The final stop was the stables,
Wilhelm already had a horse there, a Clydesdale named Ale, so named for it’s
dark red coat and frothy white mane Wilhelm explained. But they needed to
purchase a horse for Annice. Having spent most of her time in the city or at
the temple, the half-elf never aquired a mount, preferring to walk the streets.
Wilhelm stressed the importance of the decision.
“A mount ain’t just yer ride, ya
see.” He began as they walked with the Stable Master, looking over the
available horses for rent or purchase. “A horse is your partner. You can’t just
go with any of them, wouldn’t be good for you or them. You gotta… feel
somethin. You need a bond.”
Annice nodded, looking over the
stock. She looked over one particularly gorgeous honey colored steed, but the
beast snorted at her and turned in it’s pen, displaying it’s backside. ‘Well
okay then’ ANnice though, obviously not feeling a bond with that one. She
continued on and on, looking each creature in the eye and only stopped when one
looked her back. The horse was dazzling, a mare with a coat like the white of
first snow, except for one of the forelegs, which was instead covered with a
black spot that went all the way down to the hoof. Annice tilted her head, and
so did the horse.
“This one.” She said.
“You sure?” Wilhelm asked, coming
forward to inspect the beast.
“Mmm.” ANnice smiled and reached
out to the animal, stroking the side of it’s face. The horse returned the
affection by leaning over the fence and dragging it’s tongue along ANnice’s
face. She squealed in laughter and took the horse by the sides of the face, and
gave the beast gentle strokes.
“That there’s a quarter horse,
meant for racing.” Wilhelm informed Annice. “Fastest beast in this pen for
sure, but only over short distances.”
“So will she be able to keep up
with your horse for six days?” Annice asked, furrowing her brow and now
cradling the horse’s head.
“Hm? Oh sure regular travelin
pace’ll be no problem. But what I’m sayin is that if you ever need to get outa
somewhere in a right hurry, this little lady will put half a mile between you
and whatever the hells you tryng to avoid in about 40 seconds.” Wilhelm came up
alongside the beast and scratched her ear. “How about a name?”
“Kasimira, I imagine.” Annice said,
scratching the horse’s chin.
“Well all right, hello Kasimira.”
Wilhelm smiled.
The stablemaster lead the horse to
the front, where a saddle, reigns, and saddlebags were purchased along with the
horse. WIlhem offered to help ANnice ount the horse, but she managed to do it
just fine on her own. Wilhelm nodded and soon mounted Ale. The two turned away
from the city, and ANnice felt a panic seize her heart for just one instance,
as they began down the road away from the Sapphire Cove.
They were only able to get few
hours travel in before the sun started to wane and Annice, unused to long
periods of horse travel, was all too pleased to hear Wilhelm call to make camp.
Annice looked back, and while she knew it was foolish to think that the
Sapphire Cove would still be there, felt a pang of anxiousness. The temple of
Syrene was where she had spent her whole life, and she could count on one hand
the times she had been out of the city walls, and never as far as where they
were heading. This was all so terribly new, and so wonderfully frightening.
Wilhelm swung off of Ale, taking
the reigns and leading the horse to the side of the road. He peered off to one
side, and then another, before heading off the road towards a grove of trees. Annice
slid off of Kasimira, less gracefully than she would have liked but Wilhelm
wasn’t looking so no one but her had to know, and followed behind.
“We won’t be camping on the road?”
Annice asked.
“Nah, not safe.” He replied.
“Why not?” Annice furrowed her
brow, great she had just started her first adventure and sh was already in
danger! She at least thought that wouldn’t happen until day two.
“You ever travel outside the city
before?” Wilhelm asked, turning his gaze to her as they walked.
“A few times, when neighboring
members of the Enclave needed healers. We mostly rode off the rode a few dozen
paces and camped there.” Annice nodded as she spoke.
“Cleric of Syrene off on a
humanitarian mission, guessin you was in a caravan?” Wilhelm responded.
“Yes. I was.” Annice narrowed her
eyes, wishing he would get to the point.
“And a mission like that bound to
be some Vibrant Spear members along with ya.” The large man stated, matter of
factly.
“Yes. Wilhelm.” ANnice’s tone
shifted, she was annoyed now.
“Well the Hill Bandits would never
hit a target like that lest they was really, and I mean stupidly, desperate.”
Wilhelm finally exclaimed. “But two of us? They would only need to be a little
desperate to attack people as visibly armed as us.” Wilhelm pushed a branch up
for the horses to pass under as they arrived at the grove. “And considering the
cold seasons will likely be rearin their ugly mugs sooner than later, they’ll
be lookin to make as many hits as they can before they winter down.”
Annice let out a breath. Bandits.
Great. The two went about setting up camp, Annice fed the horses while Wilhelm
started on the tents. Annice kept her laughs as stifled as possible as the man
struggled with the task, though was startled as she heard a few Dwarvish
obscenities shouted. Annice turned and saw Wilhelm leap to his feet after crushing
his thumb with a hammer trying to drive a piton into the ground. Hopping now
and pacing back and forth as he waved his hand in the air, visibly biting his
lip to keep his screams of pain down to a growl and whimper. Annice rushed over
and pressed her hands against the man, straightening him and stopping his
pacing. He was mad, furious even, and tried to pull away from her.
“Shhh!” She called out as she
grasped his shoulders to steady and keep him in place. Her hand slid down his
arms in a soothing gesture, lifting the injured hand, and taking it in her
palms. She spoke a soft prayer and a warm and brilliant glow of holy magic seeped
into Wilhelm’s flesh. The man relaxed as the pain subsided, and gently tugged
his hand away to inspect the thumb.
“Uh, thank you.” He said. “Sorry…
about all the shoutin and hollarin.” He grimaced, face turning to a mix of
concern and embarrassment. Annice simply smiled and shook her head.
“Perfectly all right to let out a
few dwarvish curses when you bash your hand with a hammer.” Annice said.
“Gonna have to disagree with you
there. Far as Dwarves are concerned if you smack your hand with your own damn
hammer you’re an idiot who deserved what you got. The wrap you’d be wearin for
two weeks was your punishment for not swingin it right. Ah man, Drue would kick
my ass for missin a piton like that.” He smiled, shaking his head. Annice
tilted her head, intreagued, but Wilhelm continued before she could inquire.
“Losin the light is what it is. Probably should get a fire goin.”
“Oh I can handle that.” Annice
pulled away from the man, turning to head deeper into the Grove. “You get a
fire pit ready and I’ll fetch us some wood.”
“Oh, alright then.” Wilhelm quirked
a brow.
Annice spent some time in the
grove, taking time to select adequate wood for the fire. As she picked each log
and twig, she gave a small thanks to Syrene and placed the wood into a bag. Once
she had selected her pile, she found herself sitting on a log peering up through
the treetops into the sky. The sun had disapeared behind the horizon and the
stars had started to emerge. It was going to be a beautiful night. The anxiety
and fear that Annice had been holding on to started to disparate, how could it
not? Annice was in a grove and therefore in the embrace of Syrene. She smiled
and shifted off the stump, onto her knees. Placing her her hands on the ground
she began a prayer.
“Beloved Syrene, Lady of the Grove,
watch over this land, your land, and protect it’s occupants so they might see
another sunrise. This your devoted asks of you, be it your will.” As Annice
lifted her hands the ground where she touched glowed gently and spread out over
the grass. The Cleric stood and lifted the bag of firewood, heading back to camp.
By the time she arrived back
Wilhelm had cleared a fire pit, brushing away any loose debris, dried leaves,
and twigs. The land was flat and clean, and surrounded by a circle of large
rocks. On two sides, one facing north and the other east, the man had shifted
into place logs that could be used as benches. Wilhelm stood from the bench as
Annice arrived, nd offered her the flint and tinder.
“Not gonna lie I didn’t think you
knew how to use these, no offense.” He stated, but Annice simply walked passed him
without taking the fire starter kit.
“I don’t.” She stated with a sly
smirk, turning her head back to him. “But then, I don’t exactly need to.” She bent
over the pit and began to assemble the wood. Once it was in a pile that she was
certain would stay alight for several hours she raised her hands, palms up.
Calling out another soft prayer Wilhelm watched in amazement as from her palms
holy white fire appeared. She leaned down, cupping her hands together and using
them to light the fire wood. As the holy fire made contact with the wood it
began to smoke and caught, the orange glow of a fire not gifted by the gods
began to spread into a camp fire.
“Well, that’d damned useful.”
Wilhelm said, and looked down at the flint and tinder he had spent money on, shrugged
as it wasn’t his money, and returned to the log bench to return them to his
pack.
“So… your previous healer never
started a fire for you, or healed an injury sustained outside of combat I
gather.” Annice sat on the other log, and glaned to Wilhelm.
“Naw, said if I wasn’t payin him
for it he couldn’t use his holy gifts, and that I was only payin him to heal
battle wounds. ‘Parently that’s how it works for Capil’s faithful.” Wilhelm
shrugged. “Which was fine I guess.” Wilhelm reached into his pack and brought
out a waxed bag filled with dried nuts and berries, taking some and passing the
bag to Annice.
“Uh, that’s not… how the… Capil’s
faithful work.” Annice cleared her throat akwardly and took the bag, fishing
some nuts and berries from it. “Capils has a temple in center of the Sapphire’s
market square, I knew many of the clerics there. Driven by coin they were, yes,
but all of them compassionate and more than willing to use their power to heal.
An unbroken body is one that can strive for fortune, was their way.”
“Dirty rotten son of a…” Wilhelm
started
“So Drue, who is that?” Annice
interrupted, Wilhelm looked up at her.
“Oh, he’s just the man who raised
me. Closest thing to a father I ever had.” Wilhelm said, reaching for the bag.
“You said you were raised by
dwarves, if you don’t think it improper, what happened to your human parents?” Annice
asked, passing the bag on to the man.
“Your guess is as good as mine.
‘Why would a little human baby be left on the doorstep of a Dwarvish mining
colony’ is a question I asked myself many a time.” Wilhelm started, speaking
through a mouthful of berries. “I imagine my human parents couldn’t do it.
Whether they were poor, runnin from something, or maybe just a pair o’ bastards
who didn’t want no kid…” Wilhelm let out a breath, looking down at the bag.
“Ain’t no issue though, Drue raised me right. He was the Lawmaster for the
miners, he taught me how to be tough when I needed to be tough, and how to be
kind when I needed to be kind. He’s the one who taught me how to swing my first
hammer.”
“Wow.” Annice stared at the man, in
rapt attention. “How wonderful for him to have taken you in like that.” She
said when Wilhelm finished.
“Weren’t anything else he coulda
done, he used to tell me. Takin me in was the right thing and if you’re not
gonna do the right thing, ain’t no point in doin anything at all.” Wilhelm
smiled.
“He loves you, clearly.” Annice
smiled.
“Ah yeah, guess he did.” Wilhelm
chuckled. “And I love him. I’ll have to introduce you to him next time we’re
near the mine. He’s still up there keepin people outa trouble. Now enough of me
jawin on, how about you, what’s brought a girl who loves attendin Gladitorial
Battles to the Goddess of Peace?”
“Oh.” Annice sat up, not expecting
the tables to have turned to her. “Well it’s not a very interesting story. I
was raised in the temple. My father was a Cleric, you see.”
“Yeah, and what about your ma?”
Wilhelm asked.
“Oh, mother was a soldier. She was
apart of Enhreil, the Elven City State. She was deployed to the Sapphire when the
Enhreil formally announced it’s intent to join the Enclave. There she met my
father and well… they fell in love.” Annice bobbed from side to side as she
spoke, but stopped when she noticed Wilhelm’s smile.
“Daughter to a holy man and a
soldier. Startin to get a etter read on you, Annice.” Wilhelm nodded his head
as if he had made some great deduction, and only smiles more broadly as Annice
scowled at him.
“Anyway. Unfortunately
mother was called away soon after I was born. Hill giants were being spotted on
the border of Enhreil in great numbers, something was obiously causing them to
gather. So my mother and a battalion of Valiant Spear went off to investigate.
That was, well, the start of the Giant War. Nobody knows what happened to my
mother, she and the battalion were never found.” Annice stared at the fire. “So
Dad raised me in the church, and after he passed I decided to take up his honor
and become a Cleric myself. That was about fifteen years ago.” She looked up
from the flame and cocked her head, Wilhelm was staring into space and counting
on one hand. “What?”
“The Giant War, Drue told me bout
it one time. But it happened like, what, ninety years ago?” Wilhelm looked to Annice.
“Ninety years this summer actually,
yes.” She smiled “I’m nintey three years old, Wilhelm.
Wilhelm choked on a berry, lurching
over and coughing into the dirt.
“You’re kidding me!” He exclaimed,
hoarse.
“I’m half Elf, Wilhelm.” Annice
stated bluntly.
“Yeah but also half human!” The man
said, obviously taken aback.
“Guess Elven longevity transfers?”
Annice shrugged, she didn’t quite get why Wilhelm wwas so flabbergasted.
“Well I tell you what, Supremacy
obviously got it wrong, whatever humans do got, we sure as hell got the short
end of the stick for lifespans. Chosen by the gods my achin ass!” He started
laughing, and Annice joined in after rolling her eyes. “Drue is 246 years old
and it’s an even bet he’ll likely still outlive me.” Wilhelm passed the berries
back to Annice. “Here, take the rest of these, Annie, I gotta get back to those
tents.” Annice took the bag and began nibbling on a berry, before turning her
head to the man, who was once again wrestling with the tents.
“…Annie?” They certainly were
becoming familure quickly weren’t they? Annice took another berry and popped it
into her mouth, smiling.
The night passed without much
incident. Annice was spooked for a moment by the howl of a wolf in the dead of
the night, but by the time she peked her head out, Wilhelm was already standing
in the center of the camp, waving her back into her tent. She did, but only
after stealing a glance at the shirtless man standing in the moonlight. She
heard him enter into his own tent shortly thereafter, clearly satisfied the
wolves had moved on. The morning came to the Annice unwelcome and uninvited,
which was very rude in her mind. The sleeping mat Wilhelm had assured her was
the most comfortable one in the shop was giving her great reason to have a
conversation with Wilhelm about the definition of the word ‘comfortable.’ She
eventually did rise, and stumble out of her tent with a great yawn. She saw
Wilhelm and sleepily pawed at her face.
“So what’s for breakfast, Wilhelm?”
She asked, trying to blink away the bleary vision of sleep and daylight.
“Oi I don’t think yer gonna be hvin
much at all luv.” Came a voice that was not Wilhelm’s. Annice was suddenly very
awake.
Wilhelm was in his armor, warhammer
and shield drawn, standing in front of six men. They all wore various patches
of mismatched lether armor and furs, with dirty faces, broken toothed smiles,
and a stench that made Annice very pleased, and yet very surprised, that they
were downwind from them. They all carried weapons, pig iron daggers and axes,
but six poor weapons to Wilhelm’s two finely crafted were clearly odds they
were willing to take. The leader of the group, the one who had spoke, had his
neck craned to look around at Annice. He smiled in what ANnice assumed the man
thought was a polite gesture, and waved at her.
“Mornin’ luv. Just here to check in
on ya, make sure you’re comfortable in yer travels, and to relieve you of any
valuables you may have on your person. Standard stuff you see. Maybe you want
to go ahead and have your man here stand down before we decide to slit him up?”
“I already gave y’all a warning,
I’m givin you a second. You turn around, walk away, and don’t stop till neither
of us can see the other. Otherwise I’m gonna put a hurt on you and your boys.
You don’t get a third warning.” Wilhelm said, a low grumble was in his voice.
“Wilhelm?” Annice was afraid, she
could admit that and wasn’t ashamed of it, she was very afraid.
“Annice get in yer tent.” Wilhelm
said.
“I’m not leaving you out here.” She
shouted, offended at the presumption.
“No get in yer tent and get yer
armor. Keep me up in all this, and do whatever you can to slow these jackals
down!”
“Oh!” Right.” Annice could feel her
heart pounding, but she nodded and turned to her tent, scrabling back into it’s
confines to gather her chain shirt and bracers.
“Naw naw you stay here, get them
boys!” The leader of the bandit called out, and the six all rushed Wilhelm.
No comments:
Post a Comment