We•Will•Rise

Chapter Fifteen

When the trees become scarce and flat grass plains start to flank us on either side, I know Ovilis is close. It's a small town run by Governess Esanda Wolve and is made up mostly of farmers and butchers. It's where we get most of our food from since the capital lacks the fields needed for farming, so where most pay taxes Ovilis pays in meat or vegetables. It's not a very rich town, but they get by all the same.
"We're getting close to Ovilis." Garreth confirms my thoughts from the head of the trail, looking back at me and making Nikolai glare in return. This has been going on ever since we left early this morning, him glancing back to see if I'm still tagging along and Nikolai scowling back. I suspect he thinks I'm going to bolt at any second after the incident last night, but I have no plans to do such even though Nikolai proposed we do so multiple times. But the incident, though unfortunate, showed me that I need to be more careful where I lay my trust. I needed to understand that my focus can't just be on the vamphirs, but on the Queen as well. No longer could I push her to the back burner and hope for the best, I have to be on guard always.
"Are you tired yet?" Nikolai asks, turning his gaze to me.
"No," I shake my head, though I'm lying. I am exhausted since I got maybe a total of three hours of decent sleep and that was before the attack in my tent. After Nikolai and I settled down, I stayed staring at the inside of my eyelids or the tent wall. My mind was too busy mulling over the man next to me and how close I came to a slit throat. Not only that, but what else would Lavina do to get to me? Would she send someone after us? Would she send word to someone in Ovilis or Vlaria to do the job themselves? And then there's the matter of Nikolai sleeping next to me. I wanted badly to reach out, to talk to him about the thoughts running through my head and have him comfort me the way he does. But I couldn't burden someone else with my worries. They were mine alone.
"Fine. Don't complain to me if you fall asleep and slide off of your horse," he says, knocking me from my thoughts. I smile at him.
"I won't say a word as long as you pick me back up," I say, making him chuckle.
"I will always pick you up when you fall," he says lightly, though I know his meaning is serious. I don't reply as we make our way up a steep hill. Below it is Ovilis, the town of small wooden houses and gardens. We walk into it with Garreth and Edmund taking the lead, the path taking us straight through the center of the town. As we pass, people stop what they're doing to watch. Even young children that run around playing stop to stare open-mouthed at the Sultans and pirates in their midst. Most point and whisper, others quickly turn their heads and go about their business. The town is surprisingly full of people, and everyone carries farming tools or baskets of vegetables as they make their way from one garden to the next. Each house is wooden and small, but not tiny or dingy enough to be mistaken for a shack. They have plenty of space between buildings, something you would never see in the packed capital even in the Royal Square.
"Mother, look!" A young boy shouts at a woman, tugging on her sleeve with one hand and pointing at us with the other. She shushes him and yanks his arm down, forcing him along into one of the homes. The Sultans don't seem bothered by the reactions and keep their eyes straight ahead, leading us further into Ovilis without a word.
When we get to the center of the town and past the homes where there's a massive well and a crowd of people circled around it with buckets, waiting for their turn to get water. Little shops surround the well, such as markets for meat, vegetables, and trade posts for tools.  Again people stop and stare, whispering to each other about the newcomers. I meet the gaze of one woman and instinctively wave. She frowns at me before darting away into the crowd.
"They aren't used to Sultans," Nikolai says, "They barely even have Guardsmen."
"Why?" I frown, my eyes scanning over the faces of the crowd. Everyone looks skeptical and confused, their expressions alone confirming Nikolai's statement.
"It's a peaceful town with a small population, everyone here knows everyone. Not much enforcement needed." Nikolai shrugs.
I take that in, watching as the crowd parts to let us through. Garreth leads us off the path and to a rest post, stalling his horse and jumping off. He ties the reins to the post as the other Sultans follow in his lead. Orian, who steers the horses with the buggy, stays put, giving the pirates a "don't try me" look.  Edmund stays with him, climbing onto the buggy as Garreth walks our way with Torin and Ricket.
"We can refill here. It'll be two days before we get to Ferway so we need to stock up on water and food," Garreth says, placing a hand on my horse's shoulder and glancing up at me. "Perhaps we can get you a nice cut of pig to cook tonight."
I smile at him, "That would surely beat crackers and fruit."
"Very well," Garreth says, lightly patting the horse's shoulder before walking away with the others. Nikolai watches him leave with a scowl, climbing down off of his horse and tying it to one of the post. I do the same, my stiff muscles groaning in protest. I don't think I'll ever get used to riding a horse for such long periods of time.
Nikolai and I walk to the well with our canteens. I think we'll be waiting in line until the crowd takes on look at us and the Sultans and parts, letting us through with only a glance in our direction. Nikolai seems unphased, but it bothers me. What is so special about us that we don't need to wait in line? Nothing but a title. I feel guilty as Nikolai takes a free bucket and scoops out some water with his canteen. He turns and I hand him mine to do the same. He gives it back to me and I slide it back into my pack. The Sultans grab their water and then we walk next to a butcher's shop, coming to a stop in front of the booth. A man with a bloodied white apron comes to stand in front of us as we line up around the counter.
"What can I do for you?" He asks in an oddly kind voice. He's a big man, built strong and sturdy enough to lift heavy slabs of meat I suppose.
"We need a few slices of pig loin," Garreth says, his voice taking a hint of demand. "The best you have." I frown at Garreth and his tone, glancing at the butcher who goes to the back of the shop and gets what we need. He comes back shortly with some thin slabs of meat wrapped in cloth. He shows Garreth who nods in approval. He takes it and they start to walk away, leaving Nikolai staring at me, dumbfounded at the counter. No way. First the people let us in front of them at the well and now this? I turn to the butcher and start digging in my pack, pulling out a single gold coin. That kind of meat surely costs that.
"Will this cover it?" I ask, starting to hand him the coin. He looks up at me in confusion, like the last thing he expected was me to pay him for his meat.
"We don't pay," Torin says, all of them having stopped to stare at me with a frown. "You're with us."
"I pay," I try to keep the anger from my voice, "I won't take something and give nothing in return." I turn back to the man and place the coin on the counter, sliding over to him. "Do you need more?"
"This is quite enough, Miss, really" the butcher says, holding the coin gratefully. He gives me a small smile, but it doesn't hide the discomfort in his face. I nod at him before walking off, shooting Garreth and the others a glare. I break off from the group and walk over to another stall, one that sells varying amounts of fruit. Nikolai follows beside me, watching as I reach out for a bright green apple.
"You know slab of pig loin is only worth about five silver coins, right? You just gave him three times as much," he says with a raised eyebrow, his arms crossed over his chest.
My face goes red. Oops. I look up at him despite my rosy cheeks, the apple still in hand. "Well, the rest is an apology for how the Sultans acted then." I say, turning as the merchant lady walks up to us. She watches me suspiciously, but doesn't say a word as I drop a silver coin into her hand for the apple.
"You never had to buy anything for yourself, have you?" He asks, a smirk forming on his face. My face triples in color and I take a bite of my apple, deciding to ignore him. Apparently that's the wrong move and incites him further. "Raised in the castle with everything handed to you." I whirl and start to argue with him when he continues, "I was like that once. But I learned fast, as will you. Though I was never that generous, I shorted people more often than not." He chuckles, shaking his head at his younger self.
I can't help but smile at him. "I wouldn't strike you as greedy."
"Just a clueless bastard," he says with a shrug, "I've learned since then."
I take another bite of the apple as his eyes go to something over my head. His smile widens and he grabs my arm, twisting me around to see what's behind me. It's a booth for wine, fine and expensive ones by the looks of it. I let out a snort as he pulls me towards the booth. "You don't strike me as an alcoholic, but I suppose I've been wrong before."
He gives me a look, but doesn't stop until we reach the counter of the wine booth. A merchant with a patchy beard and bald head greets us with a smile, though it seems forced. "How are you this fine evening?" He asks in a nasaly voice.
"Fine and yourself?" Nikolai asks, though his eyes are on a bottle behind the man.
"Just swell. Is there something I can get for you? Perhaps the finest tasting wine from—"
"I'll take the purple bottle," Nikolai points to the one on the left. The merchant follows his gaze and turns back with a frown.
"Are you sure? That is—"
"I'm quite positive," Nikolai says, surprising me by pulling out his own coins from his pocket. He hands the man a gold coin and the man's eyes practically bulge from his head. "I'm sure this will suffice."
"Very much, sir, thank you." The merchant takes the coin and grabs the purple bottle from the shelf, handing it to Nikolai. He thanks him and starts to walk away. I trail beside him, staring at him with a raised eyebrow.
"This is fermented here in Ovilis by an old man called Faewick. This wine is unique, but barely worth two silver coins. I only ever saw it in Kamdahl but it makes sense that it's here as well. Try it," he says, popping off the cork with ease and handing the bottle to me. My brow still raised, I take the bottle and lift it to my nose. The smell of alcohol is strong and nearly makes my eyes water.
"Gods, this smells like absinthe." I rub my nose, glancing at Nikolai. "Are you trying to put me on the ground?"
He laughs, a true one that I haven't heard from him before that makes my stomach twist. "No, not at all. Just taste it."
"If I puke, I'm going to make sure it goes all over you because it'll be your fault." I shoot him a playful scowl before taking a sip. The alcohol is definitely strong, but not as overpowering as I expected and the flavor is fruity, but tangy enough to be sour. It's different from the usual smooth, grape flavor of the capital wine. I take a few more gulps, making Nikolai laugh again. The liquid makes my insides warm, a feeling ordinary wine isn't strong enough to give me. I hand the bottle back to him when I'm done and wipe my mouth. "Okay, that is an interesting flavor."
Nikolai nods. "As I said. He uses raspberries, not just grapes. Most people don't like the sour flavor because it isn't as. . . refreshing as normal wine." He shrugs, "But I believe they're missing out."
"I will have to agree with you on that."  I say, placing my hands on my hips. "Now I want my own bottle."
He hands me the wine, "This is yours. I bought it for you."
I frown at him, taking the bottle and slipping it under my arm. "How did you know I would like it?"
"If you didn't there would be more for me." He smiles at me and I roll my eyes.
"We can share it," I say as we walk back to the horses. The others wait there for us, all of them already in the saddle and ready to go. But as Nikolai gets ready to boost me onto my horse, Garreth shouts my name. I look up with a frown and suddenly Nikolai is in behind me. I turn just in time to see his hand snap out and catch an arrow mid flight, the sharp arrowhead tip centimeters from his chest. He flips the arrow around in one smooth motion and sends it flying towards a hooded man several yards away. It embeds itself through his chest before he can send another docked arrow flying. People around us scatter, screaming as they dive behind booths and into buildings. The man falls to his knees, his hands wrapping around the shaft jutting from his chest. Nikolai, his jaw set tight, starts to stalk towards the man. Stunned, I force myself to follow him along with Garreth and the others who quickly dismounted in the chaos, leaving behind Orian and Edmund to watch the pirates.
"Who sent you?" Nikolai snarls as he comes to stand in front of the man, grabbing the nock of the arrow and twisting it deeper into the man's chest. He screams in pain, trying to stop the movement with his hands on the shaft. Garreth yanks the man's hood down, exposing a young man about my age with long blonde hair and brown eyes.
"She did," he lets out between gritted teeth. I already know who she is. Queen Lavina either expected my head to be returned to her by now or she didn't have much faith in Felmen to begin with so she sent the word out to others. How many others is the question.
"Are you alone?" I ask, grabbing him by the shoulders. "How many of you are there?"
He smiles, dark red blood coating his teeth, before he spits at my feet. "Half Gods," he laughs humorlessly, making me release my grip and step back, "You are nothing more than memories of the Primordials. You will never rule over us."
Nikolai delivers a punch right into the center of his face and I hear his nose crack under the pressure, his head snapping back from the force. "She asked you a question," he says, his voice deadly and low.
"Plenty," he replies after he recovers, "More than you bastards."
"Weaker too," Nikolai laughs darkly, "Not as strong, not as fast. Do you think one of your comrades could have caught that arrow? Do you think they can save your life now?" Nikolai suddenly yanks the arrow out, making the guy scream in agony and double over. I press my hand to my mouth in disgust  as he regards it blankly before tossing it to the side. "We are all that stands between you and the vamphirs. Hurry and tell your friends before you bleed to death." Nikolai lifts him to his feet by the collar of his shirt, turning him around and lightly shoving him forward. He stumbles, but surprisingly enough he stays on his feet, wobbling unsteadily down the road.
"You're letting him live?" Torin says in shock.
"He'll die from his wound soon," Nikolai says, his tone still low. He looks at me, studying my pale face. "That arrow was meant for your heart, Alaya. The Queen means war and if she hasn't already she will soon take the others in the castle and have their heads on pikes. I know what you need at Ingrav, but we should turn back and go home to the capital."
"What? No!" I latch onto his arm, "I can't. You don't understand how badly I—we—need these answers. It could end the war with the vamphir for good."
"Our friends—our people—are stuck in the capital with our current threat. We can worry about the vamphir when they come."
"Then it will be too late," I shake my head, my frustration making the warmth in my stomach uncomfortably hot. "You can go back, but I'm going to Ingrav."
Nikolai looks like I just slapped him. "And leave you? Have you lost your mind?"
"Well I can't be two places at once, Nikolai, so which is it?" I place my hands on my hips, staring him down. Of course I don't want him to leave, and just saying it leaves a sour taste in my mouth and a lead weight in my stomach. But if we don't stop the vamphirs, none of it matters anyway. Mortals couldn't stand against them the first time, that's what we came in for as legend goes. But not to mention most of our kind is dead. We're working with half the force and weapons that can't even truly kill them. If we don't handle it now by figuring out what my touch means, we don't stand a chance.
"If my people die—" Nikolai begins, but I quickly cut him off.
"Without answers, they might anyway. They have more than a fighting chance against the mortals, but none against the vamphir without me or the Grimstone weapons." I turn to Garreth and the others. "How far away are we from Ferway exactly?"
"Roughly two days but who's to say there aren't more like our little friend with the arrows waiting for us there?" Garreth brings up a good point.
"We can go around Ferway," Torin offers, but Ricket shakes his head.
"Too long if they want to get back to the capital soon."
"I know a shortcut," Nikolai says, running a hand through his hair. "It'll get us through Ferway without a problem."
"So you're coming?" I raise an eyebrow.
He gives me a look. "I told you I'm not leaving you. Where you go, I go," he says, looking like he'd much rather tie me up on a horse and take me back to the capital than go to Ingrav.
"Then it's settled," I say, my hands on my hips. "We go to Ingrav, then we make the Queen pay."