The Mercenary's Valkyrie: Book One

Irritating Mortals

"What is your opinion of slipping away while the king's men drone out a speech in the courtyard?" I asked Lara over the rim of my mug.

Her molten amber eyes widened.

"That—that's quite risky..." She murmured timidly.

I snorted. "Afraid they will have you hung for skipping the prestigious event?"

She poked me across the table and I caught her hand. Her face reddened as she glanced into my own forest green eyes.

"I've never disobeyed a guard. Let alone—"

"I can keep you safe." I reasoned with a smirk. "Believe me they are not that well trained..."

"Easy for some!" She said with a grin. "Not all of us can fend off scores of thieves, protect towns from starvation and look that beautiful while they do it." She blurted.

It was my own face that heated this time.

"Then what are we waiting for. We take my horse, a cask of wine and make for the hills." I said with a grin.

She shook her head at me with a wry smile. "You know, I think meeting you has lowered my life expectancy significantly."

"I get that a lot." I stated.

Then we both laughed. I stood from my chair and finished the last of my mug in a gulp. "Are you coming with me or not?"

She rolled her eyes. "You need not even ask."

I grinned down at her and nodded my head towards the door. Before we were out, she managed to swipe a cask of wine away from a chatting couple. I laughed at her thievery and wagged a finger in mock scorn. 

"The small town girl becomes more corrupt by the second."

She slapped my finger away and pushed me further towards the exit. When we hit the cool outside air I took in a deep breath. The clouds above threatened rain but I prayed against it. Lara walked closely by my side with the wine in hand as we made our way to the stables.

When it came into view Lara broke into a smile.

"Can you guess which one?" I asked her with a side-long look.

She put on a pondering look and rubbed her chin as we approached four horses in their stalls. I flicked the stable boy a silver and he smiled brightly at me.

"I've shoed him and kept him well fed." He assured me.

I nodded and kept my eyes on the dark brown hair of Lara as she assessed the horses before her. I heard Parsnip snort loudly and I almost grinned in response.

Lara's eyes swept over to the culprit suspiciously. She faced him and gazed into his warm brown eyes.

"You wouldn't be the notorious, Parsnip, would you?"

He snorted a puff of air out into her face and I broke into laughter. She jumped back with her own laugh and wiped her face.

"He's a cheeky boy." I said as I came over to rub down his mane. He pressed his large chestnut jaw into my hand. "But there was never a better horse."

"Other than the spit I entirely agree with you." She said from his other side.

In the next few minutes we were saddled and riding him out of the town. It was drawing closer to midday and I wanted to put ground between us as the Captain of the guard. I kicked Parsnip on and we cantered out of the town walls.

The grassy hills broke out in front of us and the churning grey sky continued to glare down.

John and Kaden would make assumptions where I disappeared to, but the Valkyrie might not be as forgiving. The very sky was probably as black as her mood. Then I remembered her ability to influence the very sky and shuddered.