Queen Of Death

chapter two

By the time the sun rose we were outside of Dorths town limits. I could smell the wildflowers and see animals in the distance. I could see myself living this far from any civilization if I lived a long life.

I cursed at myself for getting distracted. I was in the front and someone else that was hired was behind the carts. Unlike me he was a military guard, must of retire or something I don't really care, there were two more like him on either side of the long line of carts that are actively in the military. They didn't introduce themselves and I didn't bother. They were in plain clothes but by the way they are holding themselves any idiot can see they are military. There are other blacksmiths riding along with Orion only a cart behind me. There are four horses for each cart and two people on each cart.

This would be a normal business adventure, but Orion keeps staring at me. It is making me so uncomfortable that Selan is getting fidgety. We travel about two miles, and I halt everyone to stop and eat their breakfast they packed. I stopped next to a small pond so Selan could get a drink and I brought out an apple for her while cutting it in half. This is a long trip I should of bought more apples. She's drinking while I stand eating my breakfast loaf. I brought things that wouldn't perish. Are they edible? Barley but I manage. I am watching from each direction of the road making sure we don't have any unwanted visitors. Out of the corner of my eye I see someone I am least thrilled about; Orion is walking up to me with his horse.

"How do you get her to be so behaved?" He looks at Selan.

"She is my best friend in a sense and treat her as an equal, it also helps that I rescued her and burnt her old farm down to the ground." Orion started laughing.

"Wow you are funny, my father mentioned that." I look at him with a serious face and he slowly stops laughing. "You're joking right?"

"No."

"You don't talk much, do you?" This time I am look straight into his eyes. I notice how they are almost an emerald green. His fathers, however, are dark brown.

"No. Your father paid me for a specific job not talking." I didn't use Finchs name because I need to know his reaction and there it was. It was subtle but he flinched at the word father. Interesting. Usually, I don't care about my client's family, but I need to know who exactly Orion is. I get a weird feeling about this man.

"Oh, that reminds me." I looked back at him, and he was digging into his pant pocket. He pulls out 25 silvers and hands it to me. "I meant it when I said you could have it. Besides you look good in it." He turns and walks away. I like to imagine I kept a stone face when he said that, but I felt my eyebrows raise.

I rounded everyone up and told them we would be back on the road in a few. I circle around on Selna and when I think it is good, we start traveling again. Today was almost as boring as they came. We stop one more time to give the horses a break and eat once again. We make it almost nine miles before everyone is exhausted. We can't go as fast as I would like because we do not know the consequences of those crates being shaked around. We did, however, find a nice farm on plenty of land.

One of the military officers rode up to the house and asked if we could make camp on the edge. I am assuming they pulled the rank card and got them to agree. Who am I to judge it's safer than making camp on the side of the main road. I don't believe we will get this lucky on any other night.

I informed everyone that was guarding we would take three shifts, two people stand watch and make rounds around the farm. I took the first watch and Orion decided he wanted to take the first one as well. I am going to stab that man.

The sun had just set, and we had three fires going. It took no time for everyone to fall asleep. I am sure they feel safe, some of these men knew my reputation. I take my work very seriously. If I was inhuman, I would watch the entire night, but I couldn't. I looked around and saw the horses all huddled together they are tired up to a tree. Selan is a good distance away by herself. The ten other men are split in half and surrounded by two fires. The other guards are asleep by the third. I am on one end of the campsite and Orion is on the other. At least I didn't have to deal with him trying to talk to me.