I slept fine, no one snored, and the fire that the guards stoked sometimes during their shifts made the temperature enjoyable.
Albeit the morning started with a not-so-good sensation of wetness, provoked by an abundant dew, I quickly forgot about it after smelling breakfast. I can't say when did the girls get up and started cooking, but only after a few minutes, during which I stretched and washed my face, breakfast was served.
Grain porridge, a pair of sausages, some mashed beans, and the ever-present bread were on the menu. And as always, everything, except the bread as it was bought in town was delicious.
The first problem of the day, and actually of the entire journey popped upright as the drivers began checking the wagons and yoking the beasts. Probably having been damaged the day before, one of the axles had practically snapped in two during the night.
Reuben as any experienced caravan master had a pair of spares, but the process of changing it was true hell.
First, we had to unload the entire wagon. Then, with the combined effort of all the hands, we hoisted the wagon and held it for over 10 minutes. Thankfully it wasn't so heavy and five people on each side made the task easier, but truth to be said, the boards used for these wagons weren't of the best quality, and so practically everyone ended with splinters.
With the new axle in place and the wheels secured on it with a pair of wooden nails, we proceeded to load it back.
In total, almost an hour was used up, but Reuben said that it will not affect our plans by anything more than a shorter break today.
***
The change in the ground, surroundings, and even air as soon as we stepped onto the 'Bald Hill' was enormous. It wasn't like I hadn't seen the barren rocky ground from a distance, but the feeling of change could only occur when you stepped on this dry and somehow dead territory. Even the Kingdom's road boulders felt different, albeit I could hardly explain the change, not to mention the dry and hot air, one that immediately made me feel like in the middle of a desert.
Azar's face was covered with a 'Told you so' expression, so I decided to not give him another chance to start barraging me with data, and simply looked around a few times before centering on the road beneath my feet.
The incline wasn't so pronounced as to say that it was hard to ascend, but the combination of the dry air and barren surroundings, with the green grass and trees still in plain view, did play a trick on one's perception. By the moment we advanced a single kilometer, I was already feeling like we had walked for hours.
My initial assumption of the axle being only the first problem of the day, an assumption that had come from nowhere but still, was right. Just an hour since we left the camp, about three and a half kilometers in distance, a sudden crashing sound was heard, followed by a few shouts.
"Stop!"
"Stop the caravan!"
"A wheel is off!"
It turned out that the wooden nail that held the wheel on the axle and prevented it from slipping off fell off without anyone noticing. And as it should have happened, the wheel slipped off and the wagon began dangerously inclining.
The driver noticed it right away and stopped the oxen, and thankfully it was the last wagon of the caravan, so except for the need to stop, there were no other repercussions. At least for the caravan as a whole, as for the caravan hands, overseers included, it meant the need to put the wheel back and then hammer a new nail into the hole.
I can't say that it was so hard and considering that the wagons were four-wheeled and so we did not need to hoist it from the ground, but still, it was tiring and time-consuming. Especially as we had to unload the wagon to lift it the few centimeters needed for the wheel to be placed.
"Set off!" With almost an hour lost, again, Reuben commanded.
***
With the two unexpected delays, by the time the sun reached its peak, we had only advanced about eight kilometers, namely reached the highest point of the road. Another seven or so kilometers of descent would follow. At that point, the 'nearest' well was located, and if not for the breaks, we should be reaching it in time for the meal.
Regretfully, it seemed that we will not, and so after a short break, Reuben commanded to move out, notifying everyone that we will be not stopping until the well, but we will eat something on the go.
After the well, it was planned to journey for about three hours more, but somehow I felt we would not manage to do so. I could not say where did the feeling come from, but I somehow was sure of it.
And if to confirm my feelings, after the quick break we took on the highest point of the road, a hundred or so meters from the actual hilltop, a third incident occurred.
Four enormous oxen, or 'Four-Horns' as Azar called out their actual name, that provided the pull for the uncovered wagons suddenly ran off. Well, to be exact, at least from what I overheard while running after one of them, the bow fitted to their necks and connected to the yoke had fallen off, allowing them to run off.
Worst of all, we were on a down sloped road, so most of the guards and caravan hands were forced to hold the wagons in place, while I, Egon, Azar, and a couple of others ran after the suddenly freed, and by some reason running off oxen. Now that I am recording this, I feel like an idiot thinking that risked my skin by running and trying to catch a fucking half-ton bundle of muscles.
In the end, we managed to catch the four oxen, and nicely ask them to return. Being domesticated animals, and ones treated decently from what I could say, the four beasts did not resist, and came along pretty nicely. Fitting the yoke back was a matter of minutes, and so, with another half, an hour lost, and with everyone tired again, we restarted the journey.
Reuben and Gris investigated the bows and yokes and albeit they did not share anything with anyone, one of the drivers of the affected wagons, who was thankful enough for not being blamed (after all, they were the ones that checked everything before setting off), explained what happened to me. It turned out that there was a metal pin that connected, and held in place, the bow (and oxen) to the pole that was the yoke. And this metal pin had for some reason snapped.
"Hmm, one I would have blamed whoever made that thing, but two? Not to mention the other incidents" I voiced my thoughts to Wilfried, who was riding next to me.
"I think the Boss and the Captain think the same. It's just too strange for so much breakage to occur in the same day" He agreed almost immediately.
"And it's even stranger for it to be in the same group of wagons"
"What do you mean?"
"I don't want to accuse anyone, but all three incidents affected only the four wagons under Egon's supervision. I doubt that he is responsible for them, but if someone is..."
"You mean that probably, that someone is in his group?" Wilfried finished for me.
"Yes"
"Hmm, you may be right. Let me ask the Commander about it. Probably she already thought of it, but it does not hurt to be sure"
***
"We lost a lot of time and probably will reach the well far past the mealtime. I asked our two girls to prepare something on the go for you. Eat while walking, and let's push ourselves and reach that well quickly" Reuben's announcement was received without enthusiasm, but nobody tried to object. After all, no one truly wanted to stop in this desolate place, not to mention that we truly needed to reach that well quickly, the animals needed water, and we had none for them until we did.
Everyone carried and refilled their canteens and flagons, so the human part of the caravan had no trouble with water, at least during the trek. As for the fast food (let's just call it like that), it was bread, ham, and bacon. As well as an apple for dessert.
The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.
After grabbing my share, as well the one for Azar and one of the drivers, I began to make my way back towards the wagon with which I walked along. I don't know what made me turn around, towards the direction of the 2nd covered wagon, the one with the strange person that had not shown himself yet ever once. I even wondered if he had left it during stops or just remained there all the time.
But I did turn only to see how Reuben, who had jumped down from the supplies and food wagon boarded it on the go. "Did he go to talk with this mysterious passenger?"
Not that I had an answer to this question, at least not for now.
***
*Slam*
A full bucket just filled from the well was sent flying from Bruno's hands by my kick.
"What the fuck?!" He turned towards me with a face red with anger.
"The water smells strange" I don't know if it was some of my skills, or something else, but as soon as I approached the well, I caught a slightly sweet smell, one that I immediately thought of as the smell of rot.
We had reached the well without any more incidents. Three hours late, but we did. Being the most energetic one, probably because of my endurance level, I was the first to approach the well. Followed by Bruno, who I had been finding at my side more often than not. As for Azar, the other truly non-tired person in our group, he had been napping on the go for a while, and neither I nor the driver of the wagon he rode wanted to awake him. And not because he did not speak while sleeping, no!
"Huh? Whad'ya mean?" He asked
"Let's check the well" I ignored the question and walked towards the edge of the well.
The odor grew stronger, and I recalled an incident that involved me forgetting a few packets of meat in an unpowered fridge.
"Hmm, you are right, it smells strange. Almost as if something is rotting down there" Bruno also approached and after sniffing for a bit confirmed my thoughts.
"What's the holdup?" Egon approached along with the pair of hands from his team which names I did never ask, each holding a pair of buckets.
"Lindar noticed a strange smell and now I feel it too. Come here"
"Hmm? Now that you say..."
"Let's lower a lantern and see what's down there" I offered after trying to look into the dark hole and not managing to see anything.
"Mmm, yeah, let's do it. Better be safe than sorry" Egon agreed.
***
"What happened?" Gris rode closer and asked after I waved for her to approach.
"The water smelled of rot, so we decided to lower a lantern and take a look. We found some kind of dead animal on the bottom" I summarized
"Fuck" She cursed
"My thoughts exactly"
"We cannot drink this water, and neither we can give it to the animals" Egon quickly added.
A few shouts of 'Tainted Water' later, everyone was aware of the situation, and the drivers, who had only begun to set up everything for the break quickly packed up.
"Who would do something like this?" The driver of the wagon that Azar rode, as well the one that I walked along asked.
"It may have been an accident, you know? Like it was escaping a predator and fell over, just to drown" Azar, who we thought of as sleeping suddenly opened his eyes and said.
"Could be" I shrugged.
At this point and three incidents behind, I hardly believed it to be an accident. Not that I could prove anything. Still, judging from Reuben's reaction when Gris told him about the water, and the small nod from Wilfried later, I was almost sure of them not believing in accidents either.
"To the next well!" Reuben's command was heard, and the caravan, with practically no rest, animals thirsty and tired moved on.
***
I do not know if Wilfried passed my words to Gris, or she had the same idea from the start, but I noticed that she had been throwing glances at Rayko and Aayden, as well the other two hands from Egon's group each time she rode by.
And I made sure to keep an eye on them as well. Especially at their interactions. Which surprisingly turned out to be many, at least for Rayko. Not only did he deliberately walk around the wagons and exchange words with the four guards walking to each side of them, but he also had some kind of permanent talk going with the ax-wielding guard, who rode on the third wagon from the last.
"Strange" I did not even notice how I murmured, but it seems that Azar did.
"What is strange?" He asked right away
"Look at that guy. All of the other hands are trying to maintain their pace and not tire themselves more, but he has been practically running around the wagons"
"Mmm?" Azar's head bobbed to the side as he observed Rayko's movements.
"You see?"
"Yes, but maybe he is just a friendly guy"
"Aha, one that is just by chance from the same group where three breakage incidents happened" I slightly modified Wilfried's words and fused them with my thoughts.
"Oh?"
"I do not know why, but I have a feeling that all this is made to slow and tire us down. And before you ask, no I don't have any idea of why" As I said this, I am forced to admit that I also thought something like "And I don't understand why I am telling this to you either".
***
To my, and probably to a few others' surprise, we reached the next well without incident. And the well's water was cold, clear, and safe.
The surroundings had again returned to the grass, trees, and bushes common for the area (Azar's words, not mine), so even the animal's mood got better.
"Let's set up camp here. We have advanced a bit less than expected, but I take that everyone is tired and we better just pick up the pace tomorrow" Reuben's announcement wasn't unexpected, at least for me, and the murmurs of agreement from the sides only confirmed it to be well received.
My mental map and the ever-talking encyclopedia called Azar made me aware that we had moved only for a bit over 14 primordial steps of the 17 planned for the day.
There were a pair of daylight ours yet and we probably could have moved on, but everyone, and especially the animals needed a rest, one that would use most of this time anyway.
Setting up the camp was just a repeat of the previous day, except that this time it was my 'team' the one assigned to gathering firewood and thus setting up three tents in place of five.
***
During dinner, which I again ate in the company of Reuben, Gris, Azar, and the girls, nothing of what had happened during the day were discussed, but as we finished, Reuben called me aside.
"The night may bring dangers, so I recommend you to stay alert"
"So you think we will be attacked?"
"I do not know, but all that had happened today is just too timely"
"I thought the same, but... why are you telling me this? I mean, you don't know me enough as to assure that I am not the one that is planning something" I decided to play in the open, hoping to fish out at least some details. Like for example, who the hell was traveling while hidden.
"I have been observing you and I can say that you are hiding some things, probably lying about yourself as well, but you have been in the field of view of everyone I trust, and no one thinks you have something to do with all this" Reuben answered in the same manner.
"Hah, well, thank you for telling me that I have been observed. And about lying, well, I do have a bit less experience with all this than I probably told you" With the cat out of the bag, it was just better to confirm than deny his words. As for an explanation...
"But as you probably guessed, I have a few secrets, secrets that it's better to do not reveal openly"
"Like being an untrained mage? or a good fighter?"
"Huh?!"
"No, the girls did not tell me, but before we left, I sent someone to their hamlet, and Selby explained everything to my man. Don't blame her, she actually did it for your sake, hoping that we can help you a bit"
"Selby? You know her?" I did not really care about them discovering anything, after all, it wasn't like I had committed crimes or something, no, on the contrary, I could be said to be a hero in the eyes of the farmers.
"Well, if I did not know the only woman that can actually sew a good pair of pants for several dozens of Primordial Steps towards any side, then I would be not a merchant" Reuben grinned.
"I see, so what now?"
"Don't worry, I do not care about all that. You did lie a bit about the caravan part, but I saw that you are quick to join any task, and from our talks, I know you have some experience with money, so you are still the worker I contracted, well, mostly"
"Hmm, and then why tell me this now?"
"For nothing else but to ask you to keep an eye, and albeit Azar will be doing the same, any extra detection spells would come very handy tonight"
"Understood"
"Good, if you detect anything, just tell Gris, she will know what to do"
"Mmm"
"And don't get alarmed by the presence in the 2nd covered wagon, it's not an enemy"
"And I suppose you will not tell me who is it, will you?"
"No, I simply can't do it"
"Even though the attackers probably come for this person? I mean, I can be a bit low on information, but Fleinor is what, a gold coin per barrel? And you would need to know who to sell it, especially if it is a big amount that was stolen just recently"
"Don't worry, whoever comes, no danger will befall you or your two protegees"
"I trust that you are right"
"And I am, you'll see it"
***
Well fuck, I never expected something like this, but thankfully I had not revealed anything about me to anyone. And what had been discovered, is not something to be worried about... probably.
Untrained mage? Well, I can always just say that I am looking for a master or something. Judging from Angelique's mana sense, it's not so rare for people with magic to live without knowing about it. And in my case, I only know some utility spells, one's which every mage knows about. As for the special ones... Spells were impossible to see with Analyze, while perks required one to have knowledge about its name to see it. So my secret was safe, probably.
Now about me being a fighter. Hmm, even if all my skills are considered, they aren't so high. Militia training? Combat school from where I was kicked out? A mysterious ex-soldier living next door? I will need to find some kind of explanation if I am asked someday.
Mana sense would make me know if someone used a spell nearby, and different from my status screen, the basic 'Analyze' would be felt as well.
From what I had read, there were a few ways to counteract it. Speaking of which, I will need to try and find them from Azar, at least if I can without making it sound suspicious.
Such thoughts filled my mind as I used 'Record' to note everything that happened during this day. And then, I extended my blanket near the wagon where Kierra, Angelique, and Gris would sleep.
"Life Radar" I almost silently murmured and activated the spell, confirming that there was no one except the 43 people of the caravan for half a kilometer to each side.
"Let's just hope it remains like this for the entire night"
Not that I truly believe that it would be so, hah.