The Blood of Alchemy

Chapter 4: Boros of Oros

Eight silver riders made their way back to Oros empty handed after their two day search for the alchemist boy, and his company of two which they had learned from some forest peasant at a boat crossing. Their white destriers moved like pale ghosts through the thickets, and their jewelled armour glistened in the sunlight as they made their way down the wide Lakeland path to Dryhaven.

They had discussed and decided that they would stop for a night in the city of Dryhaven to sup at an inn and sleep in true beds. It had taken them two weeks to get to the forest lands, and would be another week back home still. They had stopped in Dryhaven on the way to the Forest Lands as well, and quite enjoyed their stay. It was a wild city, full of whores and drunkards, and generally most of their sorts of fun. The knights had joked after coming from the brothels that it should be called 'Wethaven'.

They were all more than happy to be back in a semi-southron city. The northern cities were too harsh for the tanned skinned sons of Oros, and they often found themselves sleeping on the forest floors, afraid for their lives from the northern animals. In the south there were no bears and wolves to worry about, and Oros was warm, and sandy, and sunny, and filled with fruit. The hardened root scoured floor of the northern forests had taken its toll on their backs, and every one of them wanted nothing more than a night without sticks slipping under their shoulder blades.

"Did you see his face? - 'I haven't seen em' - he says to us. Unbloody likely, when he was shaking in his boots. He wasn't a very good liar." One of the gilded men joked as he trotted along with a stupid smile as he said it. His name was Brin and he was one of the louder of the bunch, who were all quite loud, so that was saying something.

"You could smell the fear onim' the minute we came in. He must have helped them across. Lyin through his forest mouth, he was." Another replied, named Shayne. He was from Smithsport, and had only earned his knighthood through his father, a master gold scrollworker. His accent was low born, though he held himself with a highborn posture, and walked with an Oroshi swagger in his step.

"What else was he going to lie with, his asshole?" Brin commented. "Just as well though - he got what was coming for holding out on us." He continued on.

"He did his best to be noble." One of the knights cut in. His name was Boros Brineheart. A highborn knight of Oros.

"For all the good it did him. Those forest folk are all the same. Too noble for their own good. You offend one, you offend the rest. I won't miss the lot." Brin spat.

"Neither will I, I don't see what good they do for the Kingdom anyways, Oros ought to take the land use it for somethin' better, I vote." Shayne said.

"Oh shut up, Shayne. What do you know about politics, or anything for that matter?" Brin said.

Shayne looked like he was trying to find some retort, but failed, but told Brin where he could put his own head.

"What do you think, Boros?" Brin asked. "Let me guess. You've got a heart on for the greenfolk."

"I could not be bothered at the moment. The only thing I'm concerned about its a bowl of mutton stew and one of them Wethaven wenches to sit on my cock. I'll probably have to pay twice, waiting all this time, I'm like to bleed on the second stab." A knight named Fureth interrupted, saving Boros from answering, though Boros knew it was not out of kindness. He liked to talk too.

"Isn't that always your story, Fureth?" Brin mocked with a foul grin. The two got along famously.

Fureth made a lewd gesture to his phallic parts and the two laughed.

"All I'm concerned about is getting out of the company of you fools for a while." Boros said, kicking his horse to ride front.

"Who asked you, Boros? Sorry, Fureth, I forgot, It's Boros that can't please a woman - but not for your reason - the slews need hand glasses to find his little Edmond!" Brin shouted up at him as he made his way.