Valiant Valerie (the Ballad of Valerie of Mor Book 1)

Chapter Nine

Valerie passed the next day in relative ease.

She had a warm breakfast of eggs, ham and toast with a glass of milk. She washed her dirty clothes, setting them out about her room to dry. She procured another candle for that night, and found the key with which she could lock her room door when she left.

She spent time talking with the locals, who all seemed wonderful and friendly in the openness of the day. A few people she spoke to had tales about the wizard, which she filed away dutifully. Most stories came back to the wizard living in the mountains in the south, so at least she had a starting direction.

She found a baker who sold her a delicious hot currant bun for lunch.

She spent the afternoon cleaning her sword and armour, and repacking it.

That night, she went downstairs to have her dinner. The men down there already seemed drunk and they seemed a lot more sinister in the half-dark than they had during the day. Valerie told herself she was being stupid, that it was just the poorly lit room casting shadows and those shadows causing her to fear the unknown.

She straightened her shoulders and took a seat. The innkeeper brought her a plate of food and mug of ale, for which she gave him two coppers. He gave her his lip-sided smile and went back to cleaning mugs with his grimy apron again.

She ate her food, planning her next move. She had received a lot more information in one day than she had thought, so she debated the use of staying in Clade another night. She came to the decision she would move on in the morning.

When the innkeeper came to refill her mug, she told him of her decision.

"Are you sure, miss?" His face seemed to darken and Valerie felt like danger was brewing.

"Yes, thank you," she said standing up. He edged towards her and she noticed a couple of the men standing from their seats behind him.

"A young lady like yourself should not be travelling alone, miss. Are you sure yer not better staying here a few more days? One of our lads could see you safely to where it is yer heading."

The men behind him edged forward.

"Thank you. No. I will be fine." Valerie looked around, trying to appear calm. She wished now she had not sat herself in the corner; as the men advanced, she was becoming boxed in.

She brushed her side, as surreptitiously as she could, her sword was there so she could protect herself if need be. She had never fought against this many grown men before, but she hoped her training would win out against their numbers.

The men pulled knives from their belts and the innkeeper backed up to let them get ahead of him.

"Well, if you'll be going, we'll be taking yer purse then, miss." He smiled, but it was the most unpleasant smile Valerie had ever seen.

She went to pull her sword from the scabbard as the men swung at her. In her panic and the confined space, her sword caught and she thought she was done for. But before the blade struck her, another blocked it. She looked around and saw a very familiar face.

"Jonathan!" she cried, tears welling with the sudden relief flooding her.

"Not now, Val. Fight!"

Valerie was stirred into action. Her sword danced as she parried and thrust. She tried not to swing killing blows, but she had to focus more on protecting herself than her attackers. She felt blades knick her a few times. Her left arm, right rib, right thigh throbbed, but she tried to ignore them. Jonathan was beside her the whole time, ducking and weaving. Valerie was holding her own well enough, but Jonathan was showing far more prowess with his blade than she had ever seen or even dreamed he were capable of.