Wednesday, February 8, 2012

Story 1: Chapter 1

The following is a draft of a story I'm currently writing.  I wanted to post it to receive feedback.  Please enjoy.

Story 1
Chapter 1
“The first step in any good recipe is gathering the ingredients.”



The door to the tavern flew open as Salla Frindane entered the Moon’s Coin.  The building had a sign of a silver piece cut in the shape of a moon.  Probably to suggest how cheap their drinks are, Salla thought.  The female swordswoman quickly glared at all the tavern customers causing them to quickly turn away and resume their business.   Salla usually did make an entrance, but she never liked the attention.  I have to remain calm there is a prospective buyer for my services.  Then again, maybe he will see the fire and spirit that I bring and consider me a better candidate. 
            Salla took out the note from her belt pouch and read it over again. It said to look for a man in red robes at the Moon’s Coin.  The note also said that only female adventurers need apply.  Well, if the man wanted to try anything suspicious, Salla would be ready with a dagger through his hand.  Maybe he’s just one of those eccentric types, or maybe he thinks that women mercenaries were cheaper than men.  But for four hundred gold pieces she would ignore these mild details and just keep up her guard.
            She saw the red robed man sitting at a table in the corner of the inn.  He was eating a steak and some bread with cheese and talking to a young woman dressed in simple leathers.  Probably my competition.  The swordswoman hurried over and sat in the unoccupied seat.   
            “Look, you shouldn’t hire this girl.  It looks like she can barely hold a sword.  Now, I’ve been a skilled mercenary for five years now, trained since birth by my parents.” Salla blurted before she could think.
            The red robed man turned to her and stopped his conversation with the other woman.  He had black hair and piercing green eyes that evaluated her in a few seconds.  “How rude of you to interrupt my conversation,” he said, “but I like your initiative.  There’s more than one spot available for this adventure.  Relax and I will get to you in a minute.”
            Salla blushed, but whether from her rash behavior or the man’s compliment she did not know.  She waved to the bar keep for a local ale and a small serving of ham and bread.  The journey to this small town had taken a long time and she had not had anything to eat since morning.  A serving girl, a young blonde with pigtails, placed the food in front of her and took a few coppers.  Quietly, she ate her meal and listened to the conversation.
            “So you’re a rogue from Calias.  Do you have any special skills?”  The man asked. 
            The woman from Calias looked younger than Salla, her blond hair was shorter and her complexion was much darker.  She paused for a second and thought about his question.  She pulled out a dagger and threw it at the dartboard on the far side of the room.  It stabbed into the bull’s-eye and startled the dart players there. 
            “Great, but I’ve met many rogues who could hit targets like that.”  In an instant the young woman pulled more daggers from secret pockets in her sleeves, and threw two more of her long knives touching the first dagger.  Salla was impressed by her speed and accuracy.
            “I can also pick most locks and can use a bow just as well,” the woman answered. 
            “Very well.  You are hired, Miss Arana Shevian.  You’ll be the rogue for my group.  Here is 20 gold up front for any expenses that you will require.”
            “Make it 30 gold, and we have a deal.”  Arana reached her hand out.
            The red robed man narrowed his eyes and sighed.  “Women,” he muttered.  “Okay, the deal is agreed upon,” he added a handful of coins into a brown pouch and handed it to Arana.  “We start tomorrow around midafternoon.  I’ve also rented a room at the Fancy Cloud Inn for you and this woman if she joins as well. ”


            “No need, I have other arrangements.”  And with that the rogue left the tavern.
            “She might be more trouble than she’s worth.”  He placed a napkin over his unfinished steak and left a few silvers on the table.  “Not easy to digest, this steak.  Needs more sauce and its far more cooked than I would have liked.  Now for you, Miss--?”
            “Salla Frindane, wandering knight and mercenary.  And you are?” 
            “Izarin Pendren,” he gave a short nod.  “I’ll be the leader of the group but you can handle all the battles should we encounter any.  I’ll give you thirty gold pieces upfront but all your meals and provisions are up to you.  Do we have a deal?”
            “First I need some details.  What is it we’re searching for? 
            “I’d rather not go into the full story, but,” he paused and rubbed the stubble on his chin, “we need to get ingredients for something I’m working on.  Somewhat hard to find, magical ingredients.   The first is in the Firebreath Mountains, a particular herb that requires proper cultivation.  After that, well, let’s talk about that in the morning.”       
            Salla Frindane nodded, accepted the coins that Izarin offered and retired to her room in the inn.  The accommodations were poorer than what she expected from a town this large, but because of her long travel across three towns, she fell asleep in a few moments.  She took as much rest as she could because she would probably need it for whatever strange things the man would ask her to do.

            ~~~

            Outside the village were fields and farmlands with large paved roads that bisected the openness.  Far in the distance to the northeast was a large mountain range occasionally one of these mountains had fiery rivulets streaming from its peak. 
            “What path should we take?  There are two roads that lead to the Firebreath Mountains, one is longer but more traveled and.  It should be safer.   The other path to the east is shorter but more hazardous.”
            “Well, the longer path will give me more time to gather herbs.  But I don’t want to concern myself with the details.  I’ll leave it up to you two.”  The thief shrugged at this and just waved a hand in dismissal.  “Well, I guess you can make the choice then, Miss Frindane.”
             “Just Salla.  No need to be too formal with me.  But why do you trust us so quickly?”  She had not meant to say the last part out loud but it escaped her lips. 
            “I can sense that you two are trustworthy.  Call it intuition, but I believe you’ll honor our contract, Salla.”  Izarin smiled. 
            Izarin had arranged for a few horses for the trio to ride.  The robed man’s white horse looked to be of a better breed than Salla’s and Arana’s grey mares.  The women’s horses were shorter and stouter and looked like donkeys in comparison.  He also arranged for traveling gear and enough provisions to last for a few weeks.  How long exactly would their little adventure be?
            “Two weeks, maybe three at the most.  It depends on how long it takes to find the ingredients.  I suppose the second ingredient should be the most difficult to obtain but we’ll get there when we get there.”  Salla needed to guard her mouth more closely.  Who knew what secrets she might divulge?  “Do you have anything to add, Arana?”
            “No, Lord Pendren.  I don’t really like to talk.”  Arana sped up her horse and galloped out of their range. 
            “Lord Pendren?” Salla asked.
            “Caliasans usually talk in that manner, always proper using titles and last names with their employers.  Though I doubt she would use the same honorifics with you.”
            “And why not?”
            “She’ll see you as someone that’s on her level which means you get a stronger sense of familiarity to share with each other.” Izarin adjusted his long sleeves.  “Miss Shevian is a peculiar girl.”
            “Aren’t we all peculiar?  We should hurry up then, there’s a good campsite we can reach if we push our horses a little.”  Salla kicked her horse into a gallop and followed after the rogue.
            Izarin simply smiled and followed after his new companions.
            ~~~
            It was midday but the sun had been covered by a few clouds that blocked off the light making it seem like they had spent a lot more time travelling than a few hours.  If Salla had had a horse when she made the trip to this town, it would have only taken her a day.  And she wouldn’t have had to rough it, clutching her sword tightly in her sleep.  There was a strange calming effect that came from travelling with these two; having comrades was comforting even if they were strangers.
            The campfire in the small hollow they found had been used by many travelers.  Salla remembered this spot because she had used it the day previous when she journeyed to meet Izarin.
            “Why did you put out these fliers for only women adventurers, Izarin?  Did you think that we’d be easier to control or maybe cost less than a male adventurer?”  There was no hate in her voice; instead her words were tempered with curiosity.
           “I have hired many people on my travels, Miss Frindane.  All kinds of people from different races, genders and nations.  It is in my experience that, women are better, in general, in separating their emotion from their task, but are quick to show compassion when needed.  Men will, more often than not, stick to a sense of duty and fulfill the objective no matter the cost.  We are not out to save the world, Salla.  I don’t need heroes where I am going.  And I would much rather journey with friendlier companions than cold battle hardened warriors.”  He gave her his most heartening smile.
            “You’ve assigned me with details, battle should we engage in it, as well as other details.  So I have to ask you, Izarin, if you can defend yourself if we get attacked.”
            “I can handle myself just fine, Salla.  If I really have to fight, then I will.  Don’t worry about me.”
            She nodded.  Good.  Her employer seemed to have a reasonable head on his shoulders. 
            Izarin knelt beside a small pot filled with a deep brown stew made with different meats and vegetables he took out from his saddle bags.  He stirred the pot with a wooden ladle and threw in a pinch of different herbs.  Some needed to be crushed in a tiny mortar and pestle, others he simply pulled and shredded with deft fingers. 
            Normally it would take an hour for a stew to boil and simmer but somehow Izarin had managed to get it started in only 10 minutes.  Perhaps the red robed man knew some trick to keeping the wood a high temperature.  Salla hadn’t been paying attention, but the rumbling of her stomach colored her cheeks and made her stare at the stew.
            He ladled some of the stew into three ceramic bowls and passed them out to Salla and Arana.  The thief took her bowl, nodded to Izarin and sat down on a faraway log.  She ate her stew in silence.
            “If you don’t mind, Izarin, I would like to ask more questions about this job.”  Salla took one of the bowls and sat across from the man in charge.  She didn’t know if it was hunger, but the stew tasted like the best meal she had eaten in a while. 
            “Sure, go ahead.”
            “Could you tell me about yourself?”
            “What you see is who I am.  I used to be an adventurer when I was younger, but I’ve settled down now, I still travel now and then especially when I have need of ingredients.”  He scratched the stubble on his chin.  “I’m no one of particular interest.”
            “I see.  And these ingredients we’re looking for.  What exactly are they used for?  Some alchemical potion or evil ritual?”
            “Nothing for evil purposes, I can assure you.”
            Salla thought we would speak more of the subject, but Izarin was tightlipped.     
“I only have you to talk to, boss.  It doesn’t seem like the thief is the type for conversation.”
“Don’t worry, I’m sure she’ll open up with time.  I know the type.”  There was a slight gleam in his eyes.  Izarin began to clean up the camp.
With their stew finished, the trio mounted their horses and set off once more towards the mountains.

~~~

            “Give us all your valuables and you will be harmed.”  The bandit grinned.  There were gaps in his teeth and Salla wanted to laugh.  The bandit leader’s wicked curved sword, a massive thing with a serrated edge made her reconsider.
            “Don’t you mean ‘or you will be harmed?’” Salla asked. 
            “No, little girl.  We’ll harm you whatever you do.  But help us out and remove your valuables so we don’t have to do the messy business of searching your corpses.”  The bandit leader turned to his group of bandits, six well-armed and well armored men. 
            If Salla and her group each took two of the men and the bandits were unskilled in combat, she could see success.  Salla was not accustomed to fighting on horseback so she got off her horse and stood in front of the lead bandit.  She saw that Arana had also stood on her own feet.  It was said that rogues from Calias could strike with swiftness faster than a lancer could charge on horseback.  She would have liked to witness it, but she could not afford to divide her attention. 
            Izarin, however, remained sitting atop his mount.  He looked at the swordswoman, “Think of this as your first test.  Show me what you’ve got Miss Frindane.”  It was easy for him to act all high and mighty when safe on horseback away from the fighting.
            With a graceful flourish Salla unsheathed her sword and slashed at the bandit leader.  Her movement was so fast that it caught him off guard and cut off his sword arm.  The bandit leader crumpled to his knees, clutched his stump and screamed.  Using her other hand she pulled out a dagger and threw it at another bandit.  It caught him between the eyes and the blood that trickled out ran along an old scar he had on his face.
            She moved her sword to block an attack from the third bandit, barely in time, and was staggered by the attack.  He used the full force of his body to launch himself and his dull broadsword at Salla.  She kicked out at the fourth bandit who sought to take advantage of the opportunity, and then repaid his attack with her sword in the unlucky thug’s stomach. 
            The swordswoman threw her other dagger at the third bandit but he had enough time to dodge out of the way.  She parried and twirled out of the bandit’s powerful attack, which again used too much upper body strength, and then struck him with her sword.  He collapsed on the ground and pulled Salla’s sword down with his weight.  She turned and saw the bandit leader charging towards her with venomous fury.
            Fiery light spilled out of the air and encircled the bandit leader engulfing him in magic.  He burned instantaneously and left only a pile of black dust. 
            Salla yanked her sword free from the dead bandit and surveyed the scene.  Arana was looting through the corpses of the bandits she had killed and was pulling out the numerous daggers as well.  The swordswoman thought she saw have a dozen knife hilts pressed into one of their enemies.  She remounted her horse and turned to the red robed man.
“You’re a wizard?” Salla asked.
“Well I’m not a priest,” he smiled.  “Congratulations you’ve passed the test.”
“But I didn’t hear you saying any magic words.  How did you cast that spell?”
“Magic works in strange ways.  I wouldn’t expect a warrior type to understand that.”  Izarin turned his horse away and began moving away. 
“Who are you really?”
“Just a humble Mage of the Flame.  No one important.”

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