Lyra Baudry's POV
A few more days of riding pass before we reach the town. All the while I had been keeping an eye on Kaladin.
I many a time caught him watching me on our rides or at the fires we slept around, but he still hasn't uttered a word to me.
Jed had shaken me awake this morning, saying that Kaladin wanted us to meet in the town square. I dressed into a different shirt, one that I purchased when we arrived, and pulled my boots on. Splashing water onto my face to wake me more, I listen as Jed straps his scabbard on somewhere behind me.
The inn we are at is relatively nice, though not as nice as the first one we stayed at, I find that I am starting to take to the nomadic life style and can no longer be bothered by places like these.
Jed and I were assigned to the same room again, and I once woke to him staring at me in the night. We had been staying here for two days so far, while Kaladin met with a few people about some things.
My shoulder is mostly healed now, and the bruises on my face have disappeared. Lance was right, the herbs did help considerably.
"Kaladin found work for us." Jed explains, tossing me an apple from his bag.
Work? It never occurred to me that I would end up on a job with them. "He wants me there as well?" I didn't know that I was considered one of them yet.
I say nothing and eat the apple as he leads me out the door, cinching my quiver to my back. This could stand to be interesting.
-
"Your late." Kaladin greets us with his typical cheery manner. I'm being sarcastic of course. He hardly waits for us before he starts on his way through the crowds, Syl, and Adolin sharing a look before scurrying off behind him so no t to get left behind. Jed and I start at a jog to catch up.
I toss my apple core into the pen of some hogs that we pass, and I look up at the towering castle ahead. So that's where we're headed.
We are in the third largest kingdom in the country, and I've heard tales about the infamous king that rules here. There's been stories that he poisoned his brother so that he could rise and claim the throne. And judging by the shacks of the people that reside here, I would guess that he charges hefty taxes as well.
Kaladin stays silent and is as taut as my bow string as we near the walls of the dark and dreary castle, and I suppress a shiver at the dampened weight of the dark stone. The people here don't smile at us, but rather stare and move aside as if we are plagued rats at their feet. Shrugging, I change my striding to keep the pace set by our leader. If none of them are worried, then I should have no reason to be either.
"Navani." I raise my head to look attentively at Kaladin. He looks at me sidelong, face serious. "This job involves some works that you may have never encountered. Be prepared, and show no fear or nervousness. King Alphonse my be intimidating, but he is not very smart."
I nod, taking everything that he says into account. Falling back into step with Jed, he gives me a look, then a glare, past me, at one of the guards that stand on either side of the gates. Though they are open, I can't help but hesitate before going through. This is my first job, the one time that I can truly prove myself as a mercenary and get accepted into this group. This will be vital to my cover, so I will need to be prepared for anything.
-
The entire court is silent as we walk in through the heavy wooden doors, our footsteps echoing loudly. The eyes of the wealthy men and women lined around the walls lay upon us like a heavy burden, their silence weighted with judgment.
I hold my head high, catching the gaze of nearly every pair of eyes in the enormous room, taking my place behind Kaladin and Jed alongside the siblings.
The room is still until we reach the throne, and the king clears his throat, casting a shady look over his shoulder. "Everyone leave." He orders to the man standing next to him.
With a wave of his hand, the noblemen flood out of the hall in a brief thundering of shoes on marble, a few hushed murmurs shuttering through the wave of skirts and jackets.
One of my thumbs rubs the grip of my bow feverishly, and a glance from Syl causing me to still myself. I cannot appear jittery, this is just another rich man. Just like my father. No different.
The doors are pulled shut from the outside once everyone has exited, and I turn my eyes to the king. He is a heavy man, filled with abundance amounts of food produced by his starving people, with hard, unforgiving blue eyes. I could see my father doing business with this man, they aren't very unlike one another.
"So, you've come." King Alphonse starts in his baritone. "Good. My men are in position, and ready to accompany you to your mark."
Who is our mark?
The tall backed wooden chair creeks as Alphonse leans forward. "The price I will pay you is twenty gold coins to be divided between you as you wish. Two men will leave with you, and I expect to see some sign that the prince's son has been ended. You shall bring me back the crown of Whales, then, and only then shall I pay you for your work. Also, my men are to return with you, unharmed, and undamaged. They will be monitoring your every move, and I need not them to have impairments for a full report with their return."
Kaladin snorts and gives a smile, accompanied by a mock bow. "As you wish, your Highness. We leave at sundown."
-
My head spins as I tighten Lasreal's girth, my stomach making strange flopping motions. My brother is traveling with the prince... what if he gets hurt? I cannot let that happen, not at the hands of my group.
Those men that are traveling with us eye each of us up untrustingly, and the feeling is mutual with us as well. One of them is a cocky bastard, and attempts to flirt with Syl, who spits at his feet. Rejected, he sneers and raises a hand as if to hit her, but I raise my bow, quicker than he can blink, arrow notched.
Lasreal, feeling my uneasiness, half-rears and gives a small scream, pinning his ears in the direction of the scum's partner. Thankfully, the little noise he makes sounds more horse-like, so it shouldn't arouse any suspicion.
A look of fear passes across his face, before he snorts and chortles, heading back over to his mount. "Aye, I was only playing, didn't mean anything by it."
The second man makes a kissing noise at Lasreal and grins, holding a hand out. "Oi, prickly beast ain't he?"
I smile and watch in amusement as Las lashes out, nearly catching the man's fingers and pulling them off, but he recoils just in time. "Yes, so I'd mind my distance if I were you. If you fancy keeping those fingers that is."
"Enough fecking around. Let's go." Kaladin commands, swinging onto his beast's back.
-
It turns out that the men are cousins, and grew up under the same roof. The eldest of the two, the idiot who tried to hit on Syls name is Grander, and the younger is Moriar. Grander is rather rugged looking, with dark curly hair and a beard, with dark brown eyes under a heavy brow. He seems to be in his 30's, and carries a large broadsword and has a dagger strapped to his belt. Moriar is slightly younger than his cousin, with significantly lighter hair that is grown out wildly around his shoulders. He has a great war bow strapped to his mount's saddle, and two daggers. He seems a tad more daft than Grander, but just as capable.
After being introduced, the pair stay quiet as they ride between Syl, Adolin and I, Adolin being in the middle so he can keep an eye on both of them. The kin both stay silent, sharing the occasional look with each other, probably speaking as Lance and I can. They seem close enough to each other that they would grow the bond that he and I share. I don't doubt that Syl and Adolin have it as well, though neither ever show any signs of it.
Kaladin rides at the front with Jed, and I stay stuck in my thoughts as Lasreal leans over to try and nip Moriar's mount, the mare shying away with white eyes.
'Enough.' I warn him silently. Before you give us away. He shakes his head and pins his ears in disagreement, but I give him a firm tug of his reins and he quiets down.
My eyes cast over to the bow on Moriar's mare, and I can't help but feel the sinking feeling of knowing that that could be the weapon to kill Lance. I can't let my brother die.
-
A/N
I hope I explained everything adequately, and thank you for all of the comments on my spelling issues, I finally found the spell check button! (I've been writing from my iPod, but that took a swim in the toilet bowl yesterday and thinks it wants to die, so I can now do it from the computer, which has spell check.
So, here you are Aunt Susie!
Comment if you have any questions please, I would be happy to address them as they come! Also, a picture of Lyra (As a woman) has been posted! I'll post more of her later on.