Bellatrix: Swords of Chaos, Book One

CHAPTER 24

  Tomorrow Range would see Nicky again. Hopefully.

  Range gathered his cutlery. The meal was scant, and all it did was make him hungrier. The sun was about to come up on the cold morning. They had been traveling all night. He glanced over at the roped up Prince of Rommel, frowned and stomped to his pouch.

  The Prince’s gag had been removed and the boy had been allowed to eat. Contempt sat on his face like a thundercloud.

  Range resented the Prince for his arrogance and his bitterness toward them. The prince put himself in this situation by going though Range’s stuff.Or did he?Range was perhaps partially to blame. He didn’t care. Right now, he wanted to get going.

  He would have to quickly gather up his family after seeing Garon, and get out of the land. Once out of the land, they should be safe.

  Range looked over at Sterlin. He was not certain why he had wanted the thief with them, but knew the man could still be an asset. He was not certain he could trust the man, but had no proof Sterlin really tried to steal the Sword. As a matter of fact, his information said the man’s story rang true.A thief of Sterlin’s renown would be more careful and plan his theft better. Like not leaving his horse and all of his belongings where someone could happen upon them and just running on foot. No, a master thief would plan it where he would end up with the prize and make a clean getaway.

  Sterlin had begun to slowly ingratiate himself again. Trust was much more difficult to acquire when his motives were suspect. Sterlin was still upset that he was even under scrutiny and suspicion.From what he’d told Range, he had done no wrong.The thief cautiously maneuvered about the group, helping Rolin and Cortibis where he could.

  They were about to break camp, but since they’d just finished eating, it was time to smoke.Range and Cortibis lit their durrys. Sterlin pulled his pipe and stuffed it with weed. They settled around the small fire on logs and rocks. Range figured this was the best time to ask the question he’d had bottled up since they learned of Sterlin’s alter ego.

  “So tell me, Sterlin, where’d Levitin come from?” Range asked.

  Sterlin was just finishing lighting his pipe. Great big plumes of blue smoke filled the air around his head.”It’s a bit of a long tale. You’re certain you want to hear it?”

  “I would like to,” prince Remmy said.They all turned and looked at the stoic prince.”Well I would, doesn’t everyone want to know?”Range certainly did and from the look on Cortibis’s face, he did too. Rolin was stone-faced as ever, revealing nothing

  “A few years ago I was a tax collector working for a local noble.”

  “Which noble?” Remmy asked.

  “That’s not important, Your Highness. I collected the taxes for this noble and did a very good job. I saw the amount of money collected and was shocked. Since the noble was collecting taxes for not only himself, but also the king, I expected it to be a significant amount, but I never thought it would be as much as it was. As it turns out the noble taxed the locals at an exorbitant rate, pocketing the extra.As you all know, it’s left to the local nobles to set the taxes on the commoners, and the king leaves them to it.”

  “So you became Levitin to strike back at this noble?” Cortibis asked.

  “No, it had very little to do with the taxes,” Sterlin said.

  “Then why are we hearing so much about the taxes?” Cortibis asked.

  “It’s part of what I did. Anyway I was secretly seeing the noble’s daughter. She and I were almost the same age, and she was incredibly beautiful.” He sucked on his pipe, remembering.”She said she wanted to be with me, husband and wife. She would leave all her riches and nobility behind if she could only be my wife. I told her she didn’t know what she was talking about and she would hate being a commoner, a peasant. I told her how hard the toil of life was, always breaking your back for every measly pittance, always fighting for all little things she took for granted.I told her this, but she didn’t care. She thought it would be romantic if we got ourselves a little home somewhere and lived off the land, hunting when necessary. I told her again it was a hard life and she would not like it. She didn’t care. So I tried the avenue of scaring her with her father. If she left with a commoner, her father would come hunt for her and kill me.She said we would change our names and live outside his influence. She was relentless, and beautiful. Truth be known, I very much wanted to be with her too. She was the perfect female and I loved her beyond what was healthy. She knew it and used my adoration to get my acquiescence. That should have been my first hint.”He took a long draw from his pipe,”One night we left the castle on two horses. No-named, mysterious riders, fleeing into the night.We rode for a while and eventually found a place we could call our own. She had taken some money from her father before leaving so we had some to get started.It was more than enough.We bought a small cottage from an old man whose wife had just died.We moved in and lived happily for the first few weeks. I told her to be careful with how she spent the money and it could last us for a very long time. She did not listen and spent wantonly. We began toiling the earth when the money ran out.I told her we would need to bring some sort of crop from the ground, sell it and get money to buy some more food.I was so in love with her by now, my eyes were blinded. I thought this was the perfect marriage. No one ever bothered us; we worked during the day, made earth-shattering love every night. Everything was going fine until the money ran out and the food got tight. I told her this would happen. I warned her.” He raised his pipe to the sky.”She said she didn’t care.”He thumped the bowl a few times and tapped it out on the palm of his hand.

  “So what happened?” Cortibis asked. Range nodded.

  “One day, when I went to the market to sell what little food we had, she left. All I got was a note saying, ‘I am sorry, I cannot live like this, you were right. Please do not follow me.’So I didn’t follow her. I got mad instead.My anger was directionless; I didn’t know whom I should blame or point the finger. Should I be mad at my wife for leaving me? I was the buffoon who agreed to take her away from the only life she’d ever known, and even though she didn’t know what to expect, I did. I knew I was setting myself up for failure. But a heart filled with love is not often logical. So was I the wrong one? Was it my fault everything fell apart?I stayed mad for a few weeks just moving about my cottage. I had taken the money I made from the selling of our meager crop and bought some cornfire.I stayed drunk on it most of the time.My malaise was threatening my very life, but during its grip on me, a flame was growing inside.My anger was becoming focused. It didn’t matter if the focus was correct or not, it only mattered that I was on the first step to becoming Levitin.

  “I began not looking at the small problem of one woman leaving her man, but the big problem of our society as a whole. What was the root of its problems? After a few days of mulling it over I burned the cottage to the ground with everything I owned.All I had was the clothes on my back and one silver. I was betting my entire future on myself –and no one else.”

  “So why’d you start thieving?” Cortibis asked.

  “I’m getting to that.” He repacked his pipe and lit it.”You see, I figured out the biggest problem in our society was: the rich had it all. The poor had nothing, less than nothing.The poor would never be anything but poor. They would never get enough money to stop working, they would never get land, they would never get anything. They would work until they couldn’t work anymore and then they would die.Never would they have a time to rest or enjoy life, never a chance to travel, never a chance to become something greater. The rich had all the money and they weren’t going to give it to the poor. That was the ultimate issue. So I decided to do something about it. I decided to take it from them and pass it around to the poor. Try to equal the scales a bit, if you will.My first take was on the new tax collector who replaced me. I knew the routes, and I knew the guards. It was an easy take and I grabbed the stash when it was at its heaviest. I used part of the money to supply myself with some things I would need to begin my career. T
hat is how I viewed it—a career.I put some into other investments and into hiding for future, if I needed it.I kept a decent sum on me. Never know when a bribe might come in handy.The rest, a quite sizeable sum, I gave to the poor, to many families. I spread it over a wide expanse to throw off any pursuit.One woman saw me and called me Levi Tin.It means black fox in the old language. It stuck and everyone began calling me simply Levitin.I used the tools I purchased to steal greater and greater amounts of money from not only nobles, but monarchs too.I was on a mission.I only cared if I got caught because of the poor people I wouldn’t be able to help.I didn’t care for myself anymore, but about the looks on the faces of the people when they found the money. It touched me and made me want to help more people. So I became more and more daring.Kings couldn’t seem to stop me. I was good.” He grinned.”Very good.”

  “So that’s why you were on the road when we were heading north out of Spadix,” Range said.

  “Yes, I’d just hit Count Cassik.I spread most of the money to some houses to the north of the town. When you happened upon me I was heading to Rommel for a big take of coin.Traveling in a group would help me.Levitin is a loner, he doesn’t travel with a group.”

  Range understood why he was so insistent on them traveling together now.He had to admit the thief was right. No one would suspect he was Levitin traveling with a family.

  They’d finished their durrys and pipe.”Let’s get going,” Range said.

  “You know, the kings and nobles aren’t there just to take the commoners money, they are there to protect the commoners and to enforce the laws so there is not anarchy in the land,” Remmy said.

  Sterlin nodded.”That is true, but they sure don’t want the peasants getting their hand on too much coin.Rich commoners begin having ideas they shouldn’t. Isn’t that true your highness?”

  Remmy said nothing, just stared at the thief.”You know most kings are trying to get Platen into their palaces now?”

  “That’s fine. I’m on a vacation right now anyway,” Sterlin said.

  “How much money have you kept for yourself, thief?” the prince asked.That was an intriguing question.

  “Some,” Sterlin said.

  “How much?” Remmy asked again.

  “Enough for my retirement someday.”

  “You’re right, your motives are completely altruistic,” the prince said.

  “I never said I didn’t keep some for myself. A man would be stupid not to.”

  Cortibis shrugged.”I can’t say you’re wrong, Sterlin. I would. So would the prince. He’s just being difficult.”

  Remmy spit at Cortibis. He missed. Cortibis laughed.”You’re full of class, Your Painness.”

  Range missed Nicky and Lucan, but found the other men alleviated some of his distress.He would enjoy seeing Nicky again. Thoughts of Nicky led to thoughts of Lucan and then thoughts of Zoë. Suddenly his good feelings were replaced by the anguish.He had to curb that. He had to get by it, at least until he was finished.

  Range gathered up his last bit of utensils and packed them away. The rest of the men were packing up their things as well.The Prince sat and sorted through what must now be a fairly horrible life.

  Their goal was to get to Kor within the next day.

  They mounted up.Range had decided to travel the back ways.Smugglers and thieves populated those ways, but if the king were hunting them they would stand better chance against bandits than the king’s men.Range wasn’t certain if the king was searching for him yet, but he it was better to be safe.

  The day passed without incident and they made better time than anticipated.A scattering of other travelers passed, but none bothered them.They were soon coming upon the small town of Kor.

  Kor was a beaten town.A main holding ground for both campaigns in the last war between Rommel and Kitarssis, and during that time most of the respectable families left to seek more stable homes and lives.The town was now a brewing pot of quiet anger—bubbling, ready to boil.

  The people who lived there now were mostly the dregs of other local cities and towns.Thieves, slave traders, smugglers, pick-pockets, murderers, rapists, con men, and any other ne’er do wells that decided to make it a base of operations for their less-than-honorable purposes.There were few actual families in the town. Most were simply prostitutes who had gotten pregnant and carried the child to term.Orphaned children ran rampant through the city, picking the pockets of any person not wise enough to clutch his purse.Kor was not a city for the meek or timorous, full of corruption and lacking an authority.They did have justice in the bucket of immorality, but it was skewed by the malfeasant political powers holding control. The governor condoned the malefactions constantly brewing; he thrived upon it like a malignancy.

  The sun was setting as they approached the cluster of buildings.As the colleagues rode through the town, examples of neglect were evident.Buildings were unkempt, roof tiles were falling down, buildings needed white washing, waste and disgust polluted the air and ground. The streets were loose packed brown dirt that turned into copious amounts of mud when it rained. Weathered tracks from the last rain still mapped the streets like an old man’s neck.

  The people of the small town were the epitome of despair. They had a lost, forlorn look about them. Mouths were never raised in a smile, and backs were always bent.It was a town of sluggish apathy.Range could feel the spirit of oppression bearing down on him, he said a small prayer to Ooln and moved on.

  They came to an inn, which looked as decent as they were likely to find in this cesspool. Music piped melodiously from the open door.Cortibis and Sterlin pulled the prince around to the side of the building, keeping him out of site. They had removed his gag and tossed a large cloak over him to cover up his ropes.

  Range and Rolin entered the inn and located the owner.

  The owner was a short round man, who fired salutations at Range as he approached. He was cheery, used to the grimy clientele that frequented his establishment.He said his name was Seisul and they should come in and have a pull of his strongest stout.He attempted to rush them in, but Range resisted.

  “All we need is a room for the night.Once we are settled in, we will then have some of your ale.”

  Seisul laughed a hearty, belly laugh.”Of course my fine fellows! I have a room, it will easily accommodate you two.”

  “Excellent, fine sir, do you have an entrance to the back?” Range was betting the old man had many entrances and exits in this building.

  Seisul winked.”Aye, ‘tis around the back, feel free to use it all you wish. There is a guard, just tell him ‘the birds eat seeds in the summer’ and he will let you pass.The room is two silvers up front.” He got more serious when speaking of money.

  Range nodded and pulled out his purse. The price was steep. Perhaps the rate changed based on what the proprietor thought the patron could pay. It didn’t matter, they needed a room. Rolin covered Range from the roving eyes of the patrons sitting about like danger, listening to the susurrations of the woman playing a lute in the corner.

  He fished out two silvers and paid the man.Seisul stuffed the coins into some hidden pocket and bid them well.

  The group got the prince up to the room with no problems.Range spoke the password to the guard, who told them which room was theirs.The room was small. Two pallets were on the floor, and there was no window. There was enough room only for two men to lie down, and barely enough for that.The door on the room was rickety as an old man.The room smelled of sweat and blood and urine.

  “This room stinks!” the prince complained.

  “Make do,” Sterlin said.

  They huddled for a moment in the room. A feeble lamp attached to the wall was the only light. The ministrations of the lute player below them could be heard clearly, every hoot and holler of the crowd was let through.

  “This is a fine room!” Sterlin said.”What are you complaining about?”

  “Indeed, a room fit for a prince,” Cortibis said, elbowing the Prince gently in his ri
bs.

  The Prince merely sliced through Cortibis with his eyes.

  “We must be wary here.One of us must stay with the Prince at all times. We cannot stand to have him found out,” Range said.He was hungry, but tired. Did he need food or rest more?

  “I will stay with him, while you go down to hunt for Nicodemus and eat,” Rolin offered.

  “All right, do not open the door for anyone,” Range said.

  “—then how shall we get in?” Sterlin asked.

  Cortibis smiled.Range was in no mood for foolishness but was glad Sterlin and Cortibis seemed to be getting along better.

  The three men made their way downstairs where the lute player was kicking into high gear with a fast paced ditty that had half the inn clapping or dancing about. The singer was a young woman built like a reed.Her flaxen hair flew about her head in a flurry of curls and excitement.She was a good player, and a good entertainer.

  As they walked toward a table not taken, Sterlin leaned up between Cortibis and Range.”Mayhap we can locate a few fine fillies to fulfill our fantasies tonight!” He yelled over the music, into their ears.Range merely nodded and grimaced, but Cortibis perked up, as if the thought had merit. Range had no plans on finding another woman to service his libido while his wife was not around. Ooln forbade extramarital sex.

  They seated themselves and an unobtrusive barmaid brought them three stout ales.Range took a sip of his and felt immediately better. The ale was a pure stout, thick, rich, and nutty.The head had achieved that perfect balance, and the tankard was cold to his hand.The singer finished her jolly tune, and settled down for more of a somber piece.The song was so smooth the words and notes rolled through the room caressing the ears of the listeners.

  “Her dusky dulcets defy the darkness of my dreary day,” Sterlin said. His hands supported his head by the chin.

  Cortibis looked over his tankard at Range. Range shrugged. If the man wanted to talk that way, he was entitled.

  The barmaid brought out three plates of chicken and some strange looking pellets.The three colleagues eyed each other and the pellets.Cortibis snatched the elusive barmaid.”What is this?”He pointed to the pellets.

  The waitress nodded as if she had heard this question a thousand times.”It is called ‘rice’.”

  “What is it?” Sterlin asked.

  “It is a grain, like wheat.”

  “And people eat it?”

  She just shrugged and walked off.

  They ate the rice, and found it quite good. It had been cooked in butter, and had a slight dash of salt.

  As they were enjoying their second tankard of ale, Nicodemus walked in.He spotted Range who waved him over.

  Range stood as Nicodemus got close. They exchanged warm handshakes and pats on the back.

  “I am glad to see you, my old friend,” Range said. He looked Nicodemus in the eye, gauging his friend’s temper.

  “As am I,” Nicodemus said.He looked fine.

  “I must apologize for the things I said to you before you left,” Range said.

  Nicodemus would have nothing to do with that. He shook his head.”Think no more on it. We have been friends for a long time.”

  Range nodded. With Nicky here, he could accomplish what he had set out to do. His friend was a great boost to him, both mentally and spiritually.Range said a small prayer of thanks to Ooln.

  Nicky gave a hearty handshake to Cortibis and Sterlin and they sat around the table catching up on what had happened since parting company.

  A passerby bumped into Range, causing him to spill some of his ale as Nicky spoke. Range shrugged it off and kept listening. He was bumped again and he felt an alarm go off in his head. Something was wrong.The crowd was no longer enthralled by the music.They seemed restless and ready for something.Range turned to look behind him, but only saw a group of men milling about speaking to each other. None seemed to be paying any attention to him or his table.Suddenly the door to the tavern opened.A huge man stepped inside.The apprehension of the patrons gathered.The man looked about carefully gauging the crowd, critically picking them apart.

  The man devoured the room, and whenever his eyes fell on a table or patron, the celebration got quieter.Range had to admit the man looked familiar, but he could not place him. Could this be someone chasing them? The list was growing.

  Behind the man three more beefy goons came in. They were clearly together, and looking for trouble.Range didn’t need any trouble. It was time to go.

  “Who is that fellow who just came in?” Sterlin asked. He had seen the man as well.

  “I am not certain. He does look familiar though,” Range said. They needed to get up to their room.

  The barmaid overheard the question.”That is Ckip.He is the Administrator’s lackey. He’s just returned a few days ago. Been away for a while.”

  “And what does that mean?” Sterlin asked.

  “He does what he wants, when he wants, and there’s no one in the town who can stop him. He and his men run this town for the Administrator, and with not too soft a touch, if you get my meaning. He was away on another job for a while, but now that he’s back he is more ornery than ever. Stay away from him, if you don’t want any trouble.”

  The four men forced their way to the front table by the lute player, who suddenly looked like she wished she were anywhere else but on the small stage.Ckip and his three men tossed four paying patrons out of their chairs and took their seats while yelling at the barmaid for ale.She promptly brought them four large tankards and attempted to escape.She did not.Ckip grabbed her and pulled her into his lap, shoving his hand down the front of her dress, grabbing her breast with a twist and humping her. She writhed to get loose, but he just laughed like pure poison and squeezed her tighter.Some people were surreptitiously exiting the tavern.The lute sounded like an insufficient line of solace, wending about the room like a skinny man trying to carry a horse.

  “That morbific mucker is manhandling that maiden. We must do something, it is not right! Are we not men of honor?” Sterlin said.

  “You’re a thief. What honor do you have?” Cortibis said.

  But before Sterlin could respond, Ckip let the woman go.Range turned to see Seisul let out a sigh of relief.Range let out on too.

  “Let’s retire upstairs,” Cortibis said.

  “Let me finish my ale first!” Nicodemus said. Range knew it. Nicky wanted to see something happen.

  “Eat, then finish up, and we will get upstairs. Our sleeping quarters will be cramped, but it’s better than being out of doors again. Especially on a cold night such as this,” Range said.He kept an eye on Ckip and his group. He was trying to place the behemoth.Range was large, broad-shouldered, thick and tall, but Ckip was at least half a hand taller and outweighed him by almost half as much. They must hurry and get upstairs.

  “How are Miriam and Mel?” Range asked Nicky.

  “They were fine when I left them with her family. Miriam was relieved. Mel had some of his cousins to play with.”

  “Thank Ooln,” Range said.”I am glad they’re safe.”

  As they continued their small talk, more patrons left, but since the four big men had seemed to calm down, some of the more brave patrons opted to stay and enjoy the lute player.

  She had played her last set and put her lute down. She gave thanks to everyone, and said she was calling it a night.

  “Play woman! Play some more music, me and my friends just got here!” Ckip bellowed.

  Range watched the thin woman. Play more music lady! Don’t fan his flame!

  But of course she didn’t.She was a plucky woman and not about to let this giant order her around like he had the barmaid.She had apparently not met Ckip and his friends before. This type of woman always seemed to forget something. She would stand up to the bad man, but when the bad man decided he’d had enough, it was the good man who rescued her.

  “Playing time is over, boys. If you want to hear more of my music, you will need to get here earlier or
come back tomorrow.”She placed her lute into its case.This statement surprised Ckip.

  “Woman, either play more music, or I will make you play more music.”

  She stood up and turned toward Ckip, with her hands on her hips.”Your bully tactics may work on the witless barmaid, no offense,” she said, waving at the barmaid,”but they won’t work on me. I don’t take orders from a belligerent behemoth like you. Now I am going to leave, and if you want some music you will have to sit there and hum a song to yourself.”She turned to get her lute case.

  Range was shaking his head, no, no, no. Stupid woman!

  Nicodemus chuckled wickedly,”Put the children to bed, it’s about to get ugly.”

  The stalwart patrons who had stayed during the initial fondling of the barmaid were heading for the door. They knew Ckip, even if the lute player did not.

  Ckip lurched to the stage, and the lute player simultaneously brought her case up to his head. It struck with a force that belied her small frame. Her rolling hair flew out with vehemence.The thud caught Ckip in the chin and caused his head to jerk to the side.Unfortunately for the lute player, Ckip had friends. No one in the tavern was lifting a finger to assist.Damn!Range knew he would have to get involved. He clenched the table and almost picked up his mug and threw it across the room in frustration.

  The three men grabbed her, while Ckip regained his composure. His skin was bleeding from the strike.He rubbed it off with his dirty sleeve. Malice hung in the room like a benign virus.

  “Put her on the table, spread her legs, lets she if she sings as well then.”

  His minions slammed her to the table, knocking her wind out.She was fighting all the way.

  Range could not just sit there and watch the woman get raped.He stood up and was about to yell at the men to stop.

  He had forgotten about his bellicose friend Nicodemus.

  “I believe the proprietor of this establishment sells ale, food, music and rooms—not women,” Nicodemus said, pulling his sword free. The ringing metal reverberated about the small tavern, a harbinger of battle.

  Ckip looked at Nicky, clearly ready for a fight.“Leave us be, little man, before I decide to have my way with you too,” he bellowed.His minions laughed.

  “Stop molesting that woman, or I will make you my woman, you overgrown piece of muck!” Nicodemus said. Range shook his head with resignation. They were going to fight. Thanks, Nicky.

  Ckip did stop, and he looked over at Range oddly as if Range had just interrupted him in the middle of a thought.He was very familiar. The man’s mien cleared for a moment, and recognition blossomed on his face and quickly settled into anger.

  Range gathered up his resolve. He was not one to be bullied about. But he was also not one to be goaded into a frivolous fight.

  “Let the woman go. There is no need for bloodshed,” Range said.

  Ckip looked about for a moment, as if he were looking for someone.

  “Nay, I will not let her go, and I won’t mind spilling your blood you guileful worm!”

  “Why are you so full of acid? Have you no decency?” Range asked, trying to work the man to his favor.

  “You are the one with no decency. I was merely trying to do my job, when you got me relieved of duty.I call you a man with no honor. A snake!”

  Range tried to place that last statement. He could not.

  “I don’t know what you are talking about,” he said.

  This seemed to aggravate Ckip even more. He bristled himself up.”You are an arrogant peasant, and soon to be a dead one. Was I so below your notice?The prince released us and we lost our work.All because of you and that Zmarly. You are unworthy and a worm of a man.”

  Suddenly it occurred to Range: it was the man he and Rolin had disarmed at the palace in Rommel.The prince’s personal bodyguards.

  Nicky stood up on the stone table.”Before you malign my friend with your fat tongue you need to get off the woman.”And with that he moved toward Ckip like a cat.

  Ckip looked at Nicodemus like he had lost all sense. He jerked his broadsword free and readied himself for the attack of the smaller man.

  “I hope you are ready to die,” Ckip said, reaching for Nicodemus.

  “`Preservation’ is my middle name, friend,” Nicky said, dancing away from Ckip at the last moment.What was left of the tavern backed away in a flurry of chairs rattling across the floor and stone tables being overturned. The way was cleared for a good fight.

  The four men began to surround Range, Nicodemus, Cortibis and Sterlin.Would they be forced to kill these men?

  “They are an ugly bunch aren’t they?” Sterlin commented.

  “Aye, try not to hurt them too terribly much,” Range said. He didn’t want to kill these poor slobs. The three other men jerked their swords out.Everything was silent for a moment. A loud pop from the fireplace began the room moving again.

  In a flurry of sliding metal, the four colleagues entered into the melee like strikes of lightning.They knew their combatants out-muscled them, but it did not matter, they had faced tougher opponents before.

  “Ah, another scintillating donnybrook,” Nicodemus said with relish as he danced about and away from Ckip, bounding about room like a rabbit.

  Range yelled to Ckip,”Stop this nonsensical fighting!This is not the way to settle things between us!”

  Ckip attacked Nicodemus, who wistfully spun away.Nicodemus swerved and bit into the man’s back with his blade causing Ckip to yell out.Ckip’s men turned to look at their leader, and were vanquished in moments by the acumen of Range and his friends.In no short order all four men were standing back to back, with swords at their throats.The lute player was standing behind Range, leaning forward, giving Ckip an eyeful of ire.

  Ckip was bleeding on the floor.

  “I meant no harm in your getting dismissed from the castle. I was not going to let that little whip of a prince order me around like yesterday’s trash.You are a bully Ckip.You should be ashamed.If I were the Administrator, I would relieve you of duty. You still have your job, and your life.Leave this place, and do not come back. Do you understand?”

  Ckip nodded.

  “Also. Apologize to the lute player and the barmaid,” Range said, digging his sword into Ckip’s flesh.

  The big man winced, but let out a soft apology to both women.

  The barmaid quickly exited to the back of the tavern, and the lute player nodded with satisfaction.

  “Always remember: You may be the meanest, strongest man in the town. But there is always someone tougher and meaner out there. So be careful who you pick a fight with next time.”

  Ckip said nothing, but left quickly with his men when the swords were removed.

  The tavern was empty. Everyone had left.A few people looked in from the street, Seisul and the barmaid were in the kitchen. The only other person in the tavern was the lute player.

  “Thank you,” she said.

  “Next time, don’t provoke men such as that,” Range said.

  “Not in my nature, friend,” she said, picking up her case and walking out the door.

  “Now there was a fine filly of a female,” Sterlin said.

  “Or a dumb one,” Nicky said. He turned to Range.”That was fun.”

  Range just shook his head.

  “You all had best be leaving now,” Seisul said.

  Range turned toward the old barkeep.

  “Why?”

  “Oh, it’s not that I’m kickin’ you out or nothin’. But Ckip ain’t one to leave things be done like they are.He’ll be back later tonight, with a lot more men. Enough to even defeat you and your skilled friends. And there’s no telling what the Administrator will do now that you have embarrassed his men.”

  Range thought for a moment,”You are correct. And I thank you for the warning. We will leave, so as not to cause you or your establishment any more trouble.”

  “Well, you’ve already caused enough trouble for tomorrow!” The barmaid yelled out from the ki
tchen.

  “How so?” Sterlin asked.

  “Tomorrow, Ckip will be even more wanting to set up his territory around here. And you won’t be here to defend us.So you stirred everything up for nothing!”She spit the last word out like vitriol.

  Maybe she should blame the lute player, not them.

  They hurried upstairs and gathered their gear, informing Rolin of what had transpired.Rolin did not look too worried and said nothing.They made their way out the back and gathered up their mounts.The bitter cold outside sharpened their senses.Thick, rolling clouds began covering the moon.

  “It will snow tonight,” Sterlin said.

  They all looked at the sky.Thoughts of sleeping in the cramped, diminutive room danced about in Range’s head like a dream.

  They rode hard for a while, putting some distance between themselves and any possible pursuit.Range finally pulled up his horse and looked back toward the small town.All appeared to be quiet.

  Fat, sloppy flakes of snow began to fall.

  “We must get off the road or we will leave tracks,” Rolin said.

  “Tracks would be bad,” Sterlin said.

  They began to pick their way between the trees occupying either side of the road.Range kept to a steady, deliberate pace.They found a sunken cove offering some cover from the wind, but little from the snow that continued to fall.

  “Our tracks will be covered in a few moments,” Range said.

  “Are we to camp here tonight?” Cortibis asked.

  “It is covered and braced from the wind.We can set up a small shelter to block the snow and we can sleep in shifts,” Range offered.

  “We cannot build a fire. It will be cold,” Rolin said.He pulled the oil-covered burlap from his saddlebag.

  The prince sat in his saddle like a lost child.

  Rolin and Cortibis set up the burlap cover about waist-high above the ground and tied it to trees with rope.The cover would suffice for three of them but they would be lying side together tonight, to conserve body heat. The ground beneath was cleared of snow, and the men settled down.Cortibis took the first watch, while Rolin and Nicodemus placed the prince in the middle of the shelter.

  “Don’t forget this, Your Highness. You got the best sleeping spot,” Nicodemus said.”I still cannot believe that you abducted the Heir Apparent to the throne of Rommel.”

  “I wish you had been there. You might have found another way out of the dilemma,” Range replied.

  Rolin and Sterlin bedded down on either side of the Prince. The low hanging shelter assisted somewhat by capturing heat from the bodies.Range and Nicodemus leaned up against trees barely under the cover of the tarp.Range’s right shoulder was getting snowed on, and so was Nicky’s left.They both pulled up their cowls and bundled up their faces.

  A few hours later, Range was awakened by Rolin to take his turn at watch.He wearily got up, shook the inch of snow off, and began his turn.

  While he had been sleeping the snow had continued to fall. The ground was a bed of white, and the tarp they had thrown up was covered.The wind had died down and the silence was white as the snow.

  Eventually the snow began to taper and the half-moon lit up the cove like early dawn.Range walked around to the other end and moved behind a tree where he could watch the camp.Once behind the tree he got on his knees and said a long and earnest prayer to Ooln.He prayed for guidance, wisdom and relief. He prayed for honor and courage.He prayed for vengeance and deliverance.He prayed for absolutes and obviousness.

  When done, he thanked Ooln for his health and his life then he sat up to take the rest of his watch.

  The next morning they packed their things up and moved out through the benign wonder of the snow. Every tree branch had a gift on it, and Range seemed to get showered the most. The mood of the group lifted.They were back to five men strong and one hostage. Range felt like the trip was finally going well.

  The sun rose and caught the white snow, causing it to glare brilliantly into Range’s eyes.The sun warmed him but did not warm the air enough to melt the snow. The road was blessed infrequently with other people.

  As the day wore on the wind kicked up, but never beyond the point of being bearable.Sterlin talked endlessly about absolutely nothing all day,”…so I left the purse on the doorstep of the orphanage and the old woman about lost her mind!” Sterlin wrapped up his story.

  Later the clouds rolled back in like a headache, and thickened as if stirred from above.Snow began to fall again.

  .