Wayward Soldiers

by Joshua P. Simon

  “I’ll see you tomorrow, Tyrus.”

  I winced at my name, wondering if she’d ever call me Pa. I forced a smile as she got up. “Good night.”

  The abruptness of Myra’s departure had me wondering if I had said something to offend her.

  Given the nature of our relationship since returning home, I didn’t doubt it.

  * * *

  I woke the next morning to weeping. Two of our wounded had died during the night from their injuries. The first I expected, a middle-aged man with his sternum and half his rib cage cracked, thanks to a mace from one of the raiders.

  The other death caught everyone off guard—a young girl in her late teens. She had fallen during the fight while running from a raider. The fall actually saved her life at the time, as the sword meant for her neck bit nothing but air. She had hit her head when she fell and gave herself a concussion. It killed her slowly.

  Thankfully, both died in their sleep. A small solace.

  We buried them before breakfast. Few ate afterward. Not the best way to start the second day of our journey.

  CHAPTER 13

  On the second day of travel, we avoided Tamra altogether by cutting through a new path formed by shifting rock and earth. I made the decision out of respect for Dekar who looked sick to his stomach at the possibility of seeing his wife and her new husband again. Or seeing their bodies.

  Travel after that second day went from uneventful to boring. Truth be told, that pleased me. Boring was always a good thing in the army.

  Boring for us meant no one else died from previous injuries or from new ones. Boring meant we came across no bandits. Boring meant no one caught a disease that couldn’t be treated. Boring meant that a snake or venomous insect never found its way into someone’s bedroll.

  Boring didn’t mean we had it easy though. Our muscles still ached. Our children cried. And when making camp, most of us collapsed in exhaustion.

  Still, boring meant safety.

  * * *

  As with all good things, boredom came to an end.

  After the first few days on the road, excitement reared its ugly head in a manner I didn’t expect.

  We made camp before dusk and had dinner. Each of us settled down into what had already become routine, breaking off into our own groups of friends. Mine usually included Nason and his kids as well as Sivan and Damaris.

  Dekar, Ira, Ava, and I were playing a hand of cards as we had done once Myra’s interest in crests abruptly ended. Dekar had blamed me for the change. I tried talking to Myra about the shift in interest and got a shrug in answer for her lack of desire to play anymore. Out of guilt, I offered to play a game with Dekar every night which he greedily accepted.

  At least Myra hadn’t turned completely anti-social. She and Zadok watched our card games with great interest. We tried to include them, but apparently playing wasn’t nearly as much fun as the four of us bickering during each hand.

  “What are you doing?” asked Dekar.

  Ira gave his brother a confused look. “Making my play. What does it look like?”

  “It looks like you’re trying to cheat. You already made your play. Then you put your card back in your hand and made a different one.”

  “I didn’t take my hand off the card.”

  “Here we go again,” I muttered.

  Zadok elbowed Myra. A grin formed on both their faces as they waited for the sparks to fly.

  “Xank’s hairy backside, you didn’t take your hand off that card. I watched you do it,” said Dekar. The choice of words was very uncharacteristic of him, but occasionally Dekar would show glimpses of his younger brother’s personality when the two played games together. I guess it had to do with the competitiveness that most siblings seemed to have with each other. Thankfully, Ava and I had been the exception to the rule that Ira and Dekar practically wrote.

  Ira snorted. “What kind of swear is that you old piece of—”

  I cleared my throat loudly and nodded to my kids. “Language.”

  “Garbage,” Ira grumbled. “I was going to say garbage, Ty.”

  “Just making sure.”

  “Regardless, how do you know what Xank’s backside looks like?” continued Ira, taunting. “Been pressing those pretty lips against it? Trying to butter him up so you can live a long, healthy life? What else you been using those lips for?”

  Dekar’s eyes narrowed in the way they always did when he had enough of Ira’s antics. “Enough. Put your original play down and let’s move on.”

  Ira scowled, picked his card up, ready to do once more as he was told, paused, and laid the same play back down. “No.”

  Dekar rose to his feet slowly, eyes trained on Ira. “What?”

  Ira stood after him. “You heard me. You’ve bossed me around most of our lives.”

  “I’m just trying to help you make the right decisions.”

  “It’s my life and my decisions. Not yours.” He threw his cards down. “And this is a decision I’ve been thinking hard about. I’ve had enough of you cuffing me on the back of the head like I’m some little boy.”

  Ava muttered a hushed curse and cast me a look that told me she was thinking the same thing that I was. Things were about to get real ugly if someone didn’t step in.

  I rose to my feet. “Do you really want to do this now, Ira? Over a card game?”

  “It might not be as poetic as fighting over a woman, Ty, but I ain’t backing down from this one,” said Ira.

  Ira’s hands opened and closed into fists. This was not something that would blow over as easily as it had with every other argument they had gotten into. This had been coming to a head for too long.

  I glanced over to Dekar, hoping that he’d continue to be the more reasonable one among the two, but what I saw didn’t leave me with much hope, his teeth noticeably grinding.

  “Hey Tyrus, you got a minute?” Nason called out behind me, his feet crunching through dead leaves and dried dirt, the common decoration of the landscape.

  “Little busy right now,” I said, watching the two brothers stare each other down.

  “Well, it could potentially become a big problem if we don’t address it.”

  “Not half as big as the one I have now,” I assured him. Nason sounded concerned, but not frantic. The situation I found myself in had pretty much reached that level. Ava recognized it and had moved Myra and Zadok away in case I couldn’t prevent Ira and Dekar from going at it.

  I stepped between the two brothers, affixing a hard look, hoping the dread I felt for being between them didn’t show.

  I knew I could order them to cut it out, go their separate ways, and cool off. Despite no longer being in the army, they both continued to follow my command. However, I really didn’t want to test how far that obedience would go. It could set a bad precedent if they ignored me. Besides, if that tactic worked, it would only put a bandage on the wound that had been festering between them.

  “So, how’re we going to settle this? Swords? Knives? Axes?” I asked, looking them in their eyes.

  “What are you talking about, Ty?” asked Ira.

  “Well, if you guys are going to go at it, then let’s do it right. You know, I think Sivan grabbed a morning star off one of the dead raiders and brought it with him. I’m sure he’d let one of you borrow it. Or would you both prefer we use odd weapons? Shovel versus pickaxe?”

  “We’re not trying to kill each other,” said Dekar.

  I noticed his tone had softened. “You sure about that?” I spun back to Ira. “How about you?”

  “Look Ty, don’t think I don’t know what you’re trying to do. You think if you make light of this or try to raise the stakes, this will all blow over. That’s not going to work.”

  “I never said any of that. I can see that this isn’t going to end with a little joke and me ordering you two to cut it out. So, let’s do it right and get it over with for good. I’ve got far too much to worry about for me to wonder if I can trust my two best men, my friends,
to do their jobs. If that means I lose one of you in the process then so be it. At least I’ll still have the other.”

  “And what if we both die?” asked Ira.

  “Well, then I guess Ava will get a whole lot more thrown on her.”

  She snorted behind me.

  “Well? What’ll it be?” I said impatiently.

  “I’m not backing down,” said Ira.

  Dekar’s lips were pressed tight as he stared at his younger brother. “I’m only trying to look out for you. That’s all I’ve ever done.”

  Ira sighed. “I know. That was fine when we were kids. But what happened was more than half a lifetime ago.” He paused. “I ain’t eight anymore.”

  Something passed between them.

  Dekar winced, working his jaw. “I’ll try to back off.”

  The knot in my gut began to relax. I wondered what had happened when Ira was eight.

  Ira said, “Good enough.”

  “Let’s finish the game then.”

  “Only if my last play stands.”

  “Whatever. It’s not like the rest of us haven’t been cheating anyway,” said Dekar.

  “True.” Ira took his seat like nothing had happened between them. Dekar did the same. “Your turn, Ty.”

  I shook my head. Ava and the kids wore confused looks. I imagined mine wasn’t much different.

  Nason cleared his throat. “So, Tyrus. About that potential problem. . . .”

  “Right. What is it?”

  He came closer and lowered his voice. “I overheard some people talking. They’re concerned.”

  “What else is new?” muttered Ira. That man always vocalized what others kept private.

  Nason ignored him. “They don’t like being in the dark about the route you’re taking.”

  “I hoped they’d just sort of forget about that,” I joked.

  “This isn’t something like why a certain spot is a better place to dig the latrine. They’ve uprooted their entire lives. They trusted you to see them to safety. They’d like a bit more reassurance as to why the Southern Kingdoms are the best choice for us.”

  I looked him over and sighed. “I take it you’re part of this group?”

  “I’m not vocal about it, but I’d be lying if I didn’t have the same questions.”

  Everyone had been patient with me for several days, which in some ways was longer than I expected. It wouldn’t kill me to explain. The act would likely earn me more goodwill at least.

  “Fair enough. Dekar, can you draw a map of the area around us and the roads leading to the Southern Kingdoms over by the others? It doesn’t need to be pretty. Just the major landmarks and borders. I’ll fill the rest in while I’m talking things through.”

  We didn’t have an actual map of Turine and its surrounding countries with us, but I had a good sense of direction and knew where I needed to go. Plus, I had Dekar. His memory was just as good as any map.

  He put his cards down.

  Ira swore. “Just when I was about to win a hand.”

  * * *

  Nason led me to a circle on the other side of camp near our wagons where others waited around a fire.

  I exchanged a few nods as I entered the circle, touching the shoulder or arm of those I spoke with most often as a sign of greeting. Dekar followed me into the circle and began drawing the map I requested on a clear patch of earth.

  Maybe I was looking too much into things, but Damaris seemed upset that I didn’t give her the same touch of familiarity I had given her father upon entering the circle. Of course, my choice was a conscious one. I offered her a smile instead which seemed like a good compromise. I just didn’t want to encourage anything that wasn’t there between us. That line of thinking was why I had done my best to keep her at arm’s length as we traveled. Maybe my strategy was a cowardly one, but for now it served.

  Rezub rose to his feet, ready to speak first. I pretended he wasn’t there. I figured it would be easier to give out the information as I wanted rather than have others dictate the conversation.

  “Nason tells me that many of you are concerned or at least curious as to why I’m leading you to the Southern Kingdoms.”

  Heads bobbed in response as I pivoted around the circle. Rezub had the good grace to find his seat again.

  “I have quite a few reasons for my decision. Some are personal. The others should be more than enough for you to understand my reasoning.”

  I took a deep breath. “Some of you may have pieced together that the eruptions we felt relate to an artifact dug up by the Geneshans during the war. The enemy originally hoped to use it against us in an effort to turn the tide back in their favor. However, they learned through their prophesies that using the artifact would bring about the destruction of the world. Our side didn’t place as much weight in the prophecies as our enemies did. The Council of High Mages used the artifact and started things off.”

  Mouths started to open.

  I raised my hands. “Save your questions. I’ll answer them after I’m done.” I paused. “Now, as it pertains to us I don’t really know what the Geneshan prophecy means by ‘the end of the world.’ Anything I’ve heard has been filtered to me secondhand. Therefore, it could simply mean the end of the Geneshans, the end of the world as we know it today, or complete annihilation of everyone and everything alive. We could all die tonight, or live until we’re seventy. I just don’t know. One thing is apparent,” I said, nodding back in the direction of Hol. “Whatever is going on, it isn’t over yet.”

  The night sky pulsed a faint orange glow as if on cue. I began pacing, one because it helped me think, and two because I hated standing around in one spot.

  “After talking things over with my sister, we believe that things are likely worse the closer one is to the artifact. Therefore, it only makes sense to travel away from it. That brings us back to everyone’s original point. Why the Southern Kingdoms?

  “The obvious reason is that they are farther away from Hol than any other point on this continent. More importantly, if anyone would be willing to take in refugees escaping the effects of the artifact like we are, I personally believe it would be them.” I paused. “If everyone here is willing to put aside prejudices, I’m sure you will see that this could be a blessing for us all in the long run.”

  I looked down at Dekar. As quick as that, a crude map of Chayal had taken shape on the ground near the fire. It included markers for cities, a few towns, and even terrain. He dug a stick in the ground and dragged it at an odd angle to make the Nahal River.

  Dekar looked up. “How’s that?”

  “Perfect,” I looked back at the people around the fire. “For everyone’s piece of mind, I’ll go over the route I hope to take. Granted, it will likely change as we are forced to work around the changed land. But before I do that, are there any questions about what I already said?”

  Not a single hand stayed at its side. Even Abigail’s went up.

  I had a feeling there would be nothing quick about the rest of the night.

  * * *

  I went to sleep late. Very late. It took longer than I would have liked to go over my proposed route south and that was after a slew of questions, most of which I either didn’t have the answer to, or were things I’d already answered ten times before. Thankfully, Ava felt sorry for me and jumped in, using patience I had rarely seen from her.

  I didn’t share everything I had rolling around my head. No commander has ever told his unit every thought or feeling in his gut. Giving that much information would create more problems than giving none at all.

  Most of the information I held back was what related to me and my family. I could not forget that many in the group had the dumb idea that my wife and kids had a curse attached to them.

  I felt like an idiot for not anticipating the potential problems of Lasha’s appearance when we first returned in Denu Creek as husband and wife. I knew some people would have issues, but never did I imagine their cruel attitudes.

  Hamat
h once told me that he believed all people had evil in them. That even the kindliest old woman, or an innocent young child, was capable of matching the worst atrocities we had seen during the war.

  “All it takes is the right situation and a little nudge from those around them,” he had said.

  I didn’t believe him then. Hamath had a way of putting even my penchant for cynicism to shame. However, I wondered if maybe he had been right after all.

  I hoped that once we reached the Southern Kingdoms and Myra and Zadok were around others they more closely resembled, some of the hardships they had endured might lessen.

  Staring into the hazy night sky, Lasha’s face took shape in the strange haze. A couple of stars even managed to shine bright enough to make it through the thick fog and represent her eyes.

  Gods, she was beautiful.

  Then without trying, I thought of her time at the Soiled Dove and the image faded. I wiped damp cheeks and closed my eyes.

  At times, I really hated people.

  CHAPTER 14

  An interesting and important point that did come up in the discussions about our path south was the fear of encountering more bandits. It was a legitimate fear and one that had been in the back of my mind as well. We had held our own against the raiders in Denu Creek, but that was after an advance warning, and familiar terrain in which to fight.

  Chances were, we wouldn’t have those advantages on the road.

  Several townspeople had shown skill with bows, but that was while they were perched on top of buildings. I doubted their accuracy would remain as good while someone charged them with sword in hand, especially if mounted. I know my aim would suffer in a similar set of circumstances and I had years of experience they didn’t.

  In Denu Creek, most of the casualties from our side occurred after things got up close and ugly. Few knew how to use a weapon properly. Without some of the tricks I had used to hide their lack of ability, the loss of life among our group would be much higher in another confrontation.

  With that in mind, I had Ira wake everyone up early the next morning since I knew he’d take no lip from anyone who might call him crazy for doing so.