. Sellswords usually charge more than that, depending on their reputation, but it's reasonable for a newcomer to the scene." Marcus told her, sternly. "Go pack now. We'll be turning in soon as well, so don't feel you're being sent to be early."

The young archer nodded and stood up, Lowen standing with her, and the two made their way out of the inn.

"Why did you let her come so easily, sir Marcus? I expected you to put up more of a fight" Rei asked, curious, when they were out of earshot.

"She's tough. If she were a boy, she'd likely have joined the militia. But more than that, if we don't take her with us, she'll find another way to get into trouble. This way, we can keep an eye on her." Marcus paused, then looked at Rei piercingly. "I can trust you to do that, can't I? Since she'll be your guard."

"Of course." Rei didn't take offence at the suggestion she needed a guard - as often as not, it was true - and she knew that it was only reasonable. It also gave a valid reason for them to share a tent that wouldn't offend the girls' pride. On her own, she'd probably insist on bunking with the others just to prove she could handle it. "She is good, though."

"Very. I worry that she's perhaps too good, however. Killing takes something out of a person, and she does it with dangerous ease." Marcus frowned. "You'll talk to her about that, I hope?"

"I'll do my best, sir Marcus, but she's fire-hearted." Rei told him, solemnly. "Now, about my contract. I think you'll find I'm worth slightly more than thirty gold a month..."