Tales of the Vangen: The Dead King of Danic (Book 3)

Chapter 19: Tiny Revelations

Say one thing for Elba, say she was sick of it all. Sick of riding drag while her husband sat in front with the other important people. Sick of the endless bickering between Cent and Moss when they thought no one else was around to hear them. Sick to her stomach most of all. Ever since she'd arrived in Danic her guts had tied themselves into knots. The food was lousy, of course, but she'd eaten worse. Something else was off, she reckoned. Something worse.

"You look tired," Cent said.

Elba snapped her gaze up from pondering, staring the man full in the face. She must have had quite the look about her too, given his own had gone very, very pale.

"What did you say?" She demanded.

"I...I said nothing—,"

"Cause I swear I just heard your last fething words," she said, cutting him off. "Out of all the stupid things I've heard come out of your mouth lately, Cent Foggardson, this has to be your greatest blunder yet! Don't ever tell a woman she looks tired, you broad shouldered buffoon! They'll be chiseling it into your goddess damned cairn stone before you can even blink!"

"All right! All right!" Cent held up a hand to ward her off. "I know when I've farked up. I apologize for Nido's sake."

"I'm serious, Cent! You don't say things like that to people! The next time I hear a disagreeable thing come out of your mouth I'll stick my fist so far up your arse I'll turn you into a Byzantian puppet." Elba made the appropriate gesture for emphasis, much to the man's horror.

"Goddess, you're worse than the Empress today. I'd rather ride beside lover boy and his tough, rebellious girly than deal with you right now."

"Go on then," Moss said, riding up beside Elba. he settled his gaze on the seasoned guardsman. "No one's stopping you."

Cent frowned as he looked over to where Brand sat further up in the van. He was chatting eagerly with the rebel girl he'd met in the mill, Tergrid if Elba recalled correctly. She was smiling, pale eyes gleaming under passing torchlight from the other riders. Oh yes, it was very plain to see what was unfolding before them.

"I'd rather get stepped on by a Jotun," Cent muttered.

"Then quit digging your grave," Moss said. "And go check on the Captain."

Elba watched the guardsman grumble off as he rode towards the front of the pack, the twisting ache in her guts never fully dissipating.

"You all right?" Moss asked.

"I've been better."

"Anything I can do?"

"Get me some meat, for starters. I haven't had a morsel since we arrived in this country."

"Fresh out I'm afraid."

Elba snorted. "You're useless to me then."

"Fig woulda found something," Moss said." A rabbit warren. A squirrel nest. Hells, I'd stoop low enough to roast a newt or two."

"Then he had to go and eat an arrow in Middengard."

"What a fool."

They rode in silence for a bit, taking in the sights and sounds around them. Horse hooves chopping in the snow. The hollow howl of the wind. Muted voices sighing through the trees. Would have been peaceful, were it not for Elba's constant, cramping guts.

"You really okay, though?" Moss asked after a while.

"You are damn talkative today," Elba said.

"Maybe I'm turning over a new leaf."