Metal and Flesh (The Rohvim, Book 1)

18.2 Ministration

Afternoon came and the shadows grew longer, the sun burning off the marine layer of clouds. The older company members insisted on stopping for the night, and they found a place among the grasses on a bluff near a stream flowing out of the hills. They spied down below them a road, threading its way across the broad plain, ending in what looked like a small town many miles off. They decided a fire might draw unwanted attention that night and so simply laid their bedding in the grass and rested.

   The younger members wandered around the bluff, playing and washing in the stream, resting their battered feet. Feeling refreshed, they decided to walk down to the road and look for any signposts that might guide their way. Halfway down the hill, Frederick sharply whispered, "Get down! Over to those trees!" he indicated with his palms for all to lower themselves to the ground, and pointed down the hill.

   Walking along the road, hobbling really, was a group of soldiers, and even from their vantage point they could see the blank expressions on the faces. The youth crept over to a grove of trees and hid themselves, keeping an eye on the marching men and women. Darla whispered over to Aeden, "Don't get any stupid ideas this time, prince!"

   Aeden shook his head, "No, I think we'll just leave them alone." They remained crouched behind the stout trees, occasionally glancing around to mark the progress of the band. Sharp cries rang out below them. They looked and saw another group of people, hidden in the trees on either side of the road begin to ambush the soldiers. They had an outlaw, brigandish look, and made quick work of the soldiers as they stabbed, slashed, punched, kicked and sliced their way through them. The soldiers, already weary and injured, could not muster any sort of defense and caved quickly before the sudden onslaught of the attackers. When all the soldiers were lying on the ground the brigands went among them, searching through their pockets and packs, taking any trifle or valuable. Then, as quietly as they had previously concealed themselves, the thieves melted back into the trees on the far side of the road and disappeared.

   Aeden let out his breath-he had not realized he held it in the entire time. They waited there in the grove for about ten minutes, but there was no further sign of the brigands. Frederick said, "There is a signpost about half a mile down the road. I want to go look at it. We need to know how far we've come."

   Betha reacted, "We can't go down there! They might just be waiting for the next group to come along!"

   Aeden touched Betha's elbow. "I think we should go look at it. We're more than a match for them if they attack ..."

   Betha shot him a disapproving look.

   "... no, I'm not just going to cut my way through them. If we're attacked, we'll just blast them unconscious, look at the sign, and leave." The rest of the youth agreed, and Betha finally gave her consent, with the condition that they all promise not to use their swords on any brigand that might attack. They crept down to the road, Aeden and Frederick in the lead, followed by Darla, Rupert, Stuart, and Betha. They slowly approached the stretch of road where the soldiers all lay dead, the signpost beckoning some distance beyond. Aeden and Frederick walked along, listening carefully for any movement in the woods near the road, their eyes scanning through the trees and bushes.

   Aeden stopped. He wheeled around, hearing something to his right. He listened closer, scanning the forest near the road, but the sound came from his feet. Gasping breath, hardly audible, stuttered out of one of the prostrate soldiers. He lay in a pool of blood, but his chest quivered slightly.

   Relieved, Aeden continued, Frederick at his side. Rupert, Stuart, and Darla followed close by, likewise hearing the raspy breath of the fallen man, but, wary of the brigands they imagined were watching them, followed close behind the young men in front. Betha passed as well, but froze as she too heard the gasping. She looked at the poor man at her feet and immediately dropped to her knees next to him.

   "Betha!" Aeden whispered, fiercely. "What in the Creator's name are you doing? Let's go look at this sign and get out of here!"

   She glared at him, and then placed her hand on injured man's head. She closed her eyes but for three seconds, and opening them said, "I think he'll be alright. I fixed the worst of it, and set him free from Shiavo."

   Slowly, the man came to. He coughed up a bit of blood, let out a groan, then, looking up at the girl, confusion covered his face and he asked, "Who are you?"

   "A friend. Here, take this," she pressed a few coins in his hand, "there is a town just a few miles up the road. If you start now you might arrive there before dark. Find an inn and rest. We will arrive tomorrow and have among us a kinswoman of the town who can vouch for you if they are suspicious of you." She helped the man to his feet, who limped a bit, but seemed to be rapidly improving.

   "Thank you, but-" he stuttered, "-but, I can't remember how I got here. Who are these people?" He looked at the other bloody soldiers at his feet. "What happened here?"

   Betha took him by the elbow and walked towards the others, pulling his attention away from the dead. "You seem to have fallen in among some thieves. You got quite a knock on the head, so I doubt you'll remember much for a day or so. Please, travel quickly, and you will be alright."

   She walked with the man until they came to the signpost. Turku, 5 miles, it read. Betha sent the man on his way and she and the others all walked back up the hill, finding the grove of trees where they had hid before.

   Aeden said, "Let me and Frederick stay here for awhile and make sure the brigands did not mark our route." The others agreed to this and left the two sitting among the trees.