Anew- Book 2

Chapter 25

He's forgotten about the special treatment of being a noble he gets since traveling to Raencalia.

The soldiers look up at him expectantly with pure joy plastered over their faces. The man looks almost too old to be wielding any sort of weapon on a battlefield with his posture, despite him looking younger than Vaeic.

More importantly, why is such a young person working for Kazor, or any army for that matter, as a soldier? All soldiers must come through the University with critical training into their twenties. That adds another layer to Kazor's scene here; the unlawful employment of an untrained person into an army or militia. He can thank Evadon for instating that act only months ago.

Sheyric could use them, though. In this case, they are volunteering to help his cause. If they're volunteering to help him, they definitely didn't do so with Kazor. At least there isn't much left to do. Hopefully.

Sheyric straightens his back, clears his throat, and nods once. "You may. Is there anyone else with you?"
The two soldiers exchange glances. "A handful," the boy replies. "They're hiding somewhere, though. Not sure where."

Sheyric looks at Leiea instinctually. "What are your names?"

"I'm Ennith." he squeaks. "This is Adane." The older man nods politely.

"Follow me."

He walks back around the caravan to the door of it, knowing the soldiers, as well as Leiea, Glennic, and Yeva, will come. He steps into the car to find Vaeic standing next to Kazor. Still in his seat, he looks up from the machete the woman has poised close to his chest.

Vaeic groans when the soldiers walk in behind him, and Kazor's eyes flash with remembrance.

"Traitors," he growls.

Sheyric ignores him and turns to the two. Adane is standing his ground, but Ennith looks to be shaking.

"You must watch him," he instructs Adane in whispers. "Defend yourself with what you have. Blindfold his eyes first, and cover his mouth too if it becomes unbearable. You will stay until morning. Ennith," he turns to the boy now, "You're coming with us."

Adane salutes and walks around him towards Kazor slowly as if he's a rabid dog. Kazor stares Sheyric down with pure malice but stays quiet.

Vaeic backs away from the scene and out the door, Sheyric following and urging the quivering Ennith along.

Leiea is mounting Craith again and helping Glennic and Yeva up as well. Vaeic gets on her own horse and Sheyric sets behind her, then Ennith behind him. They probably should've spared one of the horses driving the caravan.

They ride back leisurely to the group. The weather is quite nice, calming. It doesn't feel like it, but it's already afternoon, and the sun is hidden behind the mountains. A light breeze in the wind ruffles waves of grass for what has to be miles and miles.

A small splatter of blood stands out in the field, the contrast of colors making it highly visible. Who's is it? His? He reaches up to his cheek to find layers of his skin there shredded, slick with blood down to his jaw. He probably should've checked that before meeting with idolaters of his.

They reach the group once more, finding all of them done with their tasks. Ceicy rushes up to them and helps Yeva down from the horse.

"What were you all thinking in jumping out of a moving vehicle?" she scolds with an animated expression of bewilderment. She pauses seeing Ennith but doesn't question it. "Imagine if we had to deal with a dead noble along with an insane one!"

"We can't just politely ask the man to bring it to a stop," Glennic retorts, jumping down as everyone else does. "What's your master plan now, my liege?"

Sheyric hesitates. It's not much of a plan, put together the second the soldiers appeared and bowed to him, but it has to work. Nothing easy will happen if it doesn't.

"Ennith, you have to go back to Florithe," he says, as diplomatic as possible.

The boy goes pale and opens his mouth to argue.

Sheyric stops him with a wave. "You need to deliver a message directly to Evadon. It will require explaining, but she is reasonable and surely on this side of the fight. The message will be ready by morning, and you will go then, and as swiftly as possible. This is an order."

Ennith gulps and nods. "Okay... but... it took weeks to get here in the first place."

"Kazor brought along a whole battalion. On horseback, the time will be cut in half. Bring a friend or two if you wish, but you need to get there."

He nods once again, the look of very forced courage on his face now.

Sheyric looks around at the others, only for his eye to be caught by Leiea yet again. She seems distant, yet only a pace away. The look she had all the time in their trip to Karyk, Galerus, and back home from both. Why must she hurt him with those awakened memories, only sparked by the worried crease between her brows? Why must he continue to remember these unimportant aspects of her, anyway?

He clears his throat. "Let's get back... we need to rest."

Everyone immediately gathers their things and climbs onto their horses. Without so many of the injured needing somewhere to sit, most elect to walk alongside, despite the collective tiredness. Therin beams at Sheyric before sprinting up to Vaeic from behind. It's startling to see him without his signature facial hair. It's even more startling that the nurse doesn't yell at him.

They slowly, silently, make their way back, winding through the dirt paths. The rest of Raencalia must not have any idea what has happened in the last few hours.

"I can house the captives," Vaeic announces as they enter their neighborhood. "I'm the only one qualified to treat them anyway."

She doesn't elaborate, only leading her horse and the five captives across the way to her house. The group gawks at the sight of such buildings, and only Yeva seems to notice the withered framework of what was Tassian in the bonfire.

Ceicy assists Ryn in getting to his own house, having to sit on Craith from his leg. The bandages are already bleeding through, and he looks more than eager to get back.

Glennic bounds up the steps of Leiea's house first and rushes inside. Lorietta trails after him, tugging at the hem of her dress shirt. Sheyric leaves his horse tied by the reins on a post outside the door and goes in.

He's greeted by the overexcited barking of Crevan. The big fox prances at his feet, and Sheyric chuckles. He would stay and play with him, but strange crashing noises coming from his and Glennic's room draws him away.

Sheyric stands in the doorway and watches the stablehand rifle through the contents of a large canvas bag stored underneath the bench bolted to the wall. With the use of one arm, all kinds of items fall out. Finally, he manages to get out a roll of parchment paper and grabs a fountain pen and ink well already on the bench with the same hand. He looks up and curses seeing Sheyric.

"Are you pampered or just cruel to stand there and wait?" he asks, mouth twisting into a smirk.

Sheyric nods dismissively, putting his hand out to take the supplies. "I'm gracious that you know to do this without me asking."

Glennic hands the tools over with a dramatic bow before walking out the door behind him.

Not wanting to go into the main living space- some alone time sounds ideal after a day like this- he kneels on the floor and sets the supplies out on the bench. He flattens the scratchy parchment out with his arm, dips the fountain pen into the midnight blue ink, and starts writing the message to Queen Evadon.

He soon realizes that one average-sized sheet is not even close to enough space to house so much information. Unfortunately, it has to be done anyway. Possibly he could just shrink his handwriting down to size?

He thinks and scribbles down his thoughts and desperate pleas for the next hours, all the while admiring that Glennic didn't bother taking the opportunity to turn his compliment into a lustful remark.