Lorik The Protector (Lorik Trilogy)

by Toby Neighbors

  “Stone, get your men back here!”

  “Move!” Stone shouted at the sailors and volunteers who were still on their feet.

  They had lost only two men in the fighting and had wounded or killed nearly a dozen Norsik. Stone heard the men leaping across to the Dancer. The barge rocked and the Norsik moved a few steps toward Stone. He feinted toward them one last time, then spun on his heel and sprinted toward the Dancer. He heard the mob behind him burst forward, like water spilling over a dam. He ran hard, stepping on bodies along the way. He jumped onto the rail of the barge and then dove toward the Dancer.

  Lorik had released the ropes as soon as Stone made his move. Yulver had gotten the sail back up and it was pushing the long ship forward. The Norsik barge had acted like an anchor, weighing down the Dancer, but as soon as Lorik and Vera released their ropes the Dancer seemed to leap away from the other ship. Vera’s heart froze in her chest as she watched the distance between the two vessels increase suddenly, then saw Stone hurtling through the air. He crashed into the railing, held on for a moment, then slipped off the back of the ship, disappearing into the foaming white wake.

  Chapter 16

  “Liam!” Vera screamed, using Stone’s real name.

  “Stone!” Lorik shouted.

  The lithe warrior sank like his namesake. Lorik grabbed the back end of Jons’s grappling line, which the sailor hadn’t gotten a chance to use. Then he dove into the water to help his friend.

  Stone wasn’t a good swimmer, but he managed to get his head above the surface. Unfortunately, he was too close to the Norsik barge. The raiders were fetching oars and preparing to swing them down on Stone’s head.

  “Look out!” Vera shouted.

  Stone turned his head back toward the Norsik ship and saw a massive wooden oar sailing down toward him. He dove back under the water and heard the slap of wood hitting the water above him. He still had his knives in his hands. They felt heavy in the water, but he forced them back into their sheaths and started swimming. He was close to panic when Lorik grabbed his arm.

  “He’s got him!” Vera shouted. “Pull the rope.”

  Once again Jons hooked the rope over his shoulder and began pacing down the ship. Lorik felt the tug and pulled Stone after him. More oars were swung at them, but they were too far from the Norsik ship to be in danger anymore. The men who had fought with Stone helped pull the pair from the water. They stood at the rail, dripping and panting.

  “Do you think they’ll follow us?” Vera said, clinging to Stone.

  “No,” Lorik said. “I think they’ve had enough trouble for a while.”

  “I hope you’re right,” Stone said. “I’m exhausted.”

  “What are you complaining about? I took out a whole ship all by myself,” Lorik said.

  “Hey,” Jons said from behind. “You had a little help.”

  “We lost men,” Stone said seriously.

  The mirth vanished. Lorik looked up and saw the Norsik dropping the bodies of the two sailors who had died fighting over the side of the ship.

  “Bastards,” he said.

  Then fatigue settled in. The men who had fought found places along the deck and lay down. Stone and Lorik shared a bucket of tepid water between them, while Vera worried over Stone’s wounded shoulder. The cut didn’t need stitching, so she washed it with wine and water, then bandaged it with a clean rag.

  They slept until midafternoon, then Lorik got up and walked around the deck. He was angry at himself for taking the loss of life so lightly. He knew that fighting the Norsik would result in death for many people, perhaps even himself. He wasn’t afraid of dying, but he didn’t want to be the kind of person who didn’t value the sacrifices of others.

  “You look like you have a lot on your mind,” Vera said from behind him.

  He turned and looked at his old friend. She looked older, but just as pretty as he remembered her from their childhood. He had expected her to be angry, but she looked concerned instead.

  “I’m just...” His words trailed off.

  “It’s okay,” she said. “You don’t have to explain anything to me. But if you want to talk about it, I’m here.”

  “I’m not sure what to say,” Lorik confided. “I feel relieved that we survived, but I also feel guilty that I almost got us all killed.”

  “What happened in Ange Point?”

  “The Norsik had captives, mostly women and children. I couldn’t just leave them to be taken as slaves.”

  “So that’s why you were being chased out of town?”

  “Yes, we set fire to the big feasting hall in the center of town. I was the distraction while Stone got everyone out.”

  “It was a risky plan,” she said, but there was no hint of condemnation in her voice.

  Lorik looked around. The towering cliffs were far behind them and the gulf had opened up so that he could no longer see the northern shore. He sighed and finally nodded.

  “I guess that’s what bothers me,” he said. “My risks don’t seem to be just mine anymore.”

  “That’s what happens when you care about people,” Vera said. “The volunteers followed you north because they respect you. The sailors follow you into battle because they’ve seen your ferocity. Even Liam follows you, Lorik. People want to be around you. They feel safe and important because you make them feel that way. I have no doubt that in the right circumstances the whole kingdom would follow you to the gates of hell.”

  “Not you,” he said.

  She smiled. “Why do you think I stayed in Hassell Point so long, Lorik? It wasn’t because of the scenery.”

  “I know you don’t love me,” Lorik said. “We’ve been down that road.”

  “No, I’m not in love with you, Lorik,” Vera admitted. “But everyone who knows you loves you. I love you. Liam loves you. Even crusty old Yulver loves you. Can’t you see that?”

  “I don’t know why they would care about me at all, you especially. I’m just a man. I don’t even know what I’m looking for in life.”

  “And still, here you are, leading a band of volunteers north, putting yourself in harm’s way. And for what? You aren’t looking for a medal or recognition. There was no threat from the Norsik in the Marshlands and no opportunity for gain fighting in the north. So why are you here?”

  “I don’t know where else I should be,” he said honestly.

  “Anywhere but here,” Vera said. “Men can get complicated when it comes to duty and honor, but that isn’t your problem, is it?”

  “No.”

  “No, you just have a need to defend us all. From the orphan down the street,” she said with tears in her eyes, “to a town full of people you’ve never met.”

  “Vera, I’m sorry. I’m looking for something to ease this dull ache inside me. I don’t know what it is. I’m not lonely, I shouldn’t be sad, but I feel so out of place. It’s like I’m missing something and I don’t know what it is.”

  “It’s not a woman’s affection?”

  “No,” he said. “I know I could have that if I wanted it, and I think maybe someday I will. But what I’m feeling is bigger than that. It’s bigger than me, really.”

  “You could go home. We could all go back to Hassell Point. Liam and I’ll go with you.”

  “No,” he said firmly. “That’s behind me now. Maybe one day I’ll go back, but for now I need to go north. I need to fight the Norsik. I need to find my purpose.”

  Vera just looked at him. She felt sorry for him, but at the same time she was proud. She didn’t want him to throw his life away in the Wilderlands, but a part of her knew that Lorik was more than a teamster, more than just a volunteer in a border war. Perhaps there was something drawing him, something bigger than either one of them understood.

  Days passed, and the Sandah Gulf seemed in some places like the open sea, and in other places more like a huge river. On the fourth day they stopped at a small village and resupplied. Yulver explained that it would take at least two weeks to traverse t
he gulf and reach Fort Utlig. The people in the village were frightened, having heard rumors of the Norsik invasion, but their village had been spared so far.

  The crew went ashore and filled the small inn. The ale flowed and the small building was filled with laughter and singing, but Lorik sat in the corner and nursed his drink. Stone and Vera had taken the opportunity to be alone for the first time in weeks, but once they had made love they returned to the common room of the inn for food and ale.

  Yulver, ever sour in his disposition, sat with Lorik in the corner, watching the others revel. Stone and Vera joined them. Supper was a thick stew made with clams and potatoes. The inn served fresh bread, a soft but flavorful cheese, and plenty of ale. Yulver drank sparingly, but Lorik hardly drank at all. Stone gave his friend space and tried not to flaunt his romance in front of Lorik. He knew that Vera and Lorik had a long history, and even though Stone was convinced that Lorik wasn’t in love with Vera, he didn’t want to make his friend uncomfortable.

  The night wore on, and the next morning dawned bright. They set sail early, and Lorik joined the sailors at the oars. They traveled another week before stopping, and much like the voyage north from Hassell Point, Lorik seemed to grow surlier with each passing day. They had just sailed into a small harbor when they noticed that a Norsik barge was tied to the dock and hidden with an old sailcloth.

  “Who the hell do they think they’re fooling with that?” Yulver asked.

  “Us, I suppose,” Stone replied.

  “Well, we can’t stop here,” Yulver said.

  “Yes we can,” Lorik said. “If they’re hiding their ship, then they’re waiting for people to come into town. Let’s oblige them.”

  “Lorik,” Vera said, “we don’t have to fight every raiding party that crosses the gulf.”

  “That’s what we came here for,” Lorik said. “I’m not going to turn a blind eye to Norsik raiders in Ortis. They’re here for slaves and plunder. I say we send them home with nothing.”

  His voice was grim, his demeanor almost frightening. The Dancer waited until a small skiff paddled out to them. Then Lorik, Stone, and the other volunteers from Hassell Point climbed in.

  The man at the oars was an older man, his face covered in gray whiskers. He frowned as he saw Lorik climb into the skiff with his heavy battle axe, but he didn’t say a word. He just leaned into his oars and sent the skiff gliding toward the small quay.

  On the quay they shuffled out of the boat and walked together toward the village’s main street. The settlement was even smaller than the little town they’d encountered at their last stop. There were perhaps a dozen buildings here, but most were little more than mud huts. Lorik had no idea why the Norsik would raid such an obviously poor village, but he hoped the Norsik would put up a good fight. He needed to release the tension that had been building up over the last week. It seemed strange to think that more violence was what he needed, since it was guilt over the lives that had been lost in their fight with the Norsik that was needling away at him, but all he could think about was losing himself in a struggle with the raiders. Lorik knew that they would soon be surrounded by a band of Norsik raiders. He had warned the men with him to expect an ambush. The order was to fight as soon as the raiders revealed themselves.

  The street was really just a narrow dirt path. There was a blacksmith’s shop on one side, and a tannery on the other. Both businesses were silent, which seemed odd, as if the town were already dead. They had gone only two dozen paces when the Norsik warriors sprang their trap. Raiders appeared from between the buildings, cutting off Lorik’s escape in both directions. The raiders grinned triumphantly, expecting the men with Lorik to throw down their weapons and admit defeat, but Lorik noticed that the Norsik seemed like a ragged bunch, and he smiled. Then battle cries sounded behind him as the volunteers rushed to engage the Norsik.

  Stone was standing beside Lorik, and they both saw the looks of anger and outrage on the raiders’ faces. There were ten men crowding into the narrow street in front of Lorik and Stone. They had their short, curved swords drawn, but they seemed reluctant to engage.

  “Well? What are you craven dogs waiting for?” Lorik challenged them.

  The first Norsik raider gathered his courage and lunged forward with a scream of outrage. Lorik swung his battle axe in a powerful overhead strike that split the raider’s skull. Lorik smiled as he jerked the big weapon free.

  The other raiders looked uncertain, and Lorik charged forward. He brought the axe down and thrust it straight out at the nearest raider. The man tried to block the blow with his short sword, but Lorik’s momentum was too great, and the heavy axe punched into the man’s sternum. It wasn’t a mortal blow, but it knocked the man backward into one of his comrades. Another raider tried to squeeze behind Lorik, but the teamster spun around and caught the raider on the side of the head with the butt of his axe. The six remaining Norsik pulled back. There had been an equal number of raiders behind the first group, but the charging volunteers had pushed them back into the clearing by the quay. The fighting there was fierce, but the volunteers were slowly overcoming the raiders.

  “Where do you think you’re going?” Lorik shouted at the Norsik who were backpedaling in front of him. “Stay and fight, you craven dogs!”

  Lorik feinted to his left, then leaped to his right, swinging his axe as he came. The blade severed one raider’s arm and sent the man sprawling into his companions. The raider’s screaming was terrible, a high keening wail that echoed across the harbor. The other raiders scrambled away.

  Lorik kicked the dismembered raider in the side of the head, his heavy boot knocking the man unconscious. Then he spat in disgust.

  “Cowards,” he said.

  “Sorry they weren’t more of a challenge for you,” Stone said. He hadn’t even drawn his weapons.

  “They’re a sorry lot if ever I saw one.”

  “What did you expect? One ship, holding a little hovel like this, when they could raid freely up and down the coast?”

  “I expected to feel better after I killed a dozen or so.”

  “Sorry they disappointed you,” Stone said.

  “You’re beginning to disappoint me, too,” Lorik growled. “Whose side are you on anyway?”

  Stone just shook his head and turned back toward where the volunteers were mopping up the Norsik that had attacked from behind. Several of the men were wounded, but none had been killed. The Norsik weren’t so lucky. Half had fled, mostly by jumping into the harbor. The other half were mortally wounded or dead. Stone checked on the volunteers, making sure they dealt with their wounds quickly and efficiently until they could get back to the ship where Vera could better help them.

  Lorik explored the little town. It was empty. The inhabitants had either fled or been taken as slaves. Most of the food supplies had been wasted by the Norsik. There were a few animals that had been slaughtered, all of them with large portions of usable meat rotting on their carcasses. There was no ale or wine to be found in the village, but there was plenty of flour and cheese.

  Once the fighting was over, the old man in the skiff returned to the harbor. He looked around without much comment until Stone sent him to the ship to help with the resupply. He carried empty water barrels back to shore and showed the volunteers the village well so that the barrels could be filled.

  Vera came ashore and helped the wounded men. The flour was useless on board the ship, so they made plans to stay the night and bake some bread. Lorik and Stone lit fires in several of the small homes. There was no inn or bakery, so Vera cooked in several of the small clay ovens they found in abandoned homes. She showed the volunteers what to do, and the rest of the afternoon and evening was spent baking bread and loading fresh water onto the ship.

  The next morning they set sail. Two days later they came to another village, this one overflowing with Norsik. Lorik wanted to stop, but Yulver wouldn’t hear of it. There were too many Norsik to attack outright.

  They sailed on for another ho
ur, then Lorik convinced Yulver to beach the ship for the night. The shoreline was composed of sand and tiny round rocks, worn smooth by the constant waves. The ship ground to a halt several feet from the water’s edge. Yulver had his men go ashore and tie lines to the larger trees to keep the ship from floating away when the tide came in.

  Lorik and the volunteers hiked back toward the village. Vera had not supported the idea, but like Stone she kept her thoughts to herself. Lorik was convinced that something had to be done in the town. They took up a position on a slight rise where they had a good view of the town, but far enough away that they wouldn’t be noticed.

  “There’s got to be at least a hundred raiders in that town,” Stone said. “And I don’t see any Ortisians.”

  “You don’t know that for certain,” Lorik said. “They could have captives in the town, just like they did at Ange Point.”

  “I doubt it,” Stone said. “They’ve taken over this town and they’re using it as a staging point to raid further inland.”

  “All the more reason to stop them now.”

  “We don’t have enough men, Lorik. They outnumber us almost ten to one.”

  “We don’t have to fight them head on,” Lorik said. “But we can put a cramp in their plans just the same.”

  “What are you thinking?”

  “How about we wait until they’re asleep and then burn the town down around them?”

  “They’ll have sentries, Lorik. We’ll get caught.”

  “Don’t be so negative,” Lorik said. “We’ve got a little time before sunset. I’ll think of something.”

  They watched the town for the next hour. It was hard to make out much from their distance, but they could tell that the Norsik seemed confident. If they had heard of Yulver’s ship and the freedom fighters on board, they didn’t seem worried.

  “They’re overconfident,” Lorik said once it got dark and he was explaining his plan. “I say we go in after they’re asleep and kill them.”