Blood of the Merciless

Chapter Ten

ACT 3: Versus

10.

When Florian woke up, he saw that Thorin had been up already. Thorin stared at him.

"What is wrong?" Florian asked.

"He is gone." She had said.

"What?" He looked around and noticed what she meant. The bald man as well as Alaric had been missing. Left in his place was a pouch of sentz.

"Why didn't you wake us?"

Thorin shrugged. "If he is headed to Versus, I want no part in it. I need at least one of you to rescue my people."

Florian woke up Ashe.

"What are you doing?" Thorin asked.

"We are going to rescue him."

Thorin raised her blade towards Florian. "I don't think you are. We are heading towards Isern."

"What is going on?" Ashe asked.

"Alaric is heading towards Versus. Come on, we need to go get him." Florian explained.

Thorin brought her blade to Florian's neck. "As I said, we are not going to Versus."

Florian sighed. "We are not abandoning him. You need him as well, we will never rescue the people from Chapman's grasp without him."

Ashe got between Thorin and Florian. "He is our brother as well. And just like you, we are not going to abandon our loved ones."

Thorin sighed. "If it gets too dangerous, I will be dragging both of you to Isern."

Ashe and Florian nodded.

"Let's head to the village. We need to get some horses." Thorin instructed.

The trio headed to the village where they'd returned the woman from the previous night.

The village had been similar to Nezzagwyn but far smaller. The young woman from the previous night spotted them and shook another older woman, presumably her mother. The older woman called them over.

"Thank you again for saving my daughter, milords" The woman bowed.

"There is no need to thank us, we couldn't stop her from getting cursed," Florian said.

"I'd rather have a cursed child than a dead one, milord." "It is rare to see you with casters, Thorin. Are you in trouble again?"

Thorin's expression softened. "No, it is nothing like that, Miss Olyve. We are just temporarily working together." "We came to ask if you have seen another caster. He is tall, has a black robe and is possibly travelling with a bald man with weird symbols on his head."

The younger woman shook her mother gently as she tried to speak. "I know dear." Miss Olyve whispered. "You are talking about the kind young man who visited us late last night. My daughter is quite infatuated with him." The younger woman blushed as her mother laughed.

"Do you know where he was headed?" Ashe asked.

"He mentioned that he needed a horse, so I showed him to the stables. Did I do something wrong, milady? Is he in trouble?" Miss Olyve asked.

Ashe shook her head. "No, he is fine. We were wondering if you could show us to the stables as well."

"It would be my honour, milady."

MIss Olyve instructed them to follow her. As Florian followed, a hand reached out and grabbed his. It had been the younger woman. She had been sulking. Florian reached out and patted her on the head. "Do not worry, he will be fine. I will make sure of it."