In the Absence of Light

Chapter 12: The Inn at the End of the Road

I woke up for my watch early enough to be ready to take my place on the rotation. No one was nearby, but who knew how far brigands would travel to reach a rich merchant's wagon train. The more desperate a person was, the more they were willing to do to accomplish their goal.

I could see Darin was also getting up. He had signed up for the early morning shift at the same time as me. He was on the other side of the wagon train though. I went and relieved the guard whose place I was taking in the watch.

"Nothing new out here tonight. I would be surprised though if anyone attacked on a full moon and a night with no clouds and clear air," the man was grizzled looking older man, white hair clearly showing in his black beard giving. He had scars crisscrossing his face and his helmet looked as if it had seen its fair share of dents.

"Have you been a guard for long?" I couldn't help my curiosity. Most mercenary guards settled down when they had enough money with a family and took on only local jobs, or no jobs if they could afford it. Wagon train guards made a lot more than a normal mercenary who gave their life to fighting other peoples wars.

"Over twenty years, youngin. I started this job when I was seventeen. Ran away from home I did. Stopped counting how long I'd been on the job when I hit twenty. Figure it doesn't matter since I don't plan on stopping till I die. Nothing for me to live for. I used to save money, hope to meet a nice lass, but  my sweetheart couldn't wait for me, married another man, and I haven't found another since. Used to save my money, now I just try to spend it all 'cause there ain't no one I live for," the man stopped as if he realized he was rambling. "I didn't mean to bore ya. I should leave ya to yar watch. Go get my old bones another hour of sleep."

"It's ok, it's my first job. I plan on dedicating my life to the Dark Lady. I was just curious," Semi-truth, but it would work.

The older man tilted his head to the side as if evaluating me. "Why would a sweet young thing such as yarself give yar entire life to em Lord and Lady of war? That young man traveling with ya, he clearly shows an interest in ya. Don't ya black mercenaries only give about four years?"

Now the questions. I evaluated the man and decided he could handle close to the truth, but not the truth. I would stick to my story, "I am a priestess of the Black Lady, and when I pledged myself to her she took my ability to love. In return I am a pretty good fighter, a gift from her. I have nothing for me in life but service to her in her name. When I die she will welcome me into her kingdom as one of her greatest servants."

The man scratched at his beard with a gauntlet covered hand and lifted his helmet off allowing me to see that he was balding across the top of his head and had shaved his hair that remained close arund his head, "Well I haven't heard of such as that before, but ya hear of new things everyday they say. I guess this is my dose of new. Never knew the Lady to take love before."

I smiled slightly, this man was much smarter than the front he put on, probably smarter than most gave him credit for, "The lady chose to ask me if I wanted this gift, and I said yes. It is not something she asks of many people. Thank you for talking with me though. It was very... enlightening."

The man nodded slightly, as if answering something to himself, "I know a dismissal when I hear one. I will leave ya to yar watch.

He walked off, back toward the wagon with a stiff gait that spoke of knees that didn't work that well anymore. I sensed a younger man slipping away in the shadows. Maybe the merchant did know of his employees weakness. Maybe he chose to ignore it in favor of years of service and a wish to die fighting. Maybe he didn't completely ignore, and maybe, some of the other guards helped watch over the old man to make sure he didn't slip up on his watch or brigands decide he was the weak link.