The Sword Maiden

Gang Boy?

I'm not sure anyone could have gotten ready any quicker than Valeria and I did.  After Redwar finished talking with Daxton, he crossed the street and went into the tavern.  Valeria and I looked at each other, wondering what he was up to.  

Daxton leaned up against a wall in the corner of the stable, where I'd demolished the saddle rack. He looked like he could murder something with a glance, but he wasn't going anywhere.

I watched him as I rolled up my bedroll and flung it over my shoulders, then bridled Axe, but he never moved. He just stood there brooding.

I slipped the reins over Axe's head and performed a mental checklist. Bedroll? Cloak? Sword? Dagger? Extra hair ribbon and set of clothes? Check, check, check, and check. I was ready to go.

Valeria slipped her bit into Clover's mouth and thrust her ears through. "We're ready," she said as she buckled the throatlatch.

I nodded. "What do you think Redwar's doing?"

"I don't know- Oh wait," she snapped her fingers. "He's probably settling with the tavern owner for letting us stay the night here."

I raised my eyebrows. "We don't have any money. I think he was planning on paying with labor." Anxiety twisted my gut. What if we had to stay and work before we could leave?

Redwar came out of the tavern and crossed the street. "Redwar, what were you doing?" Called Valeria.

"Making an arrangement with the stable owner, or rather, the barkeeper. I told him we'd fix up the stable in return for letting us stay the night here."

"Do we have to do that now?" I asked worriedly.

"Ravine, you know me better than that. We're going after your brother. I told the barkeeper we have an emergency and that after we'd taken care of it we'd come back and do the work."

"And he believed you?"

"Course he did," groused out Daxton. "That barkeep ain't got no spine, leastways, not enough to stand up to 'im." He flicked his thumb towards Redwar.  

I nearly snapped, "Nobody asked you," but elected to keep my trap shut. Antagonizing him wasn't going to help the search for Derrek.

"For whatever reason, he did believe me," said Redwar as he grabbed Ladine's bridle. "We'll come back here, hopefully with Derrek, and pay our debt."

I wrinkled my nose. I didn't relish the idea of coming back to Baradom. But there was nothing to be done about it.

I led Axe out of the stable in the darkness that coated the town. By my guess, dawn was still an hour or more away. The town's wild partying had somewhat settled down. The same of ale wafted by me on the breeze. Gah, the whole town was probably drunk.

I turned and grabbed a chunk of Axe's mane on his withers. I put my reins in the hand with the mane and stepped back.

"One, two, three." I counted down and took two large strides before propelling myself up onto Axe's back. "Good lad." I patted his neck once I'd righted myself. It always amazed me how still he'd stand for me to mount.

I turned him around and watched Valeria lead Clover out of the stable to mount. Naturally I was the first one on because I was the one most eager to depart.

As soon as Redwar mounted Ladine I began to rein Axe around, only to realize that I didn't know where we were going. I bit my lip and willed myself to keep quiet.

"You'll ride with me," Redwar said to Daxton as he held out his hand.

Daxton grasped it and Redwar helped pull him up behind. Daxton looked like he'd done this a million times. He settled himself behind Redwar, looking like he was nowhere near resigned to his fate but having no choice.