by Aaron Hicks
“You thought I was your mother?”
“I don’t think that will make her less mad.”
“You rolled in your sleep?”
“I don’t think anyone rolls off their pallet far enough to then roll up onto another one. I just kick those that wake me.”
“Hmm,” Uktesh said and pretended to be deep in thought as she put her head on his chest, “we could always tell her, I’ve asked for your hand in marriage and you’ve accepted, on the condition I never leave you.”
“I’d hate to cause my mother to have a heart attack, and die.”
“So would I, shall we go with the truth then?”
“The truth sounds good,” she was silent for a moment, “which truth was it we were going with, the marriage one or the not having room on her pallet?”
He kissed her head, “I’ll let you decide,” and soon fell asleep, with the most beautiful girl in the world’s arms wrapped around him.
When he woke up, wakefulness came slowly, followed by confusion, why is it so hard to breath? He opened his eyes and the faint amount of light to seeping into the tent let him know it was barely past dawn. He also discovered that Laurilli currently lay with one leg, one arm, and a good portion of her body on top of him. I thought you don’t roll in your sleep. He realized he had to go relieve his full bladder, also that her thigh pressed down on his bladder. Still he didn’t want to move her because this was one of the few times it would be ok for them to be together like this. He wrapped his arms around her and slowly let his fingertips massage her back.
He didn’t know how long it went on, but suddenly he realized that if Heathyr or Laurilli woke to see the state he was in, they’d be more successful against him than he was with the minotaur. Stupid full bladder! Though he knew that was only one third the problem, another third was Laurilli being so beautiful, and the last third was that he was at an age where this happened most mornings. He tried to gently roll Laurilli, and partially succeeded only to get kicked in the leg for his trouble. He crawled out of the tent, found his boots, noticed his breath, put on his minotaur coat, quickly moved partially into the woods, and relieved himself. Done, he walked back to the camp with a cold shiver, and only slightly awake, which is why he didn’t notice the archer until after the arrow slammed into his stomach, it was blocked by the coat, but he knew would leave a bruise. The man had already started to get a second arrow ready, when Laurilli stepped out of the tent and in between himself and the archer. She wore a flimsy shirt that any other morning would’ve demanded further attention, but instead it was the lack of minotaur coat he noticed. Without conscious thought he Rushed, Soared, then flowed into a perfect Palm Strike, that slammed into the archer’s chin and with a sickeningly loud crack his head touched his back, before his momentum lifted him off his feet to land dead four feet away.
He felt rather than saw a second attacker and moved into a balanced Sun Awakens the Sky, and felt a sword pass where his head had been moments before, he followed with an imperfect Rainbow Kick. It was a flipping attack that was perfect to follow Sun Awakens the Sky, but it was hard to hit with when he considered that he couldn’t actually see his attacker. Luckily he felt his foot connect and flowed into a perfect Rising Knee, an attack that caused him to jump into the air, grab his attacker behind his head, and bring it down forcefully into his knee. He felt his knee shatter the nose of his assailant and hoped that he hadn’t killed him, they needed questions answered. He heard a grunt and turned to see Laurilli end an almost perfectly executed balanced Crescent Kick to the back of a third man’s head. Done correctly or not, it ended that man’s fight, but kept him alive, which was good because Uktesh’s knee must’ve pushed pieces of this second attackers nose into his brain, because he did not move at all.
Now wide awake Uktesh took a moment to take a look at their surroundings and didn’t see any more bandits. He grabbed a pan and a rock and started to make enough noise to alert those still asleep that something was wrong, and to alert any more thieves that their “easy” asleep target was neither asleep, nor particularly easy.
Uktesh was quickly joined by Tylor, Larut, Repus, and Esolc, while Li got help with the only thief that survived from Heathyr and Myrtin, as they tied him up. Uktesh quickly filled in the others on what happened and they were all impressed more by Laurilli than worried about the near death in their sleep experience. They all said that she should sign up for the unarmed fighting, but when she looked at Uktesh hopefully, he grinned and shook his head, “no.” She shrugged and said, “nope, just sword for me, but please don’t stop complimenting me.”
They all laughed, and continued to compliment her some more, but stopped when the thief moaned and his eyes fluttered open. “Uktesh would you like me to handle this?” asked Tylor.
Uktesh was surprised he didn’t know when they’d started to look to him for guidance, but since he had no clue how to proceed he nodded and said, “Be my guest.”
Tylor nodded, his eyes turned cold, he slapped the man hard in the face which elicited a cry of pain, “Whachu do dat fo?”
“I’ll ask the questions scum! If I think you’re lying I’m going to progressively hurt you worse and worse until you die. If you answer truthfully no pain, and you’ll get to leave here alive, unlike your two friends.”
The man saw the two men who Uktesh defeated still dead on the ground where they’d landed and started to babble, “It wurn’t my idea. I jus go along wit it, cause I be needin da mooney. Tellik der wuz da one who planned it all. I jus go along wit it, I dinna wanna ta hurt no body, but dey say that it would go peaceably if you dinna fight back. But dey lied! I see Tellik shoot dat boy in the chest wit an arrow fore he do anyting. I promise I ne’er do dis again, I don want no ting more to do wit dis place, I jus wanna go back to Arme.”
“Have you attacked anyone else?”
“No we jus get here now to rob dos dat are going to da tournament.”
“Seems pretty stupid to attack those going to a competition based on fighting skill.”
Uktesh saw a quick flash of annoyance on the man’s face that was gone almost before it was there. “We wurn’t sup’osed to fight no fighters, Tellik said all the fighters would be der by now.”
“Well Tellik got it backwards, only fighters will be travelling now, everyone else will be there early to get a spot in an inn. The fighters and their families are set up in the barracks, but only the nights before, during, and one night after the tournament.”
Uktesh saw a spark of interest in the man’s’ eye, that was quickly replaced with annoyance, “It wurn’t my plan I jus,”
Uktesh spoke up, “Yeah yea, jus went along wit it, cause you needed the mooney.” He pivoted on his left leg and flashed his right led down onto the man’s right hand and broke it faster than the man could react, but he screamed in pain.
Tylor was just as surprised as everyone else, “Why’d you do that? He was cooperating.”
“No, he was lying to us the entire time.”
“I wurn’t lying aye swears it!” cried the man as he cradled his broken hand, tears continued to stream down his face.
Uktesh felt a moment of doubt, but his father had always told him to go with his gut, and his gut practically screamed at him that this man was a liar, “Then explain to me why you’re their leader, why you gave them orders to attack anyone awake and slit the throats of those asleep,” that was a guess, but Uktesh felt certain it wasn’t a complete leap of faith, “that you’ve attacked and killed people already heading to this tournament, but recently had a dry spell where no one was travelling, and you didn’t understand why, and finally that you’re planning on doing it again next year.”
For the first time the man showed real fear, but only for a second and only while everyone else stared at Uktesh like he’d grow a horn. “I h’aint lying,” the man sobbed. Again faster than the man could react Uktesh broke the man’s right arm with another powerful kick.
“Uktesh stop!” said Laurilli, though he could
barely hear her over the sound of the man’s scream. She walked over to him, grabbed his arm, and lead him away from the others. Uktesh was going to explain why he thought the man was lying, but before he could Laurilli pointed a finger at him violently and said quietly, “I know you’re not a violent person.” She poked him in the chest with the same finger and gestured with her hand toward the group, never taking her eyes off him, “I believe you that he’s lying, but you’re scaring my mother, she’s never seen the side of you that can kill in a moment, other than with the saber rabbit, and that was over in moments.”
She grabbed his coat with both hand a pulled him closer, “I just think that me trying to ‘talk you out of hurting him more,’ but failing will cause him to tell the truth sooner.” She pulled him so that their noses were an inch apart and if looks could harm Uktesh would be a pile of melted person, “Plus this is really fun. Now shake your head and kiss me gently, on the lips, and say something just so your lips move.”
He shook his head and kissed her gently, on the lips, then again on the forehead and said, “I love that you trust me this much, but I’m slightly scared of your acting skills.”
Her shoulders slumped and she bowed her head while she said, “Get a full confession out of this bastard.” He walked away from her while she stood there for a moment, and while he walked back to the man Heathyr joined her daughter, as she passed she glanced at Uktesh and he couldn’t read the emotion on her face, Fear, anger, or something else?
“Well bad news for you, she was literally the only person that could’ve talked me out of continuing, and she said that you weren’t worth protecting cause of the whole being a murderous thief thing.”
“I swears I h’aint no murderer, I jus needed mooney!”
Uktesh broke his nose, “Try again.”
“I don’t know what you want me to say, I’ll say anything! I’m a murderer, I kilt my own mother for four silvers, and I rape girls and steal babies! Please jus don hurt me!”
Uktesh broke his left arm, “That was the truth, but you said it like a lie. You should know something about me, I can read minds. Now you’ve only got your left hand and legs left for me to break, but if you make me, I’ll end you here and now cold school style.”
The man looked at him and Uktesh knew that the thief knew it wasn’t a bluff. Uktesh saw the moment the man realized that too, he sighed, straightened to his full five feet six inches height and said, “Fine you got me,” he grinned, “I had the rest of you fooled, how’d you know? I don’t believe the whole mind reader act, but I must’ve given away some clues, where’d I slip?”
Tylor’s mouth hung open, “He was lying! I thought you’d gone mad! Next time you can interrogate them. You’re clearly better than I am.”
“No, I think it’s cause he was focused on you that I could watch him during the moments he let his guard down, plus who would think a kid my age could be so ruthless?”
Everyone nodded instantly, which didn’t make Uktesh feel better, but he’d been right, Do these ends justify the means I used? I’ll have to think on that later. “What was that whole thing with Laurilli?” asked Myrtin.
“She told me that she trusted me and wanted to let me know, and she knew that it would damage his resolve to watch her give up on trying to help him.”
“Damn, you’re both too young to be this good! I thought she was furious with you.”
Uktesh smiled a genuine smile and said, “Why do you think her nickname is Li?”
The five men’s lips silently formed O’s, as they finally understood, “Hey that not … It isn’t my … I’m not a liar! That’s not my nickname, and don’t go believing him about that!”
Larut said, “Is that why that magical belt you sold me broke! I thought it was cause I gained too much weight for the magic to hold like you’d said.” Everyone laughed and Larut joined in after he scowled at her for a moment.
“That was one isolated incident.” said Laurilli as she tried to save her reputation.
“What about the strawberry patch that was the hunting grounds of a hine. I still have a burn mark on my ass from that!” asked Myrtin.
“What about the bar maid that was ‘interested’ in me but really you just needed her boyfriend distracted?” asked Repus.
“And you told me that you’d put in a good word with your mom if I gave you the last of my anti-vemon cure!” said Esolc.
Everyone turned to him and he turned an unhealthy shade of red, as he realized that Heathyr was able to hear him, before he fled into his tent. Laurilli continued to argue her point, “Those were all for cases we were working on! Myrtin, we were hired by Jeryt to clear out that strawberry patch of hines. Besides it was only one and you still ate your fill of strawberries like we said you could. And … didn’t you keep it as a pet!” He avoided eye contact with anyone and nodded.
Larut asked, “Why’d you keep a flying, fire-breathing lizard, that’s fast as a pet?”
“It’s small and after I realized I wasn’t burned too bad, I realized the little guy was a cutie, and my kids love him. Useful too, he starts all the fires at my place.”
Repus joked, “And some that you don’t want.” Everyone laughed and Myrtin joined in.
“Repus you were going to flirt with her anyway and her boyfriend happened to be watching the door to the inn’s cellar, which held a stolen wedding ring, that Youllet needed back in order to propose to Heria, and they have to get married because Youllet’s last name is Cook.” Laurilli said and gave everyone enough time to think about it and then shared laugh, “See ‘You let her cook?’ will be the question everyone asks them!”
She was flushed from the excitement of finally being allowed to explain some of this stuff. “And Esolc,” she shouted so he could hear her in the tent, “you know she’s married, so that’s your own fault! Plus I did tell her that you were the very nice man who gave us the cure to save her when she was bitten by a black widow spider.”
A muffled, “You did?” came from the tent.
“That still don’t explain my belt,” said Larut.
Laurilli got more flushed, this time not from excitement, “Well you’re just so fun to mess with, and I only sold it for two gold pieces of which the belt cost half of one. Besides we helped you with that problem you had with the mayor of White Bridge’s daughter for free.”
“Ok I understand the belt, but what about the belt buckle you sold me after that? You told me it attracts unmarried women fifty percent of the time and it works.”
Her face turned scarlet, she put her hands to her face, and turned around. So Uktesh answered, “We figured that if you prominently thrust your hips forward, your confidence and unashamed display would impress at least some women.” Everyone burst out in laughter and Laurilli buried her face in her hands further, but Larut just looked thoughtful.
Uktesh heard the distinct click of a blade as it sprung from a concealed location. Heartbeats before he saw the injured thief kick out at him, the toe of his boot had sprung a blade. Uktesh flowed into a defensive balanced Glide Under the Fence. Once the foot was past him, he kicked out in the imperfect Leaf Falls and broke the pivot foot’s kneecap. “Well shall we pack up?” asked Uktesh as the man fell to the ground, unable to stop himself with his broken arms.
“What do we do with him?” asked Tylor.
“Well you said that if he answered honestly, we’d let him live. It took a while, but he told the truth, so I say we let him live. But there must be a bounty on him, so I think we should take him and his dead buddies with us and see if they’re worth anything.”
“What about where they stashed all the stuff they stole?”
“It’s probably over there.” Uktesh pointed in a direction across the road and was rewarded when the man’s jaw dropped.
“You can read my mind?” he said fearfully.
“Do I strike you as a liar?” Uktesh asked.
“I think you’re the most dangerous man I’ve ever met.”
“Then you have
n’t met many Beletarians.”
“Boy, I’ve killed many Beletarians.”
Uktesh didn’t believe him. Soon they had tied the man to one of the pack horses with a rope borrowed from Esolc, broke camp, and quickly found the thieves camp site, which was about half an hour away from their camp. They found fourteen bodies skulls in a burn pit, “You killed fourteen people for a total of six golds?” Uktesh said incredulously.
“Six gold pieces will feed my family for a year.”
Uktesh punched him in the face, “You don’t have a family.”
“How do you always know when I’m lying!”
“Have you met Li? I have to try to keep up with her lies every single day, compared to her I can read you like a book.”
An outraged, “What!” came from Laurilli to which Uktesh smiled at her. They collected the personal effects of the dead, clothing, rings, and in one case a golden necklace, and continued on to Baenok. They travelled the rest of the way in silence. It was broken once they came within sight of Baenok. “Wow, that place is huge!” said Uktesh. It spread from horizon to horizon. “How many people live here?”
“I don’t know, maybe a million.” said Tylor.
“One million people? In one city? That’s more than the entire population of Beletaria! I thought that our numbers were similar to all four combined!”
“Well maybe in warriors, but in sheer number of people your people are dwarfed by ours, let alone all four lands combined.”
“How will we find the tournament grounds in a place that big?”
“In Baenok, all roads lead to the Coliseum.”
“What’s a Coliseum?”
“A big circular arena where lots and lots of people can watch the fights at once.”
“Can it hold all of the people?”
“A million? No not even close,” said Tylor, “but that’s why they can sell tickets for such a dear price. Plus the people who live here will be more interested in sales, marked up twenty percent of course, and not interested in the games at all, except to know who won it all.”
