The Reformation Wars: The Unmarked Swordsman

Chapter 15

The sun beamed down on a lush meadow three days later as Tom and Alice approached the Delquez mansion. Their travels after the encounter with the unmarked swordsman had been steeped in monotony. Lacking in all but the most essential conversation, it had been a silent plod home.

Tom still held a poultice to his mangled flesh where his left eye should have been, one of a long lineage of the healing solutions. Every time they had stopped to rest the horses, Alice had searched for fresh hesparia to replace the old, and usually she came away with what she'd sought. And the morning prior, she'd found such a large bounty of the herb that they stored the surplus away in one of the saddlebags, more than enough to last Tom the rest of his journey to Monterayne.

Presently, the knight and senator came into view of the mansion itself, and a pair of guards spotted them. Hurriedly mounting horses, they galloped over to the pair. Once they drew close and came to a halt, the two men tilted their helmeted heads.

"Welcome back...good lady," the bulkier man stammered, "but may I ask where Mr. Protenez is? And what about the other Monteraynian?"

Alice hung her head and sighed. "Their fates, I know not. We were attacked in Mintfeld by Innutukian men-at-arms and became separated."

"A terrible misfortune, to be sure. But thank Dove you escaped safely."

Alice visibly bristled at the man's comment, though Tom found himself as confused by her reaction as he was at the words themselves.

"I am indeed glad to be home." she finally said.

The guard nodded before its hooded helmet faced Tom. "Many thanks to you, young man, for returning the lady safely. We are indebted to you."

With a slight bow of his head, Tom acknowledged the man's words. Then he watched as the men turned their horses around, motioning for the blonde senator to follow. At a slow pace, they headed back toward the mansion, leaving Tom where he stood.

After they had taken a few steps away, Alice turned to look back at the young knight. For a long moment, her brown eyes remained fixed on his one cobalt blue eye, and then she gave him a nod. And with that, she returned her attention forward, not looking back again.

How wonderful this is! One of her guards will thank me, but not her herself? After all I endured for her sake? Preposterous!

Blood boiling, he waited a few moments more and watched the blonde and her guards complete their approach to the mansion. Alice dismounted and entered without glancing back even one more time. Tom huffed and prompted Exuberance to turn. Once the horse's snout faced westward, he urged him on, and they galloped off to the hills on the horizon, homebound at last.

****

Five days later, Tom emerged from the stables back at the knights' hall in Monterayne. No longer did he hold a poultice to his eye, as the wound had sealed up, and though it remained tender to the touch, physical strain no longer brought blood to the surface. With a tired gait, he headed inside and traversed one of the central hallways.

He began ascending a flight of spiral stairs and passed a fellow knight with purple shoulder patches who sported a youthful face plagued with acne. The young man grimaced upon eyeing Tom's face, but immediately after offered him a kind grin.

"Welcome back." he squeaked.

Tom nodded and paused his climb. "Thank you. Is the High Council in session, do you know?"

"Yes, sir, they just assembled."

"Excellent. And is my grandfather among them?"

The man grinned. "Indeed he is."