The Mercenaries

Mia

Mia woke to the sound of Seth readying the horses. Yawning, she got up and prepared them a meager breakfast of venison jerky and dried fruit. She called her brother over and they each ate their share. They both worked to finish brushing their horses' coats and then checked their hooves for cracks or lodged rocks. Since she was too small to do it herself, Mia let Seth saddle the horses and attach the saddlebags. For a long time he struggled to bridle the mare as she watched on with a smirk. "The bit is caught on her teeth," she called.
"I knew that," he said, although it was obviously a lie.
Finally, Mia relented and helped guide the bit into the horse's mouth. "I could've done it," Seth mumbled.
"Sure, you could have," Mia said in a falsely reassuring voice.
Her brother had never been an able horseman. He'd been more comfortable around their father's hounds and had even been about to receive one of his own for his birthday. It had been a secret between her parents and her. She decided it was best to keep it that way.
Mia looked upon the horses fondly. They were a familiar sight, having been a part of the family for longer than she had. The mare was a long-legged dappled gray horse named Opal. She was primarily used for traveling through the town or on short, fast trips. The stallion, Brutis however, was a sturdy draft mix with a dun colored coat. He had a brother with whom he had been raised with. They were used for pulling carts of merchandise from father's ships. Mia was riding the mare in case a quick getaway was needed and Seth rode the stallion, because Brutis was easy to handle.
Opal nuzzled Mia affectionately, getting slobber over her tattered, mud-splattered dress. "Seth, I'm going to change. I'll be right behind those bushes."
He nodded somewhat distractedly as he tightened a cinch. Her riding clothes were taken from her bag by her and she made her way to the privacy of the bushes. She put on the leather leggings, loose cotton shirt, gloves, and woolen cloak then pulled her red hair into a knot at the nape of her neck. She exchanged her silk slippers for a pair of soft leather boots. Her dress and shoes were left on the forest floor. After she was done, Mia walked out and looked over her brother's apparel. He was still wearing his fine breeches and doublet, as befits a merchant's son. "You might want to change as well," she said.
His eyes feel to his clothing and looked almost surprised to see he was still wearing them. "Right, I almost forgot."
He disappeared for several minutes and then returned, appropriately attired. "Ready?" Seth inquired.
Mia nodded and led Opal to the log, where she used it as a stool and mounted. She turned to find her brother had already mounted Brutis and she followed him from the clearing, through the wood, and back onto the dirt road. They fell into silence as they traveled south towards the Charity Crossing that would take them across the Iosh River. Time passed slowly from the monotony of their surroundings, which consisted strictly of tall evergreens.
The air smelt of fresh pine, which was a nice change from the smoke and pigs within Ironhaven, but served to remind them that they were no longer at home. Mia's mind wandered towards memories of their parents. She recalled how Father would always return from his trips with gifts and how Mother's hands would carefully braid her hair into elaborate styles. All of their small kindnesses and teachings. These thoughts led her to reach into one of the saddlebags for her mother's journal. She stroked the smooth leather cover before opening it. Mia read the neat scrawl, clinging to every last word and trusted her horse to follow Brutis. A good part of the information was already familiar to her, but there was still plenty to learn. She memorized ingredients to various poultices, salves, and liquids, learned the different properties of a collection of herbs and roots and how to identify them, and learned the cures to a variety of ailments. Her mind was full of sketches of plants and information, so she hardly noticed as the sun moved directly above them signaling midday. She only realized they had pulled to the side of the path when her horse came to a halt. Mia looked up from the journal to see why they'd stopped. Seth was off his stallion and pulling food from his bag. A bit reluctantly she returned the journal and lept down from Opal's back. She staggered some, but managed to right herself after which she stretched her aching legs gratefully. For lunch, she found salted pork and an assortment of nuts. And in a stroke of good fortune, Mia discovered a raspberry bush that she and her brother gorged upon with great enthusiasm. From a small stream that must've branched off from the Iosh River, they refilled their canteens before preparing to be on their way once more. They remounted and continued down the road.
Around an hour later they came across their first travelers. A small family rode in a wagon pulled by a great ox. An old man in a straw hat directed the ox, a haggard women struggled to quiet her babe, and pair of children talked cheerfully. Seth stopped his horse and called, "How fares your travels?"
"Quite well considering current events. Do you head to Lona?" the old man responded in a warbling voice.
"No. We are to go to Ley City."
"Good. Avoid Lona. Nodel soldiers are stationed there, causing a great deal of trouble."
"So the rumors were true?" her brother asked, rather put down.
Mia looked at him with surprise. She had not known about any trouble in Lona, nor had she been aware that Seth kept up with such knowledge.
"I'm afraid so," he said through a fit of coughing.
Mia searched through her bag and brought out a vial of red liquid. She pulled her horse closer to their wagon and handed it to him. "Here, this should help your cough. You only need a small sip."
He tipped the vial, taking a swig. "My thanks," he said with a smile of appreciation as he handed back the vial.
"Of course," Mia returned.
Seth waited for their exchange too end before saying, "I regret to say that the situation of Ironhaven is now the same as Lona. A raid took place just last night. That's why we're headed to Ley City. We were to head to Tisite with our parents...but since that's no longer an option..."
Understanding flitted across his face and for a moment his eyes filled with sorrow. At the news of Ironhaven's attack he exchanged a concerned look with the women behind him. "Thank you for the information. And good luck to you on your journey," the old man concluded before starting the ox onward.
Mia and Seth watched the family disappear around a turn.