Wives' Tales

When the rebels finally pack camp and ride off after a few days at the farm, Torleif refuses to let Matthias ride a horse on his own. He claims he does not want another repeat incident from the last time they were on the road or Eir will have both their heads on pikes. Instead, he banishes him to Berwald's cart of weapons and gear as a passenger.

No argument is enough to change the veteran's minds and Matthias has to share space with rattling equipment that clatters loudly in complain over every hard bump in the road, of which there are plenty. It does not take long before he is bored out of his mind, and neither does it help that Tino occasionally rides by to exchange a few words every time he heads back out to scout after delivering a report to Torleif, making his skin itch with the urge to do something, anything.

The burn on his chest has finally started to heal up properly and practically painless at this point. The aggressive red and yellows colors of infection have faded away along with the black veins of blood poisoning and his skin is cool to the touch once more. He still has some of the herbal mixture from Lukas left over, and he applies it in secret when the caravan makes their stop in the evenings. It seems to be working miracles to clear the poison out of his system, but there is still some extensive scarring spanning across most of his chest that will most likely never fade.

The ride only grows more uncomfortable when he notices that the cart directly behind theirs is steered by none other than Eir, who is sending blood-curdling glares in his direction. It is almost as if she is expecting him to die horribly right before her eyes and just waiting for the chance to say, 'I told you so!' if he does.

Matthias avoids her gaze best he can, mostly keeping his eyes on the road ahead or on the equipment. The journey is already uncomfortable enough without her judgmental stare, but it is difficult when he has nowhere to go, and the scenery barely changes around them and there is nothing else to keep his attention for any length of time.

He desperately wishes he knew how to read, a skill he has not really needed this far in life before. If he did, then he could have spent the long, slow march going through the stack of papers tucked carefully away in his pack. So far, his only entertainment is catching information from scouts as they ride past on their way out on a mission or returning from one and none of the reports so far has held any excitement.

There is not much out on these roads, which is a relief for the entire group as they are still recovering from their most recent fight, the one that Matthias managed to sleep his way right through, but it also means that Matthias spends most of his time bored out of his mind.

Their caravan has made stops in every small town across to tell people of their situation and to recruit more people for the fight and to gather more weapons and resources to keep them going.

Usually, Torleif will be the one to ride at the front to be a figure that people can look up to as they continue their march, but every once in a while, he asks somebody else to take the lead so he can ride next to the weapon's cart to discuss plans and tactics with Berwald and Matthias. Most of the veterans ride in the front, but Torleif seems determined to keep the two younger men in the loop, especially Matthias. He is slowly but surely molding him into a leader and letting everybody know that they should show him some respect.

The thought that Torleif trusts him that much is absolutely terrifying to Matthias. He barely trusts himself with the choices he is making, and now Torleif is encouraging others to follow him into what can quite possibly be their deaths if he messes up. It is a lot of weight to shoulder, especially when all that trust is combined with the guilt of his secrets.

Today appears to be another one where Torleif wishes to spend some time discussing tactics.

He slows down his horse to trot along next to the weapon's cart and gives Matthias and Berwald a short greeting, mostly in form of a short nod, before he clears his throat. "I have been trying to decide where we should go next," he says as way of beginning the conversation. "What we are doing so far is working, there is no denying that. We are saving people, and we are gathering more forces with each passing day."

His words are tense and cut of far too sharply and his fingers are tapping impatiently against the pommel of his saddle. Matthias quickly begins to suspect that Torleif is testing the waters somehow, wanting to see how they react. That suspicion is only strengthened when Torleif remains quiet and gives each of them and expectant look as if he is waiting for either of them to argue against him and protest the reality of their success.

"If things are going well, then why are you so worried?" Matthias asks then, not in a mood to guess what has Torleif acting so hesitant.

Torleif does sigh deeply then, his forced confidence giving way for the exhaustion he must have felt for a long time, and he rubs hard against his temples as if fighting off a headache. "I just fear that what we are doing is not sustainable for more that a few months at the most." He makes a grimace and looks around to see if there are many curious ears listening in on their conversations and his voice is far quieter when he speaks next. "So far, our tactic has been trying to figure out which villages are about to be attacked so that we can stop it before it happens. We have had some success, but there are far too many times we have arrived only in time to pick up the pieces left behind after an attack."

"So, what are our other options then?" Matthias asks.

Torleif exhales deeply, apparently steeling himself for the words he is about to speak. "We can continue to travel in the outskirt for a while longer," he says. "That, or we can maybe begin plotting a route towards the capital. There are still towns and settlements along the way where we can recruit more people, but that way we can continue to grow our army, but also move towards our final target. That way we won't waste time and resources on empty leads, but at the same time we will leave people vulnerable for attack from the soldiers that are still out there destroying small villages on the outskirts." His voice falters and there is guilt on his face, and he makes a grimace that Matthias think that there is still more left unsaid.

Matthias gives him a long look as he thinks of a way to respond. It is obvious that Torleif wants to take the more direct route judging by how guilty he looks by even suggesting that they leave small villages to fend for themselves, but he came here to bounce ideas off somebody younger with less military experience to help him decide whether or not it is the right route to go. "Go on," he prompts gently, wanting to hear what it is that Torleif is hesitant to bring up.

"It is a stupid idea," Torleif sighs.

"Let us hear it before we decide on whether it is a good plan or not," Matthias replies. "We don't have the luxury of ignoring any plans before we have even considered them. It might just be that it needs some adjustment, and it will work. We have after all pulled of some stupid shit before and it worked just fine."

Torleif laughs, but it sounds nowhere near cheerful. "There is just a part of me that wants us to march directly for the Capital right now and finish this quickly, one way or another. We have sent out so many messengers to spread the word of rebellion and people are bound to have found out on their own as well. People will join us, of that I am sure, so why not just go straight to the main target, finish this before the will to fight burns out or we run out of food." His voice has grown dark, sounding more like a growl. "If we die, then so be it. Let the King rule over corpses and burnt-out fields. He will be the one to have lost either way."

Matthias makes a grimace. "Alright," he says. "I'll admit that is not your best idea."

Even Berwald who has remained quiet so far huffs at the understatement.

"That's why I didn't really feel it was worth mentioning," Torleif grumbles. "I know how bad it sounds. It is dangerous as hell and we have no idea what the situation is like in the towns closer to the capital, but from what we know so far, the soldiers have nothing more than collect a higher tax than what is normal. He has not burned down any homes or had people executed for not cooperating. It might be the city-folks actually supports the King in all of this crap for all we know."

"That might be the case," Matthias agrees, "but I doubt they will pick up weapons to fight us themselves. If you are worried about what the situation is in the Capital, you could send scouts there and make a decision on how to move forward once they return."

Torleif drags a hand through his hair and sighs thoughtfully. "It is certainly something to consider," he says. "Well, I have taken enough of your time. I still need to talk to the others before we make a final decision." He pulls sharply on the reigns on his horse, turning around and making his way further down the caravan and away from them, seemingly assessing the state of their troops, but in reality, only using it as an excuse to cut their conversation short.

Tino rides up beside the weapon's cart only seconds after Torleif has disappeared out of sight. He must have seen them talking and just managed to hold himself back from interrupting the actual conversation. "So, what did he say?" Tino asks excitedly.

Matthias considers for a few seconds how to reply, but Torleif did keep their conversation out in the open even if he kept his voice down and so it should be no secret. Chances are Tino have been eavesdropping and just wants to confirm everything for himself either way and so Matthias decides to tell him the truth.

"Torleif is considering moving directly towards the capital," he says. "He is just worried that we might lose more than we gain with all the risks that would involve and wanted to hear our opinion."

"Torleif really trusts you guys," Tino says. "He keeps telling you everything and keep bringing you into all the important conversations. Especially you, Matt. I almost feel jealous. He is not including the rest of us the same way."

Matthias begins laughing then. "As if you don't get the information about two minutes after we do."

"That is not the point," Tino replies quickly. "He comes to you with everything because he wants to hear your opinions and because he is hoping you will learn from him how to lead an army. There is no use in denying it, all the other scouts are talking about it too. Torleif is preparing for you to take over in case something happens to him or the other veterans."

The humor is gone from the conversation in an instant at those words.

"There are plenty of others who can do the same," Matthias argues back.

Just the thought that Torleif is trying to mold him into a leader is terrifying and he has fought to not dwell much on that idea. "Anybody could have been the one unlucky enough to end up in front of those soldiers that day in Griven."

Tino just sighs loudly. "That is not true," he presses on, voice growing sharp. "Yes, it is a coincidence that you are the one the soldiers wanted to make and example of, but it is who you are as a person that made you fight back, and that made people want to follow you in doing so. That is no luck or coincidence." Tino takes a breath and pauses for a few seconds to let his words sink in. "I might not have seen it for myself, but I have heard how people talk. You have been one to come up with strategies and plans and usually been the first one to volunteer for all the dangerous missions. You have what it takes to become a leader, why can't you see that for yourself?"

Matthias' jaw snaps shut with a sharp clack of his teeth, and he has no words that will help him in an argument against Tino.

He has heard some of the same arguments from others expressing their trust and gratitude before, but it feels wrong to have them all trust him so much while he is keeping secrets from them all. If anybody finds out about Lukas, they are not going to think so highly of him anymore. More than likely, they will brand him a traitor and he will be lucky if they grant him a quick execution for his crimes and not draw out his suffering.

"I hear what you're saying Tino," Matthias bites out, the words tasting like ash on his tongue, "it is just difficult to know that people look up to me like that when I still feel like I'm still just a farmer that was too dumb to follow orders and shut up when I was supposed to."

"You'll do fine," Tino says. His expression softens somewhat. He is obviously understanding Matthias' discomfort, but still stand firm in his beliefs. "Just follow your gut. It seems to have led you right so far."

If only Tino knew that Matthias' gut feeling told him to go behind everybody's backs and trust their enemy. He puts on a smile to placate Tino, but it feels forced and not at all convincing.

Berwald gives him a shake of the head, judgmental or disapproving, Matthais does not know, and neither does he care. The matter is put to rest for the time being as Tino bids them goodbye and heads out to scout once more and Matthias is left alone with his thoughts.

The day drags on slowly and the roads are turning worse with each passing mile as the weather takes a turn for the worse. The muddy path beneath them has frozen and snow has piled high around them, hiding rocks and other obstacles from view and making their path a treacherous one. It is an absolute miracle that has saved them from losing half their wagons and livestock to the sorry state of the roads.

Matthias winces as the heavy cart hits a particularly nasty bump in the road that jostles every single bone in his body. Around him the crates of weapons and armor rattle loudly in complain as well.

At least the hours of abuse has given Matthias enough courage to consider facing one of the people he has been avoiding talking to for as long as possible and that is Eir. His bag has been lying by his feet for the entire ride and the stack of papers hidden within rest heavy on his mind. He knows that a potential key to translating the papers and figure out what to do next is sitting on the cart just behind him and glaring judgmental daggers at him every once in a while, but it is only now after silently stewing with his thoughts that he is beginning to gather enough courage to actually ignore his nerves and talk to the woman.

An opportunity shows itself a few hours later when Torleif rides his way past calling for an hour of rest and the caravan slows down to a halt.

Matthias picks up his pack with most of his belongings and most importantly the stack of papers that are tucked deep within it. He slings the bag over one shoulder and jumps off the cart, cursing its very existence in the process as battered body screams in process with the sudden movements after hours of rough treatment.

"Where are you going?" Berwald asks sharply as he turns around from the driver's seat and takes notice of the bag. "We still have several more hours on the road."

"Seeking a more comfortable ride," Matthias replies brightly and marches determinedly towards his intended target, enjoying the incredulous look on Berwald's face at his blatant lie.

He puts on his most charming smile as he walks towards the next cart, one he knows will convince Eir that he is up to nothing but trouble.

It works like a charm, and she is instantly alert when he sees him march over with a grin.

"No, no, no, no," Eir growls and her eyes narrow in suspicion. "Where do you think you are going and why are you bringing you pack?" For an elder woman she looks remarkably similar to a predator zoning in on a kill. "You are supposed to take it easy and have no business going anywhere! I will have you know that I have told everybody who would listen that you are not even allowed near any of the horses, so you better get your ass back on that cart because you will not be riding anytime soon!"

Matthias ignores her anger and keeps walking until he is right next to the cart and tosses his pack up beside her on the driver's seat and climbs up after. "Then I will have you know that Berwald drives like a maniac. The way that cart bounces around I would have been better off on a horse." It is a lie and they both know it. The roads are the ones to blame for the rough ride and in no way the driver. Still, he puts on a false pout, pretending that what he wants is sympathy. "At least that way I could avoid most of the bumps in the road and it would cause far less stress on my still healing injuries." He places a hand on his chest above his burns.

Her eyes narrow further until only two slits remain as she is trying to see through his game. "What is it you think you are doing, boy?" she says. "That act of yours won't work on me."

"Who says I'm acting?" Matthias exclaims. "Maybe I just enjoy your company and want to spend some time with you?"

She snorts over a laugh loudly enough that a few people actually turn around to look at them. "I don't believe that for a second!" She says sharply, but her laughter is genuine. "I know when I'm being buttered up, and you are laying it on thick. I will let you right now that I will not go back on my orders to keep you far away from those horses. You are acting all sweet now but knowing you it will no doubt only take minutes before you are riding off at breakneck pace to get yourself injured in some foolish fashion!"

"I would not dare challenge you and your order," Matthias exclaims dramatically, laying a hand on his chest in mock offence. "I know better than to ask you to go back on your word too. Your will is far too strong for me to fight."

There are a few quiet grumbles from her that might be a string of curses and Matthias laughs.

"No, you would not ask," she says, pointing a finger accusingly in his directing. "I am beginning to think your intention is to annoy me to death instead, but I am in no mood for games today. Tell me what you want, or I will throw you right of this cart. Then you can walk for the rest of the day. Maybe a few hours of exercise will teach you that you are lucky to be a passenger."

"You wouldn't do that to an injured man," Matthias replies brightly. "You are a healer at heart, and it is in your nature to help people rather than hurt them."

"Something I have regretted several times since I met you," she grumbles, but there is no bite to her words and the tense line of her brow has finally eased away. It would seem she has accepted his presence and even that she enjoys their little banter. She might not trust his intentions, but she only seems to suspect that he wants her to declare him healthy enough to be allowed a horse and the opportunity to head out scouting.

One of Torleif's men rides past them on the side and yells that their break is over and that it is time to move on.

Eir sighs, but she makes no move to chase Matthias off the cart like she threatened. Instead, she shuffles a bit further to the side and offers him the reigns. "If you are not going back to the other cart, then you might as well make yourself useful. Fair warning, if you steer my cart into a ditch, I will give up my life as a healer if only so I can gut you myself."

Matthias gives her a mock salute and accepts the reigns. The game is on. He got Eir trapped in the same cart for at least a few hours, and it should be enough to get her talking. "So," he says conversationally. "You have lived a long life, and we have a few hours to kill, do you have any stories to share?"

"Are you implying that I am old?" she asks sharply. "Because I do believe that would be rather impolite of you."

Matthias feels nervous for all about two seconds until he sees a vicious smirk curled around her lips and realizes that she is messing with him. "I didn't say that" he retorts quickly. "You did! I just meant to imply that you might know some interesting tales is all. I lived my entire life on my family's farm back in Griven and only left to hunt in the nearby forests, until now that is. After all these weeks on the road I realize that I don't know anything about the world."

She lifts an eyebrow at him, not looking convinced. "I doubt you would enjoy listening to the life story of an old woman. I have been a healer most my life that sort of a life does not come with much excitement or heroics."

"Did you serve in the last war?" Matthias asks.

A darkness falls over Eir's face. "No," she replies quickly, voice dark. "The capital only demanded soldiers for their armies, but I had to treat those that returned to Dalahurst after. Some I could help, but others I had to see waste away before my eyes from infections that never cleared. Then there were those that didn't want to live with the memories of war and decided to end their own lives so they wouldn't have to suffer anymore."

"I'm sorry," Matthias whispers, genuinely remorseful for digging up bad memories. "I don't actually want to hear stories of the war and fighting either. We've all seen enough. I just wanted to know more about those stories where the King is a sorcerer." He sigs, annoyed at himself for the poor phrasing that have put Eir right back on guard. "I've never heard stories like that back at home and when we game to Dalahurst it seemed that everybody were familiar with it."

"Torleif and the other veterans knew those stories," Eir remarks. "You heard him tell parts of that story for yourself that night by the campfire."

"Yeah, but he also mentioned that nobody really tells those sorts of stories anymore," Matthias replies. "Not since the war at least and that is why I wondered if you served then as well, I hoped you would have more to tell than what little Torleif was willing to share."

"So, you're really just looking for fairytales?" Eir asks.

"Are they really fairytales if there is truth to them?" Matthias retorts. "The claims that the king is a sorcerer might all be bullshit, but I have seen magic, even felt it up close." He scratches at his chest, the scarring suddenly feeling tight and uncomfortable. "Kinda makes me wonder what else could be out there you know?"

Eir sighs and it is, a long and tired thing. "I do know a few stories," she admits carefully. "Most of them I heard from my grandmother when I was a little girl. There were tales of dragons, trolls and many other creatures that you could only be able to conjure up in nightmares. There was never any doubt that any of that was fiction, she made that much clear." Eir takes a deep breath and then leans in closer. "Then there were the ones she claimed were real. The stories of men that disappeared when they went out in the forest to hunt only to never return. She told me that Huldra had taken them and eaten their souls because they were unfaithful to their wives. There was Nøkken and Draugen, creatures that would prey on people being careless around the sea or a lake and not paying attention to their surroundings."

Matthias is listening with rapt attention and Eir shakes her head at him. "These were just cautionary tales," she continues. "Grandmother told me to make sure I would never play down by the water alone or go too far into the forest where I might lose my way home, and Huldra was a decent explanation to have around when a good-for nothing husband left his family behind to find better fortune somewhere else."

Matthias does not bother hiding his curiosity at all, Eir already finds him annoying. "There are others, aren't there?"

"You are quite demanding," Eir says. "Most people would be happy with stories of the creatures I already mentioned, yet you are asking if there is more." Her gaze sharpens once more. "If I am to guess you have heard something specific and you are hoping I will know something and just mention it by coincident, so you have a reason to ask further. Just spit it out, I am too old to be playing games."

There is sweat pearling at the back of Matthias' neck. If Eir ever wanted to change career, then interrogator would be an excellent option considering the way she reads people and calls them out on their bullshit without hesitation.

"I found a stack of papers with stories when we camped at on of those farms," Matthias says. "I can't read, but there were pictures and they looked interesting, so I took it." He barely manages to hold back a grimace at his own terrible lie, and it feels like he might be sweating through his clothes even in the biting cold, just from the stress. He accidentally yanks hard on the reign as he rushes to pull out the papers from his bag, and the horses whinny in protest, almost taking a turn right into the ditch as Matthias forgot he was supposed to steer the damned cart.

Eir takes the reigns from him with a grumble to keep them on the road as he rummages through his bag and only hands them back over when he presents her with the papers in question.

She immediately begins flipping through pages and the crease between her eye grows increasingly deep as she processes the information. "This is not a storybook," she says slowly, still flipping pages. "This looks more like a bestiary of sort, and a detailed one at that. This is describing monsters, their behavior, how to identify some of them, and even how to kill them. I have never seen anything like this before."

Matthias feigns disappointment. "So, there are no stories?" he asks.

Eir gives him a hard look. "You said you found this at a farm?" she says, sounding genuinely confused. "Farmers barely keep books around if any at all. Most don't know how to read, much like yourself. This looks like something a superstitious pretend scientist might try to sell, and I'm sure that the Capital is the only place I think people might have been interested in this kind of thing. This serves no purpose out here."

Matthias is almost regretting his decision to bring the papers to Eir and have her asking questions about them. "Shit," he says with a sigh. "I had no idea what this really was. I just thought there might be something exciting in there."

"Well," Eir says. "It is certainly interesting. It is just nothing I expected."

"What can you make of it though?" Matthias asks. "All Tino gave me was a name, or a title maybe, Vette. I don't know what that is and Tino did not feel confident in his own reading."

She shrugs and it is hard to tell what she might be thinking as she flips through the pages again. "I'm not really familiar with the term Vette, but according to these, it is just a collective term for several creatures with close ties to nature." She looks up, uncertain of whether or not to continue, but she finds Matthias hanging on to every word and barely keeping his attention on the road. "I mentioned Huldra earlier," Eir continues. "She would apparently be classified as a land-vette, roaming around on land, looking for men to seduce so she could lure them back to her lair and eat them. Nøkken is a water-vette, keeping close to a body of water where they would wait for people to get to close and then drown them, having a preference for children and pregnant women. There are so many others I have never heard about before. I tell you boy, the author writes as though he believes this all to be real. It makes my skin crawl. The way he describes how these things would lure in a victim and kill them…"

She continues and goes into excruciating detail on the more vicious ways of some of the creatures will murder their victims. She must find it interesting on some level as she keeps on reading, ever after going slightly pale.

Matthias knows he needs to push her for more specifics that will help him even though she is clearly uncomfortable. He feels a little annoyed that Lukas would give him this much information to sort through, especially when the term Vette can apparently mean pretty much mean almost any sort of supernatural creature lurking in the world. Without knowing how to read, he will never make it through the stack of papers on his own and figure out what it is Lukas wants him to know.

"So," he says. "This book describes how these creatures live and hunt. Does it also describe how one would protect oneself from them?"

"This is not real," she says sharply. "It is all superstition, made up to warn people away from dangerous places and scare them into paying attention to their own surroundings when they are away from home." She still looks shaken at how much effort somebody has put into making texts about things she only believed to be a myth.

"I still hoped to hear more about forest creatures though," Matthias says, not even having to fake the disappointment that Eir has not mentioned one of them yet. This might be his only chance to have Eir talking about any of this. "If I ever get back home to hunt in the forests again, might be interesting to know what creatures might be out there along with the deer and hares." He shrugs and smiles, pretending it does not matter one way or the other although he wants to shake Eir and demand she search through the papers for the information he wants.

"Not that I can see immediately," Eir replies, "but there could be plenty of reasons why that is. The writer of these papers claims that his research, if one might call it that is based on observations after attacks and disappearances. It also claims that most creatures prefer to live in secret and keep their nature hidden. One could reason that forest-creatures are not as violent as the others, or it could be that most attacks that happens in the forest can be blamed on normal things like wolves or bears."

Lukas is plenty violent, Matthias thinks to himself, but some of that could be the King's influence.

"What about protecting oneself though?" Matthias presses on. "Or does the book only describe how bad these things are and warn us all to just stay away unless we want to be killed?"

Eir skims over the pages again. "There are some guidelines and instructions, but some of these are just ridiculous, and they are specific down to the exact creature. You would need to know what you are going up against before having any chance of defeating it according to this that is." She places them back down on her lap again and pins Matthias with a sharp look. "I'd rather trust my grandmother's words of wisdom over any of this crap, even though she was a superstitious old bat."

"And what would your grandmother say then?" Mattias asks, still disappointed.

"The obvious one would be, 'don't play by the water alone'. Especially not if you hear and cannot see the owner of the voice. Don't follow strangers into the forest." Her voice goes creaky and sharper as she obviously impersonates her long dead grandmother, and she makes a grimace. "All of this that stuff is just common sense!"

"Then what are the more creative methods?" Matthias asks. "I'm curious."

She goes quiet as she thinks. "Well, she said that Nøkken or Draugen are strong as long as they are in their natural element, the water." She pulls out one of the drawings from the stack of paper that shows a dark shape just barely emerging from a lake with only its eyes showing. "You can't defeat them as long as they are in the water as their powers would be much stronger. Their song or call would sound so fair and sweet you your ears, able to pull you in even if you know there is danger about. Should you however manage to lure them out of the water, than the spell will break. Their sweet calls will turn sour, and their visage might change to show their true appearance."

Matthias mind is spinning as he sorts through all the information. "So, to make it simple, you could just say: Get the creature away from it's comfort zone and they should be weakened?"

Eir makes a sound as she puts the page back into the stack. "Yes," she says. "Simple as that. It usually is that way with old wives' tales. They spin wild stories to draw your attention, but at the core they are really just simple life advice."

Naturally, Matthias thinks of Lukas first. As a forest-vette he should logically be weakened as long as he remains away from the forest. It does not seem it can be that easy. He has served the King for 150 years and spend much of that time in a city, a construction of stone and dead wood, he should be weakened. And as Matthias thinks of the capital, his mind begins to jump to other applications of the principles Eir just presented him with.

"So, we could say that the lesson from all of this, might be that creatures would do best in their own environment," Matthias says carefully.

She gives him a look. "I suppose so," she replies. "Most things thrive in their own environment, though that would hardly have been my first conclusion from everything we have just talked about. What's on your mind?" Her voice has gone gentler in the last few minutes, no longer judgmental. She sounds genuinely interested in what he has to say, and this time it is not because she wants to make a sharp mocking retort for the sake of banter.

"Our ultimate goal is getting to the Capital and fighting the King where he is hiding," Matthias begins carefully. "The Capital is his fortress, it his where his soldiers are trained. They know every corner of the city, where its strength and weaknesses lie. Many of us have never even been to a city, much less the capital. We have no idea how to fight in that kind of environment." He turns quiet for a moment. "We are going to have one hell of a battle if we ever get there."

"That is true," she replies, not the person to sugarcoat anything. "They will certainly have the advantage as things are for them now. They have walls and supplies, and we have untrained rebels and very little resources."

It is not an encouraging thought, but then Eir leans in a little closer and places a hand gently on his shoulder. "You seem to have forgotten that the soldiers are not supernatural creatures but humans and so they have humans needs and follow human nature. They might have food and shelter now, but it is possible to turn their surroundings against them."

"You mean sabotage," Matthias says. "We don't even need an entire army to possibly ruin their supplies, be that food or weapons. If we are really clever about it, we might even be able to take out the King without bringing an entire army to his front step."

Eir lets out a soft laugh. "Don't get ahead of yourself, boy," she says kindly. "Sabotage is one thing; assassination is quite another and especially the most protected and dangerous man in the entire Kingdom. It would be no easy feat. I have not been there myself, but from what I have heard the Castle stands protected by several walls and every single one of them has a security checkpoint where not just any commoner might get past as they serve to keep the social classes separate."

"But it is still something to consider," Matthias argues, his mind jumping through different plans of attack for the Capital.

"And to believe you came to me just for old fairytale," Eir laughs, and she rifles through the pages in her lap one more time, sorting them into a neater pile.

"I would not call it a waste of time though," Matthias comments.

Eir has turned quiet, thoughtful and Matthias can hear paper rustling. Then she pulls one particular page out of the stack to place it on top and makes a face as she pushes the entire stack into Matthias lap and takes the reigns from his hands. "This made me remember something else my old grandmother said, and you seemed really interested in her old tales. 'To keep a forest-dweller at bay, keep foxglove in your pocket." She taps the page and Matthias looks down to see a detailed drawing of a flower, with bell-shaped petals in soft, white to purple hues. "She also told me to keep a pouch of ashes by my hip to scare off evil," Eir continues. "Curious what sort of tales people will tell and what others will believe in."

Matthias looks at her, long and carefully and back down at the page depicting what he assumes is a foxglove. "Thank you so much for sharing with me," he says weakly, suddenly overwhelmed by her support and the sudden information that might apply to forest-creatures after all. "I really appreciate you helping me read this."

She huffs out a breath of air that turns into fog before her face. "No worries," she says. "I suppose it was nice to get my mind off everything else for a little while, but I think that is enough for now. It seems you have enough to think about for now."

Matthias makes a quiet hum in agreement and the two of them turn quiet and continue the bumpy ride in silence.