Only a few days had passed since the remnants of Lord Corrhen’s beleaguered force returned to Xu Castle, battered and defeated. As the troops mended their wounds and set up camp outside the walls, word of Lord Corrhen’s death at the hands of the Elentide family quickly spread throughout the land. The citizens and peasants of the Province were deeply disturbed by the grim news. Many held silent vigils and lit candles in their windows at night as a sign of respect for their departed lord, others, angry and possessed with purpose, assembled in numbers and called for action with aggressive words and catchy slogans. Kaewyn knew that the people loved his father and that they needed to grieve for him, but seeing the candles and crowds of angry people served only as a constant reminder.

Kaewyn had been kept constantly busy due to the chaos that had arisen in the court. News of Lord Corrhen’s death had sent all of the court officials into a panicked state as they were uncertain and worried about the future of Greystone Province, mirroring the fears of the people almost exactly. Marcus Linforde had advised Kaewyn to make himself known and appear quite regularly in public to soothe such fears from taking root in the people and official’s minds. Kaewyn would have rather hid away in the castle and remained reclusive, but he reluctantly agreed with his newly appointed advisor. The officials needed to be calmed by seeing him in control. Rahim was of no aid in this matter as he was completely focused on assembling and preparing his force for revenge, counting the hours until Captain Alaric returned with his troops, so the role of the calm and reassuring son fell to Kaewyn.

Maintaining the air of serenity and confidence around the nervous officials however, was taking a great toll on Kaewyn’s mind. He wore a smile in public and pretended to be calm and collected, but on the inside, he could not help but feel lost. Another issue that plagued his mind was the fact that those responsible for his father’s death remained unpunished for their foul deed. Kaewyn found himself thinking about abandoning his responsibilities and joining Rahim in his preparations for revenge, thinking that perhaps it would bring him some small measure of peace. For a moment, he considered that maybe that was why Rahim so was determined and set on revenge, perhaps it helped him cope with the reality of their shared loss and gave him something to focus on. Inside though, he knew that someone had to control their emotions and maintain order within the court, and if Rahim would not, then he had no other choice.

Today however, Kaewyn decided on a whim to set out early in the morning just after the sun had risen, with nothing more than a horse and his hunting equipment. He had resisted the urge to disappear for several days now, but a hunting trip was just what he needed to restore himself somewhat. He took with him a quiver stocked with arrows, a yew hunting bow and some rope for tying any kills he might make to his saddle so that they could be easily transported back home. He did not expect to hunt much besides rabbits and maybe deer, so he decided against bringing a boar spear. Finally, he was armed with his personal blade that even now brought memories of his father to the forefront of his mind.

Usually when the lord went hunting, it was a grand undertaking for the entire household. Many people would be involved. The kennel master would bring the hounds to track game and the entire family and any honoured guests would ride on horseback with bows, loosing their arrows on anything that fled the barking dogs. If any significant kills were made, like a deer or large boar, then a feast honouring those who made the kill would be held that night or the next day. Kaewyn had been a part of many such hunts and feasts, both within Greystone Province and in neighbouring provinces, but he genuinely enjoyed more private hunts. Hunts where it was just him and his brother or father, hunts where they set out for several days and enjoyed each other’s company, whether they made many kills or not. He knew that he would not be able to leave for so long this time, especially on his own, but he was determined to spend the better half of the day hunting regardless of how badly he was needed at the castle. He needed this time for himself.

Kaewyn had ridden north out of Oakerton nearly half of an hour earlier. He followed a well-established trail that led deep into the forest of massive oak trees. Already he was feeling more at ease and less tense. The air was fresh and the lack of people and the peaceful sounds of nature were refreshing to him. Further down the trail, the oaken trees became less and less frequent, giving way to tall thin clusters of pine trees that were more common in the northern parts of the province.

As he rode slowly along the trail and breathed in his surroundings, a whinny of a horse far behind him caught his attention. Kaewyn leant in his saddle to look behind him but saw nothing. Feeling cautious and paranoid, he spurred his horse off of the trail and found a small hidden spot to hide. He hushed his horse and scratched the animal’s cheek to calm it, as the horse could tell that something was amiss. From within the cover of the pines he waited to see if he was being followed. After what felt like nearly five minutes, but was probably only one or two, he started to feel a bit silly hiding from what seemed to be nothing. The sound of a horse galloping up the trail justified his caution as a lone rider slowly came into view, though mostly obscured from the pines. After a few tense moments, a second, slower rider joined the first.

“We lost him!” Said a woman’s voice frustratedly. “If you rode faster, we could have caught up to him.”

“I am sorry milady.”

Kaewyn cocked his head. Camilla? Yohren? They’re following me?

Kaewyn spurred his horse and rode through the thick pines and back up onto the trail unbeknownst to the pair, letting out a breath of relief.

“Camilla.” He said, revealing his presence.

Camilla was facing behind her initially, as she was berating Yohren, but when she heard Kaewyn’s voice she spun around with an awkward smile.

“Oh. There you are! I found him Yohren!”

“Well done.” Yohren said almost sarcastically, but Camilla barely looked as though she heard him.

“What are the both of you doing up here? It is obvious you were following me.” Kaewyn questioned.

“We were not following you…” Camilla pointed out with a smile. “We were trying to catch up to you, but I am surprised we did with how slow Yohren rides.”

“Uh huh.” Kaewyn mumbled. “And why would you be wanting to catch up to me?”

“Uhm…” Camilla began, before looking to Yohren to answer for her.

“Seneschal Talbury asked me to…well.” Yohren hesitated. “…to keep an eye on you.”

“Exactly!” Camilla finished. “We are here to keep an eye on you.”

Kaewyn shook his head. “For what purpose?”

This time it was Yohren who was at a loss for words. He stammered and stumbled and looked to Camilla who rolled her eyes and cut in.

“Talbury might have mentioned that you have a habit of… running off sometimes.” Camilla explained with an innocent shrug of her shoulders. “He just wanted to make sure didn’t sneak off.”

Kaewyn chucked. “Well I suppose you failed in your task then. I got away.”

“Nope. We caught you.” Camilla teased. “And if Yohren could ride we would have caught you a long time ago too.”

“You exaggerate.” Kaewyn explained. “If I had remained hidden you would have ridden right on by, none the wiser I’d imagine.”

“Doubtful.” Camilla grinned proudly. “I would have realised where you were hiding.”

Kaewyn couldn’t help but let out a smile. He wanted to be annoyed, to be angry with them for following him, but he was already enjoying their company. It was good to be around people who weren’t telling him what to do or how to act all of the time.

“Well, what now then? I’m not going to go back, not yet.” Kaewyn said. “It seems we are at an impasse, unless you plan on tying me up and dragging me all the way back.”

Camilla’s eyes narrowed as she stared directly into his eyes. “Yohren… the rope.”

Kaewyn was taken aback, but Camilla couldn’t refrain from laughing. Yohren joined her and soon enough all three were sharing a moment of hilarity. It felt good to laugh and let down his guard. It made him feel a little more like his old self and for that he was grateful.

“As much as I would like to see you dragged all the way back to the castle behind my horse, I had a different idea in mind.” Camilla said when she finally regained control and stopped herself from laughing. “Besides, I do not think Yohren has it within him to do such a thing.”

“The lady and I thought we could join you in your hunt my lord.” Yohren explained awkwardly. “We brought our own hunting equipment.”

“You want to join me? I… I rather like that idea.” Kaewyn said with a smile, coming around to the notion of a group hunting effort. It reminded him of when he hunted with his brother and father.

“What about your brother Camilla? Or your father?” Kaewyn asked hesitantly. “Would they allow you to hunt? It is not always safe.”

Camilla crossed her arms and gave him a look that showed her emotion as plain as day. “They aren’t here, are they? Besides, they do not have to know.”

“Are you certain? While you stay in Xu Castle your safety is my responsibility, if anything should happen, I’d—”

“I still have the rope, Kaewyn.”

“Okay okay...” Kaewyn replied, holding his hands up defensively. “I know better than to argue with you.”

“That’s better. Now lead on.” Camilla said confidently. “You obviously had a place in mind. Take us there.”

“I know a place.” He explained. “Not too far, maybe an hour’s ride.”

“Make that two hours ride.” Camilla added as she gestured to Yohren.

“Yohren’s riding has improved greatly since I met him.” He countered. “Considering he could barely ride at all even a week ago, I think he is doing very well.”

“Thank you, milord.”

“He wasn’t able to ride a week ago? I suppose he is doing a decent enough job of it then. You have my apologies Yohren.” Camilla said. “I sometimes forget that not everyone had their own personal horse at the age of ten.”

“No need to apologise milady.” Yohren replied.

“Come on, let us be off.” Kaewyn interjected. “I will lead.”

The small group arrived at a clearing that was marked by a gentle flowing stream after roughly an hour of travel. The clearing was surrounded by some of the tallest pine trees that he had ever seen. Kaewyn suggested they dismount and tie up their horses there, while they ventured further on foot. He explained that he recalled a hunt from last year that a particularly populous and well-established rabbit warren was just West of here, through some dense trees that the horses wouldn’t be able to go through. With some excitement beginning to build, they equipped themselves with their bows and arrows and headed in the direction of the warrens.

When they came across a large open grassy area, Kaewyn pointed out a somewhat lumpy and large extended mound of dirt with many small holes scattered around it. A single white rabbit sat atop the mound and was fussing over something in the dirt. Camilla excitedly reached for her bow and pulled an arrow from her quiver. She nocked an arrow and drew back the bow without fault. Kaewyn realised that she must have done this before, more than a few times to be sure. She hesitated only a moment, then loosed the arrow with a soft thrum. The arrow flew well at first, then sailed harmlessly over the rabbit who looked up in confusion, then bolted away and disappeared into one of the many holes it called home.

“Your shot was well taken Camilla.” Kaewyn said softly so as to not scare off any more rabbits nearby. “Better than I expected to tell you the truth.”

“I still missed.” She replied. “Think you can do better huh?”

“I know I can. Look!” Kaewyn pointed out another rabbit, this one was more black than white, that had unknowingly wandered into view. “This one is mine.”

Kaewyn pulled an arrow and waited for the rabbit to settle patiently. When it did, he nocked the arrow and prepared his shot. He drew back the bow and let the arrow loose in one quick motion. Thrum. His arrow fell short and stuck itself into the grass.

Camilla burst out with laughter and clutched her stomach as she fell back onto her bottom. Kaewyn grimaced, his ego bruised, but then he let out an honest chuckle. He knew he had rushed the shot and deserved to miss.

“I think my shot was better, no?” Camilla teased and prodded.

“You still missed.” He countered. “But yes, I admit yours was the closer.”

“Yohren, whose shot was better?” Camilla asked openly.

“Well… I uhm…”

“Come on, be honest.” She pressured.

“…Yours? Milady.” Yohren said hesitantly. “But as lord Kaewyn said, you both missed. So, I don’t really see how it matters.”

Camilla laughed. “It matters because if we don’t hit anything today, then the closest shot will have won.”

“I was not aware this was a competition.” Kaewyn said aloud. “But now that I do, I will have to show you how it’s done.”

“Pfft… you can try.”

“Let’s move on, we’ve already scared off all the rabbits here. Maybe we can circle back later and see if we can get a few.” Kaewyn said as he pointed out a new destination. “Over there, through those bushes we might find some tracks.”

The group walked through the rabbit warren and came to an old hunting trail that was mostly obscured and overgrown by roots and weeds. They followed it for a few minutes and suddenly, Yohren signalled for them to stop. They followed his signal and asked him what he had seen.

“A deer.” Yohren said pointing to two large rocks shielded a massive tree. “Do you see it?”

Kaewyn narrowed his eyes and scanned to where Yohren was pointing and saw it. The deer was a smaller example of the species. Small stubs protruded from the head where the antlers would grow in, identifying the creature as a young male. It was not a fully grown male or the animal would boast a magnificent set of antlers that it would use to battle other males and to attract a female.

“Good eyes Yohren.” Kaewyn said as he began to pull an arrow from his quiver.

“No Kaewyn. I want this one.” Camilla said as she too prepared her arrow.

“Well, so do I. I didn’t expect to find deer.” He replied. “Venison is my favourite dish.”

“But you missed the rabbit!”

“You did too!” Kaewyn said loudly. Realising he might startle the animal, he continued much softer. “Besides, this is my hunt. I came out here alone and you followed me. The least you could do is—”

Thrum

Yohren’s arrow flew from his bow and struck the young male deer perfectly in the centre front of the body. The animal wavered slightly and then collapsed to the ground. Yohren’s shot had killed the deer nearly instantly. For a moment the trio remained silent, but Kaewyn gestured for them to go over to the deer and see what Yohren’s marksmanship had gotten them.

“Yohren… your shot was incredible.” Kaewyn explained as he knelt down beside the downed deer. “Through the heart, it died almost instantly.”

“Good.” Yohren replied. “Didn’t want It to be in pain longer than it had to be”

“I consider myself an able hunter Yohren, but your shot was something else entirely.” Kaewyn said questioningly.

“Have you hunted before Yohren?” Camilla asked innocently enough.

“…That would be poaching milady.” Yohren replied awkwardly.

“It’s okay Yohren, you can be honest with us.” Kaewyn reassured him. “I would not punish you for something you did in the distant past.”

“Alright… I have hunted before… and it wasn’t in the so distant past either.” Yohren admitted. “My father taught me when I was very little. We had nothing else to eat as my village was poor so my father would often take me out hunt in the Lord’s wood find food for everyone.”

“You had to hunt to eat?” Camilla asked.

“Yes. I also had to learn how to use a bow for when the raids came.” Yohren said sadly. “Every boy and girl in the village knew how to use a bow. I just got… really good at it.”

“What raids do you speak of?” Kaewyn asked. “I thought your village was under the protection of a lord?”

“Only when it came time to collect taxes.” Yohren scoffed. “My village lies on the border of the Empire. The southern barbarians came every few years… they burned our fields and took whatever else we had. That’s why my father poached from the woods. They looked up to him as a hero, he did it to feed the village.”

“Surely the lord who collected taxes would send a patrol to catch these marauders?” Kaewyn questioned.

“Never saw a single soldier, unless it was time to collect the taxes.”

“Terrible.” Camilla shook her head. “I have heard of the southern barbarians. They do not venture into Vinum Province, but the lands to the South… We have many refugees that flee these frequent raids.”

“The earliest raid I remember… they had just burned our crops and killed some people. They even took some others… including my mother. The next day my father began to teach me how to use a bow.” Yohren wiped at his tear-filled eyes and sobbed softly. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have brought it up.”

“No Yohren, I should be the one to apologise.” Camilla explained. “I didn’t mean for you to relive such painful memories.”

Kaewyn felt for Yohren, but his pain was in the past. His own recent loss crept back up to the forefront of his mind and seeing Yohren sobbing only made him want to start as well. He blinked back the tears and took a breath. He did not want to begin sobbing in front of Camilla or Yohren.

“It certainly explains your skill with a bow Yohren. Maybe you can teach me?” Kaewyn said trying to change the topic of conversation.

“I’m not an expert or anything. I’ve just had a lot of practice.” Yohren replied with a slight smile.

“We should take Yohren’s kill back to the horses.” Kaewyn suggested.

“Agreed.” Camilla said. “We can probably revisit the rabbit warren quickly, but then we should probably head back to Xu Castle.”

At first, Kaewyn was concerned about having to carry the deer all the way back to the clearing where they had left the horses. He briefly considering returning and then bringing the horses here, but Yohren knelt down, removed his arrow from the animal, and picked up the entire deer on his own, resting it over his shoulders. Thankfully the deer was younger and smaller than an adult, but it still must have been rather heavy. Yohren struggled for a moment but then he appeared to have it under control. He praised his friend for his strength and positioned himself alongside him to assist if he was required to do so. Yohren quickly asked if Kaewyn could carry his bow and quiver to which he happily agreed. The group then made their way back to the rabbit warren where Yohren knelt and gently dropped the deer onto the ground. He was tired, but he insisted he was fine to go on after he’d rested up.

While Yohren recovered, Kaewyn challenged Camilla to see who could get a rabbit before the other. When she eagerly agreed to the competition, Kaewyn quickly shuffled away and began to search for some rabbits alone. After fifteen minutes or so of searching and scanning his side of the warren, he had managed to hunt down one rabbit. Wholly pleased with himself, he returned to where Yohren was resting only to find that Camilla had already returned before him. She had a self-assured grin across her face as she held up not one, but three rabbits. Kaewyn laughed and bowed to her, admitting that on this particular occasion, he had met his better. Camilla fisted the air and spun on the spot as she relished in her victory. Yohren smiled warmly and clapped in support of her. It was then that he realised that he was enjoying himself thoroughly. He knew that if he had been alone as he originally intended, he would be ponderous and sulky. Sometimes he preferred it that way, but for now at least, he was content that Camilla and Yohren had decided to set out after him.

With Yohren carrying the deer, the group began to move again. On the way Camilla teased him gently about her victory and Kaewyn played along with it, pretending to be upset at the outcome with a hidden smile. It was worth it to see her so genuinely happy.

The group finally made it back to the clearing where they had left the horses. Camilla was talking about something when Yohren hushed her. All three of them, Kaewyn, Camilla and Yohren, looked across the clearing to see two suspicious figures both hooded and cloaked inspecting their horses. Kaewyn felt his heart skip a beat and immediately he felt tense and cautious. His hand grasped the hilt of his blade and he froze. He looked out at the two hooded figures; they hadn’t noticed their approach. For a second, he contemplated the idea of retreating back into the foliage and remaining hidden, but the initiative was taken from him when Camilla called out.

“Hey! Those are our horses. What are you doing?”

The two figures were startled. They both turned toward them and produced small daggers from concealed belts. One pointed at them aggressively while the other rushed toward them.

“Behind!” Yohren shouted, but he was unable to react quickly due to the weight of the deer over his shoulders.

Kaewyn’s heart raced as he spun around and tried to draw his blade, but before he could react, he was struck in the side of the head by something hard and heavy. The clearing spun around him and for a brief moment he felt like he was floating. He lost his balance and fell to the ground, rattling his entire body and forcing the air out of his lungs. On his back, he saw the tops of the pine trees and the clouds moving slowly in the bright blue sky. Though his sense of hearing was diminished, he heard Camilla scream and Yohren shouting. An angry voice he did not recognise demanded something he couldn’t understand. The sky above him slowly turned a blurry black as his vision began to fade. His mind quickly drifted off into what felt like a black nothingness.

Muffled voices pulled Kaewyn into a fuzzy state of mild awareness. Before he could even open his eyes, his head began to throb with a sharp intense pain. He instinctively tried to raise a hand to cushion the side of his head but found that both his arms were bound tightly behind his back. His head hurt so badly that he found it difficult to concentrate, but he forced himself to slowly open his eyes only to find himself in the centre of a large though relatively empty round tent. He was on his backside with his arms tied behind him and around a thick wooden shaft that served as the tent’s support. He half-heartedly tugged at his bindings and tried to get onto his feet without any success. Even if he had managed to stand and free himself, he doubted he would have gotten far. His head continued to throb and he felt that if he were to stand, it would take a mighty effort to not fall back down again.

Kaewyn looked around the small interior of the tent in a hopeful attempt to see something that he could use to his advantage, but all he saw was a few scattered supplies crates full of food and equipment. The tent’s entrance flapped open every few seconds only briefly as several short gusts of wind caught the loose fabric. Straining to look outside every chance he was given by the wind, he spotted a campfire and several rough looking men crouched around it. They were roasting a small deer over the flames and sharing drinks and merriment. Kaewyn recognised their soon to be meal, it was the deer Yohren had taken down before they were attacked. Panic suddenly overcame him. What had happened to Yohren and Camilla? They were not in the tent with him. Possessed with renewed determination to get free, Kaewyn struggled and pulled at his bindings as hard as he could. The rope around his wrists was tied very tightly and barely loosened at all. He knew no matter how much he struggled; he was not going to be able to get free on his own.

Knowing he was unable to do anything at the present time, Kaewyn forced himself to relax and calm down, to focus on regaining his strength and to consider his options. The people who had captured him did not look like professional warriors. He had noticed that they wore dirty cloaks and old worn leathers, so it was unlikely that they were soldiers or mercenaries. Kaewyn suspected that they may be bandits, men who lurked the forests and hills, preying upon travellers and merchants. These men valued coin above all else. Perhaps if he could speak with whoever they considered their leader, he could convince them to release them in exchange for coin. His first priority however, was to find out what had happened to his friends. If anything had happened to them, particularly Camilla, Kaewyn didn’t know how he would ever forgive himself. They were out in the woods because of his desire to be away from the safety of Xu Castle, and therefore he felt that the blame would be his.

Kaewyn was snapped from his thoughts when a woman entered the tent clothed in a grey robe. As she approached him, he noticed that she wore an ornate silver pendant around her neck and a bracer of the same colour around her wrist.

“You are awake?” She said with a hint of relief.

“Who are you?” He asked cautiously.

The woman came close and knelt down in front of him and cocked her head to the side as he reached out to touch his head. Kaewyn instinctively pulled himself away, but relaxed when she spoke to him.

“I am Athaia. I’ve been taking care of your wound.” She said as she gently examined the side of his head. “I was worried at first, the blow to your head caused a lot of bleeding, but other than some pain I do believe you will recover fully.”

“…Thank you.” He replied quietly, unsure how to react to her explanation of his condition. “My name is Kaewyn Edderfield… What is-”

“Edderfield?” Athaia said in bewilderment. “As in the Edderfield family of Greystone Province?”

He nodded his response. “Where am I? I was out hunting with my companions and we were set upon… are they okay?”

“The young woman and the other man?” Athaia said. “Yes, the woman is unharmed, though she hasn’t stopped trying to break free since you were brought here. The man however… They told me he fought when you were initially taken. They beat him badly I’m afraid.”

“Yohren… is he alive?” Kaewyn asked with concern. “Is he okay?”

“I’ve treated him as I have you. I believe he will recover if he rests.” Athaia explained. “Listen, these men… they aren’t good people. I can’t promise any of you will be treated well… I’ve… travelled with them for nearly a week now. It’s likely they intend to ransom you for whatever coin they can get.”

“Athaia, was it? You seem decent enough. Why are you with such horrible people?” Kaewyn asked.

“Not by choice I assure you.” Athaia explained. “I was treating a village in Vinum Province when they ambushed me and took me much like they did with you. They knew I was skilled at treating wounds so their leader decided to keep me around to treat them if any were ever injured.”

“You have free roam of the camp? Why not just flee in the night?”

“By myself? I’m no warrior Kaewyn. Just an older woman who would rather help the sick and wounded. Besides, I am a stranger to this part of the Empire. I’d be more likely to get lost in the woods and devoured by an angry bear than make it to safety.” She explained.

“There are no bears in Greystone Province.” Kaewyn corrected.

“Yet more proof I do not hail from this area.” She said. “Listen, I’ve seen what these men do to those they believe hold no value to them. They’re animals.”

“All the more reason to escape then.” Kaewyn said. “They do not seem like men who can be trusted to act honourably.”

“They’re not. They used me as bait once. Told me to stand at a crossroad and scream until someone came to help me. I refused at first, but then their leader struck me so hard I fell to the ground. He just laughed and said that he had to make it seem authentic. When a farmer and his two daughters came to help me…”

Kaewyn shook his head. “What can you tell me about their leader?”

“Smarter than he looks and absolutely obsessed with coin.”

“Do you think I could convince him to—” Kaewyn winced in pain as his head began to throb once more.

“Your wound must be playing up.” Athaia said as she rose to her feet. “I will check on your friends and then return with something for the pain. I won’t be long.”

Athaia turned and left the tent as quickly as she had appeared. Kaewyn had wanted her to stay, but the pain had prevented him from putting up an argument. He wanted to know more about these bandits. When the pain had subsided to the point where he could think clearly again, his attention returned to trying to get out of his bindings. After a few moments of tugging at the rope in an attempt to get loose, someone entered the tent. For a second, Kaewyn thought that Athaia had returned, but when he saw a heavily bearded face smiling sinisterly at him, he realised he was wrong. Kaewyn saw that this large beast of a man wore a heavy breastplate similar to that of what many of Lord Severus’ veteran troops had worn. His arms and legs were protected by steel bracers and greaves respectively. This man was either a warrior, or had looted the corpse of one.

“Awake, are we?” The burly man said with a deep, strong voice. “Good.”

“Who are you?” Kaewyn demanded.

The burly man’s sinister smile turned to a scowl. “We’ve only just met, but if you interrupt me like that again, I’ll make you regret it.”

The man’s expression then suddenly changed back to one of apparent friendliness. “But since you asked me so nicely, I will tell you, but only if you return the favour, understood?”

When Kaewyn didn’t respond, the burly man rolled his eyes and continued. “I will take your silence as agreement. Allow me to introduce m’self then. I am Garren, and until a few weeks ago I served in Lord Severus’ great army. Fifteen long years I gave to that bastard, but now I’m sick o’ all that. Saw enough of me mates die for some pox ridden lord who didn’t give no shits about us. All me and my boys want is to amass enough coin so that we can live the rest of our days surrounded by pretty wenches to pour our ale and warm our beds.”

Deserters, Kaewyn realised. These men were far more dangerous than common bandits. It seemed his initial guess that these men were not soldiers was completely wrong.

“Now that you know who I am, it’s only fair that you tell me who you are.” Garren said slyly. “So, who are you? Not poachers, too well dressed for that. Not like us either, I can tell by that look of disgust you’re given me that you think you are better than I am. Heh, I wonder if I can get what I want from you? Well, out with it. Who are you?”

Kaewyn kept his mouth shut. He had a bad feeling about this man. The less information he gave the better. Even though he was scared, he knew that he had to be brave. It’s what his father would have done.

“Okay then. I can see that you are not in the mood to chat. Neither am I to tell the truth.” Garren said as he cracked his knuckles. “I think I’ll just beat it out of you instead.”

Garren slapped Kaewyn hard across the face with the back of his hand. The left side of his face stung from the hit. He held his head low, but Garren lifted it with one hand and struck him with the other on the opposite side to the first. The second blow hurt much worse than the first, as the blow struck him on the same spot where had been hit and knocked unconscious. Kaewyn cried out in pain and tried to shield himself from the repeated blows, but with his hands tied there was nothing he could do. After several more blows, Garren stopped.

“Stubborn little bastard, aren’t you?” Garren chuckled. “Maybe while we wait for you to wise up, I’ll pay a visit to that brown-haired beauty we found with you. Wouldn’t mind a tumble or two with her eh.”

“Leave her be!” Kaewyn said through grit teeth.

“He speaks! Good. I have no use for those who won’t speak to me. Tell me who you are, give me a reason to let you live through the night.” Garren said as he gestured aggressively with his hands. “If you were say… someone important enough to warrant a ransom… I’d be more inclined to treat you better.”

“Release my companions…” Kaewyn managed to say through the pain throbbing in his head. “Release them, and you’ll have what you want.”

“Oh?” Garren said curiously. “Why would I do that?”

“I can arrange a ransom. I’m… Kaewyn Edderfield.” He explained reluctantly.

“I bloody well knew it! You’re the bastard who destroyed Lord Severus’ army.” Garren said jovially. “I lost some friends in your little attack, but no matter. I will drink to their memory with the massive amount of coin I can get from you in ransom.”

“Do we have a deal then? Release my companions and I will happily pay you your ransom.” Kaewyn said confidently as he tried to maintain the illusion of not being afraid.

“The only thing that could make this day any better would be… oh yeah, the girl.” Garren leant in and smiled a twisted self-satisfied grin.

“Unwise.” Kaewyn said, doing his best to feign appearing calm. “My companions know the province; they know who to speak with to organise your ransom. I suppose you could try to do it on your own, but that would take a lot longer, and the longer this takes, the more likely I will be found. You would be better off letting them deliver your demands if you want this to happen with haste.”

Garren, who was still leaning in close to Kaewyn’s face, began to laugh uncontrollably. The stench of his breath made Kaewyn sick. As much as he tried to hide it, he knew that his contempt for Garren was plain to see.

“The girl is special to you, is she? I can tell what you are trying to do… Lord Edderfield, but unless this girl is special enough for a ransom all on her own, she’s more valuable to me in… other ways.”

Kaewyn’s heart began to race. Garren was a man not easily fooled. He couldn’t let any harm come to Camilla. She was dear to him, and under his protection. The gods be damned Kaewyn cursed in his head, why had he felt such an urge to abandon the safety of the castle. His mind raced as he rushed to find a way to convince Garren to leave Camilla alone.

“I will pay for her too!” Kaewyn pleaded, abandoning any vain attempt to appear confident. “Just leave her be, I beg you.”

“With the amount of coin I’m asking for, I very much doubt you could afford it.” Garren laughed. “No, I think I’ll just have me fun.”

“She’s a Callidus!” Kaewyn shouted in desperation.

“…What?”

“Her name is Camilla Callidus of Vinum Province… Her brother rules Vinum Province in their father’s absence.” Kaewyn reluctantly explained. “They… they can afford your ransom, whatever it is.”

Garren’s eyed widened in disbelief. “I got two!? Two! My da always said I was a lucky one! Oh boy you’ve made my day Edderfield. Maybe made the rest of my life! It’s unfortunate I won’t get to play with the girl, no way they’d pay a ransom for her afterwards. Oh well, coin is coin. There’ll be plenty more wenches for me.”

Kaewyn felt horrible. He felt as though he had betrayed Camilla by revealing her identity, but he saw no other alternative to keep her from harm. He couldn’t let Garren hurt her.

“You guarantee her safety then?” Kaewyn asked hesitantly. “Do I have your promise?”

Garren sighed heavily. “Yes. I won’t touch a hair on her head, but you on the other hand, you made me work for it. So…”

Garren’s hand moved quickly and struck Kaewyn in the ribs. The air was knocked out of him as he fell forwards, though he was held up by his bindings and unable to curl up on the ground. Another blow connected with the side of his head, sending a wave of dizziness through him. Pain surged through his head as another blow glanced his chin.

“Garren! Stop this!” A female voice called out. “His condition is much too serious for such beatings. You need to stop.”

Garren ignores the woman’s pleas and struck several more times.

“I said stop Garren! Do you want to lose your ransom?”

“…Fine, if you say so.”

“I do say so. That’s why you keep me around if you recall.”

“Hmm, then make sure he is well taken care of Athaia. He is from a noble family, a family that will pay us handsomely for his return. We’ll all be livings like nobles soon enough!” Garren said as he laughed his way out of the tent.

“Kaewyn, let me see.” Athaia said with concern as she knelt down beside him and began to check his injuries. “Bloody barbarian that man.”

“My head…” Kaewyn said as he winced in pain. “Is my condition really so worrisome Athaia?”

“No, your headwound is not as bad as it looks… but I thought I’d save you some pain. Garren trusts me with medical matters which means he won’t question it.” Athaia explained. “That being said, your head has begun to bleed again. Let me clean that up for you.”

“…Thank you.”

“Here, drink this. It will relieve some of the pain you have.”

Athaia offered in her hand a small cup of liquid. Kaewyn did not hesitate. He downed the white murky liquid in one gulp. It was thick and unpleasant, but he trusted Athaia and hoped it would do as she said. The taste lingered in his mouth a little while, but thankfully it soon passed.

“I told him who I was.” Kaewyn admitted. “I had no choice.”

“I know.” Athaia responded. “If you didn’t, he could have killed you.”

“Camilla is of noble blood too, I told him that as well…”

“The woman with you?”

“Yes. I feel like I’ve betrayed her.” He confessed.

“What was the alternative? At least that will keep her relatively safe for the meantime. He wouldn’t dare risk getting a ransom. As I said, that man is obsessed with coin.” Athaia said as she finished cleaning his wound for the second time. “You did what you had to Kaewyn.”

“What about Yohren…” He said aloud. “Garren knows that Camilla and I are of noble birth and that we’ll fetch a ransom, but I said nothing about Yohren.”

“He is the other one with you?” Athaia asked with concern.

“Yes, he is my retainer, a loyal friend… what will happen to him if Garren realises?”

“…I can’t say for sure, but Garren is a cruel man. He’s done unspeakable things to those who hold no value to him.”

“I have to help him.” Kaewyn stated as he struggled against his bindings. “Athaia, can you cut me loose?”

“Kaewyn… I cannot. If Garren finds out he’ll kill me. You as well if you were discovered.” Athaia sympathised. “Look, I will do what I can for… Yohren, I promise you that, but in your condition, there isn’t anything you could do except get yourself hurt or killed.”

“Athaia, I can’t let anything happen to them.” Kaewyn pleaded. “The only reason they’re even out here is because of me. Because I wanted to get away for a while… please.”

“I’m sorry Kaewyn. There’s nothing I can do.” Athaia said softly as she avoided his pleading eyes.

Kaewyn grit his teeth and lowered his head. He knew that she couldn’t help him without putting herself at risk. It did not make him feel any better, but he did understand it from her perspective.

Athaia hesitated, lowered her head and then smiled briefly. “I will see about getting you and the others fed before it gets dark. Otherwise I’ll see you in the morning to check your wound. I’ll have news about the others for you then.”

When he didn’t respond, Athaia waited a little longer. She turned and left soon after with a look that told Kaewyn more about how she felt than any words could express. He sighed and leant back against the post behind him and tried to get comfortable, a difficult task considering his circumstances. He knew he had to rest to regain some of his strength. The pain kept him awake only for a short while, but even as he neared sleep, he never stopped worrying about what was happening to his friends at that very moment.