Sorry about the vocab/history lessons, but I feel it's the details that make the story. If you want me to cut it out, just say so.
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Kim awoke to find the camp short of two key group elements. Edgil and Fedelmid were nowhere to be found. The rest of the wanderers still slept, including their tour guide, Est. Should Kim wake someone? There gear was gone, so they were not taken by surprise, she figured.
Instead, Kim decided to keep watch herself until the others awoke. Daylight was fast approaching, they had toughed it out with only the four of them when Fedelmid was on death's door.
She didn't have to ponder alone for very long, because a certain brunette, long haired swordsmen began to stir. He seemed to be, at least. Kim decided not to take chances on it by throwing small rocks at him.
Jack woke up with a yawn and a stretch, Kim's pebble barrage seeming to have tipped the scale. He sat up and looked around groggily, his bed head a total mess. The young man didn't even rub the sleep from his eyes before he retrieved a comb from his back pocket and fixed his hair.
Kim glared daggers that soon succeeded in getting his attention. "Why had a comb. This entire time?" Kim quietly fumed.
"Uh... yeah Kim. Do you think my hair just perfects itself every day?" Jack asked like it was a no brainer.
Kim decided to tone down her temper and play the cute puppy card instead. She played with the hem of her t-shirt and bit her lip, looking at him under her eye lashes. In the softest voice she could muster, she asked, "Jack, do you think I could maybe borrow that?" Kim's hair was in dire need of a comb and detangling.
Jack rolled his eyes and patted the foot of his bed roll that had been supplied by Est's Vakker Rangers. Kim smiled before getting out of her own bed roll. She nearly skipped over to Jack's bedroll and gracefully plopped herself down.
Before the comb touched Kim's hair, Jack leaned into her and growled, "If anyone finds out about this, you will never see this comb again."
"Message received," Kim acknowledged, shocked by Jack's seriousness at the situation.
Jack's hands worked skillfully in tandem with the black plastic comb to work Kim's hair free of knots and tangles. Her head listed this way and that, following Jack's movements.
Jack took the comb from her hair and fluffed out the blonde locks, admiring his own work. "Feel better?"
Kim turned to him and smiled, "Much. Thank you." Kim got up and scampered off to her own roll.
Jack looked around hesitantly because he realized he'd left his guard down. They were in friendly borders, yes, but no place is entirely safe all the time. Think of your own home. Do you feel safe at all times of the night, in every part of your town? Could you walk down a sleeping highway at midnight without once looking over your shoulder?
Jack only detected one threat, a smiling Est. Jack blushed and scratched his neck awkwardly, now full aware that he had been caught in his moment with Kim.
Kim took up her quiver and her finer bow that Est had given her, one that she didn't fear would break from the slightest use. "I'm gonna go to the river and wash up." This seems like too much information to me and you, but the pack understood that it was a fair warning. If she wasn't back in what felt like a reasonable amount of time, they would go in search.
It was agreed that Jerry would be the one to stay at camp if she returned. Kim had flat out stated that Jerry was the last one she'd want to walk in on her bathing, tacking a "no offense" at the end. Jerry had agreed that was smart. Jerry wasn't a threat to her, but he would make the biggest deal out of it.
Kim had taken her leave and left Jack with Est.
"Tell me Lord Jack, how do you find Lady Kim?" Est asked pleasantly, not trying to start anything.
"Lord?" Jack asked with a chuckle.
"Are you not Lord of New York?" Est asked with a raised brow. "You carry yourself as a leader of men."
"I'm not a lord, Est," Jack shook his head. "I'm just Jack Brewer, nothing special."
"Surely you have some title," Est pushed. "Lord Jerry has told me he is the Lord of Swag."
Jack laughed aloud and shook his head. "Of course he did... I was a company commander, a captain in JROTC."
"JROTC?" Est asked, the letters meaning nothing to her.
"Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps," Jack explained.
Est smiled, happy to be in the company of whom she be believed to be a skilled soldier. Jack was a 2nd degree black belt and skilled in medieval combat, though not a master. So Est wasn't entirely wrong. "You dodge my questions, Captain Brewer."
"What were we talking about?" Jack played dumb.
"Lady Kim. Do you fancy her?" Est asked with a smirk.
"Here's an idea, let's not talk about this," Jack suggests with a smile.
"You two seem like a smart match, that's all. And if you are to see the king, King Brody is bound to take notice of her beauty," Est adds, looking for a rise out of the young man.
"I can't tell her what to do," Jack shrugged, trying to ignore the pseudo punch to the gut.
Est studied him for a second critically, but Jack's façade held firm. "I'm watching you, Captain," she finished as Milton sat up.
"Good morning, all," Milton's smile faltered when he saw a lack of bodies. "Where's Kim, Fed, and Cyn?" the boy asked, scratching his hairless chin.
"Kim's bathing in the river. Edgil and Fed are missing," Jack summed up, and it felt odd to use Edgil's name.
"They are not missing," Est rolled her eyes. "Edgil Cyneric is Jarl* of the Cynerics and the warden of their forces. He is a busy man."
"Edgil is a jarl? Is that why he wouldn't tell us who he was?" Jack scratched his chin like Milton had, but Jack had grown something of a beard during his time in Weite. It wasn't yet full or bushy, but it held promise.
"When Lady Kim returns, we should wake Lord Jerry and make for the road," Est announced. "I will go tell Lady Kim." Est stood and adorned her light armor, feeling no shame for dressing in front of the men. She still wore undergarments, which in her culture made this acceptable.
"Thank god Jerry's asleep," Jack mumbled to Milton.
"Why is that?" Est looked confused as she grabbed her bow.
"Uh... Dressing, even when wearing undergarments, is done privately in our culture," Milton explained in his awkward yet encyclopedic way.
"Should I hide myself in front of you then, when I dress?"
"If it feels normal to you, do what you want. It's just shameful to be seen undressed I guess, in American culture, anyway," Jack offers.
"Why do your people see it as shameful? Why should you hide who you are?"*
"We don't dictate our culture, our culture dictates us," Milton says weakly, not pleased by the way this conversation is heading.
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After conversation had died, Est made her way to the stream to find Kim clothed, but hair soaked as she hid behind a tree, her bow drawn and an arrow knocked. Across the river, a pack of bandits, ten of them, preparing to bathe themselves.
Skillfully, Est made her way to Kim's side without being heard. "Lady Kim," she whispered, nearly giving the poor blonde a heart attack. "Return to the camp and fetch our friends. Together we can dispatch this small rabble of trouble makers. They would love to fall upon us unaware, but we have caught them."
"Do we have to kill them?" Kim asked, praying they didn't. Kim had already learned that it was kill or be killed, she just hoped this was not that kind of situation.
"It's either us, them, or travelers they may fall upon later," Est said sadly.
"Fine," Kim gave in and doubled back to camp.
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"Guys, grab your gear and get ready," Kim ordered as she walked to Jerry's sleeping form and kicked him awake.
"Where's Est?" Jack asked as he kicked dirt over a fire and put his sword belt around his waste.
"At the river," Kim said, handing Jerry his greatsword in it's rawhide sheath. "A small pack of bandits showed up as I was getting dressed. I barely got by unnoticed."
"And we have to fight them?" Milton asked, hefting up his shield.
"Est said if we don't they'll just attack someone else, or try to get us later. Dog eat dog," Kim summarized.
"Let's move," Jack said, patting Kim's shoulder as he went passed her down the trail.
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The small group reconvened by the tree that Est had stayed at. They had all taken cover, pressing the backs to the wood, weapons ready.
"Kim and Est, stay behind cover and give us arrow cover. Jerry and Milton, with me," Jack was on top of the situation. Est ignored the fact that Jack hadn't asked her opinion, but his attack was sound. Jack took a deep breath and whispered, "Now!"
Jack moved out from behind his tree, Jerry and Milton on his sides. Kim and Est came from behind the tree, took aim and fired at the bandits who had expected nothing.
The bandits turned when the first two fell to see three oddly dressed warriors charging them, but no war cry sounding from their throats. They made for their weapons, but two more were struck down by arrows. Only three of them were able to reach the opposite bank, the other three being caught in the shallow water by the prepared warriors.
The three that had armed themselves made a run for it, but two were struck in the back. The last man continued to run, but Jack's ax flew true and found entrance to the coward's back.
"Well that wasn't much of a fight," Jerry commented, wiping blood off his blade onto the man he had killed. Jerry was oddly okay with killing, and that worried his three friends.
"Ladies, good job," Jack mock saluted the girls that soon joined them. "Jerry, Milton, this gear looks better than what you have. I'd trade up. We also might want to take their armor if any of it fits," Jack suggested as he made his way over to the other bank of the river, which was closer to a creek in depth, the water being a bit below the knee.
Jerry found an iron chest plate that was roughly his size, and easily made so with the adjustable leather straps on the side. He also found greaves and vembraces that were agreeable.
Milton was not so lucky in his search, finding nothing to fit his bony frame. The broadsword and shield he picked up were much more to his liking.
Jack was able to find pants of decent rawhide that felt more like pajama pants on the inside. A chainmail shirt and a black leather jerkin was all Jack felt he needed. He wanted protection, but also the ability to move around freely.
Kim wasn't any better off for gear than Milton, though she found a more suitable dagger, should she ever need to get up close. "I didn't want any armor anyway," Kim says with a near scowl.
"So uh, what do we do with the bodies?" Jerry asked as he sheathed his sword, not having found one he liked more.
"Leave them," Est said plainly. "We don't have anything to burn them with and their bodies are in the river."
"Burn them?" Kim asked, completely shocked.
"It's a common practice in non-Christian traditions to reincarnate. The Greeks, Vikings and other cultures did it," Jack explained as he took off his over shirt and pulled the chain mail over his t-shirt. "Let's get moving. We should cover some ground before nightfall."
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"We're getting closer," Est said with a smile. "You can see the walls from here. See the towers?" she pointed out in the distance. From the hilltop they stood on, it would take a blind man not to see it.
"We'll set camp here, but no fire tonight. We can see the surrounding country, but the smoke would be easily visible," Jack thought aloud as he set down his pack and rolled out his spread. The others follow suit and settle down for the night, all except Jack.
Jack takes his sword and nineteen inch ax, which is more of a hatchet. He had found more use in them he thought his training would ever back. He had not been in Weite long, but his blades had tasted more blood in this short time than he'd expected.
Jack decided to patrol along the base of the hill, knowing that Est watched him from the hill top. He wouldn't go far, but far enough to make himself feel content with their position.
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Only minutes into Jack's little patrol, he heard a twig snap. He drops down to one knee, ax and longsword ready for a fight.
"It's okay, Jack," a familiar honeyed voice calmed his jumpy nerves. Kim.
"What are you doing out here, Kim?" Jack asked, returning his weapons to his belt.
"I thought you could use a bit of company," Kim replied, biting her lip and looking at his feet. Why was she so nervous around him? This was only Jack, after all. Calm, confident, skilled, heroic and steal your breath away attractive Jack...
"You should get some rest, Kim. I'll come back to the hill after I see for myself our perimeter is clear."
"What about you, Jack? When was the last time you got more than four hours of sleep? You take the longest watches, you patrol the perimeter by yourself when we settle for the night and before we wake up," Kim pointed out. "You're scared, Jack. We all are. You don't need to kill yourself because you're our fearless leader."
Jack crossed his arms and leaned back against a tree. "Is this what you came for? To yell at me because I'm scared? You're pissed because you're some strong independent woman that doesn't need a man to care about you?" This honestly had Jack pissed. "Yeah, I care about you, but driving myself insane for all of you. Not only you."
Kim crossed her arms, too, and kicked at a rock. "You're taking this a lot harder than you've let us see, Jack," Kim told him, seeing the hurt and the exhaustion in his eyes. "Jack, what is it?"
Jack uncrossed his arms and stepped away from the tree had supported himself on. He paced this way and that, his hands spearing through his hair as tried to find himself again. "I'm alright, Kim."
Kim scoffed at him and took his hands from his hair. She held onto them and commanded him with her eyes to look at her. "Jack, visibly not okay right now," Kim's voice came out forcefully.
"We're scared, Kim, we all are. We're not from this world and we don't understand it. We don't know anything about it. I know how short life can be in this world, though. I know how dangerous it can be, how unpredictable. I've put hours and hours into research into periods of history like this. It's all fun to dream about, but to be in a world like it is another thing, Kim. Any day could be our last." Jack wanted to scream, to shout, but he knew he couldn't.
Kim let go of Jack's hands and cupped his face. "I know you're scared, Jack. I see it on your face every night when you lay down. When it's my turn to watch, I see your eyes looking everywhere and flinch at every sound. You take it on yourself to be the hero, big bad 'Captain Brewer' as Est calls you." Kim takes a deep breath and keeps staring into Jack's brown eyes, they haven't left his the whole time she spoke.
"Do you know why I can sleep at night, Jack? Do you know why I can keep watch without my back ever leaving a tree? You."
"Me?" Jack asked with a breath.
"You. Because you're keeping your eyes out. Because you wake up at the drop of a hat. Because you're here, and strong, and noble. I know as long as you're here, I'm safe," Kim paused and closed her eyes as she steeled her nerves. She stood up on her tiptoes and pecked his lips quickly before he could respond. "Finish your lap and promise me you'll go to bed."
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Morning came quicker than usual for Jack, as he had the best sleep he'd had since the night before he woke in the Void.
Once Jack sat up, he noticed Kim was awake, laying on her back and staring up at the fading stars as the light of day crept in. "Kim?"
The blonde archer turned her head and smiled lazily at her friend. She sat up when Jack smiled back and padded the foot of his bed had he had the morning before, his comb coming up in his hand.
She again plopped down in front of him and sighed contentedly as Jack carefully worked the comb through het long golden hair. "Is this our new thing now?" she asked, trying not to sound overly excited.
"You have pretty hair, and you should be able to have it well kept. I understand that you don't have a lot of the pleasantries now that you had at home, so I can at least give you this."
Kim turned and smiled at the tone muscled, lightly bearded man behind her. "The great Captain Brewer cares about his troops," she said teasingly. She tried not to laugh aloud when Jack rolled his eyes.
Once Jack had finished with Kim's hair and patted her on the shoulder to let her know she was good to go, he fixed his own.
"Should we wake the others?" Kim asked as she shook out and rolled up her bed.
"Nah, let them sleep a little longer. We're gonna walk till nightfall," Jack stated as if no one could tell him otherwise. No one had had a reason to contest his leadership yet. Jack took his group into consideration when he made his decisions. He was kind and understanding, but still showed the strength a leader should. He was a leader a troop could follow, respect and love. Captain Brewer, indeed.
The group soon woke up on their own anyway, eager to get behind stone walls. Est took point on the trail, given it was her home, after all.
"We have one destination we much reach first," Est said as she lead them off the beaten dirt path to a road of gravel, tall and proud trees on both sides.
"Where we going?" Kim asked curiously, not the distrust they had originally met Edgil with.
"We go to Cynerheld, the home of Edgil Cyneric," Est said with a warm smile. "It is custom for travelers to go to all the Wardens before they reach great Epineio. Without the Wardens, Epineio would not have such strength and splendor. It is right to give homage to the legs that carry the lion."
"Wow, that's actually really cool, Kim said with a smile.
Before long, the wanderers came to a wooden palisade, closed off with imposing double doors. On one the doors, a caricature of a broad chested smith hammered away at a sword on an anvil. On the opposite door, a powerful warrior armed with sword and shield stood out, embossed on the hardwood.
"Welcome to Cynerheld, home of master craftsmen and bulwarks*," Est said with arms wide, as if it were an offering.
A horn a sounded and answered by a second, the gates opened and the town lay before they. "Swag city, yo!" Jerry exclaimed as he entered the town, a spring in his step. He felt mighty in this place, as he was adorned in an iron shell, a greatsword at his back.
Jack was less was on cloud nine. He watched every man with weariness. He knew and would easily say trusted Edgil, but Edgil was the only one here he knew.
Kim could see the unease on Jack's face. She brushed her against his and smiled when he looked at her, a friendly gesture telling him to relax.
At the end of the main street, a massive longhouse stood out proud, looming over all other structures. Over the entrance, the same runes as on Jack's sword grabbed his attention.
Est opened the doors and ushered the others in. Tables lined both sides of the fire pit that ran up the center of the hall. At the end of the pit, a small stage stood three feet high with wooden steps leading up to it the throne, each step having a unique fire etched design.
On the great wooden throne sat Edgil, his knees closed with elbows braced on muscular thighs, fingers peaked and resting under his bearded chin.
"And here sits Jarl Edgil Cyneric, Thirteenth of his blood and one that toils with his people," Est announced with pride, having undying respect for this man.
Edgil's piercing hazel eyes flashed open and a grand smile spread over his face. "Friends, it is beyond my pleasure and honor to host such as you!" Edgil rose, as did the other subjects in his hall. "Rise, please. Friends do not bow to friends."
"Edgil," Est smiled and embraced her good friend and comrade, exchanging kisses to the cheek as was custom.
"Come friends, you must be starved for hot meat, straight from the bone! Too long have you fed on the scraps of enemies felled."
"Dude, these people gotta dial back the pomp and kick up the chill," Jerry murmured to Milton, earning a stomp to the foot. "Bro, so not ditch the wives!"
"We're glad to have made it, Edgil," Jack said honestly and politely. Jack and the others followed their host to a tale directly to the right of the throne, the Jarl's Table.
"Quick bring much food and nabid* for my friends!" Edgil called loudly, but jovially.
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After a great feast of potatoes, carrot and elk, the table was lethargic and more than content.
"Tell me, Captain Brewer, before we fought those bandits, how many lives have you taken?" Est asked with a slur, the nabid taking a heavy effect.
Jack nearly spit out his nabid. "Uh, I uh..." Jack stuttered, completely taken aback.
"You did not tell me you were a military man, Jack," Edgil added in. "I am not surprised, knowing your character. But come, Est, not every warrior records their reaps on the handles of their weapons as do the Magnons."
"Edgil's right, I've never tried to count," Jack copped out and lied. He had been keeping count, the idea of ending one's life was so foreign and still appalling yet.
"Enough of this talk. We must rest now, no?" Edgil swayed this way and that. "You will all sleep under my roof, in my halls, as is fitting for noble guests such as my friends. None of you would make it to the village of the Magnons tonight. Lady Kim already sleeps with her face to my table," Edgil laughed.
"I'll take her to her room," Jack offered, being the most sober. His distrust of Weite kept him from falling too deeply into the sweet nabid.
Jack gathered up the small, intoxicated girl into her arms. Kim had no qualms about taking advantage of Vakker's non-existent drinking age limit.
Jack found an empty room and laid her to rest on a feather bed with rich fur blankets, pillow stuffed with an unknown substance to him that felt like clouds.
"I am sooo damn wasted!" Kim said through a fit of giggles. "I'm sorry you had to carry me, Captain," Kim said with mock seriousness.
Jack just laughed. "Good night, Kim," Jack tried to leave, but a soft hand caught his. He looked down at her with worry written in his eyes.
"You'll still comb my hair tomorrow, won't you?" Kim's voice was sad, almost sounding like she was in distress. Her brown eyes glassed with tears, the nabid tweaking the strength of her emotions.
"Of course I will, but you need to sleep now, Kim," Jack said quietly, his hand absentmindedly sitting through golden strands. And just like that, she was asleep. Jack leaned down and pressed a kiss to her still lips like she had to him last night. "Good night, Kim," Jack chuckled and took his leave.
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*Jarl is a title for a leader such as a mayor or governor. Scandinavia was ruled by jarls before Norway became the first unified kingdom. Jarls could still rule provinces, then pay tribute to and answer the call of the king.
*Est(Grace) comes from a civilized culture, but they do not feel a shame for the human body, because their religion doesn't inspire any form of body shame.
*Bulwark is a term often used in epics such as the Iliad of Homer, which means a great warrior/champion.
*Nabid was a form of mead, a honeyed liquor common to the Vikings, my research finding it mentioned specifically among the Rus clan in Russia.