Chapter 24 - On the Way to Lordstown

The dawn greeted Raeyn and Violetta as they exited the cave. The fire had burned itself out throughout the long night and only the residue and ash remained. Nothing of value remained at the entrance. The camp had been plundered of its goods. Violetta did not seem to care about her pack or the scroll. It was as if the only thing mattered now was returning to the shore.

" Stirge. " Violetta said as her eyes laid upon his body that had been punctured with dozens of stab wounds, " What were you thinking? "

Lying face down in a pool of his own blood, the leather armor soaked in blackening blood, his final expression buried in the grass at the base of the tree. Raeyn was relieved to have another Mahn’s dying face in her memories. Cade had been so sudden was different from Huron’s burning agony. It was a small mercy to not have another face now. The urge to fight, to go wild, still lurked in her blood. The thought of taking Wilde with her surfaced, but why had she fought so hard to protect Violetta? Some part of her knew she would survive the fire. Was it Belos’ will? Was it something as simple as wanting to not have her die in that place? Nothing made sense. It did not need to make sense. The lingering questions and doubts still were there. Gnawing at her gut and making holes where there should be only firm conviction that what she had done was right.

" Where are we going? " Raeyn asked Violetta to push those thoughts away.

" Lordstown. " Violetta pointed to the west, " On the shore is where a dozen ships have settled and the town of two thousand has been established. "

Two thousand. The number did not make sense. In total, only 123 Gobbos lived in the warren and that was already the merger of two separate tribes. Even counting the fifteen Bura slaves. No, that was not right. It was now only 120 with Rock’s death and her departure. For every Gobbo there were ten Mahn. Without tricks and surprise even a lone Mahn, like Wilde, would be more than a match even when outnumbered. Though Wilde was not a Mahn and was no more than a rebelling slave, just a hundred of them alone would destroy the warren several times over.

Violetta turned and looked down at Raeyn, " What is wrong? "

" Two thousand? " Raeyn was still surprised, " And just what caste are you? "

" Caste? " Violetta had to think of the word herself, " Well… I am a Sellsword. "

" Sellsword? " Raeyn’s question prompted a better explanation.

" At the bottom you have your slaves, then you have the viles, then you have your freed slaves, the laborers, the farmers, the artisans and the sellswords, then you have the merchants and soldiers. Keep going up the ladder and you’ll get to the lords, the generals, and the high clergy and all the way up to the Emperor, the Warmaster and the Soul. The three individual branches represent the intellect, the power and the soul of the Ecumene of Mahn. "

The words caused visible pain as Raeyn’s mind was forced to commit the new words to her head and the meanings. Hot needles piercing her forehead one after another would have been easier to bear. She stumbled forward and Violetta’s leg became the only thing preventing her from falling on the ground.

" Raeyn… " Violetta realized she should not have explained it. How could she not realize the severity or the weight those words would have on her? She said, " I am sorry. I should have said it slower. "

" Violetta. " Raeyn recovered from the pain, " You are really not in the upper castes? "

" What did you think? It was this or toil in the fields. Women cannot be soldiers in the army. I did get a little training, but I am an outcast in terms of military use. It is why I signed on for the expedition. Just one mission and I can live in comfort for most of my life. "

" Just one mission… " Raeyn nodded, knowing the feeling.

It was still shocking. Violetta was like her in many ways, but two thousand Mahn? Two thousand! Belos’ purpose for her would be to stop them? Could the Dwellin even deal with them? Perhaps getting them to leave the shore peacefully was the goal? It did not matter. Belos' would guide her.

" I cannot even bury him. " Violetta said as she stepped away from the body, " I’ll have to bring a Keeper with us. "

" You bury the dead? " Raeyn questioned.

" Yes. Don’t you? " Violetta gave her a strange look, as if Gobbos had no such rituals.

" We use fire to purify, and the ashes will feed the glowing plants so our dead will shine on us. They will also be used in medicine salves and so they protect the living. "

Violetta nodded slightly while staring at Stirge’s body, " Gobbos are interesting. If only it could be that simple. We should hurry, as it is we will arrive near dusk. "

Leaving behind the cave and Stirge, and all that had happened did not take it from their minds. Returning to the stream and following it to the west was mindless and only allowed for the long silence to further linger on what had happened. It was hard to take in the beauty of nature or the wind across her bare skin. During a break, she dipped into the water to wash herself off. The outer layer of her skin was burned and would not flake off. Picking at the skin between her fingers, a thin fleck of green appeared only at the point of bleeding. Her skin was dry and strange now, it felt different from when she was in the bath.

" A question. " Violetta asked as she watched Raeyn trying to scrub herself clean in the water, " Are you really an adult Gobbo? Physically? "

" Yes. From one day to the next I do not feel any different in mind, but I have already had my final teeth come in and have had the fever twice. If I had decided to gather or do something for the tribe then perhaps, I wouldn’t have remained a qued, but I doubt Chief Mudohoon would ever allow it. "

" Fever? " Violetta questioned. " You were sick? "

She explained briefly, " You should know. The spring fever. "

Violetta crossed her arms seemingly amused and upset at the same time, " I do not fully understand or believe it, but fine. You are a woman. A Gobbo woman. Then I can give you a dagger when we are back to town. "

" A dagger… A weapon for killing? "

" It is more than that. You will use it for eating and daily use. To pull your dagger in anger is to risk your life. You saved me. I should trust you with my life. Every man and woman is allowed to carry a dagger, even a slave. "

Coming out of the water and pushing the water off her with her arms, Raeyn fell in behind Violetta as they headed west. The stream gained more little brooks along the way as ground began to slope downwards. Suddenly cresting a hill, a long winding descent led the way down to a large body of water. Tendrils of smoke rose from behind the hills and a few strange white blobs lay behind it.

" Lordstown. " Violetta said as she pointed, " Stay close to me and let me do the talking. There will be too many questions if you show up and know the language. You will have to trust me because few will believe you are tame, but then again, they’ll have never seen a dark-skinned Gobbo. Least you look like one of those Dark Elves right now. It will buy us time and sympathy. Feign ignorance and stick to me like a scared child and I’ll handle everything. "

" A child… " The word grated on her lips even as she said it.

" Not going to run off on me now, right? " Violetta patted Raeyn’s head suddenly and the Gobbo gave a surprising hiss of irritation, " You are mighty proud for a qued. Don’t let it kill you. We both know that you can’t return to the warren after all that has happened. Least not empty-handed. "

She had a point, but Belos’ will was all she needed. Belos would guide her and prepare her. Whether it would come to be killing her enslaver, Violetta or any Mahn, she would not refuse. She was blade and would strike when needed. She would become whatever Belos' needed to fulfill his will. She turned to Violetta and smirked, " Mighty proud for a lowly sellsword chosen. "

" Guilty as charged. Both of us are snakes in our own ways it seems. " Violetta laughed knowingly.