Chapter 7 – Companions of the Road

"But six silvers? A tad generous, Herald", declared Garlt.

"I could not leave the bodies to rot, and I have no time to waste burying them myself, Master Gemfinder", said Daelynn. "And you were not going to help. The woodcutter I hired will take a day to inter the brigands. The six silvers I paid was, as you say, generous, but a necessary cost."

"He'll take the horses and wagon, too, ye know? Thet should o' been payment enough."

"Yes, he will. I advised him against it. Should any friends of the deceased recognize the horses or wagon, the man will be in trouble."

"'Trouble'? That puts it mildly", growled Garlt, urging his pony into a faster gait. "Buy ye did warn 'im, so it's on 'im."

The dwarf, elf and mage were riding abreast along the Borsa Road, continuing their journeys northward. Stefane had been quiet after the killings of the bandits, seldom speaking to Garlt or Daelynn. He held the Rod of Vines in his arms, examining it as he rode.

Garlt, failing to entice either the elf or Stefane into further conversation, settled into his saddle and pulled another bottle of Dwarven Stout from his saddlebag.

By late afternoon, the party had reached the crossroad where the Borsa Road split, one arm going east to the mines and the other continuing north to Silver Tree.

At the crossroad, a small stone and timber structure sat under a huge elm. Several wagons, horses and about two dozen people gathered around what was, according to a sign hung over the hut, a tax depot, outside of which a group off men and women harangued two bored looking soldiers.

One of the soldiers, dressed in the garb of the Northern Province, addressed the crowd. "Don't matter. It's a new tax. Pay it or go home."

"We got a new tax last month fer wagons on the road", yelled an older man in fine robes.

"This tax is for horses", said the second guard.

"This is outrageous!" Shouted a younger man in patched work clothes. "I am now payin' for every wagon and every horse I put on this damned road? I dunno what is worse – robbery by the Brotherhood or the Baron!"

Angry voices agreed with the man's comment.

Garlt turned to Daelynn and asked. "Don't suppose ye could use yer position as a Herald an' get me and the lad here a pass on payin' this new tax?"

"Herald?" Asked Daelynn innocently, as she removed the bronze sigillum from her cloak.

"Here, Stefane." The elf handed the mage some coins. "Please pay for the three of us. Tell the guards we take the Borsa Road. Say nothing else."

Stefane, with a puzzled look on his face, guided his horse over to the small crowd. The second soldier pushed his way through the people. He was about to give his standard "tax" speech when Stefane opened his hand showing the glint of silver.

"For three. To Borsa", the young man stated.

"Thank you, zur". Have a pleasant day", the soldier offered, gathering the coins into a calloused hand.

The sun had dropped another three fingers towards the west when Daelynn called a halt.

"There is a lake just north of here, or so a minstrel told me several years ago. We can camp there for the night. We have much to talk about, gentle sirs."

"Aye, elf. That we do", agreed the dwarf.

Camp was quickly set up on the sandy shore of a mist shrouded tarn where they consumed the remains of Merchant Villicent's venison, with some wild herbs and late season fruit. Garlt pulled yet more bottles of Dwarven Stout from his saddlebags, offering one each to Daelynn and Stefane. Elf and mage accepted and raised their bottles to the dwarf.

"You have questions, Master Dwarf?" Asked Daelynn.

"Oh, I do. Yes, I do. Let me see where to start? Oh, lad. Stop mooning over thet picture of yer girl. She's pretty aye, but the way ye gaze at it, well I'm tempted to ask if she's yer first girl ye had, or the best ye had."

Stefane, stammering and blushing, rose to his feet. "I... I will thank you not to speak like that of… of Corinna! Our love is pure and not to be bandied about as fodder for gossip!"

"Sorry, lad" The dwarf sounded anything but apologetic. "Men like boastin', an' doin' a looker like that is something most would mention. Oh, wait a breath here. Ye haven't done it with her yet, have ye? Har, har!"

Stefane bent over, reaching down for the black rod.

"Hold!" Commanded the elf.

"Master Gemfinder", Daelynn addressed the dwarf. "Are your questions to be about the state of Stefane's and Corinna's love-life?"

"Well, now as they don't seem ta have one, I guess not", chuckled the dwarf. "Oh, ease up laddie. Ye try pickin' up that vine spitting stick and I'll whack ye."

"Sir Garlt!"

The dwarf stood and glared at Daelynn.

"I told ye to not use thet title with me", he replied in an ominous tone.

"Then leave the boy alone and get on with your questions", retorted the elf.

The dwarf took a long pull from his bottle. Calming himself, Garlt nodded and sat back down.

"I heard ye ask the bandits about another Herald. Then ye took something from the bandit leader's body. It were a bronze brooch, identical to the one ye wear. Or wore. Ye removed yers from yer cloak at the crossroads. What's goin' on?"

It was Daelynn's turn to glare.

"I was over forty yards from you and Stefane when I recovered that item from the brigand's body. How could you see what it was", asked the elf?

"As Marthammor Duin himself said, 'One eye sees twice as much.'"

"Did he", asked the elf?

Daelynn's shook her head. Her shoulders slumped and a look of sadness now adorned her usually cheerful face.

"There is much amiss in the Northern Province", the Herald stated. "Rumour says the acting Baron is steadily increasing taxes yet baronial revenues are down. Bandits run amok and the baron's soldiers appear to be effective only in extorting silver from merchants and travellers. The King and his Council are concerned that their choice for a Baron Pro Tempore was not… a prudent one."

"You were sent to investigate what's happening in the Province", asked Stefane?

"No", replied Daelynn. "That task fell to a friend of mine. A fellow Herald. But he went missing. I was sent find him."

She reached under her tunic and drew out a bronze heraldic sigillum. "I found this, a heraldic token, in the possession of a bandit king. My friend's name is on it. A Herald does not easily give up, trade, sell or lose their badge of office."

"My condolences, elf." Garlt took a swig from his bottle. "If yer friend fell into the hands o' thet lot o' brigands, then he's dead."

"Master Gemfinder!" Stefane remonstrated. "You do not know that! How could you say..."

"It is alright, Stefane", Daelynn assured the man. "Master Gemfinder may be blunt, but he speaks a truth."

Silence enveloped the trio, broken only by a raven's call echoing across the lake.

"What will you do now", Stefane asked of Daelynn?

"It would seem that being a Herald in these parts is dangerous", asserted Daelynn. "I shall camp here for a few days. Some travellers along the road we took north may remember an elven herald, but without my badge of office displayed I am just another elf. Hardly uncommon in these parts. I will alter my armour and continue on to Silver Tree, where I will complete my fellow-herald's work."

"Your pardon, Lady Herald", Stefane interjected. "But a change of clothes aside, you're still quite memorable. Your hair is an unusual style, and your eyes are quite striking. I'd remove more than your armour, um… what I mean is that out of your clothes… Oh, no! I wouldn't remove anything myself, of course! Not without your consent. No! That's not what I mean! What I'm trying to say is…"

"Shut up, lad", said Garlt, gruffly. "Keep talking and ye'll have the poor elf soon naked. I think he mean to say yer features are memorable. An yer horse is on the tall side and is a distinctive shade o' grey. Someone might remember ye or her."

"Thank you, Master Dwarf. I did surmise that that was what young Master Bogoviche meant. And thank you, Stefane, for the compliments… and for the offer of undressing me."

Stefane blushed furiously.

Daelynn laughed.

The elf turned to the dwarf.

"What are you plans, Master Gemfinder? The mage-to-be searches for his ruins eastward towards Borsa, while I tarry here. Will you continue northward on your own?"

'Oh, yes. I will do that", stated Garlt. "But first I might jest accompany our young mage here a little further on his quest. After all, if he finds those dwarven ruins, then he could use the skills of a dwarf to explore 'em, yes? Sloping passages, booby traps, hidden doors - dwarven ruins kin be dang'rus."

Stefane jumped up from the log upon which he sat.

"I need no 'assistance' from you, Master Garlt. I will be fine on my own, thank you!"

"Oh, of course, laddie. That's no problem. Ye can carry on alone."

Garlt smiled an odd smile and chuckled to himself.

Stefane swore.

"Savras' ass! You're going to follow me, aren't you? Damn the greed of dwarves! Maybe I'll tie you to a tree with a few vines!"

"I told ye before, boyo. Point that rod at me an' I'll put ye down, hard!"

As Stefane bent to retrieve the Rod of Vines, Garlt hopped to his feet and charged the man.

Daelynn's foot caught the dwarf's toe, tripping him.

Stefane, gripping the rod tightly, pointed it at the dwarf, who lay sprawled out before him. Something metallic hit the rod, causing it to jump in his hand. Startled, Stefan paused. A half breath later another object struck his left hand, hard.

With a yelp, he dropped the rod. Cradling his now numb left hand, he looked around.

The elf had risen to her feet and was holding what appeared to be a shiny metal star in one hand.

"The next one who acts foolishly will receive a sharpened throwing star. In the neck", stated Daelynn, matter-of-factly.

Garlt rolled over to glare at the elf.

"You do not want to test me, Master Dwarf".

"Maybe not", said Garlt, in a flat tone. "Come on, lad. Help me up."

Stefane cautiously assisted Garlt to stand. The dwarf dusted himself off and sat back down by his bottle.

Stefane also took a seat. Feeling was returning to his hand.

Gathering her two throwing stars, Daelynn returned to her place by the fire and pulled out a writing kit from her saddlebags.

The elf spoke. "Stefane, accept Master Garlt's 'offer'. I too, will accompany you for a few more days, if only to keep you both from harming one another. And, we will draw up a Contract. We will be true 'Companions of the Road'.

"What?" Exclaimed the dwarf. "That's a might formal, ain't it?"

"Perhaps", mused Daelynn. "But Stefane has no experience in this. Setting out the 'Articles' will help him understand his duties and privileges in such matters, and set his mind at ease concerning your intentions and any claim we might make on the book he seeks."

The elf spoke as she wrote.

"'These Articles of Adventuring, enacted this 3rd day of the 2nd ten-day of Eleint in the fourteenth year of Good King Theoric's rule, bind Master Stefane Bogoviche, human Mage-in-Training, and Master Garlt Gemfinder, dwarf-in-exile, and Mistress Daelynn C'orillae, elf Herald."

Daelynn paused, pulled a sharper quill from her writing box, then continued.

"Articles:

All treasures shall accrue evenly to the members of the Company, with the exception of the item known as the Tome of Mysteries, which shall become the property of Master Bogoviche. Any items claimed by more than one member, that cannot be divided, shall be won by the casting of lots.

All chores, errands, expenses, hardships and pleasures encountered along the road shall be shared equally, or recompense made to any member not treated fairly.

No Company member shall harm, or let be harmed, a member of the Company. This includes the matter of the casting of spells.

Disputes shall be settled by rule of the senior Company member present, but can be overturned by a majority vote of the Company.

Duelling, including against fellow members of the Company, is forbidden.

Unless members were bonded prior to entering the Company, engaging in carnal liaisons with other members of the Company is forbidden.

All members' property and coin earned, found or stolen prior to entering the Company, remain their own.

Upon death of a member, all their belongings, treasure and coin fall to the surviving members of the Company, to be divided evenly.

A decent burial shall be provided for the fallen member.

Members of the Company only have regard and care for fellow members as of the date of signing of these Articles. Members of the company are not responsible for other member's past debts, promises, agreements, contracts, or deals existing prior to the enactment of these Articles.

Hoarding, theft, or other acts against a Company member will result in punishment (excluding death or maiming), to be determined by the wronged party.

These Articles are terminated by the agreement of a majority of the Company members.

A pox upon the Adventurer who breaks these Articles!'"

The elf put down her quill and ink bottle. Shaking out some fine sand from a small bag, she dusted the parchment, drying the fresh ink.

"If you agree to these Articles, gentle sirs, make your mark, here", instructed Daelynn.

"Hmm. I'd a thought it'd be some longwinded elven document. But it's as sweet an' neat as if dwarf crafted it", said Garlt, approvingly. "Here's me mark."

"Um. I'm not sure I understand the point of Article Five", mused Stefane, advancing to sign the document.

"Oh, its simple, laddie", answered the dwarf. "There is no pickin' fights with the locals or other adventurers and expectin' yer fellows to back ye up. Stops the Company from becomin' a bunch of murderin' hobos. An' duellin' against yer fellows starts all sorts of troubles in a group, like a need fer reprisals, lack o' trust, wounds needin' healin', hurt feelings, and so on. Once the Company's disbanded, we can go an' start killin' each other."

"I guess I meant Article Six", said a bemused Stefane.

"Oh, well thet's simple too, lad. Drinkin', wenchin', and laddiebuckin', if that's yer thing, with the locals or other adventurers, is fine", offered Garlt. "But poppin' in an' out of yer fellows' beds starts all sorts of troubles in a group, like jealousy, hurt feelings, and so on. An' no one needs besotted love-birds sneakin' off for cozy-time when there's work to do. Mind on task. Once the Company's disbanded we can go an' start screwin' each other. Not that I've any sech hankerin's with the two of ye. Jest to be clear."

"There", said Daelynn, signing last. "Tomorrow our adventure begins!"

Garlt's response to the elf's enthusiasm was to roll his eye.

A/N: Some characters almost write themselves. Looks like Garlt Gemfinder is more than a bit of a jerk. The 'Articles of Adventuring' are meant to keep a group from becoming a bunch of mindless, "slash for cash", one-step-above brigands, trouble-makers. Well, that is the intent. We will see what happens.