The others thought she was building an army, but I saw what they were. The swollen monstrosities were crafted in the image of my own creations, but hers serve a different purpose. They are watchers, hunters, and guardians. Her wandering eyes and ears.
*****
Callum sighed in contentment, as he sat on the porch of the hall, a cup of hot tea in hand, with his feet propped up on a nearby table. He sat there for a half hour, watching the sun rise around the edge of the mountain where his home lay. The orange light illuminating the buildings, and the surrounding tree line. A few roosters crowed and the inhabitants of the glade began to stir.
Callum took a sip from his smug, and chuckled into it as a tall figure dropped out of the stable's loft. The figure brushed the straw off of himself and began to walk towards the hall.
Franar stomped onto the porch beside Callum, a few missed pieces of straw caught in his hair. "Where's Jarl Redmane?"
Callum slowly turned his head to regard his scarred grimace. "He's eating. You'll find him inside." Franar turned and took a step towards the hall's door, but Callum reached out and grabbed his wrist. "You should watch how you speak to your betters. Not everyone is as thick skinned as me, and someone other than me might take your blatant disregard for proper respect as a sign of hostility." Callum held the herald's wrist, not letting him pull away, until Franar met his gaze. He gave a cowed nod, and Callum let him pull his wrist away. Franar rushed through the door, bumping into someone moving the opposite direction as he did.
Brynna slid into the chair beside Callum, as she blew on her own mug of steaming tea. "What was his rush?"
"I think he saw something that scared him," Callum replied, continuing to stare out at their awakening surroundings. "Maybe he saw a predator in the woods. The bears should all be out of hibernation, and the wolves will be heading north."
Brynna sipped her tea, and took in the woods. The boughs of the trees bent under the weight of the snow, that was ever so slowly melting in the light of the rising sun. "I don't see anything, and I doubt any wild animals would come near this many people."
"You'd be surprised, they often hide in plain sight." Callum swung his legs off the table and stood, gesturing with his now empty mug. "I'm going inside, you want anything?"
"No, I'm good, I'll be there in a little while." Brynna tucked her legs underneath her, and huddled down in her chair sipping from her mug.
Callum shrugged, and pushed through the door into the hall. It was dimmer inside, the smoke from the coals curling up to set among the rafters. At the end of the hall the Jarl sat in his chair, a quill in one hand, the other holding a scroll spread out on the table. He glanced up as Callum walked up, and leaned against a nearby pillar to observe what was happening. Fanril focused his gaze back on the parchment, and scribbled out a few lines of symbols before signing with a flourish. He set his quill aside, and rolled up the paper and slid it into a hard leather tube.
Fanril twisted his fingers into intricate signs, signaling Callum, who nodded and addressed the herald. "Jarl Redmane gives you this message to deliver to your liege. He also gives you a warning. If for any reason this message should not be delivered to Reeve Fareye, or delivered to another first, you shall be held solely responsible, and you should not desire to receive the Jarl's ire."
Franar gave a stiff bow, holding out his hands to receive the message. "I assure you the message will reach the Reeve's hands and only the Reeve's hands."
The Jarl nodded solemnly and placed the scroll in the herald's hands. Fanril then made dismissive gesture as the messenger rose. Franar bowed again before he turned, and marched out of the hall.
Callum watched the scarred visitor leave, the wooden doors closing with a thud. He turned back to where Fanril was sitting, his gaze fixed on some far-off point. As Callum approached the table, he blinked, and focused back on his surroundings.
"What did the letter say?" Callum signed to Fanril.
"I simply stated my support for the rightful king."
"The rightful king?" Callum raised an eyebrow. "I thought your goal was to not anger him."
Fanril snorted, and waved his hand dismissively. "It was, but I'm not about to let that self-righteous fool ignore the line of succession, and set himself up to take the Raven throne. Ulf was a raving madman, but as I remember his son was a promising prince who might one day be an honorable king."
Callum twisted his face into a sour expression. "Even if he was once promising no one will openly support the claim of an exile, never mind the son of an excommunicated heretical witch and an insane tyrant. All they remember is the pain his parents caused, they don't care what or know what happened after that."
"You would be surprise what they know, nothing travels faster than gossip, and the ventures of highborn son circulate quickly. The assault of the Teeth, the siege of Ogre's End, the ambush at Crow Canyon. Everyone has heard the tales, and now that the shadow of his parents has passed they will more willingly praise him." Fanril's visage became serious and he jabbed a finger into Callum's chest. "All he need do is accept his new mantle as Reeve, and choose his name. Once he shrugs off the name of Ulfsson there will be nothing for people to hold against him."
Callum nodded resignedly and looked away, forgoing the sign language, and speaking out loud. "I understand what you are saying, but we should turn our attention to the South. Bursa will be expecting you, he won't be happy when only I arrive."
Fanril thrust out his hand interrupting him. "But it won't be just you, you will have Thrarsdotir with you."
"Yes, but I don't want to just throw her in the middle of everything down there. We have no idea what Bursa is going to ask of us, or how we will react to what he perceives to be a slight."
"Don't underestimate her, I have a feeling she can take care of herself, and besides you will have at least a week to teach her a few tricks before you get to Reinchukk."
"As always you are probably right. I'll go get two packs ready, and we will leave as soon as possible, there is no point in delaying further." Callum straightened his shoulders and turned towards the kitchen door, but stopped as Fanril reached out again.
"Bran is already getting your gear. You should make sure the girl is ready."
Callum bowed his head in acquiescence and headed out the front door. He pushed through the door, stepping out into the quickly warming morning. "You done?"
Brynna stirred and looked over at him. "Yeah, is it time to go?"
"As soon as you're ready."
Brynna stood slowly, yawning and stretching as she rose. Callum paused for a second, waiting for her, then stepped off the porch. He led her along the path now made of squelching mud instead of damp snow. They walked silently down the hill until they reached stables, where, rounding the corner, they spotted Bran, holding the reins of a shaggy mule laden with bundles. Bran stepped towards them and stretched out the hand holding the mule's lead, offering it to Callum.
"I got you a little bit of everything, it's only a week to Reinchukk, but I have no idea how long you'll be there."
Callum took the offered lead, and shook hands with the giant. "Thanks Bran, I owe you one."
Bran simply nodded, and turned to Brynna. She reached out and shook his hand, then started in surprise as he dropped a large leather pouch into her palm. Her eyes widened as the tinkle of coins revealed the contents of the pouch. "Bran, I can't accept this, it would take me years to pay this back." Brynna quickly closed the pouch, as if the gold would magically fly out.
Bran let out a hearty chuckle. "You can and you will. Callum would never let me pay off my debt to him, so I'm hoping to help you both with this small pittance."
"A pittance?" Brynna asked incredulously, raising an eyebrow.
"Sailing with a famous Jarl for several decades can be quite beneficial for one's coffers."
Brynna eyed Callum. "You really need to tell me more about your Jarl sometime."
"Yes," he agreed. "Sometime." Callum glanced up at the sun, now hanging above the horizon. "We should get going."
*****
Brynna awoke as the rough fingers clamped down over her mouth. Her eyes flew open her fist instinctively rising to strike whoever was assaulting her. As her vision cleared she recognized who was kneeling over her.
Callum slowly eased away from her, holding a finger to his lips, while he massaged the bruise forming on his jaw with his other hand. As he took another step back and settled to a low crouch. Brynna realized that he was wearing his chainmail, had a sword belted to his waist, a large cloth wrapped shield on his back, and a long double pointed spear lying beside him.
Now fully awake and aware of her surroundings Brynna sat up pulling her knife out from where she had kept it under her pillow, and began scanning the trees around their camp for the source of Callum's trepidation. He swung his shield off his back picked up his spear, and silently stalked across the camp, his head constantly on a swivel as he pulled Brynna with him.
"What's going on," Brynna hissed once Callum had pulled her down at the beside their mule.
He glanced around the trees once more. "I found a body, when I went to get our supplies down. I don't know if anyone else is in the area, so you are going to stay here while I check it out."
Before Brynna could protest Cullem slipped away, moving silently through the damp underbrush. He disappeared behind a row of pine trees, leaving her alone, amid the dripping boughs. She huddled closer to one of the drier trunks, wishing the sun would penetrate further through the tree cover. It was warm enough for an early thaw, but especially in the early morning it still felt like the middle of winter.
Brynna was about to sneak off in search of where Callum had gotten to, when she spotted him. He was slinking through the trees, crouched low with his shield on one arm and his spear ready in the opposite hand. She waited until he reached her tree, before raising her voice. "You find anyone?"
Callum shook his head. "Just the one, it's hard to tell with the snow constantly melting and shifting, but it looks only one set of foot prints. Though I did find some massive wolf tracks in the mud near where the mule was." He stood up and gestured for her to follow. "Come on, I'll show you."
Callym led her back through their small camp and a little way further into the trees, where the corpse was strewn. It lay face down, large pools of red soaking into the mud beneath its neck and torso. Callum used a boot to flip the corpse over, revealing the gaping holes where the man's throat and stomach had been. Brynna's breath caught in her throat as she looked at the man's face.
"What is it?" Callum asked with a concerned frown.
"I recognize him." Brynna whispered. "He was one of the men I escaped from."
"You're sure?" Callum's frown deepened into a grimace as began scanning the area again.
Brynna bent over, examining the face for a moment, then straightened again. "I'm sure, I gave him that one cut. The one from his chin to his ear. What do think did this, a bear?"
Callum gave a quick shake of his head, and pointed to the displaced snow. "the tracks look more like a wolf, but they're about five times bigger than most wolf tracks I've seen."
Brynna glanced at the area he had indicated, searching for the pawprints. She knelt down beside it, and placed her hand inside main pad of the print, with her fingers extended she still had room on either end of her hand. She stood again her eyes still glued to the tracks. "What is it?"
"It could be a dire wolf from the north, but I didn't think those got this big. The thing I don't understand is why it killed this man, but left us alone when we were asleep barely twenty strides away." He picked up their supplies from where they had fallen after he cut them down from the trees. "Another thing to worry about is why, and how this slaver followed us."
*****
Callum slowed his pace until Brynna was walking alongside him down the path. "Don't look now, but someone is following us. They keep darting in and out of the tree so I can't be sure, but there is at least two of them."
Brynna missed a step, and stumbled slightly. "Who would be following us?"
"Maybe your friend had friends. How many did you see during your stay with them?"
"Four. There was four of them."
"Do you remember what kind of gear they'll have with them." Callum was whispering now, as his hands inched towards the straps that held his spear and shield to his back.
"They all had bows, axes, and knives. One had a sword, the other three had spears." Brynna rested her hand on her new axe, and took a longing glance towards her shield and spear that she had let the mule carry. As she looked back at the mule plodding slowly behind them she caught a flicker of movement in the trees further back, and quickly turned back front. "I saw one to our right, a hundred strides back."
Callum nodded. "There are two on our left now, they're creeping closer. Get ready."
Brynna tensed, inching her axe out its loop, and prepared to grab her shield from the mule as quickly as she could. Callum carefully undid the strap holding his shield to his back, then swung it around quickly to his arm as he shouted, "Now!"
Callum quickly slid the shield onto his arm and turned as he pulled his spear out the bindings that held it to the shield, and quickly crouched down to prevent any arrow from finding his feet. Brynna sprinted a couple steps to the mule's side and ripped her own shield off of it, before leaping back in surprise as the mule collapsed with two arrows in its side. She quickly copied Callum, and they both huddled for a second before arrows thudded into their shields.
"Why did you give the signal now?" Brynna shouted accusingly, as they sat in the middle of the path, another volley of arrows hitting their shields.
"Well, the trees end just up ahead, and then we would have been in even worse position." He began slowly inching his way towards the trees, crouching behind his shield.
Brynna glanced up the road, and confirmed that the trees did appear to be thinning farther along. She glanced over to ask Callum what to do, and saw that he was already to the side of the path standing behind a tree, a dozen arrows still stuck in his shield. She slowly began inching her own way over to him, taking care to not let anything stick out from behind the shield as arrows occasionally thudded into it.
"What now?"
Callum took a moment to swipe his shield past the tree, breaking all the arrow shafts off. "Don't get shot." He took off, dodging from tree to tree, as a couple arrows whistled by, narrowly missing him.
Brynna waited with baited breath as Callum slowly wound his way towards the two archers were ensconced atop a rock formation. She watched with anxiety as arrows continued to bury themselves in her friend's shield and his surroundings, then in a moment of a panic she whipped her head around to scour the opposite side of the path for the third attacker. After a momentary search, that revealed nothing of her quarry's location, she began to move along her side of the path in an effort to keep an eye out behind Callum without getting shot herself.
She stifled a yelp as a mound, of what she had thought was snow, rose from the underbrush and began to creep through the trees. Brynna glanced quickly from where Callum was taking cover to where the humongous, white-furred beast was stalking towards. Just as she was about to shout a warning to her companion, the monster halted and turned towards her. It moved closer, letting her finally see what it was. A giant wolf, with fur whiter than snow, and a set of piercing blue eyes. Eyes that were looking in her direction. Eyes that were just above a gaping maw big enough for Brynna's entire head, and quite possibly her shoulders too.
Fear coursed through her veins, as she began slowly backing away from the wolf. It kept stalking closer, and then suddenly it broke into a sprint and leapt forward. Brynna threw herself to the side, and scrambled away as fast as she could. She didn't look back, she just sprinted as fast as she could towards where Callum had been.
She reached the rock formation the archers had been on just as the body of one of the archers tumbled off, landing in front of her, blood seeping out around where Callum's spear was lodged in his chest. "Callum!" She shouted as she continued to sprint past the body, looking for him. She rounded the outcropping and slowed as she spotted Callum. He was dueling with the other archer, a short blonde man who was now using a sword, Callum made it look effortless as he swayed away from his opponent's weapon, occasionally using his own sword to deflect the blows. Even Brynna, who knew almost nothing about sword fighting, could see that Callum was toying with his opponent, and from the raged filled, twisted, spittle spewing visage of the archer he knew it as well. "Callum!"
Callum didn't react at all to Brynna's shout, but before she could call again he side stepped an angry thrust from the blonde man, and with lightning speed slashed his own sword up. Callum slammed his shield forwards into the, now one-handed, swordsman's shoulder. The man fell screaming as he clutched his stump to his chest, but another quick slash of Callum's blade and the screams were reduced to a few quiet gurgles.
Callum turned and made his way towards Brynna. "What? Do you know where the last one is?"
"I'm not sure, but there is a massive white wolf somewhere close. I think it might have been the one that got the first slaver by our camp last night."
"You get a good look at it?" Callum quickly pulled his spear out of its victim's chest and wiped it clean on the man's jerkin.
"Yea, it must be at least twenty hands at the shoulder."
"Alright, can you show me where it was?"
Brynna nodded, and quickly led Callum back to where she had been when she spotted the wolf. Now there were only a few giant wolf prints in the soil though, the beast was nowhere in sight. Callum quickly began following the tracks as they led towards the path, then halted suddenly and beckoned for Brynna. "Look at this."
Brynna hurried up to where he was standing, and there sprawled in the mud beside the path was the last of the slavers, his once light hair now stained crimson from the pool of blood that had evacuated his body through the gaping hole torn in his neck. The body looked almost exactly the same as the first one, the throat torn out, and long deep furrows running from his sternum to his thighs.
"Why do the wounds look so similar to the first body?"
Callum glanced around to make sure the beast was gone before examining the body further and responding. "It's how wolves take down prey bigger than them. The leap onto their prey, knocking them over, then they fasten their jaws onto the throat and starting shredding the torso with their back paws." Callum snagged a pouch from the corpses belt, earning a glare from Brynna as the jingle of coins sounded from within. "What's that look for?"
"Didn't you tell Bran you didn't need any gold? Now here you are stealing a couple coins from a corpse."
"Bran needs his money more than I do, but I certainly need this dead slaver's money more than he does." Callum began walking towards where their mule lay and started collecting the bundles off its back.
Brynna sighed and walked over and started helping remove their gear from the mule, already dreading how much weight she was going to have to carry now that their pack animal was slain.
*****
The duo reached the top of the hill and looked down upon the city just as the last rays of sunshine on their eighth day of traveling. The city sprawled along either side of the river they had been following for the past two days, and stretched to the shore line of the lake where from their vantage they could see a vast number of docks, all full of ships, lining the shoreline. On the other side of river, atop a small hillock, was a large hall swathed in light and smoke.
The two figures started down the hill towards a large gate in the wooden palisade that surrounded the city. The gate was made of the same stripped wooden logs as the palisade, and standing in front of the closed gates was a small group of people milling about, and occasionally calling up to the guards atop the wall.
"So, I might have to do something a little surprising when we get to the gate." Callum broke the silence, as he carefully began removing the cloth he had carefully kept wrapped around his shield for the entire trip. "Just keep following me and I'll explain it later."
"What? What are you going to do?" Brynna glanced over at his shield, seeing the front of it for the first time. The shield depicted two ravens back to back crowned with a ring of mountains, and a sea of blue spread out beneath them. "Why do you hide your shield, it's beautiful."
Callum glanced at her in surprise, but didn't respond before they reached the small crowd outside the gate. Brynna followed close behind as him as he shouldered his way through to the gate. Several people turned around with disgruntled expressions at being shoved out of the way, but as soon as they saw who had shoved them they quickly backed away.
Callum stopped in front of the gates, and drew in a deep breath before bellowing up to the guards. "Open the gate!"
"The gates are closed till sunrise, so quit your yelling and go away till tomorrow!" One very tired guard was propping himself up on his polearm as he tried to shoo everyone away.
"Very well, I assume you will inform Thane Bursa that you turned away Jarl Redmane's envoy, and that he understands we were refused entry to the city, and since they have been refused no support shall be forthcoming from the Northern Hunts!" Callum finished his bellowing and turned around, dragging Brynna back through the now open channel of people.
The guard fumbled with his polearm as he stood upright, and squinted down at Callum. His eyes widened as he saw the shield and the face of its bearer. He turned and called down to someone behind the gates, and soon the gates began inching open. The gates opened just enough for another guard to step out, and snap to attention in front of Callum, his fist across his chest in salute. "Master Ulfsson, I'm sorry we did not recognize you on your approach. If you will follow me I will lead you to King Bursa's hall where the moot is gathering."
Callum nodded, and put a hand on Brynna's shoulder pulling her directly behind him just as the gates shut behind them. The street beyond was lit only by the occasional torch of a guardsman, and the shops and houses on either side were dark except for a large building farther down the street. Callum tried to keep leading Brynna after the guard, but she refused to move standing there staring wide eyed at him. "You are Ulfsson? Reeve Ulfsson?"
Callum shushed her, and lowered his own voice. "I said I might surprise you, let's just follow our guide, and I'll explain everything another time. And please don't call me Reeve while we are here, I don't think they know about that yet, and I'd like to keep it that way for now if possible."
Brynna nodded slowly and allowed him to pull her along. "Why don't you want them to know?"
"It would raise some problems, that I don't want to deal with yet. The ruler of this city is a thane, but he has declared himself to be a king. If I were to reveal myself as a Reeve I would have to either acknowledge his claim as real, which I will never do, or I would outrank him, which would greatly aggravate him, and while I am not averse to irritating Bursa, his guards do outnumber me." They passed the only occupied building on the street, which appeared to be some sort of bar with music and raucous laughter pouring out onto the vacant street. They walked down the street until it split, one path turning left over a bridge and towards the hall, the second path continuing down their side of the river and was lined with more unlit buildings.
The guard led them over the stone bridge, and into a busier district. Here the houses rose several stories with slate instead of thatch roofs, and the streets were paved with stone. As they continued further towards the Thane's hall they began to see more people in the street, and then as they began up the path to the hall itself they saw the grounds covered with tents and bustling with warriors.
It looked like gardens had used to cover the hillside around the hall, but now it was home to a vast array of tents and warriors. The warriors appeared to be from everywhere south of the Northern Mountains. Some with the javelins and red hair of the Hawk clans, others with the gray and short swords preferred by the Snow Leopard clans, and of course many with the brown locks and bows of the Stag clans.
As they walked up to the hall's entrance several of the men elbowed each other pointing to Callum and whispering amongst themselves. Brynna only caught bits and pieces, but they were confusing.
"Redmane's dog showed up."
"You see the girl? I didn't think Ulfsson would be able to find one that would take him."
"Quiet, he'll hear you, ears like a wolf that one, and the bite to match."
Most of the whispering seemed to be accompanied by hostile glares from the Stag clansmen near the entrance, but Brynna could see several Hawks and Snow Leopards watching with interest from a little further away.
The guard greeted his compatriots, who stood on either side of the open hall doors, and continued inside. Once they entered the hall the guard motioned for them to wait, as he pushed further in towards a raised throne. The interior of the hall was well lit with sconces of torches flickering brightly, and large cook fires slowly filling the rafters with smoke. Along both walls were rows of large trestle tables running down to where the dais rose from the floor and held the Thane's throne. Behind the throne was a set of open double doors leading to another large hall with more people and tables visible.
Callum disregarded the guards indication to wait, and began to make his way through the crowds of mingling visitors. He took Brynna's hand, making sure they didn't get separated by the drinking clansmen. They made their way past the empty throne through the double doors, and into another hall even larger than the first with yet another throne at the far end.
The second hall was at least three times bigger than the first, with stairs on either side of the hall leading up to a second level. More tables and benches lined the way to the second dais, which held the second throne, but unlike the first this throne held a man. The Thane was wearing ornate gold trimmed clothes and massive, opulent, jewel encrusted crown. This hall was a little less crowded, the inhabitants having more room to spread out over, but as they entered a short, bald man with a massive red beard let out a happy bellow and ran over. The man was almost a stride shorter than Callum, but he wrapped his arms around the Callum's waist and lifted him into the hair, laughing the entire time. "Callum! I was hoping you would show your ugly mug sooner rather than later."
Callum grunted, and managed to pry the man's arms from around his waist. "Hamish, I would have been here two days ago, but I ran into some trouble on the road and lost my mule."
"Nothing you couldn't handle I'm sure. you'll have to join us around the fire and tell us your tales."
"I'll tell you later, but right now I want you to meet my traveling companion, Brynna Thrarsdotir. Brynna, this is Hamish Skullbreaker"
Hamish grinned widely, revealing a set of teeth with more gold than white. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Thrarsdotir, I hope Callum has been giving you the care you deserve." He took her hand bent low over it kissing it gently.
Brynna pulled her hand, blushing slightly. "Nice to meet you master Skullbreaker. He has been the kindest of sword instructors I could have hoped for."
Hamish eyes lit up, and his smile grew even bigger. "Ah, the sword. I always preferred the axe myself, but there is no one better with a blade than Callum here. I once saw him slice his way through four Lamarian spearman with nary a scratch. And then he continued to single handedly turn the tide of battle, and save what had looked like a doomed raid. Saved my life, and my crew's, that day."
Brynna raised an eyebrow as she eyed Callum. "You are going to have to do some story telling soon."
Callum gave her wan smile, and turned back to Hamish. "What's the mood like around here? I saw a lot of angry Stag when I showed up."
Hamish's smile dimmed considerably. "Don't pay attention to them, they got their antlers in a twist since your Jarl refuses to acknowledge Bursa's claim. But don't worry, if any of them try anything my boys will take care of them, and the Snow Leopards still remember what you've done for them. They aren't as fickle as these young bucks."
Callum nodded thoughtfully, taking in the room with a long glance. "I appreciate it, Hamish. Is Snowcutter here? Or Feathersong?"
The last remnants of Hamish's grin bled away. "Snowcutter is down with the red cough, had it since the end of last season. Feathersong is dead, we found her body strung up at the foot of the heights." Hamish glanced around and took a step closer, whispering. "I'm not sure who's responsible, but I have some of my lads poking around, and whoever killed her is going to regret ever crawling out of their mother's womb." His eyes glinted and a grim smile returned to his face.
"Everyone! Please take a seat and pay attention, the King wishes to speak." The guard that had led them in, stepped down after his announcement, and made his way into the smaller hall repeating himself as he went.
Soon bodies began to press into the large hall filling the seats along the tables, and pushing the trio over beside the one staircase leading up. As soon as the last of the warriors filed in to the hall the thane stood, raising a hand for silence. "Thank you, now I'm sure you wish to know why I have called for this moot so early in the season. Well, all your question will be answered, but first I wish to thank you, my vassals for responding to my call."
Callum and Hamish exchanged glances, and rolled their eyes.
"I have called you here to organize the largest raid since Ulf sundered the Lamarian coast. Gathered here tonight are the Jarl's of three hundred longboats, and the commanders of over a thousand Aasernian warriors. Together we could raze the coast of Lamaria, pillage every village, town, and city. No cowardly Lamarian soldiers could stand against us!"
Brynna took in the hall, realizing just how many people where there, definitely enough to cause some trouble. Hundreds of muscular warriors with swords, axes, and knives at their side, with very savage grins on their faces at the promises the thane was handing out.
"So, are you with me? Will you join me in gathering riches unlike anything we have ever seen before?"
The crowd roared in unison, some raising weapons aloft. The thane raised his hand for silence again, a victorious smile on his lips. "Then we shall set sail in two days, with the first high tide. My docks will supply your ships with everything you need, but don't forget to leave room for some Lamarian cargo." A smattering of laughter was heard, but most of the hall's inhabitants were busy excitedly discussing the future.
A rousing cheer erupted as several huge kegs were brought out, and set up at the back of the hall. Callum caught Brynna's eye and jerked his head towards the top of the staircase where Hamish was waiting for them.
They ascended the steps to the next level. The upstairs was a long hallway with numerous rooms hidden behind the many doors lining it. Hamish led them half way down the hall, before turning to one of the doors and opening it. He ushered both of them in, and shut the door behind them.
Inside was a spacious room with extravagant decorations and chests covered with far less extravagant weapons, which must have been Hamish's addition to the room. He quickly scooped a belt of daggers and a bag off two of the chairs, and sat down on the bed himself. "Please, have a seat. Sorry about the mess, I wasn't expecting any visitors."
"You weren't, were you?" Callum eyed the weapons lying about meaningfully.
"I'm only staying here for the night, but I wanted to be prepared for anything until I can get back to my crew."
"How are your lads? Still living clean?"
Hamish grimaced. "I still don't know how you got an entire crew of raiders to swear off alcohol, never mind my crew. I've got a few green ones this season though, promising boys. But enough of small talk, you heard what Bursa said. What are you going to do?"
"Well, if Brynna is ok with it, we're going to keep going south, appease Bursa for now, I can probably get a spot on Kivla's ship. I'm pretty sure I saw her hanging out down there."
Hamish's gold smile returned in full force. "Kivla is around? I haven't seen her in ages. Well, I wish you look sailing with her, you'll need it."
Callum glanced at the doorway to Hamish's other room. "It alright if we stay the night, I don't really want to talk with Bursa at the moment."
"Of course. The lady can take the bed, I got my roll in the other room." Hamish ducked through the doorway and reappeared after moment with his sleeping mat. "Make yourselves at home, I'm going to grab a drink and see what everyone is saying. Don't wait up!" He left quickly, leaving Callum and Brynna alone.
"So, who is this Kivla person we are going to sail with?"
"An old friend, I'll tell you later."
"You have a bad habit of saying that, you realize I'm not going to let you just push it off forever. you'll have to tell me what you are eventually."
"Eventually." Callum smiled, as he spread his own bedroll out beside the bed, and promptly collapsed onto it.
Brynna snorted, collapsed onto the bed, and started snoring almost immediately.
Thank you for taking some time out of your day to peruse this third/fourth installment of my rambling mind. Hopefully everything is starting to shape up into an interesting tale.
I apologize for any weird gaps or orientation of paragraphs, I swear it looks fine on my Word document, but sometimes when I copy paste it to Wattpad it gets messed up.
Just some minor edits as I was rereading what I have so far. 1/27/19