The Sword Maiden

Baradom

We untied our horses and led them over the stable, which actually looked like the biggest establishment in Baradom.

We led the horses around it, checking it out and seeing what the deal was.  There were four paddocks out back, a well, about fifteen stalls, something that I think was supposed to be a feed room, and a hay loft.  

"Let's turn the horses out in the paddock for the day.  We'll put them in the stalls tonight," said Redwar.  

We picked the paddock that had the strongest fencing and led them into it.  

"Thanks for being a good boy today," I whispered in Axe's ear as I slid his bridle slowly off.  He snorted and lowered his head, then trotted off with the others.  

He pawed the ground for a solid minute before laying down for a good roll.  I laughed as I watched him, momentarily forgetting the potential danger of this seedy town.  

Redwar latched the paddock gate behind us as he said, "Let's start searching."

"Where first?" Asked Valeria.  

Redwar rubbed his chin as he looked over the town.  "Let's start with the marketplace, and then the blacksmith." 

As we made our way over to the marketplace something felt odd to me about the town, and it wasn't just the sleeziness.  I couldn't pick my finger on it, until I saw a boy.

He was leaning up against a wall, watching us as we went up toward the marketplace.  And it wasn't a gaze of curiosity, it was one of calculation and an interest that made me uneasy.

That's what was wrong with this town.  There were no children running around playing alongside or in the streets.  Terreth and Ladris had many children, laughing, playing, and squealing. 

But here, there were not many children at all.  And what there were grungy and slightly fearful, or like this brown-eyed boy that was staring at me.  We rounded a corner and I lost sight of him.

The marketplace ahead had about six stalls.  Both Terreth and Ladris had way more than that.  There were some woman who were casually shopping, they were chatting as they picked over vegetables.  

Redwar stopped and put his hands on his hips.  "Let's split up and each take two stalls."  He faced us.  "Imagining you're questioning people that are little better than Ravagers."  

"They can't be that bad," said Valeria.  

"Probably not, but thinking that will put you on your guard." 

He was right.  

I laid a hand on my sword and picked the two stalls at the very end of the marketplace.  The first one I went to was selling apples and other various fruit.  The man was small and fat, with a deceptive look on his face.

I walked up just as two women were leaving.  He turned to me.  "Good day lovely lady, I don't believe I've ever seen your pretty face around here.  How may I serve you?" 

I ignored his compliment and looked over his fruit with disinterest.  "I'm hoping you might have seen my brother.  He's about two years younger than me, his name is Derrek Acantha SwordCleaver."  

He folded his arms and looked up at the sky.  "Well, I'm afraid I really can't say.  The name seems to ring a bell but I can't place it..."  He aimed a pointed look at my pants pocket.  

I didn't miss his insinuation of his want of money.  Furthermore, I highly doubted he actually knew about Derrek.  If he did, I could just as easily get it out of him another way.  

In three quick strides I went around his stall.  I delivered a solid kick to his shin, which made him howl and lift his leg.  That was all I needed to grab his shoulder and shove him to the ground.  He landed with a heavy thump and I unsheathed Bound, pointing the tip right above his chest.  

"I'm in no mood to negotiate," I growled.  "Now, have you seen my brother or not?"  

He glared at me, but answered anyway.  "No.  I haven't."  

I narrowed my eyes and pushed the tip of my sword just shy of his chest.  "If I find out you're lying to me..."  I let the threat hang.  

I stepped over him and out of the stall, sheathing Bound and looking for my next target.  

The vendor there saw what I had just done and looked a little fearful as I came up to him.  "Have you seen my brother, Derrek Acantha SwordCleaver?"  

His head shook vigorously.  "No ma'am."  

I nodded and turned away.  

As I made my way back to the place where we'd first entered the market place, I saw Redwar.  He was casually leaning up against stall, flipping his dagger up and down.  He never dropped it, and he never looked while doing it.  

The vendor, on the other hand, was looking at it with terrified eyes that clearly said, "Am I about to get murdered?"  

He stuttered out an answer to Redwar's question, and Redwar said something back, then sheathed his dagger and turned away.  

None of the vendors reported seeing or hearing of Derrek, so it was off the blacksmith we went. 

When we arrived the blacksmith was banging away at a horseshoe.  As he held it up to inspect it, he spotted us.  Putting it down he said, "What can I do for you."  

"We're looking for a man, a Derrek Acantha SwordCleaver.  Have you heard about or seen him?" Asked Redwar.  

The blacksmith eyed us.  "What do you want with 'im?  Is he wanted?" 

Redwar squinted at him.  "I don't believe it's any of your business, but no, he's not wanted by the law.  He ran away in a Ravager raid awhile back, we're trying to find him."  

The blacksmith held the horseshoe up to his eye again.  "No, I haven't seen nor heard of 'im."

Clearly dismissing us, he went back to banging on the horseshoe.  

Redwar stared at him for a moment, then  he turned and  we left.

"Not a friendly type," commented Valeria.  

"None of the people here are, otherwise they wouldn't be here."  Redwar looked back.  "I'm not convinced he doesn't know anything about Derrek though."  

I raised my eyebrows.  "Why?" 

"Why didn't he just say, right off the bat, that he didn't know Derrek?  Why'd he ask what we wanted with him first?  It could be nothing.  But it could be something."  

My hope was growing.  "So now what?"  I was ready to go back and extract the information out of that blacksmith by torture if needed, but I had a feeling that was not what Redwar wanted.  

"Let's search the town thoroughly first."