Resilience Run

Chapter 10

I considered myself lucky that Baugh and Jagos had done exactly as we asked them to, sitting in the corner of the room drinking what I hoped was water and meat that I couldn't immediately identify. They got enough for Rhys and I as well, so we ate as we made our way out through the city back to the road. I didn't even get a chance to check out the sights, since a carriage was being pulled most of the way we were going, only breaking off for just as we were getting out of the city, which meant I had to keep my head down.

Of course, it also didn't help that Baugh was going out of his way to be as difficult as possible, wanting to see and say hello to every single person we came across. Fortunately, most of the people we walked past were fairly kind about it, and treated him more like a big kid than a nuisance, except for one guy who ignored him and walked on, but Baugh barely even noticed that since he started complimenting a woman on her hat.

"Kid bounces back from everything." Rhys said.

"A good trait for someone like him," I said as we finally got out of the city, "At least our worries are over, for now."

"For now." said Rhys.

Right as she said that, when the buildings were getting out of sight, three men came out of the bushes in front of us and stood in our way, arms crossed and glaring at us.

"Oh boy..." I whispered.

"Hello!" Baugh said, jumping in front of us and waving with a big smile on his face, "My name's Baugh, what's yours?"

"Baugh, get behind me sweetie." I said, motioning the boy behind myself and Rhys. Baugh did as we told him to, thank god, and Jagos did the same without even needing to be told.

"We don't want any trouble, and we got kids with us," Rhys said as I made sure to keep my head down and my hood pointed at the ground so no one could see my face. I didn't even need to see any of the men's face to know they had shit-eating grins plastered all over.

"We've got ourselves a toll for this road," one of the men said, "Call it a tax for safety."

"Not this crap again." I muttered.

"The last 'tax' people we had to deal with, are buried in shallow graves near a mill town," said Rhys, "So can we skip this nonsense and just pass by please?"

"Those were small-time lowlifes," said one of the men, "We're part of a bigger organization, and employed by the emperor."

"Why would the emperor hire tax organizers?" Rhys asked.

"Well, to be fair, we're not a tax organization," said the man, "Taxing was something we did in our spare time. Now that we've gotten a good look at you, we know exactly who you are."

"And that would be?" Rhys asked, giving Felice time to take control and grab my sword, ready to fight.

"You're the escapees," said the man, "From the castle. The emperor really wants the two of you back."

"Well that's a damn shame." I said as we brandished our sword, "Because he's not getting me. Now are you gonna get out of our way, or are you gonna pay the ultimate price?"

"I like when they play hardball." said one of the men.

"Enough of this!" Rhys said, and she threw the first stone, or rather, fireball, at the men, causing them to scatter.

"Go for the one!" I said to Felice, and she did so, jumping at the man who split off from the other two and swiping our sword. We missed by a couple of inches since he fell over, but he launched a ball of unidentifiable magic towards us that Felice blocked with a magic shield she conjured up.