《Sieghart》 Sieghart Chapter 1 "I appreciate you coming so far out to the mountains... Not many are willing to go through the trouble of trading with our village." "Although your village is a tad rural, your village has the finest wheat this side of the continent." Merchants and their clients often concluded their deals with meaningless praise and flattery. Sieg was a seasoned merchant who knew common, everyday conversation could create strong bonds over time. What may seem like useless pleasantries to others was a business tool Sieg had used to create connections all over the Vantis Empire. "Silver tongued as always... one mustn''t let their guard down near you." The farmer said with feigned anger. Although the Farmer acted unfazed, anyone could tell he was pleased with Sieg''s praise." "Stay for a drink, you must be tired from moving all over the place." "I would love to take you up on that... Unfortunately I''m due elsewhere." "Right... maybe next time." The life of a travelling merchant was a difficult one, accentuated by loneliness and the never-ending pursuit for riches. Time was precious, for a travelling merchant every second was important. In a blink of an eye a merchant could lose his youth with nothing to show for it. Drinking with friends may seem tempting, but dying penniless and alone was far more frightening. Sieg left the rural village around noon, his next destination was Slostad. By foot it would take a day''s travel but Sieg was fortunate to own a wagon and a carthorse to pull it. Slostad was a bustling trade city of considerable size and power, even the Church was apprehensive on its growing influence. It was common knowledge that the Church discouraged the hoarding and exchange of money. However, no matter how hard the Church preached it was useless to stop the growing power of merchants. It could be considered the changing of eras, the Church no longer held the absolute influence it once wielded among the people. The fact that philosophers could openly debate the existence of the Church''s omnipotent God was proof. Half a century ago anyone who dared to voice such blasphemy would be burnt against the stake. The mercantile city of Slostad was also an example of the Church''s slipping influence. Unlike most cities in the South, Slostad did not discriminate against foreigners. The local merchants even welcomed foreign merchants to visit and trade. It wasn''t only Slostad rejecting the teachings of the Church; the church hadn''t made enough from tithes and had to request the Emperor for more funds. Years ago the idea of the Church coming short on donations would''ve been absurd. The Church''s financial situation weren''t the last of the Clergy''s issues. Rumors had circulated that the villages of the eastern plains had returned to their pagan deities and rituals. Naturally this infuriated the Clergy to no end, they even petitioned to the emperor to lead a campaign against the easterners. Of course the Emperor staunchly refused, many Emperors had fallen by disregarding ethnic groups in their empires. He funded missionaries but an armed campaign was out of the question. Many of Sieg''s friends suffered great losses after they bought armor and weapons to sell to the crusaders heading east. It was a great disappointment for the young knights eager to win honor in battles. An even greater disappointment to merchants who nearly went bankrupt after the price of armaments dropped to an all time low. However, such was the life of merchants. One smart purchase could propel one to heaven, but also down to hell. Befitting of spring there was a light wind; the sky was an unbelievably clear shade of blue. The picturesque scene was visually breathtaking, but Sieg was more focused on the fort some distance away. "Halt! What''s your business here?" An armored knight stood by the gates of the fort, judging from his young face and slim physique Sieg could tell he was either a squire or newly anointed knight, either way both would be a hassle to deal with. "My name is Emery Sieghart, but people call me Sieg. I''m but a simple merchant; I''ve concluded business with a village west of here." "West... I have no knowledge of matters here... however, I think I shall trust you on your word. My name is Yves Aldus. You may call me sir Aldus." It was normal for knights to assume a haughty attitude when dealing with commoners. It still peeved Sieg however, that a boy half a decade his junior was assuming such a high handed attitude. Sieg had been walking upon the world for around twenty two years; it was his tenth as a merchant. Any merchant worth his salt wouldn''t let such a golden opportunity for information to pass. "What brings sir knight so far out to the country side?" The knight grinned, obviously satisfied by his title. "There''s been recent sightings of bandits and brigands, the knights order couldn''t ignore such scoundrels and dispatched me to oversee the southern region." The young knight said proudly, his young face pleased with the opportunity to show off. Sieg doubted that the regional lord would send only a single boy to oversee the entire southern plains. But there might be truth to his statement; if the boy was right then it wouldn''t bode well for a travelling merchant by his lonesome. Although the young knight still spoke haughtily he was much more amiable than their initial encounter. Despite the boy''s pomp he must feel lonely standing by a gate the whole day. Perhaps only a slight push was needed to loosen his lips. Sieg rummaged around his bag beside him and tossed the young knight an apple. Fresh fruit would be hard for a young knight to acquire; most of their coin was used on armor and weapons after all. The youth thanked the traveling merchant, not to profusely however as that behavior would not be befitting of his stature. "Much thanks... fresh fruit is hard to come by in this godforsaken backwater. Do you have news the north merchant?" "As a matter of fact I do, I''m from the north and make it my business to return home at least once a year." The youth''s eyes widened from pleasant surprise. No doubt that he himself was also from the north. "Do you know of the city Pascoe? Perhaps you have news about it?" Even the most experienced of knights could get homesick from lengthy deployments away from home. Obviously the young knight here was no exception. "Ah! Pascoe is but a day''s travel away from my hometown, perhaps you''re a native of Pascoe?" "You should''ve said you''re from the north! It''s a pleasure seeing a fellow northerner!" The people of the Vantis Empire never considered each other as fellow countrymen, in fact at times even rivals. The Emperor has had no small share of territorial disputes among the countless ethnic groups within the Vantis. The locals often felt a stronger connection to their side of the empire rather than the empire as a whole. The young knight was a perfect example, his haughty exterior instantly melted when he realized he was talking to a compatriot. "I''ll let you in on a little secret... we aren''t really here to keep an eye on the brigands, instead we''ve been ordered to keep a watchful eye on the southerners. It''s been a great waste of time however, most of these so called hicks are merely ordinary farmers, and what harm couldtheypossibly pose. However the Church suspects they''re performing pagan rituals and the like."The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement. Sieg couldn''t help but be disappointed by the news, but his face betrayed no emotion. Merchants were taught to maintain a poker face no matter what situation befell them. Pagans were no real threat in the south; the dangerous pagans were further out east. It was merely a case of the Church overreacting to harmless farmers and their annual festivals. Most villages would be preparing for their festivals now that the harvest season had concluded. The rituals could hardly be considered pagan, festivals were merely meant to provide entertainment after an arduous year of labor. "Well I should get going, it was nice to meet a fellow northerner... sometimes I feel like a stranger among the locals here." "Ha! I know the feeling all too well... It''s a shame to see you part but I imagine that life as a merchant keeps you on your toes. Good luck and safe travels." Although the youth seemed reluctant to part but his pride as a knight couldn''t possibly allow him to detain a man for mere conversation. Although the knight was indeed unpleasant at first Sieg could empathize with him. Being away from home too long could make any man homesick; being in a "foreign" land away from familiarity was even harsher. The knight let Sieg pass and thanked him once again for the fruit. Perhaps the boy would be worth remembering... if indeed the youth rose in rank Sieg in the future he could make an excellent contact. The noonday sun was sinking; his conversation with the knight had taken more time than he expected. Unless Sieg found a village before the sun fell completely he would have to spend a night camping on the road. The descending sun over the plains painted the skies a brilliant orange hue, almost like a mural painted by a master artisan. The fields were covered in green as far the eyes could see; very few trees or rocks obstructed the eyes view. Sieg thought perhaps sleeping under the stars wouldn''t be so unpleasant. Sieg couldn''t help but feel melancholic. The view only reminded him of his insignificance, however much profit he made he was merely an ant compared to the lord who owned these lands. Half a year''s worth of traveling probably couldn''t compare to the profits a noble gleaned in a month. There indeed were times that Sieg imagined himself as a valiant knight, or perhaps an intrepid explorer for the Emperor. But such childish dreams were fleeting. He was but a merchant, nothing more, and nothing less. Dusk was near approaching and if no village were to be found he would have to pull over. Traveling alone at night was incredibly dangerous. Brigands, wolves, and all manner of hazards presented themselves during the sun''s absence. A single accident could rob him of his entire load, and it wasn''t uncommon for merchants to go bankrupt after losing valuable cargo on the road. Sieg caught sight of a shattered fence. What was more unnerving was the sky, smoke rose from the village, staining the sky in misshapen botches of smoke and crimson. Perhaps they were holding their festivals early, Sieg thought, but he couldn''t shake the apprehension from his thoughts. Sieg led his horse through the shattered gate, Sieg could no longer deceive himself, the smoke was no festive bonfire, but houses torched in flames. Corpses were strewn all over the blazing the village, Sieg was no stranger to death but this was the first time he had seen such violence. "T-this... Shouldn''t be... Possible" Sieg murmured in spite of himself. Bandits couldn''t have pulled off such a raid, this wasn''t the act of a ragtag team of deserters. An enemy nation couldn''t have pulled a raid like this so far inside Vantis''s borders. There was a chance that the conflict might have erupted in a trade quarrel with a neighboring village. However, the theory was implausible. It would be insane to attack fellow citizens over a trade dispute. Sieg could see silhouettes fighting by the blazing village. Farmers and peasants armed with staves tried to fight off the raiders in vain. Their sticks and staffs were no match for the raider''s swords and armor. The raiders were swift and cruel in their combat, they encircled the hapless farmers. In spite of his better self Sieg''s eyes were glued to the battle. He cursed his powerlessness, Sieg was no warrior who could fight off the raiders and save the day, he was just a merchant. No one could blame him for fleeing... After all what could an ordinary man do in the face of trained soldiers. His merchant''s nature told him to flee, no profit could be made here... only loss. Yet a foolish notion came to his thoughts. Could there perhaps be a way to save the villagers? Rushing in madly wouldn''t help anyone. Sieg was no fool, his skill in combat was almost negligible. If only he was a knight skilled in combat... A foolish, no... almost insane plan came to Sieg''s mind. Sieg grabbed a battered sword from underneath his cart''s seat. Most merchants kept weapons, the roads were fraught with danger. Swords and bows could make excellent bluffs even for merchants not trained in combat. He slung his cloak over his shoulders and jumped off the wagon. Without losing second he unhitched his horse from his wagon. His horse was by no means a warhorse but any spooked horse could easily become a footmen''s worst nightmare. He jumped on top of the horse''s back and pricked its rear with his blade. The horse bolted forward charging at the village. "This is stupid... This is stupid... I''m going to die... I''m such a fool!" Sieg couldn''t help but murmur the words as his usually docile cart horse darted towards the raiders. The raiders had noticed Sieg approaching and took up arms to face him. The farmers used the opportunity to make a desperate attempt to break free from the encirclement. The horse barreled through the ranks of the raiders causing chaos to befall their ranks. A raider unwisely tried to attack Sieg from the rear only to be flung away like a doll by his horse''s kick. Sieg mustered what little courage he had left and roared at the top of his lungs. "My name is Yves Aldus! A knight granted the authority of the Emperor himself... I''ve brought a detachment with me to subjugate you vile fiends!" Sieg didn''t expect his plan to work, he only hoped that some could make their escape while Sieg distracted the raiders. The biggest of the raiders, a hulking beast standing two heads taller than Sieg sneered and swore at him in a foreign language Sieg could vaguely recognize. The horse must''ve had enough of Sieg''s rough treatment and hurled him off. Sieg flew across the crimson sky and landed on his back right in front of the giant raider. Sieg felt the wind escape from his body, he had never felt such pain in his life. His vision darkened, dizziness and nausea pervaded his mind. Whatever hope of surviving he held on too was long... He had hoped that the raiders would flee when they heard his shout earlier. It was clear to them now that Sieg was no knight, only a peasant who had overestimated his abilities. Sieg shakily rose to his feet, his arms trembled as he struggled to raise his sword. The surrounding pillagers sneered at his struggle. Sieg couldn''t stop his lips from quivering. By the gods... He was going to die a dog''s death for people he didn''t even know. He should''ve listened to his merchant''s intuition. He couldn''t help but notice that most of the villagers had escaped while the soldier''s attention had been drawn to Sieg. At least his death would not be in vain, but he wouldn''t accept his death quivering in fright. Sieg raised his sword with great difficulty, he dashed forward and swung his sword at the nearest brigand. The brigand was caught unaware by Sieg''s sudden strike, Sieg''s sword raked across his chest. The bandit fell to the ground clutching his chest. The sneers of the soldiers transformed into astonishment. Perhaps they had not expected the peasant to fight with such vigor. Sieg knew that it was only luck that had blessed him with such an opportunity to attack. The brigands would not make the same mistake. The leader of the brigands chortled at Sieg''s attempt to stand firm. "You''re shaking like a leaf boy... I''m guessing this is your first time in a fight? Do us all a favor and kill yourself already. My blade is too good for the likes of you!" He spat the words in a rough, coarse manner. "Your accent... You''re from Virend!" Sieg knew why the language sounded so familiar, the brigands were from the far north. Why were there northerners so far down south? Sieg''s thoughts were interrupted by the giant''s coarse cackle. "You''re a smart one boy... Too bad you''re going to have to die. You can beg for your life if you want... Not that it''ll make a difference." Had anyone else had said such clich¨¦d words Sieg would''ve laughed it off however, the brigand leader looked like he meant them. Sieg raised his sword in preparation for the bandit''s assault, his earlier nervousness had left him. He felt only the rush of adrenaline and anger. All his life he had always been trampled upon. Although his life was brief Sieg wanted to show that even peasants had their dignity. Sieg circled the giant cautiously, the rest of his comrades only looked on impassively. It was clear to them that their leader wanted to finish off Sieg himself. The giant swung his club at Sieg''s head, Sieg barely managed to leap out of the clubs path. Despite his size the giant was surprisingly agile, he rushed forward swinging his club with reckless abandon. It took Sieg all he had to avoid the giant''s wide swings. The surrounding brigands jeered at Sieg''s efforts. The giant had stamina and size to his advantage, running away from his swings would only tire Sieg out. The giant snorted, increasingly irritated at Sieg''s tactics, he threw his club down and reached for a sword strapped to his waist. Sieg hurtled forward with sword in hand, now was likely his only chance at bringing the giant down. The giant let loose a string of curses and lurched back. Now was the chance! Sieg mustered all his strength into a wide slash aimed at the giant''s neck. Unexpectedly the giant rushed forward and pried the sword from Sieg''s hands, as if his earlier ungainliness was a fa?ade. Sieg wrestled for the sword with the giant, he would die if he let go of his weapon here. The giant gripped the sword firmly with his right and pummeled Sieg with the left. "Let go you peasant! Stop struggling!" The giant''s heavy handed punches rained upon Sieg''s head, he felt tears well up in his eyes, and blood had started to cascade from the cuts and lacerations the giant sculpted with his devilish hands. "MY NAME IS EMERY SIEGHART! AND I''M NO PEASENT!" "Tch! I''ll kill you like the dog you-" Sieg felt the giant loosen his grip on the sword, the giant took several steps back in disbelief. "Bullocks! We''ve wasted too much time!" The brigands all gawked dumbly at the horizon behind Sieg, armed cavalry wearing the lord''s livery stood erect, almost like statutes. The knights were dressed in red and were proudly aloft on their horses, the real heroes had arrived. It was time for the side characters like him to bow out. The knight''s valiant charge was the last image he glimpsed before passing out, but not before another foolish thought crossed his mind. "Was it too late for him to become a knight?" Sieghart Chapter 2 Yves Aldus thought he had seen it all, he may have been young but he traveled all over Vantis as a knight in service to the Emperor. However this was the first time he had seen a merchant fight a horde of bandits alone. Merchants were all penny pinching misers... At least that''s what he thought until he met Emery Sieghart. His courage was no less than a knight''s that day. He ran his fingers through his wheat blonde hair as he recalled the day he met that certain merchant. Yves was standing guard by the gate as usual when an exhausted villager scampered towards him. He was egregiously wounded yet he hastened to the fort to warn them of brigands. It went without saying that Yves alerted the commander of the fort, it took but a minute to gather the men, the cavalry made haste to the village as if the devil was on their tail, even a seconds delay could doom the villagers. Yves and the rest of the soldiers arrived to a spectacular sight... A lone merchant was fighting the bandits. What was even more shocking was the identity of the merchant. The man Yves had met with earlier, the seemingly ordinary merchant . Emery Sieghart, Yves believed that he would never see the man again, he was a knight and Sieg was a merchant. Their fates were to never cross again, but fate always has been unpredictable. The merchant stood his ground to a hulking beast that even Yves would be wary of. Fighting a group of cutthroats with nothing but a sword was valiant, so much so that it gained Yves respect. It was hard to say if Yves would''ve done the same if he had been in Sieg''s shoes. "Yves! Are you listening?" "Ah! Sorry sir, I was distracted in my thoughts." "So tell me how we should award the peasant boy. We can''t just let him go unrewarded for his efforts, He''s pretty ballsy for a merchant." "I believe the best course of action is to refer him to lord Eregor. The lord should know what the best course of action is." "Right... Why don''t you go check on him? He should be stirring from his sleep around now." "Yes sir" The man Yves had been talking to was the commander of the fort. Although Yves technically outranked him in status, the commander was a hero to be respected. He had saved the current lord of the southern region in a battle years ago during the Virrenlands campaign. He was offered a title but he refused an idea that was still incomprehensible to Yves. Any soldier would jump for an opportunity to be knighted, but the commander refused. Perhaps he didn''t want to be caught up in the political strife that accompanied knighthood. Yves made his way through the complex maze of the forts interior, it was built in such a way to confuse invaders. A maid respectively received him and led Yves into a dimly lit rom. The merchant had just woken up. He was looking around the room increasingly confused. "Good morning, I hope you''ve had a pleasant rest, you were quite valiant last night, and you even managed to stir my heart." "You''re Yves... Yves Aldus. Are the villagers okay?" Emery Sieghart was the strangest merchant Yves had ever met. He didn''t try to look for a way to profit off his heroic deeds, the first thing he had done was ask if he had indeed saved the villagers. "Yes, you saved a good number of people. The situation would''ve been grave if you had not intervened." "I see. Is my cart okay?" Yves chuckled softly... It seems that he still retained some characteristic of a merchant. "I heard from some of the villagers you used my name to unnerve the brigands." "Ah! Forgive me, it was the only idea that came to mind. Of course it didn''t work, a peasant like me couldn''t have done anything to scare the brigands off. I thought that using a noble name would''ve scared them off." "No you need not to ask of forgiveness. It was ingenious, a pity that it didn''t work. Can you walk? I want to show you something." Sieg struggled to get on his feet, he got off the bed with great difficulty. Yves helped steady him and led Sieg through the narrow halls of the fort. "Have you decided on your reward? Maybe coin, or perhaps a trade contract, even a manor in the city wouldn''t be out of the question. I''m sure whatever you ask for the lord can provide." "Do you think it''s possible for me to become... " "We''re here! Just walk right through there." Yves directed Sieg to a door at the end of the hall. "There''s quite a bit of people inside so be mindful." Sieg limped to the door, he curiously looked back at Yves. Yves nodded and beckoned him to open it. Sieg gingerly opened the door, inside were rows of people on beds. They were the farmers and villagers that Sieg had saved from the brigands. Nurses rushed from patient to patient bandaging wounds and wiping faces. Yves gave Sieg a hearty smack on the back. "Not all will survive, but the worst case scenario was avoided. I''m sure the lord will thank you quite generously for saving his people. Get to know the people, I''m needed elsewhere. I''ll see you later," Yves approached the commander''s office, and he respectfully knocked on the plain door. The commander should''ve received lord Eregor a short while ago. It was unpardonable for a mere fledgling knight to interrupt a conversation between such high ranking figures. "Come in! Was the merchant fine?" Yves entered the room civilly. He politely saluted an imposing giant of a man. Although he wasn''t as huge as the brigand from earlier, he was nevertheless an imposing figure. "Yves! The Aldus boy! How''s your father doing? I heard he took a bad fall earlier this year on a horse!" The giant lord also had a giant voice, his booming voice somehow managed to cause him physical discomfort. "He''s fine lord Eregor, about the peasant boy..." "Hmm... I''d say he has about a week left to live." Yves recoiled in shock, the lord was known to be mischievous but this was taking it too far. "This is no time for joke-" "I would never joke about a man''s life. In my honest opinion he has a week left until he''s executed." "He charged a horde of bandits alone! This is surely an act of valor that would put even knights to shame!" He may have saved the village but it isn''t so simple. The bandits were hired by that eccentric lord... Monroe was it?" Yves recognized the name, anyone born in the northern region could. He was a wealthy baron who buried himself in books all day. His territory, rich in silver, was managed by his heavy-handed aides. Although Monroe wasn''t a bad man, his ignorance of his aide''s brutal treatment of the peasants was an already inexcusable sin. "Why? What does he gain from attacking a village under the protection of lord Eregor, a noble awarded the tile of count by the Emperor?" "I doubt it''s merely Monroe at work here, he probably has a backer, and that scum couldn''t have done this alone..." Although the count tried to feign calmness it fooled nobody, his usually hearty face wasn''t present. Then again, any lord would be angry if another attacked their territory.Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. "If that boy leaves my estate, he surely would not face a good fate. I''ve already interrogated the leader of those bandits... He kept silent even in the face of death. Whoever hired these men have unbelievably deep backgrounds." "So do you have a plan...? I don''t want to see such heroic deeds rewarded by death." Lord Eregor ran his fingers through his graying hair. It was clear that the merchant situation frustrated him to no great end. "I do have a solution... But it depends on you." "Please tell me lord Eregor. I''ll do everything in my power to help." "Take the merchant as your esquire." "Wait... What?" "Monroe won''t be the only one with backing, your father is a marquis right?" Yves understood what the count was implying, Monroe couldn''t harm Sieg if he was under the protection of the Aldus name. The practicability of it did nothing to diminish the bizarreness of the whole notion. Sieg was at least half a decade older than Yves, would the veteran merchant be content with becoming the esquire of a fledgling knight? It wasn''t uncommon for wealthy merchants to purchase noble titles, in fact many prestigious noble families were actually descendants of said nobles. But this would probably be the first time a merchant would enter the lower ranks of nobility through squirehood. Sieg would most likely have to sell his wagon and horse to gather the funds necessary for squirehood. It was a cruel twist of fate that the merchant''s long years of work would be ruined by an act of valor. The lord cleared his throat to signify that he was not yet done with the conversation. "Of course I''ll pay for his equipment and fees. I wouldn''t want rumors of my ingratitude spreading. The hero deserves his reward, and he shall receive it." "Much thanks upon your generosity... I''m sure Emery Sieghart would be pleased to hear such kind words from your mouth." Yves was mildly surprised by the count''s words, he was humble for a count. Most nobles wouldn''t be bothered to thank a peasant, much less utter praises about him. The commander nodded in agreement with the count''s words. Yves took his leave after a few more minutes of conversations, mostly discussing who could be behind Monroe and what their goal was. He found Sieg in the fort''s taproom merrily drinking with some of the less severely injured farmers. The farmers were diligently thanking Sieg when Yves intruded upon their conversation. "I''m sorry to interrupt, but I must talk with Sieg alone." The farmers nodded and thanked Sieg one last time before they left. "What do you need Yves, probably come to tell me of my reward?" Sieg was in a better mood compared to the morning, apparent by the joking tone he took with Yves. "So when will I be able to depart? I''m already behind schedule on a few of my contacts." "About that-" "My life as a merchant is over right? I had my suspicions when fighting the brigands, they were too well armed to be a group of deserters. It seems that they were most likely the hired arms of a noble right? And I''m sure that interlopers won''t have a good fate in store." The merchant was perceptive, almost devilishly so. It was a testament to a merchant''s intelligence, a merchant''s deductive skills didn''t lose out to any church scholar or official. "Yes... But there still may be a way out... Will you become my esquire?" Sieg blankly stared at Yves before coming to his senses. Yves thought it amusing that the usually perceptive merchant was stunned by Yves question. "Yes! Wait... I mean of course, I''d be honored to accept." "Are you alright with my young age? Rest assured that it won''t be the typical master servant relationship, we''ll be considered equals. I can''t have the man I look up to become servant after all." "Your words are too kind, but do be mindful with the praise my lord, you don''t want to spoil your squire." Yves was pleasantly taken back by Sieg''s jest. It had been too long since he had been able to jest with a peer. Yves wouldn''t let the sly merchant get ahead so easily. "Rest assured, I have no intention of spoiling my squire. In fact he should dread the coming days. Drilling year''s worth of noble etiquette and customs will not be easy, training him in the art of combat will be no easy feat either." Sieg''s joking face completely melted away, he threw up his hands in mock horror. "Spare me lord! A frail merchant such as me could never survive such arduous training!" "A man who could face down a giant with such valor can''t be defeated by mere studying, in fact we should also add geography to your curriculum. Sieg sneered in mock disdain. He held up his nose proudly as if he was a king looking down on his vassals. "Ha! You may beat me in other subjects but geography is a merchant''s specialty. How confident are you in besting me at it?" "I''ve studied at the most prestigious universities all across Vantis, years of trading pales in comparison to my lifetime of studying books and scrolls. In fact as a youth I spent entire days in my father''s library! They called me Yves the book hermit back in my hometown!" "Hmm... I see, sorry. I''m sure you''re very knowledgeable." Sieg unexpectedly gave up on the verbal sparring match, he gently patted Yves on the shoulder. He sighed and stared at Yves with an indescribable expression, it was almost a mix of pity and concern. "What? Is something the matter?" "They didn''t bully you did they?" "What...?" Yves was absolutely befuddled by Sieg''s sudden question. Was he missing something from the conversation? "I''m sure that you didn''t have many friends, but there''s always a first time for everything. I shall be your friend!" Although it was indeed true that Yves didn''t have many friends during his youth due to his preference for books over games, it still frustrated him to no great end hearing it from the merchant. "Ahem! I had many friends! My scholarly pursuits had not deprived me of friendship!" "I''m sure you''re aware of what king of title hermit is... I can''t imagine that you had many friends with such a nickname." It was obviously clear that Sieg held the upper hand when it came to wit. Yves regretted challenging the merchant to such a duel. He knew that there was no outwitting a merchant, yet like a moth to flame he still foolishly insisted on besting the merchant verbally. "Am I interrupting something?" Almost out of thin air the commander appeared in the taproom, his appearance was different from his usual lethargic attitude. Yves saw that no one else was in the tap room besides Sieg and the commander, everyone else had likely gone to work during their conversation. After all soldiers couldn''t spend the whole day in a bar, the refugees were no doubt also hard at work earning their keep. "Is something the matter commander?" It was strange that the commander came down to the taproom, he usually never left his office unless in case of dire emergency. "The case is much more severe than we expected... Stonewall has been eradicated, there''s not a single survivor... Those bastards murdered everyone. We must take action now." Sieg suddenly dropped his tankard, he clutched his head with shaky hands. "T-that''s im- impossible... I was just there a... D-... day ago..." "I''m sorry... The bandits must''ve struck-" "How is this possible! The Emperor can''t just let his vassals murder each other''s subjects! We should petition-" The commander dropped his gaze, he whispered almost inaudibly. "We don''t have enough concrete evidence... The Emperor isn''t well either, I doubt he can be of much help." "Then we can hire bandits! See how Monroe likes it when..." Yves had never seen Sieg angry before but like Sieg had joked earlier there was a first time for everything. Sieg rushed up to Yves in a fit of fury and grabbed his by his shirt. "Yves! You''ve gone too far! Innocent citizens should not have to suffer for the acts of nobility. You''re no better than Monroe if you think that''s the best solution..." "I''m sorry... I wasn''t thinking straight..." "Both of you calm down... Lord Eregor has already departed in order to deal with the situation. However, he begs of your assistance." Sieg was the first to voice his suggestions, Yves thought it was quite rude to question the will of a noble but he opted to not mention. "What could the lord want from the two of us...? I''m just a merchant and with no offense to Yves he''s a fledgling knight yet to be tested." "I won''t sugarcoat things...Villages will only continue to be destroyed, lord Eregor''s council even suggested that we strike back. A war between two nobles will raze villages and claim the lives of innocent civilians. We... I do not wish for another war, please we can only rely only on you." "I accept whatever mission lord Eregor bestows upon us... My squire and I shall not disappoint. I wish to know what manner of task we are receiving." "We need you to pose as an inquisitor for the Church. Monroe is a religious devout sure to welcome you with open arms. We need you to find who Monroe''s backer is... We can''t take action until we know who we''re up against. " "Priest''s won''t take kindly to merchant disguising as members of the papacy. They don''t like us even at the best of times... If we''re caught I''m sure losing all our fingers twice over wouldn''t be enough to atone." Sieg interjected with another complaint, the wily merchant frustrated him to no great end with all the questions but he indeed had a point. The Church does not take kindly to fakes, a fact everyone knew. Yves once heard a whole village was subjugated to inquisition because of their endorsement of a fake priest. "Yves has studied Church law before so he shall assume the identity of Inquisitor Marcel Volta. You''ll be assuming the position of his armed bodyguard, or perhaps an attendant of sorts. You''ll depart right away, come with me to receive your papers and gear." The commander led Yves and Sieg to the lowest depths of the fort. He hastily pushed them into a dimly lit room. The room was a scattered mess of crates and burlap sacks. Perhaps it had been a dungeon or prison in the past. The long standing peace in Vantis had made such rooms obsolete, at least until now. Yves noticed a large table covered in robes and weapons by the far side of the room. The commander ambled over to the table and beckoned the duo over. This was different from how Yves had envisioned their quest to start. Rather than two brave knights fighting for the people he felt that they were more alike to spies scurrying in the dark. The commander introduced the goods on the table. He handed Yves a set of elegant white robes befitting a noble. A red cross was boldly emblazoned over the center of the robes. Truly extravagant robes befitting a priest Yves sardonically thought. "Now we must make Sieg look the part of a Church knight... we have yet to ready the armor but lord Eregor was generous enough to reward him a blade from his own collection. Receive this blade with respect. It''s worth several years of your earnings merchant." Sieg gingerly received the sword from the commander, cradling it in his arms like a new born. Yves found it comical to see Sieg treating a sword like an infant but no doubt he himself would be just as nervous receiving a sword from the count. The sword was wrapped in a fur mantle, cloaks favored by knights for their practicality and insulation. "Tomorrow your armor will be ready... And you''ll also be leaving. Good luck gentlemen." Sieghart Chapter 3 Sabina was tired of being called a witch. Sure, she didn¡¯t choose to immediately marry. But that was only because she would die rather than marry any of the dimwits from the village. One of the lads even threatened her, said she would be burned by next week if she didn¡¯t marry him, a real charmer he was. Just because she held off on marriage and lived by herself in the woods she was a witch? The men were most likely jealous that they couldn¡¯t hunt half as well as her. Sabina¡¯s musings were interrupted by abrupt knocks on her door. Oh gods¡­ Did the men come to complain again? She yanked her cleaver from a recently hunt carcass and stormed to the door. Sabina pulled the door open with such fury the walls of the cabin shook. It was one thing to publicly denounce her in the market, but harassing her during the night? ¡°What! Come to laugh at the witch- A young priest robed in the finest cloth she had ever laid eyes upon stood outside. His fair skin and wheat blond hair, hallmarks of a Vantis noble, signified he was of finer breeding. His features oddly made her feel self conscious about her own dark, tanned skin and her thick black curls. ¡°Good day¡­ May my companion and I take refuge from the rain in your abode?¡± Good lord, even his way of talking was fancy. She knew that inviting him in would probably lead to trouble but she couldn¡¯t just reject a priest at her doorstep. Wait? Companion¡­ Upon close inspection she noticed a knight cloaked in a dark, fur mantle. Just the mantle itself would probably cost her an entire decade¡¯s worth of savings. Not to mention the exquisitely engraved armor he donned. Her heart skipped a beat when she noticed the sword by his waist. The priest¡¯s words brought her back to reality. ¡°You have no reason to fear us, we simply require shelter. We will compensate you accordingly.¡± ¡°Even more silver if you have some food for us!¡± The knight mirthfully chortled from behind the priest. The priest elbowed him in response. The priest¡¯s reaction provoked a broad smile from the knight. They don¡¯t seem like malicious people Sabina thought. ¡°Come in, you made it just in time for some dinner.¡± Sabina grinned. Although she put on a relaxed front she was quite worried. Although Sabina did indeed spend most of her life alone, she was no naive girl that could be taken advantage of. ¡°You leave the weapons outside. You can come in for some warm food but not with that man slayer on your waist.¡± She said coyly. ¡°You can hit the road if you have any problems with that¡­ But the next village is an hour¡¯s travel from here.¡± ¡°Well we have no choice then¡­ Sieg, can you put your sword up? Take my dagger too.¡± ¡°Huh. A thief¡¯s blade, that¡¯s no weapon for a man of God to be carrying.¡± Sabina scoffed. ¡°Weren¡¯t your weapons supposed to be the Holy Scriptures? Or did I miss the part where God told all the priests to become armed militants?¡± ¡°Well I believe I¡¯m quite unique among priests. You certainly aren¡¯t an ordinary woman either. What¡¯s an easterner like you doing so far west? I¡¯m sure you¡¯d rather live among your own people right?¡± ¡°There were¡­ circumstances. I¡¯ll get your food ready. You can pay however much you want.¡± ¡°Hey! We have a problem!¡± The knight¡¯s voice bellowed from outside her cabin. A mob of villagers led by a priest surrounded her cabin. It used to be that she would never get any visitors she dryly thought. The ¡°visitors¡± were most likely up to no good judging from their torches and pitchforks. One of the villagers even carried a spear she bemusedly thought. Perhaps she really would meet her end today like the boor had said last week. ¡°Come out Sabina and repent. The good villagers of Lint have informed me of your sin.¡± The lead priest sneered. ¡°But don¡¯t worry¡­ We¡¯ll burn the witch right out of you.¡± ¡°You wouldn¡¯t know sin if it crawled right up your ass!¡± She countered snappily. ¡°Why don¡¯t you do me a favor and piss off!¡± ¡°Nay, I¡¯m staying right here until I see your bloody ashes.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure your God loves watching you burn little girls. Must make you feel real good doesn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°I work in the light of God himself, and he wants you to burn.¡± He paused momentarily. ¡°Yeah¡­ and as a matter of fact it does.¡± ¡°Hold up!¡± The young priest shouted from the threshold of her cabin. ¡°You can¡¯t just burn girls¡­ You need a trial for that.¡± So the priest has finally showed his true colors she mused. It appears that she really would burn today. If the afterlife really exists she swore to haunt the blond priest and the village idiot who reported her. ¡°I¡¯m a priest¡­ I can just hold it myself, don¡¯t but in kid.¡± The older priest sneered. ¡°A greenhorn like you can¡¯t identify a witch. Just leave it to your seniors.¡± ¡°Well you can¡¯t burn a witch without an inquisitor, I happen to be one. She gets a trial, or are you defying the higher power¡­ priest?¡± Were the men really fighting over who got to burn her? The stupidity of men in power never ceased to amaze her. ¡°So how will you conduct this trial? Shall we stuff her in a barrel and stab her? Perhaps see if she drowns in water like a mortal?¡± The older priest sneered. ¡°Or perhaps you¡¯ve fell to the witch¡¯s seduction young priest?¡± ¡°Send your witnesses forward.¡± The blond priest answered, unaffected by the priest¡¯s taunts. ¡°Have some class. You can¡¯t just burn women without evidence.¡± ¡°John!¡± The priest shrilled. ¡°Get out here and tell the inquisitor about yesterday, and how the bitch cut you!¡± Oh balls. Sabina recognized the dimwit that the priest pulled from the crowd. John was the amalgamation of all the worst possible traits a man could have. Sabina was sure he was dropped one too many few times as an infant. ¡°Hey John¡­ How¡¯s your night been? Your finger any better?¡± She gingerly asked. ¡°I wasn¡¯t aiming for your finger on purpose. I swear.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry honey, ya gone and chopped the whole damn thing off.¡± He said, his words seeped in bitterness. ¡°You see¡­ ya chopped off me finger, so I¡¯m gonna watch you burn up on that stake.¡± ¡°Hardly fair in my opinion, it¡¯s not like you ever used it. I¡¯ve never seen you work a day in your life. Hasn¡¯t been a single moment when you weren¡¯t drinking or courting a sheep.¡± ¡°What!¡± He roared. ¡°I don¡¯t sleep with sheep, take that back you wrench!¡± ¡°Calm down everyone. Tell me your story John. Why did she cut you?¡± ¡°Err¡­ Well me and me mates were drinking down at Betsy¡¯s tap house. When that witch gone and lost it. She just swung that huntin knife of hers and cut me finger straight off. Hurt like hell that did.¡± ¡°So she just swung her knife out of nowhere? No stimuli involved.¡± ¡°Well I don¡¯t know what this stimuli is, but me mate Jeff dared me to cop a feel on that wench. Course I gots the courage of a dragon I just went and squeezed the damn thing.¡±If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. ¡°What thing?¡± The young priest asked curiously. ¡°Yeah I cut your bloody finger off! Maybe you should just keep your hands to yourself next time. Then you won¡¯t have to lose anymore fingers you retard!¡± Sabine retorted. ¡°What thing? What did he touch?¡± It was obvious the young priest was still uneducated on¡­ certain matters. ¡°Let¡¯s move on.¡± The knight interrupted hastily seeing his young charges obvious confusion. ¡°You can¡¯t just humiliate a woman and not expect any retribution.¡± ¡°Ah yes! She¡¯s not guilty, which means you won¡¯t be burning anyone today.¡± The priest concluded. It was an unexpected twist but a welcome one. Dying at but a mere twenty years of age would be unfortunate, especially by flames. However a matter still concerned her deeply. When the young priest leaves there would be no guarantee that mob wouldn¡¯t burn her. Although there was no particular attachment to her cabin, it still saddened her to be on the move again. ¡°We can¡¯t accept that. It appears that the witch has corrupted your heat. She will burn, and then you will be freed of her influence. You¡¯ll thank me later.¡± Why was the priest so dead set on burning her? It made no sense, doesn¡¯t he have better things to do like extorting money from the villagers. ¡°The inquisitor said I¡¯m innocent, leave me alone you old coot.¡± She sneered. ¡°I can¡¯t accept that.¡± He whispered. Was he demented or something, even the villagers had started to notice that the priest was acting oddly. ¡°No¡­ no, she must die. Yes! She must die and my sins will be forgiven. Yes this is a mission from the Holiness himself. She must die!¡± ¡°Father Lorenz, Losing me finger ain¡¯t all that bad. Least I still got nine others.¡± Even John seemed reluctant to pursue the matter any further. ¡°Stand down priest. Inquisitor Volta has made his judgment. Failure to comply will be seen as insubordination.¡± The knight warned. ¡°Calm yourself, you seem a little unhinged.¡± ¡°Yes. You¡¯re right. I¡¯m calm now. Let me- The priest rushed forward, a gleaming knife hidden underneath his long sleeves. Surprisingly it was John who was the first to try to stop the old priest. The mad priest swung wildly at John¡¯s outstretched hands. John let loose a hoarse shriek as he slumped over clutching his¡­ eight fingers. The knight reached for his waist forgetting momentarily that he stored his sword in the cart. Sabine slipped away back to her cabin while the men fought outside. Her bow and quiver was right where she always left it, just above the cabins door. She nocked an arrow and drew back the string with dexterity born from her years of hunting. A single arrow was probably all it would take to put the priest to the ground. ¡°Calm yourself!¡± The knight shouted, it was too no avail. The priest erratically swung his knife at the knight. ¡°ARRRGHHHH!¡± The priest slumped to the ground clutching his arm. ¡°Ma- my¡­ m- My arm! Father Lorenz shrieked. The mob trembled at the sight of Sabina and her bow. The villagers were no strangers to Sabina¡¯s skill in archery. ¡°Help¡­ the village¡­ bandits¡­¡± A villager ran through the crowd huffing and panting. Arrows could be seen protruding from his back. It likely took the last vestiges of his life in order to warn the mob. ¡°Sieg! The wagon! We¡¯re leaving now!¡± The young priest hollered to his knight. The knight stared reluctantly at the panicking villagers. Nevertheless he still followed the young priest¡¯s orders. He bolted to the side of her cabin, likely where the wagon had been stored. Sabina ran back inside the cabin to gather her belongings. She pulled her life savings underneath her bed. A pouch of silver coins she had accumulated over the years. By the time she had gathered the essentials the mob had dispersed. Likely fleeing the area from fear or returning to the village for their families. Not that it mattered to Sabina. She was not so naive as to show sympathy for the people that tried to burn her. ¡°Hey priest! I¡¯m coming with you!¡± Sabina exclaimed to the priest. He hesitated momentarily before nodding in affirmation. Screams could be heard from the village. Thick smoke had started to rise from its directions. The bandits had most likely started killing and looting by now. With her bow and quiver slung over her coat, she jumped onto the wagon bed. The knight took the reins. He urged the horse into a gallop. Luckily her cabin had been situated right next to the main road. It didn¡¯t take much time before they left the burning village far behind them. The light of the full moon illuminated the road. They would have no problems with the dark tonight. ¡°I¡¯m sorry Sieg. We couldn¡¯t have done anything to help.¡± The young priest muttered to the knight. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. We had no other choice. I don¡¯t blame you for anything.¡± The priest smiled weakly in response. ¡°Not to interrupt the moment.¡± She interjected gingerly. ¡°I should at least know your names right? After all we¡¯re travelling together now.¡± ¡°No one said anything about you traveling with us.¡± The young priest said coolly. ¡°But if you must know. I¡¯m inquisitor Volta, the knight traveling with me is Emery Sieghart.¡± ¡°We¡¯re traveling to Monroe¡¯s fiefdom. You can accompany us until- ¡°Sorry to interrupt again but it looks like we have some company.¡± Riders with steel helms chased after the wagon. Their steel helms gleamed sinisterly in the dark. Sabina let loose a few arrows as warning shots to the oddly well equipped bandits. The arrows did not deter them. They closed in onto the wagon, their sabers at the ready. ¡°Piss off!¡± She hollered. She opted that the time for warning shots were over. She let loose a barrage of arrows with ruthless efficiency. An arrow managed to find its way to one of the rider¡¯s legs. He tumbled from his horse, shrieking and cursing. The other riders slowed their horses to create more distance. It was safe to say that her skill had unnerved them. ¡°Nice work!¡± The knight hollered from the seat. ¡°The horse can¡¯t keep this up any longer. Shoot some more!¡± Easier said than done she complained in her mind. It was hard shooting moving riders, even harder shooting on a fast moving wagon. Her quiver was running dangerously low on arrows. She couldn¡¯t keep up shooting wildly any longer. Two out of the three riders were left. She had four arrows left to take them down. She saw a sack besides her on the wagon bed. The priest noticed her gaze on the bag. He opened it with an impish smile, an expression she had never seen before on a priest. A small staff adorned with metal was pulled out. How could a stick help them? Was it a magic one that could conjure spells? He carefully pointed the staff at the lead rider. BOOM, thunder that shook her to the core erupted from the staff. The rider was flung backwards off his horse. The last veered to the side in fear, she couldn¡¯t blame him after seeing how his fellow bandit was flung apart by magic. ¡°What¡­ is that thing?¡± Sabina gingerly asked. ¡°Or is it some sort of church artifact from the days of old?¡± ¡°No.¡± The priest childishly grinned. Like a child showing off his new toy. ¡°It¡¯s a new type of weapon from the far east. This is probably one of the few models left in the west.¡± ¡°Wait there used to be other¡­ fire spewing sticks?¡± She asked, her curiosity growing. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen anything like that before.¡± ¡°Of course not, the Pope and his all knowing council banned the import of firearms.¡± He sneered, making no attempt to hide his contempt. She had never seen a member of the church, especially a high ranking inquisitor, ever insult the Church. ¡°Anyway enough questions about the firearms, I¡¯m curious about your background. What¡¯s an easterner doing so far from her homeland?¡± ¡°Well you¡¯re only half right. I¡¯m only half eastern. My father was a traveling merchant who had a brief stint with my mother. The tribe shunned my mother and I, we lived in a tent far apart from the main tribe. Which is why we were spared when bandits attacked our tribe, they killed the men and hauled the children and women off. I left the eastern plains after my mother died. Eventually I made my way west, I¡¯ve been traveling all around Vantis since then.¡± ¡°Well you¡¯ve had quite an eventful life. Aren¡¯t you sick of traveling?¡± The knight asked from the front. ¡°I¡¯m sure it can¡¯t be easy for a lone woman to travel the continent.¡± ¡°There have been times when I¡¯ve been offered a home, but in the end the life of a vagabond has always suited me best. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve also had an eventful life.¡± ¡°Well I was formerly a merchant affiliated with the Gale Trade Guild. I earned my squi- knighthood by fighting some bandits who were terrorizing a village. I don¡¯t have many tales about war and knighthood, but I do have plenty of trade stories.¡± It was obvious that the knight had neglected some parts his past, but she was satisfied with still his story. It showed that Emery trusted Sabina to a modest degree, she was still flattered nevertheless. Emery told her tales from his days as a merchant. Even the usually reserved priest was engrossed in Emery¡¯s storytelling. He told them tales of long deceased saints and heroes he had heard about on his journeys. He also told them about his own perilous travels fraught with the dangers that accompanied trading, running from wolves in the wilderness, evading dissolute mercenaries and brigands who had no qualms about killing and looting from merchants. They started swapping their own stories acquired from their travels. Volta knew a great deal about foreign continents that Sabina had not even known existed. Emery¡¯s trading tales had a great range of emotions. They felt his sorrow when he spoke about a friend who had been murdered by bandits, felt his bewilderment when tasting a pepper fruit from the far west, his joy when discovering a fellow merchant from Vantis in foreign lands. Sabina¡¯s tales of eastern folklore told by her mother fascinated the priest and knight. Volta was especially engrossed, like a curious schoolboy he asked frequently about the eastern deities. It was a curious, almost childish like questions not like the harsh interrogation of most priests. Forgetting the mortal peril they were in but an hour ago, they continued to tell tales, some getting more wild and unbelievable by the minute. And so the trio continued to bond over their experiences under the luminous moon.