The Sword Maiden

Back to Baradom

The next morning the bandits had still not found us, and probably weren't going to at this point.  It was time to go back to Baradom.  

I would have skipped the dinky town if I could, but unfortunately we still owed that stable owner work for letting us stay in his stable.  And a new saddle stand.  

However, I felt I could face pretty much anything that morning, since I finally had my brother by my side.  

I wasn't sure Daxton had said one word since our escape from the bandit hideout, to me at least.  He glared out at the world through dark eyes and snarled at anyone who tried to engage with him.  I couldn't understand him.

We packed up and moved out.  We would reach Baradom early this morning.  Redwar thought that if we really worked hard, we could get it all done today and leave tomorrow.  

But where we were leaving too, we weren't sure yet.

I knew we would be going somewhere far from Baradom.  After all, we had promised to escort Daxton to a place far away from Megidil.  But where that place was, I didn't know. 

Derrek was more friendly and less guarded around Redwar in the morning, so I guess he really did believe me.  I wasn't sure if Redwar wanted me to tell Derrek about his Ravagerian past, or if he wanted to do that himself.  So, as we were taking care of the horses that morning, I asked him about it.  

Redwar was silent for a moment as he stroked Ladine's neck.  "He knows I'm Ravagerian?"  

"Yes.  He came to that conclusion by himself."  

Redwar grinned a bit.  "Your brother is observant.  Normally I'm... better at hiding it."  

I pressed my lips together.  "You shouldn't have to hide it."  

He didn't reply to that.  "And I suppose he is suspicious of me?"  

"At first he was," I said with amusement.  I hesitated, then decided to tell him the whole story about how Derrek had seen him leave the camp and we'd found him at the creek.  I made it clear that I had not intended to intrude on him and apologized for it.

He finished brushing one side of Ladine and came around to the other, where I was.  "It's alright," he said, accepting my apology. "Your brother acted rightly, it's not his or your fault."  

My brow furrowed.  I trusted Redwar, and the thought that anyone should be suspicious about him confused me.  "No, he should've-"

"No, Ravine.  He did right.  He should be suspicious of me, until he learns the full story."  He leveled me with a stern gaze.  "It is better to be suspicious of a good man, than unsuspecting of a bad one."  

I nodded, accepting his rebuke.  

His face softened and he went back to brushing his horse.  "To answer your question, I'll be the one to tell Derrek about my past."  

I turned and, seeing a stick in Axe's mane, started working it out.  "I figured that would be the way you'd want it."  

"Thank you for respecting that."  

Derrek rode with me, and Daxton with Redwar.  It seemed sometimes that they were talking about something that Daxton was not pleased about.  But what, I could never discern.  

We pushed for Baradom and arrived about two hours after sunrise.  We came riding through town liked we owned it, Redwar reminding us to put on our tough exterior.