The Long Road To... - 14. Road's End

I came back through the inner gates to find a midday meal and to wait for Thorn at Hestian’s. The last few, uneventful days had been good, but after eating, Thorn and I were leaving. No more waiting for Kjartanei, Joachim, and the trading group. We were finally heading out so that I could show Thorn the hill on the way to Greenwater. We might even stay there a few days before checking with Barth on our trading party and leave messages. Thorn said it would be fun to drink with the guys again one last time. No one seemed worried, they had gone toward Greenwater after all.

Thorn opened the door to our room with a smile.

A horn blasted.

His smiled disappeared and we were in our battle armor before we knew it. We met with many others running from the inner town toward the wide, open, outer gates.

I could see a frantically weaving wagon approaching fast. As it careened back and forth, I could see a wheel wobbling, working itself off, and our blue-skinned friend trying to stand with his bow in hand. Trailing were men in colors that I did not recognize.

“What the hell is going on?!” Someone shouted near me.

The reply call came from above us on the wooden wall. “The wagon must have been attached! It’s going to break!”

I could see Kjartanei clumsily loose an arrow towards the gate. At us! Shouts followed outside and the call for the gate to close. Some of the men moved to the side to pull it shut. Thorn and I pushed to the front.

It was too late.

A small troop of the enemy on horse had approached from the side. It was almost between the cart and us. I drew my sword alongside Thorn and moved to block the slowly closing gate. He cried the deepest, loudest war cry I had ever heard.

The first horse though the opening nearly trampled me and pushed Thorn on his back. The second rider dropped off his horse with an arrow in his back. Two more drove past us into the men behind. The shouts and wails of metal meeting metal began.

The mess at the gate caused the few remaining horses to rear back, one dropped its rider when the wagon crashed into the gate. Doriskos jumped out in a flash yelling orders and fighting off two suddenly horseless men. Kjartanei leap from the bed of the wagon onto the wall and scrambled up to an archer’s post. One man from the cart scrambled over the driver’s seat. Joachim fell out the back, dropping my black cloak in the process.

I climbed over to get to him. I heard Doriskos at my side. Joachim slid between us.

“Ambushed! Dozens!”

I could see those troops nearly here.

“A distraction for the horses!”

There were less riders than I supposed. They must have counted on keeping the gates open for the footmen. A few others from the village finally got to us out front.

“Pull the cart out! Close the gate!” Doriskis yelled surging ahead. I went with him, forward to meet the footmen. I heard the shouts and the cries and the clash. I don’t think they expected us to charge or be a challenge or they might have tried a different tactic. Men defending their home and sons fight differently.

Arrows rained down over us and into the enemy’s lines.

Joachim and others splintered to the side catching the last two horsemen by surprise and making room between the battle and the wagon. More of our men had gotten two horses around and had them tied on the back of the crippled cart. They frantically worked to pull it away from the gates to allow it to fully close. I heard the sounds of creaking and snapping wood.

Supported by Kjartanei’s and other archer’s arrows, we slashed into the front line of men. I caught view of a group of three with slightly different dress, they could only be the leaders. They were off to the side holding back defensively in the rear, waiting to see what transpired before charging in. If they had re-enforcements they should have sent them by now. They had none. They were alone. They knew they had made a mistake and did not want to pay for it with their own lives. Sacrificing men for themselves. Cowards.

I heard the crack and turned in time to see one side of the gate collapse onto the wagon. I saw the battle, the gate, and the commanders waiting. With the gate unable to close, they would try to advance inside and toward the smaller, weaker inner gate. I turned quickly to one of the pulling horses, climbed atop, and slashed it’s tether free. With no more thought, I kicked it forward after the leaders. If their other troops saw them in full retreat, the battle would collapse. Men do not follow cowards.

They saw me coming fast. An arrow appeared in the shoulder one of them and they turned to run. I finished cutting the slowest one down before they made it to the tree line.

~ ~ ~

I dusted myself off before tugging at my helmet. I looked around at the final two bodies. The sounds of birds were returning. It was over. The village would be safe. The tales of this fight would be told and the village would not be looked on as an easy target of half-men again. Never again.

I wiped the blood from my face and arm. I was tired. These fights, these crazy skirmishes, took more and more out of my old bones now. This place was as good as any to rest, to grow old. I knew it would be tricky for me. Cities, even small villages always gave me anxiety.

I would really try. He deserved it. After all these years of running, fighting, and living day to day, he deserved better. It was time. We could live at the hill and come here or Greenwater. The hill was only a few hours walk either way. A good place for us.
I leaned against a tree and searched for my horse. They had told me that all the horses here were trained to return to the gates if let loose.

It was as good a place as any to search.

I started to walk leaving the corpses for the scavengers. The main clearing was some distance away. I had chased down this last pair on my own. Their, well now, ‘our’ enemies needed to know in no uncertain terms that we meant to stay and to leave us alone.
I passed into the narrow strip of woods and into the shade. The cool shadows refreshed me. My step was steady, but my breath caught. I stopped for a moment to inhale the sweet air.

As I wandered towards the gates, I could see the battered wall. No sound of clashing swords echoed to me, the battle was over. People had not started with the dirty, bloody work of clean-up. Bodies strewn around needed to be sorted, stripped, and brought to flames or buried or left to scavengers. My horse stood next to the other alongside my black cloak in a pile in front of the broken gate. No enemy men in their uniforms were standing. We had indeed won.

I continued to make my way across the open field. There was a small group formed to the side of the horses. I was able to pick out one that I recognized from his blue body markings. Instinctively, I walked toward him.

He was looking down at someone on the ground. My pace quickened. I recognized others in the small group of four around the body. One was kneeling. I was almost at full run.

Even beneath the blue dyes lacing his skin, I could see he had gone pale. The second stood up and put an arm around the third There was only one face that I desperately wanted to see.

I heard my name said gently.

“Talon…”

I knew then.

I shoved the doctor out of the way.

The battered body lay at my feet.

I fell to my knees and touched his head, the part that was still intact. A rumbling started in my gut. I clenched my jaw so hard I thought my teeth would break. I didn’t want to open my mouth for fear of what would come out.

Blood was splashed across his face. The side of his skull that had not been protected by his metal plate was open. His mouth was hung open in what I could only hope had been that last noble war cry.

I reached to his jaw and closed his lips and opened mine.

I bellowed before I could stop myself, but quickly clamped down inside, hard, to freeze that pain.

I heard someone stifle some emotion. I looked up. A face contorted in sorrow. I glanced around at the others. A tear traced its way down blue skin. Our doctor gave no expression. The captain could only look away.

They all knew.

They all knew what he meant to me.

And I hated them all for it.

I stood up and crossed toward the horses.

“Talon?”

I picked up my black cloak from the ground and carried it back.

“Talon…”

I looked one last time at his face before gently covering it with the black fur in my hands.

The rumbling in my gut started again. I swiftly strode to, and mounted my horse.

“Talon!”

Only when I was beyond the trees did I allow myself to scream.