Chapter 43: The Busted Wheel

The day started with the smell of the dirt entering his nostrils. The tent he was sleeping got a bit wet inside. He went out of the tent and saw the Captain fishing in the stream with a makeshift fishing pole. The Captain was whistling while bobbing his head from left to right. He didn’t have anything to do so he just sat near a tree stump and smoke a pipe.

The others started waking up. They then did what they usually do in the morning. Pay respects to their own Gods or sharpened their swords with whetstone while worrying about the day. They would then look at the Captain for a while probably thinking that breakfast is served. Most of them rely on the Captain for survival. The supplies in the wagon are only for the long walk. Inside the wagon are dried meat and rye bread kept in the barrels. Usually, someone would look at the barrels to make sure they are tightly sealed. He wondered if someone looked at the barrels. But then shrug it off as nothing to worry much.

The maid of the Lady came about wearing her leather robe and skirt. She checked the carriage as usual before preparing the breakfast of the lady. She went to the wagon, took some break and brought it back to the carriage. While she took the rye bread, the people around look displeased. They probably wanted to say that the rye bread if off-limits but considering how honestly saying that will just displease the already looking grumpy lady of Asmara. They kept their mouth shuts as always.

He didn’t even bother reacting anymore. He merely smoked his pipe and watches the smoke rise up in the air. He then saw the Captain pulling his fishing pole back and taking in some codfishes from the river. Fifty men and women waiting for the Captain to finish his fishing make for quite a sight. Of course, no one expects that they will get some individual fishes. Mostly, like usual they are waiting for the Captain to make a pot of stew. He and they have been eating that for days now and they quite got used to it. The Captain learned cooking at the Cher Inn so he knew how to cook a meal. They thank the God of Light for this, because if the Captain wasn’t here to help then this war band would have been more hell than what it is already.

The Captain’s fishing took a while after he was done. He immediately went to work along with the few mages. There are few female mages in the party. Most of them are low-born like him, and their fathers are free peasants that serve a Lord. The mages had an interest in the Captain solely for his abilities. So when things like this come to the girls would try to sucker up to the Captain out of interest or favor.

So they try to help the Captain only for him not to give them any attention. Strong men are heavily sought in the world, they are people that can be relied on and the Captain is a person that people can rely upon. Most of the people in the war band rely on the Captain so it was no surprise that these free-spirited girls would be attracted to the Captain. But the Captain is as usual uninterested at them. He doesn’t look like he is interested in anything other than helping.

He might be help-sexual.

...

The Captain was done with the cooking. His pot of stew was eatable as usual. No one dared to complain and all had a smile on their lips while trying to ignore the existence of the lady eating her dull rye bread. The captain ate some herbs while the rest munch on the codfishes he got. The herbs he ate look rather odd. The mages who are still sticking to the Captain ask only for them to realize that they were saltherbs.

Realizing that the mages kept their mouth shuts. Saltherbs are rare ingredients that are as salty as the sea. He didn’t saw the sea but he knew that the sea is salty. The Captain was bothered by the salty taste. Making the mages who asked crumple their faces in not knowing what to say about. The Captain raises his brows, wondering if they wanted some. They refuse as expected but the Captain said that they are missing out.

He sips his stew while watching the exchange. His lips smiled along with the others who found the Captain’s eccentricity quite amusing. Captain had this confuse expression as he tries to understand the others. He, the Captain ate merrily while ignoring the lady of Asmara and the maid.

It has been like this ever since the warband got reduce to fifty people. They cannot tolerate the lady’s action and fear her so there was no other way than act like this. It might be rude to the lady but in some way, it is their way of showing that they could never bond with the lady.

As they eat their meal the war band then proceed to take care of the utensils and put them into the wagon. The captain worked on cleaning the pot while the others made sure that there are no leftovers and if there is, might as well pack them as lunches.

He took care of the fire and then assisted on checking the utensils and the wagon’s wheels. His eyes widen for a while, he notices that the wagon’s wheels are going to be busted soon if it treks another mile without repair. The lady wanted to leave the valley already and telling her that the wagon might be busted isn’t a good reason to the lady. The Captain arrives on the wagon and saw the state of the wagon’s wheel too. His hands touched the wheel, putting tension on the wheel, gauging the state of the wheel.

“It’s bad.”

The Captain said. He agreed with the Captain. His hand rubs his head as he asks the Captain what they should do. The Captain thought for a while before going to the lady. There the Captain explained how the wagon’s state is and oddly the Lady allowed he and the Captain to repair it before noon. With at least that, the two of them started fixing the wagon’s wheel, at least so that it doesn’t break.

It took a while to fix the wheel and when they were done. Everyone was ready to continue the journey.