by Guy Antibes
“Not quite right,” Bellia said. “They were murdered. Their money was stolen and their wagon tipped over on their dead bodies. Corl said that Mantrim?” The woman nodded. “…threw him off the wagon before the men reached them. The three of us buried the bodies about three or four leagues down the road. We marked the spot.”
The woman looked like the life had been stripped from her. She hugged Corl and looked up at Bellia. “I didn’t believe them.”
“Who?”
“Ponti, the carpenter’s son. He’s the reason I wrote to my cousin. Our carpenter retired and his son took over his shop. The man can’t build a birdhouse. We had no one to fix things properly in the village. He warned me not to invite them to come here.” She broke down in tears and ran into her little house. “It’s all my fault.”
“You better go in there, Corl. She needs someone to hold on to and you need her.” Bellia said.
“There’s some space behind the house. I don’t suppose the lady will mind if we spent the night on her property. I’d rather say goodbye to Corl tomorrow and see if we can help.” Bellia said to Ulu as she unhitched Nudge.
“Perhaps a jewel?” Ulu asked. Bellia could see the pain on her friend’s face.
“No. If Corl’s father was killed for his carpenter’s tools and the threat of competition, don’t you think wealth would put that woman in danger?”
“You are right. This is a very dangerous place.”
“Fits with what we’ve been told about Grianna, and we are just inside of the country.”
The next morning, Corl asked Bellia and Ulu into the house for breakfast.
“I’m sorry about yesterday. I’m still in shock from my cousin’s death, but I’ll force myself to function. My name is Fillia,” she said as they sat down at her kitchen table. Bellia looked around. The woman had good books on her shelves and a writing desk. The house was tidy and clean inside and the furniture was all of good quality. The woman had, at one time, significant means, although it was evident she currently lived a frugal life.
“What do you do here?” Bellia said. She looked around the kitchen and felt that if she lived in a house, she would keep it looking like this. She thought back to her room at the House, but liked the way Fillia put feminine touches here and there.
She had lived for so long on her journey that sparseness was a way of life. Did she have to continue on that road? If she ever stayed in a place long enough she wondered what her own style would be?
“I teach the children to read and write. Originally the village mayor invited me. I grew up in Grian. My father was a noble, but one of the genteel poor. He died from a wasting sickness and my mother lasted long enough to see me installed here in Yellow Rock as a school teacher.”
“My patron died a few months ago. Murdered, if you must know. The villages and towns of Grianna are becoming as lawless as Grian itself. Ponti and his gang are running the town now. If I didn’t have sturdy door…” she shuddered at the thought, but didn’t finish it.
“We’re headed for Grian. You’re welcome to come along if you wish. We can protect you. Both of us are handy with weapons and we have enough money to pay.”
“Could you? I don’t even own this house. I’m afraid there’s not going to be much in the way of schooling opportunities for awhile.”
“A horse? I saw you have a little barn.”
“Oh. I’m sorry I was thinking of going back home. Yes. I have an old plow horse. It’s too big to ride, really, but I’ve managed.”
They loaded up the wagon with Fillia’s possessions, leaving the furniture behind. Just before the day was over, eight men rode into her yard.
“Fillia! You’re not leaving us are you?”
“I am. Go away, Ponti. You’ve caused enough trouble.” Fillia called out from her house, not daring to open her door.
One of the men lit a torch.
“Come out or we’ll burn your house down.”
Bellia and Ulu walked out of Fillia’s house. “No, you won’t,” Bellia said.
“What woman is going to tell me what I can or can’t do in my town? No female commands me.”
Bellia put her hands on her hips. “And who says this is your town? Were you elected to some office?”
“The boys here elected me mayor. Didn’t you boys?” Ponti dismounted from his horse and pulled out an old notched sword.
“Don’t cut yourself, Ponti,” Bellia said as she pulled out her short sword.
“Who are you to use my name? What have you got there? A little pig sticker?” Ponti said.
“And this?” Bellia pulled out her other sword.
“A big pig sticker,” Ulu said. His plains blade was already out.
Ponti rushed Bellia, who brushed Ponti’s sword aside with her long sword and struck Ponti in the head with the hilt of her short sword. The carpenter fell to the ground. The man’s eyes rolled up in his head as the others backed up.
“Go ahead Ulu.”
Ulu took a deep breath and let the frenzy take him. In a few moments only their horses stood.
“Stop, that’s enough.”
Ulu’s eyes dimmed as he wiped his wet sword on one of the victims’ shirt. “This time, I must admit to doing good while in the frenzy, Mistress Bellia.”
“Mistress, eh?” She smiled and then sighed. “I thought they deserved it. The boy’s guardian’s needed avenging and there is no possibility of justice in this town.”
Fillia walked out of her house, her fist to her mouth. Ponti had come to and crawled to his sword. She walked up to him and kicked his hand away from the sword and then kicked Ponti in the head. “That’s for killing the mayor, my husband, and my cousin and her husband.” She grabbed his sword and skewered him to the ground.
The woman had judged and executed the town bully in rather brutal fashion. Fillia hadn’t told them that she had been married. Good for her, thought Bellia.
~~~
Chapter Thirty-Two
An Unlikely Fellow Traveler
~
The four of them slipped past the next town on the way to Grian, taking a forest route that Bellia had checked out her map.
“What are these lines, Fillia?”
“King Cressian has sold fiefdoms to his court. All he thinks about is money. He’s taxed most people out of work. That was why my cousin and her husband were coming to live with me. The countryside is breaking down.”
“What about your lord?”
“King Cressian hasn’t gotten around to selling the lands around Yellow Rock.”
Bellia was learning not to like her uncle. “This next town, Foserwood, is pretty big. Can we stay there?”
“Any place is as good as another. We will be in Count Crotho’s lands. He’s as bad as any of them.”
~
Foserwood boasted four inns. Bellia expected to see it teeming with people, but the market square looked forlorn, a quarter full. They pulled the wagon up to an inn.
“Stay here,” Bellia said as she went inside. The inn looked clean, but only a couple of tables held customers. She knocked on the innkeeper’s counter.
“Yes, What can I do for you?” The innkeeper’s clothes were patched and disheveled looking.
“I’d like two rooms with two beds each. Dinner for tonight and breakfast tomorrow. How much?”
The innkeeper looked at Bellia. There was fear in the man’s eyes. “A silver guinea.”
“What? I could rent the entire inn and feed the town for that,” Bellia said, now knowing the value of the currency.
“I don’t get much custom these days and the King takes half and the Lord half of what’s left. You can try the other inns, but they will only ask for more.” The innkeeper backed away a step from the counter, keeping his eyes on Bellia’s weapons.
“Here.” Bellia flipped a silver guinea to the surprised innkeeper. “Is there a stable lad? I want my goods guarded tonight.”
“We lock up our stables nice and tight.” Something was wrong. The m
an wouldn’t meet her eyes. “Gooden, my friend, will guard your things.” They wouldn’t leave anything of value in the stables, that was for sure.
After the valuables were hidden in Bellia’s rooms, the four of them ate in the inn. The food contained no meat and they were served boiled water to drink along with their meal.
“I’m going to see if I can buy some provisions. Ulu, you take the first watch on the wagon, I’ll relieve you. I have half a mind to turn around and go back to Togolath.” She looked at Fillia. “I guess Ulu and I will stand guard tonight. Perhaps we’ll get some sleep in the cart as we go tomorrow.”
“That would be a wonderful idea,” Fillia said.
“How about you, Corl?” Bellia ruffled the hair on Corl’s head.
“I’ll defend her,” he said as he hobbled up the stairs, one step at a time. His spirits seemed to be picking up.
Bellia walked along the streets of Foserwood. Lumpy mud and debris cluttered up every walkway. Everyone kept to themselves. She saw no one at ease. She had to stop as the butcher walked out of his shop, holding a little dog by the scruff of its neck and threw it in the street.
“You crafty devil,” the butcher said, holding a cleaver. “I don’t know how you get in, it’s as if you could think. Get on now.”
The dog walked up to Bellia and looked at her with a cocked head and a panting tongue.
“You’re a cute little guy.” She picked the mutt up and wondered if Corl would like a companion. She called into the butcher’s shop. “Hey, is this someone’s dog?”
“No, not at all. Crafty little bugger. You want him, you can take him. It won’t take long before he’ll be gracing someone’s pot anyway.”
“You can come with me. I’m headed to Grian. Want to come?” Bellia scratched behind the dog’s ear. It was as if the dog understood her. He panted and nodded his head up and down.
She walked along the shops and walked into a bread shop. There wasn’t much in the windows and the dog followed on her heels.
“You gonna take that mutt? Good riddance,” the lady behind the counter said.
“Maybe. If the boy with us likes him.” Bellia looked down at the dog. “Stay.”
“Some bread. I’m just staying the night and I wanted some provisions for the road.”
“You can have whatever’s in the window. It’s a few days old. All my fresh stuff is gone, what little there was. Count took it. Five iron groats’ll do.”
She grabbed the bread and wrapped it up in a large square of paper. Bellia handed over the coins. Everything was so expensive. She put her purse away, when the dog ran out the door. Bellia nodded to the baker and ran out after the dog.
It stood waiting for her in front of an alleyway between two buildings. Bellia was about ready to capture the dog, when the little mutt took off down the alley. This was strange behavior for a dog.
Bellia followed it into a copse of trees behind the buildings. It stopped in a little meadow. The grass had long given up on autumn and the dog sat in a large bare patch of muddy ground. The dog was scratching the dirt by the time Bellia caught up.
“What are you doing? I can—” Bellia looked down at the writing in the dust.
“Take me to a wizard,” the writing said.
“You can talk?” The dog shook his head back and forth.
“But you understand me.” The dog nodded. “Are you enchanted?” Bellia could think of no other reason a dog could write. Again, the dog nodded.
“You want someone to cast a spell and release you?”
The dog rose on his two hind legs and punched his front feet in the air. “A spell. You want a wizard to use that code.” The dog jumped up and down.
Bellia laid the packet of bread down and put her mangled hand to her chin. The dog whimpered at the sight of Bellia’s hand.
“Let me try something. Stay still.” Bellia pulled the elemental threads into her mind. She looked at the dog and then closed her eyes, willing it to see the dog’s human form. She sent a pulse of power to the dog and hope she wouldn’t kill it. She didn’t want to see a puddle of deformed dog so she shut her eyes tight and gradually her eyebrows lifted as she saw a naked man lying in the dirt.
She bent over to see if the dog-man still lived. The man’s eyes opened and immediately raised a hand in front of his eyes.
“How did you do that?”
“It’s my secret and not yours. Now how are you going to clothe yourself?” Bellia grunted and took off the long coat she bought in Togolath and put it around the man’s shoulders. he was a bit shorter than Bellia. “Wear this until we can think of something else.”
Bellia turned away to give the man some privacy to cover himself. “What’s your story?”
“Enchanted. Just like you said. Name’s Lurini. A wizard, as it happens.” He began to work through some codes, but to no result. “Just as I thought, ex-wizard.” He frowned and looked at his fingers.
“So, ex-wizard.” Bellia lifted her eyebrows encouraging Lurini to tell her more.
I did a job for King Cressian some years ago. I had just married a widow with a babe and a toddler. A beautiful woman she was. Loved the little tykes.” Lurini’s eyes lost a bit of focus as he thought of his family. He cleared his throat. Bellia could see his eyes welled up a bit.
“I came back to find my family dead and within a few moments turned into a dog. Dogs can’t work the codes.”
“Little wonder,” Bellia said.
“The King’s wizard told me if I ever regained my human form, my magic would be gone. It seems he was right,” the man said choking with emotion.
“So what are you going to do?” This was a unique experience in Bellia’s collection of unique experiences.
“I’m going to go to Grian. I may not be able to kill the King, but my begging days are over.”
Bellia shivered. The two sat in the darkening twilight. “Get some wood and I’ll make a fire. I’d like some more details on your journey and the King.”
The fire warmed both of them. Bellia took some bread out of her sack and they shared a small loaf.
“The King had a brother,” he started. Bellia caught her breath. “Is there something wrong, lady?”
“No. Just a spear of cold air shot down my back.”
“Well, the King’s brother lived as a hermit in Testia. Lived in an amazing house high above the sand. His majesty wanted the family dead to preserve the throne for himself. The wizard abdicated long ago but the King remained afraid. There were two sons and a wife that lived in that house.”
Now that she examined his features, she recognized him as the reluctant wizard who murdered her family. So the assassins didn’t know about her, Bellia thought. She had to control her growing anger and concentrate on not killing the man outright.
“It seems the wife teleported at random to twelve different villages and towns to buy food. The King couldn’t ever guess right, so his wizard, a Kokotan named Shibito, found a solution. There were twelve teams of men, each with a wizard to get them into and, more importantly, out of the House.
“My team hit the mark. We found the wife enjoying a bite to eat in an inn. We forced her to transport us to their house. It was awful. We had to kill them all, but I made sure they were clean deaths. She went first. We had to burn their bodies. Wizards can be resurrected if there is any tissue left. That was the Shibito’s instruction.”
“Our team came back. All of the other teams were immediately put to death, but the King’s wizard transformed me. He called it my reward for doing the killing.”
“So in actuality you’re a cold blooded killer for the King.” Bellia had to speak through her teeth. If she opened her mouth, she felt she would break down and the man would run away. She pulled out her short sword. “As worthy of death as the rest of your band of killers.” She grabbed Lurini by the hair and made to slit his throat.
“You don’t understand. I was forced to do it. At first I refused. There are only so many wizards who can teleport. His men k
idnapped my wife and stepchildren. They held them hostage while I went about the King’s work. When I returned, the King had already killed them. The transformation into a dog was a fitting punishment for what I had done.”
“But a whole family is dead.” Bellia felt her surety of action slipping away.
“I did it to save mine. You would do the same. Why are you so upset? They weren’t your family.”
Bellia pulled out her medallion. “They were.” She could hardly get the words out of her throat.
“The spare bedroom.” Lurini put his hand to his mouth. “There was another child.”
“I understand they left Grian before I was born. I had always assumed I had been born in Grianna with the rest of my family, but I found out some time ago, that wasn’t the case.”
She let go of Lurini’s hair and sheathed her blade and then dropped to the ground and held her head in her hands.
“Why did you have to burn them? I went back to the House and traced all your men’s steps. You found my father in his bedroom and my brothers in theirs. You dragged them right in front of the fireplace and killed them, then burned them where their bodies lie.”
“I used wizards’ fire. It was quick and virtually smokeless. He must have given you the amulet long before. But that is for the heirs and you must be the youngest.” Lurini wrung his hands and looked miserable.
“You missed a hidden drawer. It was magically secure. I cleaned the house up and left. I went into the army, wandered around. Ever since, my quest was to return to Grianna and find out who murdered my family, one way or another.” This meeting must have been the reason behind all of the nudges, she thought.
Lurini knelt and pleaded with Bellia. “We both have a score to settle with the King. Shibito left long ago, but he needs to be paid back for his evil. If you forgive me for what you’ve done, I will pledge my fealty and help you however I can, even though my powers have been stripped.”
“Do you know the King’s Court and who is who? Who is the lord of these lands?”
