The Mercenary's Valkyrie: Book One

Beginning By Blades

There are absolutes on this realm. Unchangeable and foreseeable.

Inevitability is one. Others like to name it fictional fancies like fate or destiny, but such things are a waste of thought. There is no pre-destined path for any of us. We live and we die. But how we choose to do so, is entirely up to each decision we make which bring us to these inevitabilities.

Ice cold water suddenly splashes over my hood.

Inevitability number one. Kaden, is a buffoon. I tilt my head up slowly to see his ugly mug grinning down at my sprawled out form.

"Too much of the good stuff again?" He said in a gruff voice.

Well, I was sleeping in a stable so it's fair to say that I'd seen better days. On closer inspection of my friend, I noted the shallow cut underneath his jawline. A fresh souvenir from last night no doubt.

"No more so than yourself." I remarked, flicking my eyes down to the cut.

He shrugged his colossal shoulders and scratched at his dark stubbled chin. "Just a pup that mistook a blade for a bone." The rough translation is; whoever was stupid enough to pick a fight with this tree of a man I call my friend, had been severely put in his place... or his grave.

"I think it's time we took our leave—" He grunted. "Besides, I think John couldn't make it through another night." He trailed off as he turned his head to look back towards the inn.

"Agreed." I sighed as I got to my feet and dusted off pieces of straw from my riding gear. Kaden smirked as he plucked a piece out of my dark brown locks. I slapped him away and drew my hood lower.

"Remind me I owe you a rude wake up call." I muttered as I strode past him towards the inn.

"And your presence isn't rude enough each morning?" He called after me.

"Only when there's cold water involved." I stated. A dozen mugs or so of ale will put you in a mood to rival the rage of thunder.

He caught up to me easily with his long stride. It was baffling that someone had actually been stupid enough to bring a blade anyway near him last night. The man was a walking armoury putting it lightly. His broad shoulders were covered in his heavy iron pauldrons, his muscled chest was covered with layered fighting leathers and his forearms were protected by a lethal looking pair of gauntlets. To finish off the arsenal incarnate he had not one but two broadswords crossed behind his back.

The man was ready for the King's entire army to lay siege to him alone. He could keep them busy for a few minutes either way...

I pressed a gloved hand against the wooden door and stepped inside. The smells of roasting meat and ale greeted us like a kiss. I tried not to dwell on the fact that my stomach was snarling at me like a rabid dog. My eyes instead searched for John.

Kaden's elbow nudged me. I found his grey eyes filled with mischief and locked onto something. I followed his stare and almost rolled my eyes out of my head when they landed on the culprit.

John was sprawled out across one of the inn's long benches near the fireplace with two serving wenches draped over his chest. They of course, had near to nothing in terms of clothing and John had near to nothing in terms of morals.

I strode up towards him and swiped a half drunken mug of ale as I walked. Without any delay I dumped the contents of it on him and the girls.

Two loud screams followed and John snapped upright ready for a fight. His brown eyes landed on me and a scowl slipped onto his classically handsome face.

"That's no way to rouse a man when he has company!" He yelled at me with ale dripping from his black hair.

The girls were now more embarrassed than angry and scuttled away like a pair of insects. I hid my glare of disgust.

"I've seen you look less put off by a rotting corpse." Kaden snorted from my side.

Maybe I hadn't hidden it...

"Get your gear. We leave within the hour." I stated.

He shook his hair like a dog and swiped a nearby mug to down the contents. I turned from the disaster and slumped in a chair by the fire.

"It rains outside?" John commented, as he eyed up my drenched hood.

I growled in response.

Kaden gave John a wordless grin and the pair both burst into laughter. I slumped further into the chair and resisted the urge to put a crossbow bolt through both of their necks.

"It truly warms my heart to know Tayah received similar treatment." He chuckled and threw Kaden a salute.

Kaden slapped his shoulder with a bit too much force and sent John into the table.

"Easy man! What have I told you about throwing those logs around!" He shouted, glaring at Kaden's arms.

"If you two women are quite done, I'd like to leave now!" I called over to them.

"Let me just—" John didn't finish his words because the entrance door slammed open.

A crowd of men poured in with fighting leathers and short swords. If I had to guess...

"That's the one!" The man in front snarled. His balding head had a few bruises dotting it along with a broken nose.

"You must be Kaden's friend." I said innocently from my chair.

He turned to glare at me. Then spat in my direction. "That is no friend of mine. This man assaulted me and stole my coin pouch!"

"Sounds like Kaden." John confirmed.

We all grinned at each other from across the room. The group of men from the entrance looked at each other like we'd gone insane. Probably wondering why on earth three people clearly outnumbered were doing nothing to prevent a deadly fight. Deadly for one side.

"Perhaps your mothers all dropped you at birth, but we don't plan on letting any of you rats walk away from this." He growled menacingly. Well, I think that was what he was going for... His companions then started unsheathing swords and slipping on cheap helmets.

I sighed loudly.

"One day, Kaden. I just wanted one day of bloody quiet."

"I know." He muttered, completely unconcerned by the amateurs in front of us.

"There's no hope for us, Tay. Let's not lie." John stated as he kicked his shield off the ground and into his waiting hand. I turned to see Kaden slowly bring two hands behind him and unsheathe two massive swords.

I then dropped my boots onto the ground and walked up to join the two idiots I call friends. I dropped my hood and pulled the crossbow off my back. John and Kaden nodded. I turned to the group in front of us.

I shook my head. Not what I had in mind for my morning. I levelled the crossbow at the leaders head and pulled the firing pin. Thud.

He collapsed and the game begun.