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Chapter Six: Journeyman

I woke early on the ninth day, the end of the week. I felt only half ready to leave though, I wanted to rest more and build my strength back up before my journey. So I took it upon myself to barter and bargain for some provisions for my journey. Bjorin gave me a few simple tasks to do, I explored a little as well. Wandering the massive halls and passages of the Fortress, but most of that day I spent curled up asleep with a bulging stomach. I was surprised when Tyla came to visit me. More so to wish me well on my trek north, but it was nice to see her again. She had brought with her some hardtack for my journey and some trail mix as well. Things that would not spoil quickly.

She stayed for the last few hours of that afternoon, we spoke a bit about me possibly coming back to the cape once all this was over. I thought about it, maybe I could take my sister and mother there? No, it was to open. Tyla admitted to me that she wanted me to stay, I brought some vibrancy to the village and there were few others there like herself. One thing led to another and I found myself in the ever familiar feverish embrace of sex. If things were different perhaps I would stay, but they weren't. Tyla was surprisingly fiery and rough, in the most pleasant ways, apparently the other males from the village found her unattractive or undesirable. I'd beg to differ.

I left late into the night, slipping out of the Fortress alongside Tyla who accompanied me to the bottom of the hill where the road split into seven. She pointed northwards.

“Take the northern road, follow it all the way around the mountains, you'll find a city called Cain. The trek from there should be simple." She said, we gave one another a final embrace and with reluctance, I left. For the next hour I felt bad, I should have asked her to come with me. But then again she had her home and her family and I had mine. I couldn't ask someone to leave their family like that. Perhaps I will return to the cape, visit maybe from time to time when this is all over, I told myself.

I marched on in earnest until the sun rose to the east, I had to have been walking for at least five or six hours now. I had my belt, my weapons and my new Frai. Bjorin had taken the silk garment and rebuilt it essentially. The one o worn now was a mix of hard treated leather, fine chainmail and warm woollen cotton, woven into fine and durable thread. It had some weight to it, but it was still light which pleased me.

I foraged a bit as I went on, picking some berries, finding a few small mushrooms and roots. Tyla had taught me well enough. I knew what to stay away from and what was safe. By about midday I was utterly alone. I walked along a winding dirt road that cut through sprawling valley after sprawling valley. All completely devoid of civilisation, huge mountains and ranges stabbed the sky and off far in the distance, just barely visible was my goal. A range of snowy mountains so impossibly tall that they towered clear over every other peak I could see. Somewhere up there was the Claw Keep and my family. I would likely have to acquire some more clothes, warm ones to if I was going to hike up those mountains.

I made a small quiet camp and rested for an hour, toasting the hardtack I'd been given and eating it with some berries, I checked on the two eggs I carried with me, making sure the pack they sat in wasn't damaged in anyway. I found a small creek nearby and spotted a few fish in it, too small to be worth fishing for. I refilled my water skin, doused my fire and continued on my way.

I had just passed a fork in the road when I was joined by a fellow traveller. A mercenary by the looks of it, or a bounty hunter. I could not see his face as he wore a full plate helmet. I eyed the weapon at his hip, something I had never seen before, a flail. For the next hour we both walked pretty much side by side in silence. Then he pulled out a scroll of parchment and unravelled it. I quickly got an uneasy feeling. Emet and Scarlet had both said that there were bounties out for me. I brought my left hand back to rest on the hilt of my dirk, eyeing the man cautiously as he studied the parchment. He was also eyeing me up, I could tell, a moment later he stopped and turned the parchment around for me to see. Sure enough it was a bounty for me, they even had a sketch of me, my name, my colours even. But the one detail that made me breath a relieved sigh was the name of the bounties contractor.

It was Master Virgil. It made sense that he was looking for me, deep down I had been wondering if he forgot about me or thought I was dead. Last I saw him was back in Siricuse before the massive attack.

“I'd rather not have to restrain you." The man said, “Please come quietly." My ears fluttered as I sized him up. He was clad pretty much head to toe on plate armour, steel by the looks of things. With dull green cloth and fabric covering most of his bottom half. Besides the flail at his hip he bore no other weapons that I could see. His biggest advantage over me was his height, he was a tall man, around six foot, maybe taller. The tips of my ears would be level with his hairline, presuming he wasn't bald. I could possibly outrun him, but then again I did not know the terrain or the country. Maybe I could bargain with him? Anything, I just wanted to be with my mother and sister. I was so tired of things getting in my way. Tired of how many times my life had been derailed at this point.

I stamped my foot and growled, frustrated with it all. But that's when an idea struck me. An answer to the question I'd been pondering for the past week, a new possibility to my plan.

“Very well. I'll go quietly." I said clearly displeased. The man shifted and produced a length of rope from his belt.

“Good," he said, but I cut him off before he could continue.

“On one condition."

The man paused, his winged helm tilting to one side slightly as he crossed his arms. “I want to say goodbye to my mother first. Then I'll go with you." It was a gamble. For all I knew this man was a heartless bastard who only cared about money. Of course if he returned me to Master Virgil I could just ask him to take me to my family. But would he? He might be angry with me due to my disappearance. No, it had to be done this way.

“And where is your mother."? The man asked. I gave a hopeful and confident look as I pointed clearly to the Teeth Mountains and said.

“The Claw Keep. I was supposed to have been there by now. But, my plans got waylaid," I said. I watched as the man looked out north to the mountains, I heard him draw in a deep breath before he spoke again.

“You will go quietly with me if I do this."? He asked. I nodded. “You swear on it."? He asked. Again I nodded. His posture relaxed slightly.

“Very well then. Hand over your weapons first." My brows furrowed and I took a cautious step back. I was not keen to surrender my newly forged blades so soon.

“No. I had them forged not five days ago." I protested firmly. I could feel his stare intensify, he remained quiet for a solid minute before looking around, then back up at the mountains.

“Fine. But you will walk in front of me, and if I see you reach for those weapons, I will restrain you." I let out a relieved sigh and nodded. We set off at once.

It felt uncomfortable having this strange man following me, though I was glad he was to turn me over to Master Virgil and not someone else, like perhaps the ones hunting me. He seemed amicable enough and willing to compromise. We walked in silence for a few hours as the sun gradually set and the road grew dim. But I could not contain myself, I had to ask.

“Why didn't you just jump me at the Iron Keep."? His response was flat and quick.

“It's frowned upon, illegal actually, unless of course it's a royal contract. I could have, but I did not want to cause a scene. Especially with the fragile cargo you have." He replied. He was referring to the eggs I had in my pack. But if that was the case then a more important question quickly formed in my mind.

“So it's safe to assume others from the Iron Keep are following us."? I asked, looking back over my shoulder and keeping my ears on a swivel. He nodded, doing the same with his head, turning left and right, slowly scanning the roadside.

“Probably. Though I myself have been tracking you since Rigel." That caught my attention.

“So you're a Black Church mercenary."? He shook his head.

“No, I'm a Knight Errant."

“So why my contract then."? I asked, curious. Emet had said my family line were once Knights Errant. Did this man know?

“The reward." He replied simply. I recalled the bounty had said, 'reward paid in land, title or property.' I wondered which he was in it for.

“What will you ask for? Property, land or title."?

“Property. Namely, my younger brother." He replied. My ears perked up. His brother was Ezala Khal? It certainly made sense why he would go after a royal contract posted by the Prince of Mayoran if that was the case.

“Your brother is Vermian"? He nodded, “Yes and I will have him returned to me." We walked on in silence for another half hour. On a whim I asked.

“What's his name."?

“Mathias."

I stopped in my tracks instantly, my ears bolted upright like arrows loosed from a bow. Surely he didn't mean that, Mathias? It couldn't be. It was a coincidence right. I whipped around to face the Knight.

“Mathias? Mathias Arnen"? I asked. The Knight stopped and looked at me, reaching up he took off his helmet. Revealing a gruff young looking man with wavy red hair and greyish eyes. Which narrowed in on me with intensity.

“How do you know his name."?