FOREVER KNIGHTS: #2 Rise of the King of Assassins

Merwood, Dread Hideout

ACHARIUS

“Ye’ve an awful look on yer face. As though ye need some ale.” Mardichi offered Acharius the alehorn. The very familiar alehorn. Acharius noted the jeweled inlay.

Good that he still has it.

“What you drink is not ale.” Acharius gave him a withering look.

“That,” Mardichi turned up his nose. “is a matter of opinion.”

No, it’s not. Acharius turned again, tilting his large head to listen.

“What are ye listening for?”

“Not for. To.” Acharius corrected.

“I hear nothing.”

“Because you’re too busy talking.”

“Generally!” Mardichi lifted his alehorn as though to toast the comment. Freezing when he caught the faint whispering of a little girl’s voice. “What in the devil is that?”

“A girl.”

“I’d gathered it was a wee bairn. But what in Ardae is she doing out here?”

“She’s living with the women.”

Mags and Agatha.

“Yer Old bawdys?”

They’re not bawdies.

“My friends, yes.” He corrected.

“Poor wee Dear!” Mardichi proclaimed.

“They’ll take care of her.”

“They’ll raise her for a convent. They’re sad, lonely women who need men in their lives.”

“You think every woman needs a man in their life!” Acharius gave him a blue-eyed glower.

“Only if I’m the man!” He declared with a cheeky grin. “Every woman should have me in their life!”

The Hell they should.

“How much of that have you had to drink?” Acharius gave a half-smile at the idiocy of that thought.

Mardichi turned it to look at it. Frowning in confusion. “Not nearly enough…I’d wager…”

“You’re a drunkard.”

“But damn fun to be around.” He pointed out.

“No. You’re not.”

Mardichi gave a slight shrug. “That too, is a matter of opinion. I’d stay away from that girl. Little girls are nothing but trouble.”

“What if she’s in trouble.”

“Then your old bawdys will care for her. They’re plenty vicious. Recall tha’ day they wouldna lemme in the house? I asked plenty nice and they…” He gave a low whistle.

Acharius smiled fondly at the memory. “They were quite ready to fell you.”

“I think they may’ve tried, too!” His voice rose slightly as he responded to Acharius’ comment regarding them killing Mardichi with the tiny daggers they’d wielded.

“You were demanding to know if they had drink in the House.” Acharius defended.

“Twas a fair question…It’d been a long morning.”

And night, I’d bet.

“They thought you were a thief.” Acharius commented. “Shouldn’t you be out strolling Mane Country for Cimmerii?”

“Ye mean hunting?”

Acharius nodded absentmindedly. If that’s what you call it when you’re too drunk to swat a beetle.

“Of course, I should be. But I killed a fair number last sennight and deserved me a warrior’s drink.”

All seven nights?

“That there is horse piss.” Acharius nodded disgustedly to the alehorn. Catching the stagnant whiff from where he was.

“And fine horse piss, ’tis.” Mardichi said cheerfully before partaking of another liberal sip before Acharius bid him rise and chased him from the caves.

“Ye should go live with those old bawdys. Ye’re practically one already!” Mardichi grumbled as he lumbered out.

Acharius strode Merwood, examining his traps. When inspecting one nearest the House, he glimpsed a familiar spined tail protruding from the big leaves of a bush. His heart sunk.

No…He prayed. But he lifted the leaves over it, and his fears were confirmed. A Cimmerii Noni.

Radix’s rodent was dead in the trap, smashed under a strung boulder. Damn it all to hell. He drew close to study the thing.

Why so near to the house? Are Cimmerii hunting the women…Or the child.

I’ll have to stay close until I know what they’re after. Especially at night, when Cimmerii favor hunting. He felt the same settling in his chest as when he’d looked at the two dark eyed girls all those years ago. Two girls which grew into the sweet old women living in Meredith now.

Drawing near the house, he sat out front. Near the gate. Hearing the girl’s whispering from the North side of the house. The voice stopped.

He realized grass turned green. The moonlight was brown on the wooden fence and tree leaves near him were dark green.

She’s close. She’s coming out. He retreated around front and leapt into a tree, catching the branch and hefting himself up. It was a warm spring night. Trees dripping with an earlier rain and mist.

She passed below him. Stepping tentatively across the grass in the direction of the front gate.

“Where are you going?” His voice stopped her.

She doesn’t know any better. He reminded himself.

She turned. Red hair moved. The flash of color made him shift at the blinding brightness. It sent a ripple over his vision. Even in the dark he suddenly detected subtle green tints in everything. The blue shade of the sliver of a moon. Colored flowers muted in the dim moonlight.

“Where are you?” She asked.

He tossed his voice in several directions to make it impossible for her to distinguish him crouched above her.

“Go back inside.” He urged. “It’s not safe out here.”

“Why isn’t it safe? Who are you?”

“Please just go back inside.”

Before something hears you.

Sighing her head fell. She went back in on leaden feet.

Pouting.

After a moment, he dropped from the apple tree. Mesmerized by glistening fruit dangling near his shoulder. He pulled it down. Gazing at its various shades in awe.

He heard the click of a shutter opening a moment too late.

“So, there you are.” She murmured from the low second level window.

His fingers imbedded in the apple as he spun from her. A cloak forming around him as he gave her his back, concealing his features.

Despite his lack of response, she doggedly continued. “Don’t go!”

How do I get out of this without her waking the house?

“I’ll go inside if you will talk to me from out here.”

“You’ll go inside?”