Redeemed

Ch. 14

When Nourse walked into the mess tent during lunch, I could tell my afternoon plans were about to change.

"I've been charged with a mission," said Nourse, slapping a letter down on the table.

"How does that affect me?" I asked, scanning the letter. It was written in Marduk's neat, cursive scrawl:

The flower returns. Bring the bird with you.

"Who's the bird?" I asked, handing the letter back.

"You. Finish your food. We leave now."

When Nourse said now, he meant now. Grabbing a roll, I walked out of the tent to find Nourse mounted and holding the reins to a brown gelding. Both horses carried a small bundle of supplies for the journey. Unbeknownst to me, servants had been preparing everything we would need.

As I mounted, I reflected on my code name. The bird. It was not the most flashy name, but there was a certain appeal to being compared to a bird, a creature that could fly anywhere it desired. The real question was what kind of bird Marduk thought I was. Perhaps a hawk, or a falcon. Or maybe an eagle with a giant wingspan and great strength. Whichever bird it was, it definitely had to be a bird of prey.

Yes, Thea, only a bird of prey would kill. The man whose life I took flashed across my eyes. I blinked hard, shaking the image away. I had sworn an oath to serve Marduk and his cause, and part of that oath included fighting those against his ways. My life had purpose now. Why, then, did that day still haunt me? No matter, I would not let that affect my performance on this mission, my first as a full-fledged member.

"What's the rush?" I asked as we trotted through the tunnel toward the entrance. Nourse waited until we had cleared the tunnel and started down the mountain before replying.

"We're looking for a flower that only blooms for a week in the early summer. We call it Dayspring."

"And why do we have to get it?"

"Only two people in the camp know of the flower's location. Me and Marduk. It is a rare and valuable plant, used for medicinal purposes. It's a two day ride to its location." Nourse glanced at my face, reading the question my raised eyebrows held. "You should be honored that Marduk asked you to accompany me. He obviously thinks highly of you and your abilities to share its location with you."

Warmth spread from my stomach to my ears. Marduk had been gone quite a bit since I started training, leaving again only a day after I swore my oath, but he still trusted me enough to send me on this mission. His words from our first dinner together rang in my ears, "You are everything." I still didn't really know what he meant by that, but maybe this mission would reveal something. At the very least, I could start fulfilling my oath.

With the sun shining and a slight breeze blowing to take the edge off the heat, we rode through the mountain range. I tried asking Nourse various questions, but after he only responded with a word or two, I decided he wasn't in the mood for talking, and I found other ways to pass the time.

After about a century had passed, during which time I counted 587 butterflies, 3,247 yellow daisies, and 94 bird shaped clouds, we came to a low-rising mountain covered with fog. I squinted to see the summit through the gray and dying light but could make out nothing. Nourse reined in his horse.

"Strange weather, huh?" I asked, nodding at the mountain.

"The flower lives near the top," said Nourse. "The fog helps it grow. We still have a few more hours of riding left before we stop. I suggest you unpack your cloak to protect against the damp before we begin." Quite the speech from one who was as cold as this weather.