xvi.
It was before dawn when Will felt someone shaking him out of his slumber while calling his name. He tried as hard as he could to open his eyes, but his eyelids were glued together, too tired to even obey to his commands. He wished he had thought about this waking-up-early business the night before when he stayed up with Halt talking until midnight after Maiah and Gilan had both gone to bed. But he had been too excited back then to think of the future and now he was paying for his recklessness. Still with his eyes shut, he sat up from his blankets on the floor and stayed there, trying to get enough energy to do the next steps, with his arms resting limply to his sides and his head hanging forward.
"Come on, we better get an early start." He heard Halt say though wasn't sure if he was talking to him or to Gilan who was still snoring next to him.
With a grunt, he pulled his arms and tried standing though ended up simply flipping his head to where his feet had been and trying to get another few minutes while Halt went out to start warming water for coffee. He allowed his breathing to get even and was about to slip into his dreams again when the sweet smell of coffee reached his nostrils. His mind struggled as conflicting wants emerged; should he stand and get some of the precious drink or should he go back to bed? If he just slept he could make coffee later…With a loud grunt, he pushed his body up and stood all the way, knowing if he allowed temptations to get him he would easily give in. Once standing, he stretched and rubbed his eyes trying to make out the shapes in the dark room. Feeling around him, he found his clothes and got dressed, stepping on Gilan on the way. On his way out, he pulled the Ranger's covers and folded them neatly out of reach knowing with the smell of coffee and the cold breeze on his body it wouldn't be long before Gilan also came out.
By the time he sat at the small table and grabbed the cup Halt offered, Maiah was already dressed and done with breakfast. Leave it to a girl to get ready faster than him.
"Blankets?" Halt inquired over the rim of the cup before swallowing a long gulp of the black liquid and feeling it warm his inside.
"Done." Will answered, glad to have his drink. "He shouldn't be long now."
As if on cue, Gilan walked out, half asleep and stretching. Of all of them, he seemed to be the one taking longer to wake up, and his eyes didn't lose the sleepy glaze until he was down to his second cup of coffee, by which time the three others were already cleaning up and picking anything that they had had to leave out for the night. He washed down the last drops and stretched back on his chair before going back to pack his blankets and then out to get Blaze ready. The mare was as alert as ever, almost mocking him at his tiredness.
The dank air of the early morning seemed to refresh their brains though the chilly wind made them shiver from time to time, especially after getting the horses ready and settling down. Without wasting time, the four cloaked figures mounted their horses and with a last look back at the tiny hut they set out on the road quickly coming to the fork where Will turned west. Most of their conversation with Halt the night before had taken care of goodbyes and any advice he could use so that when the time came a simple nod of the head was enough farewell for him and lost no time heading his way. Likewise, the other three continued though Halt had to fight the urge of turning back to see if he was doing fine. It wasn't that he didn't think Will could manage on his own, he had proven himself more than capable of doing so, but still Halt couldn't help worry about what could happen to him.
Abelard gave a soft snort of comfort as they continued walking at a steady pace—though not too hard on the horses—trying to get as much distance as they could before the sun rose and the roads became busy once again. There was just a slight tint of purple in the horizon when they finally came out of Redmont fief and continued until noon when their stomachs growled a betrayal. Reluctantly, they began looking for a place where they could stop for lunch, eventually getting to a nice spot clear of trees where they were able to set up a small camp and cut some cheese and bread. Their meal was a quiet one as they focused on conserving their energies for the long trip though it was a friendly silence and they got to sit comfortably for a few minutes after finishing while the horses finished drinking water and munching some grass.
Once they got back on the road they pushed on through the small towns and farms without stopping until sunset when it became too dark for them to wander the roads. The horses would never accept it, but the riders could feel their slightly heavier pace as they stubbornly refused to get off the road. The village they entered was rackety and so small the buildings seemed to be shoving against each other, with their crooked roofs overlapping one another and often times walls being shared by two different cottages. The dilapidated state was even more noticeable as they got closer to the courtyard at the center of the settlement, where so many shops and businesses stood crammed against each other, the feeling present even at night when everything was closed. After looking at the state of the rotten walls of the buildings, none of the newcomers were sure staying at the inn was a good idea; however, it was dark and too late to move to the next town or even look for a place to camp giving them no other option but to head to the only lit building at the end of the cobbled road knowing too well they would not get as much rest as they would usually get if they had stayed at a safer inn.
After settling the horses in the shed—noticing the only other animal there was an old mule probably used for carrying luggage—and reluctantly leaving their bows at the saddle knowing they would be of little use inside, they went into the place which resembled more of a tavern of questionable reputation. The landlord stood at the back corner loudly chatting with some of his clients and unaware of the new ones. They hadn't been in town for more than ten minutes and Halt was already looking for words to put on his report of the local fief regarding the regulations required for a decent business; it was none of his business how this tavern fared, but it concerned him as a traveler when they announced themselves as a reputable lodge for any passer-by to rest in for the night and they were just the opposite. And in any case, the town itself seemed in pretty bad conditions that should be made known to the authorities.
Gilan dared a quick look sideways towards Halt, afraid the short Ranger would try to do something outrageous in such a place. The smell of ale was thick in the air, and slurring words came from those sitting at the tables. From the corner of his eye, he noticed the flickering of whiskers from a nosy rodent and as he tried spotting any more he realized while the landlord served ale to one of his clients and joked with another, he clapped their sides, his hands coming away with a couple of coins each time. He was about to warn Halt about it when his concentration was interrupted by Halt's clearing of his throat and starting for the corner where the man stood.
"You keep this place, don't you?" The grizzly Ranger asked huskily when he was close enough for the man to hear the menacing whisper.
"Aye, I do. How c'n I help ye, friendo?" The man was just a couple inches taller than Halt, with a pot belly hanging low and yellowing teeth with a bald patch beginning on his head. When he spoke, there was a slight whizzing as air passed through the gap of his missing front teeth and the reeking smell of beer and rotten poultry smacked the Ranger in the face. "Mayhap ye should take yar coat'ff 'n' sit has some ale."
"Just dinner and a room." Halt responded coolly, trying to be as polite as his senses allowed him to knowing any sign of arguing would get them all against the bunch of drunkards.
As soon as his words reached the ears of the man—past the wax that had accumulated over the years—a raucous snort tore through the room as he bent over in laughter at such a silly request. "Says he want jist dinna 'n' a room!" He bellowed for everyone present to hear. "Fella, here there's no dinna but ale, and rooms're used for reel business."
The whole room bursted out laughing giving Halt a few seconds to meditate and bring down his anger. "Just one question, friendo. If there's the sign of an inn right out your door, why do you operate a tavern and why isn't there food and board for your guests?"
"Looky, here, sire," The man said mockingly. "There ain't no travelers comin' our way, no need to keep an inn to be used for ye. Little men alike ye shoulda stay 'n his houses and no go travelin' round causin' trouble to oth—"
The man flinched when he saw Halt's fist rise in the air though the pain never reached him. Slowly opening his eyes, he saw the taller figure had stopped the fist before it touched him. For a second, he had feared the short man would be more than what he seemed to be, however, after seeing the taller one would control him he lost no time in recovering his cockiness and snarling mock.
"Needin' yar friend to hold you back, aye. Younger and with more brains, little man."
Halt felt the heat crawl up to his head in a second, knowing one more word out of the rotting mouth would earn it a loud put down that would "sent him flying to the middle of next week." He just wanted to hear one more stinking syllable that would give him right to shove Gilan aside and score the satisfactory blow to the man's round, balding head. One single sound.
However, the sound that came after gave him no provocation but rather made him flinch as fear squeezed his stomach. Both Rangers turned immediately behind them, realizing they had forgotten they still had Maiah with them as they entered a room full of drunk men with not a single woman in sight. In his rage, Halt had completely forgotten even though she could take care of herself, she was still a girl with no match for the strength of a large man.
"But I'll tell ye somepin, aright?" The host said making the same realization as he turned to where the bulky man held Maiah's wrist as she struggled to get loose. "Lookin' ye brought fun, ye can has yar food 'n' yar room. Jist'll need—"
"Look, you stupid face, stinking piece of—" Halt started, grabbing the man by the collar and lifted him from the floor. Looking straight at the squinty, beady eyes, Halt allowed a smirk to slowly appear across his face as he saw the fear filling the man like water to a cup. "Let her go before you regret this."
"Shouldna be lookin' at me. I ain't grabbin' her." The man stammered knowing he had gone too far.
Maiah knew Halt wouldn't let anything happen to her; however, she was still too proud to let everyone save her and instead quickly thought of a way she could hurt the man enough to let her go. If it was her the one getting free, an unconscious man wouldn't be a problem, but if Gilan or Halt did something to this man, then the others wouldn't stop themselves from jumping on them; those were the advantages of being a girl who knew how to fight. Nevertheless, she knew perfectly well why the Rangers had refrained themselves from using any sort of weapon as that would only attract more attention and although she knew it would be a quick flicker of her wrist to grab her knife and get herself free she wasn't about to let everyone know who she was. Aside from the Seers that were around and an occasional courier from Redmont, she was probably the only girl who could handle a knife well enough to make quick damage.
"Come on, princess, stop your strugglin'." The large man slurred towering above her. She could hear Halt behind the bulky man threatening the owner and cursing at the others who had stood to get a better view of what was going on. "I'm sure you'll enjoy it once I show yah."
"Let me go!" She said tired of him and lifted her arm to hit his broad chest.
Despite his slurring, she soon realized the man was not an ordinary farmer as he caught her arm by the wrist holding her arms above her head at the same time he grinned mischievously at her. Angered at his superior standing, she struggled even harder, kicking and pulling away. She became too engrossed to hear the crack of wood as Halt threw the landlord back, stumbling with a rough, baldheaded pork who lost no time in raising his fist to fight whoever had hit him. In a matter of seconds, the Rangers found themselves in the middle of throwing fists and rolling fights unable to get to where the man and Maiah stood, isolated from the rest of the room.
It seemed to her the more she tugged the more he closed his fingers around her wrists, to the point of cutting her blood flow and feeling her tiny bones about to crack. He looked as if he was enjoying teasing her as he tried measuring when she would give in to pain and bend over to him. Never in his life had he met such determined resistance and it surprised him especially as she was just a girl. And still, he knew if he got her it would probably be his highest achievement and he would be proud of it for the rest of his life as he made sure to let everyone know he had broken the determination of this puny traveler. He couldn't help snorting when he saw her futile attempts at kicking his shins holding her just out of reach; enough to give her hope to continue trying but a good inch away so there would be no lucky shot.
Maiah had never expected she would ever in her life face such a beast of a man who dared treat her like he was doing right then. Men were their servants, the ones who cleaned the mess, the front lines who could be spared, the ones who had to work the land and feed the empire the crops they grew. In Mazoniria a situation like the one she was currently in would mean the man would be condemned to death, his property taken and all the male descendants punished for their father's actions; not only had he offended terribly a woman, he had questioned her authority as a Seer and mocked the crown itself. And still, she realized if she wanted to fit in with this new Araluean culture she would have to experience it sooner or later. To ensure it didn't happen again, then, she had to put a stop to it now.
It all happened too fast for anyone in the room to register the events of that moment. Just as Halt prepared to pounce on the man who stood a good two heads over him, Maiah decided she had had enough and, unaware of the Rangers coming to help her, pulled her arms away from the man at the same time she spat on his face and got to score a strong kick at his knee. However, the reflexes of her captor were shown once more as he quickly regained the grip on her hands, though this time only caught one of her wrists and the fabric of her sleeve on the other, hearing the tearing of the cloth as she tried pulling away. In a swift movement he lifted her light body off the ground and angrily slammed her down on the nearest table. The clanking of glasses accompanied the loud thud on the wood as the girl gasped in surprise when the jar of ale spilled over her face. Yet before he could think of anything else to do he felt the sharp blade of a knife just under his chin. Looking around the room at the fearful eyes of his comrades, though without unclenching his fists from her wrists, he realized he had just made the greatest mistake in his history. Slowly, he put the pieces together, the greenish cloaks, the mysterious dark whispers, and the quietness with which they moved; the missing longbows had thrown him off at first and led him to think these were just coincidences of the travelers, but feeling the sharp knife under his chin and the grave whisper sending chills down his spine he realized he had misplayed his game and now would be paying with his life. He had heard of taking a damsel from the chivalrous knight, but if that ended in a duel or legal punishment, how bad was it to take the girl of a Ranger? Jove, he didn't even know how you called those, but he was sure Rangers were known for going beyond and ignoring any laws that protected their victims.
Without need to be told, the bulky man released his grip and stepped back a few inches—all the distance the Ranger behind him allowed—his palms up in the air to show he meant no harm. The girl slowly sat up on the table, coughing and wiping her face from the drink that had spilled there, and looked around with scared green eyes. The fight around them had stopped as they came to realize they were in presence of authorities, however, the damage had been done and they felt their mistake hit them in the face when the taller figure held out his hand for the girl to jump down from the table while the shorter of the two threw the man at the rest and pocketed his knife. They had heard legends, long ago when their tiny town still received some travelers, of the cloaked spies that roamed the island; but after such a long time in isolation without seeing any of these Rangers the stories had become mere myths to scare misbehaving children. Now, facing the angry stare of two of them, they knew they had been right at least in one thing: Rangers did not like misbehaving people.
"I believe we will be seeing you around." Halt said coldly as Gilan and Maiah made their way out. "There will be no need for you to take this to the Baron, thank you very much; I'll take care of that."
"Wait, sir. Sir, there's food and a nice room—" the landlord could barely keep his eyes straight yet lost no time in making a last attempt at saving his business.
"I think not." Halt replied with a smirk. "You won't have to worry, I'll make sure this business is cleaned up and set right, if you know what I mean."
The man tried arguing and crawled to where Halt stood begging the Ranger to hold back but he didn't get another glance and fell face first on the floor, sobbing, when the door closer behind the cloaked figure. He couldn't believe in just one night his whole business would be falling apart because of the one man that had the great idea of stopping at an empty town. It hadn't been his fault, not fully, and now he was paying dearly for it with no say as to how it all happened. There had to be a way to stop them from reporting to the authorities. Something to stop them and leave things as they were before. He had to stop them. But how…how? By getting rid of them. He had to get rid of them. Wipe the off. He had to stop the Rangers!
The men left in the tavern jumped out of their skins when the maniac cackle tore the silence. The landlord lay on the floor, laughing so hard and madly they were scared to get close to him. he hit his fist on the floor, clasped at his stomach and wiped tears from his eyes as he gasped for air. Slowly, after some more chuckles he turned to the man who had been holding Maiah just a few minutes before, "get them before they tell on us."
"But you can't seriously expect a bunch of farmers to finish off two Rangers and their pet!"
"You are not a farmer, Bathos. Now go after them and get them. It's dark and there are foreign to these parts of the country. Use your advantages. And make sure there's no evidence of what happened or what they were going to say."