Across the ocean Book 1: On the run

Chapter Twenty-Four : Talons Soaked in Blood

Mayen still held his bow when Soren's battle cry echoed in the night. People would hear, words would reach the guards, and it was only a question of time before real brigade men arrived. The mountain kite was still there, in a menacing posture but unwilling to close the distance: she kept safely away from the intruders from where she was, on the kitchen counter. Rowen's head darted to the door, voicing the name of his cousin as blood fled his head. The round maid surprisingly held on her own two feet, not caring that the others would see she had just wet herself. Soren's voice was heard again, haggard yet determined. It said "run", repeating it until silence fell. Eliadoriss fell into a frenzy of rage and threw herself like a bear against Pete and the other man. It happened so quickly that Mayen could not react in time, focusing more on his fear of shooting her rather than the attackers. She was quickly neutralized with strong muscled arms with scars, as if that last detail amplified the former. Olicia ordered her release, although her tone made it all too obvious, she had no means to force her will on them. Then the mountain kite swoop in, only to be left with two choices : keep going and risk ending impaled on a sword, or abruptly alter her course and go back in the kitchen. It was not just Pete who had benefited from the mayhem, his fellow ruffian had as well.

-"Break that arrow," said Pete, "and then knees to the ground with hands clasped behind your head. Or she dies. As for you, Rowen, you will give me that dagger by holding the blade rather than the handle." He looked at the mountain kite. "Or rather, give it to him," he gestured to the one wielding the sword, "I will have my prize myself..."

Mayen complied only after seeking his father's opinion on the matter, a simple nod. There was no helping it, though in the very least he could argue within him he was obeying his father rather than them. Although the cracking sound was not the sickening one of bones, there was a resemblance which made it unpleasant to the ears.

-"I do not recall giving you my name." Rowen brought the steelaïn dagger with eyes fixed upon the beautiful blade, which was dangerously sharp, making him nervous. "Who told you?"

Both father and son knew Soren was behind this intrusion, so obviously their names had been given to those mercenaries. Still, there was a reason why Rowen wanted to hear it from them, a part still hoping his Cousin was innocent until proved otherwise. It was as the father feared, but despite the confirmation of his suspicion which came from the swordsman certifying the source, those shouts of running from Soren were puzzling. Eliadoriss wept profusely under the staining shame which, though not hers, plunged her nonetheless in a murky guilt.

-"Forgive me, forgive me... I..." She wished words could come freely, without fear of divulging she was in collusion with her guests to those quite capable of doing much more harm.

When the man wielding the sword took the precious dagger, Commendar Spencer's own dagger, he began to look incredulously from the weapon to the boy, then was flummoxed and did at least three back and forth before commenting.

-"The oddest thing yet! You, a wayside peasant having a steelaïn dagger with your own name on it! No matter." He said those two words to shrug off the bewilderment. "Where is the sheath?"

Mayen's heart sank at the loss of his most precious possession. What would he say to Spencer, or Alriched? How could he even look at them? They always visited his wayside village once a year as Gimvault was their vacation destination; what would he say when asked about the dagger? Not even the sheath to remain as a trace of a precious gift.

-"You maids," said Pete with a wide smile showing teeth, "get that pet in a cage, it will be my spoil of war."

-"W—we have no c—cages." The round maid was sputtering.

-"No cages?" Pete spat to express his disbelief and then swore. "To the Ebysmelwick with that bird of the Condemned! Well, no matter... I have my quarries now. You two took long enough."