The Hound's Prey (Revolution's Blade Book 1)

Chapter 12 - Name?

There was no need to kill them and the woman wasn't even injured, just scared away. My hands were forced to strike the man.

It was two days since leaving the hill and very early that morning the wilds had given way to a road. My unshod feet were grateful for a path to walk down instead of the uneven landscape; travelling became much easier and only a few more hours passed before my ears heard other people approaching. Hiding, they came round the bend ahead. A man and a woman, walking along together with some possessions tied to a donkey.

Charging out of the bushes when they drew close, they were taken by surprise and easily overcome. The man tried to draw a knife but my fist struck him before he could ready it. The woman, after seeing him fall and after getting a good look at me, screamed and bolted, running off the road and out into the wilderness with such speed the straw hat she wore fell from her head. She didn't turn to retrieve it, fear kept her feet racing away.

The unconscious man was stripped of any useful clothes, his jacket, his boots - which frustratingly were too big for my feet - the money he had in a purse on his belt and a backpack. The donkey was carrying household items; some food supplies, blankets, and to my delight more clothes. The couple were probably returning from a market, which was encouraging, it meant a town somewhere nearby.

My bloodied robe was thrown away, replaced with a pair of trousers, a shirt and the downed man's jacket. My breastplate - which had been made for a man and therefore was rather uncomfortable to wear - was abandoned, leaving it beside the unconscious owner. Maybe they could sell it; some form of compensation.

The straw hat dropped by the fleeing woman was perfect to cover my stubble covered head, and soon my feet were back on the road, but much less conspicuous would people find me now, thanks to the new clothes.

I had found a stream the day before, so the gore had already been washed from my face and skin, as well as the belt, sword and other gear that had come from the decapitated soldier. There had been no getting the bloodstains out of my robe, but that didn't matter now it had been replaced. The only remaining problem was my bare feet. They would attract attention in all but the poorest towns. The woman who'd fled might have had shoes that would have fit me, perhaps she shouldn't have been allowed to get away.

There was already some guilt for robbing the couple. Hopefully, only a headache the man would have when he awoke from my strike, but it was probably better to not have also attacked the woman. My mind was trying to justify my actions, both previous and now. The clothes stolen from the couple were a certain necessity, walking into a town in a blood-stained robe would be very dangerous. That was enough to offset the guilt, but attacking the woman for just her shoes was perhaps a step too far; it would be better to have them, but they could be lived without.

I follow the road for half a day more until my eyes notice the signs of a settlement ahead; multiple strips of smoke hanging in the sky. The road climbs over a small hill and from the top, my gaze looks down on the place. It is only a small village, with no walls or defences other than some scruffy looking guards standing by the road where it enters the settlement. There are perhaps twenty buildings either side of the road but that is all. Smoke from the chimneys drifts up into the blue sky and my eyes pick out a few people walking about. They look poor and all have light to dark brown skin.

My complexion will look out of place here. The new clothes hide all of my strange tattoos, but there is no hiding how white and pale my skin is on my exposed hands and face. It will be obvious I am not from around here, and that by itself might attract a lot of attention. Swearing under my breath, my mind considers skirting the entire place.

From one glance at the ragged village, it is obvious there will never be a magician living here. Heaven magi are rare, and finding one will probably require a large town, or even a city, but my feet walk down the hill towards the buildings. It is probable that someone can at least give me directions to a bigger settlement, or perhaps someone will know where the nearest healer actually lives. Hopefully, no one will care that I have come from far away.