Love and Other Magical Adventures

seven

The next day we were drawn further North, so that's where we went. Both Grimmer and I experienced the insistent sort of tugging that led us to where we were needed. To ignore it only made it stronger, and we had learned long ago to follow the pull.

It soon became evident where our assistance was required; as we flew over a clearing we could see the cage on wheels below. We were beyond them even as they looked up, leaving them only a glimpse of us overhead.

"We have to help them." Sylvie's voice so close to my ear left me momentarily distracted, but the urgency kept me focused.

"We will," I said, as Grim decided on a good landing spot and began our descent. "Hold on."

Her arms around me tightened, sending a thrill through me that I tried to ignore, and then we were on the ground. "There were six of them," she said of the captors, her brow furrowed. "But we have to do something."

"It won't be a problem," I reassured her. I could only imagine how upsetting it must be for her to see others caged. "It'll be some cowardly human men, watch." They would be on their way to the nearest underground market, because even though trafficking of bipedal beings and certain creatures was illegal in the land, there were few lawfolk to uphold it, and some people are inherently evil. "We can handle them, easy."

"If they give us too much trouble, I'll eat them," Grim said cheerfully as we set off toward them, trying to assuage her concern. "Joking," he added when he remembered her fear of dragons. Be careful, he sent to me more seriously. He meant in general, but also specifically because she was a distraction to me.

I'll try to not get her killed, I sent back, a shot at myself.

Hey, he chided, sorrow darkening his aura. That only made me feel worse. It wasn't your fault.

But we both knew I didn't believe that so I just waved him off. "You can hang back," I offered Sylvie, hoping she would. "We do this all the time." I left my bow and arrow though it was my preferred weapon; close fighting would require my sword.

She raised her chin a little, her hand on the hilt of the one she wore. She'd woven her flaming hair into a braid around her head, and she raised the navy hood of her cloak. "I can help," she said with determination, so I just nodded.

We could soon hear the rhythmic clanking of the chains against the bars coming toward us, and ducked off the wide trail. We had no real hope of actually hiding as the brush wasn't dense enough to conceal Grimmer's enormous body, but wanted to get a look at them before they saw us.

The six were slovenly drunks, on mounts so skittish they had to have been stolen. The first four rode in a haphazard group with the last pair bringing up the rear. The cage in between, pulled by two more horses, was roughly hewn and barely large enough to contain the dozen or so occupants imprisoned.

Grim revealed himself, his gravelly voice booming. "Release your prisoners or suffer our wrath!" Drama was his forte.

The men in front were a stone's throw from us and were so shocked they nearly fell off their horses. Silver fear exploded from them next, and two of the front horses fled immediately, veering into the brush around us before regaining the trail at a full gallop.

"Run!" one of the remaining men shouted, taking his own advice and joining his partners in crime, along with the fourth of their group.

The two behind the prisoners were either stupider or more desperate than their friends, likely both, and chose to try their luck against us. They unsheathed their swords and forced their mounts to advance around the cage. The beasts that drew it had been magicked to obey, though their eyes rolled with terror. I sent soothing vibes to all of them, cool waves of blue in an assurance we wouldn't harm them, and they settled.

"Please help us," one of the humans cried, reaching through the bars. Others took up the call, the fey creatures trying not to touch the iron surrounding them.

Their panic was a thick cloud around them. "We are, have no fear," I promised, moving toward them as Grim began to intercept the villains. 

"I urge you to flee," he rumbled, smoke issuing from his nostrils now as his head towered above them.

"We ain't a-lettin' nobody steal this precious cargo from us, not with what we caught," the one furthest from me sneered, and we were both caught off guard when he revealed a dagger and threw it hard at Grim. "Not dragons or Questers or nobody!"

At the same time the other man made directly for me, forcing me to halt my advancement just steps from the small prison. He stabbed at me with his sword and I easily dodged it; we'd trained in fighting for most of our lives. I then returned the gesture with my own blade as he evaded the move and lunged toward me again. He reeked of putrid body odor, his few teeth dark yellow and brown from tobacco stains and no doubt contributing to the foul stench emanating from his mouth.

Grim had managed to dodge the knife and was taking the deep breath that preceded fire, which I saw as I stepped backward to avoid the brute's next stab. Unfortunately my many years of training didn't protect me from my inherent clumsiness and I tripped over a root, falling back onto my ass and hitting my head soundly against the cage.

Grimmer ceased his blazing wrath directed at the now-retreating fifth crook and turned to where I sat with my ears ringing. Get up! he urged as I tried to regain my senses.

Luckily for me my mistake turned out not to be deadly, as the malefactor before me found it suddenly quite impossible to breathe around Sylvie's blade in his lung.

"Gah," he said with wide eyes, moving his mouth a few more times such as a fish choking on air. He gave one last gasp as she wrenched it out of him and then he dropped.

Grim and Sylvie reached me at the same moment and I tried to wave them away, embarrassed to the core at the folly I'd committed, and in front of the very people I was trying to help save, no less.

In front of her. I wished the ground would open up and swallow me.

It didn't, though. Free them, I'm fine, I sent Grim. Only completely and absolutely mortified. "I'm okay, really," I said out loud to Sylvie. "Thank you so much."

Still she knelt at my side, laying down her gory sword and reaching to touch the back of my head gently, then showed me the blood on her fingers. "Just be still a moment," she implored, her eyebrows knitted together over those marbleized purple eyes. Concern rippled from her in dark gray, revealing her barrier slipping.

"Really," I said again, guilty that I was getting the attention the poor prisoners so deserved. I could feel strong magic coming from at least one of them. "I'm fine." The ringing in my ears had mostly stopped and I forced myself to stand, ignoring the way the world spun a little. Humiliation and humility dogged me; here I was ready to show off to her what I could do in a proper fight, and instead this happened. 

She tugged me aside as the occupants obtained their freedom. Six were humans of various genders, followed by a trio of dwarves in their pointed hats and matching beards. Dwarves had five genders but these didn't stop to share their pronouns. Everyone gave thanks as they began their return journeys home; though the land and people were rough, they would likely be alright, especially if they stayed together as long as possible.

Sylvie watched me anxiously. "Surely we have time now for you to heal your wound?"

I made a face. "I can't heal myself," I told her, something that vexed us to no end. It had always been that way.

She was surprised. "Really?"

I shook my head, wincing as it aggravated the wound. "Yeah, it's a pain. But I'll be fine, it's already stopping." I magicked the blood away. "You're familiar with that sword, I see."

She nodded and held out her hand. "Much like you, we begin our preparation for battle from the time we can walk, though I'm rusty from years of sedentariness."

"Yeah, well, I've yet to see it." I took her hand and allowed her to pull me to my feet, letting her go reluctantly after. 

She smiled a little at the compliment as Grim mentally nudged me. Brace yourself, he warned with a sigh. We've got pixies.