No Land for Princes(s) (ONC2024 Entry)

Chapter Thirteen: Bog Town

Chaleek and Jieun rode double so Candle-Eyes could ride ahead. They'd lashed Ryo to the back of Goda's mount and the big man gladly volunteered to run. While the battle had awakened a violent streak in Strider, none of the other animals seemed overly affected by the attack. Shin, on the other hand, had become hyper vigilant. Weapon in hand, he galloped up and down their column scrying the countryside for approaching danger.

Candle-Eyes had warned them against lighting too many torches with a reminder that torch light would pull the attention of creatures for miles. As such, they rode by moonlight for a few hours. As dark clouds rolled in to cut off their only illumination, Taeyang warned of approaching hoofbeats up ahead. Speaking an oath to Lord Jun, Shin rode off to meet whoever was coming. The others slowed their mounts.

"Here," Jieun whispered, passing Chaleek a pair of leather gloves from her pocket. "For your fingers."

"Thank you, sister." Chaleek chuckled and worked the first over his stone fingers. "I feel a bit silly calling you that now."

"I understand." Jieun leaned forward, resting her chin in his dreadlocks. "Yet I feel like I still need your protection, brother."

He patted the hand with her own stone digits. "I saw how you used sorcery to turn the troll's hide brittle. To have cast such a spell so quickly is no small feat. I can't help but wonder if your vulnerability is part of your act."

"Not with you," Jieun whispered.

Jieun heard the two horses coming just before they emerged from the darkness. With them came a sour odor. Candle-Eyes approached with a bundle under his arm, Shin beside him, scanning the night.

"Took you long enough," Rocio said.

Candle-Eyes tossed a heavy cloak at her before riding past and throwing Jieun a similar second cloak.

"I had to get the lay of the land before I led a bunch of northerners into town."

Chaleek picked up Jieun's cloak and sniffed it.

"These rags smell putrid."

"Good. They'll smell like they belong."

"Jieun isn't wearing this."

Jieun looked away so no one would see her blush at Chaleek taking charge of her care.

"She will if she knows what's good for her." Candle-Eyes caught the curious way Rocio watched him and sighed. "The Goblin King has put out a bounty for northern women. He's paying extra if they are clean and attractive."

Taeyang chuckled.

"The cloaks will mask your appearance and the stink will suffocate your scent." He steered his horse to the front of the group. "I've secured quiet passage into town, so let's hurry before the guard takes my silver and forgets our bargain."

Jieun and Rocio donned the stinking rags and the troupe followed Candle-Eyes down the dark road. Above, the moon hid itself behind a shawl of silver and gray clouds. Jieun took shallow breaths as they rode, trying to keep out the stink of her cloak, but it wasn't long until that little measure didn't matter. The air around them grew stale and thick. After a while, it seemed the smell of her cloak was better than the stink all around them. The horses' hooves clopped loudly across a stone bridge. Barely visible on either side, was a black river of bubbling filth. Taeyang retched and everyone nearly brought up their gorge.

They were stopped at the opposite end of the bridge by a towering bluish man with thin arms and legs. One ear was huge, the other tiny. Jieun had never seen a creature like him before and, if not for his brightly glowing yellow eyes, she would have wondered what he was. She might have marveled at how strange he appeared, but the stink of the bubbling river made it hard to think.