Ch7 First Steps

Chapter 7 First Steps1

The road out of the town was quite busy but few gave the ragged bunch a second look. After a long discussion they had settled for Yane's idea of Gleen, the nomadic and much maligned travelling people. The disguises worked well, for the few people that did look their way, quickly turned away again, no-one wanted to attract the attention of the band of travellers that had the reputation of beggars, thieves and much worse. The town guards probably recognised the Twins and Yane, and while they knew nothing of what was going on, they knew better than to pay them any undue attention, the Elite Guard were a law unto themselves and the Twins and Yane represented the highest echelon of the Guard.2

Slyne seemed in a cheerful mood, he had refused any of the clothes Yane had offered him but his two colour robes weren't out of place, especially as he was on the wagon.3

With her eye for detail, Yane had noticed some peculiarities about Slyne's wagon but since he hadn't offered any information she hadn't asked. Usually Yane would not have hesitated; even with Sword Master Fallon, she had been know to voice her opinions, but she had realised even from the first that Slyne was a different order of person and she treated him with more respect than anyone she had ever met. It wasn't just the doorway or the swordplay, or even his show of power, it was the knowledge. He knew so much, things that other people hadn't a clue about he took as common knowledge and Yane could not even hazard a guess at what he considered esoteric, but she wanted to know. She had always felt she lived in a knowledge vacuum. Many things around should have been understood but weren't - everybody spoke about the Day Wars but nobody seemed to know anything, it was all just rumours and hear say, tales and legends that Yane didn't believe a word of. 4

Yane had first noticed as Slyne's wagon had started off, it had seemed more like the horses had been nudged forward than they had taken up the strain to pull the heavy wagon away. It was very subtle and nobody else seemed to notice and even she hadn't been sure, but watching now as it climbed the hill away from the town, she was certain. By some method that didn't involve the horses the wagon was moving. It was intriguing to Yane for she had often considered the logistics of building Saptor, the rock had been hauled a long way from the mountains to the north. It had always struck her that by horse and cart, it must have been a nearly impossible task, now she had a clue that maybe there were other ways of moving heavy objects.5

Yane cast an eye around the group, of the entire group, Darg looked the most awkward on a horse. They had found it difficult to find clothes for his size and he'd ended up with a pair of pants that were a bit short and tight around the thighs, they only served to emphasise just how large his legs were. The horse was a calm old wagon horse but Darg looked as if he was expecting it to bolt at any moment. Yane had expected Darg to refuse to mount the horse, his fear of the beast was so obvious, but a mere whisper from Slyne had been enough to persuade him. Yane was pretty sure Darg would walk through fire if Slyne just asked him to and wonder why the giant held Slyne in such awe. Darg seemed to have little respect for anyone else; indeed, it seemed to Yane that he hardly knew they existed. When she had spoken to him he had answered her willingly enough but for all the sense she could make of his answers he need not have bothered.  Many of the words she had understood but she couldn’t grasp what he was talking about. Of the entire group he was by far the most enigmatic for if Slyne was a riddle at least, he appeared like other people and you could talk to him and sometimes get an answer.6

Yane, not for the first time, tried to work out why Slyne had chosen the people he had, there seemed to be no connection between the giant priest and herself, or the cook Salom and Prince Kargon. She shook her head; yet again she did not have enough information to work out the answer, but she found it hard to let it go, it felt to her that she should be able to work it out - that it was something obvious she was missing. 7

Yane glanced up and was surprised how far they had come; they were nearly at the brow of the hill. She turned and looked back at the City and across to the bay. She had always loved this view; the City nestling in the crook of the hill, the river Lem twisting its way down through the City to the harbour, the ships in the harbour looking like toys at this distance; and further still, the blue of the sea spreading vast to the meet the blue of the sky, the mysterious union of heaven and earth. Yane wondered how much more she would know by the time she gazed once again on the scene.8

They spent the night at the Hoss-en-Phepher, the famous or infamous inn near the boarder to Veenor. In the past it had been the most notorious way station in the three countries, the haunt of bandits and cut-throats. Tartigan the Great's most famous battle had been just near here. After he had cleaned up Fairwell his newly trained army and guard, had cut its teeth on the largest of the bandit gangs led by Tatin Hoss. After the battle there were few of the gang left, they had fought bravely but were no match for organised military. Hoss, who had been a cruel tyrant, had plead for mercy but Aland's grandfather, although he spared the surviving bandits, had insisted Hoss was humiliated and executed outside the inn as an example to the other bandit leaders. The ploy had worked and there had never again been a pitched battle of that size in the whole campaign. 9

The inn's name had been changed as a constant reminder of Hoss's humiliation. Despite this, the location of the inn meant that only the occasional patrol ventured out this far and as the Veenor militia saw no reason to interfere. It was not the sort of place a rich merchant with a full purse would risk visiting, not without a large group of escorts anyway.10

"Is the wagon going to be safe out here?" Yane asked, as Slyne pulled into the courtyard behind the inn.11

"I shouldn't worry about that, it'll be safer than you, even out here." Slyne grinned.12

As the group entered the inn, the babble of conversation stopped and a minstrel that was singing on the other side of the room paused. For a moment all eyes were on them, but after a still moment, everything slipped back to normal.13

Slyne moved up to the bar. "Drinks and a meal for my friends and two of your best rooms for the night." he told the barman.14

The barman was about to speak but his attention was drawn to the gold coin that had appeared in Slyne's hand, and instead he nodded enthusiastically.15

"That 'll cover the inn costs but you still have taxes to pay." A bruiser that had appeared near Yane told them.16

Slyne began to giggle. "You have to be joking!' 17

Yane's sword was not at her side but strapped to her back. She had never liked the over head draw but saw no reason why that should mean that she was bad at it. Not a quarter of the man's blade had cleared the scabbard when the point of her sword was at his throat. Yane caught a movement out of the corner of her eye but saw the twins move also.18

Slyne chuckled again. "Who were you collecting taxes for? You're not very good at it - perhaps I'll have a word with Aland when we get back to Fairwell."19

Yane felt the change in the atmosphere as Slyne spoke in such familiar terms of the King.20

"Perhaps it would be best to let him have a go and warn the onlookers - try not to kill him." Slyne told her.21

"You heard, take a step back and finish drawing."22

The man stepped back and the people scattered and dragged the tables away from behind him.23

Yane leisurely came on guard. The man immediately attacked wildly, Yane blocked all his clumsy slashes and thrusts without any visible effort, parrying and blocking without even being forced onto the back foot. He re-doubled his efforts and Slyne saw he was trying to back Yane into a lose chair just behind her. Suddenly, without any warning Yane flicked away a clumsy lunge and stepped inside and flipped the man across her hip, he crashed down onto the very chair he had been trying to back her into. Several of the watchers had also realised for they laughed and clapped. The chair had been smashed and the man was badly winded.24

"Throw him out Darg." Slyne snorted his derision.25

Darg took the man roughly by the collar and dragged him to the door; then taking Slyne literally, picked the man up and hurled him out into the road.26

Yane winced at the dull crunch from outside.27

"Right - anymore tax collectors here?" Slyne asked loudly.28

Many of the people laughed but a few sidled out of the door.29

The minstrel began a new lively song and the inn returned almost to normal, although Yane caught more than a few curious glances her way. She hadn't been able to resist transferring her new Sword-Master’s badge to her ruffian's lapel, but she thought very few people outside the Elite Guard would recognise it for what it was.30

The night passed without any other incidents and they left after a sumptuous breakfast.31

Yane walked over to Slyne, who was inspecting the canvas of the wagon. "You have to give them credit for trying." 32

The canvas had a small white mark on the side which Slyne wiped away with his hand and kicked the remains of the axe on the ground, the shaft was smashed into splinters and stained in patches an ominous brown.33

"You have much better canvas than us." Yane commented, bending to look at the axe.34

"That I do." Slyne nodded but said no more.35