《The Black Marked Bard》


 Prologue

    The man who could once have been titled Father Stensur stalked around the room. He moved from one side to the next; checking his notes sprawled across the desk on one side and returning to the body laid out on his dinner table on the other, whilst anxiously looking out the open window hoping the storm didn''t strike to early.


    "You know you could move the notes and the table closer the window, it would make this a lot less frustrating to wa-wat-wat...."


    "Watch. Yes Surrich, I bet it would, but the pacing helps me think which you know."


    The well rotten head of Surrich sat on the sill of the windows ledge, the last strands of dark hair sticking to the yellow peeling blisters and specks of scalp still remaining. His one surviving ear hanging on as the flesh went limp and lifeless, his lips peeling back to reveal his yellowing teeth and slowly shrivelling tongue.Long empty eyes sockets that only held shadows still managing to make him fell watched somehow.


    Unable to die but unable to heal, his second attempt at fixing mortality, his second failure. He hadn''t been moved for some time, the puddle that gathered around him was a sickly brown colour flecked with yellow and the last drops of blood mixed with flesh that fell.


    They''d be so close as boys, almost brothers, but time rots all; even the most cherished of bonds if neglected long enough.


    From a young age he''d be shunned as he broke rules, rules he didn''t know existed, when he somehow brought his mother back from the dead. She had just passed and there wasn''t a moment he hadn''t needed her since.


    They''d lived together in a place of healing for the nation, a place dedicated to the god Trik''ar, a place to work, study and administer her blessing, the blessing of knowledge that allowed the worshippers to survive from what should be fatal wounds, recover from diseases that should be terminal.


    But bringing someone back from death was to far, how is bringing someone from the brink of death different from bringing someone back from death, how is it anything less than a miracle, he should have revered as a prodigy, yes his mother may have been shambling, screaming and rotting but she was his mother, alive again, begging with her own breath to be killed again.


    He''d emerged from his quarters triumphant, expecting to be revered by all, instead he was beaten, exiled and his newly reborn mother burned at the stake as an abomination.


    Even Surrich had remained silent as they cast him out. Forced him to find his own way in the world, a young boy with nothing but his mind to protect him, grieving his mother twice over.


    So he travelled, far and wide seeking others who had done what he had done, he tracked fairy tales to their origins, pieced together crumbling pages from half burnt books found in the darkest corners of the darkest ruins and he found knowledge. How to put someone''s soul back into the their body after death and keep them their. Alive as they were before but now able to heal from any wound, able to live for centuries without a wrinkle, never passing to whatever waited on the other side.


    When he finally returned to his once home he had work to undertake but vengeance lusted after him and dominated his mind first, his former brethren cut down and denied their own healing and no intervention from Trik''ar to help them, no one to stop him from committing truly abhorrent acts to those who had wronged him.


    Sturrich though, when the dust had settled, the fires burnt out, and the bodies no longer twitching, Sturrich was allowed to live.


    In a sense.


    Surrich had been the second attempt. He could talk and was somewhat sane, which was an improvement on his mother from all those years ago but he still rotted, would he still be able to speak once his tongue had fallen out and the last piece of skin turned to dust? Surely not.


    Stensur had been so sure in his abilities, a foolish amount of self confidence given by his victory over the people who expelled him from his home. He wished he''d kept some alive now, more to experiment on. Instead he''d waited for months for someone to arrive. A wayward traveller seeking the aid from the renown healing monastery.


    "You''re going to fail, please don''t make another like me, she''s just a g-g-gi-gir...."


    Always trailing off at the last word, like his mind was rotting as well, although it may have been some damage done when he was killed, Stensur had to admit that hitting him with a large stone was hardly the best way to keep him in good shape for the Galvanisation, keeping the body intact but failing the brain, not his best work.


    "I''m not going to fail, you were a test,youfailed. This one is going to work, she is going to come back like nothing happened"


    If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    "What happens if you succeed? Is she going to stand up and thank you then be on her w-w-wa...."


    "Way? She''s strapped down and will remain that way. Once I''ve confirmed the process works, I''ll toss you and her on a bonfire as you all did my mother and get to work on myself."


    He''d spent along time alone, it did felt good to talk to someone again although all the questions and small put downs were wearing thin. His mind wandered for a moment, imagining pushing the head off the window ledge and allowing it to splat below.


    No.


    If he could still speak he''d just scream until Stensur came and collected him into some kind of bowl or bucket, it wasn''t worth the annoyance.


    He turned his back to the head, ignoring his response as he watched the hourglass lying on the shelf above his table trickle to nothing.


    It was time.


    The woman had been dead for 2 hours now, ample time to shift over to the next life. According to his many, many observations the passing over wasn''t nearly as instantaneous as many religions believed.


    He planned everything perfectly, timings, apparatus, test subject and now...


    The lightning struck.


    Impeccable timing.


    The room flashed with bright blinding white light.


    His vision was burnt but he could hear the body convulsing and slamming onto the table despite the bindings.


    Surrich cursed, blinded even without eyes apparently, worth noting.


    As his vision came back and the scarring from the light faded he put his hands on the table, nearest his surely perfect creation, staring down into lifeless eyes and the smoke drifted off the corpse.


    It would take time to come back. To get the muscles reworking, the brain rethinking.


    The smoke was dissipating.


    "Stensu..."


    He looked down, a small fire at the subjects waist.


    "I see it"


    "Stensu..."


    He patted his hands onto the growing flames, wincing as he burnt them in the process


    "STENSU..."


    "Stensur!, Be quiet Surri..."


    It was Stensur''s turn to trail off, as he turned to lecture the head he could see why he had been so persistent.


    Two figures stood on the other side of the room.


    One by the door, tall broad shouldered man with no hair, nothing in his eyes as he stared unblinking at Stensur. The other was pawing through his notes, a woman he discovered as she turned towards him. Smaller in height than her companion but just as bald and broad. It could be the light or his now damaged eyes but it seemed their skin were almost grey, like that of a corpse, a stark contrast to fully black simple clothing they wore.


    The woman held out papers towards him though obviously not inviting him to take them.


    "You have been a very busy man"


    "Idle hands are not the tools of the gods"


    An old idiom the teachers here had grilled into every child from birth.


    She smiled, but there was no humour in her expression, as looked towards her companion


    "A building full of corpses, a rotting head that talks and a resurrected woman on his dinner table and he still tries to play devout"


    The smile was gone as she turned back and the male made no move to react to her words.


    Wait


    Resurrected.


    He turned, the fire was in full force now, he''d been distracted by the intruders it was consuming her legs and body, but it didn''t matter.


    Her eyes were wide, she would scream but he''d cut out the tongue. Always to much screaming or talking, this time he''d thought ahead.


    IT WORKED


    He began again to pat down the flames, feebly though with his already burnt hands.


    Not a moment later his arms were pinned to his waist and the soft voice of the female intruder spoke from his side as the male held him tightly.


    "This is an abomination, it spits in the face of every facet of this world and the next. You are going to watch as the monstrous thing you made your life''s'' purpose burns up in front of you. Every note turned to ash. Every trace of you and your foul life cleansed by the fire."


    He flailed his body, just as he''d done as a child as they dragged him from the Monastery, doing even less good now as it had done then.


    The grey woman walked behind and he heard her pat Surrich''s head.


    "A poor imitation of immortality, the fire should burn this curse from you."


    "Think nothing of me, as long as I get to watch him burn I will gladly spend an eternity as a sentient pile of a-a-as..."


    Stensur was crying, not at Surrich''s words they meant nothing.


    His work was unfinished.


    His purpose unfulfilled.


    The fire was spreading to the roof and the floor. His room would be gone in minutes and his home not much longer after.His final experiment still throwing her body around as it burnt around her. The fire seemed to roar when she attempted to scream, it seemed reluctant to spread out from her.


    Final odd observations to make as the fire caught his captor who made no motion or sound as it coiled up his body before leaping to Stensur''s own leg.


    His captor didn''t scream, his experiment couldn''t scream but Stensur did scream, and his screams filled the room;


    Echoing through halls that once had the voices of children running to lessons and healers gathering supplies.


    Echoing through the surgeries were patients had once been given hope and a renewed life.


    Echoing to the stone archways which had once loomed over a young boy who committed a crime he didn''t understand as he left for a path that would ruin so many lives.


    Echoing finally out into the wide grass strewn valley and dissipating to silence as the Abbey of Trik''ar burnt itself out.

 Chapter 1: The Bard and The Boy

    Alayne Ducard, master bard, sprinted along the road.


    His legs were aching.


    His breathing was harsh.


    But he kept pushing forward, NOT looking at the...thing, in the tiniest corner of his eye, there was nothing there anyway.


    He clicked his fingers and colourful petals and sparks cascaded down over him as if he''d run through a waterfall and all the while the dull thud continued in his side.


    Whilst his hair was being painfully pulled behind him he clicked again and the wind changed direction as a gust hit him from the right, and then from the left, before relenting.


    One final click and the sound of a hundred horses galloping behind him filled the previously quiet afternoon air, as his wide brimmed hat was hammered from above.


    Finally as he reached a natural and sharp bend in the road; he stopped, and as he did, so did the sights and sounds that had followed him, all except that feeling of someone watching.


    He took a long moment to catch his breath and survey the countryside scenery rolling out seemingly endlessly in front of him, but the pain in his sides continued, the pulling of his hair continued and the beating of his hat continued.


    Don''t look.


    As a bard he knew many boring tales of parents who begged unhearing gods for the briefest of moments, one no longer than the time it takes a single spec of sand to drop down the hourglass, to be without their children. To return to a time when they could do what they wanted, when they wanted without a care for those that depended on them.


    Alayne was a parent by choice unlike so many unfortunate folks living in misery across the lands, but that didn''t mean he didn''t share the sentiment at times.


    This was one of those times, or better yet, one of those days.


    The little green heels of Alayne Junior, apprentice bard, dug into Alayne''s chest as he sat on his shoulders and threw his lanky legs up past Alayne''s chin and back down with that now familiar dull thud. He could feel his long claws grasping and tangling in his hair in one hand and patting his hat with the other.


    The moment of peace was gone before it had even begun, his chance to enjoy the serenity of midday bird song that echoed all around them. All around them except that one spot just outside his vision, only silence there.


    Don''t look


    "What?" he sighed.


    Several guttural grunts came from above.


    "I''m well aware we''ve stopped thank you and as I''m the one doing the walking, can a man not stop for a second and appreciate a perfect moment of nature? If you have a problem with my pace then maybe I should go on your shoulders for a bit?"


    Of course this was all a bit of fun to help the child pass the time on the long walks between towns and villages.


    It certainly wasn''t too quiet the voices in his head screaming he was being watched again.


    It obviously wasn''t to distract himself from that figure in the shadows that was never quite there.


    It was just for the boy of course.


    His mind began to wander and he almost turned around to look where he knew instinctively he shouldn''t when a few quiet grunts came from above that he couldn''t quite make out. It was when the long gangly green legs started tapping into his chest once more with a quick rhythm to them that he was dragged from his own paranoid thoughts.


    "Are...Are you trying to spur me on? I am the Alayne Ducard, Master bard, and I will not be spurred on like a broken down mule. You ungrateful little git; After everything I have done and continue to do, I take you under my wing and show you the beauty of the above ground world and you thank me by kicking me off as if I am nothing more than a poorly tamed horse"


    More grunts, louder and Alayne could hear the laughter in his voice as he tapped his heels again, whilst starting to use Alayne''s long dark hair as reigns to further attempt to get him moving.


    Begrudgingly he got himself back in motion; though only at a steady walk this time, the legs were flung wide as, he imagined, the arms were as well in show of victory, there was no arguing with the boy, he wasn''t sure if stubbornness was a goblin trait but it was most certainly a bardic one, he would do well...eventually.


    He smiled a forced smile, not that AJ would be able to see it was forced but it was more for himself anyway as he noticed the patch of unnatural silence had moved, as if to keep pace with him.


    It''s all in your head, just let your mind wander. He thought to himself.


    Alayne revelled in his own history, the only thing that could truly hold his attention and force the fear away was thoughts of himself. With AJ spurring him on from above he recounted their time together.


    He was approaching his 30th year, or he''d passed it, he wasn''t sure and had stopped keeping track, it all became a bit pointless once you hit double digits in age. But he''d been in Rha''vander, this tiny land, for 3 years now trying a fresh start, although not by choice but that was a story for another time, he hadn''t been here long before he''d crossed passed with the Goblins, a race he thought long extinct, and adopted his little green apprentice.


    They''d spend a long period of time trying to learn each other''s language, and then Alayne had moved onto the more important thing of trying to teach a goblin child, the equivalent of a human boy not yet 10, how to play a lute or a flute.


    It''s moved again


    Stop it! He commanded himself, continuing his own inner dialogue.


    It had been hard, Alayne could speak the language of the hollow as well as understand it after only a little bit of back and forth but the boy could only understand the common tongue of the ''sun touched'' as AJ called them.


    It was difficult making the complex sounds of their tongue when he was used to only basic grunts and barks instead. As for the instruments, well they''d had to settle on a tambourine for now, Alayne had hopes for the boy, well some, but he had the musical ability of a deaf rabbit and he didn''t want to mention how clumsy and destruction prone he was; he''d gnawed the end off Alaynes'' prize flute trying to blow into it and severed 4 sets of harp strings with his long yellow claws and even the tambourine that Alayne hoped would be safe in his hands was looking worse for wear already.


    Another tap on the head followed by several grunts.


    "For the love of me, AJ, can I not finish one perfectly poetic thought or reminisce on our time together without you interrupting me. We are heading where we are always heading. To the next story. To find tales worth telling and adoring audiences who will pay to hear them" more knocks on the head, and they were knocks, no longer taps.


    "Fine you impatient litt- There..."and he pointed straight ahead, over more wooded area and behind some hills where if you squinted just hard enough and got lucky you may have been able to see some smoke rising from chimneys, which Alayne couldn''t and didn''t care to at this point.


    "That''s where we are heading, happy now?"


    He was kicked in the chest several more times as the boy got more excited now having a goal and an end in, almost, sight.


    AJ didn''t seem too bothered by his tone as the bard was covering his fear up with frustration and he hoped that it came across as more jovial than it sounded to his own ears.


    Alayne knew roughly where the town of Burtyne was and hopefully what kind of tale he would be gathering there. He''d already got a title ''The Renegade Raven Stoneoath'' now he just needed the content, but that was always the easy part, they wrote themselves usually, he just observed. His self given role was to go out into the world and collect the stories of would be heroes and failing villains and carry them out to unwashed masses for all to hear, ensuring everlasting fame or infamy for those who earned it or sometimes those who haven''t earned it but maybe deserved it.


    This was to be his defining work in this land, it had to be, so little else happened here.


    Apart from the thing in the shadows


    It was a lovely place to retire and wait for the slow creep of death to end your boredom, but it was no place for a bard who needed action and adventure. He''d had one trip to the Hollows and no one wanted to hear songs about Goblins, but other than that; nothing.


    Apart fr-NO stop it. He almost shouted out loud to himself


    The last interesting thing to happen here was the battle of the toothed beach, and Alayne had only missed that by roundabout 30 years.


    Raven had to be a story worth telling, he had to be, Stoneoaths swear no fealty to any lords or nobles, answering only to their own oaths and protecting the people from any wrongdoings, vowing to work alone at all time. One stoneoath per holding, that was the rule and yet this one had taken in an entire squad, started calling themselves ''The Flock'' because their leader was named after a bird, which was just ridiculous because Alayne knew, well he knew after he''d asked around, that a flock of ravens was known as an unkindness, although this wouldn''t do them any favours in getting the locals on their side.


    This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.


    Alayne chuckled softly to himself and AJ grunted from above


    "Nothing" he said without thinking, he doubted it would translate for the boy, every bird was just flying food, individual names were meaningless to him.


    Despite strange names and breaking conventions the Flock had been very effective by the account he''d heard: they routed out bandits, dispersed mercenaries and other do-gooder type actions, it wasn''t anything too amazing but Alayne just needed to see a spark from them, something he could grasp and twist into a story the land would revel in.


    But that was likely tomorrow''s task.


    Looking at the way the road curved and the direction they needed to take, Alayne guessed that they''d be making the city just before sundown, another few hours of walking yet.


    He really didn''t want to be out of the walls at night. He used to love it, staring at the stars with only crickets and owls in the distance to be heard. But recently it was a period of endless shadows filled with unseen eyes, watching and waiting. He had no idea when it had started, or even how he noticed it. It was as if he just knew, he was used to being watched so maybe he just instinctively knew when there was an audience.


    It''s all in your head. You''ve told too many stories. He laughed at himself and decided he needed further distractions for the final spell of their travel.


    Just enough time for some practice.


    He brought his simple lute slung across his back into his hands and started playing a slow playful tune, one long note at a time.


    "Chop chop, tambourine out AJ, match me if you can"


    If I live to write a 1000 songs that get sung for all eternity my greatest achievement will always be making AJ a bard, it will happen even if I have to slice my wrists and drip feed him my own talent first.


    "Nope, out of tune, start again"


    Alayne took his own lead and played the same soft notes again, he could see no way in which these next few hours could drag on.


    He sighed.


    They travelled for the final hours of the day, playing and walking, walking and playing. The birds cleared from the trees and from the ground; squirrels and rabbits fled as they approached, the sound of AJ trying to sing whilst playing a badly beaten tambourine out of rhythm was causing a mass migration from the area.


    Apart from those in the shadows


    Ignoring you


    Alayne couldn''t blame them, he sang his masters songs in his own guttural tongue, but he couldn''t blame the language of the hollow for the environmental damage his apprentice was doing, it would have sounded just as bad in common tongue, the aggressive Taurosi speech or even the almost musical tones of the almost lost elven languages.


    By his own standards Alayne was still young and AJ was a child, if they were lucky they had a long time to work together and figure out AJ''s strengths, assuming and hoping he had some. Alayne Ducard was a master, he''d picked things up without being taught when he was barely old enough to speak, it was hard to teach something you weren''t taught yourself, but there were other ways to be successful in the life of an entertainer.


    As they rounded a fresh curve in the road the grey stone walls of Burtyne finally appeared.


    He untensed muscles he didn''t realise he''d been holding tight, his whole body began to ache at once.


    Alaynes mind wandered and thought of Magee the travelling bard, a truly terrible performer unable to hit any note in key, no skill with instruments and couldn''t remember a story to save their lives, but they were pretty and that was enough to make a living with the common folk half the time. Alayne pictured the boy sat on his shoulders, all 3 feet of the green skinned creature with his gangly legs and a face that mothers would drown in the sea. He was all teeth and nose with beady little black eyes hidden in sunken hollows and he knew his apprentice would have no such luck in that area.


    Maybe he could have success as a novelty act or puppetry?


    Alayne was hoping he could impart some of his strange gifts onto his ward as well, no one else could conjure illusions like Alayne Ducard could, if he could impart that on his prot¨¦g¨¦ then maybe AJ could make it.


    Best be quick before the shadows catch you


    Why was he been so mean to himself? Didn''t he know he was amazing?


    The issue with Alayne and his powers was he had no idea how they worked or where they came from. Sometimes he could do what he wanted and create harmless illusions that wowed a crowd, sometimes it went a bit wrong and someone was blinded for a day or two, and sometimes his fingers made their own magic and he enjoyed the show like the rest of his audience and he''d spend trying to figure out what he did to conjure whatever miracle he had wowed his audience with.


    But he was still young, wisdom comes with age, he''d figure it out eventually, he had time.


    Practice slowed as they met a crossroads as the path went slightly downhill, there was no sign as Alayne crossed the empty paths but he knew; left towards the West coast and Lord Sildaris'' small domain and right to Clarepoint ruled by some fat useless sack of aristocracy. The lords and ladies of this land were so petty and arrogant, all holding such little power on this tiny rock. They''d be free from invasion for too long thanks to the nature of the island. Out in the empire even a minor noble would hold an entire island or cities larger than this land''s capital. These people barely have a small village to themselves and yet they expect to be treat like kings. He no longer played for nobles, not for years, if they wanted to see the greatest bard alive then they would have to rub shoulders with the common folk they all secretly detested.


    They were within a stones throw of the town now, the sun was casting dark orange light into the sky and braziers where been lit atop the large square watchtowers that sat either side of the town gate, it was fairly impressive, they weren''t as high as the capital or any major city but you wouldn''t expect any kind of tower normally in a town this size.


    "Ok, so here''s the plan, we go in, we get a room, have a nice evening, and the tomorrow we start work and please let me do the talking I know you are impressed you finally managed to say a word in common but a goblin screaming ''dog'' at people over and over didn''t really make the best first impression in Culsack did it?"


    They''d ran into the night when Alayne had noticed the tell-tale sign of a mob forming, complete with cliched torches and pitchforks, no imagination some folk.


    More tapping on the head and grunting, angrier in tone.


    "Pack it in, I''m not mad I''m just weary we need to stay here for awhile and I make a much grander first impression than you, most people don''t even believe your kind exists."


    He got a thump on the head for that.


    "I know you exist you fool but not everyone does, and it''s not my fault your people were driven underground for centuries for being savages, if you wanted to not be forced underground maybe your ancestors should have stopped eating people, but what do I know? I''m just a guy that''s never eaten anybody and managed to remain fairly well liked."


    That upset him further, as Alayne knew it would, he was quieter when he was angry which he needed now.


    He wasn''t even sure it was true, goblins had been in myth in Rha''vander for centuries, stories of eating lost children where just fables passed down and the goblins that he''d heard of in the empire had been as civilised as any other people before their extinction.


    They walked in a very enjoyable silence on a road that had recently turned from dirt to cobbles as they approached the large wooden double gated entrance with a rather burly looking guard standing watch.


    After a few shouts from the guards on the battlements the burly looking began a slow walk to meet them


    "It be late in the evening for lonesome travellers to approach the gates, what can our fine city do for you?"


    A city? Alayne had called it a town and even that was generous, Alayne almost laughed but instead turned it into his most disarming smile, clicking his fingers to add a literal twinkle to his eye.


    Was that too much? Surely not, people normally loved that.


    "My friend, I can only just find it in my heart to forgive you for not knowing me as, whilst the hour is late the shadows are not yet grown, I stand before you as clear as crystal...Alayne Ducard, Master Bard"


    Pause for applause.


    None came, bit rude but Alayne pushed ahead.


    "I of course accept your apology and your coming adulation and will be making my way to the nearest Inn to sample its finest, or cheapest, ales in preparation for a life altering performance for your dear towns folk"


    And he gave a deep bow, one hand on his chest the other flung out wide as AJ clung to his throat for dear life. He rose and started to walk forward before the guard could get his thoughts back in order.


    He had almost made it past when he heard the familiar sound of a sword leaving it''s sheath.


    "Wh-What is that thing on your back?"


    He spoke whilst turning, he didn''t need to see where the guard was looking.


    "This is my apprentice, Alayne Ducard Junior, AJ for short, take a bow young sir."


    AJ stood on Alaynes shoulders and he winced as his clawed toes dug through his cloak into his flesh, his long green nose came into view over Alaynes hat as AJ copied his master''s deep bow.


    The guard took a step back, shaking sword still pointed at the scrawny figure perched on Alaynes'' now aching, and likely bleeding, shoulders.


    "Nah not names, what is it? Some afflicted child? Some tamed beast? What!?"


    "He, is a goblin my dear fellow? What else would he be?"


    He tried this often, trying to make it the most obvious thing in the world so they''d seem stupid by not knowing that, they would then change their tune and pretend it was obvious themselves and ask no more questions.


    "Goblins ain''t real. Now tell me straight, what is it?" He shook the sword at Alayne.


    It had never worked as he intended it but next time was the charm, Alayne was sure, he just needed the right person, a husband in front of his wife or a noble in front of his servants, the easily manipulated and weak of ego.


    Alayne raised a single finger decorated with a plain silver band and kept raising it until it passed his shoulder and poked it deep into AJ''s belly. The boy let out a wild laugh like any child would.


    "Feels pretty real to me."


    This did not diffuse the situation, and this also had been tried before and never worked, although he had hope that one day it would work and it would make a much better story then his dozen failures.


    "My friend please, look at me" and he drew the man''s gaze to his "we are neither one of us armed, unless of course you count my charm, my wit, my perfect voice, my silver tongue, dashing smile and overall natural good looks and if you do please arrest me now...Otherwise we offer no danger to your town I assure you. You have my word that we will cause no trouble and he will be under my watchful eye at all times. He is just a child who wants to see the world."


    The guard did not move, he seemed frozen, most of the people of this land thought magic impossible and humans the only creatures; such ignorance, they''d been isolated from the empire for so long their world had shrunk.


    He walked away, turning his back on the guard and making for the gates, he reached backwards and flicked a random string on his lute and as he walked through the town gates he spoke through hands cupped around his mouth.


    "Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, anyone with ears, treat yourself to tales of fame and fortune, songs of loss and gain, and poems of love and hate from the marvellous modern mastery of the bardic arts...ALAYNE DUCARD, THE MASTER BARD... He will be playing at your finest inn tonight for all to see. I expect to see you all there, songs on me, drinks on you."


    As he spoke in his normal tone the words echoed out around him, seeming to come from everywhere at once, it was a fairly simple trick he''d learnt to distract merchants when he was a boy and now it worked just as well for advertising himself without having to walk around and pander to prospective audiences, well it worked sometimes. It had on very very very rare occasion, caused mass panics and some simpler folk to think the end was coming and a god was talking to them.


    That almost never happened though and could he really be blamed when it did? He said his name, how much clearer could he be?


    There were a couple of screams as his voice echoed away, but as he listened carefully, there weren''t too many.


    A good sign if ever there was one.


    He smiled as he crossed the threshold of the city, completely forgetting the shadows that had watched him, until this thought reminded him and he cursed under his breath.

 Chapter 2: The Raven & The Farmer

    From his vantage point atop the wall Raven Stoneoath surveyed the moonlit city of Burtyne.


    The day had been trying.


    He had planned to walk out into the western woods. Sheep had been stolen, no doubt by some youths from a neighbouring town or village, and he had a rough guess where they would be.


    Meanwhile his ''followers'' were sent to the south to address a small bandit problem, nothing too dangerous, just 2 or 3 jumped up fools who had been harassing travelling merchants.


    It was to be a day of peace and self reflection as he wandered the woods listening for the tell tale call of sheep in distress.


    Like all of his plans though; to stay true to his oaths, to keep himself to himself, to grow a beard, it had ultimately fell through and his role was to grin and bare it as best he could.


    He''d been forced to pass on the western woods, which still called to him as he stared out of the gatehouse watch towers. He imagined the day he could have had, and instead he''d lead his followers, the self named ''Flock'', to the bandits in the south with some new recruits in tow that he didn''t ask for or want.


    Every year some aimless youths asked to join him in his ''crusade against crime'' as some called it, his ''Flock of freedom fighters'' his ''Justiciars of Justice'' (which frustrated him doubly because it was so lazy, why not ''Justicars of...'' there wasn''t a great deal that fit with that one, but it still bothered him).


    Initially he had pushed everyone away, ignoring them as best he could, but they''d followed anyway. One by one they fell in behind him, dressing like him, standing watch next to him, training alongside him, but as he''d made clear several times; not with him.


    The only solace he could find was in his own quarters but even then he could hear them outside; whispering, awaiting his return, almost pawing at the doors like a dog needing to be let out for its morning release.


    Short of throwing them in cells or getting involved physically he couldn''t stop them from pretending to be with him, no matter how hard he chastised them.


    He knew from watching that it was only a matter of time before something happened.


    He''d seen them almost lop an ear off in ''practice'', almost start a fight with some ruffians who should have easily been talked down.


    In the end to stop them from hurting themselves he''d allowed them to swear bastardised versions of his own oaths and bind themselves to him in an effort to regain some control and keep some semblance of order.


    This was quite literally his last resort after months of being followed around the city.


    This was how the ''Flock'' as they called themselves had formed, how the 7 had fallen under his wing.


    It wasn''t really his area though, he was supposed to do all this alone, leadership was never part of the training he undertook and it wasn''t really his strong suit, they''d been drawn to him because of his stoic nature and calmness in the face of blood and battle, and yet they wanted him to be some charismatic leader.


    In a burst of frustration at his new role and the expectations heaved upon him he had written a strongly worded letter to his masters, at the Oathbinder mountain, advising them of their missing lessons and his current predicament.


    Of course it was not to be sent and merely a way for him to vent to keep his calm, that was until Faldier, the lovely yet portly fellow who stood behind him now, tense and unable to relax until given clear instructions to do so, took it upon himself to become Raven''s bookkeeper and sent it off without asking.


    He had received several very, very stern letters back in response.


    Six years later and Faldeir still apologised regularly and he was still receiving letters from the masters.


    As of now he had 4 more recruits after years of pushing them away, they just kept coming.


    The one solace of today''s bandit hunt is that it had bloodied the over eager youngsters and it was his hope that seeing a grown man cry as his arm tumbles into the underbrush might send them all running back to their homes to chase more suitable roles.


    This hadn''t been his goal, he thought he could talk them down, but at seeing the 12 armed men and women approaching the bandits had acted like cornered animals. They''d lashed out without thought and the fight had been over before half of the Flock had drawn their swords.


    ''We''ve been stood here for quite some time now, sir, the rest of the Flock are meeting at the Inn to see the bard that announced himself in that strange way. Any chance we could... Join them, before Taraveen drinks himself unconscious again. I''d rather not have to carry him home without getting a drink or two in me first Captain?"


    Raven had noticed the man and then completely forgot about him, he made no impression at all, he was a ball of anxiousness and in a constant state of approval seeking. He was loyal though and Raven often enjoyed his company more than most although after all this time he still wasn''t sure if they were friends or if they were just soldier and commander.


    In a battle he could read the next move before it happened but in a social setting? He was lost, he wasn''t sure if he was been flirted with or threatened until it was too late either way.


    He could hear feet shuffling anxiously behind him and the turning of the raven beaks over in his hands like they were ball bearings. It was a silly tradition that had started too long ago to stop, each of his people claiming some raven based object as a talisman or some sort.


    It was absolute nonsense.


    They''d dressed like him before he took them on and now they each played up to this ridiculous bird motif, it was quite simply put, awful.


    He wasn''t named after the bird, he was named after the Raven black hair that he''d had from birth not that anyone ever cared to ask.


    They''d turned him into this character, someone to look up to and who was expected to play the part of leader without fail, it wasn''t him, he could fake it and it worked that way sometimes, but what if something happened?


    How could he live with himself if they fell in service to him?


    He was trapped.


    "Did any of the newbies go to the tavern Fal?"


    Faldeir paused for a moment, Raven didn''t need to turn to know he had his chubby finger squeezing his bottom lip as he always did when pretending to think of answer he already knew. He never wanted to appear over eager, and yet, he always did.


    "Erm...I don''t believe so Sir, believe they all wanted an early night"


    "We shouldn''t leave them alone, should we? Someone should stand watch tonight to ensure they can handle the day''s events."


    2 of the recruits had cried as blood hit their face from the fallen enemies, 1 had passed out completely, the last had gone pale but held their nerve.


    He was sure he could hear the whipping of the air as Fal''s head swivelled from Barracks to Tavern.


    The Tavern that Faldeir lusted after was a 3 story crooked building centred in the middle of the city ''The Nest'' as it was now called due to him and his people''s presence(he hated that name, so, so much) had light streaming from every window.


    It was a fair distance from where they stood, but the music and laughter carried well to them.


    The square surrounding the Inn was large and open allowing the sound to carry and invite more wayward folk in, not that it was needed after news of a bard had spread.


    They''d heard about the voice that came from everywhere that announced him when they''d returned to the city. Raven was sure it was an exaggeration but it had tickled the interest of most of the people, as it was obviously designed to


    He felt he could feel Fal''s longing for the place.


    The bard was an excuse he knew, at least partly, he turned a blind eye to the reckless amount of drinking his people did. It allowed him some peace most mornings to practice or think alone.


    It was still a rare treat this far north, most bards stayed South or East where they could live comfortable lives in landowners beds. Kings without the consequences he''d heard Resamin once say in a bitter tone.


    This was a land of workmen, labourers, sailors and farmers, they didn''t have much to give to a person trained in the craft of entertainment, so few bothered.


    Above all else, bards tended to be greedy.


    His eyes were drawn back to the barracks, he sighed to himself as he surveyed the building directly below them. Beside the city gate, a large 2 storey stone house. The upper floor was decorated with beautiful stained glass windows depicting golden figures fighting monstrous devils, these signalled the rooms of him and his veteran followers.


    The lower floor had simple glass less windows with metal cages on the outside in case of attack, they''d added those themselves.


    He always felt slightly guilty when he saw it in it''s entirety, it was a grand building for a town such as this. The people, and by habit himself, called it a city but it was far from it and it had little in the way of lavish dwellings.


    But the people had insisted for the good of everyone that he have that strategic place to himself, and it was hardly his fault if the most strategic building was also one of the nicest, it also wasn''t their fault if they''d had to relocate the Cleric to a small shack near the port.


    A small smile crept to his lips, just touching the edges of his mouth, invisible to Faldeir and any other observers in the dark of night. He didn''t really feel bad about shifting Cleric Obsenkent to the riverside, he detested religion, the rich or power hungry praying on the fears of the common folk.


    Raven had been raised to believe in the power of the one, the power of binding oneself to an oath, strengthen yourself and others by being the best you can be.


    The Cleric also happened to be a massive pompous arse, so seeing him in a crumbling shack, unable to see the irony of telling everyone that the gods will provide you with what you are worthy was very amusing.


    There were no lights inside the barracks, it was dark but not too late.


    This wasn''t a surprise but also wasn''t a good sign.


    Raven finally turned to his longtime companion and 2nd. A short and plump man with hair seemingly getting thinner by the day.


    Most wrote him off as a fat fool and while he may only be an average fighter at best, he was more than capable of leading in Raven''s place when he had one of his many days of self doubt. Faldeir despite starting out no different than the others had become a confidant of sorts over the years but even he never knew very little of how much Raven hid behind the mask he put on for them all.


    "Go to the barracks..." Faldeir''s shoulders visibly sunk "and get everyone you can to the Tavern and enjoy your evening. I''ll keep watch over the rest." Before the last words had escaped into the night the man was gone.


    It was as if someone had released the drawstring on a bow and he was the arrow.


    He flew down the steps and towards the barracks.


    Mere moments later a single hastily dressed recruit clad in shadows struggled to follow Faldeir as he nearly danced from the barracks to the Inn.


    Barely a moment later a flicker of movement in the shadows caught Ravens eye, 2 maybe 3 moving shapes trying to sneak away from the barracks in the opposite direction of Faldeir and towards the town gate. He watched amused as they moved in what they clearly considered a stealthily fashion beneath him.


    A single look upwards and they would have spotted his outline in the moonlight staring at them.


    They shimmied towards the gate.


    A shame, Raven thought, 3 who couldn''t take it and didn''t have the bravery to admit it outright. But as long as they didn''t force themselves to stay, that was the important thing.


    He''d let them scuttle off to whatever homestead they came from, watching as they forced themselves through the smallest opening they could make without drawing attention.


    Turning himself to face out over the widespread trees and rolling hills, he placed his hands on the cold stone outcroppings that came up to his waist that were already gathering dew from the damp evening. He''d watch them as far as he could, he could check beds tomorrow and get names, ride out and ensure they got home safe but best he could do now was to ensure they were safe as long as he could see them.


    Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more.


    Admittedly this wouldn''t be far in the dark of night.


    Raven leaned forward, letting his elbows replace his hands on the wall as the figures approached the crossroads, he''d lose them once they crested the slight hill in a moment...


    Suddenly they darted to the West, falling into a crouched sprint.


    He searched the roads and listened intently to the night to see if they were being chased or in danger...nothing but the quiet sounds of a dying night in the town.


    The dark was like the curtain he desperately tried to part with straining eyes to find his former wards again.


    There were glimpses he managed when the moonlight caught the buckle of a boot or the edge of a ring, tiny moments that made the time in-between sightings feel eternal.


    After the last glint of light there was nothing for some time, too long, maybe they''d been in a rush to get home, but that was na?ve and Raven knew something was wrong. They''d left the marked path when the western road to Sildaris'' hold was just ahead of them and it was much safer than running in fields at night. Something was gnawing at him, urging him to jump the 2 storey drop on the road and give chase, but he waited, just a little longer he thought.


    Then they came out of the shadows, tiny figures moving across the back fields of Jaycob''s farm, if he wasn''t already watching he''d have thought it an animal or some kind. His hands were tense, they''d retaken their place on the wall and his chest was pressed against them ready to spring into motion.


    One final glint on the distance figure showed what he feared, too big to be a ring, too high to be a boot.


    He jumped over the parapet, falling into a low roll to protect himself and began sprinting off into the night. He knew what they were doing, the poor farmer was never to be free of his sons'' sins...and Raven''s judgement. There had been an incident on the way back to the city with 3 of the recruits, the same 3 if Raven had to guess, that he had let slide. The wounded ego of 3 hopeful warriors had lashed out at an old man exiled from the city walls and had been left with bloody noses and further embarrassment. Raven thought the lesson had taught itself, his naivete on display again.


    The constant suffering Jaycob endured was all Raven''s fault, justice before compassion, he would never know if he made the right decision.


    Raven ran as fast as his legs could carry him, the cold of the night seeping into the gaps in the black ring mail short sleeve armour he wore and his longsword rattling against it.


    Faster fool


    This was his role, not leader, but protector, and he was good at it.


    Jaycob awoke from his restless sleep, with his leg still throbbing, for the third time that night. His small bedroom was silent and lightless but as his eyes adjusted he could make out the shape of his long suffering wife by his side as the covers slowly rose and fell with her breath.


    He made his way back to the main room, deciding that maybe a fire would ease his aches and pains and he could sleep what was left of the night away in his chair. His back would be angry at him but his leg might be ok with that.


    He cracked the door to the other bedroom as the fire started to catch and saw his daughter-in-law and grandson sound asleep in their shared bed.


    When he thought about it his leg wasn''t that bad, better than when he''d first come in, better yet then when he was woken the first two times. This shouldn''t have woken him at all and the house was silent except for the crackling of the fire he''d just started.


    He took a fire poker from the mantle and gently prodded the catching logs, he felt more at ease with this in his hand.


    For some reason the hairs on the back of his neck were standing up.


    He checked the two doors were locked and sat in his large backed chair, letting the poker rest across his knees, listening to the fire.


    Crackle, pop


    The popping and cracking of the log mixed in with the perfect silence his little part of the world captured on nights like this.


    Crackle, pop


    Ignoring the pain he felt his eyes growing heavy and the calming sounds and heat relaxed his body and mind


    Crackle, pop, snap


    Wide awake again he shot to his feet. The snap was just outside the door and his window less South wall.


    A moment of further silence but whatever was outside knew the game was over.


    Another moment later and the door burst off it''s hinges and 3 figures stood in front of him, the yellow glow of the fire giving them a sinister appearance.


    Jaycob hung his head out of more frustration than anything else, these 3 were new recruits by the Oathbound, they tried to start trouble earlier as the self titled ''Flock'' had been returning to the city, but they''d failed to get the better of Jaycob in that instance (Resamin and Gaspar, The Ravens men, had dragged them back the city with bloody clothes and wounded pride, he''d thought that had been the end of it, just the young, brave and stupid testing an old town exile without thought) and clearly fancied their chances in this second attempt with some assumed element of surprise.


    "Why are you back here? Kid your nose won''t look great after a second break in the same day."


    The lad he had put on his backside earlier stood forward, blade drawn, nose still slightly out of alignment.


    "I will not be humiliated by some disgraced farmer and exile. I am going to join the Flock and be a hero."


    Forced bravado for the sake of his companions.


    It was a tense situation and Jaycob could tell the boy was trying to sound intimidating and serious but he couldn''t hold back his chuckle as his voice was nasally and high pitched with chosen words that sounded so hollow.


    "All you are is sad little boy who thought bullying an old man would get him the respect he''s never had. I beg you, leave now and the Raven doesn''t need to hear of this."


    The boy spat at Jaycob''s feet and motioned for his companions to start to flank. They were unskilled by any measure of swordsmanship Jaycob knew this from earlier and from his own experiences watching the Talon''s training system, The Raven was a master of the sword but not a teacher.


    The terrain was tight and favoured Jaycob greatly, regardless of numbers or his own body turning against him.


    The one to his left wore a bandage around her shaved head, still nursing the wound from Resamin by the looks of the red patch marking the white cloth, she''d thumped her something terrible before Jaycob had got the chance.


    The one to his right was a bit more heavy set then his two skinnier companions, more muscle then sense by the look of it. All 3 carried longswords that had seen better days and still wore the mismatched leather armour from the days training.


    As the bandaged girl moved in Jaycob kicked his long backed chair towards her, knocking the unsuspecting trainee forward over it where she met Jaycob''s knee as he threw it straight between her eyes as she landed unmoving face down on the seat.


    He spun backward just in time to meet a non committed lunge from the heavy set boy now behind him. He threw his fire poker into the steel and batted it away from him and onto the floor, with his target off balance he threw the hilt of the poker clasped in his fist into the boys throat, sending him staggering back gasping for air as he flopped against the wall.


    He began to panic and claw at his throat.


    Jaycob used the poker to flick the rusty sword off the ground and into his hands, pointing both at the only remaining intruder.


    "Take your companions and leave. Please."


    The boy with the broken nose smirked.


    It caught Jaycob completely off guard, after everything he''d just seen, his companions falling in seconds, he still had the brashness to think he could win this.


    Jaycob was caught so off guard that he failed to notice another figure enter his home, using the smirking intruder''s shadow to conceal his entrance.


    As the boy''s sword raised behind him for an overhead swing, Jaycob prepared his counter.


    It wasn''t needed.


    A hand grabbed the sword and yanked it out of the boys grip, spinning him around in the process.


    The sword was thrown against the ground and the now empty hand grabbed the boy by the throat and pinned him against the southern wall.


    The Raven, now with his back to Jaycob cast an intimidating visage.


    His black chainmail catching the red and yellow reflections from the fire, like the flames were creeping up the ringlets of his mail and his dark leather trousers and boots almost seemed to blend into the shadows around his feet.


    The moving shadows and fire light created depths and haunting angles in his square, gaunt face and short black hair, making his angry grimace seem like the wrath of a god.


    The normally calm man growled into the boy¡¯s face.


    "What is this?"


    Silence.


    "You think this is what I or the people want or need from you? To sneak into an innocent man¡¯s home in the dead of night for petty revenge caused by your own brashness?"


    The boy shrank at every word.


    His eyes were panicked, searching for an answer that didn''t exist.


    "He attacked us, we were just defending ourselves. He''s a madman, please sir. Save us."


    Tears in the eyes, tremble in the voice, it was almost believable, except for every other aspect of their current situation.


    The Raven who had been almost nose to nose with the boy leaned in even closer so their foreheads touched and he locked the boy¡¯s eyes with his own.


    "You act like a sad and pathetic little boy but you''ll be judged accordingly at dawn like a man."


    He turned as he said it, taking in the flapping large man still struggling to breath and the bandaged recruit who hadn''t moved since Jaycob had hit her.


    Raven darted a hand down to the boy¡¯s waist as he headbutted him square on his already broken nose. He wrestled a dagger from his hands without much effort and sent it deep into the boy¡¯s shoulder. Jaycob watched over the course of seconds as the pale bloodied face changed from panic, to anger, to pain again followed lastly by shock as he slumped down against the wall, passing out.


    News of his jump from the parapet had eventually reached the barracks and not long after his brief fight with the failed recruits Jesop and Jenary came riding to the small farm house, they hadn''t bothered the others and had called it an early night when they sensed the intention to get very drunk. There was also the fact that they were sleeping together and assumed Raven and the others didn''t know.


    "We''ll get them back sir and locked up." Jesop stated the obvious as he led the 3 crying youths by their rope bound hands.


    Each one blamed the other, or Jaycob or some unseen force.


    Raven scratched his head where he felt a divot had been made in his forehead despite not being able to feel anything.


    "We''ll deal with them in the morning."


    "Aye Captain" Jesop couldn''t be less than double Raven''s age, not a hint of his once dark hair remained in the grey beard or short cropped hair. The lines around his eyes were strained and many. Looking at him in the dim moonlight, he may actually be 3 times Ravens age. He was an old soldier and should have been retired and living a quiet life, but as he''d told Raven he didn''t want to waste his knowledge and experience fishing himself to death.


    He gave a salute and turned to return to his horse, that ridiculous Raven eye dangly earring he wore on his left ear swung as he turned.


    He''d agreed badges on the uniforms if they had to have something and somehow that had translated to this over the top decoration of themselves, each one individual, the complete opposite of a uniform badge.


    But no amount of orders or demands had gotten them to remove the silly bird decorations and Raven had given up.


    Part of the legend they''d say.


    He didn''t want a legend, he''d wanted to do his duty, fulfil his oaths and that be enough.


    Jenary may be the worst of the lot, saluting alongside Jesop she wore a horrid headdress made of Raven''s feathers that draped over her shoulders, flying backwards in any kind of wind or breeze. She left without opening her mouth once which was unlike her. She was a sarcastic woman, not nasty, not on purpose anyway but her words were usually cutting and it made her few friends. She had dark hair that stopped at her neck and luckily sensed the mood tonight, a rare case of awareness. He shook his head as the 2 ''Talons'' rode off towards the city, dragging his 3 failures behind them, he could hear more of the sobs now carried back on the gentle night breeze as they realised the fate that would befall them in the morning.


    "You can''t hang them Raven, they are just kids."


    Jaycob had joined Raven outside the house which stood silent, he had soothed his family quickly after dispatching the recruits, they were all far too used to this sort of thing now. He was an ageing man, much like Jesop he was an old soldier long retired to what should have been the quiet life of a farmer to be with his family. He kept his head shaved and his face hairless, a remnant of his training so long ago, his skin was dark from working so long in the sun and he walked with a heavy limp from an old wound although that didn''t hinder his fighting by what Raven had seen inside.


    "They are no more children than I am."


    He was approaching his 24th year, 8 years he''d been protecting this town from itself.


    "True, but if it wasn''t them it would be someone else. You can''t hang everyone Raven. " Jaycob sighed "The only folk that were hurt was them. Lesson learnt."


    A long hard life had bred so much mercy and compassion into the old farmer, he hoped he could have a similar temperament if he reached anywhere near his age.


    "They attacked you in your home, stole weapons from my barracks and the leader drew a knife on me. Actions must have consequences"


    "Aye also true"


    A heavy silence hung in the air, he was right and Raven knew it, or was Raven just easily swayed by the old man because of the guilt he felt towards him.


    Raven sighed.


    "I''ll let them stew in the Duke''s cells for a few days and have them escorted home in disgrace."


    "Thank you, and goodnight Raven."


    Jaycob limped back and through his open door and Raven sighed another heavy sigh before setting off back to the town.


    The conversation ended abruptly as it often did these days. Jaycob felt no ill will towards Raven, he had made that clear but their friendship had ended many years ago and Raven couldn''t blame him. Only himself.


    Choosing partly out of respect, but mainly because he was in no great rush, he walked the small grass track that led to the main path back to the town, there was a slight chill in the air that wasn''t unpleasant to walk in. The sooner he got back the sooner he would need to go to the barracks to rest, which would mean dealing with his followers as they drunkenly asked him to play cards, or do a late night training session or just share stories.


    It wasn''t Raven''s area, he didn''t capture thieves and kill bandits for stories, it was just his duty. He had been assigned to Burtyne to protect its people, he wasn''t there for fame or admiration or even gratitude; it was just the role he had been assigned without choice.


    He was good at it, but that didn''t mean he considered any of his exploits story worthy, he didn''t even remember most of them, it was just work.


    A shepherd didn''t remember every sheep he sheared.


    He eventually made his way to the end of the grassy path, a lot sooner than he''d like but it was hard to walk any slower without completely stopping.


    There were wooden fences, no higher than Raven''s waist lining the fields to either side of the path, they''d been broken and repaired so many times and still now he could just about see the parts closest to him had been kicked in on purpose by wayward townsfolk.


    Raven sighed as he rested for a moment against a fence post that hadn''t been damaged, Jaycob''s son had been a fine man, nothing much about him really, he married young and worked the farm as was expected of him. Rumours had persisted though of odd goings on with him, whispers of him being cursed, no doubt started by that fool Obserkent and his followers or some idle gossip of those with too much time on their hands.


    He was troubled though and this became more obvious and undeniable as time went on, but not cursed, not that it mattered in the end.


    Gregier had been his name, and he''d started getting worse and worse, paranoid and delusional, threatening people in the street. Raven broke up more than a few fights and had him spend days in irons and the city guards had often done the same, although they were less gentle than Raven had liked as their patience had begun to wear thin.


    Raven knew looking back something should have been done, what, he couldn''t know but the cycle kept repeating until finally Gregier snapped; killed 3 families in their beds in the same night.


    He dragged their bodies into the street and screamed for hours, ranting like a madman.


    It hadn''t stopped until Raven had dropped him from the gallows they''d built just outside the barracks, Raven had made the mistake of looking into the crowd as he did it, catching the eye of the farmer as his son¡¯s neck snapped.


    There had been tears streaming down his cheeks but he kept silent as he gave the slightest nod to Raven and left the town for the last time, the family then exiled from the town itself and the deaths Gregier had caused were blamed on them.


    All Raven could do for the man was protect him from stupid vengeful idiots like he did tonight.

 Chapter 3: Opening Night

    ''The Nest'' was the only inn this town had, which meant there was nowhere else for anyone to go at night. Of course they could go home to their families but that was never the preferred option. Alayne Ducard had settled in well already, his room was comfy enough, the drinks were cold and tasted...fine and the food hadn''t made him spend the night squatting over a bucket, yet. This made this particular inn better than about half of the ones he''d played and stayed in over the years.


    The only thing it had been missing was a stage, but that was easily fixed. He kicked 2 small square tables together against the far wall and it looked as good as any stage he''d played on, if you were half blind and squinted, but it would do.


    The sun was setting outside and it would be an hour or 2 before work finished for most folk so Alayne had time to have a few drinks, he never got too drunk before a performance, just nicely drunk, enough so that he didn''t get annoyed at all the other inn patrons around him been 1 more sip away from running down the street naked chasing pigeons, just enough to give him that last little bit of confidence, because you can never be overconfident, that was a myth told by the anxious to bring people like him down.


    As the inn slowly began to fill and as light slowly dimmed outside Alayne was in the room he shared with AJ checking them both over one more time.


    "Hair flowing beautifully?"


    Grunt.


    "Cloak smooth and coloured perfectly deep purple?"


    Grunt.


    "Shirt clean and tucked?"


    Grunt.


    "Face so perfect it may cause problems for every marriage in this town with just a smile?"


    Grunt.


    Every response by AJ so far had been a no, the little bugger was getting far too full of himself.


    "Tambourine and Lute?"


    Grunt.


    Finally a yes from the little monster, Alayne swore next time he found a lone surviving goblin after accidently taking part in what some would call an attempted genocide, he''d be walking away and pretending he didn''t.


    They left the room and entered a small wooden hallway with another door opposite and stairs to their left leading back down to the common room.


    He took a long deep breath, ensuring his hat was just a little off centre and his posture was straight before playing a single string on his lute as his foot hit the top step of the stairway.


    The usual noise from a common room of 10 different conversations happening at once fell to a silence as the candles all died around them in an instant.


    "I am Alayne Ducard, your master bard, if you haven''t had a chance to empty your bladder I''m afraid you are too late. A lifetime''s entertainment in one night cannot be missed, not even one...single...instant."


    He descended slowly, the stairs were open on one side, perfect for building tension as they slowly saw more and more of him with AJ a step or two behind. The only light came from behind him, every step he took another candle pinned to the wall above the stairway relit, candle by candle the light grew as he descended. Against the dark room he now stood in front of, he was a blinding beacon of light to look upon. People covered their eyes but looked through slotted fingers.


    He made his way through the room, extinguishing the candles on the stairs and using only a single light as he walked. The light on the nearest table flicked on to his left before going out in a puff of smoke to be replaced by the wall mounted brazier on his right. His audience were silent shadows as he moved amongst them, singing the old song ''The butcher that came to tea'' a simple and somewhat outdated song about a housewife that runs off with a charming butcher, but it was always a crowd favourite. As he moved towards his home made stage, he brushed cheeks and cupped the chins of his audience as they sat in silence.


    The song continued as his fingers danced across his lute strings and he climbed unseen steps to reach his stage for the evening. AJ stayed in front, patting the tambourine gently in time with Alayne as they''d practised.


    With a final flourish the two candles he''d placed earlier on either side of his self made stage ignited, casting him in light and sending a shadow against the wall behind him that made him look god-like.


    Stunned silence crowded the room, and he smiled.


    He had them in the palm of his hand, as he always did.


    Hours and hours later he took his final bow as he made a shower of sparks rain down over him for the crowd to gasp at and relit the room at once with a flourish, basking the room in light and making everyone squint as their drunken eyes took slightly longer to adjust than usual.


    He flicked his hat off and handed it upside down to AJ to seek donations from his audience as he dropped down off the tables with a dull thud, people had no idea what the little goblin boy was but they were drunk and entertained and that would satisfy their curiosity for now.


    People had slowly started to filter off as he wound down and this had become faster when they had seen AJ take the hat, the only thing most people hated more than giving coins away, was been asked to give coins away.


    But there were always a few kind folk in each town, and he would bleed them dry.


    The main focus for him now was the two tables beside the entrance, small and square like any of the others, they''d been pushed together and crowded round them were 5 individuals clad in black leather armour, gambesons, or just common clothes but all jet black.


    There had been 7 but 2 had drifted off not long after he started and if Alayne had to guess he would say that these were the so-called Flock of the famous Raven Stoneoath.


    He moved through the common room towards his targets, dodging the serving boy and girl who were hurriedly trying to serve now the show was over.


    A drunken middle aged man with hands like boulders and roughed than sand carefully stood up and grabbed Alayne by the hand.


    "Bloody good that was."


    "Always nice to be appreciated good sir"


    Alayne spun him round slowly as he shook hands and as he let go he grabbed the back of the man''s chair and loudly dragged it over the floor towards the flocks table, leaving the drunken fan to fall to the floor and look around confused.


    He sat himself down in front of the 5 who stared at him with various levels of confusion, anger and curiosity.


    "Well hello, by any chance is one of you the great Raven Stoneoath?"


    "Do any of us look like the Captain to you?"


    A hard faced woman across from Alayne spoke up, blonde hair tied back to highlight a face with sharp features, it seemed she wasn''t a fan judging by her sharply furrowed eyebrows.


    "Well if I knew what Raven looked like I wouldn''t have asked if any of you were Raven would I? I would have said ''Hello Raven'' or more likely judging from your response ''Where is Raven?''"


    "He''s got a point Res''"


    The man sitting next to her gave her a smile that she did not return, he was around Alaynes age but hair of some many years older as it receded back to his ears, he had a missing front tooth that was obvious as he smiled over his poorly grown blonde goatee.


    To Alaynes right and their left was a man who had broad shoulders and thick stubble covering his chin, he was propping himself up on his elbows as puddles of spilt drink surrounded him and crawled up his arms and chest, he was bobbing slightly as he continually fell asleep and woke himself up.


    The final 2 talons sat to Alaynes left: a square jawed man with a dark pulled back ponytail who sat expressionless as the conversation went on and next to him, at the end of the table was a slightly chubby man in his middle years, he looked uncomfortable around Alayne and just stared into his cup as he spoke, he looked out of place amongst the rest who were well muscled.


    "What is it you want the Captain for?"


    The one identified as ''Res'' shot the man a look that he didn''t see, she clearly thought she was in control of the conversation.


    "What''s the little green man all about?"


    "How did you make that stuff happen with the lights and whatnot"


    Questions came from a few places at once and Res clearly found that frustrating and tried to silence them with a look that did nothing.


    Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.


    "He seems like a fellow that someone like me would want to know"


    He answered the question that would serve him best and he gave nothing away, he wanted them to lead things, they''d been drinking all night whilst he played, they might let something slip that would be of use. You never know what drunken lips would drool out.


    "I can assure you that the Captain has better things to do than meet with...entertainers" Alayne could generally read the way a conversation would go, more or less anyway. He knew for instance that the drunken man, the anxious man and the emotionless man were all going get him nowhere tonight for various reasons. His best bet was either the chap with the missing tooth who didn''t seem anything beyond friendly or the stone faced woman who clearly didn''t like him, he essentially had the easy way or the hard way and since he had nowhere to be in any great rush, he was going to choose the hard way.


    "You say it like it''s a naughty word, did your mother or father run off with one of my ilk or something?"


    As he spoke the gap toothed man held back a laugh, the chubby man choked on his drink and the drunken man fell to the floor laughing, he seemed to have lost control completely.


    "You are pathetic people who do nothing but stroke your own egos and vanity."


    That wasn''t completely untrue Alayne had to admit but he feigned insult over the comment.


    "Vain? I''ll have you know I never even consider my looks" and he flicked his long hair back over his shoulder as he did so, giving the woman a wink at the same time that she did not appreciate.


    They''d all ignored there fallen comrade as Alayne and Res'' went back and forth, Alayne however noticed that the drunken man, named Taraveen Alayne would later learn, tried to pull himself up by using one hand on the table, he had a dark bird tattooed on his wrist which was presumably a raven. He looked around as he spoke and noticed other oddities, the emotionless man had a silver ring on his hand with what looked like a birds eye acting as it''s stone, the gap toothed person had a necklace hanging over his gambeson that seemed like it was made entirely of bird skulls, the other 2 had nothing he could see.


    "Compared to your good selves of course, who stroke only your captain''s ego and vanity? These...accessories you wear, I assume they are ravens beaks and eyes in honour of your captain? Do you think killing a bird for which he is its namesake and then decorating yourself in their corpse sends the right message? Seems more like a threat"


    Sheepishly the necklace was tucked under the clothes of the gap toothed and the hand with the ring of the other man was moved under the table to his lap and for the second time the tattooed wrist of the drunken man grabbed and slipped off the table as he tried to right himself. As he fell AJ appeared between him and Alayne and doffed the almost empty hat towards the table before Alayne waved him away.


    "That...boy...is...green?!"


    A voice came from the floor.


    It was strange, as AJ walked through a town or village or city, Alayne had to be on his toes as people reacted differently, shouting swears or curses at him for been a monster or at Alayne for harbouring such a thing but once he got in an Inn and performed with the boy no-one cared anymore, they were drunk, they were entertained and they were happy, AJ just became a novelty.


    "B-"


    Res was cut off as apparently the other talons weren''t as quick to un-notice AJ.


    "Erm, why is he green?"


    The portly man on Alaynes other side spoke up and the expressionless man leaned forward out of curiosity.


    "He''s a goblin."


    Alayne spat the words out quickly to try and move the conversation along, he knew where this was going, first they''d say that goblins aren''t real.


    "Goblins aren''t real."


    The predictable comment came from the gap-toothed man and he seemed very confident in this statement.


    Alayne sighed.


    "And yet there he is, you saw me do magic earlier as well and that also doesn''t seem to be known on this island"


    It didn''t matter what he said really, the next statement was always some variation of:


    "Nah but what is he really? And that stuff you did is just illusions, any rubbish street performer could do that"


    They were nodding as the chubby fellow spoke and the gap-toothed man carried on.


    "yeah I once saw a man pull a dead rabbit out of a hat just like yours!"


    This wasn''t what he''d expected Alayne was a little hurt over being likened to someone far beneath his talents.


    "I''m pretty sure the rabbit should be...never mind that. I am not some second rate street magician playing find the ball under the right cup. I have actual gifts that defy the commons man''s knowledge of the world."


    Alayne held out his hand behind him and felt, after a moment of silence, the well familiar weight of his lute that AJ had brought from the makeshift stage he''d left it on.


    "What''s your name?"


    He pointed at the gap-toothed man who was having far to good a time making fun of Alayne.


    "Gaspar"


    "Don''t panic Gaspar"


    Alayne played a simple tune and then pulled his eyelids down with a thumb and finger, as he did the table was loudly kicked as Gaspar leapt back in his seat. The others around the table gasped as Gaspar sat struggling. His eyes had disappeared, replaced with 2 slightly shallow pits of flesh, like his eyes had never been there to begin with.


    "Can a street performer do that?"


    Alayne grinned as he flicked his thumb and finger back up over his eyes and Gaspar returned to normal, well not quite normal, his face was flushed and had some scratches around his eyes where he''d tried to pull the skin that had been covering them. He sat back and placed a hand on Res to his right and the emotionless man to his left to steady himself and neither looked too pleased about it.


    He stood up after a moment, knocking the table back again.


    "Nope nope nope, not having that, no no no"


    He stepped up onto the table and jumped over poor Taraveen who was still trying to right himself as the raven haired innkeeper shouted something their way which Gaspar completely ignored as he left the inn.


    "You...are...a...bard"


    All eyes turned to the drunken man as he finally lifted himself back up, still using one hand on the edge of the table to do so and pointed his free one at Alayne to make his bold accusation before, for the 3rd time in as many minutes, slipping and ending back on the ground where he''d started.


    "I really hope the rest of you are as perceptive as he is, would really raise my confidence in your ability to protect this town."


    "Fal-"


    "I know, I''ll sort him."


    The chubby man shuffled off his chair and pointed to a table on the other side of the room where a lone girl sat, clad in black like the rest but as far away as possible.


    "Crow!"


    Alayne stifled a laugh, surely that wasn''t her name.


    She hopped up and came over to help lift the drunken man as they each shared half the burden.


    "I swear Taraveen if you wet yourself this time we are leaving you outside."


    "And then there were 3."


    Alayne smiled at the 3 remaining around the table.


    "We train outside the walls first thing every morning, I look forward to seeing more of you and your strange magics." He leaned forward and peered into Alaynes eyes "You intrigue me"


    "DADARO!"


    Res shouted at the plain faced man, the few remaining in the common room turned their heads for a second before thinking better of looking too invested and going back to what remained in their cups.


    "Resamin, this is clearly all he came over for and then he started having fun with us, let us be done with the banter and get things moving forward. I don''t like this bantering nonsense." he pushed himself away from the table and left without a backwards glance, just a barely heard "Goodnight"


    What a strange character, Alayne thought excitedly. Strange characters made good stories and this Flock seemed full of them, there was a chance this would write itself for him.


    He was most certainly one to watch, especially as Alayne had brushed him off so easily, he liked to be surprised by people.


    How did someone like that become this mimicking follower?


    "You are most certainly an interesting bunch. I hope your Captain is just as interesting."


    "Just leave"


    Res had started off looking mad at his interruption to their evening, now she was looking like she might explode.


    Alayne took the advice, he would meet them all again in the morning, he got up and gave a deep bow and made his way to the stairs at the back of the inn and up to his room, he didn''t trust the woman when she was alone. There was an obvious temper there that the others likely kept in some kind of check and he had no wish to push it without them as a barrier.


    He closed the door and kicked his boots off before sitting down on the edge of the hard bed of the inn. AJ joined him and offered him the half full hat he''d collected a small number of donations in. A couple of silver halves and a handful of coppers, not great but it was enough for food and drink when needed.


    In truth you never needed too much as a travelling bard, rooms and drinks were free for performers so it was just rations when travelling, his purse was usually half full at all times at least.


    AJ grunted and barked in his harsh tongue.


    "It''s not a bad takings for an opening night, and you did well. Trust me AJ, the money does not reflect the performance"


    If it did, Alayne would own half the known land.


    More grunts from his right as Alayne stroked the top of AJ''s lightly haired head.


    "Them? They were nobody and apparently they have no interest in buying a goblin..."


    A single grunt in shock was his response and AJ stopped dead still.


    Alayne laughed as he used his hand effortlessly tickle AJ''s belly causing him to fall back on the bed laughing gleefully.


    "I was joking I can''t sell you silly, our currency doesn''t go lower than half a copper, no they were the people we came here for. We''ll go see them early tomorrow to get work started, they weren''t at all how I pictured them AJ."


    He grunted further as he caught his breath from laughing.


    "I''m not sure, I assumed they just be typical solider''s and followers, and maybe one or two are but the others I''m not sure. There are definitely a couple of characters in there."


    AJ sat up and grunted some more.


    "It means that it makes the story easier to write, I don''t have to create fake personalities to keep the crowd interested. Saves us a job really and makes gathering their tales a bit less mundane, hopefully anyway... Right where we are; bed or floor?"


    He grunted gleefully as he dived behind Alayne and wriggled under the covers.


    "Always the bloody bed, luckily my back is well rested from not having just performed all night and not having carried you all the way here."


    Before settling down on the floor in his cloak and using his boots as a pillow Alayne checked the window of the room and ensured the latch was tight, double checking the same for the door. There were two candles, one by the wash basin at the foot of the bed and one by the bedside table that he replaced with fresh ones from downstairs. AJ thought they were for him and was confused why he thought someone who grew up in a cave would be scared of the dark, Alayne had hand waved some excuse that the boy never bothered arguing which he was grateful for.


    When he finally found his place on the floor, and AJ''s loud guttural snores echoed around the room like a hibernating bear in its cave, Alayne found himself smiling, he couldn''t remember what it was like living this life alone. It was a hard life to share, he''d wanted to before but things always got in the way.


    Now he had AJ and things were different, harder in some ways, but also easier in others.


    It was worth the trade off.


    You''re never really alone


    His eyes flashed open, staring at the ceiling as the thought of whatever was chasing him came back.


    Think of your story


    Think of tomorrow


    Think of the boy


    It never comes in the towns


    He tried his best to comfort himself, force his mind onto better things and sleep eventually came, restless and infrequent, but it came and that would do for now.

 Chapter 4: The Morning After

    Raven sat in his study alone, it was early in the day, too early even for training to begin and he could hear snores from the rest of the barracks so knew he could enjoy however long his solitude lasted. Although he had risen by choice, his eyes were heavy, sleep had been hard to find after the night''s activities, he''d laid awake for hours as the adrenaline slowly left him and his mind went over having to deal with his 3 failed recruits.


    He''d been awake as Gaspar had come in muttering something about eyes, it was hard to hear through the solid wooden door that stood between his study/quarters and the rest of the barracks.


    He''d been awake when Faldeir and the girl calling herself ''Crow'' had dragged Taraveen home, dropping him or banging him on something more than once without him waking.


    He''d been awake when Resamin had slammed the door, shouting at Dadaro for doing something and how they were all useless drunks or something to that effect, although when Dadaro had arrived was a mystery as the man was soft footed at the worst of times.


    He''d still been awake, staring at the dark wooden ceiling from his small wooden bed as the first rays of light danced through his stained window, dyeing his room in greens, reds and blue. The window depicted some holy image of a large bird in front of a red sun and green hill, Raven had no idea what it represented and he''d had to take the room begrudgingly as it was the only private room in the upper building.


    Raven now sat with his back towards the window at the expensive looking desk which the cleric had been sadly forced to leave behind as it wouldn''t fit out any of the doors or into his new residence. It was well carved and had been stained with imagery on its face of the same bird from the window, some wolves and some cloaked figures joining hands. That had all been easily covered with a thin blanket so he could work.


    Currently he had a few letters to get through that he''d been ignoring for a few days now, he liked training and patrolling and investigating outside the town, letters and documents didn''t interest him but these were written with the familiar black ash ink from the Oathbinder mountain, whilst Faldeir would handle most of the written tasks he would always leave these alone and Raven had allowed them to build up for some time.


    He ran his finger underneath the seal and unfolded it, it was always some variation of the same, requesting his return to Stonehold to answer questions on the Flock and his notoriety but they were toothless, written in clear anger but nothing more than empty words on paper. The Stoneoaths survived on unity, one in every holding and settlement working alone but as part of a larger force, there was fear and respect brought on by having a network of peacekeepers working across the land answering to no lord or king but only their own morality and oaths. This would be shattered if they openly rebuked any single oathbound like Raven, and so they sent only letters which Raven ignored, whilst he understood their anger, he had no intention of returning to Stonehold anytime soon and causing unnecessary turmoil. When his work was done and he was too old to keep his oath of protection to the people he would return and be suitably rebuked, until then he would continue to read the letters, admonish himself and then move on.


    As he thought of moving on he heard the tell tale groans and moans that followed a night of heavy drinking and as it was just in time for training, Raven grabbed his sword belt hanging beside the door and drew the dark steel blade, forged by the Stonehold smiths and embedded with ash from extinct volcano they now called Oathbinder mountain, they put the ash in nearly everything, his people were very heavy handed with the metaphor of how the mountain and the oaths impact every aspect of their lives.


    The water especially was disgusting to drink.


    He rested his hand on the black leather grip and took a moment, as he did every morning, to admire the craftwork on the sharp silver talon on the hilt and the dual ravens that acted a cross-guard, a gift from his flock and one he''d not been happy to accept and whilst it wasn''t his style it acted as a reminder to him every day of the man they needed him to be.


    He swung his door open loudly, letting it bang on its hinges and then walked between the two rows of beds to the stairs on the other side of the room, dragging his sword behind him as he did so. He had found some time ago that the craftsmanship of the barracks had been of the finest quality, they nailed the floorboards door perfectly symmetrically with large thumb sized nails that his sword now scratched along one after another as he slowly paced to the stairs letting the screech of the two metals colliding to gently wake his followers up, a sinister smile creeping up his face as curses and pained cries came at him from both sides.


    It was always the same ones suffering, they never learned; Taraveen was face down in a bucket as expected, Resamin and Faldeir were one in the same, you would rarely know they had been drinking for the most until the next morning when they suffered regardless of amount, those 3 were awake and pained Gaspar however was in a deep sleep, he didn''t suffer from his wine but he would sleep for days if allowed after drinking it, Raven flipped the covers off his lower body and placed the cold flat of his blade the souls of his feet and he sat up with a shout.


    "Good, you''re all awake, training begins shortly"


    He turned and left, ignoring the vacant beds of Jenary, Dadaro and Jesop and trying not to look at the empty beds that had been set up for the recruits who Raven would have to deal with at some point. He left hastily and made his way to the training ground on the other side of the town wall that the barracks sat almost against.


    The training area was a patch of field Jaycob was too old to work, he let them use it for their practice and it was just a square piece of land that had been flattened by the daily presence of Raven and his people. As the sun was not long risen there were few places in the town that would be fully lit naturally, so to train Raven either had to do it outside the walls or on the Dukes estate and, whilst he had a good relationship with the lord of the land it would have pushed it if he were to stomp his gardens to nothing practicing swordplay.


    He could see as he approached Jesop and Dadaro sparring with each other, Jesop much like Raven had been trained as a solider and so fought like one with a small buckler for a shield and putting his faith in defence before attack, Dadaro however used subtly and swiftness trying to dance around opponents and slice with daggers he preferred over longer blades, both men were more than capable and had come to Raven skilled already.


    Jenary had not been so combat ready when they''d met, Raven was the first to admit he wasn''t the best teacher but even the basics of swordplay she''d failed to grasp even with Jesop to support him she had been unteachable. Instead she had taken the bow and become rather adept over the years, she stood 20 paces from a self made target resting on a barrel against the town wall and fired quickly and accurately until she returned to collect her arrows, by her side was the young girl calling herself ''Crow'' who apparently hadn''t been put off by the days or nights events and was now trying to decide on her preferred method of combat, and causing Jenary some annoyance whilst doing so.


    They continued their practice until Raven was almost on top of the two men, he had told them many times to not stop on his account and eventually they had listened.


    "You''re all very eager this morning, not often I am beaten here"


    Dadaro danced backwards from Jesop and put his daggers out wide to signal his intent to stop before turning to Raven.


    "Captain there was a bard at The Nest last night who was very interested in you, I came early as I assumed it would be an amusing exchange."


    Raven was surprised Dadaro even cared to be amused the man rarely smiled or laughed or grew sad or angry, the man seemed bored more often than not unless he was entangled in some sort of fight, Raven assumed that he enjoyed the violent justice of their life a bit to much, but he''d never acted outside of his orders or been unnecessarily cruel and Raven refused to act solely on his suspicions.


    What was more surprising however was that a bard wanted to see him, Raven couldn''t care less about people of their ilk, no loyalties to anyone but themselves and offering nothing to the world but mind numbing songs and stories meant to rot the brains of regular people and make them wish for fantastical lives instead of living their own. What could someone like that want of him?


    "I can assure you, if it happens, that exchange will be short and he''ll be on his merry way. Do we need to be concerned about him?"


    "I heard he got under Res'' skin last night" Jesop laughed a few steps away


    "A passing squirrel chewing too loudly could get under her skin" Jenary mocked coming over after she''d retrieved her arrows, ''Crow'' a step behind


    "He did make some accusations though, he has a ward who plays with him and he claims this boy to be a goblin. He was also able to conjure things from nothing, stating it was magic not just cheap illusions" There was no emotion, as there never was, in Dadaros'' voice nothing to indicate whether he believed this true or not.


    "No rubbish magician will tell you they''re a rubbish magician, they just do some other stupid trick to distract you and move on, this fool will be the same. It is easy to impress a room full of drunks but it''s a much bigger feat to fool people in broad daylight when they''re sober" Jesop was quick to dismiss, and rightfully so Raven thought, as Dadaro shrugged.


    "We''re here to train not gossip about whatever it was that sang some songs last night, if he comes I will handle it, for now; get back to it"


    With nods they all returned to where they''d started and Raven moved towards a scarecrow he''d found long abandoned in the mud and started practicing his thrusts and slashes against it, he always preferred to train alone, he found small talk wasn''t his strength and it seemed inevitable when sparring with his followers, either that or he felt they went to easy on him and where afraid to beat him when in truth nothing would make him happier than to have a chance to really push himself in a fight.


    Alayne Ducard stood in the middle of a high arched bridge that crossed the river Vandier that ran through the town, cutting the markets, housing, tavern, smiths off from the lavish estate the Duke and his family resided in on the other side. Behind him people pushed by each other trying to sell this or that or unload barges that came and went from either side and in front of him was an undisturbed swath of green with the odd guardsman making his rounds not far from where the bridge stopped. It was a long winding path from where he stood to the entrance to the estate, not that he had any intention of going; he had merely been distracted by the decadence that contrasted the rest of what he''d seen so far.


    The Nest sat in a crossroads in the centre of town, south, east and west all led to a horseshoe shaped street that went north to the path that ran along the river, there was no order to anything; a blacksmiths sat next to a row of houses which preceded a row of shops and then a single house and then more shops. There was nothing unusual about anything, the shops were as you''d find anywhere, the local preacher was spouting the same nonsense you''d hear anywhere and the common folk where the same mix of worn down but hard working you''d find in most places, even the lavish estate opposite him was something he''d seen everywhere he''d ever been but that didn''t stop it from frustrating him.


    He was getting pulled gently as AJ tried to walk back the way they''d come, he was getting some odd looks but no-one had spoken out about him yet. One good night and everyone ignoring the oddities was something Alayne had found true of most towns, they wouldn''t risk pushing away when a bard was such a rare occurrence for most this far from the main cities, even rarer to get a good bard let alone a master.


    "Sorry, yes we can...what?"


    Excited grunts came from behind as he turned to look at AJ staring off at street vendors moving amongst the passers by


    "They sell nothing we haven''t seen..."


    He was shouting now, almost jumping as his harsh tongue came out, it was almost hard to understand, spoken too fast like a human child would speak the common tongue in a jumble when they are rushing.


    "You want a what?"


    He allowed himself to be dragged by AJ past scores of people as they headed for someone AJ could no longer see given his height and the small crowd around the docks.


    AJ barked as they broke free of the throng of people and hit the curved path back towards the inner city, a woman of middle years wearing what looked like a hand knitted cloak stopped and jumped before she entered the tailors shop with its window full of hats and coats.


    "Excuse me...just wait...yes...wait"


    AJ was pointing at the woman who was looking more and more scared as Alayne tried to explain to her what he wanted whilst AJ grunted over him too quick to understand.


    "Enough." AJ went quiet "Apologies, my impudent ward would like to purchase a hat he saw you with earlier"


    She was carrying a box of odd clothing that she''d been attempting to peddle to passing sailors and with wide eyes she gently put the box down and took a hasty step back.


    "Go on then." AJ started rummaging through knocking pants and scarves onto the dirty cobbled pathway "Sorry, he won''t be long. Will you show some respect to this lady please."


    AJ stopped and jumped with excitement as he turned back to Alayne and donned a bright purple flat cap, the same deep purple of Alaynes cloak, it wasn''t the type of thing he''d pick for himself but it wasn''t half bad, although it didn''t go at all with the dark brown vest and pants the boy currently wore.


    "Very dashing"


    AJ tilted his head and his wide brow furrowed


    "It means it looks nice, now....."


    Alayne gave AJ a nod and flicked his eyes at the mess AJ had made and he quickly got to work putting the now dirtied clothing back in the box as Alayne gave the woman several coins more than the hat was worth to make up the exchange.


    "Come now AJ, I believe it''s time to start out story"


    AJ nodded to the woman who grabbed her box and ran inside and grunted towards Alayne who sighed.


    "Of course you can show everyone your new hat."


    Whilst Alayne knew he should be annoyed that his young ward was more concerned with vanity over their objectives but he couldn''t have been more proud to see one of his strongest traits mirrored in his adopted child, the vain might be looked down on by those of simpler minds but Alayne knew that Vanity built confidence and with confidence a bard could go from good to legendary. He took the little boy''s hand and dragged him away from his reflection in the shop window where he had been checking out his new look.


    This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.


    By the time they made it to the town gate the sun had barely moved in the sky from where it had been when they first left The Nest that morning, it really was a small town that thought itself bigger than it was. Alayne gave a nod to the town guard waiting at his post as he pretended not to notice either of them as they passed and emerged on the road they''d arrived on only half a day ago although it was a tad less empty now with a couple of travellers coming back and forth and a few passing the crossroads in the distance, this was as expected there was always more foot traffic at dawn then dusk.


    Apart from the travellers there was also the sound of the clashing of swords to his left, this was a far more interesting sound and it drew him in and he dragged AJ alongside him.


    He recognised a few faces from their brief conversation the previous night and they still wore the bags under their eyes of a night not well slept as they half heartedly sparred with each other, no-one yet seeing him or at least acknowledging his presence. He spotted the man who had spent half the night on the verge of passing out, Taraveen was his name if Alayne remembered correctly, he was trying to hit the stern faced woman, Res, with a wooden longsword as she batted him away with a small square wooden shield and a similar wooden sword held loosely in her other hand, every time a blow was deflected Taraveen flinched and went to tough his head, it was no surprise that he was suffering the worst in the state he''d left.


    It was unfortunate that Res was the first to spot him, she grimaced and was distracted as a sharp crack broke the air as Taraveen, who had his back to Alayne, hit her square in the jaw with the wooden practice sword; leaving a large red welt already rising on her face. She had looked angry before seeing Alayne, she looked angrier still when she''d spotted him and now she looked like she could kill as her attention went back to Taraveen who dropped his sword and tried to apologise.


    He was cut off after barely a sound had left his mouth and Res dropped her own sword and threw a heavy punch to the gut that rocked Taraveen and sat him onto his belly in the dried mud they practiced on.


    "I see I''ve arrived just in time for things to get interesting"


    Res stepped forward as if to do the same to Alayne as poor Taraveen who had decided to get comfy on the floor and seemed to be enjoying the chill on his assumedly aching head. Alayne reached a hand back to his lute and readied himself in case she went too far, luckily she was cut off.


    "Resamin! Enough, go cool off"


    The bark came from one of the figures Alayne had not recognised, he had assumed the grey haired man with the stiff and broad frame of a soldier was Raven but the figure approaching from the side who had been stood alone in the shadows working over a scarecrow with slow methodical attacks, was the one barking orders.


    "Back to practice, the lot of you"


    There was grumbling and murmurs as they returned to their half hearted practice, although now it was less out of tiredness and more because they were trying to overhear what their leader was going to say Alayne was sure. He was about what Alayne had expected in truth, tall but not towering, muscular but not overly wide, a typical soldier''s short cut black hair and matching stubble kept as short as possible. He had pointed nose and weak chin and his green eyes were stern and full of expression, anger and annoyance for the moment.


    "I assume you are the bard, what is it you want with me?"


    "Oh straight to the point, I admire that but won''t abide it."


    Alayne drew his lute from its resting place on his back.


    "This is an important moment for us both"


    He plucked strings that didn''t make a sound, not instantly anyway.


    "I am Alayne Ducard Master Bard"


    Thunderous applause echoed around them all from nowhere and everywhere at the same time.


    "This is Alayne Junior, Apprentice bard-" he was nudged in the back of his knee "sporting his new hat"


    A few cheers mixed in with the applause and he could see over Raven''s shoulder that Crow and Gaspar had joined in the clapping, clearly getting caught up in the magically made atmosphere.


    "and we are here to tell the tale of ''The Renegade Raven Stoneoath"


    The clapping stopped and was replaced by echoing ''ooo'' and ''ahhhs'' instead.


    "No"


    "No? I didn''t ask a question" Alayne smiled pretending to be caught slightly off guard.


    Raven had half turned back towards his flock who had dropped all pretence of training some time ago and he seemed to think he was done with the conversation, Alayne almost laughed, as if anyone could walk away from him without his say so.


    "I am not some fairy-tale folk hero for you to romanticise or villainise for profit."


    "Well no of course not, not with that attitude. But I can make you legend, a man spoken of for generations"


    "Once again, no. I do my work and that''s the end of it I''ve no need for fame, glory or legends, I would ask you leave now as you''ve distracted everyone quite enough"


    He looked back to his followers who quickly pretended to be busy and weakly stabbed at each other in the small crowd they''d gathered whilst trying to steal peeks over each other''s shoulders.


    "I don''t ask permission to work master Stoneoath, I do what I do and you can be a help or hindrance but as the woman who made me a man said ''this is happening whether you like it or not -"


    Alayne threw his hands up as he slung his lute over his back.


    "- but allow me to demonstrate properly what a good story means. You think selfishly, it''s not just about fame and glory for you, it''s about causing fear to be felt by those who hide in the dark and even the smallest spark of inspiration to those suffering in silence. My words extend longer than your sword my Oathbound soldier, my stories can topple empires and raze cities...come to the Nest at midday and humour me."


    He turned to leave as they all stood in silence and called over his shoulder


    "That invitation extends to all of you of course, but only if the Raven accompanies you"


    Not quite the exchange he''d been seeking or expected but some spent lifetimes seeking their moment in the sun and some had to be dragged kicking and screaming into its light.


    Raven spent the remainder of the morning rather mad, not in a screaming rage-filled way as that wasn''t in his nature but in enough of a way that left his training scarecrow nothing more than a stub in the ground surrounded by hay. It wasn''t just the appearance of the bard, he''d been expecting that and was ready for him to get under his skin in some way, no it was what happened after, when the bard and his little painted boy had turned back into the town and the sounds of even the lazy sparring had completely left the air.


    He''d turned back to his flock to see them all staring at him with longing.


    "No"


    Just as he''d told the bard, no was his answer, he had no intent of going to the Nest at midday even if his fighters did. He''d spent the next few hours training alone as one by one they came to try and convince him:


    "It would be good for morale sir.." offered Faldeir.


    "You might enjoy it" suggested Gas with a crooked smile.


    "If you humour him and deny him it may send him on his way faster" fair words from Jesop.


    "If you''re there we drink for free" Taraveen clearly had a drinking problem.


    "Don''t go, he''s not worth it" Res as always was the only level headed one.


    Dadaro had just looked at him for a moment before shrugging his shoulders and walking away


    Crow and Jenary had said nothing and kept to themselves which Raven was thankful for at least.


    He''d denied them but they persisted, in smaller groups between patrols and then slightly larger groups during woodland scouting sessions and then one large group as the sun was approaching its peak. No work was getting done and they were distracted and also distracting, so Raven finally gave into the peer pressure expecting that if he got it over with that at least they could spend the other half of the day been productive, begrudgingly he allowed himself to be pulled back into the town and towards the Nest, formally known as ''The fallen gnome'' before Hilde the owner had renamed it in his honour, he hadn''t even done anything at this point and to be honest he still felt he hadn''t.


    It was just his duty.


    Raven found himself sitting in the dead centre of The nest in the middle of the day, the only patrons save for a couple of older gents who may just be part of the furniture at this point judging by how little they moved. His Flock had pulled some tables together so he couldn''t even sit and be miserable alone, he was shoulder to shoulder with Gaspar and Faldeir despite the emptiness of the rest of the common room.


    They''d been sitting facing the makeshift stage that Taraveen had pointed out to him for some time and nothing had happened, no bard, no boy, no nothing.


    Raven turned to Gaspar


    "How long do I we wa-"


    He trailed off as his voice sounded like a whisper, like his ears had popped like when as a boy he''d reach the higher peaks of the Oathbinder mountain to inscribe his name in its peak, he poked at his ear and tried to yawn to get his hearing back, seeing Jenary and Res do the same.


    "Can anyone.." it was still the same "HEAR ME" he shouted as loud as he could but it was still a squeak, a noise as loud as a snowflake falling in a stream, he was starting to panic although not visibly when the sound of music came form behind him.


    O Dread pirate C


    How they do fear thee


    Take to their waves in your monstrous vessel


    And they will hunt you through fear of the what will happen


    Through sword, through strength and through fear you will conquer


    Rivalling Lord, Lady or Emperor in power


    Your throne of waves


    Your crew of the damned


    You soul may lost


    But the sea is yours to command


    O Dread pirate C


    O Dread pirate C


    How the empire does fear thee


    Raven could see his mighty talons hanging on the every word of this fanciful bard who had appeared from behind them and danced to the front as he sang and played, the sound of waves and crashing steel echoed around them and his clothing seemed to change as he sang, his wide brimmed hat becoming for moments at a time the tricorn hat of a sailor, his body became larger, instead of the slender lanky man he became broad and tall a true monster of a man that the song seemed to speak of.


    He had to admit it was impressive and beyond what he''d seen other magicians conjure, especially for a crowd of barely 10.


    It went on for several versus, building up this monster of a pirate that had done horrific things but evaded capture as the bard changed his appearance over and over, the pale man with high cheekbones and in need of shave was replaced by smoke, a thick grey beard and the hint of an eye patch, as much as Raven tried he could never focus on the face as long as the song went on, it was almost as if the a cloud of smoke was sat under the hat at all times.


    When he finally finished everything about the bard returned to what he''d seen earlier in the morning, the wide brimmed brown hat, long purple cloak, lanky frame and the face of a man who spent to long in the mirror.


    Raven wasn''t sure how this was supposed to convince him in any way though.


    "My glorious audience we have someone even more of a stranger to these 4 walls than myself"


    He gestured from his stage and scatter of feathers fell from above Raven and landed around him before disappearing as quickly as they''d appeared, this was met by applause from next to him which he ignored and behind him which surprised him, turning around slightly he realised the inn had started to fill, word of the bards lunchtime performance must have spread quickly.


    "Raven Stoneoath ladies and gentlemen." he paused for further applause "Now I won''t speak ill of such a fine man, however he does seem to think I am a man not worth knowing. I thought I could convince him but maybe you could instead. In the day that I''ve been here would you say I am a person worth having around"


    Loud cheers came from behind and he noticed Crow and Gas joining in as well but stopped quickly as they noticed the look on Raven''s face.


    How had he gained such a following with nothing more than a few songs during one drunken night.


    "Well maybe that convinced him, but just to add a little more sugar to the sweetness of the townsfolk, how about a song about the mighty Flock?"


    It sounded like there were a thousand people behind him cheering, it was almost deafening and more than a few of his talons had started banging on the table to egg the bard on.


    "Told you it would help morale coming here sir" Faldeir whispered leaning in.


    "Shut up Faldier, that''s an order" The man sat up straight and didn''t say another word whilst the posturing bard winked at Raven and gave a nod to his small companion who began banging a tambourine somehow out of tune.


    Talons,


    fighters,


    Swords,


    and things of that nature...


    "Not very good is it"


    The entire table jumped back in alarm as Alayne sat in front of them lute in hand pointing over his shoulder at himself repeating the same words over and over.


    "It could be great though, could be something that will infect the people with faith in something real"


    "How-"


    "It''s just an illusion Gas, I''m just a rubbish magician after all"


    A knife flew out from Dadaro''s wrist and impaled in the wooden plank in the wall behind the illusionary bard, the handle visibly sticking out of the bard''s neck as he continued his aimless song.


    "What if that was really me?"


    "I was fairly confident it wasn''t"


    "Fairly confident? You have no idea how this works"


    The bard was clearly acting more outraged than he really was


    "What of the boy-"


    He jumped up and stepped in front of Dadaro as the fake on stage dissipated into the air and the child continued marching back and forth banging that poor instrument.


    "He''s real! Very real, no knives needed"


    Dadaro relaxed and waved a hand in apology as Hilde shouted obscenities from the bar for damaging her wall.


    "You told my men what he was but h-"


    The bard seated himself and then leaned in as he cut Raven off.


    "You have questions and I have grown tired of answering the same ones, but that is not your fault I know. But you know what I want. I''ll answer any question you ask in exchange for one day in your company."


    All eyes turned to Raven, who admittedly had grown curious, there was more at work that simple tricks from a street performer and the boy was more than just a deformed child, but did he really want to have this fool around him, he could tell it would be exhausting.


    "Half a day."


    A few jaws dropped off the talons and Res loudly got up and left the inn, knocking chairs over as she stormed through the room.


    The annoying man in front of him could barely hide his glee as a cocky smile took over his face.


    "A very fine deal master Stoneoath, ask your first question..."


    Raven nodded towards the boy, he didn''t want the bard thinking he was over eager or interested, he wouldn''t give him the satisfaction.


    The bard sighed, apparently disappointed in Raven''s question.


    "Goblins in the empire have been believed to be extinct for centuries and here on Rha''vander it appears it''s been so long you think them nothing more than folklore although as it turns out everyone was wrong. They''ve been hiding very, very, very deep underground in what they call the Hollow. Whether there are more in the empire is anyone''s guess, but due to some fortunate or unfortunate rock slides some very old passage ways slowly opened up after been long closed and a few have slowly re-emerge and stepped back into our world"


    "Are we in danger?" Jesop was thinking like a soldier, he rarely didn''t.


    "No more than they are, AJ was in a raiding or scouting party depending on how you translate. They were caught, his party killed and his people sealed themselves back up, I took the boy in when I found out his intended fate, you don''t need to look towards the centre of the earth to find monsters if you catch my meaning."


    "I see" Raven had no idea whether any of that was true although he found himself having to fight to not trust the bard, he had a way with how he told tales and spoke in general that seemed to draw people in, his talons were no exception apparently as they sat slack jawed and eyes glistening with excitement, most of them anyway.


    There was a tap on his shoulder that took Raven out of the conversation as the eyes of the bard and talons looked behind and above. He turned to see a young man who couldn''t have been 20 yet stood before him looking nervous, he had no weapons but wore the familiar chainmail overshirt with the Duke''s colours of blue and yellow pasted over the front and back, his name was Charlie if Raven''s memory served him, the son of the Dukes 2nd cousin or thereabouts, it was hard to keep track as most of the towns-guard or more aptly titled house-guard of Duke Agelmar were of his blood, his way of ensuring loyalty and keeping his family from toiling in labouring jobs like common folk.


    "Lord Stoneoath sir" the boy was stumbling over his words already despite clearly rehearsing them in his head, maybe the bard could do lessons "my unc- the Duke wishes to see you immediately"


    "Jesop, take the rest on patrol out this afternoon, I want those missing sheep back by the time I catch up with you"


    "Well, what a fantastic time to start accompanying you" the bard smugly noted as he pushed himself up along with the Talons


    "S-s-sorry sir or m-my lord, he said you are to come alone"


    Raven struggled to understand how a boy who could barely speak without wetting himself could be entrusted with weapons and carrying out the law, but then again his lot mostly stayed in the Duke''s estate living well and leaving the dirty work to Raven and his people.


    "That''s a shame Master bard, never mind though after you Charlie" he didn''t smile at the thought of leaving the bard behind so soon, or at the pout the man tried to hide.


    He really wanted to though.

 Chapter 5: Oath Breaker

    Charlie was almost running back to the Duke''s estate, it looked like he was trying to do a quick march but it came out as more of a skip and Raven had no trouble keeping pace doing no more than a brisk walk, he didn''t bother trying to talk to the boy his eyes were focused solely ahead and he had a deep red colour in his face like he had forgot to breath, whatever was driving him to get Raven to the Duke so quickly was clearly something of an important matter. In truth it actually made Raven feel a bit anxious and his stomach started to turn slightly as he hurried along towards the arched bridge that crossed over to the half of the city set aside for the Dukes family.


    The Duke was a particularly shrewd man and whilst Raven had no ill will towards him he didn''t enjoy their discussion to much either, they had avoided each other for the most part and the Duke had allowed Raven to begrudgingly become the face of the town, the person all problems fell to whilst he resided in his estate enjoying the profits and power.


    "So, what does he want with you?"


    Raven almost jumped and Charlie did jump as they came down the slope of the bridge and moved onto the perfectly curated stone path and tidily cut grass that ran alongside it that led them all up to the main gate of the estate.


    They stopped in their tracks and rounded on themselves to see the bard standing there smiling that cocky grin whilst seemingly looking bemused as to why they''d stopped.


    "I-we-he was to come alone" Charlie stuttered out.


    The bard shrugged his shoulders.


    "I was there, I heard perfectly well but then I had this thought that maybe the Duke would like a bard to play during important meetings, important meetings such as, let me think -" he scratched his chin dramatically with one finger whilst Raven put his hands on his hips and loudly sighed "Such as when the legendary Raven Stoneoath is called for a midday meeting. So I thought I''d come and offer my services and I just so happened to be going at the same time as the two of you."


    Raven held a hand up as he saw Charlie gathering the nerve to speak.


    "Let your uncle deal with him Charlie, it''s really not worth it."


    The boy could have screamed for the other guards, other cousins or relations pottering around the surrounding gardens to escort the bard away but Raven was fairly certain the boy didn''t have it in him and he was also completely sure the bard would still end up in front of the Duke somehow.


    Alayne beckoned forward without moving.


    "Shall we then."


    Further north than Burtyne was nothing more than steep cliffs and rocky ground, this was the most northern point of Rha''vander that anyone lived and so the Duke had extended his estate lavishly unimpeded.


    They stood at the main entrance, a large double door with perfectly buffered metal work around the edge and hinges. The building towered above them for 3 stories with iron wrought windows covering the walls. The estate extended back although that couldn''t be seen, private side entrances for family were on the sides and stretching private gardens were landscaped behind the buildings for the nobles to enjoy away from the prying eyes of the lower born.


    They''d been stood outside for some time now, the bard was growing impatient and Charlie had reached for the door more than once, either to knock again or try and open it himself before thinking better of it.


    "Feels slightly rude to keep us waiting"


    "You were not invited, if anyone is rude it would be you for inviting yourself along to a private attendance"


    "Even so, it doesn''t make it ok to keep guests waiting"


    As if they were listening on the other side both doors opened at once by two barely adolescent children dressed in the house colours of Agelmar with Blue overcoats and yellow undershirts eyed them up, they both gestured the 3 of them forward and closed the door behind them.


    Charlie quickly took the lead again and marched them past the dual sets of curving stairways that led to a balcony that looked down on the entranceway which they walked underneath. Their boots on the polished stone floor echoed around them and caused the whispers from the centre of the room to stop. It was a large square room decorated with coats of arms and banners on the walls with a matching rug that rested in front of a roaring fire that the day didn''t necessitate. The fireplace was met on either side with simple red wood door which both led to the Duke''s study, the only other room Raven had been allowed entrance to on previous visits.


    Charlie continued to push forward and marched Raven to the centre of the room, directly in front of the fire and facing the now quiet occupants of the room. Dark red high backed chairs had been spaced out around the fire and a small table sat in the midst of them with various papers and maps that were half unrolled across it. He knew all the occupants, not well, but enough to recognise them.


    "Ahh the Stoneoath arrives at last, we were getting worried" Lord Sildaris Vacrain, sat to Raven''s right, was a smug petty little lord who ruled over the lands dotted along the northernmost part of the east coast, he had a thin face and an even thinner moustache atop his lip that looked drawn on with pencils. He never didn''t look like he was a villain from a children¡¯s book and his daughter Sildary sat in the chair next to him looked very similar, the youth and lack of facial hair on Sildary was the only thing separating her from her father.


    "I came as quick as I could my lords" Raven didn''t bow and he bit his lip to keep from saying more and provoking the bitter little man in overly embroidered dark red and gold attire.


    "Let''s just get started shall we before my glass empties" Lord Petier De''clare of Clarepoint was the opposite of Sildaris, he was fat and had a distaste for most of his duties beyond self indulgence and the same could be said for his son Je''harr, both sat in purple shirts that could no longer be buttoned up and revealed off colour undershirts that had the faint markings of unyielding food stains. They sat to Raven''s left flanked by 2 of the Duke''s children Dagier and Perelmor middle and youngest children respectively and seated furthest away from the table and lords.


    Dagier was in charge of the house-guard and was dutiful young man which Raven respected, it was uncommon for a the first son to be looked over as heir in favour of a daughter but he did his duty well and proudly it seemed, he was clean shaven and kept a short shaved head to mimic soldiers he had likely only heard about. His brother Perelmor couldn''t be more opposite, he knew he had no chance of succession or position so instead enjoyed the lavish lifestyles gifted to him without the responsibility, which Raven begrudgingly understood and was slightly jealous of if he was honest with himself. He let his long dark hair trail well past his shoulders even longer than the bards and had patchy stubble he clearly shaved when the mood took him, both boys had their fathers small dark eyes and bulbous noses.


    "Raven, you were requested to come alone. Charlie, were you not clear boy?" Duke Keit Agelmar sat behind the table beside his daughter Faralda. Where the Duke had passed on the dark hair he kept short to his sons, his daughter had inherited her late mothers blonde locks that were tied back in a respectable ponytail. She was the heir to Burtyne and took it seriously, although she was hard to please and arrogant to boot, a trait shared amongst most at the table though.


    "Young Charlie was indeed clear and I come not with Raven but as a separate body" the bard mimed pushing Raven and Charlie aside and took a position in front of the centre of the fire before unslinging his instrument and playing a gentle melody.


    "Allow me to introduce myself, I am Alayne Ducard-" the fire roared outwards as he spoke his name, the nobles recoiled back slightly in shock " master bard, allow me to play for you whilst you go about your important work."


    Without waiting for a response he moved behind the nobles; who all watched him with slack jaws k as he jumped up and sat on a small set of white lacquered drawers and began playing softly once again without looking their way.


    "Can we please get going and for goodness sake can I get a refill?" De''clare shook his glass.


    "Charlie; drinks please and keep them full, maybe this is a job you can do properly" The Duke pursed his lips in disappointment as he spoke to the boy who ran off past Perelmor were another door lay in the wall that Raven assumed lead to the kitchen, but not without giving an angry look towards the bard who had not looked up from his lute since sitting.


    "Faralda, would you mind.." The Duke waved a hand to his daughter who reached forward and picked up an official looking piece of parchment off the table and held it up for Raven without moving. He had to walk several steps to take it from her and she didn''t look at him as she snapped her hand back like she was afraid to touch him.


    Raven stood over the table reading the letter, addressed from the royal declaration official in the capital. He felt foolish standing in the centre of them all as they watched him and awaited his reaction.


    "Read it aloud Stoneoath" Sildaris called as if this should be obvious.


    "To all my lords, Ladies and subjects


    I, Tutom Lopint,


    High king of the last free land of Rha''vander


    hereby relinquish my lands, title, and legacy from this point onwards.


    I name the Unnamed my heir and successor, the youngest born of the long resisted Emperor Ani''matatus


    This is approved by the Guild council of Corvessus.


    You will be safe under his eye.


    Long live the Unnamed King"


    He placed the letter down on the table and stepped back in front of the fire as they watched him. He stood in place for some time.


    "Well?" De''Clare called impatiently as Charlie refilled his cup with a golden coloured drink


    "My lord?" Raven was confused by what was happening, he saw no shame in admitting that


    Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.


    "We have been conquered by a foreign enemy you fool, what are you going to do about it?" Sildaris has sat up straight to put Raven down.


    "Nothing? My duty is to your people Duke Agelmar, if this new king means them harm then I will take action, but the ruler of the land is not my concern. You each have a Stoneoath in your holds, surely you know this. I don''t understand what it is you expect of me?"


    Raven scanned the room as he spoke, there was anger, impatience, hatred and even pity from some, nothing good was going to come of this. He noticed the bard was watching him intently as he spoke, no glint in his eye or cocky smile, just watching like the rest unblinking, hands running up and down his strings as if by muscle memory alone.


    Duke Agelmar stood and began to pace behind the other chairs.


    "Well, you see Raven my boy this is where things become tricky" He paused, seemingly hoping one of the others would take over for him., when no-one did he continued.


    "We three, representing Clarepoint, the East Coast and Burtyne have decided not to recognise this usurper, we rejected the empire once-" decades ago and none had been involved in the fighting "- and we will do it again."


    "If you wish to march to war my lords then I wish you well and will protect your hold in your stead Duke Agelmar" What more could he do? He wanted to scream at them to get to the point.


    "Thank you Raven, but we, all of us, would feel much better if we could attach a name to our cause, someone who has drawn a following all on his own and could rally support among the common folk for us."


    "It''s much easier to lead a willing army than an unwilling one" Sildary spoke up her fathers side, none of them knew anything about leading any kind of army. Raven knew what they were asking though.


    "No" nothing else needed to be said.


    Some stood up, some stayed sat but they all started to shout at once, Raven stood his ground and listened to noone in particular as he watched Agelmar try to quieten everyone down to no avail.


    A piercing shriek cut through the noise and silenced them all as all eyes turned toward the bard, who held his hands up sheepishly.


    "My apologies, a string must of broke" it didn''t look like it had as the bard returned to playing, looking down at his hands as they moved along the strings, he only looked up once all eyes were once again back on Raven.


    "You live on Keit¡¯s land, you do as we say boy" Sildaris snapped.


    "I am oathbound to protect your people Duke Agelmar, even if that means from you, to rally your people to fight would mean betraying everything I stand for. I will not"


    There was nothing more to say on the matter, Raven turned to leave he didn''t need to be dismissed.


    "And your flock?" Faralda said gently as she strode past Sildaris who was glaring at him.


    Raven said nothing, he just watched the group, trying to keep his expression calm and plain.


    "They are sworn to you but they aren''t really Stoneoath¡¯s are they? If you won''t come, well I''m sure we can make do with them, they''d be great talismans to stand on the front lines and keep morale high"


    Raven''s heart sank, this is why Stoneoath¡¯s should stay detached and alone. He stopped mid stride and turned to them all.


    "If you really need to protect the people than you should be happy to join us, that way you can keep the conscripts safe and your flock can watch over the city in your stead"


    "Or-" Raven gently placed a hand on his sword hilt "I stop you all from going any further right now."


    De''Clare took a very small step back, as did Perelmor, the rest seemed to be smiling like a pack of jackals that were several steps ahead of him.


    "Well you could, and then my fathers guard would come in and you need to kill scores of my family, including women and children."


    "Then you also have the fact, and I have checked this with the tired old stoneoath in my own hold, that forcing our people to war isn''t something you can stop us doing Raven. Politics are a grey area for your Stoneoath¡¯s, I imagine that''s why you are all so ineffective." Sildaris was a man you really wanted to hit as soon as he started speaking.


    "Your choice old friend is to stay here, protect this shell of a town whilst the people who revile you as a hero are marched off and ground down by the cogs of war. Or help us lead an army of the untrained and take back our lands whilst your ''Flock''-" he sniggered "protect the town"


    "They are still your lands, The unnamed is the last born of the Emperor, essentially discarded by his father, I doubt he has come to conquer and gift your lands to the empire" The bard interjected


    "We don''t need your insight-" Sildaris flicked a half copper at Alayne "-thats more than you deserve, now take your leave."


    Alayne let the coin hit him softly in the chest and tinkle gently on the stone floor as he clearly thought better of trying again and turned to leave.


    "I''m sorry Raven" he didn''t know him but that seemed sincere, like he thought he had the ability to sway a room full of power hungry men to abandon their current course of action that would ruin Raven one way or another.


    "When do you intend to march?"


    "5 days from now, Sildaris and De''clare will ride home and gather their forces and meet us at the crossroads"


    Raven hung his head, he was full of shame, pride and anger, he''d got himself into this but those fools had refused to step out of his shadow.


    "I will march with you" the words fell out of his mouth like they were heavy, his oaths that he''d carried with him and had formed half of his life now broken in an instant.


    They all turned back to the fire and drinks, ignoring him now they had their answer, his knuckles were white as he gripped his sword hilt, he let the silver talon dig into his palm and felt the blood begin to pool between his fingers.


    Alayne had waited outside the Duke''s lavish estate, he knew Raven would be leaving shortly after him and he had guessed the outcome of the conversation.


    He hadn''t said a word as the black clad stoneoath crashed through the doors and they''d walked in a silence the man clearly needed up until the bridge back to town.


    "How do I tell them?"


    Alayne was almost startled as the young man finally spoke as they stepped onto the high arched bridge that crossed the river.


    "I assume you are committed to breaking your oaths for their sake?"


    The silence was an obvious yes


    "I would lie. Ensure they don''t follow and your sacrifice gives them a chance to prosper"


    "You are a man who talks; words aren''t my area, what would I say?"


    Alayne smiled slightly.


    "I can''t put words in your mouth Raven Stoneoath, it needs to come from you. My advice is to be brutal, get every cruelty you''ve hidden out and separate yourself from them forever."


    "They''ll hate me."


    "Yes."


    "But they''ll live."


    "More chance at life than you have at this point"


    Alayne winced at the directedness of his own words, but Raven just nodded along.


    "Thank you for been here bard, despite not been invited or welcome, It''s good to be able to talk this through, even if it is with an entertainer"


    It usually took a while for Alayne to break people down, Raven was coming around to him very quickly, if he''d known that forcing people into life shattering decisions that threatened to break them mentally was it all it took to make them more receptive to new friends he would have changed his approach years ago.


    Raven returned to the training grounds to await the return of his Flock from their excursion hunting for lost sheep. It was still early, despite a slow walk through the town with the bard it hadn''t taken long to get back here, he should have time to think about his words, but he wasn''t sure if any amount of time would be enough. How do you get 7 people who follow you without question to lose faith in you completely.


    What could he possibly say to break them from him?


    Alayne was right, which he begrudged admitting, he would need to be ruthless, which really wasn''t his way.


    Jaycob was watching the Stoneoath pacing across the land he''d given them, watched by a flamboyant young man who Jaycob found his eyes drawn to more than he''d like. There was something in the air today that was causing discomfort in a lot of folk he''d spotted from his secluded farm.


    He knew the cause, he gripped it tightly in his hand, creasing the off yellow parchment paper he''d been handed by a rider carrying a bag full of similar scrolls.


    Jaycob had joined the army in his youth, fought for his country by choice, like a fool.


    Now having served his time, the lords came wanting more, always more.


    It was join the army he''d been conscripted to, or be hung as they left.


    Die now or die later, he supposed there was a chance he survived if he left, a chance he could continue to provide for his family.


    He had his old sword locked away, he wouldn''t be taking it, if they were going to make him fight they would provide the gear.


    That old junk was for his family, a relic of the past worth a penny or two should they need them.


    Jaycob continued to watch Raven from afar, he had never seen the man so out of sorts, could you conscript a Stoneoath, surely not.


    Break them so you can save them


    He kept repeating that the Flock made their way over to where Raven and the two bards or bard and apprentice bard as Alayne kept repeating while waiting.


    Break them


    "Cap-" one of them greeted but he cut them off without looking


    "You failed to find the sheep....again"


    "How did you k-"


    "BECAUSE YOU ALWAYS FAIL!"


    He let his shout hang in the air for a second before he rounded on them to continue.


    "I''m leaving"


    There was a silence


    "Where are we-"


    "WE!? There is no we, and I''m sick of pretending, sick of playing make believe with a bunch of grown adults playing dress up like orphaned children"


    He turned and pointed at Alayne who stood staring at the group from a respectable distance.


    "He was right, there is a story in me. But not here and not with you. I am going to march the Dukes forces south, win his petty little war and retire whilst they build my statue"


    "But your oaths-"


    "Are just words carved into a mountain. I could climb up there and write ''Raven gets to do whatever the bloody hell he wants''. They are archaic nonsense written by old men to make me waste my youth on the unextraordinary...like you and this stupid run down town."


    This felt too far, he was breaking his oaths and now openly blaspheming them.


    Break them to save them.


    He had to carry on


    "We took oaths to you captain, we go where you go." Faldeir sounded broken.


    "There just words you fools...here-" he made a over the top nonsense religious symbol in the air "I release you from them, there you go, go back to whatever sad little hole you all crawled out of, go back to the puddle of stale ale you awoke in, the jobs you mistakenly felt to good for, the families who haven''t missed you."


    Without a word he turned and started to practice his swordplay against the scarecrow he''d restuffed for just this moment.


    This had been Alaynes final pearl of wisdom ''When you''re done just turn and walk, don''t give them the chance to respond'', he still wasn''t a fan of bards but the man clearly knew his stuff.


    Raven could hear feet shuffling and boots on the ground as they each turned away and left.


    Somewhere trying to hide sobs.


    Some spat at him


    One, he assumed Resamin, threw something that caught his shoulder which he had to shrug off despite a sharp pain.


    Eventually Raven turned around to see an empty training ground, empty except for Dadaro watching him in that unsettling way he watched everyone.


    Raven went to speak when the man held his hand up.


    "You are a good man Raven Stoneoath, or I suppose Raven Brokenoath. I hope you remember that regardless of where life takes you."


    He began to walk away back to the town as the others had.


    "I will tell them this was an act eventually, don''t worry. They won''t hate you for long" he called over his shoulder.


    There was a whistle behind him as Alayne stepped to his side.


    "That one is odd. He sees through everything so keenly, what is he doing in a place like this?"


    "He never said, he''s not one for sharing. But I trust him to keep his mouth shut for now"


    Raven was now alone, something he''d wished for so long and now came at a steep price.


    He wasn''t really alone obviously, he was with a bard that he didn''t know and a goblin that he didn''t know existed less than a day ago, and Jaycob was working his fields across the way.


    Now he just had to go to war, somehow survive and hope he could rebuild his reputation.

 Chapter 6: Brief History of the Empire

    What followed was the assembling of a truly pathetic looking army, Alayne had lived in the empire most his life and he''d seen house guards of a petty minor lady ransack villages that were larger forces that this ''army'' that the nobles seemed so proud of as they watched them march from horseback.


    It was going to end badly, of that Alayne was sure, maybe just for the soldiers, but hopefully for the lords too. He would witness as much as he could and write the tale of it all, he was a coward and in no way a man of action so he made it his duty to witness events such as this. Horrible acts that cost so many lives that were so avoidable, the only role he could play was to make sure others became aware of the misery their leaders caused and maybe stop it happening again, already history was littered with examples that proved his naivety.


    In the months that followed Alayne watched hope drain from the hastily put together army day by day. Alayne had seen before the folly and bravado of young men as they marched to their deaths, they thought every fight was like something from a play and they were the main character destined to deflect arrows and drag riders off horses as they skipped along the battlefield hacking their way into legends.


    But the months of sitting in wet grass and sinking mud in the fields that sat in the middle of the Forgotten Valley quickly wore them down.


    No training, no motivational speeches or strategic talks, just a collection of conscripted older men and foolish overly optimistic youth volunteers who watched their poorly made equipment rust and their feet slowly start to bloat from the constant damp they were exposed to.


    The only good thing was a selfish one for Alayne as he and Raven had become fairly close as they''d marched and eventually made camp.


    To his surprise Raven had sought Alayne out on the many nights after a hard day''s march to ask him questions about the empire, magic and other unknowns to him. Alayne could see it was out of loneliness more than anything, he was revered by the common man and ignored by the upper class. Alayne was the only person who spoke to him freely, well there was also an older man but their conversations were always short and forced despite obvious familiarity. The bard also enjoyed the talks, he was away from the safety of a city and despite the many campfires and hundreds of soldiers around him, he could feel the return of the watchers.


    Always behind him, in the shadow of trees that lined the road, behind the many horses in their makeshift paddock, waiting for something. Maybe he was just paranoid -


    You definitely are, there is nothing there  he said to himself


    But he was sure some of the others had noticed something as well, he''d seen men spending far too long looking over their shoulder until they wandered out of formation and got a smack across the ear. 5 or so people sitting around a campfire laughing would suddenly sit bolt upright at the sound of a branch snapping, as if they had been waiting for something to happen.


    Something was out there, he wished he was just a paranoid fool.


    The evening chats with Raven were a good way to distract himself for a few hours and sometimes the older man would sit with them as he had little friends amongst the rest of the army himself. Alayne had seen him pushed or swore at before a look from Raven silenced the offender, but he barely seemed interested in any of Alaynes tales and had no interest in what should be simply extraordinary revelations to a Rha''vandian man.


    Raven was aghast to learn of not just goblins, but elves, taurosi, orcs and even gnomes, although the conversation took a dark turn when he had to reveal that the elves and orcs where almost extinct and the remnants of once great peoples were purposefully lost at sea on the floating city, and that the taurosi where now a conquered and enslaved race or how noone had seen a gnome in decades after what had been deemed ''The Squashing'' in the first few years of the emperors reign.


    That''s how most of his stories went with Raven''s line of questioning, eye opening revelations followed by the crushing reality of the empire''s displays of depravity and dominance.


    Jaycob, the older man who sometimes sat with them, had asked only one question.


    It had been on the last day of their march, he had scouted ahead and come back unhappy at their leader''s choice of war camp, and in what would become a constant source of resentment, his concerns were ignored. He''d sat down as AJ tried a dance he''d been learning from watching some of the younger soldiers on other nights, it went terribly but it was a bad dance in the boys'' defence.


    "What happened after we beat them?" He''d spoken as he sat, startling all 3 of them.


    "The decimation is the only story I have heard and it''s only spoken in whispers, did it not reach your shores?" The tale was legendary, the outcome of the only defeat the emperor ever felt.


    They both shook their heads.


    Alayne had to think for a moment, he looked around at tired faces sat around various fires around them, some listening in and trying to look disinterested as they did so, others making the most basic of small talk whilst considering their life choices.


    They needed a little bit of hope, this wasn''t a story for 2 broken men.


    He threw AJ his tambourine and played some opening chords as he hoped between fires and jumped onto the back of a supply cart.


    What followed started with the retelling of the battle of broken tooth beach, which of course they all knew as their country''s biggest glory. How a few hundred men had pushed back the red wave, the empire that dominated every land without fail. The unbloodied youngest son Conquerous had come with his fleet to the only accessible point for a large scale assault in this land, there were many smaller ports and beaches where small forces could sneak in but Emperor didn''t believe in stealth or subtlety, he wanted blood and for all to see and feel the force of his power.


    It was obvious that the emperor was unable to understand the concept of hubris or the outcome that followed would have caused severe self reflection instead of anger and eventual brutality.


    Conquerous had died at the hands of a nobody and had been sent back with whatever was left of the fleet. Ships had been broken on the hidden rocks that lay under the tide, and the waters had run red with the blood of the soldiers who had to skip through the sea to reach the shore as arrows pelted down on them.


    This his audience knew, and they roared and cheered at the success of their fathers and grandfathers, and at Jaycob.


    Now for the decimation, every soldier, sailor, fletcher, armourer who returned from Rha''vander, or helped plan the invasion or had a fingertip of an involvement in the supplying of the forces were lined up. The emperor had his generals walk down the line pulling out one in every 10 men forcing them to turn to face their fellows.


    The rest had been hacked to pieces where they stood, throats slit and bodies cast into the ocean to be dashed against cliffs and devoured by the sea life who cared not for petty wars or evil emperor''s


    Those who had watched were then blinded, so the last thing they''d see was the deaths of their comrades, they were branded ''The failed'' and forced to walk the empire penniless as a show of the emperor''s mercy and his wrath.


    There was a hushed silence that fell over the crowd, he had expected this, it was one thing to push a faceless army back to the waves and cheer about it, it was another to hear of the horrors they avoided and pushed onto others.


    The story didn''t end there, Emperor Aniamatatus had other sons, one of which was born seconds before he received news of his son''s death "at the hands of you fine people", and he gestured out to quieter cheers than before as they all learned and listened intently. He considered his newborn infant a curse, he vowed one son was all he would take from him, so he gathered up the small boy in a bundle and walked out to the shore facing where his fleet would be coming back from their failure. He placed the crying boy in the water and held him there until the crying stopped. Decimous he was named after the act that he preceded , and any bard or chronicler who shared his story was hung, drawn and quartered in the palace grounds from that day forward.


    "Well, except this one of course" and he winked at the crowd.


    Alayne had wanted to boost morale, but he''d noticed the lords and ladies watching some ways back from the crowd and had pivoted slightly to show the horrors of war, even after the fighting was done. He doubted it would make a difference but who else was going to stop them before they killed everyone here.


    The lows of the story had cast doubt into the minds of bloodthirst and the highs had caused morale to pick up a little at the thought of what a small force can do when forced to fight, and that was enough to get them through the night and through one more days march to when they could finally rest and make camp.


    Jaycob had felt relief at first that had settled in when the word got round they finally arrived at the war camp.


    That relief quickly turned to confusion when they''d crested the green ridge of the valley and seen what he had seen the day before whilst scouting, they now looked down at a wide plain of swampy mud-land with long overgrown grass scattered across. The only buildings were some rotten jetty''s used by fisherman decades ago that you''d have to be mad to step onto now and a large stone religious building that had a tall tower which had long since crumbled with blackened wood sticking out the top attached to a long two storey structure that was all surrounded by crumbing walls that had a working gate but enough holes to make it obsolete.


    This, without debate, had obviously been taken by the lords, their children, their servants and their horses.


    Confusion had then turned to annoyance as soldiers lost boots and socks to the mud as they made walkways to get around and the realisation that they would be constantly damp set in amongst everyone.


    Jaycob had joined Raven, and the bard for some reason, in strategic meetings with the lords, also in attendance was general Kace who had been dragged along out of retirement just like himself, they''d both fought in the last war of this land and with all the wealth and experience that they brought Jaycob had assumed they would be listened to and sought out for advice on tactics and training to ensure this hastily built ''army'' of workers and kids where in any way ready for an actual battle.


    Instead they, and Raven, had been mainly ignored or worse yet belittled, as the lords stuffed their faces with lavish meals that never seemed to stop despite diminishing rations amongst the soldiers and they talked amongst themselves like they were at home and hadn''t recently committed treason. It was embarrassing for Jaycob to be treated like a child, and he knew when the soldiers died in the field they''d curse their names as well as the lords.


    Jaycob found his hands bleeding from clenching his fist nearly daily, he longed to walk off and return to his family who needed him but if he was caught he''d be killed, instead he had to stay, be ignored and hope he could survive the eventual battle.


    After one to many days been able to hold a sword due to the cuts on his hands he decided to stop attending the meetings, he wasn''t summoned despite his absence and saw General Kace walking the camp a week or so later during the time of the meetings, clearly he''d also come to his senses and realised it was pointless.


    Only Raven stayed, he continued to try and get through the arrogant fools in charge, pointless as it was.


    Even his friend the bard had given up quickly, he''d been the first to stop attending, he hadn''t lasted long.


    Alayne stood behind the large table they all gathered around, paper scattered everywhere, little toy soldiers lying dead on the floor and goblets of wine held in every noble-born hand as they dismissed General Kace and his concerns over the swampy battleground.


    "You have been away from battle to long Kace, The unnamed king knows not our lands and will fall right into our trap, this battle will last moments and we can all return home as heroes" Agelmar had looked pleased with himself as he spoke, they''d all straightened their backs as if this was the greatest battle plan ever concocted.


    "Sorry, Sorry. But that''s absolute cow bollocks." Alayne had been so good at keeping quiet and letting those around the table discuss things, playing only his lightest tunes for them whilst he listened, but this was too far and only getting worse. He watched Raven flinch as he spoke and he gave him a look of anger, shock and fear over what was to come.


    "Evening everyone, Alayne Ducard Master bard, yes that one. Couldn''t help overhearing your ''plan'' if you can call it that and I just had a very, very, tiny, almost pointless, little note or two to make. Number One-" He strummed a single string of his lute, no illusions or tricks but he played his strings to match the natural rhythm his voice was taking.


    "You speak of the ''Unnamed King'' as if he is known to you, when clearly he is not, now the Red Emperor''s children are bloodthirsty monsters capable of no real traits of a decent person, no offence Sildaris. However the unnamed son is not really one of these. He is less than a bastard. He by all accounts is just a rat the Emperor allows to inhabit his halls. He is not of his family and I strongly doubt you have been conquered, you may wish to think how he claimed the throne so quickly with no mention of war. This is implies he has strong backing from the southlanders and they do know these lands, so your trap will fail"


    Ravens expression had settled as he let things play out, he knew there was little he could do, the others though were furious but seemed to be having trouble finding their tongues, although Sildaris was the quickest to recover:


    "I..."


    But was quickly cut back off.


    "Never interrupt a bard''s performance, it''s bad luck, and I strongly believe you''ll need luck. Now Secondly, this is it? You believe you 3 are gifted enough with your combined non existing battle experience to quash an attack from a boy who has been surrounded by the greatest military minds in any land since birth? You ignore your generals and commit all your number to one fight on your own land, on bad terrain when you''re bound to be outnumbered, to be quite honest when I tell a tale or write a song it''s need to have more than a single slaughter, it''s a little anticlimactic, don''t you agree?"


    "Stick to writing uninteresting tales and uninspired songs, we each have our purpose in this world and we shouldn''t stray"


    Sildaris had his fists clenched so tight they may burst but it wasn''t him cutting the Bard down, instead Lord De''Clare had lost his temper. Alayne found even the most kind or dull looking highborn goes close to madness when their impotence, sorry omnipotence is called into question.


    The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    He still wore a smile on his face, but his eyes were staring holes through Alayne. That look was the only threatening thing about him and he couldn''t hold it for long, but Alayne ducked his head before going too far.


    "Of course, Apologies my lords and ladies I have spoken out of turn. I will return to my uninspired songs."


    Alayne plucked his strings softly again returning to safe soft melodies as one by one those at the table dropped him from their gaze. They all stared at the table either in thought or frustration, it took some time for conversation to resume but when it did Alayne found himself inspired, like he''d been waiting for this very moment as his lute became a fraction louder as he strummed:


    "O The people were led by their leaders of course


    But they died o so quickly each man and his horse


    Their was plan was such shit everybody had known


    When they spoke it out loud all their generals did groan


    To home they fled back with tails between legs


    As the people they abandoned all came for their heads


    Now these fools we remember those idiots three


    Silardis, Aglemar and De''Clare are thee


    Recalled throughout time for those they have killed


    Though not by sword, spear or bow they were skilled


    They killed through ignorance, arrogance and faux confidence


    Sildaris, Agelmar and De''Clare failure in abundance"


    Raven had punched him in the gut and dragged him outside, Alayne had smiled in the shadows of the ruined courtyard.


    "You go to far bard"


    "I fear I don''t go far enough, you know how this ends if things don''t change"


    "This isn''t the way to get through to them"


    "There is no way Raven, surely you realise this? You need to think of more drastic measures than my songs or your mild mannered attempts at interrupting their meetings"


    "Meaning?"


    "For once I''ve said enough, if you wish to go back to your pompous fools and bang your head against that brick wall I won''t stop you. I''m going to find an audience that needs me"


    He was hinting at treason, which they both knew of course, it was the most drastic of options but Alayne feared it was the only way for the people here to survive, and it wasn''t really treason, it was but it also wasn''t, it all depended on who won between them and the unnamed king really.


    Raven had sighed and walked away whilst Alayne was deep in though obviously more frustrated with his situation than Alayne.


    Over the weeks Raven voiced his considerable frustrations to Alayne frequently as they met along with AJ in his small tent that was pitched against the outer wall not far from the abbey''s gate. Alayne prodded him for details of conversations; the more he knew the more he could relay to the outer world when this was over.


    He regretted, only slightly, his rashly performed song.


    "I have questions for you first bard, I am owed from a day spent in my company am I not?" Raven reminded him of their arrangement every time they met up, as if Alayne would forget.


    "Of course my friend, what would you like to know this evening, more on Goblins? Dragons? Ogres? Fairies?"


    Alayne had toyed with Raven by leaving such threads dangling, wasting questions on such fantastical beasts that were just that, fantasy, not everything was as real as the Goblin people.


    "Are Drag-No you will not do this again. If your magic is real, are there others like you? Why is there none in Rha''vander?"


    AJ grunted from his place by Alaynes side and held two of his 3 fingers up.


    "Well noted AJ, that was 2 questions, tut tut, but we can let them get the best of us for a change can''t why"


    AJ didn''t agree and huffed as he crossed his arms over his small green belly.


    "Firstly.." he clicked his fingers and crack could be heard and Ravens head snapped to a side, cheek already turning red as the lanterns illuminated the small space "there is no one like me in the world over"


    Raven steadied himself and checked himself for blood, of which there was none on this occasion, and gave Alayne a tired stare whilst AJ giggled.


    "Secondly, 50 or so years ago the Emperor gathered, voluntarily at first and forcibly not long after, every semi capable mage in one place. The Magehold, A massive fortress dedicated to study, to cracking the nature of our world. No more than a few years later it was burned near to the ground, every one inside was dead and although it is still denied to this day there is no one who could have accomplished this but the Emperor himself."


    "And since then, surely there are more with your skills?"


    3 fingers were raised by AJ as he jabbed his elbow into Alaynes ribs and pointed at his hand.


    Alayne held his hand out to settle him.


    "It''s fine boy. My gifts aren''t learnt, they are just there and I''ve found no one with similar gifts in my travels or through tales or in the histories, I don''t know why I am, I just am. Normal magic on the other hand was a study, whilst you may be born with talent much like smithing or swordplay, a wielder had to dedicate their life to learn its mysteries gaining power through practice. Otherwise a child who can light a candle without thinking will live to a hundred and never progress beyond that basic spell. It''s essentially a lost art and it will eventually become a legend in the empire like it has here."


    Raven sat back against one of the wooden poles holding his canvas up and said nothing for a time. It was a heavy subject and one he knew too little about for his own liking despite his searches. There were inconsistencies in how the Magehold massacre happened, which was normal for something 50 years in the past but something still didn''t sit right with Alayne.


    AJ gave a long yawn beside him and Alayne patted both his knees as he rose.


    "Looks like that is my que to leave for the evening."


    Raven gave him a nod and pulled the tent flap to his side up without standing and Alayne ducked underneath with AJ following behind, his hand tightly wrapped in the bards.


    Their own sleeping space wasn''t far from Ravens but it felt longer in the dark, the shadows just a tad too thick in places.


    He held AJ tighter, for the boys sake obviously and walked at pace, almost dragging the little goblin after him.


    Those conversations were a highlight to Alayne, nothing else of much note happened, he''d spend days walking the fields with AJ chatting to the soldiers, watching first hand as they lost their smiles and motivation. It was the 4th week after they arrived that the first deserters had been executed, unsurprisingly this hadn''t improved the mood. Alayne had tried a few performances to lighten things but he just reminded them of the life they''d walked away or been dragged from to come here.


    For the most part he kept to himself. He and AJ had found a back passage up to the ruined tower of the abbey and after a little effort had made it into a safe and dry place for themselves where they could oversea the rampant misery below and if they lay just right they could see through the crumbling boards and tiles, in what remained of the upper floors and roofs, to see the moon and stars on a clear night.


    It was small and tight, no place for a watcher to hide and from the window he could see for miles, all open marshland, hills and the cliff to the east, nowhere to hide from his gaze. Despite the misery and impending doom he felt mostly safe here.


    He''d lost something when the watchers had appeared, as much as he loved performing and entertaining a crowd and, his time in the cities and towns getting to know various kinds of strange people and he was never more alive than when chasing the action and watching history happen before his eyes. But the real moments of beauty where it was just him and AJ alone on a patch of grass or nestled into the roots of an overgrown tree and just enjoying the peace and freedom of the night, life was chaos for the most part but those moments on the road between destinations where moments that no performance could out match.


    Alayne had recovered that feeling somewhat here in this tower, where the eyes of the shadows couldn''t reach him.


    There was one night though that things took a twist he hadn''t seen coming and he''d barely been able to catch his breath since. After nearly a season in a war camp, weather turning from wet and windy to cold and icy with occasional icy rain to make things better, AJ had started to grow bored and it had taken longer than Alayne would have guessed to the boy''s credit. He began to adventure out alone and explore the upper floors and lofts of the abbey, jumping from cross beams to cross beams that strained under even his minimal weight. Alayne had allowed it up to a certain point, whilst the main abbey was allowed the upper tower above where they slept was off limits.


    "It''s to ruined, even your light feet could bring the whole thing down upon us"


    AJ had raised himself on his tiptoes to demonstrate just how nimble he could be.


    "I know you''re very soft of foot, but it''s still no"


    And like all children he hadn''t argued the point for hours and then snuck off and done it anyway, because all children regardless of race always follow instructions and respect their parents or parental like mentor figures.


    No, of course they''d spent an entire night on the topic going in circles until Alayne finally just left their tower, a decision which in hindsight was terrible and one that made AJ''s next steps obvious.


    Alayne had returned several hours later, expecting AJ to be asleep, he still hadn''t realised how obvious a misstep he''d made in leaving. It started to become apparent when he could voices as he climbed the broken and rotten steps to his tower, the grunting of AJ was obvious but a second voice set Alayne on edge. He had his lute in his hand without realising and crept towards the room.


    A traitorous floorboard gave his approach away though before he could round the corner and silence fell in the room as he stepped out.


    AJ stood like every child that had ever been caught with something he shouldn''t, he was in the dead centre of blackened floor, feet together in an unnatural stance and hands by his side palms open and facing away from Alayne, a stance to hid something without looking like your hiding something whilst obviously making it look like your hiding something.


    "What have you done"


    Alayne didn''t lower his lute, something was still wrong here with whatever it was he was hiding.


    AJ said nothing but refused to meet Alaynes glare, as Alayne took a step forward AJ tensed up just for a second as if to step and block his path before thinking better of it.


    He sighed and stepped aside.


    There, behind where the boy had stood was a skull, a human like skull, it was a light brown or very very dirty white depending on how the light from the moon hit it, with large patches of black or dark brown as if it were burnt. It was clearly very old with any trace of flesh long since gone, with few teeth remaining and a large finger sized hole in the forehead.


    Alayne scanned the rest of the room, someone else had been here, he''d heard them, was the boy smart enough to divert his attention with this prop.


    "Who else was here?"


    AJ pointed to the skull without hesitation and grunted.


    "Just you and him...him being the skull?"


    AJ nodded as it was the only obvious answer


    "Does the skull talk?"


    He''d seen some odd things, some harrowing things, but never heard of anything so ridiculous but still AJ nodded whilst giving the skull a look as if it was to respond itself.


    Alayne, knowing he was alone, gave one last look over his shoulder anyway to ensure no one was watching before crouching down in front of the charred ancient bone and clearing his throat.


    "Do...Do you talk?"


    He rushed it out, almost tripping over his words and losing his usual eloquence. He kept his gaze on AJ throughout, curious on the boy''s reaction, hoping to catch him in the lie.


    "I tal...tal"


    Alayne didn''t need it to finish, he jumped up and kicked the skull against the far wall where it left an indent on the already damaged wooden beam in the centre of the stonework.


    AJ squealed and slapped his hands to his mouth as he did so, quickly running to the indented beam and picking up the...thing


    "Don''t touch it!"


    AJ barked at Alayne before whispering something to the skull


    "He can''t be your friend; it''s a skull"


    AJ grunted back getting animated as he spoke, Alayne stepped back affronted.


    "I am not just a mouth, and that''s just a mean metaphor. That is literally a skull, get rid of it"


    "Please do not kick me ag...ag..ag"


    "It doesn''t even move when it talks and it hasn''t got a tongue. This defies logic, sense and everything I know"


    AJ walked back over to Alayne in the centre of the room, wiping the crown of the skull with his arm as if to remove imaginary dirt and damage from the charred bit bone. He grunted one last time and stuck his tongue out at Alayne.


    "''Then maybe I don''t know very much''...I..I...You''re not keeping it!"


    AJ said nothing further, they both knew he''d won and Alayne might as well have been shouting into the wind for all the good it did.


    The boy and his new creepy companion retreated to a corner to continue the earlier discussion Alayne had interrupted, although it was clear the head didn''t understand anything AJ said he seemed enthusiastic in his nonsensical replies none the less.


    Alayne kept his distance, for awhile anyway, perched on what remained of a window ledge or maybe it was just a hole in the wall that had coincidently crumbled in a way that allowed a brooding mentor slash parent to watch over his ward whilst he conversed with the undead.


    He watched and waited, plotting to take the skull as soon as AJ fell asleep. Now it was a waiting game, a game of cat and mouse, who would fall asleep first, the gracefully ageing bard who had to many late nights to keep track of or the young goblin apprentice who had more pent up energy than what remained in the war camp over Alaynes shoulder.


    Alayne was not optimistic and for the first time in his tower, with his back to the camp and dark night air, he could feel eyes upon him. Despite being several stories up he felt like if he turned at that precise moment he would see what waited for him in the dark, staring at him from over his shoulder. It was almost like a whole creature was on his back, he felt tight and compressed.


    He needed to watch AJ, but hope seemed to have evaporated out of him leaving him frantic and pale. Unable to move and unsure if he wanted to.


    With a shaking hand he grabbed onto the rough wall to his left, digging his nails into the brickwork and feeling it crumble along with his splitting fingernails he dragged himself off the window ledge, leaving a very slight trail of blood on the wall as he pulled.


    As soon as he was out of sight of the - NOTHING - he felt like he was free and his whole body shook as a breath he didn''t know he''d been holding was released.


    He slumped down the corner of the room, landing on his heels and keeping an eye on his ward who hadn''t noticed the moment of panic. Alayne held his head in his hands and tried to control himself.


    You can''t pretend it''s nothing anymore, whatever that was it was real


    So he was in agreement with himself at last, no more self deception.


    But now what?


    Jaycob was sitting on the hill that they''d crested weeks ago that marked the start of this terrible place. He was staring out far into the distance where Burtyne would be, on a clear night it would be visible, but the night wasn''t clear, not over where he was looking anyway.


    You could be mistaken for thinking a large fog rolled in and covered the town he made his home outside, but holding the letter in his hand, he knew it wasn''t.


    It was smoke, smoke from a fire far too big to be a forge, or a camp, the kind of fire that only comes from some form of destruction. When something has been burned from the world that could never grow back.


    His knuckles were white and streaks of blood were running over the crumpled paper from the wounds that had barely healed from his time in the nobles'' strategy feasts.


    The messenger had said nothing, he had orders to find Jaycob, deliver this and that was all, he clearly was of Burtyne by the look he''d given the exiled farmer. He''d just passed the letter and chucked his sword into his hands.


    His old sword that had sat locked away in case his family needed it, now blacked and fire licked but still as deadly. The scabbard it was housed in on the wet grass was worse off, like a long piece of charcoal with holes that the blade could be spotted through.


    Jaycob turned and looked over an army that was doomed to die and then focused on the abbey building he knew all the lords would be drinking and enjoying themselves in.


    He read the message one more time, he didn''t need to, the words were a scar on his heart, but he wanted to.


    Throwing the paper to the ground he drew the black marked blade and marched down the hill leaving the sheath to fall atop the letter.


    The words would only be clear for a few moments before the constantly wet ground ruined it for anyone that may stumble across it.


    Dear Jaycob


    I am sorry to have to give you this news but there seems few else here who are willing.


    A group of youths attacked your families homestead in the night, I can not be sure of the details and am not willing to guess.


    All I can tell you is a fire was started.


    We got to it too late, and I am sorry to have write these words and sorry more that you must read them.


    Your family''s bodies were recovered from the ruins of the house, there were no survivors.


    I have had them buried on the farm next to your son.


    The only other object of value that was recovered was the sword I hope is now in your hands


    There are no words I can give to comfort you. I am truly sorry.


    Yours regretfully


    Faldeir

 Chapter 7: The Greymen

    At some point, as he stared a hole into the skull that had befriended his young ward, Alayne fell asleep. It can''t have been for more than a second as he bashed himself awake against the corner of the window hole he''d been seated on. Despite being sure it was the briefest of naps the scene in front of him had changed considerably. AJ who had been talking to the charred remains of the long dead but also not now had his back against the wall looking frantically in Alaynes direction and then back to the doorway where 2 figures now stood.


    His lute had been resting limply, stood upright in between his knees whilst he sat, but in a second he was up and the instrument was in his hands as a fighter would ready their sword.


    With barely a glance at the boy or a care for the, attempted, intimidating stance Alayne was taking, the two figures stepped forward from the shadows of the stairs and doorway and into the slight light of the moon that decorated the tattered room they had claimed.


    The two were similar in many ways, both stepped forward in long black robes that hung to their calves and were cut off at the shoulder, neither of them had any hair to speak of not on their heads or exposed arms or even their eyebrows which confused Alayne as he couldn''t tell if they were angry or excited as they strode towards him. What stood out most, even more than being balder than a new-born babes bottom, was their skin; they both had sickly grey skin that looked dry and withered, they looked ageless and ancient all at once and the skin was so tight to their bones it looked almost painful.


    One figure was larger, broader and stopped just outside the doorway clearly blocking the exit for everyone, clearly a male he had a square jaw, a broad nose to match his frame and almost square head , he was tall and intimidating but his partner more so, she stopped in the centre of the room as Alayne had managed to get AJ and shimmy slowly backwards and place his back against the dent the skull had made in the wall earlier.


    She was much smaller than her companion and Alayne, she was slender of frame much like himself and her features were softer with an almost perfectly round head and small mouth and nose but this somehow was offset by her dead eyes and decrepit flesh making her look threatening without doing anything, she had no expression on her face and there was no emotion when she spoke but Alaynes body was covered in goosebumps, even in places he didn''t realise you could get goose bumps, when she did.


    "We have been watching you for some time Alayne Ducard"


    His mouth was dry, his fingers numb and his mind blank but somehow he found words;


    "Al-always nice to meet a fan, but I do like to keep audiences to business hours..."


    She smiled and as she did the blood drained from Alaynes face, it only touched the corners of her mouth, not revealing her teeth and her eyes and cheeks remained untouched by the expression. There was something menacing about every movement she made and Alayne felt like breaking down and crying.


    "My companion believed you merely a fool, a trickster or illusionist, but I knew-" her eyes were filled with thin black veins that criss-crossed each other leaving the slenderest of pale green rings surrounding her pupil which darted to the skull AJ held just at the very edge of Alaynes vision. "- and finally you revealed yourself, all doubt gone when you found what even we thought lost"


    Alayne had no idea what was going on, a rare feeling and one he didn''t enjoy. He followed her gaze to where AJ stood to his side, holding his new friend under one arm.


    "The head? Do you want it? Just take it, we make no claim to it"


    He reached down for it without looking not wanting to take his eyes off the two in front of him but AJ was moving the skull out of his reach.


    "AJ, give me the skull please, we can find a new friend, a rabbit or a cabbage or something less in demand"


    AJ grunted, Friend, the boy was going to get him killed over a dismembered head he''d grown attached to over an evening.


    "We do not want Surrich. You have played your hand bard and now you need to be removed from the game"


    That didn''t sound like a metaphor that meant he gets to walk away with a slap on the wrist for whatever they think he''s done.


    "Surely there is a way I can talk you out of this, there is always a way to talk my way out of...whatever this is"


    Speaking his thoughts out loud probably wouldn''t help but you never know.


    "You have sought and uncovered things that should have remained buried. Maybe you meant only good intentions and if that is the case I am sorry for what comes next."


    Still no emotion or regret in her words or actions but, oddly, Alayne believed her as she motioned for her so far silent partner to step forward and draw two small daggers from his waist.


    Despite his brain having the constitution of weak gravy for the majority of this encounter, seeing the man step forward and feeling AJ''s small hand on his wrist twisted something in Alayne, and without really thinking his hands started moving along his strings as he had when he first met the Flock in ''The Nest'' many nights ago, an extension of a simple trick to entertain and convince fools of his power now turned into something filled with malice and desperation. He dragged his hand down his face as the notes hung in the air and the larger of the two fell against the wall just short of falling out the window entirely, his face was completely blank, no eyes, nose or mouth. Despite his stoic nature he clawed at himself and slowly slumped down the stone brickwork whilst his companion watched on seemingly unmoved.


    "We leave or he dies."


    Another humourless, terrifying smile from her.


    "You cannot kill him and you cannot escape us, there is no bargain to be made here."


    The faceless man was starting to writhe a little less as the last of his air was used up and he suffocated. Alayne hadn''t killed a man in a long, long time but she was wrong; he could kill him, and her if needed and move forward with his life.


    He continued playing, readying something different as she watched him move towards the window as if to skirt past her and over her now presumably dead companion. She jumped towards him, her own hands occupied by daggers similar to the other and sliced through nothing and toppled forward forcing herself off balance.


    Alayne ran from the position he''d remained in at the back of the room as the illusion of himself dissipated and smacked into her back with his shoulder, using all his minimal weight. He held AJ at arms length as he stepped towards the window ledge and peaked over to see the figure cracked and broken amongst the mud and rubble at the base of the tower.


    "Perhaps we stay with Raven tonight"


    AJ seemed unperturbed by the body at his feet or the near death they''d experienced, he simply grunted and held up the skull, or Surrich as it was apparently called.


    "Yes, they can come, I think they have a story to tell us."


    "You are de..de..de..."


    "Dead? Lovely, can''t wait to hear more from you."


    He grabbed AJ and ran down the broken stairs, he felt urgency but couldn''t say why, the danger had passed and his assailants had been killed and a story had found him for once, which was an interesting and largely unwelcome change of pace.


    This should be causing good feelings, but for some reason his stomach still turned and his goosebumps stayed...bumpy.


    When considering that he''d destroyed his reputation and thrown his life away to protect people he begrudgingly cared for; the fact that Raven was feeling slightly down of late seemed like a reasonable response, perhaps even a positive response compared to how he expected he would feel.


    Maybe it was the fact that he was surrounded by despair and misery constantly it had forced his mind to utilise his sub par leadership experience and push him into a not quite depressed state so he could put on a brave face for the untrained, and he was hesitant to use the word, soldiers that made up the rest of the camp.


    Maybe it was the fact that after been taken in as an orphaned youth he''d been trained to be a beacon of hope for people and had proudly climbed the peaks of the Oathbinder mountain to cave his oaths amongst all those who had fought under the Stoneoath name, and now he cast all that aside and would be forgotten as nothing more than an a oathbreaker once he died in this horrible marsh.


    There was also the case for his conversations with the bard that had kept his spirits...well not quite up but slightly above rock bottom.


    He''d spent nights on the march and nights in the camp picking the bard''s brains for stories and histories of the empire his people had shut themselves off from. He found it was a great help to lower the impact of his actions if he could make himself seem as small and pointless as possible when compared to the impossibly large world he doubted he would ever experience.


    A terrifying place full of forgotten magics and other skills, subjugated races and broken spirits of any who could still call themselves ''free''. Life was hard at times in Rha''vander but nothing like the empire.


    He decided that this day had been long enough, he could do it all again tomorrow: walk amongst soldiers who were hanging on by the slightest of threads, attend meetings with those arrogant lords who ignored his presence like he was a child in his fathers study, and share a drink with the bard and the boy, and maybe even Jaycob the only three who treated him as a man and nothing more or less.


    He stared at the long piece of hanging canvas that made up his bed and gently placed his longsword against the small wooden chest he''d stolen from the quartermaster on the second day.


    He paused before blowing out the half burnt candle, he didn''t really want to sleep, that''s when his mood really sunk, when his vision was filled with the faces of those who he''d left behind, betrayed really, his reasons had been sound and he knew that; but guilt and blame was still sat on his shoulders like a vulture pecking at him at all times and he knew from the looks on their faces as he''d left them that they''d curse his name for as long as they lived.


    The irony of course is that if his sacrifice had been worthwhile it would be a long time.


    Raven drew in a long breath and hesitated once more as he watched the small flame flicker quickly and he turned in an instant to the makeshift entrance to his tent as it opened.


    AJ ran in first, something small and dark in his hands as he darted between Raven''s legs and under the low hanging bed to squat in the shadows, Alayne was a moment behind eyes wide and hands shaking as he dropped his lute next to Raven''s longsword.


    The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    "Bard?"


    Raven didn''t move, but as he spoke the bard seemed to see him, as if he hadn''t realised where he had arrived at.


    "I just killed 2 people..." he smirked but it was hollow and the corner of his mouth quivered slightly "not done that for a while."


    Raven had seen the many performing faces of the bard, the wit, the smile was all masking the fear, although he wouldn''t admit it.


    Alayne wasn''t always as good an actor as he thought.


    It took less than 2 strides to bridge the gap between them and Raven quickly grabbed the bard by his always pristine white button up shirt, how did he manage to keep white clothes looking nice whilst squatting in a marsh.


    "What? Who? Why?"


    This wasn''t his first time in a situation like this, first thing was to gather all the facts before moving forward, draw them out of the bard, it shouldn''t be hard he loved to talk.


    "I don''t...I don''t know, they knew me and they were so-" he had his hand flapping at his face "they looked so...O...O dear"


    Alayne gulped so hard Raven could hear it as he stepped back and almost fell against the only solid wall of his hovel.


    "We need to leave. AJ come, we need to go"


    He looked over Raven''s shoulder as he spoke and somehow his eyes widened still and he took a sharp jump to his left, towards his dropped lute.


    "I would not pick that up Master Bard."


    Raven turned on his heels to see a black robed figure with sickly grey skin and a hairless head standing behind his bed holding AJ by the scruff of the neck dangling the child high above the ground.


    Without thinking he stepped forward, his goal was to find a way to get between the intruder and the boy but he was rocked heavily by something hitting him in the side of the head, he didn''t realise he was on the ground until he opened his eyes to see the world on it''s side.


    Before he could even think about righting himself he began to choke as a heavy boot was pressed against his throat, assumedly belonging to whatever had hit him.


    "I''ll admit your little display was impressive..." The woman holding AJ began talking without paying any mind to Raven on the ground. "and I hope it helped you realise the situation you have found yourself in."


    The boot continued on Raven''s neck, not enough for him to pass out but enough to keep him down and his head focused solely on the grey woman; he had no idea how Alayne was reacting.


    "I''ve heard tales, like any self respecting bard. But I assumed them just that, tales, or twisted legends of people long turned to dust. Yet they''re right aren''t they, you are the Greymen from the old myths"


    The bard sounded out of sorts, he put on a good show of masking it for the most part but some of the life had gone from his voice and Raven could tell without sight that he had lost the spring and animation he had when speaking.


    "Soul-less or Shadow-souled was always my preferred distinction but they are one and the same and I imagine new names will come in the centuries ahead."


    Raven was losing track of the conversation slightly, and he didn''t believe it was down to the lack of air the boot was causing. Unless he was mistaken, the creatures in the tent with them were claiming to be Greymen, fairy-tales passed down by families for hundreds of years to scare disobedient children, tales of undead monsters millennia old who kill the over curious and leave as soft and silent as a shadow. How could there possibly be truth to this.


    "And now I am condemned because I found an abandoned skull; in an abandoned tower; in an abandoned marshland. I feel I could have escaped my execution if you covered your tracks better, maybe I judged too quickly? Where you short on time, I imagine it''s hard to cover one''s tracks when you''ve only a few hundred years to do it."


    The mirth returned to the bard''s voice and it had a harder edge to it, similar to when he called out the nobles in the early war room meetings.


    The overconfidence of a dead man Raven likened it to and that did not make him feel confident in the situation.


    "You overstep seeker. I-"


    "Overstep? What, should I beg for my life instead? How many of the presumably thousands or corpses you''ve left have begged for their life? And how many have you spared? No thank you, I will not be a cliche in my final moments"


    Why had she called him a Seeker? Had Raven misheard, the bard seemed not to have noticed in his fear and anger.


    "What...does...he...seek?"


    Raven managed from the floor where apparently the woman had forgotten he lay. He saw a dangling thread in how she had used the word with disgust, a far cry from her flat empty tone used for everything else. If the bard would not pull something so obvious then he would do it instead.


    She motioned with a very quick sharp jerk of her head and the figure pinning him down, which he now found out was a man as he dragged Raven up by his neck, set him on his knees and held a dagger, that looked like it had been made of a thorny vines twisted into the rough shape of a blade, to his throat. A wicked thing that he could feel catching on his flesh already and he had to fight not to wince.


    "You are not a clich¨¦ and yet your companions play innocent, that is more common than begging in my experience."


    She finally moved from around Raven''s cot, still holding AJ up to her shoulder height without so much as a quiver in her arm.


    "I name you Seeker because you seek what is forbidden to all..."


    She paused, or stopped completely for a long time before Alayne interjected.


    "Sorry are we supposed to as-"


    "Never ending life."


    She cut him off with words that caused more confusion than the awe Raven thought she may have been expecting.


    There was more than one furrowed brow in the room, including AJ who hung like a lantern from a roof dangling limply in the air and grunting his hard language for the first time since his life had been threatened.


    "He''s right, surely that means all bards, poets, writers and rulers are to be killed? We all seek to be remembered for all time? That feels like a lot of killing even for your ilk."


    The woman was getting frustrated and dropped her arm and AJ hung just off the ground, his long talon like nails scratched the mud as he dangled.


    It amazed Raven how Alayne had managed to get under the skin of everyone he met, even a literal legend come to life, if that''s indeed what these were.


    "No, we don''t mean in a metaphorical sense, we mean literally. You were literally seeking the ability to live forever, not in name but in body. You are making this very difficult."


    "You think I came all the way out here to find a skull so I could live forever? I followed him-" he gestured to Raven "and this pathetic army, and we had no idea we would land here until we arrived. This all feels like a coincidence? And you asked for this difficulty by hosting an audience with us, you could have just stabbed me in the throat or something, your frustration is your own fault don''t lay it at my feet, that area is reserved for flowers, coins and freshly worn underwear"


    How far could the bard push this creature seemingly built for endless murder?


    But there was a flash of doubt across her face, just for a split second.


    He was breaking through to her.


    Somehow the bard had provided a glimmer of hope.


    "And your strange powers?"


    Alayne shrugged.


    "A gift from a God, karmic retribution for a shitty childhood, maybe I licked a magic toad or ate a cursed haddock. I''ve no idea...I''ve had a busy life."


    He really didn''t know, Raven was sure he was lying when he''d asked him himself, but now if he couldn''t be honest in the face of death incarnate than he never would be and Raven had to assume he was completely ignorant to his gifts.


    "Well that changes things, we are not in the habit of being wrong but it is nice to be surprised by something after all this time. Educai release him please" The grey man, Educai apparently, removed the barbed dagger from Raven''s neck and pushed him forward where he fell onto all fours. The speaker still held AJ though as she continued. "I find myself trusting your words Alayne Ducard and I have grown very apt at reading lies in your kind."


    Raven got to his feet as she spoke, she didn''t spare him a glance and he kept his gaze on AJ contemplating making a move for the boy, but as he made to take a step forward he heard Educai behind him take one as well and he stopped in his tracks.


    "Instead perhaps you could be of use to us.¡± She paused, letting an uncomfortable silence hang as she appeared to think to herself ¡°I have a job in mind for you to make use of your talents, it may prove a better service to me than murdering you in this damp miserable field."


    "Well I''m not really for hire, I work inns and taverns so if you have some sort of secret Greymen clubhouse I''d be happy to stop by and play some melodies for you. But until such a time maybe I could have my apprentice back."


    Tension was rising now, Raven was free, she''d admitted an error in judgement but something more was coming and he and Alayne alike stood tense waiting.


    "You don''t get to just go free. You have a very unique gift and I aim to make use of it. Whilst you may not be seeking the forbidden, there is at least one other who is. One even we cannot get to... But maybe you can."


    She''d expected a witty retort but Alayne was staring her dead in the eye not blinking or moving. His jaw was tight and fists clenched.


    "I need you to kill the Emperor"


    "Simple as that"


    "Unlikely, you are still a wanted man: Alayne Ducard the Black marked bard, but it''s either; attempt it and likely die in a few months time or die here, with your friend and the boy."


    With barely an effort she tossed AJ across the small space and into Alaynes arms, it took him into a low squat to catch the lanky Goblin child.


    "It''s not really a choice obviously. I would leave via the southern passage and quickly, the opposing forces will be cresting the ridge by dawn." Raven shared a scared look with Alayne, war would be here in the morning, their scouts had not noticed and these strangers dropped that on them like it no more news than the baker changing his dough recipe.


    "My name is Adeline and you may have picked up my companion is Educai. If you leave this camp we expect you to find passage back to the empire Alayne. We will be watching."


    She placed a tattered skull in Raven''s hand without speaking and they both left the tent in silence as the 3 of them stood in shock and fear over what was to happen next.


    "Good eve..eve...eve..."


    Raven cried out and launched the skull away from him, it hit a wooden tent post and spiralled off into the shadows of his makeshift hanging bed.


    "You know I did the exact same thing-"


    Alayne tried to smile at Raven but there was very little success in it and he had a far off look in his eye.


    "AJ seems to have taken to him though, which is...concerning"


    As he spoke AJ struggled from Alaynes grip and scampered off after the chunk of bone that had fallen silent in the darkness.


    "Alayne I-"


    "I know, it was a large dump of information at the end there, a lot to take in. But you''re right we just need to move forward for now. Take the southern pass and I know a boat that will give us passage without question."


    Alayne had been pacing as he spoke, but he stopped as he noticed the look in Raven''s eyes. He had assumed what Raven had been about to say and got it very wrong.


    "Alay-"


    "Surely you don''t mean to stay. It will be a bloodbath"


    "Not if they were lying and not if I can rally the camp!" he sounded more desperate than optimistic, he couldn''t leave and abandon more people.


    "Rally the camp? Have you not been living here? They are untrained and unmotivated and their leaders do not care for your insight. They are going to die."


    "Apology acc...ac....acc"


    The skull was speaking again as AJ had joined the two of them back in the middle of the floor.


    "And you are just happy to let all those innocent men and women die today? Is that ok with you?"


    Alayne tilted his head slightly as he considered his words


    "You helped lead them to war Raven? Are you truly so na?ve? If you rally them people will still die, maybe more but never less. It''s a tragedy, truly. But it is not my doing and not something I can undo. We need to leave now."


    Raven was becoming angry, more at himself as he was swayed by the bard¡¯s words. But that was his gift was it not, to sway people to his sides with his silver tongue and quick mind.


    "We-"


    "Are leaving"


    "What-"


    "Grab your things"


    "There mu-"


    "Start moving now!"


    "Can we please just talk!"


    Raven stamped his foot like a petulant child, which did not help his darkening mood. The bard was already halfway out the tent doorway when he looked over his shoulder to respond.


    "Sure, as soon as we reach the southern passage." and he left.


    Raven found himself dumbstruck as he silently grabbed his few belongings, donning his ringmail and longsword and left the tent.


    Everything that the bard had said was true, he had tried to plan and strategize and had been knocked back. He was powerless, he chanted that to himself a few times to try and take the sting out of his actions, to push the guilt from his shoulders, but he knew that once again he was abandoning his duties.


    He watched his feet as he stalked after the bard and AJ, he was too much of a coward to take a final glance at the camp, to see the shadowy figures squatting or lying beside dying embers who may not see many more hours of life.


    He walked down the side of the abbey walls, knocking chunks of crumbled stone out of his path, cursing the names of those inside that were dooming all those poor souls to an untimely end.


    But as he rounded the back of the old failing building and what remained of a long rusted gate swinging silently gently in the calm breeze of the night something came to him.


    Maybe there was a way to save everyone.


    Afterall what was one more act of treason?

 Chapter 8: Singed but Alive

    Raven had hatched a plan, his mind worked better when in the midst of other things, and as he''d stalked away from camp and a thousand regrets had been circling in his mind he''d realised there was a way out. A way to save all those young men and women who would otherwise wake to a miserable and messy end, and save himself in the process. One single course of action that could undo all the foolishness caused by those hidden away in the abbey.


    He knew what to do, he drew his sword as he stepped through the lonely swinging gate towards what he knew to be the kitchen where the staff the nobles had brought congregated throughout the day. His plan was simple but perhaps a step to far if he was allowed more time to think on it; he would charge into the abbey and take all the lords and ladies at sword-point, he would bind them and march them up, away from their armies and into the night until he met the encroaching army. Surely then it was just a case of negotiating a surrender, he could save everyone, redeem himself and throw those pretentious lords under the cart as he did it. He could and would make the right people pay for this mess and he could leave Alayne to go back to his adventures and return to a life that though he didn''t fully miss, at least it was familiar.


    A good plan, he''d thought, and fairly simple in theory to pull together.


    Until it came time to do it.


    He left Alayne and AJ to march through the swampy lands towards the southern pass they''d been watching for months and instead sneaking away and approaching the small rotted wooden door. He didn''t expect it to be locked, the servants would work through the night to supply drinks, snacks and prepare the extravagant breakfasts these people expected, he hadn''t prepared for what was actually inside though. Instead of 5 or 6 servants hard at work surrounded by the sounds of bubbling pots and knives scraping off wooden chopping boards, he found silence and the servants all cowering against the far wall, well away from both the exit he occupied and the door to his left that led to the main hall of the building.


    He frowned as he saw them and although they recognised him clearly they did not relax in any way visible to him. Most of them watched the door to the hall, as if waiting for someone to come through at any second. There was real fear in all their eyes, skin white as flour, he had no respect for the lords anymore but their abuse wasn''t that which caused this kind of fear, it usually caused a constant anxiety in the servants keeping them on edge but capable of work, this was far beyond that.


    Something was wrong and whatever it was, it was clearly in the main hall. He didn''t engage the servants in conversation, he''d saved small settlements from bandits and raiders on more than one occasion, he''d seen this kind of fear and knew they were useless to him right now. Instead he turned his attention to the hall, a heavy wooden door with a rounded top and thick iron fillings along the edge barred his way, hinges worn and causing the bottom corner to sit on the stone floor and ready to give his position away the moment it was dragged and screamed open.


    There was no way to open it quietly.


    He placed his hand on the iron ring that made up a handle and readied his sword.


    Leaning back on his heels to throw himself forward as soon as the door was open wide enough, he took a deep breath.


    Raven flung the door open with all his might and dived into the main hall of the abbey, the metal work of the door clattering against the stone wall of the kitchen behind him.


    The main hall looked just like it had every time he''d visited for the ''strategy'' meetings. There were braziers lit along both sides of the long room and in the centre was a large round table scattered with goblets and pitchers dripping with wine; and plates and plates of fruit and meat and puddings, of course this was all atop papers that denoted crucial information about their troops, holdings, inventory which was all barely legible from weeks of food stains dying the parchment.


    What was different though was the current state of the nobility, instead of gathering around the table in their overly gilded chairs and laughing the night away, instead their seats were all lying on the sides or backs. The nobility themselves were lying in a similar vein, all bound and gagged, wriggling and writhing like maggots on the rugs that covered random parts of the hard stone floor.


    There was only one man standing in the midst of them all, although Raven was careful to watch the shadows in the room even though it would be tough for anyone to hide in them.


    Raven approached as the man standing, favouring one leg very obviously, drove his blade deep into the belly of Perelmor the youngest son of Duke Agelmar who uttered a muffled scream from his helpless position as he watched his son slowly bleed out. He noticed as he got within touching distance of everyone that they weren''t all writhing as he initially thought, there were pools of blood all flowing inwards towards the killer. Only Agelmar, Sildaris, his daughter, and the Duke De''Clare were still alive or unhurt.


    The figure turned, whilst wiping his blade on the back of Perelmor, the blade looked broken; tinged with blacks and oranges, like it was damaged or burnt.


    Raven recognised the voice of Jaycob the old farmer instantly without him needing to turn fully. There was nothing but confusion in his mind, he couldn''t even gather the words to form a question, the exiled farmer of his home had kidnapped the lords and was killing them one by one, he was shocked and his plan was quickly falling to tatters.


    "We need them alive!?" was all he could pathetically squeak out.


    "They''ve cost me everything, they don''t get to live"


    "Jaycob, we can end this war, we can take them to the new king, they can hang for what they did. But killing them in here means killing hundreds out there"


    There was an icy calm in his face despite it been speckled with blood. It wasn''t quite as cold as the undead monsters he''d met earlier but it wasn''t to far off, something had broken inside the man and Raven hated himself that he had no time to help him.


    "People like this, they talk well, better than people like us. You take them away and at least one will be given new lands and titles. No, No it''s not worth the risk. Besides, it feels better to do things with your own hands, that''s why I farm."


    There was a sadness as he finished, like the anger was hiding pain that had just escaped for a moment.


    It didn''t matter.


    Raven raised his blade slightly and stepped forward, speaking in a slow and soft voice to appear calm whilst ready to defend himself in a second should it come to it;


    "Jaycob, lower your blade and let''s drag those still breathing before the king."


    Jaycob moved forward to meet Raven who had stayed a few steps outside the ring of bodies.


    As he stepped over Sildaris he quickly flicked his blade and struck the man who started to gargle and choke, blood running into the mortar of the floor.


    "Raven, they dragged us away from our homes to die here, away from my family...THEY DIED because I wasn''t there. I need to see them bleed."


    With a burst of anger that forced Raven to step back Jaycob hacked at Sildaris'' still form 3, 4, 5 times, just sticking his blade deep over and over as the others cried through gagged mouths.


    Raven didn''t want to fight, and he expected Jaycob was the same despite his words, he raised his blade slowly and begrudgingly, he had to try and save everyone out there.


    Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    But Jaycob was faster.


    No hesitation as he darted at Raven sword high, damaged leg seemingly forgotten for the moment.


    Raven was quick to defend and was pushed back with stroke after stroke of the sickly looking blade.


    He was good with a blade but he could find no opportunity to parry or counter the old man¡¯s attacks, instead being forced to retreat between each swing.


    A constant clashing of steel on steel as step by step Raven was pushed further from the centre of the room.


    Further still until his shoulders hit the back of a shadowed stone archway set into the wall.


    He hadn''t been focused on his surroundings, to much was going on, he was distracted to say the least and he hadn''t realised he''d ran out of room and as his shoulders hit the wall his body jerked ever so slightly uncontrollably and forced a drop of his guard a fraction to his left.


    The slightest little movement that would go unnoticed by most.


    But not Jaycob, the farmer adjusted his own slash at the last moment to compensate for Raven''s failing posture.


    The dark blade took him deep into the shoulder, catching on his bone and causing Raven to scream.


    He screamed again and his vision began to blur as the blade was ripped free.


    Cold focus was all that occupied Jaycobs face, no anger, no regret, no joy.


    Raven had failed the man long ago and he supposed this would right it in a way, even if Jaycob was unaware.


    He made peace with his death surprisingly quickly and awaited the final blow as his legs gave way and his heart thumped loud enough to hurt his ears.


    He had forsaken his oaths, abandoned his people and caused even more harm in a na?ve attempt to save lives. Maybe this was better than hastily thought out redemption plans or following a bard into the night to commit further treason.


    If not better, it was certainly easier.


    Then the sound came, so quick and so loud he was sure the building shook, swords dropped to the ground but he didn''t hear a clang, he held his hands to his ears that were now wet with blood but could do nothing to keep the deafening sound out.


    Jaycob was the same, dropping to his knees curiously suffering worse than Raven seemed to be.


    He slumped down the stone as pain from his wound and his head forced him out of consciousness for moments at a time.


    Raven remembered little of what happened after but he knew he was called an ''idiot'' as he was dragged through the creaky iron gate outside the kitchen.


    Then he was swore at as he lay face up in what felt like wet mud and dragged once again.


    He saw the marshy lands of the Valley of the Faithless passing underfoot as the rocky outcrop of the southern pass got closer with each long blink he managed, all the while there was panicked mumbling and grunting from his left as the familiar voice of Alayne Ducard complained the whole journey, although Raven couldn''t make out what his issues were exactly.


    Alayne dumped Raven against an orange rocky wall just after the entrance to the southern pass; it had taken him most of the remaining night to drag the injured man to. He didn''t do it gently, although he regretted that after being reminded of his injuries by the blood smear that marked the wall behind him.


    "AJ keep watch"


    The boy grunted back


    "I''ll be quick, we need him"


    Alayne grabbed handfuls of grass and a few sticks that had been blown or kicked towards this barren part of the trail. The southern pass was a thin passageway or sharp rock on both sides that opened into a forest after about an hour, the treetops could just be made out in the slight grey of dawn off into the distance. No army would ever come this way but for some reason the dearly departed lords had thought they would. Alayne shook his head and then got to work trying to create a fire. He was fairly good usually, but he was admittedly flustered and it caused his hands to be a tad less elegant than usual.


    Raven groaned from his slumped position against the wall.


    "Good you''re awake, although it would be better if you weren''t for the next bit in all honesty."


    "Heal..."


    "Yep, going to heal you up, good as new...ish"


    "Magic?" His eyes fluttered as he spoke but not enough to see even the whites of his eyes.


    "Oooo no, never really had any healing powers I''m afraid"


    Alayne clapped and gave a small cheer to himself as the fire caught and stepped over to Raven, wrestling his sword that he still clenched tightly in his fist. He had to put his foot on the wall to push himself off, the man couldn''t move but somehow had the grip of a dead man on his blade.


    "What I do have though is something a woman called Singe taught me. See she was part of the church of the cleansing flame, really silly beliefs that fire will solve all problems. In hindsight it was a terrible decision by her employer at the time to send her on a jungle based adventure, the greenery is still struggling to grow back the last time I was there..."


    AJ grunted as Raven groaned once more.


    "I know he''s dying, thank you. I was trying to lighten the mood and distract from the situation. The point is, Singe - which wasn''t her real name, refused to use herbs or medicine and only used fire to heal. Which, whilst terrible for her and her haemorrhoids, is good for us because fire, as you can see, is all I have."


    As always his tales were well timed and he lifted the blade he''d been holding over the fire and placed the heated metal against the still bleeding wound on Raven''s shoulder. It sizzled as it closed the wound and Raven fell back to silence after a quick exhale of breath on the initial contact.


    "Looks like we are still carrying him for a while yet, come on"


    Alayne slipped the sword back into its sheath at Raven''s side, which went awkwardly as he tried it first as he was sitting down, which was nearly impossible and he may have caused a few nicks in the man¡¯s side which he decided to keep to himself. His second attempt was done as he held the man up with one hand and tried to ease it in with the other. His arms were aching when he could finally slot it in, he was not built for holding weapons, just drinks, instruments and the unwavering attention of an audience.


    AJ grunted as he re-joined Alayne.


    "You could have found plants that would be better than fire?"


    "I also can identify many healing plants in this pla...pla...pla"


    "But you both just let me mutilate the poor sod instead"


    AJ grunted and crossed his arms as he walked


    "I told you to keep watch, so you just abandon common sense, since when do you listen to me?"


    "I couldn''t help as I have no leg..le...le"


    He still wasn''t comfortable with the skull talking, it was just odd.


    This was going to be the longest journey of Alaynes life, he was sure of it. Carry a dying man whilst his gobby apprentice carried a talking head as they left to do a thing for monsters from folk tales.


    As silence fell on them and they walked towards the end of the rocky passage, Alayne finally got to be alone with his thoughts and they crashed into him and brought with them the reality of his situation.


    There had been no time to think, time was low and they''d had to escape, and then Raven had gone and Alayne had found him just in time to save him with a simple trick of sound, then saving Raven had been his goal and now, now they were travelling with nothing but the sound of the wind whistling through the canyon to occupy him.


    He''d spent his entire adult life chasing stories, trying to attach himself to those destined for fame or infamy and tell their tales and now the greatest story of his life was unfolding and it had found him for a change, unfortunately it was likely to end with him dead.


    How could a simple bard take down the leader of most of the known world, an infamous madman with power beyond reason.


    Even if he did, would the....Greymen simply kill him anyway.


    Just knowing they existed out there sent shivers down his spine, he tried not to dwell too hard on them and focused on the tasks before him that weren''t insane.


    Get to Dread cove on the east coast and find passage.


    Convince the Captain to take AJ, hopefully he''d come back for the boy but there was no way he''d take him on a suicide mission and whilst not quite sane the Captain could be trusted to look after his ward.


    Then he could make landfall and put together a band of lovable and hopefully useful outcasts from people who owed him favours.


    These were the things he could do, focus on these and then move to the impossible after.


    Every fibre of his being told him to drop the man hanging off his shoulder, throw the skull as far as possible and run with AJ as fast and as far as he could.


    But then he saw their faces again, dead and almost rotten, less life than most corpses staring at him and warning him.


    They would find him and that would be that.


    No, he needed to push ahead and get them on a ship. It was between 3 and 4 days to Dread cove if he had to guess, although that was optimistic with Raven as he was. Alayne was under no delusions, he''d stopped the young man from bleeding to death but that was it, he still needed real help. There was a small village a day from the cove he hoped he could find help in, otherwise it was pure luck whether Raven made it further in this journey.

 Chapter 9: Part of a Plan

    They left the rocky passage not long past dawn as Alayne had hoped and they were met with a dirt road that lay shadowed under a canopy of forest as far as they could see. Alayne could only tell the passage of time from the odd glimpse he got through well placed leaves, at one point he''d had AJ climb up for a better view as he''d lost all sense of time.


    Despite his warnings he''d looked directly at the sun as he pointed out its position, which was near to setting. The poor boy had spent the rest of the day rubbing at his eyes and complaining of spots.


    They travelled in silence as Alayne was aware that dark roads like this were perfect places for ambushes to come from bandits and their ilk. But the first day passed without incident, they saw no trouble and in fact saw no one at all, which wasn''t unexpected. No roads connected with this one yet, it only went to the Valley they had just left and most locals gave the area a wide berth due to superstition.


    On top of that, Alayne imagined word had spread of a war camp settling there and that would hardly increase foot traffic.


    The first night was just as quiet, Alayne had made a small fire despite his better judgement as he watched his ward shiver in the cold and Raven couldn''t afford to let the cold grab him in his weakened state. He was pale as a sheet and had been barely responsive throughout the day.


    He''d sat at the edge of the fire trying to watch all avenues that a potential threat might come from, he wasn''t used to being this wary or this tired. His eyes were trying to betray him and he found himself drifting off for moments at a time and waking in panic, checking on his companions before returning to his watch.


    "I can wa...wa..wa"


    Alayne was startled as he turned to look at Surrich, cradled in AJ''s arms as he lay on his side.


    "You need rest. I do no...no...no"


    He really did not want to entrust the watch to a disembodied head he''d known for a day, but he knew he couldn''t keep this up the rest of the night let alone the rest of the journey.


    Alayne sighed and got to his feet, gently easing the skull from AJ''s sleeping grasp and trying to not grimace as his hands made contact with the dry flaky bits of leftover skin and chipped bone.


    "Put me up hi...hi"


    Alayne had the manners not to bring up the speech issues, but he did find them a tad annoying as he slipped Surrich on top of the trunk and between two branches above where Raven and AJ had bedded down for the night.


    Taking the wide brimmed hat from his head he sat down low against a long and bulky root, letting his head rest against it and placing the hat over his face before taking it off just for a moment to shoot a look at the eyeless skull


    "The slightest noise..."


    "I will wake yo..yo...yo"


    He let the hat drop and quickly fell into a much needed sleep.


    The next day went much the same as the first, with very little conversation although Raven was slightly more agile with a little of the blood returning to his face, every few hours he managed to walk unaided using his sheathed blade as a support before returning to rest on Alaynes almost unfeeling shoulders.


    He even managed to carry conversation whilst moving and despite his slow pace and occasional gasp, it started to feel a bit like how they''d started their journey together months ago walking with the army around them, marching towards nothing.


    "Why did you come back for me?" where the first words he spoke around midday on the 2nd day.


    "I assumed you were doing something reckless and na?ve, was I right?" he''d almost fallen into the room and watched the old farmer slice into Raven, he hadn''t had time to process what was happening, just act.


    Raven let out a weak single chuckle.


    "I thought I could end it all, stop the battle, save those men, redeem my name"


    "But you weren''t expecting Jaycob," Alayne added, not as a question. The farmer had done a lot worse to a lot of the noble born judging by the blood Alayne had half paid attention to, although his sympathy was hard to find.


    "Jaycob was a good man who has had a hard life that I haven''t helped with. But that wasn''t him-" he clenched a fist and drove the top of his sheath into the mud with more force than necessary. "I needed more time, something had happened, something that could have been avoided...his family...All these mistakes, all my fault"


    He was a young man, Alayne forgot that sometimes, and he had made the mistakes of a young man but he also carried the responsibilities of those well past him in years.


    "Maybe it was your fault Raven, maybe it wasn''t, either way nothing can change now. But try and think what would have changed had you taken different paths. Would more people have survived, I don''t think so, not really, and you''d still be able to blame yourself just in a slightly different way."


    "Is that supposed to console me? My actions were unimportant as fate conspired against me"


    Alayne let out a laugh and AJ did the same although he was scampering around showing Surrich every tree for some reason and had only laughed to feel included.


    "I don''t believe in fate, although if Greymen are real then who''s to say Fate isn''t as well, some old crone sat spinning webs each one of us must trace along before we die. No, none of that Orc shit." He held a hand up to reel himself back in "In a roundabout way Raven what I am saying is stop looking back at mistakes and look forward. We have been set an impossible task but this would redeem your name, this would save more than a small army, it would save an entire species of people, more than one in fact."


    This had not been when Alayne had expected to sell the journey to his fallen friend but it had come up naturally and he may be more inclined in his weakened state.


    "You have been set the task bard"


    There was a choice here, play to his naivety or play to the hero Raven expected himself to be. He rolled the dice in his mind as there was no time for logic to pick one.


    "Then I set you the task Raven, save me, save the world, help me kill the ruler of the Red Empire"


    Play to the hero, everyone wanted to be one really and Raven had been forced to play that role for so long; would he be drawn to it once more?


    They walked in silence for what remained of the morning, Alayne could see the thoughts playing through the mind of Raven as they sat down for a midday break.


    "What''s left for me in Rha''Vander?"


    "Sod all my friend. A life in hiding or behind bars, or a very short life on a gallows. If you must go home then do it as a hero, Raven Broken Oath, Ender of Empires, they will sing your songs for centuries"


    Raven hung his head, Alayne had won but he hid his grin.


    "I don''t want songs"


    Alayne waved the comment away but said nothing.


    It was a lie surely, everyone wanted songs sung about them.


    Alayne had travelled this part of Rha''vander some time ago and he knew there was a crossroads that he had hoped to meet towards the end of the 2nd day, he was disappointed but not surprised that they didn''t and it wasn''t until the middle of the 4th day that they finally came across it. He knew from there it was a day at normal pace to the town of Shale, but at their current pace it was more likely 2 or even 3.


    It was more likely they''d find more people now they were on more travelled roads, this was the main path that the lower eastern towns and cities could travel to get onto the Kings road and get to the capital or Stonehold or any other major holding. If luck was on their side then maybe a merchant would be coming along and would give them a ride in exchange for a song.


    But until such a time they continued on foot, resting frequently where Raven needed it.


    Whilst they hadn''t yet found transport, things did pick up slightly, now they were well away from the army and their end goal not too far away spirits began to brighten slightly. Alayne allowed AJ to jump into the weeds alongside them as they walked to chase insects and Alayne pretended to inspect them when he excitedly brought a particularly juicy one to him. The boy''s natural unkillable childlike wonder and joy was nicely contagious and, despite his muscles aching and the knowledge of his duties crushing down on him Alayne found himself with a slight spring in his step, even Raven managed the odd laugh when AJ choked on a particularly unwilling butterfly.


    As the day turned to dusk Alayne had somehow been talked into letting AJ ride atop his shoulders when his feet had gotten tired, despite the fact he had to check his shoulders were still there as he''d not had feeling in them for days. Luckily Raven was pushing himself and using his sword more and more to make his own way although he was still far too pale and unable to go without resting for very long. AJ was using Surrich''s mouth to catch fireflies and mosquitoes and laughing as they flew out the bottom of where his neck should have been.


    Despite his laughs he grunted in a serious tone to Alayne


    "Yes, I have...parts of a plan"


    Curious grunts from above


    The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.


    "Very dangerous, but think of the story we will be able to write" It seemed AJ hadn''t fully grasped the nature of the Greymen''s request and Alayne would allow him to live in blissful ignorance for as long as possible.


    "Kant rit if dead"


    Alayne stopped in his tracks, he had hoped for the longest time that eventually AJ would be able to pick up some common, but to have his first words be so macabre was a slight shock.


    "I was really hoping you''d say something more optimistic or inspiring with your first words in the common tongue. But let''s just get to Shale, we''ll sort Raven, get a drink and we''ll talk about this properly. Ok?"


    Silence from above, he trusted Alayne, and if nothing else Alayne was determined to make sure that trust didn''t go unbroken.


    He wouldn''t leave AJ, he knew what that kind of abandonment did to a child all too well, he''d just be putting him in someone''s care for a short time.


    There was a short grunt after some time from above;


    People


    "Go into the bushes and follow alongside us, do not come out unless I say so."


    With his ward secure Alayne pressed forward to the wounded former stoneoath and together they continued as calmly as they could, Raven doing his best to straighten his posture and not rely on his blade. Alayne unslung his lute for the first time in days and looked as unsuspecting as possible.


    This was Alayne Ducard at his finest though, putting on a mask and causing a scene, hopefully they were just travellers on the road like they were, maybe a farmer and his wife, although not that farmer, perhaps even a petty thief the three could intimidate and steal from as a cruel twist of fate.


    As they moved forward, an entertainer and his guard, nothing more, the figures AJ had seen came into view for the two humans.


    He stepped ahead and pressed his fingers onto his lute with confidence, straightening his posture, shushing his screaming bones and muscles and putting on his best charming bardic grin.


    The further his legs carried him the more he could make out ahead of him, shadowy figures forming in the distance, one, two then three, he stopped as they began to close the gap themselves and 2 more figures became clear as they did, Alayne was sure they weren''t moving until he stopped, they were either scared as they were or they''d been waiting for fools to cross their path.


    Should he be strong or should he be playful, he had to think of his companions as well what part they....


    His lute dropped to the ground as he was forced to take a step back, half turning as he did so as another bolt grazed his cheek and flew behind him.


    He could feel the warm blood trickling down his face and more along his ribs, he managed a glance down to see a thin bolt from a crossbow with dazzlingly white fletching now flecked with his own admittedly gorgeous blood.


    He looked up and took a step forward not sure what he was planning to do, he was in shock, unable to think or hear beyond his own heartbeat thumping in his ears. Raven dashed forward, longsword drawn and wounds clearly forgotten for the moment as adrenaline took over.


    Alayne moved to follow, the only thing he could think to do when another bolt hit him low and sent him flying onto his lute in a heap, he heard a crack but there was nothing he could do about it, his hands slipped as he tried to move himself, his legs no longer answered his call.


    Raven was alert, hand tightly on his sword ready to draw in an instant, his shoulder ached and had started to burn recently but it was fading as adrenaline began to take over, let the bard talk, he reminded himself, this could be nothing.


    The bard stopped.


    Raven was barely 2 steps behind.


    There was a moment of tension, what was the bard waiting for....


    Click


    A tiny sound Raven wasn¡¯t even sure he heard, until the dull sound of the bolt hitting its target followed it up, the bard spun.


    Click


    Another impact but Raven was already away, moving past the bard, his sword drawn in one hand and the pain pushed far into the recesses of his mind, along with the shame, the guilt, the fear, the self hate, all saved for a later day.


    Click


    Another bolt, this time Raven saw it fly past him and heard the crunch as Alayne dropped, he was alone and there were 5 enemies in front of him, but these weren''t exiled farmers seeking revenge for abandoned oaths, these were petty criminals looking to take down unsuspecting travellers, this was the kind of fight the Flock trained for, this was were he flourished.


    He closed the gap, no more bolts had followed, so 3 were using crossbows, he needed to take them before they could redraw them or stay close enough to their party that they became useless. He got to the first, he didn''t see if it was a man or a woman, he couldn''t have recounted what clothes they wore or the colour of their hair, Raven simply ended them with a deep slice, ripping them apart like he had the rabbit AJ had hunted for them the night before. A simple act of nature that Raven was already past, looking at the second and closing the gap.


    Click


    He ran, turning and raising his sword for the second, not two steps from the first but half facing his living companions deciding whether to run or fight, this one was a young man holding up nothing more than a dagger, Raven meant to smash through his sad defence and split his head like firewood but he stumbled to the left, the bolt sticking out of his side, his sword toppled from his grip and fell behind him clattering on the dry dirt road they all stood on.


    Now the knife came for him, the boy had found his confidence again now his foe was hurt, Raven tussled and wrestled, he was a thin but strong man, even injured he would get the better of his opponent.


    There were screams coming from behind him, not Alayne or AJ, the shooters, but there was no time to look, the knife was-


    Click


    -Close to both their throats, Raven pushed it a fraction more towards the young mans when another thud, this time in his back sent him flying with all his weight onto the boy and they both toppled into the bushes, Raven felt the life leaving him, the blood running down his side already pooling in his well worn boots and more running down his back and grouping at the ringmail tied at his waist.


    There were shouts all around now, but Raven couldn''t move, all he could see was the young man in front of him, scared and dying as his knife lay impaled in his own throat. Raven''s vision started to darken and they locked eyes as they both faded.


    Alayne lifted his heavy head from the ground, AJ was running towards him, a small knife in his hands and the red blood of humans not the dark green of his own kind covering him. He grabbed Alayne by the shoulder and tried to drag him away, Alayne struggled but managed to get out a strained


    "RUN!"


    Cliched as it was, Alayne had no time to spout something more uniquely Alayne in the moment.


    Another bolt smashed into the lute Alayne had managed to drag from under him and it now lay between AJ and his own barely lifted head, the bolt now sticking out the side.


    "Leave AJ"


    Alayne tried to push him away but he had no strength, the boy was stubborn, Alayne was weak and he realised far too late that they were out of time. Only 3 of their attackers remained, one hobbling alone behind the others gave Alayne a swift kick in the ribs as he reached them.


    They surrounded AJ who was trying his best to defend them both.


    Alayne tried to rise and would be kicked or stepped on as AJ stabbed at them with a nasty looking serrated knife, where had he got that?


    Alayne knew it wouldn''t be enough, they were toying with him.


    When AJ stabbed at one, another would push him from behind with the butt of his crossbow or the tip of their boot.


    They were angry but they were enjoying toying with him


    "What is it? Well trained dog?"


    Kick


    "Nah it''s gargoyle, must be cursed or summet."


    AJ missed a stab.


    "Could be a kid? All deformed and like."


    Smack.


    "We could keep it, cage it and have fools pay to hit or...ahh."


    AJ finally caught one, the knife driving deep into the calf muscle and he screamed like a dropped baby when he jumped in and ripped it back out again.


    This was the turning point, no longer a game and AJ knew it, he tried to run now, but it was too late, they surrounded him again this time with more malice, no more jokes or laughing.


    Alayne could hear his cries and see them slicing and beating him.


    He tried to get up.


    He fell again.


    His vision faded from the pain but he forced himself back, no time for blackouts.


    Save the boy, the only thought in this head.


    He reached for his lute, cracked and impaled, just out of reach.


    Save the boy.


    He managed to get his fingers to find the familiar ground of its strings and play one simple note.


    Just one simple note, a note played a hundred times for thousands of different people, each one leaving happy and enthralled at his performance. But this one simple note was changed now, he didn¡¯t know how he did it or why it had come to him, but he knew that he could change it.


    It was their, in front of him, like a leaf in the breeze, not heard but seen and with his little remaining strength he plucked the note out of the air in front of him, held it low and then with every ounce of strength he raised his hand, and as the tune rang through the scene of death and brutality it changed as he moved it.


    As his hand rose higher as did the note


    Higher


    Higher


    Higher


    The 3 had stopped now, they dropped their weapons, putting their hands on their ears , using their fingers to try and block out what only they were hearing.


    Higher


    Higher


    Panicked speech they couldn''t hear, a small trickle of blood running from their ear drums to line the edge of their jaws.


    Higher


    Higher


    They started to scratch, claw, gouge, using anything they had to cut the sound out, mutilating themselves to save themselves but the sound was inside of them.


    Higher


    Higher


    The screams stopped, the bodies dropped and Alayne Ducard let the note be carried on the winds, one simple note played a hundred times for a thousand people, no different now then when he''d first plucked it.


    He collapsed as he let go, the last thing he saw was the little body of AJ, his chest rising slowly and slower and then slower still.


    Alayne finally drifted off as he reached for AJ, no more energy left to spare as his fingers reached impotently out a hairs length away from the boys, he never saw AJ take his final breath, never saw his chest stop moving, for a long time the only thought that crossed Alayne''s mind as drifted at the edge of eternity was;


    Don''t leave the boy.


    Jaycob stood on a small wooden box sat in the bottom of a cart. He was looking out over the marshlands that contained hundreds of men and women who now lay dead or dying after what could barely be described as a battle.


    He looked at the abbey where he knew the bodies of his lords now sat in their own filth and blood, at least they wouldn''t walk away from this.


    The man in front of him had a heavy accent that wasn''t Rha''vandian and had been speaking for some time.


    "-last living leader of the treasonous-"


    He''d already heard most of this when General Kale had been hung.


    The former war hero was still dangling beside him, he''d cried silently and kept a brave face where possible, just like Jaycob he''d just wanted a quiet retirement after the horrors of Broken tooth beach.


    "Just slap the horse and get it over with, as a favour to me for doing in those lords who started all this."


    There was an uncomfortable shifting of feet from a few of the soldiers near the speaker, the ones who had found Jaycob hacking at the bodies of the long dead after Raven had left him.


    Jaycob didn''t care to explain himself, he was happy to go, he had just wanted to grow old and watch his family thrive and he never would so he may have well try to find them in whatever accounted for the next life.


    The non Rha''vandian flicked a hand and a man Jaycob couldn''t see smacked the backside of a horse and the cart beneath him started to roll forward.


    He tried to picture his son, long lost to him, before he went mad.


    He tried to picture his wife, long suffering who had stood by him.


    He tried to picture his little grandson, a ball of energy and trouble.


    All he could see; as his vision faded and his toes instinctively reached for a ground too far away, was the faces of the lords who had cost him everything and who''d he''d been more than happy to return the favour too.

 Chapter 10: The Captain

    Raven sat upright with a start and regretted it immediately. His whole body screamed at him to slow down, his side and shoulder were like fire when he moved; and then it all came flooding back. He''d been shot, twice and he''d fallen on top of some poor fool and now he was...here.


    Here was a small room roughly the size of his office back in Burtyne, he lay in a bed that was tatty and discoloured, almost as bad as his current clothing; his ringmail was gone and he couldn''t see it around the room, and his preferred black garments were replaced by a brown shirt that looked and smelled like it had started white and ridiculous knee high trousers that were striped dark red and a brown or yellow colour, they didn''t fit or suit him.


    Just past the rotten wooden bedframe stood a rusty wash basin decorated with bloody bandages, there were no windows, just a small lantern swinging gently on the ceiling and a half burnt candle stood on a knee high cabinet that illuminated the face of Alayne Ducard resting in a small wooden chair against the wall, the only other furniture to speak of.


    He had questions and he had pain and as he tried to gather the strength to sit he stared for a moment at the lantern above him.


    Why was it swinging?


    Then he smelt the salt in the air, heard the creak of the wood all around him and did his best to roll into a seated position.


    "You should stay down, you''ve been asleep for some time and the swaying takes some getting used to at the best of times."


    Even in the dull light of the candle Raven could see the weight on Alayne shoulders, he looked¡­broken in a way, he sounded like his usual self and looked like it for the most part, shoulder length mousy hair perfectly brushed, no more than a mornings worth of stubble and his clothes were as well tended as usual; wide brimmed hat and undirtied white shirt and perfect deep purple cloak trailing to his feet even in a seated position. Raven assumed it was some of the strange magic the bard was abusing to keep himself so, but despite all of the normality; something was gone, like a spark had gone from behind his eyes and he was doing his best to cover it.


    "Where?"


    He had more questions but the quick questions was all his mind could manage as he found the small movement of sitting up had drained him considerably and he was suddenly very worried by the nauseous feeling in stomach and how that would react to whatever wounds lay underneath his bandages.


    "We are somewhere at sea, doesn¡¯t get much more specific for me I''m afraid but our Captain will meet you soon enough and he should be able to tell you...well maybe. But if it helps we''ve been travelling for around 30 days, although that could be very wrong knowing this crew."


    He covered his mouth and tried to swallow what was slowly rising so he could speak but Alayne jumped up, oddly springy for someone who was shot not long ago, and placed a hand on Raven''s shoulder.


    "Luck. That''s how"


    Raven had been about to ask how they managed to get here and somehow the bard knew him well enough by this point.


    "A merchant came across the scene and took the only ones amongst the disaster that still breathed to Shale. Pure luck. Then it just so happened that several of the Captains crew are still alive since I last sailed with them and managed to recognise me and get us both to his ship. We are alive thanks to pure luck, but then I suppose we only almost died due to luck as well."


    Raven nodded, he knew this was the way of things for a soldier or fighter, sometimes the arrow hit its mark and sometimes the wind took it a fingernail to the left. Surviving battles was more luck than skill despite all the songs people like Alayne loved to parrot.


    30 days at sea, leaving his home for the first time and leaving everything he was behind as well.


    There was one further question Raven had, an absence that was obvious and one that would explain the dark pits under the bard''s eyes. Raven didn''t want to ask it, the answer was clear.


    He didn''t speak but Alayne knew what he wanted to ask, there was a knowing glance between them just for a moment and the bard said nothing before turning away and picking the lute up from beside the chair Raven had first seen him in.


    Raven was sure he had a memory of the bard falling onto his prize instrument but the object looked as well put together as it always did, same scratches and signs of wear but no new cracks that stood out as Raven assumed they would.


    "Get rest Raven, we¡¯ll go see the Captain when you''re ready"


    He lay back down and stared once again at the gently swaying lantern overhead as the door closed announcing Alaynes exit.


    Alayne returned to Raven''s room every day whilst he recovered, there was no one else aboard the pirate vessel that would see to the man so Alayne had made the job his. It kept him distracted for a time, keep Raven alive and forget about what must be done and who was lost, just focus on the task at hand.


    Unfortunately Raven was not one to be fussed over and as he became more mobile Alayne had more and more time with his own thoughts and losses.


    Every time he closed his eyes he could see himself reaching for AJ, always falling short as his screams echoed around him.


    He was ashamed to say he had considered some kind of memory magic, he knew it had been a common occurrence for mages in the old days, or course he was not one though and he had not wanted to forget or forgive himself for the loss of life.


    Alayne had also tried to recapture the magic he had conjured during the fight, the strange physical note he had created and manipulated but this had also escaped him, although to say his heart was in it would be a lie. His magic wasn''t something practiced either, the old stories mention mages training like a soldier trains with a sword or pike, Alayne could just do it, somehow so his efforts were useless.


    He had managed to lift his spirits slightly by playing for the crew, a hardened set of men and women who were all broad as they were dim but loved a good night of drinking and singing. Alayne had played alongside Shard, a one legged grey haired fellow who was only slightly terrible at playing the accordion. They''d shared some songs and played as a duet for many of the nights since Alayne had woken aboard the ship, it was highly likely he had fallen into the role of entertainer due to his age as it was clearly not his calling in life, but the crew were happy to hear him and even happier to hear Alayne compliment him.


    Their first night he''d played in the mess area, a sea of hammocks and badly worn tables on a floor covered in wet and often sticky straw. It stank of sweat, mould and stale ale although the atmosphere rivalled any tavern he''d played, but he''d not returned. He''d dragged everyone to the main deck to dance and drink under the stars and the Captain hadn''t minded, he would never say no to drink. He''d danced with a balding woman named Saraya with 8 fingers who he remembered from years before, although she had 10 fingers then and more teeth, it just so happened that she had been one of the sailors in Shale that had found him and Raven.


    "Barely recognised you when the cart pulled up, your face..."


    Alayne had cut off her with a brush of her cheek that had brought her back to the present.


    "I''m glad I left such an impression all those years ago"


    She''d gone red at his distraction and their night in public had ended there.


    He''d also drunk himself silly with a red haired elf named Co''lataria''iun, the crew called him Cole and he swore blind he was the last of the royal elven blood still alive and Alayne had laughed him off.


    "I am the rightful king of the elves!" he''d proclaimed loudly from atop a barrel, he''d been met many boos and jeers and more than a few half empty mugs were thrown his way.


    "If you''re a king than the Captain is the head of the Royal scholars"


    The crew had erupted into laughter and Cole had stormed off, fallen down the hatch to the lower decks and then drunkenly stormed off again, this time with a slight limp.


    The most recent nights he''d spent looking for the gnomish crewman, he''d never met a gnome and as he had recalled to Raven, they were thought to be extinct and whilst he feared when sober that the crew may have been mocking him he couldn''t pass up a chance to meet one in the flesh and gather his story. So days were spent looking in barrels and chests for tiny rooms or studying every corner or any room he could find to look for tiny holes that a very small person may make their home.


    He was disappointed day after day, but well enough distracted by his new hobbies to not think too long on any particular thing.


    Currently he found himself stumbling down damp creaky hallways passing time until either Raven was fit enough to seek the Captain or another night of drinking could begin. He didn''t quite fancy facing the ship''s captain alone, he was a good friend and one of the few Alayne could count on but he was...difficult, and the thought of explaining his plan to him was not one he was eager to do, better to wait until everyone was together, it would also allow him more time to form his plan, it was still in...pieces in his mind.


    He''d known the simple minded Captain a long time, trading passage for infamy, the oddest trade Alayne had made but one of the few that are well within his skill set to do. He''d been on the run for quite awhile before falling in with the Captain. His tales and performances had been labelled heresy and treason, the simple tales of current wrongdoings, songs of lost legends who stood up to tyranny, musical numbers cheering on revolutions that tried but failed to change the world. Despite his failures the empire had put a black mark against his name which forced him to flee as a traitor.


    The mad pirate had asked for Alayne to make him known far and wide as the most fearsome pirate in the world and not the small-time smuggler he currently was.


    He had written the ballad of the ''Daring Dread Pirate C '' and done his best to bestow it on people any time they had stopped in a port of degenerates or his time in Rha''vander, passing it from bard to bard, many voices working as one to tell the tale of the fearsome pirate who ruled the waves sending even the Emperor himself into fits of night terrors when he heard his name.


    It had worked and he''d turned him into a legend hunted by the fleets of the Royal navy, a gift only this particularly mad pirate would want.


    "How long have you been there?" Alayne had almost been caught lost in his past but he had experienced the Greymens strange method of apparition twice now already.


    There was the smallest of pause and Alayne grinned to himself knowing she was surprised he had felt them approach.


    "I see you are rested and recovered, remarkably faster than your friend as well, another part of your gift?"


    "Not that I know of, I suppose I just got lucky, perhaps also I am more used to taking a beating than the Stoneoath"


    Or maybe it was magic? Alayne honestly didn¡¯t know.


    She made a noise that casted doubt on him but moved on in her emotionless tone.


    "What is your plan Ducard? I gather we are not heading for the mainland given our bearing?"


    "We are heading for Cornostus, I have people to gather and a plan to expand on"


    He was really tempted to make things up as he went along, it worked so well normally, but he was putting people in danger and more importantly putting himself in danger for this so maybe having at least some notes jotted down would be a start.


    "I am not in the habit of repeating myself, unless it''s a performance or someone is hard of hearing, or if I''m just trying to annoy someone, so I will reveal all when the Raven is back on his feet and we all meet with our gracious host and Captain"


    "Tread carefully Alayne, your...gifts have uses to us but that doesn''t mean you can be so openly contentious"


    He kept his face as calm as he could but his mouth was twitching up slightly beyond his control, he was getting under the skin of an immortal legend. He may be marching towards his own end but he was going to have fun doing it, starting with breaking the Grey''s. He was sure there was some humanity still there underneath the centuries of misery.


    They were gone before he could respond further, they spoke of his gifts but they seemed to have their own beyond unending life, although Alayne believed that was more a curse.


    Raven lost count of the following days, he had grown tired of the Bards attempt to nurse him to health, guilt was weighing heavily on him as it always did, everything he left behind to adventure in a new land, and now the knowledge that AJ had died because he''d been to weak to move faster, dragging them back and not fighting hard enough. He couldn''t bare to look into the bagged eyes of the bard, he didn''t blame Raven or if he did he hid it extremely well but Raven knew where the fault lay.


    He''d lost his appetite for stories about the empire and the strange races and creatures he may see, it had been good to hear them when they were almost fanciful tales told on the march to war but it was real now and the more he knew the more real it got and the heavier his past seemed to drag him back into despair.


    His body was still aching but no worse than after a hard day''s training compared to the almost scream-inducing pain he''d felt when he first tried to get up days before. He finally raised himself out of bed and stumbled to the door. He was unused to sea travel but had heard stories of people not having ''sea legs'' and assumed he was one of those people, his stomach turned and his legs couldn''t figure out which step to take. He rinsed his mouth from the wash basin and kept his hands outstretched to either side, ready to push off whichever wall he fell into first.


    If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    Although he had no experience on boats, he had seen many as they passed through Burtyne, merchant vessels mostly and although he expected a vessel used for the open seas to be bigger by some size compared than the smaller vessels than skirted the rivers and coasts of Rha''vander, he had still expected something less than this.


    Even without getting outside he could feel how large this boat was, the hallway in front of him was more than a few strides long and had many doors on the inner wall that hung open, revealing more rooms similar to his. It had clearly seen better days as some of the rotting floorboards groaned under his boots and the sunlight stabbed him in the eyes whenever he passed one the many small holes in the outer wall, luckily these were all above sea level however, but even with the rot and the holes Raven was impressed, the apparent vastness taking his mind away from the misdeeds of the recent past, curiosity started to peak its way back into his mind despite him not inviting it.


    It took him far longer than he would care to admit to reach the top of the boat, the hallways were almost maze-like but he had finally found a staircase that lead up and had thought his quest over, his body ached, his belly moaned from the gentle swaying of the sea and his balance was still yet to return. The small mess he''d made in a hallway that no one had been around to see was hopefully starting to seep between the floorboards by the time he reached the main floor, which was the wrong word he was sure but he wasn''t in the mind for recalling sailor speak he''d overheard in passing over the years.


    It was only 10 maybe 15 steps up and he could smell the fresh sea air and taste the salt stronger, but it was hard, every step was a mission of placing one foot down, checking his balance and then throwing the rest of himself forward, there were no guard rails of course and he refused to climb up on all fours like some kind of animal.


    By the time he finally got his head out into the open, and could use the damp wooden flooring to pull himself up, he felt like he could go back to lie down, but he smothered that temptation and instead pushed himself unsteadily to his feet. He was in the middle of the...deck, the word came back to him without much effort at last, he stumbled from left to right trying his best to hide it but the large wooden columns for the sails where to far in front and behind him to reach and the splintered, often broken railings along the decj was even further; there was nothing to steady him.


    There was an open door in front of him with stairs on either side leading up to another level of the deck, he decided that was his best bet, get to the door and try to steady himself. One unfortunately timed wave hit the boat below though and sent him falling the wrong way, his mind was already racing, trying to figure out how he''d get back up with nothing to steady himself or should he swallow his pride and crawl to the doorway, still hanging open, inviting him, mocking him, but he didn''t need to overthink or try and catch himself on some sailor passing at the wrong time, instead he stopped as soon as his footing left him.


    He was caught by someone, a hard and strong grip had him by his elbow and as Raven looked all he could see was a tall, broad but shadowed visage as the sun hung at the wrong height.


    "Come boy, let''s get ya sat down now"


    Raven had been taking small steps since his journey started but his new companion was having none of that, he took long purposeful strides, Raven was almost dragged after him, if he felt too embarrassed to crawl to his target he had no words for how this felt. He imagined he looked like a young child dancing with an elder, the points of his feet skipped along the floor making occasional contact as this monster of a man ushered him into a room and almost forced him into one of 3 chairs that faced a large wall sized window opposite the door he''d entered through. The chairs were sturdy and felt less rotted than the floor he''d been walking on or the walls he''d shimmied along, they were gold in colour but judging from the chips and splinters it was colour only, the chair alongside him was empty and in the 3rd sat Alayne, foot resting on the opposite knee and lute resting between the chair leg and his own, he flicked the tip of his wide brimmed hat up and locked eyes with the man who had dragged Raven in.


    In front of them both, as Raven had already seen, stood a tall, broad man, but without the sun covering him Raven could now see the long dark red jacket that reached to his boots complete with gold trim although looking at the spots of brown poking through it was a gold as the chairs they sat on. He wore rings and other jewellery on everyplace Raven could see, every finger was covered with rubies, emeralds and gold, ears pierced through multiple heights with hoops and studs shining in them; gold, silver, copper and necklaces with various symbols, some of religions Raven recognised and all encrusted with jewels of purples, reds, oranges and more. His dark skin was a green similar to that of AJ although made to look lighter by his thick dark beard flecked with grey and black leather eye patch covering his right eye, his one good eye was a piercing yellow that almost matched his many golden ornaments and on top his bald head sat the familiar tricorn hat of a captain, with similar reds and golds of his jacket. His face was well weathered with scars and wrinkles and he was clearly taking his time assessing Raven.


    He flicked his eye to the Bard and spoke in a low grumbling language as he flicked his eye to Raven.


    "You can speak plainly Captain, Raven can be trusted I assure you"


    As easy as that the Captain visibly relaxed and sat back in his fake gold high backed chair and slammed both his feet on a large redwood desk covered with more baubles and papers which divided them from him.


    "So, what we doing Ducard?"


    "Cornostus, as discussed"


    "Don''t tease me with half answers lad, what''s there? You''ve binn in hiding on that little patch of boredom for all this time and now out of the blue you come back to me almost dead needing transport and all you can tell me is Cornostus? That is place is deader than the quiet ones'' fashion sense."


    "These are you--" Raven blurted out but was cut off by Alayne


    "I won''t say any more old friend"


    "Because...."


    The Bard sighed, the sigh of the defeated, which was odd as the conversation had barely started and the Bard seemed to love outfoxing people with words or tying them up in their own thoughts.


    "Because I''m not sure if I want you to follow me, I''m not adept at leading friends to ill fates"


    Raven almost jumped out his seat as the great green man in front of him almost put his fist through his desk as he slammed it down and shouted.


    "AHAAA, I knew you were doing something stupid" He locked eyes with Raven and pointed to Alayne "This lad always tells you he''s just there to ''observe the story'' or ''find his muesli'' whatever that means, but he can''t help but get involved can ye lad? Always saving and scheming."


    He laughed and Raven was sure he saw the large glass panes shake in their frames behind him, a booming roar that filled the room.


    "So who are we killing, when and how?"


    Raven was now sitting at the edge of his seat, the Captain was fascinating, the second goblin Raven had met but fully grown and fully mad by the sight of things, AJ couldn''t speak but seemed to understand what was happening around him, the Captain seemed almost the complete opposite.


    Alayne locked eyes with them both, then smiled that stupid smile of his.


    "We are going to kill, the current ruler of the Red Empire, Emperor Animatatus"


    The large overly jewelled goblin set his feet down and leaned forward, resting his elbows on his desk he lit a thick cigar then cracked a smile that sent a shiver down Ravens spine.


    "Well lad, I don''t see ye for years and you come back and drop a present like that on my table, knew there was a reason not to kill you all those years ago"


    Was he excited for this? He seemed to be almost shaking with excitement as he spoke.


    "Good, we are finally all up to speed, Ducard, can you finally share with us your grand plan for doing this. Me and Educai are most...intrigued, and more importantly, impatient."


    The Greymen spoke from Raven''s side, he hadn''t been looking, as he¡¯d been trying to follow the conversation, but he was sure they weren''t there a second ago when he¡¯d been dragged in.


    "Where those folks always there?"


    The Captain''s brow was heavily furrowed as he looked from one to the other.


    "No Captain, I suspect not, they do this often"


    "Ahh, that''s good then, would have felt rude not offering them a chair. Welcome strange grey people, I only got that seat left but you can share or one can sit on the floor, can''t say I care either way."


    Adeline said nothing as she moved past Raven and stood at the small end of pirates desk and Educai was unsurprisingly quiet, Raven was not sure if this was a choice or not, and he took the opposite side of the table, brushing past Alayne as he did so. They stood almost blocking the strange captain from escaping although he seemed either unaware or unbothered by this.


    "Suit yourselves then"


    He puffed large streams of smoke towards the pale man before returning his attention to the Bard.


    "Well, first things first I believe formal introductions are our next step. Firstly Raven Stoneoath, breaker of oaths, traitor to the crown and former captain of the acclaimed Flock, Adeline and Educai the Shadowsouled or Greymen or I believe the Orcish call them the Ill-Fated, immortal killers who apparently outsource their work these days and our eccentric host is the ''dread pirate C''...Captain Orc one of few pirates left standing in the seas of the empire."


    He pointed to each of them as he spoke their names, he was rushing but even so there was a sense of grandiose whenever he pointed to one of them, like whenever he announced someone it would fit perfectly well at a royal ball or something similar.


    Raven recalled the song the bard had sung for his flock that first day in the Nest and then he heard a second later what Alayne had called him.


    "I think it is Brokenoath now, Alayne"


    Alayne nodded.


    "I stand corrected, Raven Brokenoath"


    Raven had more to say before the conversation moved past him.


    "Captain ''Orc'' so you''re an Orc? Not a Goblin?"


    Alayne had mentioned orcs but Raven hadn''t really gone through descriptions of the different races, he''d taken the various names in and assumed he would never need to know much else.


    This question was a bad one apparently as it caused the cigar to fall out of Captain Orcs open mouth mid puff, tumble to the desk spilling ash around it and causing the corners of several papers to curl up and catch fire.


    "Goblin? Do I look like some cave dwelling primitive who thinks the finer things in life are finding a particularly juicy rock slug and not getting the runs after slurping it down? I AM AN ORC. If my old friend didn''t tell me you''d been in a cult for years ya wouldn''t be getting the benefit of me doubt, nah I''d be tying a rope around your feet and using you as an anchor next time we make port instead."


    Raven was blushing, what did he mean by cult? What had Alayne been saying? But he really didn''t want to ask more questions now, he didn''t want to risk further outbursts.


    He''d not expected to be so out of his depth, well he had in a way but he''d not been ready for it to become so apparent so quickly, his mouth had gone dry but he managed a muted apology as Captain Orc swept up his cigar and patted out the small fire that had ruined 2 blank pieces of paper and one more than appeared to have nothing more on it than a badly drawn picture of a pair of breasts.


    "Captain, Raven is born and bred of Rha''vander, you know they lack the experience of the rest of us. Goblins, Orcs, magic it''s all new to him, I assure you he will adjust in time."


    "Argh, how much time?"


    Alayne tilted his head slightly and with one raised eyebrow looked at the Captain who responded


    "Fair enough"


    Raven was exhausted, his body call for rest already and his mind was reeling from conversations he could barely follow that had only just begun


    "Ducard! Stop deflecting, We need to know you have a real plan to end Animatatus'' life, you simply cannot fathom the world you will be living in if he achieves his goals"


    Adeline had leaned forward slightly to speak, she hadn''t raised her voice nor did she tense up like many who were angry did, but the fury and threat in her words made them all take note.


    Alayne sighed and straightened up in his chair, placing his resting foot down as he did so.


    "My only plan so far is to try and capture one of his sons, if we threaten his legacy or line then we may be able to draw him out somewhere or force some kind of mistake on his part. I''ve been talking to the sailors and I''m aware things haven''t changed for the better since I left, the Emperor is rarely if ever seen in public, rumours swirl that he is dead and one of his children secretly run things, if this is false then we need him out in the open"


    "We don''t care about his family and neither does he. His goal is to become immortal, to live and rule as a god. If he manages this then he will likely end his line himself. You need to attack him head on, at the capital"


    Raven''s head was spinning, so much so quick, he needed time to think and organise.


    "You want me, a wanted man and nothing more than an illusionist with a lovely voice, fine smile, charismatic way with words, raw natural sexual appeal to all races and genders" he paused " lost my train of thought for a second there... and my only companions being a mad pirate who can barely follow instructions and an injured fighter to march through the Empire, up to the front gate of the palace and kill the most protected man in the world? I am sorry Addy but no, I will not end the story of Alayne Ducard in this way, if we do this we do it my way. We take out a son, and hope it draws him out, if it doesn''t it''s one less of the royal lineage to worry about when the war for power happens should we succeed."


    Raven had to agree, which shocked him, with the Bard''s words. It was a barely thought out plan but compared to the alternative it made some sense. Addy, nope Adeline (he wasn''t nearly as comfortable disrespecting whatever they were yet), was gripping the end of Captain Orcs desk, he doubted the others could see it but her knuckles were going even paler as the Bard spoke.


    "This is not a negotiation, Ducard, our role, and yours by proxy is to eliminate the threat of anyone becoming immortal, I could not care less about what happens after, if this world wants to burn itself to ash trying to fill that monster''s throne then so be it. But you will kill him" She hissed


    "Excuse me ignorance but if ya don''t care about the world burning then why bother stopping him? Seems like a waste of time and effort."


    Captain Orc blew further smoke at Educai, who continued to ignore it, as he spoke.


    "Why can''t you do it? Forgive me for not fully understanding this world but you seem to be able to appear wherever you wish. Surely it would be easier for the two of you to slip in and assassinate the man"


    Raven challenged them as well, his mind finding the time to catch up as Captain Orc spoke.


    Adeline looked at him, for the briefest flash there was a look one might give a child who had fallen and banged their knee. Raven had a flash of anger but he hid his frustration and met her gaze waiting for his answer. He knew this game, like speaking to nobility back home, hiding your anger at their pettiness and grinding the information you want out of them whilst they patronise you.


    "What happens to mortals Captain and your world is not our concern, empires crumble and implode and another comes, death comes for all, or so it should. Our goal is to ensure immortality is never gained by another thing, what happens elsewhere or why we have no interest in. As for your question broken oath; We could attempt it ourselves. There is a good chance we would succeed, more chance than we believe you have anyway. But..." She paused, trying to put together how to explain something basic to an infant "But if we fail, he would then have one or two immortals to experiment on and reach his goal faster. You think we are callous because we suggest throwing your lives away so easily. In truth it is because your death poses no risk to the world, nothing would change for the better or worse if you failed, we would find others and attempt this again. You are not the first and I doubt you will be the last. The world is full of aspiring heroes, fighters looking for honourable deaths and wicked men looking for excuses to kill.''


    Her words hit everyone in their own way, sucking the life from the room, did she know them well enough to name what they sought, he knew he fit one of those descriptions, or where the motives of people like them so predictable.


    "You also left this behind in Rha''Vander, I don''t know how else I can express the importance of not leaving immortal beings by the roadside for anyone to find"


    Even without emotion in her voice it sounded like they were being scolded by a teacher as at a brief motion of Adeline her male counterpart stepped forward and planted the sickly looking skull of Surrich on the desk in front of them.


    Alayne sat up now, he had forgotten the talking head completely since waking up at sea. He was no more fond of it now then he had been in Rha''Vander but he felt some guilt for leaving him behind and A...his apprentice had bonded with him rather quickly.


    "Sorry about A...A...A"


    Alayne waved him away and smiled as the skull as best he could


    "I''m sorry we left you, he''d be cross with me if he knew"


    There was a small horse chuckle that came from inside the head.


    Captain Orc was looking furiously between the 4 full bodied people in the room.


    "How be ya doin the talking without flapping ya gums?"


    Raven pointed to the skull which Captain Orc''s eye fixated on as if he''d completely missed Educai placing it on his desk moments ago.


    "Captain, meet Sturrich"


    "Nice to meet y..y..y"


    Alayne almost fell out his chair as Captain Orc launched the skull across the room where it missed Alayne by the narrowest of spaces and thudded off the heavy wooden door to the room.


    As he sat himself down once more Alayne was surprised to hear Raven laughing at the Captains antics


    "I did the exact same thing"


    Alayne waited for a moment before the realisation sunk in that the boy hadn''t gone chasing after the tossed head this time. He jumped up far too quickly to not look out of place and rubbed his eyes with the back of his hand as he picked Surrich up off the floor. The tattered flecks of burnt or rotten skin still felt disgusting when they touched his flesh.


    In a moment he found himself flung forward and left with his head spinning as he headbutted the frame of the door separating them from the rest of the ship.

 Chapter 11: Here there be men

    "So there I be..." Captain Orc replaced his red tricorn cap atop his bald green head "stood at me desk. Fresh hole put through both sides of me quarters-"


    "Captain"


    "Pale woman''s brains all over me drawings and her pasty friend splattered against one of me wall-"


    "Captain"


    He lit a cigar off a pile of papers that had somehow caught fire.


    "Angry and alive I gathered me crew of fighters and rallied them onto the attack, demanding no quarter be given on this day-"


    "CAPTAIN!" Alayne screamed as he fell against one wall, knocking parchment and splinters across the floorboards


    "What lad? I be telling a story"


    Raven was pulling himself up with the Captains blood stained desk, Adeline was scattered in pieces across it from the shoulders up. Educai''s legs were just visible, caught on a splint of wood that stuck out of the hole that had appeared on the other side of the room.


    "What story?"


    "The story, boy, of how I saved me ship and crew from an attack that killed these two grey buggers."


    Screams were sounding outside on the deck and Raven could hear the constant impacting of projectiles on water, wood and sometimes bodies.


    Alayne fell against the desk next to Raven


    "The story of now?! The thing that is happening right now?


    Captain Orc looked at Alayne for a moment, a thick eyebrow raised above his eyepatch confused, then he looked at the hole in either side of his cabin and then he took in the Greymen seemingly for the first time and stroked his beard in thought.


    "Ah right I see, I thought this was yesterday, sorry boys-" he stood abruptly and pulled a gold handled cutlass from his belt "let''s get going then AHHHH" and he jumped across the table with unexpected ease almost barrelling through both Raven and Alayne who shared a look with each other. In that moment even the ever confident Alayne seemed slightly unsure if they''d not have been better off dying on that shadowy road.


    He looked at the two Greymen one final time before grabbing his raven hilted sword he''d seen in an umbrella stand near the door.


    "Are they dead?"


    "They''ll come back," responded Alayne.


    "Are you sure?"


    "I don''t know, I''ve only killed them the once and it wasn''t this destructive"


    There was no time for further questions as they burst into the chaos.


    Alayne stumbled onto the deck, although he felt like his wounds had fully healed he didn''t want to test them, or gain anymore.


    "PLAY ME MUSIC"


    Captain Orc bellowed the order at the grey bearded man Alayne recognised as Shard who sat on the steps clinging to the railing as he suddenly leapt to his foot and began playing a jolly and quick paced tune on an accordion.


    They quickly passed and climbed the steps to the helm, from there they could all see what was attacking the. On the waves parallel sat a ship at least twice the size of Captain Orc''s pride and joy which wasn''t a particularly small ship in itself. The hull was a brilliant white and the only other detail from this distance was the large white sails larger than Alayne had ever seen adorned with a red tidal wave covering half of them.


    The Emperor''s fleet.


    "AHA, Victorious at last"


    Even with all the chaos Captain Orc''s laugh could be heard, it was a terrifying sound that usually meant something bad was happening, about to happen or had happened. Alayne had woken up in cold sweats after hearing it in his dreams more than once.


    "Why is there music?" Raven''s voice was oddly calm, but that was the question of a panicked mind. Alayne had a much better questions following the Captains maniacal outburst:


    "Victory? Have you finally lost what remained of your mind?"


    "What? WHAT? No, you soft fingered donkey. That be the ship of Victorious, leader of the entire Empirical Navy. He''s been hunting me for awhile now thanks to you, we been laying low in Fools'' cove before you needed ferrying home, looks like we get to try your plan after all boy. HARD TO STARBOARD, FULL SAIL AND RAM THE BASTARDS AHAAA, AND PLAY THAT FUNNY THING LOUDER SHARD BEFORE I INSERT IT INSIDE OF YA!"


    Victorious. 2nd born son of the Emperor, exactly what Alayne needed but the timing could have been slightly better so luck wasn''t the right word for it. Nor was it the right word for being caught in a naval battle with a mad man but Alayne was getting what he wanted, if he survived this and captured one of the princes they had their best bet at drawing the Emperor out...he guessed.


    There was very few things Alayne as a bard could do in a battle such as this, with a flourish he ran his fingers along his lute to help the poor accordion player below who was trying to figure out how to play something louder, Alayne turned his open hand to the sky and raised it slightly and then pushed it out towards the aft, as he did the shanty music of Shard spread further along the ship, almost drowning out the sounds of cannon fire and impact.


    "Can''t we run? That boat seems a bit bigger than this one"


    Raven jumped in again, this time asking a much better question of the Captain, well it was a better question if you didn''t know Captain Orc. Unfortunately one of the crew also didn''t seem to know the Captain very well.


    "Aye sir, can we run? We might get away with the right wind"


    Captain Orc turned as fast as Alayne had seen him, he took the Cigar out of his mouth and pressed the lit end against the outspoken pirates forehead.


    "We don''t run, We don''t hide, We don''t surrender. We kill who we kill and we die when we die. No gods, No bargaining, No Mercy."


    "Aye sir" The man hadn''t screamed but had responded with the strained, short breaths of someone holding in pain.


    The Captain then rounded on Raven and flicked him on the forehead, his thick green fingers were strong enough to make Raven wince and leave a strong red mark on his skin.


    "It''s a ship" he said pointing to the target they were now heading towards " and don''t make me crew question me boy. First ones a flick because you be a guest, next time I make you eat a bowl of the crews fingernails, and you don''t want to see what be underneath most of them."


    Raven was seething visibly but clearly thought better of carrying this on and the Captain for all his shortcomings didn''t ask for a response like he would his crew.


    "Now boys, stay low and try not to die."


    What followed took an agonisingly long time from their perspective, they stayed low to the damp creaking plans as per the Captain orders, avoiding the rushing pirates and ducking lower whenever wood cracked and splinters flew over their heads.


    On his orders the crew had whipped sails up and turned the ship, circling their opponent that pelted them with balls of lead the size of Alaynes torso. He didn''t know how much of the ship was left or how long it would hold but they kept moving, with shouting continuing all around them as what remained of the crew kept in constant motion.


    Eventually Captain Orc called more orders and the ship was turned hard enough to make the remaining planks audibly strain as they tried not to rip apart. More calls from above where echoed by the crew as full sails where unfurled above their heads, sheets upon sheets of black dyed fabric dropped down to catch the wind and Captain Orcs boat flew like a loosed arrow across the waves and before the crew opposing ship could react they found themselves impaled like a target in an archery competition. The gleaming white hull shattered just off its centre and buried itself just below the deck.


    Crews from both sides screamed as bodies fell into the water with repeated splashes that were lost among the chaos of the impact.


    "CHARGE"


    This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.


    Captain Orc wasted no time as he bellowed the order.


    He jumped from the helm to the main deck below, running with his remaining crew into the hole they''d just stabbed into the heart of the empire flagship. Alayne jumped to his feet not sure what to do but survey the remains of the ship, as he looked at the charging crew he realised it was lucky that the Captain had started the day with a larger crew than a ship like this needed, because he now had a much smaller crew than a ship like this needed.


    Raven stayed by Alaynes side, he had his raven hilted sword in hand which Alayne hadn''t noticed from where he''d reclaimed it from, but neither man moved very quickly. They couldn''t stay on the current vessel, it wouldn''t last very long he was sure, but neither were they suited to fighting at sea after escaping death once already not too long ago.


    Alayne helped Shard to his feet as they passed him on the steps down from the helm, the man was still playing as he''d been ordered and the music echoed ahead of them drowning out the slashes and the cries which was nice. Raven had habitually taken a step ahead to guard them as they entered the enemy ship, the words ''Trident'' in gleaming gold letters above them as they did so.


    Despite a delayed start Alayne and his two companions, and Surrich who he had strung through a leather strap and tied to his waist, caught the pirate crew after climbing a single deck. Raven dispatched a few lingering fighters who were more desperate than skilled and they continued to follow the trail of destruction through the ship, occasionally hearing the maniacal laughter of the captain ahead of them.


    Deck after deck after deck of cannons, stores, living quarters, Captain Orc led them through tearing through men like Alaynes voice cut through an audience. It was impressive, if barbaric, as he ripped men in half with his sword or pulled off arms after their own swords had gotten stuck in either his flesh, his thick jacket or one of his poor crew.


    Raven was alongside Alayne picking up any that managed to avoid the Captains Tsunami of death, he was less brutal and less confident, he picked his spots with precision but took his time. Alayne helped them both and the other pirates where he could, causing a quick flash in the eyes of one or making a sailors sword look limp in his hands, nothing to big or flashy, his lute had taken a beating in Rha''Vander and he couldn''t risk doing anything that might cause his allies just as much bother as their enemies, but what he did was enough to create openings and eventually help the crew and Captain clear their way to the deck.


    Alayne had seen Captain Orc and his crew descend upon several ships during his travels with them, he''d sometimes take prisoners and sometimes not, but every time without fail he would burn the opposing ship and send it to the depths. When running through this ship though he had made no such motions, the opportunity was there, fuse stores, gunpowder barrels and lit hanging torches had marked their path through the ship but Captain Orc hadn''t touched one on his blood soaked crusade.


    Alayne had underestimated him, he was actually mad enough to not only try and take down the Trident but claim it for his own instead. Alayne watched him as he picked up a young man, barely in his twenties from the ground, still bleeding from a wound in his shoulder, and help him to his feet by the back of his neck and pat him on the back as others quickly removed him to the back of the crew where Alayne and Raven lingered so he could be treated by those able.


    After what felt like hours of travelling this palace sized ship Captain Orc led the crew up the final set of wooden stairs and they were hit with the sight of what seemed like a golden tunnel of light that begged to be climbed through, it was almost blinding after the gloom of the lower decks.


    "Final fight lads, LETS BE DONE!" he called as a middle aged man, and the last of the sailors swung a dagger at him.


    He grabbed the man''s arm by the dagger wielding wrist and snapped it outward so the bone was clearly visible. Captain Orc cupped a hand over the man''s scream before it emerged and held him tight, he then charged up and out the stairs.


    As soon as his body disappeared into the light the deck above them snapped alive with the sounds of bowstrings being released and the clicking of crossbow triggers.


    The man with the snapped wrist fell down the hole, looking more tree than man, the amount of wooden arrow shafts sticking out of him.


    Captain Orc screamed in anger and a panicked scream was returned as Alayne could imagine him jumping into his enemies.


    His crew wasted no time chasing their Captain and Raven followed.


    Alayne and Shard stayed behind for a moment, not much they could do up there. He found himself somewhat surprised by the Captain; not by the brutality of course but by the wisdom his old friend had shown in that moment, it was always a rare surprise when Captain Orc showed the reason he was such a long surviving pirate captain in an age of zero tolerance to piracy or Orcs.


    The sounds of fighting died quickly and Alayne and Shard climbed onto the deck and took in the sights.


    The ambush had failed and the remaining soldiers of the Empires navy had found themselves disarmed or killed in no time at all, what remained of the Tridents crew where gathered in the middle of the deck, on their knees with their hands behind their back. The remains of Captain Orcs crew stood guard and started to loot bodies as Alayne, Raven and the Captain gathered outside the round arch topped double doors towards the stern of the ship, exactly where Captain Orcs quarters were on his own vessel, they''d not seen Victorious so far among the living or the dead they were sure.


    Alayne was praying to everything he didn''t believe that the man was inside.


    The giant orc looked at Alayne who nodded and at Raven who nodded as well, then he leaned back and kicked the door with a giant boot, it cracked inwards splintering off its hinges and they jumped inside lute and swords at the ready.


    Where as Captain Orc kept his quarters in a supposed organised chaos, with cupboards unable to close and walls covered with memorabilia and maps from who knows what fight or place and a small hammock that dropped down from overhead to sleep in, Prince Victorious Aniamatatus 2nd in line for the title of Emperor was the polar opposite. His room was 3 times the size of the Captains but with a third of the contents, a lavish 4 poster bed in one corner, a heavy wooden desk in the centre and a map on the wall was all it contained, no personality, no fancies, it was drab. Alayne would need to embellish this when the story was told later on.


    The man himself was a typical sailor though, shaved head but not quite bald, tanned skin with signs of burns from sun exposure in places, his eyes were small and dark like much of his line and he had a long curved scar from his chin to his eyebrow, a war wound was the story but Alayne had heard enough rumours to know it was likely his father who had graced him with it in his youth. He was getting on in his years, rivalling the good Orcish captain to Alayne''s left if his history was correct.


    His uniform was a dark grey button up with a dark red wave cresting the lower third and rising along the cuffs of the sleeves, it was adorned with shiny brass buttons fastened tight to his throat and golden epaulettes to signal his high rank.


    Victorious was sitting in his fancy gold (not painted like CO''s) chair, he was held there by Adeline and Educai who both had knives trained on his throat. He looked pitiful, not scared or angry, just a sorry sack of a man, wiry for a sailor as well, nothing like the mass of freakish muscles standing next to Alayne.


    "Told you they''d be back"


    "Bah, this is daylight robbery, glory stealing buggers, ruin me cabin and then steal me prize fight"


    "I tend to agree with the good Captain, it is a bit anticlimactic, I was expecting him to push me aside and fight Raven and Captain Orc, two versus one, as a thunderstorm cracked around them"


    It was a lovely day outside so that last part had always been unlikely but he hadn''t wanted to rule it out.


    He could always add it later, he would add it later in fact, he took a mental note to add some more dramatic flair and retake the glory the Greymen had stolen from the good captain.


    "Apologies bard, maybe you could get him to kill us with another cannon ball to the head and you can have your big moment?"


    Even Educai looked up at her in a form of stoic shock. Alayne hid a smile. He ground everyone down eventually, he was likeable and he knew it and used it to its full advantage, and that made him unbearable but unavoidable.


    "Well I feel like a priest in a brothel, I be going to go kill his crew"


    Captain Orc stated this in such a matter of fact way as he turned to leave and Alayne noticed the 7 or so arrows sticking out of the orcs back as he moved.


    "Those men have surrendered, it would be barbaric to kill them on a whim, monstrous even." Raven stepped into his path, eyes narrowed.


    Why pick a fight when the day is won, this man could be so tiresome.


    "Relax Brokenoath, I just be offering them a chance to join me crew and replace those they took off me today."


    Raven relaxed the slightest bit but Alayne knew there was more.


    "and if they refuse, well then I''ll kill them."


    "But they were just following orders, they didn''t have choice"


    Alayne tried to interject himself but Captain shot him a look with his one powerful eye that held him in place.


    "We all made choices to get where we be, do you think they''d show us mercy?"


    "We are not them."


    Captain belted out a laugh that made Alayne''s teeth shake.


    "No we not be, because we won and they lost. In a short amount of time we be alive and they be dead. That''s the difference between us and them, not mercy. You want the moral high ground lad go join another cult, this is war where all tides lead to a gruesome death"


    Raven seemed tired in that moment, he shook his head in disbelief, or denial.


    "You''re an animal"


    Another bone shattering laugh.


    "I be a pirate and whether ya kill them when they begging ya or ya kill them when they fighting ya, they curse ya all the same. They got a few more breaths than others, an extra moment to piss themselves or pray to a god that won''t answer is all, but more time is more time, and now it be up. Time to grow up lads, there aint no animals, or monsters or even heroes out here despite what that one sings about. It just be men, be that what it may."


    Ravens black and white mindset was na?ve, and that naivety was going to cause him problems the darker their path got, Alayne hoped that some time with a man like Captain Orc would open his eyes to the greyscale of the world


    "Raven, let it go, help Addy and Edu tie our new friend to the mast"


    "We move to the mainland now, I assume Cornostus can be skipped."


    Alayne had no intention of changing their heading, he had one piece of a plan and if he changed it he would have none. Cornostus was a good place to go and buy him some more thinking time.


    "We fix the ship and keep our bearings for now, please trust in me, Raven would you..."


    Raven without speaking moved towards their prisoner and the two Greymen helped him get him out of the cabin.


    Good, no further objections.


    He was tired and the music still poured in around them from Shard, overpowering the screams that had started up again outside.


    Fix the ship,


    Question Victorious,


    Sail to Cornostus,


    So much to do and this was just the beginning, he was so tired already, he sat himself in the gold seat of the former Admiral and Prince, he had good taste in chairs at least. The deep purple cushions swaddled Alayne and he couldn''t help himself get lost in the music, a sadness to the shanty like music and every missed note by the aged player reminded him of a little boy whose name he didn''t dare mention, even to himself, and his terrible playing of the tambourine.

 Chapter 12: Flying the Black

    Things had been slow for several days following the taking of Prince and Admiral Victorious and his ship. After a night of revelry, where Captain Orc has forced his crew to get so drunk that several of them were still missing and presumed dead, work had started for the pirates on making at least one of the ships seaworthy and detaching them from each other. To the surprise of no-one Captain Orc had claimed the flagship of the Red navy as his new vessel, renaming it ''Captain Orcs New Ship'' (he really didn''t like complicating things) and had stripped his previous vessel apart to repair the new, it had taken time but the pirates were surprisingly good and quick about their work, for all his many, many, many weaknesses Captain Orc seemed to be a great motivator and his people did seem to respect him, although there was definitely a lot of fear mixed in there as well.


    Alayne and Raven had spent their time speaking with Victorious. The Greys had left in their unexplainable way once the prisoner had been contained and Captain Orc was busy with his crew for the time and it had been left to the two of them to argue over how best to extract information from the prince. They had done this in front of the man, now tied to the main mast, and the crew working around them.


    "We are not torturing him Bard, it is barbaric"


    "You cut people down with a sword, what''s the difference between that and cutting bits off with a knife?"


    "This isn''t a battle. We can talk and reason with him, we are not monsters" Alayne was annoyed and impressed by his ability to justify killing and maiming in certain circumstances and not others.


    "No. No torture please. I will answer anything you would ask of me. Please"


    They''d both forgotten the former admiral was standing barely a few steps away from them and they shared a look for a moment.


    "Right then lads, the crew be to work so let''s stick this little piggy" Captain Orc burst from his new quarters with a thick serrated dagger in his hand and not his usual pirate appropriate cutlass.


    "NONONONO" Victorious tried to retreat or fall to his knees but he was well tied and just sort of shuffled a bit and sobbed as the pirate announced himself. He''d barely met the men and the fear was ripe in him, Alayne''s song must have done it''s trick.


    "That won''t be needed Captain, you can tend to your crew and pirate matters. Victorious here is willing to cooperate fully. Thank you" Raven seemed more than a little smug that he was able to brush Captain Orc aside for the moment. Alayne assumed he saw it as a victory after he''d been at a loss after the battle.


    "Feel like I keep raising me sails as the winds drop. I brought me torture knife and I''ll be honest boys I was looking forward to using this as a bonding moment"


    "You have a knife just for torture?!"


    "Well..No, it''s just a nice knife but once you use it for torture it becomes a torture knife, can''t be using it to cut ya meat after it''s been inside a fellas giblets can ya" he tilted his head in a manner that suggested a wink but used his missing eye and whispered "I do though" and smiled a very feral looking smile.


    Alayne could sense that everytime Raven asked a question of Captain Orc thousands more branched off from his answer.


    There was a pause where Captain Orc stared at them both unblinking and even Alayne was lost for words


    "Right I''ll be off and leave you to ya none torture filled conversation. I''ll just go stab some meat or a corpse or something, got the itching to use the knife now and ya all know how it be"


    Again silence was the response and he sulked off and climbed below deck shouting obscenities at his crew as he did so.


    They turned their attention back to Victorious and Alayne saw the man for what he was. A coward, it had been hidden by the insolence he''d felt at been caught after the battle but now it was plain as day on his face. He was terrified, not just of Captain O but of everything that was happening. He''d been thrust into a position and put on a good show and his stories had spread just like Alayne had spread the Dread Pirate C, telling the world of the High Admiral that enslaved and conquered wherever he went.


    "My companion and I would like to know everything and we have plenty of time to here it"


    Alayne came to regret that opening statement as Victorious had gone into great detail about his harsh upbringing, his brothers both those alive and dead, his sisters who he had never so much as set eyes on since birth and their father who had been so cruel all his life. He painted a terrible picture of things for himself, Alayne could feel sorry for the poor man, a true victim.


    But as he had described over a meal to Raven over a meal who had begun to have sympathy for their captive; Victorious was the 2nd born; born when the Emperor had crushed the minimal defences of the Taurosi and conquered the Greenlands to the west and enslaved any who were not killed in battle. Every man, woman and calf was in chains and good old Vic, currently tied to the main mast and belted by the thin icy rain had been named to reflect this great victory. Victorious had spent his youth and early adult years hunting Orcs to near extinction, burning elves at the stake, drowning wizards in oil and ensuring any Taurosi that ran from their owner was captured and rebranded.


    He had committed atrocities by the score and even now the main purpose of the Navy was to hunt down the flotilla, the last evermoving elven city floating in the middle of the ocean, to ensure the all non-human races were ended.


    "Your father didn''t love you and so you killed millions, leaving what''s left to live in constant fear all in his name? We don''t need your pitiful tale Vicky."


    Alayne had said this after hours of him rambling about how he had suffered like no other, they took turns listening just to see if something interesting came out of him, but little had since the first day. His tales had proved that Alayne''s plan to use him to draw the emperor out was a foolish one, the man cared not an ounce for his ilk, Addy was right they would need to go directly to him, but Alayne was sure there was a use to man. He had been dropped almost in his lap, there had to be more to him than sorrowful tales and a pathetic fake admiral with daddy issues hiding behind tall tales.


    Vic''s information had confirmed what was known by the group so far, the Emperor had shut himself off from the world, his vassals and sons ruled their areas with the same iron fist as always but with even less oversight. His older brother and true heir Ascendious, named after their fathers attention which bothered Alayne as it seemed lazy and even Captain Orc picked better names than the current ruler, currently resided on Cornostus as Alayne had expected; he''d been gifted the lands early by his father and had run the former prosperous islands into nothing. He had an old score to settle with the man if he was honest, he hadn''t picked him as the original target by accident.


    Divinus still resided in the city he founded, the city of the faithful, the only place in the empire where worship of anyone but the emperor himself was permitted. Its gates had opened around the same time Alayne had been born if his age was correct. He''d never been and had no intention of visiting, the thought of so many religious folk around him made him uneasy.


    Prosperous was the twin of Divinus and the only daughter heir who had been publicly named but she had disappeared along with any other sisters she may have. Women rulers were not unheard of in any race in the land but the Emperor had taken a strange and outdated method of only having male heirs although if he got his wish of immortality then it didn''t matter either way.


    Conquerous had died trying to take Rha''Vander when he was a boy and the king had drowned his newborn and killed 1 of every 10 soldiers who dared return, cursing the rest to be branded cowards and wander the lands nameless and honourless. The boy had been called Decimus to forever remind the land of the cost of failure.


    Of course his last born, The Unnamed, was still presiding over Rha''Vander and having an easier time of it thanks to the farmers intervention in the Forgotten Valley and he would be of no interest to the Emperor and have no interest in anything going on here in return.


    "I fear me may be to late" Alayne had mused one night sat behind the helm of the ship, he could hear the late night helmsman, a portly middle aged man with large mutton chops and to many tattoos with no real skill or detail in any of them, gently turning the large wheel behind them.


    They stared into the night and watched the clouds and stars. Alayne in the middle, Raven to his right picking at the wooden railing and Captain Orc to his left smoking a hefty cigar that smelt like blacksmiths forge and Surrich sat on the railing with Alaynes hand gently on top of the skull to stop it been lost forever


    The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    "How can we be late lad, we''ve not even started"


    "Addy and Educai are nervous and impatient, it may have caused them to miss things."


    "The nights not that long Alayne, what do you mean"


    The Emperor committed the decimation less than 30 years ago because he lost a son in battle. He was so worried about saving his image and ensuring no weakness he killed his new-born boy. Even then he must''ve been old, he''s been ruler for over 80 years and didn''t take that crown in the cradle. Why shut himself away now?" There was more than few thoughts in there and they''d been swirling around his head for awhile and he was struggling to put them together even for himself


    "You think he''s already found what he''s looking for? But why hide away"


    "He might not be like the Greymen, he could be like Surrich, not able to heal or maybe he still rots and ages"


    "I was an early exp...exp..exp"


    "Experiment. I''m sorry that happened to you" Raven seemed genuine in his sympathy, Alayne still wasn''t comfortable with him but he couldn''t begin to imagine been trapped as he was.


    "Just glad to be out of that to..to..tow"


    "Well the good news is Surrich, if we are to late then maybe we can get the Greys to figure out how to undo it and get you shuffled off to death"


    Alayne was trying to be comforting, he''d dropped a lot of negativity on them, a doomed quest now more doomed, and he thought offering Surrich a way out would make the skull more positive


    "NO. Came back from there once. Never want to go ba...ba..bac"


    There was a moment after he said that where Alayne knew all 3 full bodied men had the same thought. Raven stopped scratching the wood, Captain Orcs steady stream of smoke stopped and a cold shiver went through Alayne as he contemplated asking about what he meant.


    Luckily Captain Orc loved breaking tension like a child laughing a fart during a funeral.


    "Right lads, early rise in morning we back in motion, get to bed and don''t be playing with ya selves, get sleep."


    The orc had really no social filter at all.


    Come dawn they were gathered on the deck as the sun was breaking over the horizon, the entire crew stood before Captain Orc, who stood before Victorious still soaked from the previous night''s stormy waves and hail like rain but he wasn''t the focus anymore. Alayne stood back from the crowd alongside Raven who had decided to bring Surrich along this morning, Alayne was struggling to remember the skull in all honesty.


    "We be gathered here and now, secondly because I said so and firstly because we be honouring our new vessel"


    The sailors in the rags soaked in salt water and sweat stamped their feet as one and gave a quick roar to Captain Orcs glee.


    "We lost some and gained more, new crewmates leaving the monstrous ways of the empire behind and starting a life of freedom and lawlessnessnessness. But there be one final thing we need be doing."


    He reached behind his back and under his coat and pulled a large square of black cloth that he unfolded slowly.


    With a whistle a pirate, Alayne had not been at his best at learning names on this journey in his defence though he had been preoccupied with other things for most of it, in a leather vest that didn''t cover his belly and tan trousers with only one leg ran over and gently took the flag from the captain and climbed the boarding net and handed it off to another pirate sat in the crows nest.


    After a small amount of time fighting against the wind which tested Captain Orcs patience considerably the flag of the infamous pirate was finally fluttering back and forth from the mainmast of the Ship.


    It was the usual black square but Captain Orc had adorned his with a single yellow circle.


    "Why is the yellow bit off centre? " Raven leaned in and thankfully kept his voice to a hush


    "It''s his eye on the left and his eye patch on the right" Alayne remembered the conversation when he had first boarded the Captains vessel many years ago


    "I don''t see an eye pa..pa...pa"


    "No you won''t" Alayne held back a laugh and a sigh "it''s black, same as the background"


    He heard Raven hold in a laugh as well, it was good to hear humour from the man, he''d been struggling for a time but this maybe wasn''t the best time to find his laughter as Captain Orc fixed him with a hard stare with his single eye and Raven quickly turned his back and tried his best to swallow his laugh.


    "There we go lads, a true pirate vessel this be. Captain Orcs New Boat. AHAA!"


    The crew cheered.


    "Now get back to work, this isn''t a tavern ya can rest when I kill ya"


    The deck was alive quickly with the sound of a 100 feet running up and down the wood, scampering down up and down stairs and finding something to do urgently.


    It wasn''t long before the ship finally restarted its voyage and their journey to Cornostus continued over the next 12 days or so. Raven spent most of his time amongst the crew, he liked to be busy and he could take on more work as his wounds healed quicker and quicker. He did simple tasks such as carrying barrels or dragging heavy things from one side of the ship to another, busy work really but it freed up a more experienced sailor for something more useful and allowed him to move past his own guilt as he focused on the tasks at hand.


    He lost track of Alayne for most of the days, he''d found a cabin for himself in the back of one of the many decks aboard and was rarely seen during the day, he would come to the main deck at night to drink and entertain. Playing many verses of ''The Dread Captain C'' over and over more than he''d played at the Ravens Nest and the crew loved him for it. He slipped in some others so there could be dancing and fighting but he always returned to the tale of the Captain. Despite the moonlight revelry that kept the spirits of the crew up Raven couldn''t help but grow worried for the bard, it had been months since AJ died but they''d both been on the verge of death for most of it. The wound was still raw for Alayne he was sure, he never mentioned the boy by name and a far away look would come over him if Raven brought him up or something triggered a memory of him.


    He''d been around grieving parents before and watched helplessly as they battled the grief. He wasn''t sure if Alayne could fight it, he was a pampered man who Raven assumed wasn''t used to loss, but he wasn''t sure what to do about it or if he even could do anything about it.


    Raven had confessed his worries to Surrich who''d he''d taken as his own for the time being as Captain was distracted easily and Alayne was clearly uncomfortable around him. To Raven he was a strange thing in a pile of strange things that had been dumped on him, he could take it in stride as best he could or just get crushed under the weight of the new experiences he was having.


    "Talk to Captain Orc, they have his...his...his"


    "You think that brute can help with matters of the mind?"


    "Better than noth...noth...noth"


    It was a short argument and Raven had to admit he had nothing to lose from seeing what the Captain could do, although it was a testing conversation as all seemed to be with the man...orc...man orc.


    He''d managed to bump into the Captain when he''d been inspecting one of the 3 floors of cannons he now had, large metal bests that forced heavy balls across great distance, the same things that had tore his old ship apart and ''killed'' Adeline and Educai.


    "Captain, can we talk?"


    "Usually...Unless we''ve been drinking in which case I don''t know about yaself but I be more likely to slur"


    What?


    "Can I talk to you now I mean?"


    "Do you think I can carry one of these around to fire at people?"


    Raven tried to remain calm and on track


    "I wan - What? No they look like they weigh as much as a horse"


    "I think I could do it, save time on cutting people if I could just be blasting holes in them"


    "How would you carry the projectiles...." there was a look of confusion for a second before Raven sighed "the big balls"


    Captain Orc looked for a moment at a stack of solid black metal balls sat on the wooden floor and then to his own red coat, more specifically his pockets. He looked back and forth several times before admitting defeat


    "Argh they wouldn''t fit. Damn shame. Good talk lad"


    He turned to walk further down the long deck flanked on both sides by long lines of cannons and crew men studying them inside and out.


    "No, Captain, I want to talk about Alayne" he chased after him and had to walk a step behind his shoulder to continue the conversation.


    "What about him boy?"


    "He lost his ward when we was injured in Rha''Vander and I fear he''s taking it poorly"


    Captain Orc finally stopped around the midpoint of the deck and rounded on Raven


    "I know about the boy. Let him cope how he copes, he be fine once we get moving. Always suffers when stuck in one place that one. Needs his mind occupied."


    "How sure are you? We have important things to move forward with, if he can''t cope..." Captain Orc hunched over slightly to meet Raven eye to eyes.


    "He plays his cards close to his chest but I know the fire hidden far behind those eyes. Trust me lad. Let drinking bards lie."


    Once again he walked away and this time Raven did not follow.


    If this was one of his flock he''d have to step in, take control and dig into the root of the problems. But he''d left them behind, and he wasn''t the leader here, here nothing was expected of him really. Maybe he should trust the mad aged pirate with less sense than eyes and allow things to happen as they will.


    Against his better judgement and after a lengthy conversation with Surrich who was a wise man despite his appearance, which shouldn''t be a surprise given his unknowable age, Raven left Alayne to drink and hide his pain away. They spoke briefly, on the topic of the emperor or associated things, but otherwise Alayne kept to himself or his cups until at last word came, shouting down that Cornostus was finally in sight.

 Chapter 13: It Beats the Darkness

    Reaching Cornostus hadn''t happened as Alayne had envisioned, he''d been in quarters when the call of land had come down and had expected another half day or more of travelling before they reached a harbour to dock. But apparently that wasn''t the way anymore and after little more than an hour of the call coming down Captain Orc had shuffled them all into a small rowboat and began steadily rowing them to shore.


    It was actually fairly relaxing at first, Captain Orc rowed steadily and the small waves of a calm sea gently nudged them from time to time. Only Victorious didn''t look to be enjoying the moment of serenity as he sat behind the Captain and barely in view of Alayne due to the Orc''s massive frame. But his wide bloodshot eyes were clear over his gag and the rope from his bound hands to the Captain''s waist shifted ever so gently now and again as he shuffled.


    "I''ve not been back since picking you up that first time, but ya hear things from new crewmen and crying captives"


    As he rowed Captain Orc informed them of the current state of the White Knot and according to the Captain the islands had changed and not for the better. Rumours had spread of unimaginable cruelty from the heir apparent and his close friends who controlled the area. The islands were essentially a wasteland now with nothing but the prince''s palace still in operation, what became of the people; no-one knew.


    "I thought perhaps I''d made a difference when I was here, left them with a smattering of hope"


    This had been Alaynes last stop before fleeing the empire, the White knot had been a place of wealth and prosperity for longer than anyone living could remember, with Cornostus at it''s centre the mass of islands had been the main source of both common and more rare building materials. If something needed building you could bet that Cornostus quarries had been involved at some point.


    Ascendious had taken this as his many years ago and he had slowly ruined everything; breaking the people with more work than they could handle and not giving the land time to recover, one by one the islands had began to struggle and the lords had turned a deaf ear to the cries of their people.


    "What did you do Alayne?" Raven seemed confused and Alayne had to apologise to the man, he''d had a habit of talking about the outer Rha''Vandian world like it was all common knowledge without thinking.


    "I saw children starving and fights breaking out over the last half loaf of bread that was already blue with mould. I tried to inspire them in some way" He''d done more than that, he''d got far to involved and taken punishment because of it. He still bore the scars on his back from speaking out so openly, luckily word of his black marked status hadn''t reached the White knot at that time so he escaped with his life at least. Alayne had merely been passing through before deciding to stay and spread his message of treason and but he''d had to leave in a hurry hoping someone would take his message to heart and fight for themselves.


    "Perhaps you did lad, heard tell of some sort of rebellion on one of the isles in the knot that caused a bit of a problem for the Empire. Could just be rumours and eggs-hatch-aration but before...falling overboard, a navy officer told me the people had managed to storm the villa of the local lord. Beat him. Skin him. Hang him and then burn him."


    Captain Orc laughed as he finished whilst pulling the oars on either side of the boat.


    "Why do you suspect Alayne pushed them? Couldn''t desperation have been the reason if things had got as bad as you both say?"


    "Aye, Aye. But again, this is all told through the mouth of a man covered in his own piss and tears so take it as you will. Rumour is though they sang a very particular song as they did what they did to that little lord. I recall you singing that song to my crew on our first night, before you realised it was the wrong crowd for it." He cracked a wide smile and spoke at the same time as Alayne whose heart was sinking with the guilt of the trouble he may have caused.


    "Light cracks the Shadow"


    The musical tale of a group of low born men and women who sacrificed everything to take down the ShadowKing. There was a strong sense of irony that the others would not pick up on. The song was the telling of how Mercy and Deacon had become cursed to stop the immortal tyrant of their age, it had been Alaynes call to arms in many inns and street corners to take down the emperor and rebel against the constant misery. Now it was obvious in retrospect that the heroes of that tale were based on the Shadowsouled duo that had come to him and demanded he stop a tyrant who was trying to become immortal.


    Before long the low treeline just past the shore was becoming more apparent and would be quickly disappearing with dusk approaching and they still were unsure as to why they had to row.


    "What happened after they killed the lord, Cap...Cap...Cap"


    "Things get fuzzy here, but what we do is that there are no boats allowed to dock anywhere but the royal harbour that sits on the back of the palace. Nothing gets out of the main city; food, goods, people, nothing.""


    Alaynes body went cold as he realised what that meant and he noticed Raven had tensed up as well. The main city was under complete control of the prince and the outer islands had been starved out.


    "Rumours of naval patrols, some kind of sickness infesting what is left of the people and even curses have been passed about. I tell you one thing boys, no seafaring man or woman will go anywhere near somewhere that may be cursed, not in our nature, I not be risking me new ship if any of those things be true."


    He had bit his tongue to not ask how Captain Orc was fine coming to land if curses were about, he didn''t want to risk the orc turning them around when he realised.


    "How old is this information Captain, could we help the islanders out" There was that naivety and morality coming out again from Raven.


    "Been a while boy, I''d say if we found any alive by now, then you wouldn''t want to find them if ya get me meaning."


    For once Alayne did.


    It was almost dark by the time they reached the shore, the final purple and red rays of the day were scattered across the sky as Raven and Captain dragged the boat off into some reeds. The 4 of them stood (or where held in Surrichs case) together with the bound and gagged Victorious in the glow of the setting sun watching the last tips of Captain Orc''s New Boat disappear over the horizon.


    "Do you think they will be ok? Surely that ship will be hunted"


    "Nah, he''ll be right lad, Captain Second Mate knows to get that beast to the Flotilla, they''ll sort him from there"


    "Why did you call him Captain Second Mate?"


    Alayne had a theory about this but now seemed as good a time as any to get answers, he''d heard the Captain use titles across his ship every time he''d been aboard, it occurred to him he''d never once heard a name from the man.


    "He be Second mate to me, but now he be Captain. So...." Captain Orc leaned forward slightly, expecting them to fill in the blank like anyone could think like him.


    The large orc sighed.


    "So now he be Captain Second Mate...simple"


    "But what''s his name?" Raven asked, frustration in his voice.


    "Second mate? Or do ya mean his old name? Not sure why ya not getting this, but I''ll chalk it up to ya''s been bad at piracy. Now as you may expect pirate crews have a fairly high turnover rate, on account of the violent deaths that happen upon them, and I be to old to learn every buggers preferred name, so when ya join me crew ya name be ya job"


    Alayne himself was confused now but really didn''t want to get involved in the conversation. It was apparent to him that everyone on the ship used their usual names except for the Captain who seemed unaware that it happened by the sound of things.


    "I must say Captain, despite it been a...strange rule for your crew it is admirable you followed it yourself"


    Captain Orc stared at Raven, for an uncomfortable amount of time, Alayne started to worry a fight was about to break out, he''d stayed silent to allow Captain Orc to explain but it was impossible to tell what was going on in his mind at any time.


    "Oooo I get ya, No boy, I be called Orc by the pirate crew that bought me years back, then I changed me name to Captain Orc to match me new station."


    "I''m sorry, so your name is Captain Orc, so when you run a ship your name is Captain Captain Orc?"


    Alayne remembered this discussion when he''d first met him, it had gone much the same, although Alayne had laughed more, Raven was doing well to keep his face plain.


    "Aye"


    Raven was just staring at the Captain, dumbstruck by his nonsense ramblings spoken with such confidence.


    Alayne pushed the captive into Captain Orc''s arms and led them all forward.


    "I''m just going to cut this conversation up before any more brain power is wasted. Captain, if after all that rowing you are still fit, I say we push ahead to the city and see what things are like there?"


    He was making things up from this point onwards, did they need another prince if they had Vic? Really he just wanted to understand what had happened here, and then to find a way to the mainland on a less suspicious vessel.


    "Thirdly, thank you for ya help with the rowing, real crew spirit ya showed there and Secondly, How dare you question me fitness Ducard. You know I could scrunch this little prince into a ball, sprint to the city gates and throw him over without breaking a sweat."


    Alayne left that alone as it was probably true, the man hadn''t looked strained at all despite spending hours rowing the 4 and quarter of them to shore.


    "Before you do, just in case..."


    And without asking for permission Alayne flicked his lute strings, barely making a sound as he did so and subtly gestured at Captain orc. Anyone who looked his way should see someone who bares a striking resemblance to the ships bard instead of the hulking mass of green muscles and pirate attire that was the Captain, it wouldn''t stand up to much scrutiny but it would get them through the nearby city at least. Hopefully anyway, if the great lummox could keep his hands to himself and his mouth shut.


    Alayne was already working on a back up plan, despite the dreadful state of things from the Captain retelling he was optimistic. They would find people and he would help them in some way, he was sure of it.


    There was always hope, surely he couldn''t have had a hand in the deaths of all the islands'' worth of people.


    He can''t have failed that badly surely


    You failed AJ, you could have failed here to


    He pushed that thought down where it belonged and started to move, just as it started to rain; which matched his mood at least.


    There was always hope.


    From the shore they climbed a small sandy hill and then travelled for a time through overgrown thicket before finally coming across a badly maintained road. A road that looked like it had once been carefully laid stone slabs, now mostly cracked and uneven with large puddles gathering in the small ditches that had formed. Travelling through uneven ground in pouring rain in near darkness had not made the group overly talkative, especially coupled with Captain Orcs updated news on the islands they were on.


    This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.


    The pirate had taken the lead once they left the shore and was still leading the way currently. The path was larger enough for the 3 of them abreast with Victorious dragged behind but he insisted.


    "I be your guide through the night"


    Against his better judgement Raven had asked why he''d make such an offer. Captain Orc was very proud to announce that he could see in the dark and had pointed to his one remaining bright yellow eye that was currently a deep brown, due Alaynes illusion.


    "It be because Yellow beats the darkness"


    Raven had listened to his better judgement at that point and left the Orc to lead on, what could you possibly respond to that with.


    Instead he turned his attention to Alayne who was still more reserved than usual, but at least he was engaging with them so far. He hated to admit Captain Orc may have been right about something.


    "So what do we do when we reach the city?"


    Alayne was casually strumming his lute as he walked, notes so soft Raven had to stop himself leaning in to hear them.


    "Take the prince, can''t hurt having two, maybe he has more information than Viccy. Maybe we save the city if we can as well"


    "He has no pla...pla...pla"


    They had confirmed with Surrich after he had been thrown several times that he no longer felt anything and so to keep him secure he currently hung from Raven''s belt, opposite his sword with a leather strap through his mouth to tie him.


    "I have a plan thank you, Head"


    There was tension in Alaynes voice, Raven had a sinking feeling he didn''t want to probe further.


    "Then share it lad, we trust ya"


    Raven wasn''t sure if trust was the right word, he was just following Alayne along because he had nothing else.


    "Get to Cornostus..."


    "I thought we were here?" Raven had been told so many names of new places it was hard to keep track


    "We are on the island of Cornostus Raven, but the capital city of the White Knot; Cornostus we are still yet to reach"


    Surrich was right, he had no plan.


    "I think I be following ya so far boy"


    Raven could see the Captains now grey bearded head nodding up and down in the darkness.


    "Presuming at some point we reach the city, what is the next step of the plan"


    "Well then we look towards the inner city...also called Cornost-"


    "Alayne!"


    He despised people obviously stalling for time and pretending its some great act of subtlety, he''d often sent Gaspar or Taraveen to muck the stables when they''d tried to deceive him this way. The bard was no exception and was lucky he did not fall under his command, and that there weren''t any stables.


    "I don''t know. The only living person who killed a ruling monarch is the Emperor so he knows the trade better than I but he may grow suspicious if we seek his advice. Just let me solve one problem at a time. We''re here now, so let''s deal with what is here and whatever may be behind those walls."


    Impeccable timing as always as the bard finished and gestured in his performative way towards a tall shadowy structure that crossed the road well ahead of them and stretched off in either direction well out of sight and into the night.


    They stopped well before the gates and it was silently agreed they should wait until dawn before proceeding. The city which presumably stood behind the walls should be massive. A capitol of a rich set of islands and home to the prince, and yet there was no light that could be seen in their approach. No ambient sounds of singing or laughing. No clopping of hooves or boots scuffing stone.


    It was deadly silent.


    They found a small section of trees off the road that protected them from the worst of the rain. They agreed on no fire and Alayne put Surrich high in a tree overlooking the camp to keep watch, as he remembered him doing for those nights in the woods fleeing the Forgotten Valley.


    "Surrich, can you see in the dark?" It had never occurred to Raven to ask back then, and judging by Alaynes wide eyes all of sudden he hadn''t thought to ask either.


    "Of course, my eyes were yel..yel...yel"


    Alayne visibly relaxed.


    "Yellow. Do you not know anything about eyes Raven? Yellow beats dark"


    The Captain was nodding away as he puffed on a cigar he had lit; ignoring the no fire rule.


    He realised they were mocking him.


    He didn''t like that.


    All of them except Captain Orc of course who thought this was the most sound logic possible.


    Also Victorious sat still bound and gagged, he may have been Ravens favourite at that moment.


    Raven attempted to turn his back on the group and find some rest, but it would prove hard to find for all of them and they''d spend most of the night staring off into the darkness towards the shadowy wall that protected a hollow silent city, and the ill feeling it gave them all.


    The morning started badly enough with most of them waking from what could barely be described as a nap. They moved quickly back to the road during the first rays of dawn, with Captain Orc no longer disguised due to the lack of life they''d seen.


    Then after a short and silent journey they were upon the gates.


    Stretching off out of sight in both directions were monstrous white walls that he was sure looked brilliant at their best, but now they were chipped and cracked, large chunks had fallen outward littering the ground with jagged boulders of white stone veined with greys and blues. The gates were set back in a walled recess they stepped into and were not much better off; tall wooden double doors taller than 3 men, along the top and bottom where long metal bars holding the door closed and on either wall to their side was a metal wheel attached to the wall. There were gaps in the wood, chunks and splinters missing and even though the wood was dark Raven could still make out the slightly darker patches that had been stained with blood.


    Raven had dared to peak through one of the larger holes, the sounds of a city could still not be heard from within. Past the gates was a further road like the one they stood upon, it crossed several streets as it went ahead and towards a stairway leading to the prince''s palace. It was raised substantially higher than the city and they''d been able to spot it on their approach in the morning with the aid of daylight.


    Despite all the road he could see, and the shops and houses alongside it, there was still not a person to be seen.


    "Well?"


    It was obvious they were all nervous about entering, but they all tried to hide it anyway. Alayne fiddled with his lute more than usual, Captain kept one hand loosely on his sword at all times and Raven couldn''t help but pace when they stopped moving. Pulling away from the hole to respond to the bard he slowly took 3 steps forward and then a further 3 back, over and over.


    "Nothing, not a soul"


    "The crew be right, place be cursed. I say we leave"


    "I invited you along to be the muscle of the group, not to run scared at the first sign of danger"


    Captain grabbed his sword hilt in a white knuckle grip and lit another cigar that he seemingly had an unending supply of.


    "Fine. FINE!" he then hunched over to the bard level and pointed a heavy green bejewelled finger at him "But if I do be getting cursed, I''ll make ya life unbearable, that I promise"


    "You are doing a fabulous job of that so far"


    Despite the size and madness present in Captain Orc Alayne never flinched away from him. He was either a fantastic reader of character or much stupider than Raven thought.


    "How do we get in the damn place then Ducard"


    "I assume-" and he moved to a metal wheel on the gates right "we turn these and...Raven would you-"


    Raven moved into a similar position on the opposite side and with a nod they began to turn. Whatever mechanisms were inside were old and had not been used for some time. They groaned and squeaked as they turned and slowly the metal bars started to move outwards, unlocking the gate. The scrapping the rust made as it crossed the stone walls set Raven''s teeth on edge but when they were done Captain Orc tried the gates to no avail.


    He peeked through a hole and stepped back swearing


    "It''s barricaded on the other side, did ya not see that when you looked through?"


    "I was looking ahead not directly down" he was a tad embarrassed not to notice something so simple


    "Me one eye clearly be better than ya...more than one. Maybe you should give one of yours to Captain Orc so he can make better use of it"


    "You''d only lose it" Raven wasn''t sure if the orc was joking but it was worth stopping that line of questioning quickly just in case. He seemed to accept Raven''s answer regardless as he nodded thoughtfully for a moment before pacing away from them back towards the path.


    "I''ll climb over and open it from the other side"


    The metal hissed as the bars slid back into place as both Raven and Alayne let go of their wheels and chased after Captain Orc


    "Isn''t it to hi...hi...hi"


    "Exactly, how are you going to climb it, it''s easier taller than all of us combined"


    "Looks easy enough, I''ve climbed masts during storms at sea and scaled the walls of sea forts whilst archers took shots at me. I''m sure I can climb a crumbly wall"


    As if to prove it he dropped his thick red coat from his shoulders and pointed to a scar on his right shoulder


    "See, got that from a lucky archer as I crested the stone defences of Fort White wall, metal head is still in there somewhere"


    Raven stepped forward to take a look and knew he should have expected nothing


    "That, is quite clearly a bite mark Captain"


    "Ha, different kind of adventure that one, I''ll tell you about it when you''re older. There definitely be an arrow in there somewhere though, trust me."


    Raven nodded as the Captain readjusted his jacket, hoping that was the end of it.


    They watched for some time as Captain Orc stalked along the edge of the city wall, looking for the gaps in the stonework or convenient cracks that had formed.


    Finally a hearty laugh came from him as he marched over to where the rest had been watching from, back in the road where they''d started.


    "Got it, just need another knife for stabbing the rock" Captain Orc pulled a silver handled dagger from his boot with a large ruby on the pommel. Raven went to grab the knife he kept stashed in his own boot but realised he was wearing the sailors clothes he''d been attired with whilst at sea, he''d been unable to find anything that fit his usual dark style or at least covered his shins, and his only weapon was his sword and he wasn''t losing that again.


    Luckily Alayne had one of his own, tucked away behind his belt and hidden by his long flowing cloak. A small yet mean looking blade with a serrated edge that seemed uncharacteristic for the bard and he seemed strangely begrudged to part with it.


    Captain Orc picked it out of Alaynes hands, not seeming to recognise whatever struggle the bard was having.


    "Take Surrich Captain, extra set of ey..." he trailed off as he untied the talking skull, realising that between the 2 of them they only actually had 1 eye...although Surrich could still see somehow.


    He quickly moved ahead and handed the leather strap to the Captain, letting Surrich dangle and twist slightly in the gentle morning breeze. It wasn''t dignified but he didn''t seem to mind and no-one liked touching the skull itself, too many scraps of flesh clung on still and the feeling when that met a man''s fingers was indescribably foul.


    Without another word Captain Orc gave a nod and started making his way up the outer wall, driving the daggers into cracks in the stone and checking they''d take his weight before moving ahead. He was surprisingly agile and even more surprisingly adept at this.


    His deep red coat flowed more and more aggressively with the wind as he climbed higher and higher.


    Raven and Alayne watched whilst sitting on a fallen tree that laid on the still wet grass not far back from the wall or road.


    "Have you written a song for AJ yet?"


    He wasn''t sure why he asked but something had tweaked his memory. He had expected the bard to write something for him and make him into a folk hero of sorts, but despite the ship wide performances almost every night nothing had come out about the former apprentice.


    Alayne was silent for a moment but knew Raven would persist and there was nowhere to run to unlike the ship.


    "No. It''s been difficult. I''ve never wrote for a fallen child before"


    There was a pain in his voice whenever AJ was brought up, Raven assumed it was always there but he hid it very well the rest of the time.


    "I thought you played ''The boy in the gutter'' aboard Captain Orcs boat? Wasn''t that one of yours?"


    It had been a favourite amongst the crew, a sad tale about a boy who finds a talent and performs on the street for copper. His family however use him to distract whilst they cut the purse strings of the audience. Eventually they are caught and the family run, leaving the boy to be beaten by his former admiring audience. He dies alone in the gutter as the song suggests. It had caused many a damp cheek on the ship every time it was played. Raven assumed there was a large number of pirates who could empathise with a child paying for the sins of his parents.


    "Nah, not really. I mean it is one of mine, don''t get me wrong. But it isn''t fully true; the kid from that song didn''t die for one and he isn''t worth half the acclaim that A...that the boy is worth"


    Still couldn''t say his name.


    "I know I''m no ''Master bard'' but I did know him although not nearly as well as you, as did Surrich for a moment. If you''d like our help we would give it"


    Raven sat in silence for a moment, he could tell Alayne wanted to push him away and wallow in his grief but he was struggling to find the words. Though AJ''s death had been a tragedy, it had helped Raven see Alayne more as he is, see through the fa?ade of the bard, if only slightly, and take a glimpse of the damaged man lying within.


    Unfortunately the rest of that conversation would have to wait as Raven jumped up, realising that Captain Orc had made short work of the wall and was already out of sight. Alayne jumped up after him and they ran back to the gate.


    Turning their respective wheels once more, and hearing that horrid squealing sound from the rusty metal bars slipping out of position they waited. After a few heavy stomps of the familiar boots of the Orcish Captain and a heavy grunt the sound of a wooden beam could be heard falling onto the stone floor.


    Captain Orc pulled the gates open and stood before them.


    "It ain''t good here lads"


    They stood in the gateway and faced towards the palace well ahead of them, listening to the empty streets of the dead capitol city of the White Knot.

 Chapter 14: The Starving City

    This city was a ruin.


    They''d followed the Captain through the gate and, as one, begrudgingly continued down the main path towards the steep stairway far off in the distance. Up those steps was a further wall and beyond that they could still see the top floor of the palace Ascendious resided in. In front of them the street they walked down contained no such luxury as a palace though; shops, houses, stables all kinds of grey bricked buildings lined their path on either side, all lying in some manner of devastation or decline and they crossed cracked stone roads with other winding streets that would take them further into the city but the group stayed on the straight path.


    "Keep ya eyes forward and your sword ready." The only words Captain Orc had spoken as they began walking the main path. It was wide enough for all 4 of them to walk shoulder to shoulder and every time they passed an shadowed ally or empty open buildings everyone would tense up as they saw movement out of the corner of their eyes. Alayne had wanted to try and help what remained here, if anything had, but that desire was fading as that awful feeling of being watched settled back over his shoulders like an itchy blanket gifted by an elder and worn out of guilt. It made him anxious, wanting to squirm out from under it.


    It became less and less subtle the further they progressed. It had been completely silent before they entered, then the occasional shadow had shifted once they''d got to the first ruined buildings, and now the sound of bare feet slapping against stone was obvious, and in high numbers. There were odd wet crunches coming from various darkened alleys and he was sure whispering but he couldn''t make out anything specific without stepping off the path.


    "What is it?" Raven whispered from his left, as was expected the fighters had taken the outer positions in the line with Alayne and Viccy in the centre.


    "Whatever is left of the population."


    If it was just him he may have wandered over, he had little to lose and he wanted, no he needed to know if they could be helped. He could save them then maybe he could alleviate his guilt for perhaps causing this. But he couldn''t, the others were with him and he wouldn''t lose more due to his stupidity.


    They passed buildings that had collapsed inwards and temple-like structures that had toppled and devastated the surrounding area. There were signs of a fight or many fights all around them; blood long dried on a shard of glass left standing in a shop window, a small shoe lying on stone in the centre of a dark dried puddle, door frames and stone walls marked by knife or fingernail marks and other heavy impacts.


    Alayne grew angrier the more he saw, if the emperor in waiting was sat in his gilded palace whilst his people had slaughtered each other Alayne wasn''t sure what he would do. Maybe his magic would call to him and some horrid unthinkable fate would be conjured as punishment, or maybe he''d just set Captain Orc on him.


    They never quite ran but they started to pick up the pace more and more, moving at a fast walk with a little skip every now and again that could be described as a jog if you were feeling generous but nothing more. The closer they got to the stairway the more movement they noticed, he wasn''t sure how many of the residents of Cornostus there were following but by the thunderous slap of feet on ground their number was growing constantly.


    "What if it''s locked like the outer ga...ga...ga"


    He hadn''t thought of that, why hadn''t he thought of that. Stupid guilty conscience and oppressively miserable city.


    "We''ll find a way, that''s what we do"


    Even Captain Orc wouldn''t believe that obvious lie.


    "I have almost died twice in quick succession since we met Bard, it is not what we do"


    "Well you know what they say boys, 3rd time be the charm"


    "I know you''re trying Captain and I appreciate it, but please stop"


    "Are you here to feed us?"


    The party thankfully stopped their inane banter at the sound from their right, they couldn''t help but stop and look despite their earlier warnings to each other.


    On the edge of a small alley barely wide enough for two men to walk down stood a young girl, Alayne couldn''t see her being any more than 10 at her oldest; dressed in rags, covered with dirt or worse and she was sickly thin with her bones almost visible through her skin. Behind her Alayne could see the silhouettes of more figures waiting in the dark, taller and definitely older. He wanted to help, he hated the idea of a girl starving on the streets. The thought of doing nothing tore him up inside but he knew he had to push on.


    Don''t leave the boy


    His last thoughts before he''d left his apprentice, and now he left another no older.


    "Same as before, eyes forward, swords ready, keep moving" it may be too late now they''d stopped but after the next set of dilapidated buildings the stairs to the end goal were in front of them.


    "We are very hungry sirs" another voice, this time from a doorway with door no door and from a boy no older than 5, just as skeletal looking as the girl.


    "Uh Ducard, maybe we should..."


    "Yes"


    And with that they set off at a sprint, not a very fast one but the best the 4 of them could muster after too long at sea or in bed.


    Alayne couldn''t help but look as more faces called out to him from the shadows


    "Just a bite would keep us going"


    "We need only to fill our bellies"


    "One nibble of something tender travellers"


    The children had looked innocent at first, which was terrifying enough in this setting but now the callers were getting older and taller, same rags, same skeletal look but with sinister grins framing yellowing teeth and blackened gums.


    They pushed ahead still, the many behind them now scampering after them in the light and no longer in hiding, his allies were ahead slightly and began climbing the stairs but Alayne stopped at the bottom. There had to be a way to fix this, they were victims and surely he could help them.


    "Alayne move"


    Didn''t he owe it to them to try. If he hadn''t given a savage goblin boy a chance they''d never have met, although that was hardly a good thing now.


    "I can fix this Raven"


    "They are beyond saving bard, get moving or they''ll kill you"


    Alayne turned away, he knew that was the likely option but so be it. He''d accepted his death when agreeing to this ridiculous objective and if he died now then at least he could say he tried, and he could finally let go of so much.


    There was a crowd of scantily clad men, women and children covering the ground in front of him, they were clearly in packs though and not one solid force, gaps were left between crowds and those within spent as much time staring at those close by as they did Alayne.


    He flicked his strings as he often did and let his voice carry further than nature allowed, not really sure if he wanted to fail or succeed now he''d mulled things over internally.


    "Enough!" his voice boomed from all around them, leaving them gasping and in shock


    "You''ve suffered and you''re hungry but is that an excuse for this? I offer -" there was a cry and his vision went black.


    When Alayne opened his eyes he was staring at the sky, watching clouds casually drift made him seem so small sometimes for some reason. He slowly sat up and realised he was laying across several of the steps on the staircase and behind Captain Orc and Raven who had their backs to him and their swords drawn.


    His hearing was just a slight whistle but it slowly came back as he returned to his feet. He felt a tickle on his neck and his hand came away red when he reached for it.


    Below them was a scene of chaos, whatever had happened had caused madness. Several of the townsfolk were trying to push up the stairs but finding no way past the swords in front. Behind them the rest had started fighting amongst themselves, armed with anything they could grab, knives, stones, bones and attacking anything in sight it seemed.


    "How?"


    "O ya not be dead, good good. One of the skinny buggers hit ya with a chunk of stone. Amazing throw it was, ya should''ve seen it. That must''ve meant he''d put a claim on ya or summet because all hell broke loose."


    Admiration for the man who had knocked his friend unconscious with a rock, how very typical.


    "You tried Alayne, now we leave...agreed?"


    He was close to agreeing with the former stoneoath until he saw the young muck covered girl from the alley, the first to try and lure them to their death. There was a man easily three times her size standing over her, fists red with blood already and licking his lips at her helpless form.


    "No" It came back to him at last, the magic he''d conjured on the road to Shale when failing to save his ward.


    He strummed a single low note and watched it leave his fingers and sit in the air like a golden flower ready to bloom. He plucked it and this time focussed it at the man standing over the young girl. As before Alayne raised his hand, watching the man stop smiling and start panicking, watching him falter backwards and claw at his own face and finally Alayne raised it as high as he could in his hand and his mind.


    The formerly grinning man with bloody fists stood still for a second, blood pouring from his eyes, nose and ears and with a final scream: his head popped splashing all those around him with his insides.


    The scene had been a chaotic scramble before it escalated even further as onlookers were showered with gore, many stood mouths open as blood and brain plastered the faces of the nearby, the girl had disappeared, hopefully to some form of safety. Many others fled in fear over what they didn''t understand and most of those remaining decided to fight over the headless corpse that was easier pickings than the 4 new arrivals. "That-" Raven began as he turned to Alayne but Captain Orc cut him off.


    "Was bloody brutal lad, hahaha"


    Alayne held a hand to his head that was throbbing after the strike from the rock, he didn''t want to talk about what he''d done. It felt wrong, a step too far in some ways, he needed to find a way to save this place, somehow.


    "Let''s just move on"


    Victorious had already reached the top and had been banging on the gates for some time before they got there to no avail. Raven feared it was locked until Captain Orc of all people stepped forward and twisted one of the large wrought iron rings that sat in the middle of either door. With a creak something lifted and Alayne helped him to push the dark wooden gate open as Victorious gingerly shuffled inside.


    Where they stood now there was only one path, grey marble tiles with veins of brilliant white flowing threw them, each slab of tile was as a large as himself and they paved the way to the palace, matched on either side by flowerbeds growing trees and plants that were perfectly trimmed to not overlap with the path, every flower was a different breed and a different colour, each tree seemed to be growing a different fruit, each type was as large as the Captains head, no such simple apples and oranges.


    Raven wondered why the gates had stood unlocked with fruit so close as people had starved but he was getting answers from here and from the area around them as they as he noticed a litany of dried red stains marked the path, showing the price paid for those who trespassed.


    The flowerbeds and pathway stretched on to a palace that was only two stories high but was spread wide to compensate for it, made from perfect white stone and topped and adorned with gold when the roof made a steeple above every window.


    This was a palace of extravagance.


    In front of the palace lay a courtyard of sorts. Large circular pillars topped with scroll-like carvings that held up further pure white blocks that marked the courtyard edge. They were a short walk away but they could see people gathered there although they seemed to pay the party no mind.


    "I can''t believe it got so bad so fast"


    Raven turned his attention from where they were going and back to where they were, the bard had spoken, to himself it seemed, still staring at the large gate and what they knew lay beyond.


    Alayne was not himself, maybe it was AJ, maybe he blamed himself for the state of the White knot (he was that arrogant) or maybe it was the blow to the head. But regardless he turned and stalked past the 3 of them pointing to Victorious as he went.


    "Bring him. Now"


    He didn''t wait for a response, he moved with purpose, the jovial entertainer seemed to have disappeared. This is the man Raven saw flecks of when they''d spoken on Captain''s ship, the man with the spark missing from his eyes.


    Raven followed without a word.


    Captain Orc walked alongside and he was now dragging Victorious along the rope tied to his hands.


    Alayne arrived just ahead of the other 3, he''d stepped fully into the courtyard and whilst some of the guards, dressed in white steel with dark red cloaks over one shoulder started to fidget in preparation for whatever was happening, no-one moved to address the new arrivals.


    If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.


    The guards stood at several points around the square, 8 in total but it was a fair assumption that there were more around the palace or whatever barracks existed there. Apart from the guards there were several...creatures, standing near the centre, they were all bare chested and carrying jugs or plates or various liquids and foods.


    They were tall creatures around the size of Captain Orc and just as broad although the muscle was clearly wasting from them. Raven assumed at first they were tanned and dark skinned but realised quickly that they had a layer of fur, similar to that of a horse''s coat, even so they weren''t much different from his own people at a glance until you got past the neck. Two had horns although they all looked either painfully broken or unnaturally filed down in some way, sticking straight up from the forehead or curling down back towards their ears which folded over and lay at the top of their heads instead of the middle. Their eyes were all one colour, dark blue, brown or black no ringlets like himself or the single orc he''d seen, more like that of AJ. Though it was their nose that caught Raven off guard the most, even with the horns and eyes it was the way the nose stuck out a hand''s length from their face and ended in a large bulbous snout that made him gasp before catching himself.


    Each one had a ring in their nose, a heavy iron thing with a chain attached to it that ran upwards and was wrapped around large iron bars that lined the top of the courtyard, running North to South and East to West making a maze of metal the poor creatures would need to navigate from below to complete their tasks.


    The non-slaves were a lot less foreign to Raven though, people of various sizes and shapes were strewn about. They were all wearing various coloured robes that perched on either one of both shoulders, were belted at the waist and hung loosely at varying lengths down their legs. One middle aged woman with long dark hair drinking by herself in the corner at a golden basket weaved table and chair. Two older men, one bald and one with shaved grey hair rapidly receding beat a slave at the back. There were two in the centre, a red headed women with shoulder length hair was stood reciting poems to a man who lay on a chair that was more like half a bed, long enough for him to lay on side resting on an elbow and his feet barely reach the end, padded with fluffy purple pillows and of course more gold to line it.


    This was the man Alayne moved towards.


    An oversized man if Raven had ever seen one, instead of a robe like his friends he looked like he''d had his head poked through an oversized bed sheet. Whilst he lay down his overly large gut swung over the edge of the seat and almost scraped the ground, his chins had long since multiplied and the skin was starting to grey and decay in places from the stress of his size.


    Paying no mind to the approaching bard the red haired woman continued to read.


    "The Greenlands ran red and natures palace crumbled


    As the red wave crashed against those with sturdy roots"


    Alayne stepped up and spoke over her;


    "But water is endless and all can be washed away


    They fell by the score, races nevermore under his tyrannical eye"


    He didn''t use his normal impressive range, it was quieter and more sombre, but it still carried, silencing the small crowd.


    "Ascendious, I am Alayne Ducard, Master bard"


    This was the prince? This lump of a man, with more grease stains on his robe than he had hair left on his head. Raven was taken aback by the sorry state of the royal family. Such pathetic, spoilt and vile men the Emperor had raised, just like those in his own land, soft and entitled and used to using people like him to get what they wanted without lifting a finger.


    The man who was apparently a prince didn''t look up as he spoke, he continued to pick at various food from plates around him, and his mouth was never empty as he gasped and wheezed;


    "Never heard of you"


    Alayne had his lute in his hands as always and he gestured towards the red haired women who looked bored with this conversation already.


    "Yet you read my work. A tale of oppression and pain. A call to action to the ignorant."


    He played 2 simple notes.


    "Yet you and your ilk claim it as a work of appreciation aimed at your fathers misdeeds. You lack the imagination and empathy for my work. It''s not for your kind."


    The woman gasped.


    "It''s blank!" She cried as she threw the book across the courtyard, one of the slaves grunted as it hit them in the belly.


    Ascendious sighed.


    "Parlour tricks from a no-name bard, escort him out"


    Raven readied himself, as did Captain Orc.


    "Your people need help"


    Alaynes voice was growing cold


    "My people are here, and they seem fine to me." he clicked his chubby fingers twice "See he leaves through the city gate, the animals are due a feeding."


    Every word was like he might choke on it.


    He clicked his fingers dismissively again, although it sounded more like two sausages slapping together than an actual click.


    Raven slipped his sword loose with his thumb but the bard stood still, not reacting as the guards all stepped forward to remove them.


    Alayne instead clicked his own fingers, the sharp sound cut through as the Princes had failed to and Captain Orc without needing a word threw Victorious to his feet, holding by the collar of his long dirtied admiral''s uniform and forcing him forward for his brother to see.


    Ascendious looked there way for a second, sweat pouring down from his chins as he did so, before tutting and turning back.


    "How dare you bring one of those filthy creatures into my home. Disgusting"


    "Terrible way to talk about ya kin that be"


    Ascendious didn''t bother to respond to him, he did manage to sigh again though as he looked again at the pathetic looking former admiral. Beaten, bloodied and bound.


    "I meant the orc. What am I supposed to do with V? Offer you a trade? Beg for his life? We aren''t exactly close."


    Victorious was whimpering slightly.


    Alayne laughed, as he did so his fingers danced over the strings once again as one of the guards had got closer than the rest. Raven had heard about this trick from the Flock in what seemed like another life, the guard dropped to the floor, clawing at the blank spot where his face had been but a moment ago.


    The rest of the guards paused as Alayne continued.


    "No, like my written work you misunderstand my intent. You see, I came here for a prince, but fate dropped this one on me before I arrived. But I thought, whilst I''m passing through I may as well help you feed your people."


    "I am perfectly capable of feeding my own people"


    The pompous fool was so arrogant he couldn''t perceive a threat from someone lower in station in him like Alayne.


    "THEN WHY DIDN''T YOU!"


    Raven hadn''t seen Alayne touch his lute but his voice thundered out, dust fell from the marble stones around them and the only other sounds were the twitching of the guard dying of asphyxiation.


    Without looking he grabbed Victorious from Captains'' grasp and threw him towards the slaves who had crowded together in fear.


    "Taurosi, hold him. Raven help me. Captain...kill everyone not chained up."


    So cold and matter of fact as he let Captain Orc off his leash.


    Raven found himself compelled to follow Alayne in grabbing a handful of the bloated prince and start dragging him towards the way they''d come.


    "What...What...No! I am a Prince, you can not handle me in this way"


    And on the heirs protests went, the gravity of his situation finally settling on him.


    "Alayne..."


    The people there weren''t all guards, this wasn''t different to what Jaycob had done and he''d tried to stop him, that was the right thing wasn''t it?


    "I tried to inspire these people Raven, tried to make them stand up and fight. I was beaten, whipped and worse but I thought it was worth it to give the people the idea of a future worth fighting for. But he crushed them. Crushed them into the beasts that eat people to survive."


    He trailed off and Raven couldn''t bring himself to say anything further as they dragged the lazily thrashing prince behind them.


    "Every part of this land starves. You saw, within feet of the inner city was a bounty of food and yet he hordes it like a fairy tale dragon. Stuffing his face and those of his sycophants."


    "Please, I can do better, I can rule, it takes time to get it right is all."


    Raven almost fell as Alayne dropped the prince and all the weight fell to Raven to carry, the bard rounded on the pathetic man.


    "You have been here longer than I''ve been alive. The things I would do to you if I was a selfish man...But your people need you...your grace."


    They continued to drag the bloated body and stopped right where they''d entered very few moments ago.


    Without questioning further Raven helped slowly open the door.


    He squealed as they did so, crying tears that cut lines through the various fruit and pastry stains that covered his mouth and cheeks.


    Alayne leaned in before they dragged him into the outer city.


    "Shhh dear prince, the louder you are the faster they''ll find you"


    This was not the man Raven had met during an early morning training session, this wasn''t a jovial and annoying bard at all.


    They pushed the floppy puddle of a man down the stairs and he floated down them slowly, unable to stop himself and slowly gaining speed.


    Together they closed the door and walked away.


    They couldn''t hear much from up here and Raven didn''t want to know what would happen next.


    Alayne played his instrument once more and his voice echoed behind the gate as he spoke into his cupped hands.


    "Ladies and gentlemen I present Ascendious, first of his name, ruler or the White Knot, heir to the Red throne. Here to seek an audience with his beloved people."


    It wasn''t a long walk back to the courtyard and they really should have ran to support Captain Orc, but Raven matched Alaynes slow walk. He was sure the pirate would be fine regardless. They walked in silence for a few plodding steps before Alayne finally spoke.


    "I ran the night they released me from their dungeons, bloody marks amongst half of my body. I didn''t want to tempt fate and I thought I''d sown enough seeds of revolution in the isle to spread and sprout amongst the rest. Like a coward I stirred chaos and fled, at least some semblance of retribution has been delivered."


    Alayne rubbed his lower arm, unconsciously Raven thought, and he was sure when he glanced down that there were clear scars on his forearms; thin like from a whip but on second glance they were gone.


    The bard had hung his head as he finished, Raven really had no idea on Alayne''s history, or what he''d been through. He felt guilty for judging him so harshly and so often.


    They walked back to the palace in silence, Alayne clearly wandering in a fog of his own thoughts and Raven trying to stop himself from trying to probe the bard for his past.


    Alayne had let Captain Orc off his leash and he had done as ordered, Raven couldn''t tell how many the mad pirate had killed as there was barely any bodies left in one piece as they re-entered the marble column lined courtyard


    The Taurosi? That''s what Alayne called them as he had had thrown them Victorious, now first in line for the throne, had managed to organise their chains and huddle together in the east corner as Raven entered, Captain Orc stood before them a bloody mess, his blade, his beard and his clothes were coated in blood and whilst the Captain didn''t look tired or weak Raven couldn''t be sure how much of the blood was his own. Despite everything he stood firm in front of the slaves with his wicked curved sword in hand and that telltale manic grin he often wore.


    In front of him were 8 guards of the land, somewhere wearing the crimson plate and white cloak he''d seen earlier; others were dressed in muddy common clothes clearly woken from sleep. They stood opposite each other with neither side willing to make the first move, Captain Orc had clearly put the fear of their gods into them as they flinched at every exhale of his breath.


    He had drawn his own Raven marked blade and stepped up beside his companion.


    "You take that 5 lad I''ll take this 5"


    "There''s 8?"


    "Exactly"


    How much blood had he lost?


    Alayne had taken a step back and Raven heard him flick a single note on his strings and even though he was now slightly away from the group his voice could be heard as a whisper between Raven and Captain Orc.


    "Attack opposite yourself"


    Raven had fought alongside generals and masters of combat as a boy and as a Stoneoath, masters of their craft had taught him how to strategize in a battle, how to outthink your opponent and make weakness into strength, but he''d never heard the words: Attack opposite yourself


    He was confused, until he saw himself and Captain Orc both dart forward with a high downward slashes, the guards parted and danced around to defend and counter.


    Instincts beat his confusion and he, and Captain, darted forward going low where their illusionary shadows had gone high, instant confusion turned to terror and then nothing as men were cut down swiftly. There was no plan for this, no expectation of fighting 2 men making the movements of 4. The contest was over in moments as Alaynes copies drew attacks and reflexes that were turned back on them by the real fighters.


    "Well lad, that was a good trick, could have used that a few times before this"


    "It came to me in the moment Captain, like a good song it floats on the air until captured by the right bard at the right time"


    Captain Orc was rifling through the pockets of the dead, picking off jewels and coins and mopping the blood from his face with some terrified looking dead man''s underclothes.


    "That is a nonsense answer"


    "I agree, but it is the best I can give."


    Alayne called Captain over from his plundering and he ripped the chains from the ceiling bringing the whole net of crossing bars down around them smashing the bodies and parts of those who could no longer move out the way.


    The slaves stepped up and were freed from their chains one by one, the iron ring still left embedded in nostrils as that would take more than just brute strength to get out without causing further harm.


    Victorious was amongst them, wide eyed and bleeding from the mouth.


    "He kept screaming my lords so we...we...we tried to silence him" one of the former slaves said in a deep rumbly voice.


    Captain Orc marched forward and dragged Victorious up by his collar as he often did, the man was wide eyed and had clearly been crying.


    "Hey now boy, you should be celebrating, you''re the hair to the whole empire now...I assume?"


    He looked towards Raven and Alayne who both nodded.


    "Yargh ya see, ''Victorious the hair to the throne'', has a nice ring to it doesn''t it. Hey if you''re good, maybe we could kill your dad before you and you can be Emperor for a day, or a minute, before we lop your head off. How does that sound?"


    When Alayne spoke to Ascendious he spoke with a darkness, every word carried a threat in his tone but when Captain Orc spoke of killing the whimpering heir, he did it with such a matter of fact way of speaking, he wasn''t trying to scare him or make fun, he was just stating facts and potential outcomes, there was no malevolence to him and that was scarier in a way. To think a man wasn''t going to kill you because he was angry or vengeful but just because he thought that was the way it should happen was chilling to Raven, it was even more chilling when he realised it came very close to his own way of thinking and delivering justice.


    One of the Taurosi stepped forward towards Alayne, with a reflex Raven''s hand went to his hip, he caught his own movement and tried to make it slower and less aggressive, if they noticed it the Taurosi paid it no heed. Stubs of horns grew beside their ears, the points clearly filed back heavy handedly, they had dark blue eyes, almost black but not quite and a tuft of curly brown hair running in a thin line from their brown down to their neck where it became a mass of curls that wrapped around their throat.


    "My lord, I thank you for sparing us"


    They spoke in a deep voice that came straight from the throat, they all towered over Alayne even as they bowed in turn to him and towards Raven and Captain.


    "Nope, none of that. I''m not a lord, he''s not a lord and that one most certainly isnt a lord"


    "I do be a Captain"


    "Then where''s your ship?"


    "Point made lad."


    Raven had also been named captain, although informally and he blushed to himself when he realised how little it mattered.


    "Apologies my lords. I mean no disrespect"


    "And we take none, please we are equal here" Raven was used to bringing himself down off pedestals he didn''t want to be on, sometimes it worked.


    "I am Bruccan''hor, these are my people, or what''s left of them. I-I-I do not really know what to do now si.."


    He caught himself at the last moment and even through the soft fur the reddening glow of his cheeks could still be seen underneath.


    "I think we start with rest. Raven could you ensure the palace is free of guards whilst I escort our new friends inside. Maybe a good time to find some clothes more suited to...anyone really"


    It was not his top priority but he did relish the chance to find some proper boots and trousers and maybe a shirt that wasn''t ripped. He was tempted by the crimson armour of the guards but it would draw eyes he was sure.


    "Captain, we need the port locked down, I want every merchant or captain brought to the palace alive. I need to be clear Captain. No one leaves until we say so"


    "Aye aye lad."


    Captain Orc and Raven jogged off in slightly different directions with their swords drawn. He was quietly impressed with how Alayne took charge of the situation. He knew the man thought of himself as a loner and not a leader but he had risen to the occasion more than once. Captain Orc had been right, no matter how many times he said it, a mere observer he was not.


    It was also nice to drop the mask of the leader and remove the pressure of being in charge of himself. He hated the man who had betrayed his oaths and left his men and let whatever had happened to Jaycob come to pass. But the relief of being finally able to be just Raven was great.


    Shameful, but great.

 Chapter 15: Fate of the Taurosi

    The Taurosi, as a people, had barely been seen outside the Greenlands since they were conquered decades ago. Alayne had himself, despite his travels, never encountered a free member of the race. they''d been too proud to retreat until it was far too late. Their armies had stood to the last man, was what storytellers and chroniclers had been told, their bravery unable to be hidden by the Emperor''s propaganda.


    They were a long lived people, not reaching full maturity until they were around 80 years old, it was either fortunate or not then that most of them would be able to remember freedom or a time before the hate, maybe those memories gave them comfort on the worst days, but looking at the 5 Taurosi they''d rescued this day he doubted they took much comfort in anything.


    Alayne had found a large drawing room that would suit his needs for the time being, an extravagant room like any someone of Ascendious'' station would have. Walls littered with portraits and tapestries detailing his heroic life and crowning moments of assumed glory. Pedestals along the walls on top of which sat statuettes and busts of what he must have looked like before his chins expanded. This was a central room on the 1st floor of the building and luckily for them it contained a large set of glass panelled double doors that opened onto a balcony overlooking the only working port in the island network. Between Alayne and the former slaves they''d made quick work throwing the reminders of the former prince out to smash amongst stone and steps.


    Once they were done and the reminders of their captor were removed the Taurosi seemed to visibly relax, if only slightly. The room sat bare now with walls now only occupied with curved gilded sconces that they now lit. The furniture was pompous and tacky by anyone''s standards but they dragged chairs and cushioned benches towards the rooms centre where a white marble fireplace sat. This was carved above the fire and up the chimney breast with a large well muscled man, through context alone Alayne assumed this was Ascendious, holding aloft a large wave with flecks of orange and red that seemed natural to the stone running through it. A clear metaphor for the prince holding the empire on his shoulders and one they could do little to remove.


    No sooner had they seated themselves around the fire than Raven had found them. As instructed he had stormed the hallways and rooms, finding them empty of guards and guests as they''d all been dispatched in the courtyard earlier by the good Captain. He''d entered the room now dressed in a silver button down doublet with black embroidery that hung over his waist and slightly covered the dark blue trousers tucked into calf high shiny black boots. More colour than the man would like Alayne assumed but much better than the rags the pirates had left him in.


    Alayne had sent Raven out to the docks to back Captain Orc up in wrangling any merchants that were currently unloading. He had absolute faith the Captain could do as asked but he also had this nagging persistent fear the merchants would take that arrogant tone they are capable of and get on the wrong side of the mad orc.


    He also knew that neither man would be adept at dealing with the newly freed Taurosi, Captain Orc was far too brash and Raven too curious around the new race of people he''d just discovered for himself.


    The one who had identified himself as Bruccan''hor sat beside Alayne in a high backed dark red padded chair. 2 of his companions sat beside him on a similar coloured bench and didn''t take their eyes from Alayne, one had small horns barely perceivable above a large head of curled black hair and the other had large scars where horns should have been. Both were dark brown of fur and had purple eyes that could have been black like Bruccan''hors'' in the wrong light. Another with cream colour fur and no head of hair sat in front of them all staring into the fire and the last of the Taurosi was a brown similar to Bruccan''hor with curls around his ears and one horn filed to a blunt point and was standing watch over Victorious who cowered before him on the other side of the room.


    "Sir, may I speak?" Bruccan''hor looked at his companions nervously, they were all now out of their rags similar to Raven and wearing various ill-fitting trousers and vests covered in elaborate embroidery.


    Alayne almost chastised for calling him ''sir'' but it would do no good, better to let them grow out of it.


    He just offered a soft smile and a slight nod.


    "What happens to us know?"


    He hadn''t really expected to be freeing slaves as part of his journey. His lack of planning was catching up with him quicker than expected.


    "What do you want to happen?" Always best to ask a question back at the asker if you were put on the spot, at the very least it would buy you more time


    "I..." he looked to his companions "We...have not been able to want anything for some time"


    "Well you have time to think it over. I''ll leave you to talk amongst yourselves in peace whilst I seek some fine food and wine I assume this slob had stored in the cellars. Viccy will help me to give you your privacy"


    They watched without a word as Alayne left the room the way they''d came, Victorious falling in line without question.


    Raven had stood upon a large stone walkway that overlooked the harbour at the back of the mansion they''d taken over. There were two large stairways curving downwards for easily 100 steps that met on another stone walkway below him. There a large pier stretched out to either side with several places for ships to moor like they had in Burtyne, only much larger ships than the small canal boats he''d been used to. Currently he could make out 3 ships sat in dock with a small crowd in front of them, all facing a single figure who had his sword drawn and small tendrils of smoke rising from what Raven knew to be a cigar resting on his bottom lip.


    He held his sword belt in place and began a steady jog down the steps towards the Captain; he rather enjoyed running in good boots again after being stuck in the pirate''s raggedy shoes for days. His attire wasn''t perfect but it was better than what he had, covering his full legs and body, including the tight plate vest he''d found in a guards room.


    As he reached the bottom of the staircase he could hear the rabble of the crowd, at least 20 sailors stood before Captain Orc. All broad shouldered and well tanned from time on the deck.


    "Just stay where ya be and do as you be told"


    "You cut his hand off!"


    There was one man sitting in front of the Captain, shirt stripped off and wrapped around what remained of his arm with the rest laid on the wooden deck in front of him.


    "He came at me. Didn''t ya boy. Meant Ol'' Captain Orc harm dint ya? Well, now you be ''armless"


    He barked a laugh that caused everyone to step back


    "Everything ok Captain?" He pretended not to have heard the joke or see the blood splattered across several faces from the detached hand.


    "Aye lad. Just merchant guards thinking they can out muscle one such as me. HA"


    "YOU''RE A MONSTER!" a brave voice called from the back of the group.


    Raven needed to defuse things, he could really do with a silver tongued bard about now or even an over confident Talon like Gaspar. This really wasn''t his area.


    He held his open hands in the air.


    "Good people. We have freed the White Knot from the tyrannical rule of Prince Ascendious. We ask..."


    "We don''t give a shit about that."


    "Are we gonna get paid?"


    "Who''s going to take all this food if the fat bugger is gone?"


    Raven raised his voice louder


    "The people of this land are in need and will gladly take your food..."


    "Are they going to pay for it?"


    "Do they have gold?"


    "If they ain''t paying they aint eating"


    He was growing annoyed now, where there was empathy?


    Once again he raised his voice louder.


    "The people are starving, with your generosity we can build this land back bet...."


    "NOPE"


    "Not likely"


    "If you want charity, take yourself to the Divine City and pray"


    There was a break out of laughter among some, whomever had shouted that had defused what remaining tension there was and it annoyed Raven that he didn''t get the joke.


    He lost his temper too quickly to control himself, he wasn''t proud of it but they just had no desire to do anything that didn''t see them benefit.


    "You WILL bring all your goods onto the pier..."


    "We bloody well won''t"


    A tall man with a scarred face and a black ponytail called from the front. Raven looked at Captain Orc, who had shown remarkable restraint whilst Raven took the lead, and nodded. The Captain scooped up the dismembered hand off the now stained deck and after a quick but large step forward slapped the outspoken man in the mouth so hard his lip burst.


    "Your goods are now forfeit of the Dread Pirate Captain Orc. Your ships are part of his fleet and your lives depend on how quickly and efficiently you unload ya cargo."


    No-one moved a very long second until the Captain raised his hand a fraction and they scattered like fish in the water.


    Captain Orc and Raven were alone now on the pier with 3 figures. 2 women and a man, smaller build than the workers and dressed in a more formal attire than could not quite be described as finery. Waist high coats of blues and purples with matching trousers, hair tidy yet tied back and well pressed shirts that showed they were clearly not going to be doing heavy lifting or manual work.


    "The Captains?"


    Captain Orc nodded as the 3 squirmed under his eye.


    "Up the stairs to the main house then." They didn''t look either of them in the eye as they marched off without a word, they''d clearly made their point. Raven put a hand on Captain Orc''s arm as he turned.


    This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it


    "When they are done, force them all onto a single ship, lock them below deck and set it adrift, it should buy us some time to leave this place."


    "Aye Aye"


    He began to walk after the merchant captains who had begun their ascent.


    "And Captain"


    The Orc turned to lock eyes with Raven


    "No more cutting off of limbs please, we aren''t the monsters today"


    The Captain looked wistfully at the hand on the floor and sighed before sheathing his blade, reluctantly, and nodded at Raven with clearly gritted teeth.


    He was pleasantly surprised by how easy that had been.


    Alayne had found a couple of casks of the wine that looked like they were worth as much as a small town and Victorious kindly carried them back to the sitting room the Taurosi still occupied. Alayne himself carried a platter with cups on it and a basket filled with various fruits he''d seen bagged in a kitchen they''d crossed through.


    All but Vic now sat with a goblet, tankard or cup filled with fine wine and were visibly more relaxed. The time Alayne had given them seemed to take some of the tension out of the Taurosi and Bruccan''hor had now swapped seats with the smaller black haired one of his companions.


    "My name is Thuran''ar last heir to the Grass Mantle, Bruccan''hor is my brother and protector; General of the Taurosi army"


    The Grass Mantle was the highest seat of power in the Greenlands, homeland of the Taurosi, Alayne had heard the royals had been slaughtered to the last.


    "Why did you come here songsmith?"


    She was more direct than her brother and Alayne saw no point in lying or hiding truths from her.


    "I came for the prince. My companions and I are aiming to take down the Emperor and we thought his sons would be a good start. It was also a minor sip from the ever full cup of revenge for myself as well"


    The 3 Taurosi on the seats looked at each other with a spark in their eyes, the single horned person had moved back to stand watch over Vic and the other had not moved from their spot in front of the still roaring fire.


    "We will join you"


    He''d considered it as something they may suggest. Their options were limited and revenge would be the first thing on their mind. But could he justify using the pain of these survivors to his own gain, even if it was theirs as well.


    "Thuran''ar, we would be honoured, but we don''t go to greener pastures. My task is near impossible. You have your freedom for the moment. I would not ask you to throw it away on such a foolish endeavour."


    "I don''t remember being given such a speech?" Raven had timed his arrival in the room perfectly, flanked by 3 seafaring folk he assumed were ship captains from the dock.


    "When should I have delivered it? After you committed treason? After you committed treason again? Or As we ran for our lives from farmers and kings, because of aforementioned treason?"


    That stopped the man in his tracks, he said nothing as he sent the captains to stand beside Victorious in a small huddle and took a post himself leaning against the carved marble of the fireplace.


    "Are we free? Where can we go in this land? Unless you succeed we will be slaves again before too long. Better to die fighting free than at the hands of a slaver, whipping you for spilling water, or killed by your own kind in the bull fighting pits for sport."


    "Surely we could use the help Alayne?" Now they were all in agreement, great.


    "We can''t walk across the empire with 5 Taurosi and an Orc. I alone draw enough attention to get us killed in most cities"


    "Disguise them with your..." and he flapped his hand dismissively towards the lute resting against his leg


    "I can do no more than 2 at a time. It gets tiring quickly, it would be like you fighting 5 opponents at once" Raven nodded at this, equating it to something he could understand seemed to settle the matter.


    "By the salt those sailors can whine, they wouldn''t last half a day on my ship"


    As if the conversation wasn''t difficult enough to navigate, the great Captain Orc appeared in the doorway, wiping his knuckles on his already over-stained grey undershirt.


    "Why is there blood on your knuckles" Raven stopped leaning as he spoke


    "They didn''t exactly like taking orders from a being as handsome as me. When I ordered them onto the ship, like your lordship requested, a squat little fella mouthed off to me and spat on me boot. Since ya gon and forbid me for cutting arms off I had to settle with breaking his face instead."


    Alayne pinched his nose, this wasn''t a difficult task he''d given them.


    "Captain..." Raven and Alayne spoke at once


    "Relax yourselves boys, the job is done and no one died. Cargo is all down below and the Taurosi are loading up the crane to start bringing it up"


    Thuran''ar stood up at the mention of her people


    "There are more of my people?"


    "Aye 10 of them on that ones deck, crammed in the lower decks in case they were needed to row I would guess"


    Suddenly the silent merchant captain stood near Victorious held up a finger nervously


    "6. I only had 6"


    "Aye same thing"


    He always had been terrible with numbers, Alayne had watched someone try to teach him once. It resulted in a screaming match and a desk the size of two men launched through a wall and out to sea.


    "Bruccan''hor, take Tal''iah and see to those below" without question Bruccan''hor, who Alayne had assumed had been in charge not long ago, and the 3rd sat with them got up and left the room.


    Alayne found himself watching the brown furred Taurosi who still stood in front of the, now, eldest son of the empire. He hadn''t taken his eyes from the man despite the 3 sailors twitching and shifting nervously next to him. He realised that a plan had come to him like the notes to a song, just when he needed it and just the right way.


    "Lady Thuran''ar, why don''t you go home?"


    There were raised eyebrows from everyone still in the room, even Captain Orc who had no idea what was going on and Raven who barely knew more than the Orc.


    "My home is a destroyed and sees what remains of my people doing the destroying at the hands of the Emperor¡¯s Viscounts" Successful generals who had lead the destruction of the Taurosi armies under Ascendious had been given large swaths of the Greenlands and ownership of the former occupants along with lovely titles like Viscount to go alone with it.


    "Yes. It is. I imagine you can remember when it was still beautiful. Maybe you could remake it again"


    "You would not let us join you in your assassination of the ruler who subjugated my people but you send us to die back in our homelands?"


    "With me death is likely how things end...but what if I could give you a weapon."


    Alayne looked past the dark eyed monarch in waiting towards the sad looking prince and everyone''s eyes slowly followed.


    "We took him as a stepping stone to get to his father, who apparently cares very little it would seem. But..." Alayne had jumped up now and begun to gesture dramatically as if mid performance. "I doubt the Viscounts who run your lands would be so dismissive of part of the royal lineage held hostage"


    He let that sink in for a second.


    "There are people in the city below who could follow you."


    "They be half mad boy"


    "No you''re half mad Captain, those below are hungry and desperate. With the food your people are bringing up and what already lies in these walls you could provide for them. Bind them to you. Lead as you were born to"


    He hated the idea of those born to lead but on this occasion it suited his narrative well.


    The queen-to- be stood beside her companion over the former heir, she slapped a hand to the brown furred Taurosi''s shoulder and nodded at Alayne.


    "Kru''bian, keep the honourable prince close"


    Alayne bowed towards his companions beside the fire who rolled their eyes at him. Victorious shied away bringing his knees to his chest and silently sobbing as the Taurosi stared at him with fire in their eyes.


    It wasn''t much of a plan but it was a powerful start to a potential campaign in the Greenlands. He had been struggling with reasons as to why he kept the prince alive since they made landfall but now it all fell into place, and whilst the prince may not matter to the Emperor it may offer a resistance in the Greenlands a chance.


    "I thought Bra''Canoe was in charge, what did I miss with this one?" Captain Orc had clearly been following the conversation several moments behind everyone else and had now used the momentary silence to ask his question.


    "That is Thuran''ar, rightful monarch of the Taurosi"


    "Well bugger me with a main sail. We be swimming in royalty since finding you Ducard. Now tell me Thirsty Star, why don''t this fella here be talking?" His question was apt if asked poorly and on the back of complete disrespect for the name of the hopefully future queen.


    Clearly she had a read of the Captain already and she let his confusion slide without correction


    "That poor creature was taken early in the war and had been a captive long before us. In all our years here he has never spoken." She paused to spare the silent creature a pitiful glance "Only screamed during the punishments."


    Captain Orc for all his faults showed the awareness to say nothing more on the matter.


    Over the course of the next few hours they drank and ate from the casks and baskets Alayne had brought up earlier. More Taurosi had poured in along with Bruccan''hor as the final crates and barrels were lifted from the docks and carried to the front of the manor to be dispersed among the people first thing in the morning.


    Slowly the Taurosi had pulled away from the rest of them until Alayne and his companions felt that a change of scenery was required.


    The 3 of them and Surrich''s head relocated to a large wine cellar where they drank the night away. Well Raven slowly nursed a goblet of dark red whilst Captain Orc and Alayne gulped anything they could grab by the bottle. Even Surrich tried to get involved and had white sparkling liquid poured down his open throat hole and onto the floor.


    Alayne enjoyed the brain fog that came over him when drinking, it had become a good pass time on the ship and he was glad to steal a night of it here before they left for whatever happened next.


    It had been quiet drinking at first but after...some amount of time the empty bottles were beginning to pile up and even Raven had drank more than a couple of cups worth.


    "Why-Why do you keep trying to annoy the Greymen, Ducard" Raven had asked the question out of nowhere as he rested on one elbow over a barrel of something expensive. Alayne had a bad feeling this was going to be one of those drunken nights where everyone got too personal but from his position slouched on the floor between two wine racks he couldn''t quite force himself to leave.


    "They think-What do they think- they think they are so closed off from us ''mere'' mortals, and, and, and that annoys me. So if they want to play emotionless statue people I will make it my mission to make them feel....and furthermore if the only thing I can make them feel is angry...well I still win."


    He had completed many performances after more than a few tankards of ale but here he was struggling, but he rarely drank wine in his defence.


    "Dead man, why do they be leaving you with us. Feels like undead people should want to stick together?"


    "Scared of me. I remind them that they can fai...fa..fa"


    Alayne tried to jump up but got almost to a crouch before crumpling back down, but he did manage to point towards Surrich who had somehow got lodged on a lit chandelier above them all.


    "See they pretend to be stone but they are broken. Fear, Shame, Anger. I will crack them open"


    "Think they''ll kill ya first boy" Captain Orc stood leaning against another wine rack, looking more sober than Raven despite the pile of bottles at his feet


    "Honestly gentlemen I am fairly certain that my tale ends at the end of a Greymans blade regardless of my success. I firmly believe the only way I...we...can survive this is to reignite humanity in the inhuman..."


    Alayne should stop there, it was depressing enough and had killed the energy in the room but he couldn''t, the wine was talking now


    "There are worse ways to go though than being killed by fairy-tale monsters on a quest to free the world from tyranny. You could die in the middle of a road, beaten by bandits as your guardian does nothing mere fingertips away"


    He was self aware enough to know he was spiralling, but not strong or sober enough to pull himself out of it. He found the melody to the song he''d been to broken to write conjured into the air from the lute that never left his lap and he began to drunkenly sing:


    "O AJ the Boy...AJ the Bard, he-he wasn''t very good but he did try hard."


    "Ducard lad..."


    "he liked to chase beetles, he liked to eat bugs. But in the end he was k-kicked to death by a couple of thugs"


    "Alay..Alay..Ala"


    "His mentor watched in vain, as his apprentice died in pain."


    "Alayne"


    "His first and only standing ovation, was the one that caused his final damnation"


    He broke then, he tried not to.


    He''d tried to stop after every word but it just kept tumbling out.


    He sobbed into his hat as he had every night on the boat when the music had died and the fake smiles had fallen. For the first time in his life he didn''t want an audience but he couldn''t stop and couldn''t move.


    There was a thick heavy silence, much like the drunken fog that clouded their minds.


    The only sounds were the muffled cries of a broken black marked bard.

 Chapter 16: Chance Encounters

    The following morning Alayne said nothing of the previous night''s performance. He claimed he remembered nothing after popping the cork off the first bottle of Bracadian White wine, like the name would mean anything to Raven. Until now his experience with wine was the odd cup he shared with his flock begrudgingly that was filled with whatever cask the Nest happened to have open.


    Raven had poked Alayne for some show of grief over AJ''s passing and he was ashamed to say he didn''t know how to respond now it had happened. He allowed the bard''s terrible lie of forgetfulness to go by unchallenged, as did Surrich and Captain Orc.


    They''d expected to get to work hauling the merchant''s cargo down to the city and aiding the Taurosi in feeding the people. Instead they''d awoke to find it done. The Taurosi were all tall and broad and had moved the goods and opened the gates without fear to begin breaking them back into some form of civilised people.


    "There''s nothing more you need of us?" Alayne had seemed almost saddened by the question as they''d gathered in the courtyard that was now free of the bodies Raven and Captain Orc had piled high.


    "Songsmith you have your path and you have laid ours out before us. We thank you but we can take the correct steps from here"


    Just like that their role in the White Knot was done.


    Alayne seemed slightly lost for words which Raven was shocked to see.


    "Then it is time we leave...How do we do that?"


    "Ship lad, how else do you get off an island" Raven was afraid that was the answer, he hadn''t been on dry land long enough to grow a fond nostalgia for travelling by sea.


    "Is your ship coming back for us Captain?"


    "Nah, be well on their way to the Flotilla to take all the glory for me capturing of the naval flagship"


    "We''ll take one from the harbour. Raven, leave the largest vessel for the Taurosi and take one of the others for us. Gather any supplies we should leave as soon as we are able" There was a tiredness to the man as if the conversation were tasking him, which was unlike any bard least of all Alayne Ducard.


    As they turned to return to the manor house and take their leave Thuran''ar turned back to them from watching her people work.


    "Good luck to you all. I hope you burn the empire to the ground"


    "I hope you raise your Greenlands from the embers"


    Alayne didn''t miss a second when speaking the poetic response, despite his dark mood he couldn''t bury his way with words.


    There wasn''t much to gather before they stood on the dock where the severed hand of the overly confident merchant guard still rested on the wooden planked floor. They were now presented with 2 options of ships before them, the third floating just out ahead of them gently rocking as the tide slowly pulled it out to sea. They had dragged one of the merchant captains with them, a woman by the name of Captain Liza Brennat, who was currently arguing with Alayne.


    "You will take us to the mainland"


    "I had a crew of 8 men to work my ship, I cannot sail without a crew"


    "You have 3 of us, make do"


    "I pay the bare minimum number of seamen..." Raven sighed as Captain Orc giggled.


    "Really?" Raven cocked a frown to the Orc standing beside him


    "It never stops been funny lad"


    "It takes 8 to just barely get this thing from A to B. 3 isn''t enough. Maybe if you hadn''t set my crew adrift..."


    "Why did you do that? We needed them"


    "He told me too" Captain Orc was quick to put Raven in the firing line of the Bards misplaced anger


    "What should we have done? Slept with 20 angry sailors watching over us"


    Alayne ignored him and put his hands to his hips and looked out to sea at the smallest boat of the 3 that the Captain had crammed 3 crews into before setting adrift.


    "Captain Orc, could you have sailed that ship with just the 3 of us as crew"


    "Course lad, I can sail a turtle through a storm" Raven almost asked a follow up question but he was getting better at not feeding the Captains madness.


    "Why didn''t you keep that one docked then?"


    "Didn''t think this far ahead lad, I be the live in the moment type"


    "What''s that ship called" Alayne ignored, as he often did, the Captains response and pointed to the ship floating gently out amongst the waves


    "The Yellow Belly" Liza had crossed her arms and was clearly frustrated with their group, there was no fear in her at all, not outwardly anyway.


    "And yours?"


    "The Salt Skate"


    "Captain and...Captain get The Sale Skate ready to sail. Raven assist where you can" He began to trot up back towards the stairs as he put them to work.


    "Where are you going" Raven called after him.


    "Extra set of hands"


    Alayne returned shortly after, with Captain Dorner of the Yellow Belly, the ship that had contained the Taurosi slaves in its underbelly. Where Liza had grown in confidence talking back to the group as they needed her help, Dorner had no such backbone. Without hesitation he removed his coat and rolled up his well pressed white sleeves and began working alongside the 3 to work the ship as Captain Brennat sailed them out to the mainland of the Empire whilst shouting how foolish this was.


    It was hard work, and not the kind Raven and clearly Alayne were accustomed to. They both scurried about as best they could following orders from Captain Orc or Captain Brennat, pulling ropes and tying knots seemingly at random. He found himself copying the two working Captains who threw their boots off under the deck and ran around barefoot and shirtless. Raven had never seen Captain Orc without his tell-tale red coat and tricorn hat, it was an odd sight to see the muscle bound oaf charging around the deck and working with such efficiency, especially in comparison to Dorner and Alayne who were clearly unused to physical labour and were sweating and swearing constantly.


    They were clearly tired by the end of the first day and Raven was aching everywhere after the 5th despite many chances for rest due to their luck with calm seas, and clear weather. Captain Orc was clearly at home though, never slowing, never stopping. If one of them fell or failed a role he was there picking them up and doing their work. If he''d had time Raven could have sat and watched him work for hours. It was like watching Alayne perform in a way, like you were experiencing someone doing exactly what they were born to do.


    By the 12th day Raven had lost feeling in most of his body, he moved from post to post as he had every day before. His hands were torn from rope burns, his feet bloodied and filled with splinters from the rough wooden decking and his skin was burnt and peeling from the sun exposure they couldn''t escape when they worked. He felt like he would drop dead at any moment but the moment never came and the work never stopped. They were far out to sea now and still a time from the mainland they hoped to arrive on, this meant (as he found out first hand) choppier waters which in turn meant more random rope pulling and more and tighter random knot tying. He really had no idea what he was doing even after so many days of it. Captain Orc still worked ceaselessly, sweat pouring from him at the same speed he drank buckets of water to keep himself going. It was he and Raven that kept things moving during most of the day, Alayne and Dorner had been moving at a literal crawl before been ordered to rest until things got more difficult. Captain Brennat occasionally allowed Captain Orc to man the helm when she needed rest, they had grown a quiet respect for each other as they''d worked to keep things moving.


    Raven made a mistake on the 23rd day of their sea trip. He sat, just for a moment as the sun was setting over the sea and a gentle light rain was dampening the deck and cooling his aching body. He never got back up though, his legs just would not budge and his only movement was to slump off the crate he''d sat on and bounce onto the deck instead. He tried to pull himself up with his hands by gripping an overhead rope and the edge of a barrel but he may have well have been trying to lift the entire ship for all the good it did.


    When he finally gave up and let go he heard a hearty laugh from the bow (he had been picking up nautical terms during this trip fairly well) of the ship.


    "Ya did well lad, made it a long way before dropping, that cult must''ve trained you well"


    He shouted across the ship to Raven, cigar as always hanging out of his mouth as he ran from foremast to mainsail and back.


    Before Raven could respond, or attempt to, he found for the second time since meeting him that a conversation with Captain Orc had been ended by an explosion of wood around them.


    "Where the bloody hell did that come from..." There was panic in Captains Brennats voice above them


    "Main sails gone lass" Captain Orc and Raven could see the large mast that had sat in the middle of the ship and towered above them was shattered and slowly tipping towards the sea


    "Cannons?"


    "None. We run not fight, I''m a merchant not a pirate hunter" There was resignation in her voice, despite having nothing to offer aboard it still clearly hurt the captain to give up "Lower the sails and drop the anchor"


    "HAHA lure em in and cut em down" Captain Orc stood beside Raven in a moment, fully dressed with black boots and red hat and coat with cutlass in hand. He placed Raven''s sword belt atop the barrel he''d slumped against and offered the man a hand.


    From the lower decks Alayne and Dorner, stumbled onto the main deck with bags under their eyes and a stiffness to their steps as Raven redressed himself.


    "Is it too much to ask for one part of this journey to go smoothly? Really" Alayne moaned from the steps that led up to the rear of the ship where Liza was watching intently, through an eyeglass, the approaching vessel.,


    "You moan too much Ducard lad, Best bit of sea travel is fighting at sea. The smell of salt mixing with blood, the screams mixing with the lapping of the waves and the total carnage. Argh ya can''t beat it"


    "Is-are-is he going to get us killed?" Alayne and Raven had ignored the Captains whimsical outburst but Dorner was not as used to his madness


    "He''s more likely than most things to get us killed I think"


    "They''ll be upon us any minute, let them take what they please and we may live!" the call came from above but the glint in Captain Orc''s eye said he would do nothing of the sort.


    This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.


    "I be sending as many as I can to - Does everyone else hear that?"


    There was nothing for a moment as they all fell to silence, just the creaking of a ship as the waves knocked it this way and that, the soft patter of rain on the deck boards and flesh and the last groans as the mast slowly gave way above them. But then they heard it, almost all at once, a soft music but not as pitch perfect as Alaynes usually was. It was rough and out of tune and played on something Raven knew to be familiar but couldn''t quite place.


    Captain Orc jumped past them and moved to the higher deck, snatching the eyeglass from Captain Brennat


    "Ah I be blind....wait sorry wrong eye... That be my ship! That be Shard playing! THOSE BASTARDS!"


    Raven and Alayne visibly relaxed, they weren''t sure why the Captain was so irate but at least they wouldn''t have to fight with tired bodies today.


    Captain Orc did not relax, quite the opposite as he waited for the ship to get within boarding distance. He perched himself on the corner of the aft of The Salt Skate, holding a rope that went up to the mizzenmast and staring out to sea, sword still drawn and cigar puffing out clouds of smoke into the darkening air.


    As Raven and Alayne stood on the main deck, leaning over the railing and staring off at the approaching vessel, they were both able to pinpoint the exact moment that Captain Second Mate and his crew had realised who it was they were about to board. At first the ship, former lead of the Empires navy, had been tearing through the waves with the 3 masts decked out with full bulging sails rising in rows high above the ship itself.


    Then they''d dropped, suddenly and hastily the sails had been pulled down at once and Raven felt he could feel the shaky hands tearing at the ropes in a panic. If it was possible for an entire ship to look sheepish in the gloom of a fast fading twilight then this was it. Raven had spent time with the Captain now, he could imagine how nervous the crew were about his impending boarding after they''d just hit his new ship with his own cannons.


    "Mr Second Mate. What be the meaning of this?"


    Captain Orc had shouted from his perch as his own ship finally came alongside them.


    There was the expected scuttling of sailors up and down the deck as Raven got close enough to see, but one man stood in the centre, hands clasped behind his back in an ill fitting red coat that may have belonged to his former, now once again current, captain. He wore black rimmed glasses and had a recently shaved head and patchy half grown beard. Raven suspected he may have been trying to copy Captain Orc''s own unique look, for some reason.


    Whilst he stood firm Raven could tell he was nervous, he was holding his hands to stop them trembling he suspected, but he was unable to stop his legs and the rocking back and forth motion on his heels.


    "Captain What-I mean"


    Second Mate stepped up to the edge of Captain Orcs Boat and nervously called out as he waited for the crew to prepare the planks needed for boarding


    "Did I not tell you to head to the Flotilla Mr Second Mate?"


    "His name is Adahn, they only use their assigned names when Captain Orc is around" Alayne had leaned over and whispered.


    "Er..No Captain you-"


    Captain Orc had been making his way back towards the middle of the deck as Adahn spoke and now without a word of warning or a run up of any kind, he leaped from the rail Raven was resting on and landed with a thud in front of his substitute captain.


    It was raining still, two large ships were creaking all around them with Sailors making calls and moving heavy planks in front of them. But still Captain Orc could be heard clear as day.


    "Did I not be leaving ya a detailed note with pacific instructions on me desk?"


    Unfortunately Adahns voice didn''t travel nearly so well.


    "What do you mean ''nonsense''? Can ya not read boy? Be no harm in it but ya should have told me"


    "Can any pirate read?" Raven queried at Alayne.


    "Most can actually, common misconception. Although Captain Orc can''t"


    "I don''t understand are we in danger?" Dorner had been listening by their side since the ships had come together, he was still as anxious as he had been when they''d forced him aboard in the White knot but he was at least familiar with the two of them to ask questions.


    "Honestly you can never say with certainty that you''re safe when Captain Orc is leading on things, but you can choose to have hope, Dorner" The former captain of the Yellow Belly let out a deep sigh at Alaynes words.


    With a thud and after what felt like forever waiting for the crew to put a walkway in place, Alayne led the 3 remaining crew and captain of the Salt Skate onto the deck of Captain Orcs New Boat. He recognised the faces of Cole the red haired ''royal'' elf, Saraya who owed him a pair of pants and of course Shard who had stopped an attack with his terrible playing. There were others, although no gnome he could see, Treit the half footed large orc, Ferret the ship¡¯s cook with his patchy grey beard, small dark eyes and Alayne assumed a complete lack of the sense of taste. There were more, colourful characters one and all and those atop the deck cheered when they saw Alayne no doubt knowing they were going to be upgraded from Shards performances for a time.


    Despite the dark cloud of a mood he''d had hanging over him seeing all these familiar faces made him smile, he really was at his best when performing or building towards a performance. Too much time to think when he wasn''t, and when the last large amount of days had been filled with repetitive manual labour, that where most definitely not his strong suit, then he''d lots of time to get lost in his thoughts. The whining of Dorner hadn''t helped either, someone moaning about everything whenever you were permitted to rest didn''t help to raise spirits.


    He didn''t jump down off the boarding plank when he reached the end, instead he skirted along the wooden railing it had been atop of and climbed a few rungs up the boarding net to look down at the crew. Even Captain Orc had stopped chastising Adahn to gaze up confused at the bard.


    There were several little torches attached to the masts and doorway to the captains quarters, they gave enough light to make out who was around but nothing more, with a flick of his lute strings the fire burst high, almost too high as he noted the copious amounts of rope just above where he''d luckily stopped the flames. The light illuminated the full boat, he made them dance between the natural reds and oranges and then purple, green, blue.


    "Good seamen and seawomen of this fair vessel have you missed the Master Bard Alayne Ducard?"


    The flames raised higher and lower matching his inflection as he spoke. He lost himself in the wonder he saw amongst the crew and allowed the peace he felt to wash over him as they cheered in response to his question.


    "Then do me the honour, the pleasure, the absolute privilege this night and every night we are at sea of being my audience. Allow me to dazzle..." and as the fires popped into showers of sparks the crew ran to the edge as one, as they watched the bard slip and fall into the icy waters between the ships.


    "DUCARD"


    "Get rope!"


    "...and Amaze" his voice boomed and cut through the panic. He''d left it long enough to cause worry but not enough for action to be taken in saving the mirage. He stood now in the centre of the deck where he''d carefully climbed down from as they''d panicked. Only Raven stood watching him with a half smile before he''d announced himself to the rest.


    The torches returned to a normal small burn and claps and cheers came from the shocked pirates as he was hastily grabbed by Captain Orc and thrown into his quarters where Raven, Adahn and Captain Brennat met them.


    "Right, now why be you here Second Mate"


    "Sorry but where''s the First mate?" Alayne audibly sighed as Raven once again chose to raise a question that would get him nowhere


    "I be the first mate"


    "But you''re the captain?"


    "Aye, first on the ship thus Captain"


    "But first m-"


    "Let it go Raven...Adahn carry on"


    Captain Orc looked confused over who Alayne was speaking to until ''Second Mate'' started responding to the initial question


    "Well, we erm..We couldn''t read your note so we just kind of sailed around a bit. Taking down a few navy ships and shaking down merchants and then we found you"


    "And now that you did, and crippled our ship-"


    "My Ship!" Captain Brennat exclaimed from the corner standing next to a small end table, away from the rest of them who gathered around the desk in the centre of the room


    "We could do with passage to Shansheer cove"


    "What in all the known gods'' personal hells do you want to go there for?" Alayne was surprised by the Captains outburst, it was a place of depraved thieves and rogues to converge. Perfect for the destructive pirate


    "Well we can''t land on an actual port now since this is one of most recognisable ships in the world and I believe or hope someone I was looking to recruit into our little Black Marked Band may sometimes resides there"


    "Who?" Could nothing be a surprise anymore?


    "Patience Captain"


    "Braker?"


    "No, I he died in the pits years back, stop guessing"


    "Erm, Caitie?"


    "Ha! Never again, she almost got me killed for a fake ruby, and stop guessing!"


    "Brock?"


    Alayne stopped.


    "Brock? Brock eats people, Captain and he chews with his mouth open. It''s horrific. No not Brock, never Brock"


    "Ah, he''s funny wee lad though, shame. Come on just tell us"


    Alayne sighed and he knew he should give in. Apart from his own desire and subconscious need for suspense like every discussion was a performance there was no real need for secrecy after all.


    "Sha''dar"


    Adahn shuffled his feet and Captain Orc tilted his head slightly


    "I''m sorry lad, Sha''dar be dead"


    Alayne laughed


    "Captain, I have known them for years. They are the greatest thief in the land. If you think they are dead then that is only because they want you to think that"


    "No, no boy. Truly he be dead"


    "Go on then, Captain, how did the most illusive man in the empire die?"


    Captain Orc gave a side eyed look to Adahn who continued to shuffle and shift his weight from one foot to the other uncomfortably


    "Well you know how he liked to brag that he could escape from any prison?"


    Alayne nodded, with a smug smile on his face


    "So, from what the boys pieced together when they be on land; old Sha''dar had got himself drunk one night in the one of those nasty little inns I be loving down on the docks of the capital. There he meets a fella who had spent most of his life locked in the capital''s main dungeons. The Emperor''s hole for the biggest criminals he be not wanting to hang outright. Sha''dar being the bastard he was, mocks the poor old codger for not escaping instead of waiting. The old man sez ''it be impossible'' and Sha''dar said ''I''ll prove it to ya'' and dragged everyone outside."


    For some reason Captain Orc had been doing voices for the old man and Sha''dar, he was no match for Alayne and his Sha''dar was high pitched like a young girl, which was odd because Sha''dar had a deep gruff voice much like Captain Orc but just not as loud.


    "So they be gathered outside and Sha''dar proclaims ''I be getting arrested and thrown in the capital dungeon and I''ll meet you all back here for drinks on me''. Those lads and lasses watch as the great drunken rogue runs over to the captain of the guard. Some big bugger with a square jaw and scars that could match my own. Sha''dar gets to him and slaps him as hard as he can in the face, right in front of his own men and laughs at him, holding out his hands to be dragged off to prison."


    Alayne had a sinking feeling the Captain wasn''t as mistaken as he thought


    "So there be standing this small little drunken fool smiling at this well armoured soldier with a fresh handprint on his face and Sha''dar is thinking, I expect anyway, that this guy is gonna drag him off and lock him up. Instead the soldier smacks him with his own armoured hand, straight into the side of his head. Sha''dar cockles, slips and cracks his head on a decorative stone that had been sat outside the inn for customers to be sick over."


    The room was silent as Alayne digested what he heard


    "Sorry, not to confuse you. He be dead from that point on"


    "Yes we got that Captain, I''m sorry Alayne where are you close?"


    Alayne lifted his hat to scratch his head, he felt a bit lost.


    "No, not really anyway, just bonded through our mutual distaste for the empire, and of course its own distaste for us"


    "Yes yes it''s very sad a thief died, but at what point am I addressed? What happens to me and my ship now"


    "We''ll have your ship towed behind us until we arrive in more populated waters, you and Dorner are welcome aboard until then" Alayne turned his back to the captain, considering the conversation done as she sniffed annoyedly behind him.


    "Aye lass we''ll take care of you, don''t lose your he...bugger"


    Captain Orc ran around them all as they watched and he opened the door a crack before shouting out


    "Oi Halig! Get on that little boat and get me talking head from the crows nest" He slammed the door and made his way back behind the desk "Sorry almost forgot me head"


    "I doubt he minds. Back to this drunken thief; what did we need him for?" Raven desperately tried to get things back on track.


    "To get us into the-" he stopped when he realised how much they had already revealed to Captain Brennat, who was still stood watching them intently "-to get us somewhere we shouldn''t"


    Raven cocked his head but followed Alayne gaze to the merchant captain and nodded immediately. "Well there always be..." Captain Orc smiled that terrifying smile of his and Raven frowned.


    "Who...No.NO. Not him. There must be someone else"


    "Dare I ask?"


    "Ya be needing someone dumb enough and loyal enough to die for ya and with a knack for breaking into places. There be noone else."


    "Who?"


    Alayne looked at the confused stoneoath and closed his eyes for a second before answering. Picturing a world where he could plan more than a day in advance and have those plans not ruined by masters of their craft getting themselves killed in drunken pissing contests.


    "Rick-"


    "RICKSTER BOGGSWORTH" Captain Orc roared with laughter as he cut Alayne off.


    He was still laughing as Alayne left, it was not a good sign for his survivability if he had to rely on Rickster bloody Boggsworth to be competent.


    Alayne cast if from his mind for the moment, right now they were still days from even seeing land, he had performances to give and an adoring crowd to impress.


    This he could control,


    This he could succeed in,


    This was all he was good for.

 Chapter 17: The Thief

    Alayne re-joined Captain Orcs New Boat with an aching body and was both physically and mentally exhausted, and yet he found himself rejuvenated when stood atop a crate in the centre of the deck singing and telling stories whilst drunken pirates dragged cask after cask of ale or rum or wine above the deck to down as they cheered him on. Every night without fail for nearly 2 months Alayne stood on a barrel, a crate or Treit''s shoulders and performed for the adoring pirates, like Treit¡¯s shoulders, they never tired of him and they hung off his every word. He allowed his guilt and pain and burden to fall without thinking as he basked in their adulation.


    He even made up some new material on the spot ¡®The old man who read a book¡¯ he had titled it. He remembered it had gotten laughs from everyone but he was too drunk himself to remember his own words, which may have been for the best.


    Of course he''d regaled the crew with the exploits from the white Knot, this is something he''d been putting together since they''d spent that first unsleeping night outside Cornostus. ''Broken waves and shattered oaths'', the tale of Raven Broken-Oath and the Dread Captain C. The loyal crew had lapped that one up, incomplete as it was and Raven had got many a pat on the back for his part. It of course went without saying that the crew had thrown drinks in the air when Alayne had retold the taking of the Red Arrow and the fall of prince Victorious.


    But all good things must come to an end and despite it being the longest he''d performed for one audience he had to stop at some point. Any day now they would spot the mainland on the horizon, not long after they would dock in Shansheer cove and depart on their impossible journey, until then they had to be ''quick and quiet'' Captain Orc had stated, no more drinking or performances until they made land.


    Alayne had sulked to himself, remaining below deck with Surrich and Raven whilst the sailors worked tirelessly upstairs. It was on the second day, whilst Alayne had managed to entice Raven into a game of flick the gold piece into Surrich''s gaping empty eye sockets, that they''d had visitors in the mess. It was a large room they were in, filled with seats and tables for those who weren''t needed above, but now everyone was either working or sleeping so they sat alone, opposite each other on a table in the centre of the large area with 2 empty chairs beside them.


    "It''s been some time my wandering grey friends" he''d spoken just as Raven had been about to take his shot, it went very well wide thanks to the distraction.


    "How do you know when we have arrive?" Raven jumped up and knocked his chair back as the two greymen appeared from seemingly nowhere and pulled the two centre chairs and sat down.


    "Call it Bardic intuition, I always know when eyes are upon me. Doesn''t matter if they are centuries rotten, magically undying or half blind. A bard knows."


    Maybe he was telling the truth and it was just another bardic skill he had, he lost track himself more often than not.


    "We see you have finally decided to come to the mainland, as we advised some time ago. We also see this ship is distinctly lacking any of the Emperor''s sons, has your plan changed since we last spoke?" There was a very thin veneer of anger to her words as Alayne shared a quick look at Raven


    "We had both the eldest sons, but they were needed elsewhere. But I have another plan, even better than the first if you can imagine that."


    "You let them go? 2 of them? We let you detour from the intended course for your plan, which you have now abandoned and it has left even more time for the forbidden knowledge to be found."


    Alayne tried his usual disarming smile, it was hit or miss in truth but always worth the gamble.


    It did not work on Adeline who looked at him like a cat would a mouse before it pounced.


    "Adeline, have faith in the ''Black Marked Band''-" he winked at Raven who sat back to distance himself from the name as best he could in the moment "in a few days we''ll make land at Shansheer, there I find my thief and we move onto the Emperors palace."


    "I did not agree to the name or any name....I...I realise that isn''t important" Raven went red under the glare of the greymen.


    "No more distractions, Ducard. I will not have another monster gain immortality" Alayne sensed a story and they shared a quick look. Raven gave a very small shake of the head but Alayne couldn''t refuse a dangling thread especially not when it was dangled by someone like this.


    "The false god, the Shadow King, whatever other names the legends call him. He was the first to cheat death and you stopped him. How? Why can this not be done again if the Emperor succeeds"


    Adeline audibly sighed, which caught Alayne truly off guard.


    "What has Surrich spoken of regarding what lies after this life for you?"


    "We haven''t wanted to ask" Raven blurted out.


    "We don''t want the surprise spoiled" Alayne deflected how uncomfortable Surrich had made them with his wish to remain this rotten stump then cross over, they hadn''t dared bring it up since or probe further.


    "I...I believe that was the correct decision and I will respect it and omit the details. To put it simply, 12 of us worked as one to trap the King of Death in the world after. Killing him and each other to build a prison his...soul, is the closest word you''d have for it, could not leave."


    "Where are the rest of your kind then?" Alayne probed, there may never be another time to get these answers.


    "We killed each other over, and over, and over for decades. By the end over half of us where driven mad by the pain and torture of been ripped back and forth between worlds. Those of us who remained dare not risk our own minds to build more prisons, instead we had to resort to more barbaric methods."


    "More barbaric than trapping someone in some form of afterlife for all eternity."


    "That false god has now become the god of death for most cultures, the guardian of the forever after for those passing over. He is a god in most ways, we invertedly granted his goal even if it is a bastardised version of it. My kin however, despite their sacrifice, are trapped in this world forever: encased in stone, buried at the bottom of the sea, burning in the belly of volcanoes. To suffer and die over and over for all eternity. We are the last, we are old and we are tired. We cannot guarantee victory over a new strong undying foe."


    Alayne took this all in and would reflect on it later but for now reached across the table, testing his charisma and his undying companions'' vulnerability. He laid a hand on Adeline''s and spoke softly.


    "We will succeed"


    He wasn''t sure how much he believed that but he tried another smile at the grey skinned woman who looked him in the eye, sizing him up anew but seeing nothing different than before.


    "See that you do"


    "LAND HO"


    The call came from above and when Raven and Alayne looked back from the timely distraction they found the two middle seats between them empty once again.


    As soon as land was sighted Captain Orc gave the order to shuffle the two merchant captains onto the Salt Skate and cut the toe ropes they used to carry it with them across the sea. Despite travelling with them for some time there were no goodbyes to be had. Raven and his companions had stolen their livelihood and forced them to aid in their journey, without a backwards glance they left. Captain Orc in a rare act of kindness had ordered the crew to fix the mast of Captain Brennats ship, it wouldn''t sail far or fast he''d said but it would get them to shore, eventually, if they weren''t found by patrols first.


    With the distractions gone it was off to Shansheer cove, a place Captain Orc seemed uncomfortable travelling to despite it sounding well suited to his character from what Alayne had told of it.


    It was a large cave that was only accessible either by ship or by navigating through maze-like tunnel systems from land. The entrance was only visible and accessible for ships if they approached at the right time at the right angle. It had been hidden or ignored by the empire for decades and had become almost a town in its own right. A place of freedom, without the meddling of nobles and their house guards where illicit goods were traded and those black marked by the Empire could pay to be smuggled away to some form of freedom or at least live in peace for a time without looking over their shoulder.


    Raven approached the Captain as he stood at the helm gently navigating towards the visible coast line. Alayne remained below with Sturrich, he''d been quiet since his performances had stopped and quieter still since the short but powerful conversation with the Greymen, although that had rocked Raven as well. It was no wonder they were so cold after what they''d experienced. He''d been close to death twice in recent memory, although it felt like a lifetime ago though he could recall perfectly the pain, the shock, the fear and the creeping darkness that began to enclose you. To feel that over and over countless times. He couldn''t begin to imagine and he didn''t want to.


    "Ya been gawking at me for some time now lad, ya been drinking with the bard?" Captain Orc brought him back from the recesses of his own mind and back to the present.


    "Sorry Captain, I was lost in my own thoughts"


    "Ahhh I get ya, done that many a time. It be like a maze in there" and he lifted a heavy green hand from the helm and tapped a finger to his temple "and the screaming¡­just drives you mad. It''s why I stay out of it"


    "Of course.¡± Raven moved things swiftly on ¡°I was talking to Alayne about Shansheer, but I imagine it may have changed since he left. Is there anything we need to know?"


    "Aye, lots has changed. It be why I be wanting to avoid it, but the bard gets what the bard wants."


    "And what has changed Captain?" He enjoyed short conversations, this wasn''t a thing when dealing with Captain Orc, or Alayne for that matter. He missed being able to cut off one of his flock and having them cut to the point where all it would get him here was a vile insult or at best completely ignored.


    "A free town, a town of lawlessness, a place of absolute chaos where you could be stabbed at any moment and have to fight to the death to get served a mug of ale at a bar" Captain Orc sighed deeply.


    "I can see why that would be somewhere to avoid"


    "What? No, that''s what I liked about it, but now...couple of the local lords found a way in and staked a claim. Neither will move on it and risk a civil skirmish but they have a presence. Now the people behave like normal town folk, you can still find thieves and smugglers but it''s just not the same, there be an air of formality to the skulduggery of the place."


    This was Raven''s second daily reminder that Captain Orc was completely mad, but at least he knew what awaited them there.


    When Captain Orc had stated they had to be at the right angle to find the cove Raven had not expected just how difficult it would be. They had continued towards land, a large cliff face in front of them, nearly twice as high as the ship they were on and it stretched in either direction for what looked like days. Captain Orc barked orders at his crew as the dull thudding of heavy feet hitting the deck became a constant. He waited as long as possible, Raven thought he was going to plough them into the red rocky cliffs, hoping that it was some strange magic like Alaynes illusions and they''d just pass through unharmed. Instead Captain Orc spun the helm as far as he could, calling his crew to shift their weights as one to help and the ship turned slowly at speed almost grazing the prow. They continued moving, travelling now alongside the cliff face, Raven could almost reach out and touch the jagged rocky wall.


    After some time the cliffs split, creating a opening only visible from this side and approach, barely wide enough for Captain Orcs New Boat to squeeze through and just tall enough so that the flag above the main mast clipped the cavern roof everytime they hit a wave sending a small shower of splinters down to the crew.


    They raised the sails and allowed themselves to drift slowly, turning sharply at the Captain''s orders until Raven caught sight of the town underground, lit by a hundred lights showing the multileveled settlement, houses built into and out of the reddish cave walls, all square with small not quite square windows, there were also tent like structures backed up by the stone using scrap wood and hide materials to provide cover. Despite the darkness and the salty air, the rock based town reminded him of his home, the Stonehold, a city for the oathbound built into the Oathbinder mountain just as this was here. Despite all his loss and guilt this was the first time he''d been homesick for his childhood home since he''d first been posted to Burtyne. Raven found himself slightly giddy and wanting to explore and see the sights.


    As they approached he could make out, as Captain Orc had stated, guards patrolling the streets. The people paid them no mind though and they travelled in packs, some in dirty yellow and others in a dark snakelike green, both accented with the deep red of the empire though. They avoided fights in the street, parted ways to let running thieves past them without making a move and most of them seemed to be determined not to look at the former flagship of the navy now docking before them flying the black of the pirates. There was a set of 5 brave souls who took up a post on the wooden pier they would be stepping down to, a mix of both house colours and lining the pier not blocking it.


    Almost like a welcome of sorts, Raven thought.


    When they were docked Captain Orc gathered the crew on the deck and stood shoulder to shoulder with Raven and Alayne, who hung Surrich from his belt.


    "Are you still with us Captain? Can''t say I''d blame you wanting to take your crew out to sea" Alayne spoke as the final members of the crew finished their work securing the ship to the pier, there was a tone to Alaynes question but he wasn''t sure if it was because he wanted Captain to stay or leave.


    "Nah lad, I''ve sailed enough for a lifetime, me heart will always belong to the waves but I''m with ya lad, both of ya, until the end of this one. Can''t have a poncy bard and some cult run-away getting credit for killing the an emperor now can we,? wouldn''t make a good story for ya boy."


    This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.


    As the crew gathered around their captain Raven thought it best to take his leave, he hadn''t really bonded with any of the crew beyond pleasantries. Alayne followed not long after, he''d had them cheering and shouting his name as he left, one final memory to keep his spirits up. He looked weary and tired the moment his foot hit the wooden walkway but before he could say anything to the bard they both turned to listen to Captain Orc whose voice as always boomed out from him


    "Right you horrid lot. Captain Second Mate be in charge. Be brutal, be rude and be pirates. If you ever be wondering ''what would Captain Orc do?'' remember: Stop thinking, start doing. If I don''t see ya on the waves, I''ll see ya under em"


    That advice made total sense from the Captain and Raven found his goodbye oddly touching, he''d said nothing of the sort when leaving for the White Knot and he was un-surprised to hear the Captain get a round of cheers that at the very least rivalled the bards own, despite his many flaws his crew truly respected him as their captain.


    The 4 of them slowly made their way off the small wooden pier they''d docked on, getting passed by several of Captain Orcs pirates as they left to enjoy the pleasantries of land before inevitably returning to sea.


    The party passed the guards who said nothing as the group walked through them. Alayne and Raven passed through under their cautious stares, their jaws were set and their eyes looking dead ahead, careful not to make eye contact with any of the new arrivals.


    Captain Orc seemed to not notice the welcoming party and flicked a half burnt out cigar to his right which caught the collar of one young looking man, in a heavily dented and badly painted yellow chest plate, and then flicked up and lightly burnt his cheek. The man who was just slightly older than Raven, with short black hair like his own and a patchy stubble that would hopefully fill in with time, stepped forward slightly, hands clenched by his side.


    In a moment, without a sound, Captain Orc was in front of him. The large orc towered over the guard and grinned down at him


    "Ya gonna be doin something stupid lad, best think it thr-" a gauntleted fist hit the bearded jaw of the pirate and sent him back a step.


    With the grace of a man half his age and twice his mental capacity Captain Orc tossed his hat and long red jacket at Raven and Alayne who had both frozen to watch events unfold.


    There was a sound of unsheathing metal and Raven turned on his heels ready to fight. He relaxed, jaw slack, as the entire crew of Captain Orcs New Boat stood on the pier with; shortswords, daggers and rapiers pointed at the 4 guards who stood helpless to watch what happened to their companion.


    The man threw another fist, the same as before, this time the Captain saw it coming.


    He didn''t move to grab or block like Raven expected, although why expected any kind of sense from anything Captain Orc did was a question for another day.


    Instead he slammed his head forward and met it halfway with his thick green forehead.


    There was a sickening crunch as the man stepped back screaming, small bits of metal dropping onto the soaked wooden boards at their feet and holding up a mangled hand in pain.


    The Captain grabbed the wailing man by the metal collar of his breast plate and picked him up with one hand and slammed him down onto the pier.


    Wooden planks groaned underneath them but held firm as the guards head bounced off the wood.


    Raven could see the man''s eyes had gone glassy, he doubted he knew where he was anymore after the impact.


    Captain Orc flipped him over with ease and picked up again this time by the back of his collar and held him aloft.


    "People of Shansheer, this man be challenging Captain Orc and lost. What say you be his fate?"


    The market on the shore stopped all at once, merchants, shoppers, children playing all started shouting at once


    "Bash him!"


    "Drown him!"


    "Pull him to bits!"


    "Hire him!"


    Captain Orc pointed to a small boy with a fishing rod in his hand, who went pale at the attention.


    "Thar be our winner-" he turned the guard to face him "welcome to the crew"


    He was still dazed and confused and said nothing as several of the pirate crew dragged him onto their boat to do god knows what with him.


    "That''s one of my men, you can''t just take him" Finally one of the other guards spoke up, an older man although not by much and in armour that was less dented and more recently coloured with the yellows and reds of house and crown.


    The swords of the crew dropped, despite the protest they obviously felt no threat here.


    Captain Orc rounded on the man.


    "Crew, What be the rule of fighting Captain Orc?"


    "Don''t!" The crew shouted as one.


    "and the other rule?"


    "Hope he''s in a good mood"


    "Thar you have it, I be happy today and ya lad survived. Hopefully he''ll keep surviving and live a good live as a pirate. If not, well the sea always be hungry."


    The leader of the guards looked to the others, the ones in opposing house colours had already started to leave and the faces of his remaining men obviously gave him little hope.


    He hung his head in shame and marched off, his forces in tow.


    "What no...no" Surrich asked from below them as Captain Orc redressed himself.


    "Now Surrich, we find our thief." Alayne replied with a heavy sigh.


    "Do you know where to look?" Raven found himself oddly numb to the pirates antics at this point and instead was looking up at the 4 tiers of the town that curved around the cave, there were many, many cities that dwarfed it in size even in Rha''Vander, but it would still be hard to find one person in all these homes and businesses.


    "He had a home somewhere round here and I doubt he would move, a creature of habit is Rickster, he stays until he is forced to leave."


    Alayne led them through a throng of people, they were armed and confident and the common pickpockets in the crowds and even the guards gave them a wide berth. It was only the merchants selling clearly stolen fabrics and poorly made weapons that dared approach, that was until Captain Orc threatened one after they accidently knocked his cigar out of his mouth in passing whilst showing off just how stretchy the genuine Taurosi hide fabric was.


    "I be enjoying that"


    "I..It was...I mean"


    Captain Orc had grabbed him by the throat as the other merchants quickly started to shy away.


    "Any ya come within arms reach of us and I be increasing ya stock by the number of ya teeth I forcibly remove"


    It had been quite a pleasant walk after that, they had the paths and stairways to themselves as everyone avoided them. Raven saw the shadowy houses and tent like structures that passed out, red mouthed, sickly looking folk took shelter in to take herbalist remedies they would do better avoiding. He saw the blood soaked stone and sand in many corners and mouths of alleys where obvious fights or robberies had gone wrong. Captain Orc tried to steer them to a two story building with barely covered women and men dancing outside.


    There was even a merchant, on the 3rd tier of the town rather set back compared to most others who occupied the buildings closer to the dock, that sold exotic and illegal pets. Snakes with feet, a wolf as big as a bear, a bird as big as a man and a two headed lizard that the owner swore could talk for the right price.


    Alayne dragged them both from distraction and attractions and they quickly moved on, further away from the noise of the town to a smaller section of housing where no one walked around. A small section on the 4th level where 5 houses were set away from the rest, built well into the stone so they faced each other in an almost closed loop. They were all boarded up and looked empty but Alayne went straight to the middle house, it looked ike a shop front with the metal arm of a hanging sign above the front door which Alayne ignored. Raven noticed looking around that they all looked this way, all 5 houses with smashed in large front windows that would have once displayed wares and some remnant of a hanging sign, this looked to have been a small market square that had long lost its customer base. As he had looked around noisily Alayne had wandered down the side of the middle house, he was barely visible in the shadows between houses and without knocking he opened it and went inside and without a word the others followed.


    Alayne entered through the little cracked dark wooden door and took the tight right to go up the very thin stairs. He worried Captain Orc would get stuck but then it would mean he''d miss the conversation so it wouldn''t be too big a problem until they tried to leave.. At the top of the stairs there was another small wooden door to his left that he opened without knocking. He entered onto the top floor of a long abandoned book store, he tried to remember what the rotten, almost completely faded sign had said so long ago...''Sticky spells for Sticky fingers'' an atrocious name for a magic spell book shop, seeing peak business when mages where trying to flee their compulsive servitude in the Mage tower. That time had long since passed though and this shop had been empty, as a business anyway, for decades. Instead what was once a store room presumably filled with scrolls and magic filled tomes was now filled with rotten wooden shelves, discarded bottles of who knows what, a table that could collapse at any moment and 3 scrappy beds made of what smelt like driftwood.


    His companions entered behind him, Captain Orc was not stuck it seems but he was flustered so it must''ve been close and Raven maintained his wide eyed wonder he''d had since arriving in Shansheer, he distracted himself for a moment wondering why this place in particular, out of all the things he''d seen since fleeing Rha''Vander had caused him to become so starry eyed.


    Behind the shelves to Alaynes right a woman sat in the shadows sniffing deeply from bottle after bottle she found on the floor, paying no heed to the strangers entering her house.


    To the back of the room a shaggy head of thinning grey hair rose from one of the creaky beds before quickly falling back down but neither Tobias or Mildred were of any interest to Alayne, on this day or any day.


    He was here for Rickster, a small thin man with a little pot belly which crept out underneath his badly stitched waistcoat, and his small dumpy legs that poked out of the ragged ends of his almost knee high trousers. He sat at the table which dominated the left of the room, trying to carve something into it with the saddest looking knife Alayne had ever seen.


    Alayne gave a short cough and the small man looked up, his short dirty brown hair didn''t pass his ears and was clearly unwashed for years, he had dark weasel like eyes above a crooked nose and pointed chin which despite been in similar years to Alayne could barely grow more than few unsightly whiskers of hair. He looked shocked for a moment, his eyes wide which still left them smaller than most peoples, until he noticed who had come to his hovel. Then a big 3 toothed grin spread across his face.


    "Oh Mother! Alayne Ducard hav come back...O Mother and da Captain!" Alayne was impressed he''d managed to draw the eye enough to allow Rickster to miss Captain Orc for a moment, that rarely happened.


    "Ri-" Alayne was about to jump straight to business but quickly shoved out of the way


    "Rickster bloody Boggsworth, can''t believe ya aint dead. Good for you lad" Captain Orc picked the small man up and then gave him a large aggressive pat on the back


    "Mother, dey proud I ain''t bin bopped off"


    Mildred grunted disinterestedly from behind the shelves and glass bottles shuffled around as she found one with enough in it to huff from, and a small burst of anger rose in him before he quieted it down.


    "Rickster, good to see you again, this is our friend Raven Brokenoath"


    "Wow, you luk more wide eyed dan I be, where ya find this chap den"


    "He''s from Rha''vander-"


    Rickster spat a large spray of dirty brown water he''d tried to drink from an equally dirty glass on the table , Captain Orc gave him another pat on the back which he waved away.


    "Rha''vander? Dat¡¯s amazing. But why?"


    Rickster was easily impressed, na?ve to a fault and terribly loyal, not the best traits for a thief.


    "Well.." Alayne took a seat opposite Rickster "you see-"


    the chair groaned before he''d even put his weight on it, Alayne shot back up and instead walked around the table, sitting on the corner nearest Rickster but not allowing the table to take any of his weight, it left even the graceful bard looking awkward but he''d committed himself so here he''d stay.


    "Raven and the Captain are helping do something stupid and dangerous. But one thing they can''t do, is get me somewhere I shouldn''t be."


    Alayne let his words hang to see if Rickster would grab onto his point.


    He did not, instead he sat there wide eyed and mouth open watching for Alayne to continue.


    "We-"


    "Dat''s a shame"


    "We need someone to open locked doors for us, someone who claims to be a burglar and a thief, someone we can trust to keep it quiet."


    Another awkward amount of time passed before Captain Orc gently, well gently for Captain Orc, patted Ricksters shoulder and nodded at him.


    "Oh Mother, Dey mean me! I''m a fief and a burglar and dey trust me and I can open doors, locked ones as well sometimes!"


    There was a thud from behind them as Mildred tipped onto her side and then vomited violently on the well stained wooden floor.


    "Is she ok?" Raven was several steps towards moving to help the woman before Alayne held out a hand and he stopped beside him instead.


    "Poor Mum, she hasn''t bin da same since da accident"


    "What accident?" Alayne couldn''t remember a time when she hadn''t been rotting her brain with illegal toxic concoctions, and he''d first met Rickster when they were both young boys barely old enough to leave home alone, if they''d had parents that cared anyway.


    "The accident where as she accidently gots addicted to da Red Mist, she fort she was buying milk and accidentally huffed 10 bottles of da stuff and she hasn''t been da same since"


    Na?ve to a fault.


    "But she''ll soldier on, brave and fearless is me mum." he gave an innocent smile towards the barely moving body of his mother and turned back to the group. She didn''t deserve his love or loyalty, a quick stab of shame hit him as he questioned where he deserved it either.


    "Where we robbing den?"


    Rickster had a twinkle in his eye now, he''d chosen to be a thief to follow in his family''s footsteps. He was fine but he got himself in trouble more often than not and Alayne was hoping that the rest of his companions would keep his weaker traits in check.


    Alayne recalled how he''d once tried to steal a prize horse from a racing stable, he got away without a sound but was caught the next day as he had no idea what to do with the beast once he had it and he had been found in an run down shack that had half a horse sticking out of the door only one street over from the stable.


    "We need you to get us into the Emperors palace Rickster"


    Captain Orc leaned in and whispered loud enough for the neighbours to hear.


    "So we can kill him AHA!" that last sound made Rickster flinch with surprise.


    "You sure you want me? Me family are much better at fiefin, Grandad, Tobias da man who licks apples and me Mother, Mildred the Baby deliverer even got nicknames. I just be Rickster boring Boggsworth, I''ll just get ya all hung, drowned and thirded"


    Alayne and Raven both were about to correct him when a creak came from the cluster of scrappy beds in the recesses of the room and the croaky old voice of Ricksters grandfather Tobias, groaned out.


    "If he dies I''m having his bed. Someones been pissing in mine"


    Rickster shook his head.


    "I wait up every night t'' watch for who does it. No-one ever comes in but poor Grandad''s bed is always wet when he wakes up. I can''t just leave dem"


    Alayne had his own parental issues, as did Captain Orc and he assumed Raven did as well as you don¡¯t join a cult from birth if you have a good home life. But Rickster was something else, at least they''d all left them in the past, for the most part anyway.


    Raven turned to Rickster and used his body to separate the man from the view of his family, if you could call them that.


    "If we succeed, Rickster, you could come back with your own nickname. Rickster The thief who helped topped an empire"


    "Don''t exactly roll of da tongue dough do it, hmm, but we can work on dat."


    Alayne stood up and clapped his hands, this had been easier than he thought, he had a good team.


    "Well this seems settled, why don''t you pack your-" Alayne looked around the bare room shared by 3 people "thing, and we''ll meet you at...nearest inn Captain?"


    "The Soiled Tankard"


    "Lovely, yes the Soiled Tankard."


    They all turned to leave before Rickster called their attention back.


    "Yeah I am happy to come, I fink but I do need to get da boss to agree. She dunt like me taking jobs without her say so, says I always end up in bovver"


    Alayne had never taken Rickster for someone to get involved with a guild of any kind, and he doubted any guilds would take him if he did want to.


    "You have a boss? I..who"


    "Nah Nah its fine" he waved them away "she''ll be flying in from da outer cities soon and we''ll meet you at dat place you said"


    They left, although not as confident as they had been moments ago and moved back through the city with Captain Orc leading the way.


    There were a list of questions Raven had as they left, Alayne could see the thoughts behind his eyes racing to get out


    "Licks apples?"


    "So he could claim they were tainted and not pay, it never worked to my knowledge, he just got beat up for stealing apples"


    Next he''d ask about Mildred.


    "Baby deliverer, as in-"


    "As a merchant, not a doctor. She belongs in her current state Raven, trust me, with any luck she''ll choke on her sick whilst Rickster is away. And no I don''t know about this boss of his either but we''ll see who meets us at the Soiled Tankard, it''s not a problem" yet, he finished to himself.

 Chapter 18: The Soiled Tankard

    As they drifted through the cave floor paths of Shansheer cover under the direction of Captain Orc, Alayne drifted off. He called out that he''d catch them up shortly, it was never hard to find a tavern in a town with a little help from the locals.


    He wandered through streets and markets, down the back of blocks of roughly carved housing whilst gently playing his strings. He realised after spending a bit too long enjoying the loneliness that the constant smell of old seawater was the only thing following him. Without turning he knew there was a gaggle of youths who had thought to try and get a free show from a travelling bard, or they were going to rob him which in this town was the more likely outcome. He smiled only to himself and played a few gentle notes knowing they''d be cheering his name in moments eve if they had thought to rob him at first, not long later he played his notes a bit faster and louder as he walked, singing along as he did so


    There''s a town in a cave where they''ll rob you of out


    They''ll take all you''ve made and make off with a shout


    It''s home to vagabonds, the rough and the mean


    If it''s laws you be after than you shouldn''t have been


    To Shansheer O Shansheer the town of freedom


    The only towns arse lacking the emperor''s thumb


    Not his best but children loved vulgarities and he''d seen even the most stoic teen falter at words such as ''bum'' or even the implied use of the word. His followers cheered and sang along as he repeated it a few times, ending with a flick of his strings that sent a shower of sparks and glittering nothings falling over them.


    He danced away and sung his lute over his back when he entered the next street over, a market set up for selling to pirates and smugglers that came through on their way to whatever seedy drinking establishments could be found. He''d descended to the bottom tier of the city, back to where they''d started. Captain Orcs new boat sat against the dock gently swaying, dwarfing the other ships docked their and causing onlookers to stop and stare, some in fear of impending empire invasion until a friend or passer-by pointed to the barely visible black flag high above them with the yellow circle and invisible eyepatch.


    Alayne was also watching the guards that had taken up residence here, there were groups of them mingling with townsfolk buying, drinking, gambling clearly here to make their lords look strong in some way and they knew it was a pointless posting. Others he watched still tried to patrol in some way to keep up appearances for some reason, but the throngs of people didn''t move for them as they did in every other city under the empire, but nor did the guards try to force or beat their way through, instead they gently pushed through or tiptoed around keeping their eyes focused ahead and not looking at any illicit goods been sold, or paying head to any cries for help and certainly not going anywhere near the massive ship that had recently docked that had once belonged to one of the highest ranked people in the empire. Alayne found it pathetic to watch but he couldn''t turn his eyes away from watching them wander back and forth, doing nothing, seeing nothing and been worth nothing, he laughed out loud as one such patrol got within earshot and the leader, a tall gaunt looking woman with thin lips and large but deep set eyes, glared at him as she past. He smiled, not his charming bardic smile, but the smile of a cocky youth he''d once been who enjoyed watching the authority fail in anyway.


    "Dawd...Dawdl"


    Alayne had almost forgotten Surrich was there, the head just seemed to enjoy dangling and seeing new sights.


    "Sorry"


    "Your d...d...d"


    He was right, he was dawdling he knew but once he entered the Soiled Tankard things would become real again and they would expect a plan from him, so he''d strutted his way down here to take in the town but also to buy a map. A simple map of the mainland that he could plan his next steps out with his companions. He really had no idea what he was doing but this seemed like a right minded purchase and he began to walk along the sea front with stalls flanking him on either side with all kinds of men and women peddling everything a sailor would need; Patrol schedules of the Empires navy, sunken treasure maps covered with a few specks of blood so you knew they were definitely, undoubtedly, irrefutably real, crates of the finest - nope he misheard - cheapest rum you could buy, and many more called out to him before he finally found a small table set aside in a corner covered with rolled up parchments


    Raven was sitting in the Soiled Tankard, one of the few drinking establishments he''d visited that actually earned its name, with Captain Orc. A one roomed inn with only 5 tables and a thick layer of something on the floor that smelt too strong to just be spilled drinks. They both had cups in front of them, chipped and stained with the odd bit of debris floating to the top of the ale, despite that The Captain was on his 3 full pint and showed no signs of stopping and they''d barely been sat down for a moment.


    "Do you think it''s wise to drink so heavily Captain?" Raven had a single drink in front of him he''d taken 2 sips out of so far and the Captain stared at his mostly full mug before responding with a raised eyebrow.


    "How come you aint drinking much? Is it a cult thing? Be it one of those that says you can''t be pleasuring yourself or drinking ya pain away? If so it was the right call running away"


    Raven had started this, the Captain seemingly forgetting the many drinks they''d shared so far on their journey, but something else needing addressing.


    "Why do you keep saying I was in a cult?"


    "Were ya not? From what the bard says it do be sounding like one?"


    "No, not at all, it was a great honour to serve the Stoneoaths"


    Captain Orc seemed to genuinely think for a second, and not pretend to as he often did and hoped no-one noticed, as he took a long drink and then a longer drag on his cigar.


    "Aye alright lad, I meant nothin by it. But tell me, did this not a cult raise you in solitude from the outside world?"


    "Well, yes I was taken in as an orphan and rai-"


    He nodded


    "And tell me this now, did they force you to live your life by certain prinsap-prinsip...rules that didn''t always make total sense but were not to be questioned?"


    "Again yes, they are a military body, they have to be strict and-"


    He nodded again, no judgement in his eye as he spoke.


    "Secondly lad, could ya be leaving if ya wanted to without becoming a disgrace or worse?"


    "N-No, you could retire back to Stonehold once you were deemed to old or unfit to serve but you could never leave the Stoneoaths completely"


    Captain Orc lowered his cigar and his drink and locked eye with Raven for a moment.


    "It may have been a cult" Raven took a long swig of his drink under the Captain gaze, a madman that had talked him into a realisation that made him question everything he had been raised to believe in.


    "But I-we-they did good, we weren''t some random assortment of fools praising a god or non existent deity"


    He got a slap on the back that threatened to choke him.


    "Nah you praised rules, order, traditions. No harm in it lad, you helped people from what I gather. Could be a lot worse, could have be sacrificing babies or burning ya ''main mast'' in a ritual fire just at the age it becomes useful. Nah you were in a good one as far as cults go, don''t be hard on yaself about it"


    "Have you ever been in one Captain? You seem to know the key points I missed?"


    "HA, no cult would have me lad. Been a pirate all me life" The quick laugh caused the rest of the sparsely crowded inn to pause for a second.


    "Isn''t a pirate crew a bit like a cult as well though?


    He laughed again, clearly he thought Raven was grasping at straws, and again the rest of the patrons stopped to stare in shock


    "Nah boy, me crew can leave when they want, do what they want and be what they want. Pirating is all about freedom."


    "But as a child you surely couldn''t just leave? How does a child join and survive on a pirate ship?"


    "No, I be stuck on the ship but I was bought and paid for. It wasn''t a cult lad, just standard slavery." said in such a deadpan way Raven almost thought he''d misheard it.


    Captain Orc reached into a chest high pocket on his deep red coat and pulled out a small leather hoop that had been ripped at the seam that joined both frayed ends.


    "The only words I ever learned to read ''Half Copper''"


    Captain passed the hoop to Raven who read the same words he''s just heard, long since worn down and only really readable because the Captain had spoken them aloud.


    "That''s all I be worth to the world, I keep it to remember that."


    "I''m sorry Captain, I didn''t mean to bring up the past like that."


    "Don''t be daft lad, you showed me yours and I showed you mind. We all be here because we be damaged in some way, ain''t nothing wrong with sharing that."


    Raven could have really done with a bard who didn''t like long awkward silences now to break the tension with a silly song.


    Instead they drank in silence for a time.


    As he finally finished his first cup and tried to find some words to restart a conversation with his friend, the tavern door opened and Raven hoped it would admit their missing companion.


    It was almost evening by the time Alayne found the Soiled Tankard and he was a tad frustrated by the time he arrived. He''d been to Shansheer a few times over the years and it changed often with businesses closing as their owners were killed or ran out of town and new ones popped up often so he was unsure on where the inn was. But he''d wandered and as he wandered the varying tiers of the town he found no fewer than 5 drinking establishments, all looking a lot less like a set of un-mucked stables than this one did, and all within closer distance to Ricksters hovel than this one as well. He had half a mind to question Captain Orc on his choices but he knew that was pointless and would end in a long discussion around something completely irrelevant that would drive Alayne half mad.


    Instead he tucked his new map under his arm and prepared to make a true bardic entrance, he paused at the door though as he heard shouting from outside, not the usual jovial shouting of a full inns worth of people talking over each other, the shouting of people either in or about to be in a fight. If this was common here then no wonder the good Captain had chosen this particular building.


    With a sigh and expecting the worst he opened the spongy moist wooden door and, despite preparing himself, was still shocked at what he saw.


    The common room was mostly empty, along the wall opposite the door Alayne had entered there was a bar, on which leant the cook, the server and the owner. All 3 were watching with looks of amusement or confusion as, in the centre of the room, a large green man with a bright red hat and coat was fighting off a small brown furred monkey that hovered above him and kept landing on his shoulders or head, trying to claw at his face or blindly searching hands. A dark haired wide eyed youth was circling them trying to find the correct moment to separate something he''d never seen before and a scraggy short dumpy thief sat on a chair staring at the 3 with a look of amazement.


    Alayne sighed again, he realised if he included his sighs in the writing of this tale then half of the retelling would be him sighing to the audience, maybe just one long drawn out sigh as the start to set the mood.


    "Cassandra, whilst it is lovely to see you again can you please take a tiny little break from attacking Captain Orc? Yes? Good."


    Everyone paused as he entered, this momentary pause was enough for people to regain their composure and they sheepishly sat down, Raven in particular looked embarrassed by his poor performance during the scuffle. Cassandra sat on the table in front of Rickster claws still ready to pounce and not taking her eyes of the Captain, who sat whilst straightening his hat and lighting a fresh cigar as usual; the fight seemingly already forgotten by him.


    "Now, what did I miss?"


    This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.


    "H-he c-called me Powder, Alayne, y-you know I hate that."


    Cassandra was another long time friend of Alaynes, well more of an acquaintance, as he knew very little about her. What he did know was that at one point Captain Orc had purchased and trained a flying monkey and named it Powder. Many years later when Alayne happened to be on board the monkey fell to the ground and started convulsing. Captain Orc had been heartbroken and was prepared to put his companion down when it had suddenly revived itself and now had the ability to speak.


    Now a she, this knew personality had asked question after question and had only answered one of their own and that was that she was called Cassandra Louisiana Khalippa Phe''Hestus, all this time later they knew nothing of who she was or had a flying monkey had suddenly become her.


    As expected this had caused a lot of confusion with Captain Orc and he was unable to grasp that his simple minded pet had been replaced by some vastly intelligent woman who didn''t belong. She was often anxious and lacking social skills but relatively calm in almost every situation Alayne had seen her, but Captain Orc could always push her buttons and he didn''t even mean to.


    "I do, I do. Captain please don''t, it''s not a big ask"


    "Argh I forget. I saw her fly through the door and all I could see was me poor lost Powder" He was genuinely upset, the brute had loved that little beast. Alayne hadn''t, it was always shrieking at people and scratching anyone who got close and it had once left a horrible surprise in Alaynes hat and another in his lute, neither of which had been particularly easy to clean up.


    Cassandra was much more civilised and capable of an intelligent conversation which was an uncommon thing amongst Alaynes contacts and friends. He was curious how she''d found them but she''d always been very capable despite the limitations of her current form.


    "Sorry lass. Truly" A rare apology caused a hushed silence to fall.


    "Y-Yes I''m sorry as-aswell, for the scratching that is" That seemed to settle things, at least for now.


    "Do all monkeys talk? You are the first I''ve seen, they aren''t local to Rha''Vander"


    "I am not a mo-"


    "No they don''t Raven, and we can get the finer details down later." Alayne cut Cassandra off, he didn''t need to overcomplicate things with the larger mystery of what she was right now, especially not with Rickster and Captain present.


    "For now, Raven this is Cassandra Louisiana Khalippa Phe''Hestus, Cassandra this is Raven Broken-Oath."


    As they nodded to each other Alayne unfurled his newly acquired map across the table and took a small piece of charcoal from the nearby simmering heath to draw with.


    "We are here, and for the sake of Raven, this is the Emperor''s palace Vilkadorma, we need to get-"


    "S-Sorry Alayne, n-not we."


    "Sorry Cass, I meant my little band of outlaws, you are happy to sit in of course and join if you''d like" it would be nice to have intelligent conversation now and again but it wasn''t important to the plan, just his sanity.


    "Y-you invited Rickster, and well, I-I help him. "


    "Ah you''re the ''boss'' he spoke of?" now it made sense how she''d found them, mystery solved.


    "Rickster said it was fine."


    "Ri-Rickster w-will do anything you ask and and that''s why I help him."


    "O Please don''t fight over me"


    "Why come then lass if you don''t be intending to join the fun"


    "Well it''s al-always nice to see old friends. It''s, well it''s hard to come by friendly faces these days." She paused, she never looked anyone in the eye when she spoke "B-but also to hear from yo-yourself that you are actually attempting something so nonsensical. You mean to attempt to ki-"


    "Ah whispers please friends" Alayne jumped in, sparing a side glance at the inn''s staff who were now back to work, but like all inn staff clearly still listening to conversations.


    "Sorry Alayne but...but you''re just a b-bard Alayne, a silly little man who sings songs and recounts stories of great men and women."


    Nothing he hadn''t said to himself but the words stung but he shrugged them off like he did everything.


    "I know exactly what I am, thank you. It''s either possible death doing this or certain death if I don''t."


    Alayne recounted in evener quieter whispers what had happened to get them here so far. The mere mention of the Greymen had sent Cassandra into a panic and Rickster reacted equally shocked moments later when it had settled in. She also seemed to perk up as Alayne discussed his show of power, Alayne had only spoken about the poor man in Cornostus that lost his head, in his recounting he completely missed out any mention of his former apprentice.


    "S-so he may already have this power?"


    "We don''t know for sure, but the greys have been getting nervous. There is a reason he is so isolated, that he cares not a jot about his offspring and why he killed all the mages all those years ago."


    "It''s a good assumption that he either has or nearly has, everything he needs to live forever. We need to act" Raven echoed Alaynes last point to drive it home.


    Cassandra ran a small clawed paw through the tuft of brown fur on top her head


    "Th-this all seems m-madness"


    "O come on boss, fink of the fame"


    "Let me hear your plan Alayne, we will take this one step at a time"


    Alayne spent the  next few hours with his group marking out the key cities on the map that they should move through to get to their goal. Much had changed since he''d been gone, whole cities wiped out and new smaller settlements popping up and disappearing just as quickly. It did mean they had more free areas to move through as formerly major cities like Crowshearth and Ploughdawn had both been wiped off the map. It was monstrous hearing all of this at once, he remembered long nights in many of the lost cities and towns, remembered faces from the crowds; starry eyed children, cheering drunks, angry jealous stares from partners who felt their marriage was at risk. How many were gone, killed for no reason other than being in the wrong place at the wrong time.


    The Emperor had receded away from public life almost completely, entire towns and hamlets had been arrested and carted off to work to the dungeons of the capital for the slightest offence. The minor lords now warred with each other over the empty land with no oversight or iron fist to keep them in check. Most free people had fled to places like Shansheer for the explicit purpose of being in a place most nobles want nothing to do with.


    Despite his heavy heart he and his companions managed to put together a well thought out travel plan and they intended to start first thing in the morning after a good night''s rest at a much less disgusting inn. Cassandra informed them of the ''Sailors Cot'' just before Ricksters house, that had comfy beds for the night and not nearly as many lice as he could see dancing along the tables in this inn.


    "O we can''t go yet"


    "Did we forget something Rickster?"


    "O no, but I told some folk you''d be here tonight and dey were dead set on meeting you. Ran off towards de barracks when dey heard you was in town wit da Captain"


    The other 4 suddenly stood up from their chairs.


    "Who did ya tell lad? What happened?"


    "Der were 4 of dose sad looking folk who wander around not looking at out. Dey asked where I was off and I said to dem, I said ''I''m off to meet Alayne Ducard and Captain Orc and dis other bloke called Falcon or somet''. One of dem seemed to know your name and ran off to get der friends."


    "Won''t they just ignore us Alayne? They seem to ignore everything else around here" Raven had a hand on his blade as he darted towards the door and sneaked a peak through a small gap he made


    "Maybe or more like hopefully. Depends how enticing a reward it is for a known traitor and the last great pirate on the sea"


    Raven came running back as Cassandra went flying behind the bar to search for other exits


    "There is a rather large group amassing outside. I don''t think hope is going to work on this one."


    "Cass!?"


    "Sma-small group out back, both lords colours."


    "I am not getting arrested in this of all places."


    "We took down the princes, we can take some barely trained guards" Captain Orc had a wicked grin on his face.


    "Is that a butter knife?" Raven had been distracted as Rickster had drawn his own weapon to match the others, a small knife no longer than a finger with blades that couldn''t cut grass.


    "O no, it does jams, marmalades, all kinds of spreads really."


    "Rickster stay behind Raven and Captain. We just need to get out into the street, we can run and lose them amongst the people. They won''t appreciate the lord''s men actually doing their jobs"


    "Is that just more hope Alayne?" Raven had drawn his sword now and stood with his back to Alayne looking over his shoulder.


    Alayne shrugged as he grabbed the map off the table and tossed it into the fire.


    "Argh too much talking boys, if we running lets be running." Captain Orc drew his curved sword and Alayne grabbed him to stop him from charging the door.


    "Why lad?!"


    "Everyone sit down and look happy, Raven with me" Alayne ran to the back of the room and hopped atop a table, he flicked his fingers across the strings as he always did gesturing out to the almost empty tavern as he played the opening notes of ''Victory for Victorious''. As he did the tavern filled with imagined guests pulled from his memory, scruffy looking sailors with the faces of guards and townsfolk he''d walked past at some point. Captain Orc seated at one table became the spitting image of Gaspar of the Flock which caused Raven to stop completely and go slightly slack jawed.


    Alayne felt guilty for pulling from his friends past but there was no time to change it or attempt to alter the random assortment of faces he''d conjured, his own face slipped away and was replaced by a long beard and well weathered tan skin with beady eyes poking out from deep recesses.


    Rickster, Raven and Powder remained unchanged, he didn''t think they needed disguises and he didn''t think he could if he wanted to. Sweat was already dripping from his forehead holding so much concentration at once whilst singing and performing to the more common tunes of the empire.


    The door burst open and guardsmen flooded in from both the front and back entrance, filling the common room almost completely.


    Alaynes fingers fumbled slightly as he tried to make every one of his illusions notice and react to the guards, heads came up, bodies shied away and some stared defiantly at the angry looking men and women who had chosen now to grow a backbone.


    The hard-faced woman Alayne had shared a mocking smile with earlier led the group and stormed up to the makeshift stage.


    "You are Alayne Ducard?!"


    "Magnus Flutes at your service madam" He did a deep bow and used a weepy voice when not singing.


    "and you?" She dismissed Alayne and turned to Raven.


    "My apprentice" He struggled with the word for some reason.


    "Does he have a name? Can he speak for himself?"


    "...John...Smith" Alayne stared in shock at Raven, that''s the best name he could think of? Alayne was sure he heard a groan from Captain Orc further into the room.


    The guardswoman was trying to stare a hole into Raven, he wasn''t backing down but he was clearly embarrassed.


    "What a terrible name for a bard, keep trying boy" Alayne tried to divert attention back to himself.


    "What do you mean? Are you lying to us?" Most of the other guards had been standing back and waiting but several moved further towards them, one young looking man drew a blade and stood beside their leader.


    "Not lying exactly, but do Magnus Flutes and what was it.. Adeline Deckard sound like real names to you? It''s a performance madam."


    "What''s your real name then?" the young man asked out of turn.


    Alayne gambled and reacted with a slap to the face of the young man.


    "How da-" he stopped as a leather gloved fist hit him straight in his nose knocking him back against the wall and causing him to see stars for a second. Sweat was still dripping off him and now meeting blood as it ran down his face, after the hit 3 of the patrons sat at the bar at the back of the room faded away, luckily all eyes were on the stage but he could see several of his companions tensing up.


    He realised he may have gambled on his abilities a bit too much.


    "Where is the idiot Kareem?"


    The woman ignored Alayne struggling against the wall and Ravens tensing shoulders and turned to one of the guards in the back who pointed.


    "There in the middle, with the rodent on his shoulder boss"


    A small number of the guards from both houses gathered around.


    With a snap of the fingers one guard grabbed Cass by the throat and two others slammed Rickster''s into the table.


    "Is that Alayne Ducard?" She pointed at the old man standing holding his nose above them.


    "O no, dat¡¯s Magnus Flutes" Alayne hid a smile.


    They picked him up and slammed him back into the table.


    "Are you wasting our time thief?"


    "Lets leave the poor lad a-"


    "Be quiet bard, your part is over"


    "I think it be best if ya let the lad go"


    The human looking Captain Orc stood as he barked at the guards, Alayne watched him fiddle with something near his eyes as two men came from the doorway to stand in the face of the Captain.


    "This don''t concern you"


    Alayne managed to make all the illusionary patrons of the bar stand at once, turning to face the closest armed guard to them. It was hard to catch his breath through his broken nose causing a few more to flicker out of existence.


    This time it was noticed.


    A couple of the remaining men and women who weren''t either occupied with Captain Orc or Rickster starting waving their hands through Alaynes illusions, causing them to dissipate in front of them.


    Confused glances were shared, but the moment of fear that the bar full of standing patrons had caused was gone.


    "They ain''t real!!"


    Alayne watched, panic building and face on fire as one of the two men in front of Captain Orc smiled and tried to pass his hand through the Captain who waited until his chest was slapped to grab the hand off of himself.


    "I am!" with a quick twist the man''s hand shattered and he screamed, his companion without thinking threw a punch that caught Captain square on the jaw. The small mouthed man seemed in more pain than the Captain after landing a hit.


    Captain reached out and after a second of fumbling managed to grab the now scared looking man and slam his face down into the table behind him.


    Rickster was still pinned to the table but Cass was now released as all faces turned towards the orc.


    Raven had drawn his sword and was ready to leap into whatever fight was about to happen but Alayne stopped him


    "Close your eyes!"


    Alayne flicked a random selection of notes and a bright flash blinded everyone in the room, causing screams and confusion amongst everyone who had seen it.


    "CAPTAIN NOW!"


    The look of Gaspar faded from view and the hulky form of Captain Orc returned, causing those who could still see to take a reactive step back in fear. Orcs were a rare sight these days, an orc looking like the Captain was even rarer.


    He switched the eye patch he''d moved from his missing eye and revealed his one good eye, unaffected by flash of light, Alayne hadn''t realised Captain Orc knew his magic that well and was genuinely impressed with the man who now faced a small army of swords pointed roughly in his direction.


    He smiled before turning quickly to Alayne.


    "Get them gone lad, I''ll catch ya up"


    Raven darted out before Alayne could stop him a second time, he charged into the back of the leader and caused her to fly into the table in front, sending her own guards and Rickster spilling onto the floor. Raven punched and kicked his way through and he blocked swords from all sides that were swung wildly without target.


    "Alayne take Rickster and run, we know the plan we''ll find you."


    He needed to stay, he needed to help.


    He couldn''t just leave them behind.


    Alayne flicked his notes once more but nothing came, his mind was foggy and his breathing hard, he managed to replace the old face with his own but he could do no more. No more flashes or illusions would hear the call of his song, he couldn''t see any notes hanging in the air to manipulate.


    He was useless.


    "W-we must leave Alayne"


    Cassandra was pulling at his collar, steering him towards Rickster who had crawled to the back wall and sat confused and scared, a large lump appearing on his forehead.


    She was right and he didn''t look back as he gathered up Rickster and ran with Powder hovering alongside him.