Only Four {two}

Chapter Two.

I didn’t like the idea of racing a hoard of evil Aria servants but it felt so good to be actually doing something, something that could restore peace. Well I would be as soon as we got rid of our annoying little followers. We didn’t stop walking. Not once. We travelled for nine hours without rest until we could not breathe and our muscles had seized up with strain.

“We should rest for a few minutes.” Said Kenrid, forcing his fingers to try and rub out the knots in his legs.

“I agree,” I also had an idea I didn’t think they would like. “I think we should head to Grendorn.”

“Becca, Grendorn doesn’t exist. It’s just a myth.” Said Will softly.

“I know that! I’m not a fool. But there is a small town in the mountain range that is supposed to be the mythical city. It was deserted thousands of years ago after the wells ran dry and the river water was polluted. It should be completely safe now, but no one has wanted to live there since then. And in recent times it has been plain stupid to go and live somewhere so well known for goodness and hope. I’m not saying the city exists I’m just saying that if we were to start our rebellion from there it would boost morale. If you were a farmer who was considering risking yours and your families lives would you rather fight from a town miles away from anywhere that no one has heard of or a great city, defended by the most powerful warriors from long ago, legendry warriors? It would bring hope to millions. Besides, word will spread faster if it can be told as a story to be passed from camp fire to camp fire.”

“And that, my dear, is why you are going to make a great leader.” I blushed at Kenrid’s words and shook my head.   

“No, if you don’t want to be the leader then I’m happy to take that place until someone more suited comes along.” Will and Kenrid shared a look and shook their heads. The conversation was closed and soon we were back trekking through the dense forest.

“Looking at the map and my old memory, we should be maybe an hour’s walk away from the edge of the forest. Unfortunately it comes out on the Great Coastal Road. You know how she is about that damned road.” Cursed Kenrid. It was true, Aria was very sensitive about what went on that road. It was the main route from her Forts in the South to her main Kingdom in the North.

“This is going to be a royal pain in the arse.” Groaned Will. Letting his head fall back and letting out a long low groan.

“You got that right sunny.” A scraggy looking man emerged from the trees. His eyes were too close together and when he grinned he showed a mouth with half the teeth missing and the others black and discoloured. He had his shirt sleeves rolled up to his elbows and the empresses royal highway men mark was clearly visible.

“You don’t want to fight with us.” I said casually.

“An why’s that darlin’?” He asked in a  low, husky voice.

“Well, apart from the fact you are outnumbered.” Ten more scruffy men strolled out of the shadows. “Oh well done, a very dramatic entrance. You are out skilled. I could fell six of you within three seconds. And these two, well, to give you the watered down version. In two seconds you would all be struggling against them. In five you would be begging for your lives, and in seven seconds, you would be pleading for the sweet release death would grace you with. And what would they need to accomplish this? A torture chamber? A hot ion? No, all they would need is their hands, although I guess that is not exactly correct, they may use a knife if one is available, if not there are plenty of sharp sticks and heavy rocks.” The leader had paled considerably after I had finished my little white lie. “I ask you, do you wish to get wrongly involved with us?”

“W-We are the Empress’s Highway Men! We do not cower in front of old fools, young whores and foolish boys.” I leaned down and picked up a small, thin twig and threw it at the man. It hit him in his neck and got lodged there. Deep enough to draw a tiny trickle of blood, but not enough to make him bleed to death. It was to scare him more than anything.

“If that was a knife you would be dead, yes?”

“Y-Y-Yes.”

“Then I ask you again for the second and final time. Do you wish. To get wrongly involved. With. US!” He flinched and over half of his men ran into the forest heading in all directions. There was no comradeship with these louts.

“No. Please have mercy! What do you want me to do?”

“I want you to go back to wherever your superior is and tell them of this encounter. Then, you are going to tell them you saw us go North, heading straight to our great leader’s city. Tell them you heard us planning an assassination attempt. Oh and we used magic on the other men, we convinced them something else happened but you cleverly averted your eyes and was not bound by the spell.” He nodded. “Oh and don’t think of lying. I will know. I have spies everywhere.” He nodded again and scrambled to his feet before bowing and nearly falling back down. He then ran as if rabid dogs were chasing him out the forest. 

We stood in silence for nearly ten minutes. I was trying to get me heart rate back to normal and to stop the adrenaline from pumping round my system.

“That was amazing. I had no idea you were such an actress.” Said Will softly. I looked up at him and smiled.

“Neither did I. But I wasn’t willing to fight them. Besides, this way is better. Without that fear he would have never done what we needed. This way the forces will listen to him. They will all flock North to Protect Aria and that gives us the chance to head back down the Coastal road to a small fishing port . From there we can travel on a boat down and then into the serpentine river of Rubies as far as the boat can go. From there we travel on foot through the Forests of Relder and then into the Mountains of Grendorn. Then we spread the word and hope to the God’s we attract enough good attention in time to deter the bad attention for long enough.”

“Can I see the map?” Asked Will. I nodded and handed him it. “Ok, would it not make sense to try and stay on land? This stretch of coastland is dangerously close to the ocean ranges. I know we are on the same side as the dwarfs now but they won’t give us a chance to explain that if we run across them.” I nodded.

“Yes, you’re right we could.” I was cut off by Kenrid.

“No, we have to go to the dwarfs.”

“What?!” I yelled. “They’ll kill us before they ask us our side!”

“They know me. I have fought beside them before.”

“But the last time they fought beside humans of any side was almost a hundred years ago. When Aria first took the throne and the Great Persecution was begun.”

“That’s right. I was there on the harbour walls. Fighting with my dear friends.” He sighed. “I should have told you before. I was just unsure.” I was stunned.

“Then that must mean... Are you a White Light Warrior?” Asked Will disbelievingly.

“Yes. One of the only ones left I think.” I nodded my head. There was no time to try and let this information sink in.

“The problem still remains. How can we get close enough without them killing us. Even by accident.”

“I paint a message in dwarf on the sail of the ship, they will understand it and we will be safe.” He sounded so sure. I knew I could trust Kenrid with my life but I was still a little scared.

“Ok. It’s settled then, we go to find the dwarfs. Then what do we do? We should start moving though.” I still felt uneasy just standing in the same spot that we could have died in.

We were all lost in our own thoughts as we began our trek to the small fishing village. I could see the concentration on the others faces. Plans kept forming and then being dissected down and ridiculed. Finally I had a plan worth sharing with the others.   

“I want to ask the Dwarfs to help us. To come with us to Grendorn and start our rebellion with us, but I can’t. I can’t ask them to leave their home and travel to a place that may not be fit for us to live in or not a suitable location for a fortress. They have done well at surviving where they are and I cannot, will not, jeopardise that.” Kenrid began laughing uncontrollably. Me and Will just stood looking at him.

“Of course they’ll come! They would be offended if we didn’t invite them! I was thinking about how we are going to get them all to our new site.”

“Oh. Well did you think of anything?” I could hear the pathetic pleading in my voice and I scolded myself.

“No, the only way we could do it is if we were to maybe take a few ships with us, manned by a crew of trustworthy men who wish to come with us and keep the Dwarfs bellow deck when we pass by civilisation.”

“The problem with that is finding the crew though.” I smiled, then grinned.

“Well... I think I may have an idea.” I laughed at the scared expressions my friends wore. “Oh come now! I am not that bad.” Kenrid mumbled something under his breath. Probably remembering the time I had the clever idea of hunting for the rare glowing fig. A small fruit that literally shrivelled up and died if you scared it. But I had heard it could bring a person back from the brink, I wanted to see for myself. Let’s just say we ended up wet, muddy, scratched and covered in rotten fruit. In my defence I did get my fig and saved my friends life. I still had the stone in my pack. I planned to plant it in the town square of Grendorn.

“Why am I scared?” Asked Will.

“I didn’t see it at first but when she gets an idea she gets this glint in her eyes. Put us out of our misery. I’m getting old here!” He laughed at his joke. Kenrid wouldn’t get any older. Ever. The White Light Warriors don’t age after they reach the peak of their lives. 

“Oh you are so very funny! Well, do you remember a few months ago? There was a rumour, all the way from the capital. Something to do with rebelling pirates?” The two of them groaned and I hit them both round the head. “Come on, we have some pirates to lure in.” I began to march off. We had stopped somewhere in our conversation and a fair distance was now growing between us. “If you don’t want to come I’ll go after the blood thirsty pirates on my own and just hope the dwarfs decide to listen to me before they lob my head off with a blunt axe.” They stomped toward me complaining about silly things like black mail and pouting.