The sun had been up for an hour when Simon and Hollo approached the village.

“I don’t know about you,” Simon said, “but I need a bath, some food, and a few hours of sleep.”

Hollo merely grunted as he looked at the village on the horizon. He stiffened as he saw several men on horses milling around near the tavern. He put his hand up, and Simon reined his horse to a halt.

“What is it?”

“Not sure. Was there a troop of cavalry in the village last night?”

“Not that I saw,” Simon replied, rising in the stirrups to get a better view of the village.

“Well, they’re at the tavern now.”

They rode their horses off the road and into a copse of trees. After dismounting, they tethered the horses to a willow next to a small stream and crept as near as they could to the village without being seen.

Closer inspection did nothing to assuage their fears. Even from this distance, they could see soldiers, both mounted and on foot, searching the buildings. Villagers stood around, clutching children close and bowing their heads to officers when they issued gruff orders and demands.

“Well, that’s the end of this trip,” Hollo said, turning to go back to the horses, “No way they weren’t captured.”

“We need to find out where the princess is,” Simon said, putting his hand up to stop his friend.

Hollo regarded him for a moment, then sighed.

“You and your damned sense of honor. Seriously, it’s going to get you killed someday.”

“Have to die for something,” Simon replied, “Think you can get in there without raising suspicion?”

Hollo said nothing, but reached his hand up to his amulet without asking Simon to turn around. His features blurred for a moment, then were replaced with those of a large crow.

“Never seen how you do that before,” Simon said, “Try to find out if they’ve been captured, and where they’ve been taken.”

The crow blinked twice, then took off in a rustle of black wings. Simon watched as it landed on the roof of the tavern, turning this way and that from its perch. After a moment, it flew down into the village and out of his sight.

Simon stole back to the horses and waited for Hollo. He was getting anxious when he heard wings beating on the wind, and then Hollo walked out from behind a tree.

“I’m doing that too often,” the thin man said, “Going to have to rest a bit.”

“What did you learn?” Simon demanded.

“They took the lady last night. She’s in Booda by now, probably.”

“And Greta?”

“Dead. I heard the innkeeper’s wife complaining to someone about having to clean up the blood.”

Simon shook his head at that. “We should never have left them,” he said angrily, slapping his fist into his palm.

“They’re searching the village for us,” Hollo continued, “The innkeeper told the soldiers that the last he saw of us, we were leaving the tavern last night.”

“How far is it to Booda?”

“If we take the main road, we can be there tonight, but we can’t go that way.”

“And if we go the way that doesn’t end up with us locked in a crow’s cage?”

Hollo looked up at Simon’s choice of words, then said, “We can be there by dawn tomorrow.”

“Good,” Simon said, turning to the horses, “let’s get going.”

Hollo shook his head and muttered as he mounted his horse. “Going to get both of us killed.”

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Erika sat on the windowsill, wrapped in a bed sheet, enjoying the cool evening breeze. She was clean for the first time in weeks, and while her dress was dirty, and to be honest, stunk, a night hanging out in the air would do it wonders.

Another bowl of stew and a good stiff drink will do me wonders, she thought as she listened for Greta to return. She heard the stairs creak, and turned to face the door. The sound of heavy boots on the landing brought her heart to her mouth. She froze for a moment as she heard a hand work the latch on the door, then she moved quickly to hide.

A black-clad soldier burst through the door, followed by his partner, who still gripped Greta by the arm. The room was empty except for the bed and small table in one corner.

“Where is she?” The first soldier roared, kicking the bed over.

Greta looked around anxiously, but no sign of her mistress was to be found. The soldier holding her wrenched her arm badly, spinning her around to face him.

“If you’ve lied to me, girl, it’ll go worse for you,” he growled.

“I swear, I don’t know!” she cried in fear and pain. Her shoulder screamed as the soldier twisted it. He bared his teeth, pulling the small woman’s face close to his.

“Where did she go?” he demanded, spittle flying from his lips he spoke.

The other soldier walked to the window, and looked down at the yard below. Seeing nothing, he looked to either side. A wide smile came to his face as he extended his arm through the window.

“My lady, please, take my hand,” he said with false gentleness, “It would be a shame for you to slip and fall so far.”

Erika, who held to the stone gutter by her fingers, glared at the man for a moment before she reached up and took the offered hand. The soldier gripped her wrist tightly, and lifted her back through the window.

Erika straightened and adjusted the bed sheet covering her body after the soldier set her down on the floor. She gave him her most petulant look, saying, “How dare you bother me in such a manner? And how dare you abuse my servant?”

The soldier bowed, saying “Princess, we expected to see you sooner. Duke Kyrali has sent orders to watch for you, and that you are to be brought to him so that he may show you hospitality worthy of your station.”

“You mean he means to hold me for ransom, or worse.”

“I am but his servant, my lady,” the soldier replied, “Now, if you’ll come with us, we’ll get you to the Duke tonight.”

Erika turned to walk through the door, but then lashed out with her foot, kicking the soldier in the knee. He bellowed in pain as his leg folded underneath him. Her bare feet pounded on the wooden floor as she rushed for the door.

The soldier holding Greta reached out with his free hand and snatched the princess by the hair as she ran past. Her head wrenched back, and she lost her footing, landing hard on the floor. Greta screeched as she clawed at the soldier’s face, leaving long, bloody marks on his cheek.

The soldier roared in pain, throwing Greta to the floor. Erika stood again, pulling out a few strands of hair as she shook herself loose. The other soldier regained his feet, lunging at her, and catching the edge of the sheet as she ran through the doorway. Erika screamed as she felt him hold her back, and she kicked at her attacker, trying to break loose.

Greta regained her feet and jumped on the soldier’s back, pounding at his head with her fists. The second soldier, one of his eyes blinded with blood dripping from his wounds, drew his dagger and drove it into the maid’s back.

Time seemed to stand still as Erika saw the blade plunge into Greta. The princess watched as her maid stopped her attack when the pain hit her. Greta opened her mouth as if to scream, but no sound came came from her, as she looked into her mistress’ eyes in shock.

The soldier pulled his dagger from the young woman’s back with a twist, and kicked her in the ribs. Greta fell into a heap on the floor, a pool of blood slowly spreading out from under her. The two soldiers grabbed Erika by the arms, pulling her kicking and screaming down the stairs.

“Greta!” she screamed, “Greta!”

Other episodes can be found here.  The entire anthology can be purchased at Amazon.

Hollo and Simon left their stolen horses tied to a mile marker with a large “1” engraved into its stone face. Silently, the pair walked through the open field to the side of the road, guided by the watch fires the soldiers kept on the far side of the bridge.

As they drew nearer to the huts, they kneeled in a ditch to watch the garrison for a few minutes. The dark sky, which had made their approach so easy, now betrayed them, as they could make out no details.

Hollo looked to Simon and touched the amulet on his chest. Simon nodded, then turned his back. Simon looked off in the distance as he heard Hollo take in a sharp breath, then his ears heard a rustling sound, then nothing. The half-elf sat there for a few minutes, until he heard another rustle, then felt Hollo tap him on the shoulder.

“Twenty-five men, about a third of them up and on watch,” he whispered, “The rest are asleep in the two huts nearest to the road on the left there.”

“Are our horses still there?”

“That big building over there is a stable. I heard my pony nickering, so the rest should be there, too.”

“And the rest?”

“The hut next to it is painted and has bars on the windows.”

“That’ll be where the officer sleeps, and I’ll bet our things are in there with him.”

Hollo shrugged. “I wasn’t able to get a good look in there,” he replied, “Although there was something shiny in the lean-to on this side.”

The two men talked quietly for a few more minutes, then moved toward the cluster of huts. Simon slowly made his way through the shadows toward the stable, while Hollo crept toward the officer’s house.

Simon winced at the low creak the door made as he opened it, but his ears picked up no hint that the guards watching the bridge had noticed. Inside, he found their horses, as well as Hollo’s pony and a large warhorse, probably owned by the garrison’s commander. The mule was nowhere to be seen.

Simon scratched the pony between his eyes when the little horse nudged his hand, then began saddling the horses.

Hollo found the door to the officer’s hut latched shut, and a tug on the bars proved that they were solidly affixed to the house. Hollo sighed in frustration, and looked around for some way in. Finally, he hung his head, took a deep breath, and touched his amulet.

A few moments later, Hollo stood on the floor next to the officer’s bed. The man was fast asleep, his head tilted back as he snored loudly. A small candle burned on the small table next to his bed, and its light reflected from the treasures the commander had collected from the shipments to the capitol. Gold and silver plates, bags of coins, and several weapons, their hilts and scabbards inlaid with jewels, were heaped in piles around the small room.

Hollo stood transfixed by the wink of candlelight on jewels and polished metal, but regained his senses after a few moments. He spied Gnarlthing, along with Simon’s daggers and Erika’s sword in its scabbard, leaning against the wall. He picked them up, then recognized one of the bundles the mule had carried. He opened it an inch or two, and felt soft cloth when he put his hand inside.

Nodding to himself, he picked the sack up just as he heard the clop of hooves walking through the yard. Going to the window, he saw Simon leading the horses and the pony toward the hut. He put his hand out the window and waved through the bars. Simon saw it and walked the horses over.

Wordlessly, Hollo passed the weapons through the bars, along with a couple bags of coins he grabbed from the floor. He tried to push the bundle of clothes through as well, but it would not fit through the bars.

“Leave it,” Simon hissed quietly, “We’ve been here too long.” As if to punctuate this, both men froze when they heard the officer’s breath hitch in his sleep, followed by the rustle of bedclothes as he rolled over.

Hollo nodded, setting the bundle on the floor. He touched his amulet and disappeared from Simon’s view. A moment later, he stood up on the other side of the window.

“Let’s go,” Simon said as they mounted their horses. Greta’s horse was tied to Simon’s saddle, while the pony followed on a lead tied to Erika’s mare, which Hollo mounted. The two men crept out of the encampment, keeping their horses to the side of the road, until they regained the mile marker where the two horses they had ridden from the tavern were tied up.  They retrieved them, putting them on a lead behind their horses before remounting.

“I’d kill to see that bastard’s face when he wakes up tomorrow morning,” Simon said as they cantered down the road toward the village.

“It’ll be a mystery talked about for a long time,” Hollo replied with a chuckle.

Other episodes can be found here.  The entire anthology can be purchased at Amazon.

A few minutes later, Erika and Greta were ensconced in their room and were busily taking advantage of the washbasin and pitcher of cold, clear water the innkeeper’s wife had brought for them. The two men took seats at the bar and sipped on mugs of beer while they talked.

Simon put down his empty mug, but shook his head when the barman raised a hand to him.

“After a month alone with those two,” Hollo said, signaling for a refill, “you deserve another beer.”

“I’ve had worse times,” Simon said, “Although I believe our charges are sick of my face and voice by now.”

A smirk came to his lips as he said, “But another drink would be good.” Hollo chuckled as he raised his hand a second time.

Simon took a sip from the earthenware mug the barman laid at his elbow, then sighed contentedly. “Ah, that’s good. We must take some to the ladies once they’ve freshened up.”

Hollo also took a pull from his beer. Wiping the foam from his lip, he said, “The plague hasn’t spread to this side of the river, but the news is that it’s ravaging Pesht worse than any army could do. It’ll be a wasteland by winter at this rate.”

“From what we saw, no horde could do better,” Simon replied, “We can let the ladies rest here for a few days, then we’ll continue moving west. The sooner this job is over, the better.”

“Going to have to steal some horses if you don’t intend to walk.”

“No, we’re not going to steal anything, my friend. We’re going back and getting our things from that bastard at the border.”

“Seems a lot of trouble for a few nags and the princess’….” Hollo started to say.

Simon gave him a hard look and brought a finger to his lips.

“Quiet, fool. We’re not among friends,” he muttered.

Hollo nodded, but said nothing further. The barman, who had been walking past, seemed to have heard nothing. Simon watched him go, his eyes slitted, then he shrugged and faced his companion.

“We’ll leave after dark and be back by morning,” he said, “Rest up tomorrow, then leave the next day.” He lifted his mug and took another drink. “You’ll have to get us some horses for tonight.”

~~~

Simon and Hollo finished their drinks, then took a clay pitcher of beer and some food up to the women. They were both freshly scrubbed as well as plain water could do, and had found a hairbrush somewhere. Greta had helped her mistress take off her dress, and after the princess wrapped up in a sheet, hung her dress out the window to air out.  Their moods were improving with their appearance, and the sight of a pitcher of beer, a few bowls of stew, and fresh-baked buns made Erika squeal like a little girl.

As they ate, Simon told the princess of his plans while they ate.

“We’ll be back tomorrow morning, but you’ll have to watch over yourselves tonight. Stay here, and don’t go out for anything or let anyone in.”

“Yes, yes, we’ll stay here in our cage, Simon,” she replied dismissively.

Simon gave her a measured look, then stood and walked to the door. Hollo followed.

“Simon, be careful,” Greta said as he opened the door to leave.

“I will, my lady,” Simon replied with an easy smile, “Please take care of your mistress.”

Once the two men were outside, Hollo walked to the stable, a couple of bronze coins jingling in his hand, while Simon waited in the courtyard. A few minutes later, Hollo rounded the corner, leading two horses. The two men mounted without a word, and turning their noses toward the east, were soon making their way back toward the bridge and its garrison.

~~~

Erika watched them go from her window. Behind her, Greta was preparing her bed for the night. Both of their stomachs gurgled at the same time, and they exchanged a look before both laughed at the sound.

“Greta, do you think they’d give you something more to eat downstairs?”

“But, my lady, Simon said…”

“I know what he said, Greta. I also know that the smell of that stew the innkeeper is serving downstairs is driving me mad. Go and fetch some. Oh, and see if you can get another bucket of beer. Might as well celebrate our freedom a bit more.”

Greta bowed her head resignedly, then walked down into the tavern. She spied the barman, who was speaking to two men in black leather breeches and jerkins. Spying the maid as she came down the stairs, he pointed to her. The two men pushed themselves away from the bar and walked toward her with grim looks upon their faces. Greta retreated to a corner at their approach, raising her arms in front of her face as if she expected to be struck.

“Where is your mistress?” one hissed in her ear as he grabbed her by the arm and twisted it behind her back, “Where is Princess Erika?”

Other episodes can be found here.  The entire anthology can be purchased at Amazon.