Deeds of Their Past - 6. Chapter Six

Nathan woke to memories of half-remembered dreams, finding himself shaking from the chill of the damp cave. He’d quickly run out of wood during the night, and the fire was long dead. Morning light streamed into the dark alcove. Shouldering his rucksack, he stepped outside and stretched his back. He scanned the area for Brohm, but the big man was nowhere in sight.

“Brohm?”

Only the distant birds echoing among the pines answered his call.

Nathan stepped deeper into the forest, examining the ground for telltale tracks, but the trampled area from the day before made it impossible.

“Brohm!” he yelled out this time.

As before, there was no reply. Nathan wasn’t sure what to do. Should he continue on alone? Was Brohm hurt, or did he decide to make his own way?

After making the decision to stay with Brohm, he was disappointed that he might’ve lost his chance. But he wasn’t about to give up so easily. Aimlessly wandering amid the trees, he scanned for footprints or signs of a struggle, finding neither.

Hearing faint footsteps, he stopped and listened carefully. The sound of crunching rock underfoot came from the forest’s edge along the mountain cliff. He couldn’t see the source, so he snuck his way closer. Two armoured men came into view forty metres away, walking near the hidden cave. They wore black tabards with a red coat of arms. Nathan couldn’t believe they were searching so far from the road, and was angry to know how close they were to finding him.

They spoke in low voices. One man pointed at the jorniberry bushes, and then at the ground, supposedly at the tracks left by Brohm and himself. The other man gazed about the area and Nathan quickly ducked behind a tree. He held still for a moment before peeking out again, and watched the two men head back toward the road.

Without warning, a hand touched his shoulder. Pulling his dagger, he spun around to see Brohm, who took a reflexive step back.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you,” Brohm said.

Nathan regained his composure, sheathing his dagger. “Where were you? I thought you’d left without me.”

“I saw those men coming and hid. I can’t believe they didn’t hear you calling my name.”

Nathan felt very stupid by his actions, and for coming to silly conclusions of Brohm’s disappearance.

“What are the chances that they’d come out this way,” Brohm continued. “We’re gonna have to be careful if we travel the road.”

“I think it would be best if we stayed to the trees today. They’re spaced wide enough apart that they won’t slow us down much.”

Brohm nodded. “Let’s go then. Do you think we’ll make it to Remich before nightfall?”

“I certainly hope so.”

They hiked south, keeping fifty metres distance parallel to the road. The shade helped Brohm stay cool, allowing them to hold a steady pace.

“So, how’d you sleep?” Nathan asked.

“I reckon much better than trying to sleep in a cave, thanks very much.”

Nathan smiled. “Hopefully we’ll be able to sleep in a bed tonight. Remich has an inn that’ll give us safe haven in case trouble arrives.”

“The Black Lamb.”

“You know it?”

“Yuh, I get work through there. Griff’s a good guy.”

Nathan shook his head in disbelief. “It seems we run in similar circles. I’m surprised we haven’t met sooner.”

“Do you go there often?”

“Not really. I travel a lot.”

Brohm nodded. “It’s one of the few places I go when I need some coin.”

“If you don’t mind me asking, what do people hire you for?”

“What do you think?” Brohm flexed an arm, his shirt sleeve straining against bulging muscle. Nathan couldn’t help but stare.

“Some hire me as a bodyguard. Others for intimidation. It’s easy work,” Brohm continued with a grin.

Nathan laughed. “Yeah, I guess that’s appropriate work for you.”

“What about you?”

“Me? I, uh . . .”

He had no idea what Brohm’s reaction would be, but glancing over to the big man’s peculiarly disarming grin, found himself willing to spill his secret.

“I have a knack of getting rid of people, for good.”

Brohm didn’t miss a beat. “So, like an assassin for hire?”

“Yeah . . .”

“Interesting. I’ve never met someone like you before. Are you good at what you do?”

“I’d like to think so. I tend to use poisons rather than physical means. If it’s done right, poison can go undetected, and folk will assume they died from natural causes.”

“Sneaky. I like it.”

And just like that, Nathan exposed himself to someone he barely knew, and his reaction was nothing he could’ve expected. He mused if they were fated to meet. The idea of having a friend to confide in, and accept him for what he did, brought a smile to his face.

“Get down!”

The big man tackled him to the ground, falling alongside and holding him down with an arm across his back. Trying to catch his breath, Nathan followed Brohm’s finger pointing toward the road. A patrol of six armoured horsemen rode into view, heading north toward Helmsley Keep.

The two watched in silence, keeping low and still. The horsemen, despite scanning the area with great care, passed without stopping. Regardless, Brohm held him down until they were out of view over a small ridge. Letting out a sigh of relief, he stood up and offered his hand to Nathan. He took it, and with no effort, the big man pulled him to his feet.

“Sorry for bringing you down so hard,” he said with a sheepish grin.

“I deserved it. It’s good someone was paying attention.”

Brohm’s grin widened. “I just happened to see movement in the corner of my eye.”

That said, they brushed themselves off and continued south with wary eyes toward the road.

* * *

The day passed without incident, and in relative silence. Reaching the grassy foothills outside Remich, the moon sat large just above the distant hills, lighting their way and casting long shadows behind them. The night air grew especially chilly, and Nathan donned his cloak with the hood pulled up.

He remained deep in thought for most of the day, reminiscing about his past, the choices he’d made, and the outcome that resulted from those choices. He dreamt of a future without regret. One where he could live his life without fear of retaliation. He realized more than ever he wanted a clean slate to try again, yet with all his knowledge intact.

Brohm seemed content in walking without a need to fill the quiet with idle banter. Nathan appreciated that, noting his respect for the man grew every passing day.

Upon reaching the walled town, they stopped at a massive wooden door flanked by two large torches. Shielding their eyes from the glare, they looked up at the guard standing in a parapet above the doorway.

“What’s your business?” His voice was gruff and tired.

“Hullo, good sir.” Brohm called out, taking the initiative. “Me and my fellow here are just looking for an inn to rest our weary feet.”

The guard examined them again closely, as if attempting to read their intentions. “Very well, but I don’t want any trouble.”

The gatekeeper called back to someone within the walled structure, and after a moment, the door creaked opened to reveal two more guardsmen. Nathan kept his hood up, walking silently, while Brohm nodded to the men as they passed. Their grim faces offered no such pleasantries in return. Stepping into the town proper, Brohm gave his belly a quick rub.

“It’ll be nice to get some food in here. I don’t reckon I recall the last time I ate a proper meal,” he said, concern crossing his face.

Nathan grinned. “I’m hungry too. Come on, let’s get to the inn.”

They hurried along the main street, passing by flocks of people, mostly drunk. Their boisterous laughter echoed off the buildings, travelling farther in the night air. Within another throng, Nathan caught sight two men of the town watch, one holding a lantern to banish the shadows. Without raising suspicion, he nudged Brohm, gesturing for him to follow into a dark alleyway. They stepped back a fair way, holding their backs flat to the wall, and allowed the patrol to pass.

“Why are we hiding?” Brohm whispered.

“We don’t know if anyone here’s been notified of our escape. It’s best to keep out of sight from the guards.”

“But what about those gatekeepers?”

“As odd as it sound, they’re often not told anything. They just keep a semblance of order.”

He peeked out to make sure the patrol was out of sight, and they continued their way to the inn. Once the building came into view, they could hear the usual din from within. Nathan pulled back his hood and opened the door, blasted by the noise multiplied ten-fold. It was a mixture of laughter, yelling, and lively music. With much help from Brohm, they shouldered their way through the crowd, finally making it to the bar.

A barmaid came up to them, yelling in their ear. “Whadda ya’ll have?”

“Is the kitchen still open?” Nathan asked.

“Sorry, hon. It closed hours ago. Anything left will be bone cold.”

“We’ll take whatever you’ve got.”

She eyed them suspiciously. “You sure?”

“That, and the biggest tankard you’ve got,” Brohm added, nodding vigorously with wide eyes.

The barmaid shrugged. “Okay, gimme a moment.”

Nathan glanced down the bar and saw Griff, the owner. He waved to get the thin man’s attention, but he was clearly busy with other patrons. A few minutes later, the barmaid returned with two plates of food.

“Beef stew, and I found a loaf of bread,” she said.

“Thanks,” Nathan said.

“I’ll get your ales.”

Brohm took the loaf and ripped it in two, handing half to Nathan, and then tucked into his food. Nathan followed suit, and despite being cold, it was delicious. The barmaid returned with two brimming tankards. Both men, their mouths full, nodded their thanks. Picking up their ales in unison, Brohm took the opportunity to clank their tankards, accidentally splashing ale onto Nathan’s cold meal.

“Oops,” Brohm said with a toothy grin. “Eh, it’ll be fine.”

“Oh, really?” Nathan offered his own mischievous smile and splashed ale onto Brohm’s plate.

“Come on! Was that really necessary?” Brohm playfully knocked Nathan’s shoulder, forgetting his own strength and nearly pushed him off his seat. Both men laughed raucously.

“Well, look what we have here.”

They looked over to find Griff swagger toward them.

“You two’ve got balls coming here, you know that?” he said with a sly grin.

Nathan and Brohm exchanged worried glances, and Griff leaned onto the bar to speak closely to them.

“You do know you’re wanted men, right?”

“I assumed, but wasn’t entirely sure how far the news had spread,” Nathan muttered, spying over his shoulder at the boisterous crowd.

“And you’re wanted by Lord Helmsley, of all people,” Griff continued. “Gods! I’d expect something like that from ol’ Brohm here. But you, Nathan? I thought you were better than that.”

Nathan shrugged. “Had I known my actions would’ve upset him so much, I would’ve—”

“Upset him? It’s said the man is livid with rage, and has an entire king’s army looking for you two.”

“The army?” Brohm said, glancing nervously at Nathan.

“He’s exaggerating.”

“I’m not exaggerating,” Griff said. “There’s a lot of men out there looking for you two.”

“We’re not planning on sticking around,” Nathan said. “Just stopping for the night. I hope you have some rooms left.”

“Eh, just one left. Sorry boys. You’ll have to flip a coin.”

Nathan shook his head. “Brohm, you take the bed. I’ll sleep on the floor.”

“No no no, I’m fine on the floor. I have extra cushioning,” the big man said with a laugh, thumbing at his behind.

“Just take the bed,” Nathan said firmly.

Griff laughed. “Gods, you two are like an old married couple.”

Their heads spun quickly to stare at each other incredulously.

* * *

After Nathan paid for their room and board, they swam through the throng of patrons and headed up to the second floor. The room was small, but adequate for their needs. Nathan lit an oil lamp, turning it down to just a flicker while Brohm untied and kicked off his boots. The big man flopped onto the bed and its wooden frame groaned from the unexpected weight.

The sudden shift from the noise of downstairs to the relative quiet of their room had a calming effect, and Nathan suddenly felt very tired. Using his rucksack as a pillow, he lay down on the rough-hewn wooden floor.

“What are we going to do?” Brohm asked, a hint of hopelessness in his voice.

Nathan admittedly felt overwhelmed by the past few days, knowing their plight was far from over. He weighed their options but came back empty-handed.

“I don’t know,” he said finally. “We’ll have to stay low somewhere. Do you know a place we could hide?”

There was no reply. He rose up to find Brohm fast asleep. His massive chest rose and fell, his breathing slow and steady. Clearly, the big man was exhausted. Laying back down again, Nathan closed his eyes and tried to calm his racing mind. Concentrating on the smooth rhythm of Brohm’s breathing, he soon found the sleep he so desperately wanted.