HexNorthThreeWeeksLaterIt took them three more weeks before they reached the low foothills that formmed untidy shapes to the south of Marshend. They had a choice between riding on to the small village of Marshend at the foot of the lake and arriving well after dark, or camping in the hills. "Well," said Darcy Thelbane. "It might be best if you went forward alone, and we waited here for you. Your woman can feed us all tonight." "Excellent suggestion, Thelbane." Hex replied, not looking at Gwendla or the old man. "But it may be more efficient if I just rape and disembowel her before I leave, saves us all some time." "The two slaves come with me, if the rest of you wish to tag along in case the wolf woman leaps out from an alley way, so be it." Darcy Thelbane frowned as though Hex's words were distasteful to him. But Hex had seen him do worse in the past. "That would be an admirable arrangement," he said, "if we wanted to see you slip away into the reeds beds, leaving no trace behind. But for the moment, it is in our interests to hold a hostage here, to ensure you return. One should be sufficient, though. You can choose who to take with you - the old man or the woman." "To what end?" Hex asked. "If I find your wolfy woman, do I beat her into submission with a mute codger or grapple with her while the frog woman shanks me with whatever comes to hand? Or better yet calls for whatever passes for a city guard?" "We may have reached an impasse," Alexander continued. "We could make camp and in the morning all ride in together, each one watching the other while we all search for your myth." "All we require," said Darcy Thelbane, "is an idea of where we might find the woman. That is all you need do - go forward, investigate, and come back and tell us - at which point you may claim your money, your cart and your bizarre choice of travelling companions." "All of which is premised on the assumption that you won't dump the wine into the ground and kill the crannogs as soon as I'm out of sight as a prelude to torturing me into saying whatever I may have learned on my return." Hex replied. "And you'll recall what the jester said about assumptions...something to the effect that if you assume I'll torture you to death and kill your family." "My tolerance of travelling companions is notorious, I grant you." Hex continued. "Which is again why I respectfully suggest we make camp tonight, and travel to town tomorrow. Together, Thelbane." ~Which,~ the dornishman thought. "Is a lot of alliteration from an anxious advocate.~ A quick smile touched Hex's lips, and he finished. "While I appreciate this sudden outpouring of trust, on reflection you may prefer to ... shall we say 'monitor' my investigative technique. Just to insure I've earned your master's silver." Thelbane gave a short laugh. "So I come with you and the girl - and you leave the old man behind? That seems a fair exchange." Gwendla frowned. "Yes, if you feel that is best." Hex replied agreeably. And after a pause, continued as if voicing his thoughts as they occured. "Still, it's a shame to lose the tactical advantage. One must expect your wolf woman to be on the watch for hunters. A wine merchant arriving in the middle of the night with no wine, but rather a skilled warrior companion -- as you so clearly are, Thelbane, to any with eyes to see -- is bound to attract notice and set tongues wagging. Should Lady Wolf hear stray gossip among the washerwomen or some drunk in a public house, she'll disappear into the woods never to be seen again." "I'm sure you are correct, though." Hex continued. "The direct approach is best. You know I think too much for my own good. Left to my own devices, I would probably just ride in tomorrow morning as expected. Same old routine. The old man to stand in as drover, the woman as camp cook or whore, accompanied by hired guards to keep watch on the dangerous road north. And if I should gossip while I sell my wares, well, isn't that just like a dornish?" "But the direct approach, more efficient." Hex nodded sharply, before asking. "You don't suppose this wolf woman is the devious type, do you?" "No old man," said Thelbane. "And two guards - with me. No more." He smiled thinly. "I'm sure you've journeyed with fewer before, old friend. "But we'll ride in the morning, as you say." "I hope I can sleep tonight from the anticipation," Hex replied. "Three men here and two more with you tomorrow. I suppose I should be flattered you consider me as dangerous as a withered old crannog." Thelbane smiled. "Till the morning then," he said. "Unless you'd prefer to lay your head somewhere snugger tonight." "I prefer to keep my own counsel on the issue of snugness," Hex replied. He rolled his shoulders and twisted his neck, eliciting a crack from the tight muscles. In doing so, he took the opportunity to glance at Gwendla for any signs of agreement. Gwendla looked tired, but also apprehensive at the idea of being 'snug' anywhere in the vicinity of Darcy Thelbane. It was clear her vote would be for the outdoors. The next morning dawned bright and clear although, to the north, there seemed to be mist. "The Long Lake," said Darcy, as he sipped a hot infusion that Gwendla had made. They were standing around the campfire, already dressed for their journey, but those who remained would be able to stay by the capfire all day. Summer, they called it, but the chill of the wind off the lake could "The mist comes of fthe Ghost Fens, which are close here." He looked at Hex. "Ever crossed them?" "Not with a heavy wagon and team of mules," Hex replied. He brought his own cup to his lips, careful not to drink Gwendla's tisane or even breath in the steam rising from the tin mug. "I'd save distance but lose time to hoof rot and broken axles Not to mention the ghosts and wolf women, of course. Big drinkers both but when it comes time to pay the account, they're nowhere to be seen.". Thelbane laughed. He seemed in excellent humour this morning, perhaps with his quest seemingly close to completion. He pointed through the mist to where a smudge of dark greyer was rising above the mist. "That's our village," he said. "That's Marshend. How shall we approach it, Dornish?" Hex paused as if considering, then replied. "The ferry across Long Lake is the most common for new comers, and we can appear simply as more strangers in a group of strangers." "The ferry, then," said Thelbane. Will we need to ride around the lake a little to find a ferry station? Do you know where is the nearest?" "Aye, the nearest and the farthest and at least one in between." Hex replied. "I'd suggest the nearest to allow for some passengers to board before us, and reduce the likelihood of your loose tongued compatriots giving away your true purpose while we mingle with other passengers." As he spoke Hex gestured to the guards, who may as well have been mutes for all they'd said during the long trip north to Marshend. Thelbane grinned. "And should we give them some of your cargo to carry? Would you normally make sales in Marshened - to the innkeeper, perhaps?" "As my salty brethern would say empty hold, empty head." Hex answered. "These northmen love their mulled wine. Which is to say, they don't care what the wine itself tastes like, as long as it's hot as p iss and filled with weeds and dirt. The innkeeper can supply their own spice, but I try to accomodate them with something strong enough to retain some flavour and cheap enough that they can merrily boil away half the volume before serving and still price it for the working man." "There are some barrels I've set aside for sale in Marshed," Hex summarized. "I also normally bring a few bottles, a bit of this a bit of that. Gratuities for the occasional over enthusiastic city guard, flattery for a connosieur with dirty fingernails. That sort of thing." Thelbane nodded. "We'll need the cart then," he said. "We can't strap barrels to horses - nor would you get a good price if we did. Or shall we make this an exploratory visit - a few samples to display, promising all sorts of delights to come later?" He smiled at Gwendla, as though she were to be one of those treats. Gwendla moved hastily towards Kex. "I'll help you organise the cart," she said quietly. "Arriving without the cart would attract attention," Hex said to Thelbane, then turning to Gwendla. "Get the old man as well, time he did something to earn his keep." The old man came stiffly to help load the cart and arranging the barrels within it, while Thelbane stood to one side, amused by the older man's struggles with the casks. Finally he signalled one of his own guards to help. "The people of Marshend may have little sense of taste," he said, "especially if their mouths are used to their own muddy marsh water. But even they must have limits - and if the leas are so thoroughly mingled with the wine, we might find ourselves porting the cask home again!" The old man came stiffly to help load the cart and arranging the barrels within it, while Thelbane stood to one side, amused by the older man's struggles with the casks. Finally he signalled one of his own guards to help. "The people of Marshend may have little sense of taste," he said, "especially if their mouths are used to their own muddy marsh water. But even they must have limits - and if the leas are so thoroughly mingled with the wine, we might find ourselves porting the cask home again!" Hex had tried to take most of the weight from the barrels while he loaded with the old man, but had been walking a fine line. The dornish was concerned that he had become too casual with his "slaves" over the long ride north. It may well be that Thelbane had never been fooled by Hex's charade, but he and the crannog faced two to one odds (if the old man was included in the calculation, an assumption Hex was reluctant to make). This associaiton with Thelbane was bound to end in blood, Hex knew. If the mummery of Hex as a cruel slaver and the crannogs as helpless thralls bought them even a half second delay in the inevitable battle Hex was prepared to play his role to the hilt. The old man had yet to speak to Hex, who could hardly blame him for his silence. But Hex hoped the delay and distraction of re-organizing the wagon would give him the opportunity for a few whispered words with Gwendla. They did seem to be speaking together - but it hardly seemed to be an amiable discussion. Instead they seemed to be conducting a low-voiced argument in the crannog tongue until even Darcy Thelbane looked over, frowning. "I think it might be as well to keep 'em separate," he said in his most languid voice to Hex. "Leave 'em together and they'll be at one another's throats, betimes." Indeed, as she moved back to the camp to get her pack, Gwendla's face was flushed with anger. "Aye," Hex replied lightly. "More like crabs in a bucket than frogs. I'll get her started on the horses." The dornishman followed Gwendla, calling for her to join him where the horses were secured. She came, and he could see the anger in her eyes. "He wanted to go instead of me," she said in a low voice as she stood close to Hex, checking the adjustment on the horses' girths. "He thought that here alone, I could take the sellswords by surprise and escape. Or drug their tea - it would be easy enough without your friend to watch me like a hawk. But he wouldn't take the drugs to use on the guards himself." "And calling him a foolish old man did not change his mind?" Hex asked. "Remarkable. Does he have some moral opposition to poison or is it freedom that troubles him so?" "Freedom without me does," she still, still clearly cross. "He insists that we must escape together or not at all. And I ... " She broke up, the colour rising in her pale cjheeks, which she tried to cover by slapping down the saddle flap and moving away. "There - ready now for the journey." "Best check the hooves," Hex responded. "They'll be skittish on the ferry, best to get them used to being touched, blinds in case they panic on the ramp, and it will save time if we tie hobbles in advance. Lengths of rope about this long," Hex held his hands about a yard apart. "With a noose on one end, to tie at their ankles." ~Or whatever else,~ Hex thought to himself. ~A noose could be a handy thing.~ Gwendla nodded at his words and moved to the cart to begin to check things. Continuing more quietly, Hex said. "As to the other, will he not agree to dispatch his guards and come to "save" you in Marshend? He can move faster along the main road than we can by ferry." "You or I could," she answered. "But he is old, and has been injured. The road would be hard for him - unless he would agree to slip away into the marshes. And he refuses." "Can you "escape" once the ferry is under way and return to dispatch the guards?" Hex asked. "We've both known this would end in blood. We could force the issue in Marshend, but if one of them escapes to warn the guards, we may not make it back in time to save him." "I can try," said Gwendla - her clear dark eyes turning as she looked at him fully. "Do you think that will be our best hope of freedom?" "No," Hex answered simply before continuing. "Marshend is not the barbaric outpost I've presented to Thelbane. The good people will not take well to a dornish leading a woman around on a rope. If you create a scene once we're in sight of a town guard, I expect we'll be arrested and a patrol will be sent to retrieve the old man." "But, that requires patience and faith in Marshend's good intentions. Jumping ship and coming back on your own requires only faith in yourself." Gwendla looked at him earnestly. "And you - would you be safe of we did that?" She shook her head. "TYou saved our loves back in the marshes, Dornish. It;s thanks to you alone that we're alive now. I'll escape, but not at the cost of your life." She smiled at him. "I think we're ready to go." "Aye," Hex answered. "I can't think of anything else to delay our trip. Wait until we see town guards in town, or at least until we're in a big crowd, and get stropy. I'll do the rest." "If it will help your performance," Hex added with a quick smile. "Picture me as an old crannog man." The whispered conversation over, and the horses tended, Hex returned to Thelbane. "The cargo is ready whenever you are." Mounting his horse, Hex added as an afterthought. "The old man thinks I've made a whore of the woman. And she seems to mistake expediency for love. Shouldn't be any trouble once they're separated." Darcy Thelbance gave a snort as he mounted. "Which way should we take to this lakeland port of yours - where we can take to the water?" The way followed a winding route through the hills; they would come to the lake itself by mid-morning. As they set out, Darcy rode close to the wagon the Hex was driving, with Gwendla at his side. "Tell her to walk a while," he said. "Or she can ride double with one of my mean. You and I need to talk." Hex spoke to Gwendla without turning his head. "Get out." Turning back to Thelbane, he said. "She can walk, the wagon won't win any bouquets for speed." Gwendla leapt down with no further urging and began to trudge behind the wagon. Darcy rode closer to the wagon itself. "Have you given any more thought to the idea of taking anything we gain here to market, to find the best buyer?" he asked, his voice low. "Well," Hex replied. "It's been a long ride and one must keep the mind occupied or the hands fall to mischief. I believe it still falls to the identity of the first purchaser and their motivation. If the buyer is merely thirsty, he will pay no more for a fine vintage than he would for rain water and an auction will accomplish little. If, however, he wishes to purchase a particular bottle to keep it from the hands of another conniseur, or for resale at a later date there is ample room for negotiation." Darcy frowned at him. "I wasn't talking about your wine," he began, irritated, but one of his guards raised his hand in warning. "THere's been a fight here. We should check, Sir." Gwendla had fallen a little behind the wagon as she walked. "Very well," said Thelbane. He pointed with his riding crop to a cluster of bushes. "That's where I'd set an ambush." "Keen men," Hex said, setting his bow beside him on the riding board of the wagon. "And quite right, sorry to prattle on about wine. In terms of your auction, there's little enough to plan unless I know the original buyer or why he wants this particular woman." Thelbane nodded. "For the moment," he said, "let's see if we can discover what this fight was about. Draw up the wagon here - you'll be out of bow-shot. I'll go on ahead." And he suited the action to the word, moving cautiously forward with two of his men. No attack came, even as they approached the bushes and, after a moment, Thelbane turned and signalled Hex to join him. Hex secured the reins and pulled a lever to secure the wheels of the wagon. Picking up his bow, he jumped lightly to the ground. As he slipped his shield over his left arm, he looked back towards Gwendla to confirm her location. He shrugged the bow over his right shoulder, and adjusted his quiver for easy access. Crossing to Thelbane, Hex said. "So is it ambush or picnic? Either one would add some spice to the day." "It may have started as a picnic," said Thelbane. "Look - there's a mark here on the ground - I'd say a wagon rested here overnight. And a campfire - a group then. That's too big for just the occupants of a single wagon. If wescouted, I think we'd find where they hobbled the horses overnight too." "And the horses may tell us better how many there were. I'll check the camp site again they may have buried their trash, if you want to start a circular search pattern." Hex replied. "I'll get the woman to help me, and then join you in the search." It seemed there had been quite a gathering here - perhaps between ten and twenty all told. And one of the men pointed out a small print among the morass - a small woman, perhaps, or a child. But someone else had spotted a track of another kind. "Not a dog," said Thelbane staring at it. "Although they certainly had at least one dog with them. "But no. Not a dog." It was probable that Darcy Thelbane knew the pawprint as well as did Hex himself ... the mark of a Shadowcat. Hex dropped to a squat examining the camp site. "Woman," he called out to Gwendla. "Bring me that waterskin." While he waited for the crannog to approach, he stayed in place using his bow to move the odd leaf or twig to better see the tracks in the forest floor. While he made no claim to expert woodscraft, Hex had hired enough trackers during his time with the Mummers to give a passing impersonation. Hex continued to delay to give Gwendla the opportunity to review the remains of the camp site, he offered to Thelbane. "At least ten, maybe twice that. Hard to say the way they moved around, tracks crossing over each other.. And that one," Hex pointed with his bow. "Big cat. Get your men to check the area for scat, the cat'll have clawed the ground up to cover it. I wager there's no fur and few bones in it. The way the cat's tracks mingle with the rest, it was here at the same time. So it's probably tame, hand fed from the camp's supplies." "Cat tracks are around the girl a lot, so are the dogs." Hex moved the bow. "See here, that's a girl or a dainty woman. But the camp's laid out pretty rough for a lady fair, looks like they slept on the ground. How old's your wolf woman, Thelbane? And how certain the wolf?" "Dog tracks," Hex waved the bow, taking in the various paw prints. "A big dog will pass for a small wolf in the dark." The dornishman flashed a quick grin. "Or if it's trying to take out your throat. For that matter, dogs will breed with wolves. The pups will chase a stick as well as any pure hound, until it learns it's master is made of meat. But if someone can tame a big cat, or dogs enough to allow a cat to walk among the camp without blood shed ... Does that sound like someone who could train a wolf, Darcy?" Hex stood up and offered a quick rueful grin to Thelbane. "Perhaps I was too quick to judgement, Thelbane. Perhaps your wolf woman is not a fairy tale after all. Just a skilled animal trainer.Have you heard of any travelling carnivals or tourneys? Someplace to provide an audience or a market for trained animals?" "Why wouldn't she be travelling alone?" Hex said, more to himself. "The larger the group, the more eyes to see her and lips to whisper. Does she know the price on her head?" Hex slipped his bow over his shoulder, and removed his helmet. Running his fingers though his hair, he continued speaking. "She must, or she'd have been caught long before now." Hex paused to consider. ~A lady who can afford 20 guards would not be sleeping on the bare ground,~ he thought. ~But the animals mark her like a brand. Surely she could only trust two or three more people not to turn her over to Thelbane or the next band of bounty hunters.~ "Do you think she's already been caught, Thelbane?" Hex asked the other man. "Ten men trump your five, but tracking a group this size will be a child's task. And if they don't know you as a competitor, we may create the opportunity to spirit her away.They may even welcome us in as we'd provide coverage to them as I do to you." "What do you say, Darcy? Hex finished. "If we make our way to the village, this trail just gets colder. To Marshend and investigation or gamble there's a second woman with a penchant for animal husbandry travelling the fens?" "To Marshend," said Darcy Thelbane grimly. "Take the crannog up with you - we'll do our best to make good time." One of the men let out a call - he could see which way the tracks were going ... "Steadfast," Hex responded. "I value a man who doesn't change a plan in the face of changing circumstances." The dornishman then raised his shield high to signal the man who had cried out, calling. "Soldier! What do you see?" "Tracks, Dornish!" the man shouted back. "Heading this way!" He pointed towards the distant Marshend. Gwendla had caught up with the wagon and swung herself aboard. They made good time for most of the morning. But by late morning they cam to a little rise and saw a small stream ahead in the distance. A wagon seemed to have drawn up there, and a group of armed men were surrounding it. Hex slowed the wagon, though did not bring the team to a complete halt. Speaking to Thelbane, Hex asked. "Shall we palaver, Darcy, or ride around them?" "We nmay not have a choice," said Thelbane. "They've spotted us." As they approached, Niko motioned for his men to stay back, and cautiously approached close enough to be heard. As usual, he looked far more imposing from far away than close up, his physique being that of an almost grown man, but he face lacking the hardness of feature that could only be gained with age. His long hair tinkled with the sound of bells as he approached- in the manner of the Dothraki. But this youth was no Dothraki, and his hair was not braided. To add to the confusion, he was armored and armed more like the legions of the Free Cities. "Hail," he greeted them, looking steadily at both, "and well met." "Hail, indeed," Hex replied with a friendly smile while he considered the man before him. The dornishman noted the rider was well armed, with arms and armour well maintained. But Hex had spent enough time as a squire polishing sword and plate mail to assume a man who bore arms also maintained them. Younger than the other guards, but clearly in command. ~A young lord playing at knight?~ Hex wondered, as he asked. "Can we be of any assistance, ser?" "Nay," Niko answered. "Thank you for the offer of help, but I think we have it well in hand. I just wanted to warn you before you came too far- the water seems a bit difficult for a wagon to navigate. We are almost done, and will leave you to your crossing soon enough," he said amiably. "But two wagons would almost certainly spell trouble at that ford." "And it is just Niko," he finished. "Perhaps," Hex answered. "Though if we share the horses and take them across one at a time, each of us is less likely to founder. To be honest, we'd be glad to have the company. This trail can be dangerous for a merchant. In fact, we passed what our man there says may have been an ambush a way back." Turning a cautioning eye to Thelbane, Hex continued. "And it's been a long ride north. It would be a pleasure to hear someone else's stories instead of our same old lies for a change. I've not been gone south for a year now." Smiling, he turned back to the rider. "It would be good to catch up on the local gossip before I get to town. Wouldn't do if I ask my best customer 'how's the wife and children' only to hear that she's left him for bravosi fish monger." Niko thought for a moment. "That sounds reasonable," he said finally, "Though I would have to check with the Steward first," he said, a bit warily. "And I doubt that we would have any interesting gossip for fodder," he finished. "But in any case, let us ride back to our fellows, and see what the Steward has to say about your idea," he said. Nodding to the merchant, he sidled his mount toawards his fellows, and after conferring for a moment, they rode back towards the stream- though halfway there, one of them broke off to keep watch on the newcomers. Hex's eyes followed the young rider back to his wagon. Without looking away, Hex said. "Friendly fellow, nice of him to leave a minder so we don't feel lonely. I don't suppose you fathered any b astards among the Dothraki, Thelbane? Or do you think he's worried about what a stranger's eyes might see in their little band?" ~He defers easily to the steward,~ Hex thought. ~Not a high born son, then.~ |
