SWNOVELS Chapter † 24 - decisions †
Gawayn squints his eyes against the blinding glare coming from the late afternoon sun, beating down hard on the earth. Gesturing behind him with his hand he motions to Dallin to creep closer.
Moving slowly and as quiet as he can Dallin eases into position next to Gawayn on the crest of the small hill overlooking a small village. Smoke from cooking fires inside the buildings rise sinuously into the pale blue sky. Trees bank the small river flowing close by and the dusty road extends into the distance behind the village.
Gawayn points a finger at the dirt road, and following the direction Dallin sees a small cloud of dust rising into the air.
‘What does that mean Gawayn?’ he asks softly, eyes narrowed in concentration as he tries to make out the source of the dust.
‘Horse. Riding fast. Could be a messenger of sorts.’
Gawayn looks at the village again, his face grim and serious as he surveys the area. ‘They must have taken board at that inn inside the town. We might have to wait for them to leave or we can approach them.’
‘Approach them?!’ Dallin almost yells out, surprised by this sudden change in plans. ‘I thought we were only following them, not trying to join up with them.’
‘I know that was what we had intended to do, but we are entering more civilised areas now and that makes it easier for them to lose us.’
‘Lose us? They don’t even know we are behind them.’
‘That is where you are mistaken. They know. And I know Virian. She will do anything and everything to loose us.’
Dallin’ drops his head, the pride erased from his voice he asks, ‘Is it my fault she suspects? Did I do anything wrong?’
Gawayn flicks a glance at his apprentice, shakes his head and closes his eyes before he speaks softly.
‘No Dallin. You did not do anything. Virian is a very deft and cunning Protector. One of the best amongst us.’
Turning around he sits up, folds his legs up to his chin and rest his head on his knees.
‘No. She would have figured it out eventually. She has an added advantage.’
‘Advantage?’
Perplexed Dallin squats next to Gawayn.
‘Do you know how an elder is chosen?’
Dallin shakes his head, frowns and waits for Gawayn to continue speaking.
‘An elder is chosen on magical ability. Virian is the daughter of an elder is she not?’
Dallin nods his head, scratches his arm and then says suddenly, eyes shining brightly.
‘So she has the ability too. She can touch the flow. That is her advantage!’
Dallin’s voice fills with pride as he continues, very happy that he could figure it all out.
‘That is how she is as good as she is. She cheats when she uses her spells. So no matter what we did, she would have found us anyway!’
Gawayn nods his head and smiles grimly at Dallin.
‘That is why we have to decide if we are going to try and join up with them.’
Gawayn pauses here, a serious look crossing his face as he considers the next words he has to speak, not liking to admit being bettered as a Protector, ‘or do we allow her to throw us off their track at her convenience? For she will lose us, of that you can be certain off.’
Dallin sits back and contemplates by himself their situation, knowing full well that Gawayn has already made his choice, but only granting Dallin the chance to have his own thoughts and say in the matter.
‘I say we try and join them. If she is half as good as you say she is, and I believe you would know better, being a Protector yourself, then that is most likely the only choice left to us now.’
Gawayn nods his head, grins sadly at Dallin and then stands up.
‘Come along then. We had better get into that town and find out where they are exactly.’
Scrambling on the loose gravel Dallin follows quickly behind Gawayn, and both slide to the bottom of the small hill, the sand and grit dangerously loose on the side of the hill. Shaking the dust from their clothes they make their way towards the road, small pockets of dust lifting into the air as their feet hit the ground.
Pushing through a dense patch of bush they emerge onto the dirt road, deep rutted tracks running along the hard baked road. Lifting his hand above his eyes Gawayn looks up and down the road.
The dust cloud rising into the air, on the other side of town, is barely visible against the pale blue sky, but to Gawayn’s trained eyes it is getting bigger as the riders get closer to the village. Turning around Gawayn motions Dallin to follow and then walks towards the village, following the dirt track that will lead into the town proper, numerous small outbuildings, weathered and old, boards rotten and falling apart, sprawled on both sides of the road.
Without talking to Dallin he heads onwards, eyes flicking left and right as he takes in the dilapidated buildings around them, the small hovels clustered closer and closer to one another the nearer they get to the village. A soft breeze blows from the north, the waist high grasses dancing in the draft alongside the road, a lush sea of sinuous movement. Gawayn wrinkles his nose as the unpleasant odours from the village waft into his nose, the cloying stench of old sweat and excretion, mingled in with the smell of stale hay and fresh manure.
Frowning disgusted Gawayn stifles a gag building in his throat and looks back at Dallin as he hears a cough explode behind him.
‘That is the stench of humans.’
Dallin looks amazed at Gawayn and forces a question past his coughing fit.
‘Do all their villages smell this bad?’
‘Most of them probably do. But I do think some of the bigger cities are equipped to offer some sort of sanitation. Or so it states in the books we have on them, back in Reishod.’
Dallin looks around him, eyes bright with amusement, mouth agape in astonishment.
Looking around the town in front of them, buildings built closely together, roofs almost touching, they notice enterprise and activity in the streets. A few people scurry around carrying packages; a merchant stands to the side of the street, wagon laden with an assortment of goods, talking loudly at people ambling slowly past his stall; the deafening bangs of a hammer on an anvil; the raspy sound of a saw cutting through wood.
‘Let’s go to the inn over there.’ Motioning with his finger to the building across from them Gawayn moves off, leading a silent Dallin over the trampled streets.
Winding a path through the numerous people, pushing against the tide of sweaty bodies around them, they slowly reach the building, head up the stairs and pause in front of the door.
‘Make way!’
The ordered command echoes through the streets behind them, the clopping sound of shod hooves against the hard road, a hammering thud following the order.
‘Out of the way! Make way for the courier!’
People scream and scramble sideways, trying to avoid being trampled by the horses as the blue liveried courier speed through the tightly packed streets. Gawayn watches the rider emerge amongst the villagers, eyes widening slightly as the horse narrowly avoids hitting an old woman too slow to get out of the way.
Froth blowing from its mouth, the pitch black horse races past, and the white of its rolling eyes stark in its black head, a soft sheen of coppery sweat shining brilliantly over its black coat.
The courier’s hands are clamped knuckle white on the reins, his brown hair flapping wildly in the wind as he rushes past, short sword dangling from his belt slapping against his light grey hose with each thudding jolt from the horse beneath him.
The horse and rider break through the throng of villagers, explodes out the other side and free from the obstacle, the horse picks up speed rapidly.
Gawayn watches intensely as the horse and rider fade away in a cloud of dust, their silhouettes fading as they race down the same road they had come into town with.
Shaking his head sadly he turns around, reaches for the door and pushes it open, muttering under his breath.
‘That poor horse will be dead by sunset.’
Dallin turns reluctantly, his eyes still following the quickly fading dust cloud in the distance, and follows Gawayn into the dimly lit inn, the smell of stale ale and food assaulting his senses as he crosses over the threshold.
‘How can I help you gentlemen today then?’
The rough voice booming from inside the dim inn assaults Gawayn and Dallin’s ears and, cringing slightly at the unwarranted attention brought upon them, they look towards the source of the noise.
The scraggly red haired innkeeper stands behind the counter wiping mugs out with a rag, dark stains streak filthily over the once white cloth, his mouth split wide in a toothy grin of black stained teeth.
Dallin looks expectantly at Gawayn, and moves after him as he walks closer to the counter. Eyes opened wide, he glances around the room, the dim light making it quite hard to see much inside.
A few people sit scattered around in small groups around tables, mugs half filled with a golden liquid, the smell of cheap hops wafting strongly in the enclosed air.
Eyes, filled with suspicion, follow the two forest dwellers as they cross the room, their every movement scrutinised and weighed as they inch deeper towards the counter.
Gawayn looks around him disdainfully, disgust curling his lip upwards at one side as he comes to a halt before the red haired man.
‘We humbly request some information and lodging if you have any.’
‘Request humbly?’ Scratching his beard the innkeeper looks at Gawayn closely, puts the mug and rag in his hand on the counter and bends over the counter, his hot breath noxiously close to Gawayn’s face.
Eyeing Gawayn interestedly for a few moments, he smiles, stands back and with the grin stretching even wider whispers to himself.
‘Amazing that in one day, two people can speak with such respect to an old scoundrel as me. I’ll be damned!’
Cocking his head to the side the innkeeper says loudly to Gawayn.
’Here ‘bouts they all call me Red Bear. You can call me Bear.’
Lifting the mug up from the counter, he slams it under a tap
and pulls the lever down. A frothy golden ale spills into the mug and he slams it on the counter in front of Gawayn, the golden liquid splashing over the edge of the mug and unto the counter.
‘Now what can I help you with?’
Gawayn looks at the mug, hesitates reaching for it but Bear nods his head at the mug, and he lifts it to his lips. The strong waft of brewed hops assails his nostrils and he gags as he takes a small sip of the bitter liquid.
Spluttering wildly, he flicks an angry glare towards Bear, but seeing the wide grin devoid of any malice he relaxes and flashes a small smile back.
‘We would like to enquire after friends of ours that may have come through this way.’
‘Friends you say.’ Bear arches his bushy red eyebrow higher but shrugs his shoulders and leans forwards over the counter. ‘What do these here friends of yours look like?’
Gawayn pauses, looks over his shoulder at Dallin and after licking the froth from his lips he says.
‘They are two young women and they have an older man travelling with them.’
Bear rest his index finger against his cheek, eyes closed as he ponders softly to himself.
‘The man did not seem to me to be that old. But wait! Yes!’
‘There was an old man, looking very frail, like he was about to collapse.’
Bear opens his eyes and looks directly at Gawayn.
‘They came here, rented two rooms upstairs for the night.’ ‘Now,’ Bear lays his hand on the counter, palm showing up, ’how much does this information concerning your friends, and me not informing them of your enquiries, mean to you.’
Gawayn stares at the open palm lying on the counter, looks up into the Bear’s eyes, greed shining brightly in the brown orbs, and biting his lip he reaches into the pouch at his side and pulls out a silver coin.
Bear grins widely, pushes himself up and slips the coin into a small bag hanging on the belt under his paunch.
‘Now you said something about lodging my dear sir.’
‘Yes. One room for the evening if you please.’ Gawayn’s words venomous as he spits them from between his clenched teeth.
‘Certainly. Two Shikes for the room and one Dom per meal.’ ‘Would you like it brought up to your room like your friends have requested? If so that would be a Pin extra, for the trouble.’
Grumbling to himself Gawayn scrabbles around inside his pouch and pulls the requested coins from within, placing them reluctantly on the counter in front of him.
‘First door on your right as you come off the stairs at the top.’
Bear swivels around, reaches for a small set of keys hanging behind him and slides it cross the counter towards a sullen faced Gawayn.
Snatching the coins from the counter Bear smiles happily as Gawayn and Dallin walk through the clustered tables to the stairs running up the wall to the side.
Feeling eyes boring into his back as they ascend the stairs, Dallin swings around and surveys the dark room below him, his quick eyes searching for anything amiss.
Dozens of eyes stare openly at him as he lingers on the stairs, malice burning in their depths and a queasy feeling coils around inside his stomach.
‘Come along Dallin!’
The hissed command from above cuts through the unease and he spins around, shrugs of his discomfort and scrambles up the stairs behind Gawayn.
As they enter the small room the sounds of activity resumes below: drunken laughter echoing up the stairs, mugs clanging loudly on tables, the babble of numerous voices clamouring to be heard above the rest of the noise. The noise cuts off as Dallin pulls the door closed behind him.