Gunnar was not sure what had awoken him, but he opened his eyes to see the moon high overhead. He turned and saw the old man sleeping, but Horst was nowhere to be seen. The Odessian's horse whinnied, and Gunnar's eyes scanned the forest to see if Horst was out there. That was when he saw the dark shapes moving stealthily through the forest. Gunnar grabbed his sword and sprang to his feet.
"Now!" shouted a voice from the forest. "Get them!"
Kerzi immediately woke and rose to his feet as six sword-wielding men dashed into the clearing.
"Stop!" shouted Kerzi. "Take whatever you want and be gone. There is no need for bloodshed here."
The six men hesitated, and the leader stepped forward with a big grin on his face.
"Now that is my kind of merchant," the bandit snickered. "Throw your pouches over here and drop the sword, or you will die where you stand."
"Drop the sword," Kerzi said softly as he tossed his pouch towards the bandits. "There is no sense in dying for gold, lad."
Gunnar glared at the bandit leader as he kept a firm grip on his sword. He made no attempt to reach for his gold pouch. In fact, the Arin prince made no effort to give up his decoy pouch that held only a few coppers.
"Do like the old man says," snarled the bandit leader, "or I shall cut you down where you stand."
A grin came over Gunnar's face as he stared past the bandits.
"What are you smiling about, fool?" shouted the bandit leader. "Drop the sword or die."
Suddenly, an Odessian war cry filled the air as Horst charged the bandits from the rear. The bandits turned to see a naked Odessian charging them. They spun to meet the new threat. Gunnar charged towards the bandit leader and sliced into the man's neck as the leader turned towards the sound of Gunnar's movement.
Horst slashed his long scimitar across the bellies of two bandits before they could understand what was happening. Both men screamed in agony as they dropped their swords and sank to their knees, trying to hold their insides from falling out. Two of the remaining bandits charged towards Gunnar, while the sixth one tried to dash around the Odessian. Gunnar leaped to his right and squatted low. He swung his sword at the closest bandit and sliced through the man's leg. The bandit screamed and toppled to the ground, forcing Gunnar to leap backwards to avoid the falling body.
The other bandit charging Gunnar found that his target had moved. He turned quickly to follow Gunnar, but his companion's body was in the way. He glanced briefly towards the Odessian and saw Horst shove his scimitar into the stomach of the sixth bandit. Making an instant decision between fighting and fleeing, the last bandit turned and tried to flee into the forest. Gunnar pulled a knife from his belt and threw it at the fleeing bandit. It struck between the man's shoulders, and the bandit crashed to the ground. The screaming of the wounded ended as Kerzi pounded the one-legged man's head with a large rock.
"Only one leg?" taunted Horst as he strode towards the fire. "You are slipping."
"I need a longer sword," shrugged Gunnar. "Leaving a man wounded on the battlefield can be dangerous."
"Why aren't you carrying a two-handed?" asked the Odessian.
"I thought this would be more common," answered Gunnar. "Perhaps I could afford to stand out a little bit when it comes to protecting ourselves."
"Will you two stop jabbering," Kerzi said as he turned to stare at his two warriors. "Listen to you two. You just killed six men and you are talking about your swords. And you," the old man said accusingly to Horst, "did you not think that attacking those men might have ended up with us getting killed?"
"Not for a minute," Horst shook his head. "There were only six of them."
"Bah," the merchant scowled at the naked Odessian. "Go back to the stream and wash the blood off your legs."
Horst shrugged and walked out of the campsite. Kerzi tried to drag the body of the bandit closest to where he was sleeping so that he did not have to sleep next to a corpse. Gunnar moved in and completed the task for the old man. Gunnar then dragged all of the bodies away from the campsite and returned to the fire ring.
"You were hard on Horst," frowned Gunnar. "He just saved your life, and you berated him for it. Why?"
"They only wanted gold," sighed the old man. "I had no problem with giving them everything. I have had nothing before, and I suppose I will have nothing again sometime. Is Horst really so confident that he does not believe that we might have lost that fight?"
"He is confident," shrugged Gunnar, "and he has a right to be. As a prince of Odessia he has had some of the finest training in the world. Never underestimate him."
"And you?" taunted the merchant. "I suppose you have had such training as well?"
"He has," Horst said as he walked into the clearing, fully clothed, but still wet from a recent swim. "What you do not understand, old man, is that you can no longer expect your attackers to be mere bandits. Merely giving up your gold will not save your life any longer. If we are attacked, we must fight, and we must win. That is the only way that our lives are guaranteed. If you cannot live with that, then you must part ways with the two of us. I will not stand by and see my friend murdered by men appearing to be bandits, or soldiers, or anything else."
Turning to Gunnar, Kerzi asked, "Do you really believe that the Borundans will pose as bandits to attack you?"
"They already have once," answered Gunnar. "A band of fifty bandits attacked my party in Capri a week before I met you. What Horst said, Kerzi, is the truth. These six men may have indeed been bandits, or they may have been something else. I do know that none of the bandits bothered to bend down to pick up your pouch of gold."
"They were waiting for Gunnar to drop his sword," interjected Horst. "They may very well have run you two through even if it was just to eliminate witnesses to their foul deeds. We will never know for sure, but we are alive only because we reacted properly to their threat."
"Fifty bandits?" Kerzi said in amazement. "I heard about a slaughter in the woods west of Koar. Were you involved in that?"
"It was me they were after," nodded Gunnar. "They were indeed bandits, but they were not attacking to steal from us. The Borundans hired the bandits to attack. Fortunately, my party was highly skilled and prepared to defend themselves."
"Then I apologize," Kerzi said with his head hung low. "I do not know what the world is turning into, but it no longer resembles the world I once knew. I thank you both for saving my life. I am fortunate to have such highly skilled warriors as my escorts."
"And for only a silver a day," chuckled Horst.
"Seriously, Kerzi," Gunnar said softly, "I have never meant to bring this kind of trouble into your life. When we get to Caxon, you must hire a new warrior. I do not want to be responsible for getting you hurt."
Turning to Horst, the Arin prince continued, "I think we should keep a sentry tonight and every night until we reach Caxon. I have already had some sleep, so I will take my watch now. Get some rest."
The rest of the night passed without incident. As they packed up in the morning, Horst created a line to tow the bandits' horses, which were found tied to a tree not far away from the campsite. As they pulled out of the campsite and regained the road to Caxon, Gunnar shook his head as he saw Horst run his hand up to the back of his head where his ponytail used to hang. It reminded the Arin prince of how their lives were changing, and it made him angry that the Borundans were the ones forcing the change.
The forests of Caroom were dense and dark, and game was plentiful. Horst had brought a bow with him, and the meals on the trip to Caxon grew more varied than the dried-meat stews that Kerzi usually made. Horst's beard grew in quickly, and it was indeed full by the time they saw the walls of Caxon rising in the distance.
Their last night on the road before reaching Caxon was spent on a hill overlooking the river valley and the city below. Horst immediately went out hunting for something to eat while Gunnar tended to the horses. Kerzi busied himself with the campfire and checking the wagon to see how it was holding up on the l
ong journey. Horst came into the campsite with a grin on his face. He carried a large turkey, and Kerzi's eyes lit up. The old man slid out from under the wagon and eagerly took the turkey from Horst.
"This will be a treat," grinned the old man. "I have a special recipe for turkey, one that my wife taught me."
Horst paid no attention to the old man's words. He washed up and proceeded to turn his attention to training Gunnar's horse.
"You still miss her, don't you?" Gunnar said softly as he moved to help the merchant clean the turkey.
"Aye," Kerzi nodded sadly. "It was a long time ago, and you would think the memories would have faded over the years, but it doesn't work that way. I can still remember her as if it were just yesterday that the sickness took her away from me. Life can be torture at times."
"A man once told me," Gunnar smiled thinly, "that good memories are treasures to be savored over the years."
"He was a wise man who spoke those words," Kerzi nodded. "Those are the true treasures of life, and no bandit can ever steal them from you. I suppose that is why I am so easily detached from my gold. It holds a lesser significance in my eyes. Still, you and Horst have shown me that the world is now changing. I will not be so quick to give into bandits in the future, but it still will not be because of the gold. I do not wish to give up the real treasures."
"What is our plan for Caxon?" asked Gunnar. "Will I have time to stroll the marketplace?"
"I think we will spend the entire day in the city," nodded Kerzi. "I want to see if I can find someone to look at the wagon's axels. I'm a little fearful of the rear one. The wheels seem to be at an angle, and I do not wish to break down on the road. Normally I like to have repair work done in Capri where I know the men with skills I require, but I don't think this can wait."
"That works out well with my desires then," replied Gunnar. "I want to pick up a decent bow so that I can join the hunt with Horst each evening."
"Do you know how to use one?" ask Kerzi. "It has been some time since I used one, but I could give you some pointers."
"I am a fair shot with a bow," smiled the Arin prince. "When I set out to join up with a merchant in Capri, I did not wish to carry many belongings, so I did not bring mine along with me."
"And now you feel more at home wandering with a merchant?" laughed the old man.
"I do," smiled Gunnar. "You are more than a merchant, Kerzi. You have become a friend."
"And you have become like a son to me," Kerzi replied with the glint of a tear in his eye. "I know that you spoke of leaving me in Caxon when we arrived, and I have done a lot of thinking about that over the last week. I don't want to see you leave."
"Nor do I wish to leave," Gunnar frowned sadly, "but it is probably for the best. As time goes on, trouble will follow me closer and closer. It is no longer safe for me to assume that I can hide as a merchant's warrior, and my presence will only endanger your life."
"I know that," nodded Kerzi, "but I do not care. You still have some measure of disguise posing as my warrior, and I would like you to continue on."
"Despite the danger?" questioned Gunnar. "You did not react well to our killing the six bandits last week."
"No, I didn't," admitted the merchant, "but I was wrong, and you and Horst were right. I know that now. Will you two guard me as I carry the wine to Salacia?"
"Wood," replied Gunnar.
"Wood?" echoed the merchant.
"I told you before that the wines in Caxon are too high-priced to demand a decent profit in Kyland," grinned Gunnar, "but I do happen to know that there are certain hardwoods in Caroom that are highly prized in Salacia. There will not be a huge market for the woods, but the load will generate some healthy profits."
"I most certainly want to have the axels looked at then," Kerzi nodded thoughtfully. "Does this mean that you will come with me?"
"I signed on for a round trip to Capri," smiled Gunnar. "If you want me to continue with the journey despite the danger to yourself, I am obligated to do so."
"I would never hold you to that obligation," Kerzi shook his head. "Surely, you know that?"
"I do," nodded Gunnar as he felt his bushy beard, "but I want to make a trip through Anatar in any event, so I will accompany you back to Capri."
Chapter 12 - Caxon
Caxon
The capital of Caroom was an ancient city, and some say it was the birthplace of civilization. The city of Caxon rested on the banks of the upper Vine River. It's ancient wall stood forty feet tall, but unlike the other walled cities of the Land of the Nine Kingdoms, most of the people in Caxon lived outside the wall. The part of the city inside the wall was called the Old City, and it was there that the Royal Palace, marketplace, and many of the shops resided. As people moved to take up residence in Caxon, they were forced to build outside the wall. Over the years the city spread greatly, until less than a third of the inhabitants of the city lived behind the defensive wall.
Two great roads fed into Caxon. The Kyland-Caxon Road which led to the capital of Salacia and the west coast of the Land of the Nine Kingdoms, and the Caxon-Laborg Road that followed the Vine River to Laborg and the east coast. The Vine River marked the border between Caroom and Vineland, and the Caxon-Laborg Road crossed over it just outside of Caxon. The marketplace was also different from the ones in other cities. A large park bordered it on one side, and the other three sides were lined with inns and taverns. For those who wished to spend the night, or tip a mug of ale in Caxon, the marketplace is where they would have to go. Neither inns nor taverns were allowed anywhere else in the city.
Kerzi could not utilize his normal pattern of getting to the marketplace by avoiding the city center, because the marketplace was in the city center. The ancient streets of the Old City were also too narrow for the wagon to navigate easily, so Kerzi suffered a straight entrance into the city.
"There is no place in the Old City to leave a wagon without tying up traffic," Kerzi sighed, "unless we use the stable areas of an inn, so I am going to check us into an inn before we unload."
"We could return outside the city after we unload if you wish to save your coppers," suggested Gunnar.
"No," the merchant shook his head. "The wood will be heavier than what I am used to carrying in this old wagon, and I need to have the axels looked at anyway. Spending the night in an inn will be well worth the bother of navigating these streets, and the axel can be checked in the stable yard."
"The Palace Arms is a fairly decent inn," Horst offered with a wry smile.
"I think not," chuckled Kerzi. "The Palace Arms would be akin to giving our gold to the bandits. You were pampered too much in your youth, Horst. I am going to introduce you to the world as most people see it. We will stay at the Rose and Thorn."
"Nice try," laughed Gunnar as Horst made a face at the merchant's selection. "You could, of course, use all those silver pieces you have earned so far to stay at a different inn than Kerzi and me."
"We will stay together," Kerzi shook his head, not realizing that Gunnar was joking. "If there is trouble in this city, I want to be ready to leave quickly."
"The Rose and Thorn will do," Horst conceded with a grin. "It's been a long time since I was in a drunken brawl."
Kerzi turned to admonish the Odessian prince, but Gunnar intervened.
"He is trying to get your goat," laughed Gunnar. "Pay no mind to his words. I have it on good advice that he often sleeps in a small shack in the middle of Odessia."
"They are called yurts," Horst frowned with mock offense, "and I can ensure you that nothing is as cozy in the winter as a warm yurt."
The Rose and Thorn was a rather inexpensive inn, and it was located as far from the park as possible, but still adjoining the marketplace. Gunnar and Horst had to dismount to guide the wagon into the narrow alleyway that ran between buildings to the common stable yard that was used by six inns. Kerzi climbed off the wagon and disappeared into the rear door of the Rose and Thorn while Gunnar and Horst stabled their horses as well as
the six bandits' horses.
"Are you going to sell them?" asked Gunnar.
"Of course," nodded Horst. "They won't bring in much, but it would be a shame for them to starve to death when the winter comes. Once we get rid of the grain, I will go in search of a buyer."
"I am going to find a bow," declared Gunnar.
"Are those silver pieces burning a hole in your pouch?" laughed Horst.
"I really feel poorly taking the old man's money," frowned Gunnar. "I signed up with him to hide from the Borundans, not to earn silver. Instead of getting a simple warrior, he has ended up in an intrigue that may well cost him his life."
"We are all mortal," shrugged the Odessian prince. "I will not let anyone harm him, but we all must die sometime. You would be wise not to dwell on the subject."
Kerzi returned from the Rose and Thorn and climbed onto the seat of the wagon.
"I suspect that I will only need one of you to help me unload," he announced. "You two can choose between yourselves."
"I will help you," offered Gunnar. "Horst can use the time to sell the horses."
"Agreed," nodded Horst. "I will meet you in the common room around sunset."
Gunnar climbed onto the seat, and Horst guided the wagon through the narrow alleyway. Progress was slow through the narrow streets of the Old City, and it took several hours before the grain was sold and unloaded. After they had returned to the stable yard behind the Rose and Thorn, Gunnar hurried out to the stalls of the marketplace. The sun was already beginning to sink by the time Gunnar found a bowyer with a suitably wide selection. He was surprised to see a man around his age manning the stall, as most of the merchants were older men, but the variety of bows and arrows showed promise.
"A longbow, sir?" asked the young merchant.
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