The goodbye was brief, and soon their company of horses headed beneath the battlements and beyond the wall, and for the first time the farm-lands were behind them. Jema rode them north along the Wandering Road, veering toward the east, across lands of untamed grass and cluttered thickets, all beneath a tremendous skyline, where only hills scattered toward the horizon. The boys travelled alongside him, with the convoy of soldiers behind them, armed with spears to guard the assassin. All five men bore full suits of armor, from helmet to boot, and only one of them spoke to Jema. His name was Arteus, and his brother Cassius was beside him, and though they bore the same rank as their fellow soldiers Arteus opted to speak for all of them. Landau could only see their faces, and young they appeared, within two years of each other. Beneath their helmet their resemblance was similar, only Cassius squinted often, and Arteus frequently sniffled.
The prominent road they travelled continued its way east, and Jema opted to keep their speed slow, for his eyes were ever busy in surveying the open country, and he walked it in distrust. He called Arteus to the front, who rode to his side to hear his command.
"Soldier, I’ll need some of your men to scout the roads ahead. I do not trust that the assassin’s allies have abandoned him completely. While he is bound send a couple of your men to check the hills, groves, anywhere they could be lurking."
"Shouldn’t be difficult, there are few places to hide along this road."
"Good man, though do not underrate his danger. You saw what he is capable of back in town, assume his friends are as cunning."
"Yes Jema sir," he saluted, before moving back to join his companions. Raminus appeared amused at the attention he warranted, even in the hopelessness of his situation he persisted to grin, as though a joke lingered in his mind.
"The bard in the tavern was saying the elves in the west have closed their borders," Samson said to Jema, "what do you make of it?"
"I cannot concern myself with that at the moment," though his look was grim. "Did he give any news from the east?"
"Only that fires have been burning there for weeks, he spoke in riddles of course, he made it sound like the Corcadians had forged some kind of explosive, turning fire into a weapon of some design, can that be true?"
"Aye, seems men do not need magic these days to harness such power, oil gathered by whalers on the White Seas has made this possible I have heard. The day will no doubt come when the Empire will possess such a weapon, and a new age will begin, one that I fear." Jema took notice of Landau beside him, his stare was one of deep thought, as though he mourned in being here.
"You must think the land is rife with peril," Jema tried to amuse him. "It seems unmistakable of late, but know that much of the land is very kind and removed of most troubles. When we get to Arwendel you will see my meaning," he smiled, though Landau found no reply.
"So is this some breed of yours Jema?" Raminus spoke from behind, "or do you arrest them so young these days?"
"Shut up whelp," Jema said annoyed, "I will not involve myself in idle banter with you."
"What will you do, arrest me I suspect?"
"Hold your tongue," Cassius told him harshly.
"He seems much too innocent to be a threat of any kind," he probed Landau, "I recognize a victim when I see one. You look like the kind who has lost someone close to them, you do poorly to hide it. What gives you the knight’s concern?"
"He has given you enough of his attention," said Jema. "You have outgrown any threat here."
"It didn’t take long for your arrogance to return I see. I assume you protect this child, yet you accompany him with an assassin. I only hope my elder years do not give me a similar ignorance." With the butt of his spear a guard jabbed Raminus to be quiet, but each probing thrust only offered them his laughter.
"Can we not bound his mouth also?" asked Sam.
"Any disdain you harbor you can save for your cell, and this province be better for it." Jema’s words only sparked a villainous laugh.
"You’re right, it is not my business, I’m just glad to see your tales of valor are true knight, to baby-sit a child, I feel like a fool to have regarded you so ignoble."
Jema halted his horse, and turned to Raminus to offer his spite.
"You think yourself clever don’t you? I don’t know why someone who spends his lifetime in the shadows thinks he can intimidate me, regardless how foul your words may be. Your purpose here is not for the sake of company, the only reason you keep your tongue for the moment is so you can confess your companions, and mark my words we will torment you until you do, and we will see if your confidence is so prevalent then. Your threats are empty assassin, as harsh as you can make them, and if you think to rouse my anger for some petty game then you’ll wish you never played it." Jema’s words were threatening in Landau’s eyes, yet Raminus looked far from browbeat. "Now remain silent, for I will not hesitate to deliver punishment in the presence of a child."
"Enjoy your superiority while it lasts," he replied, before being dealt another heavy blow.
Landau had never known such wickedness, and it was not stubbornness that forbid his relent. The trip soon turned north and yielded no relief from his mockery, and in the dying afternoon clouds of white and grey battled above them, until the land was shadowed in their coming.
"You think those clouds will reach us?" Samson asked, but the answer was soon apparent.
Come nightfall the company took shelter from the drizzling rain, Landau felt cold beneath the linen cloth of his tent, and the light of his lantern bore no warmth. It was more comfort than afforded Raminus, removed from his grey horse and fastened to a tree with many ropes, settled upon the sodden ground, soaked and sore. Jema however embraced the rain also, and in the drowning weather he sat before the assassin, and the pair took counsel. All five guards had scattered about their camp, and only Arteus remained in sight, but in their tent Samson bid Landau no conversation, and through the flap he watched the pair converse, taking as much interest in the assassin’s dialogue as his mentor.
"So you have no more insults for me then? Perhaps you wish to finally talk about your allies?" said Jema.
"It’s hard to ignore you when you keep talking to me," he replied with a frustrated voice.
"If you think patience will win you out assassin then guess again. I will show no relent to getting my answers. The sooner you speak, the quicker we can discard you."
"You like to bully people don’t you? If I had to guess I’d say you’re an Imperial. Perhaps it’s your smug attitude, or your need to intimidate, the fact you wear your armor like some trophy." Jema laughed, as fake as he could force one.
"You have yet to see the bully in me assassin. You don’t want to talk? Fine, but the trip to Arwendel is long without any food or water, and I imagine your bruises will accumulate quickly."
"What do you hope to achieve here Imperial? War yields at the threshold of your borders, yet your incessant attention remains on our creed. Do you really think my capture is the means to end our vocation, that you would rid the land of unwarranted death, as though it were caused by no other means?"
"An assassin is a weapon, which means someone else wields it, until you confess your companions I will not stop until I bring your cause to its end. Men like you should know their place in this world."
"Men like me," Raminus chuckled. "Men who kill for a higher cause, because they are told to? You’re removed from such tropes I suppose. There’s nothing different between what you and I do, you just choose to tag yourself as honorable. In the end we are both men, what right do you entertain to suggest your occupation is more prevalent than mine?"
"You slaughter people for coin, and I have no doubt you revel in the action!"
"We are simply working class men bringing a right to the wrongs that you would ignore."
"Do not associate yourself with honest working folk! People like you are a stain on this land, and I will rest easy when I can wipe your kind from it, and leave it without your corruption.
"
"A man of politics speaks to me of corruption," Raminus smiled. "I can’t help find irony in your purpose knight. Do you know the city of Vendaburg, on the beaches of Shor? I assume you do, it’s an Imperial owned city after all."
"I am aware of it," said Jema.
"Not always Imperial though was it," he tilted his head with a pleasing smirk. "Thirty-odd years ago it was ruled by a tyrant king, king to the people of Vendaburg, I think it was your Empire that labelled him a tyrant. They wanted an alliance, to wave their banners in his court and claim his land as their own," said Raminus, as though he were reciting a lyric. "But he wouldn’t submit to the decree of your Empire, he refused many times in fact, and it forces me to wonder, why did he change his mind? He never surrendered to their edict, even after your Empire afforded their brave Legion to maul their soldiers, peasants in iron really, even that was not enough to force his hand. The Empire was ordered to withdraw in failure. Yet, by strange fortune, his majesty was found dead in his chambers, struck down in his sleep next to his son, and the only heir to his throne. Mutually…gutted. Thus allowed your Empire to intervene and take sovereignty over Vendaburg.
Do you know how your Empire came about this fortune?"
Jema leered into his eyes, for he knew the answer.
"Your Empire employed an assassin into his court, to sneak into his chambers and do your favor. One man to do what the strength of your Legion could not. Assassins prevented the deaths of your soldiers Jema, expendable as you make them, all so your Empire could further their reign, and it would be wrong to deny them that."
Raminus leaned as far as he could from his straps to get in Jema’s face, the rain poured hard around them yet neither gave it attention.
"You arrest me for the same reason your Empire would employ me. If you’re looking for our people then I suggest you start with your Queen."
"Do not find justification in your actions cur, and know that the Queen would not stoop so low as…"
"As low as your Empire?" Raminus finished. "Assassins are not ignorant like you knight, we do not feed on deception to further our politics. We are not bound to some ethical decree that would hinder us from all common sense."
"Be quiet!" said Jema.
"Thyrien from Handscomb, do you know him? Killed on his way home from council, a man responsible for most of the town’s wealth through his silver mines, yet unknown to many were the number of daughters he defiled in his manor every night. Falthien of Ravenwood, he was the leader of the trade guild and gave charity to many of the homeless. What those in power don’t tell you, was that he was also the leader of the marauders that operated from Daggerwood, that plundered dozens of caravans along this very road. What of the wife of the Lord of Middleton you say? She was innocent I’ll grant you, and it was sad for her husband I assume, a lord is a monogamous man after all, though he seemed to move on quickly with a younger woman, I fancy his wife’s death was somewhat convenient in its timing."
Jema sprung from his seat and gripped the collar of his cowl, and his scowl was frightening.
"You are a murderer, and there’s no further compliment I could give you!"
"The dead are not innocent Jema, and to profit from their death is justification."
"It is not for you to pass judgement on people’s lives!" his voice was raised.
"Does your self-opinion chafe inside of you? Does it bother you that your morality robs you of any balls? You know these words are true old man. You can drown in the admiration of your boot-lickers all you like, your arrogance can satisfy you more than any woman, but deep down Imperial, through all your self-proclaimed strengths, you are an imbecile!"
Before he could utter more, a mighty fist slammed into his right cheek and rattled him, and again he delivered one, and another with more fury. Landau cowered in his tent, he had never seen such a violent blow, even out of sight the pounding of his jab drummed over the pouring of rain. The knight’s eyes gleamed with fury, and in the rain his beard looked sharp and piercing, yet after a moment Raminus spat blood from his jaw and laughed in the wake of his strike.
"They say violence is the action you take when intelligence fails you."
Jema clutched his collar again, but the assassin did not wince, there was no fear in his eyes.
"I have suffered your people for too long, and I’ll be determined as a whore to see every one of your kind, rotting in a cell until the end of their days! And don’t you dare sit there, and tell me assassins and the Empire are allies!" Jema shouted, thrusting his head back against the hard edge of the tree.
"I’d stand if I could," Raminus uttered with as much malice.
Jema offered no further violence, yet his frustration was evident.
"We share the same credence Jema, accept it or not. In the end there is nothing more noble to what you do than I."
The knight offered no retort, and instead walked out of sight from the others as Arteus approached to guard the assassin, despite Landau’s concern Samson would not follow.
"Leave him be Landau. Now’s not the time for his company."
Come morning the rain had stopped, and only the drops from leaves above pattered them with water. Landau was awoken by Jema, and his demeanor was sour still, and suddenly he felt uncomfortable in his presence. The assassin shook in the breeze, his clothes were sodden, and his jaw was swollen, and to further his discomfort he was denied any rations. Their camp was soon packed and they returned to the road, and an awkward silence enveloped their company.
Their trek north waned in pace with the mud beneath them, Arteus and Cassius rode ahead to ensure any colleagues of the assassin weren’t lying in wait. Landau was quiet, and felt much a prisoner himself, he could not read Jema’s mind but all his concern seemed to weigh on the assassin. To lift his spirits Samson encouraged him to saddle his horse alone, riding with his hands on the reins the squire walked him along slowly, though he was panicked to ride it by himself, and clung to the saddle to contain his balance.
"Fear not kid, it’s the same technique as when you’re behind me. Find a balance between your legs and hold the reins tight. Don’t worry, he won’t run off on you."
Landau heeded his advice, and though jittery he soon became accustomed to the horse’s rhythm, and in his balance came a smile of relief. Jema from in front turned to witness his squire, it was pleasure enough to break him from his sour mood, before Raminus quickly reminded him of it.
"You would offer me no water at least?" he complained.
"You are undeserving to a life of comfort," said Jema in a cold tone.
Clouds endured overhead but bore no further rain. Dozens of hills drove across the landscape now and all reached the same height. The road continued east, and far in the distance mountains showed their peaks, whose shadows fell upon the trees of Daggerwood. Along its fringe their company steadied their speed, and all but one guard had ventured off to scout the many dens and coves that edged their path. It was as close as they would come to their bandit-infested woods as the road gradually veered north again, and their speed here on the hard road increased. For miles they rode at a canter, the pace clearly bothered Raminus who tossed endlessly upon his mount. His voice had remained silent and not from wanting, fatigue eventually plagued him, and no protest would see its relief, yet that appeared Jema’s intention, for he gave him no pity.
In the evening they detoured off the road down a small gully towards a tiny stream that stemmed off the Ayrie river up north. Among the moon-colored rocks Landau perched, and drank from the shallow brook. It seemed inverse for Jema to take rest here, encompassed by stunted cliffs and overgrown foliage, it appeared simple to ambush the unwary, nevertheless the knight set up camp, and granted them each a piece of fruit with three slices of bread.
Landau devoured his apple while Samson spoke to Jema, engrossed in conversation of the Yalthume. The name itself suggested little, other than he learned it was their destination, one that disturbed Sam to some degree, though any path that veered f
rom the assassin was welcome.
He watched the horses revel by the stream, before he noticed his sword strapped against the saddle of Jema’s stallion. With the blade sheathed in a tattered throw blanket the hilt was discernible as the first time he beheld it in the cave. Clancey must have secured it back in town with his other belongings, entangled amongst Jema’s equipment, even now it remained in his presence still. The knight gave it no concern, but the gemstone in his pocket did, and since their departure he had kept it secure at all times.
Night came quickly, and again Raminus was bound to a solid tree, removed from his mare to relieve it of soreness. They were a day out from Toebank he heard Jema tell Cassius, and only two guards watched over the assassin while the rest patrolled the area, for Jema held belief his allies could still threaten them. Landau could not tell if Raminus slept, or eluded to sleep, for he was ever still. His hands were tied away from his body and always visible against the trunk, dejected he sat in the mud, with not even the strength to move his wounded head.
With their tent assembled Jema checked in on the boys, the first contact he’d given Landau all day.
"Try to find rest quickly, we’ll be heading out before the sun rises to get to our destination as soon as we can," he said.
"Are you alright?" Sam asked, Jema could see the aggravation in Landau’s eyes.
"I’m fine, and will be much better tomorrow when we rid ourselves of that vermin."
The knight exited, and Landau could not surmise what troubled him so readily.
"I still don’t get why we have to take him to the city. Jema wants him in prison, why not leave him in the one back in town?"
"There’s a lot of questions that Jema need ask of him, as you can see, Raminus won’t make it easy for him. He doesn’t trust those in Merchant’s Wall to hold him either. Someone who’s killed so many and delights in their telling deserves a darker prison," said Samson.
The Secret of Azuron (The Sword Empire Book 1) Page 15
