CHAPTER 33 - DAY 195

I did not sleep well, and I was no less stressed in the morning. I was afraid for these people I had taken into my care. They were on their last leg by the time they reached Vaspar, and if I had not stopped the crazy pace the mercenaries were pushing them at, I am afraid they would have lost at least half my people over the next leg of their journey. I had done what I could, but how many more would die on the way? It was hard to get used to how many people died without modern advancements.

I wonder if I have any hope of lowering the death rate.

We were now in my carriage, traveling the road to Kimton. The problem with traveling long distances here was that there was nothing to do. No music or audiobooks were playing in the background. And you couldn't even play the alphabet or license plate game.

The only positive was that while in Vaspar, I invested in horses for all my soldiers. This allowed us to travel much faster than we had on our way down to Vaspar from Bicman—well, relatively faster. Horses still need to rest, and I wasn't planning on pushing them to exhaustion. But the men did not have to worry about keeping up with our carriage and the wagons.

Benjamin was a good traveling partner, but even then, there was only so much you could talk about. Etiquette lessons were not a fun conversation topic, so we mostly stuck to geography. I knew the basics: the four Duchies: Falmor, Kimton, Githum, and Herron. We went over the major players and their main exports and imports.

In the end, though, it was frustrating that it would take at least fifteen days to reach Kimton. That was if the roads were good. On Earth, even if you traveled only on gravel roads, a car could make it to Kimton in six hours.

We would travel through three counties and a bunch of baronies. The further towards Kimton we got, the more developed the baronies would get. That, in turn, meant that they were smaller because they could support more knights. That isn't to say there were more massive amounts of barons. There were tenants-in-chiefs, who were basically people who owned multiple baronies. Then, they would be given to their children and, once again, owned by different barons, only for their children to try and get more baronies.

It became quite a mess for cartographers, and that is why they did away with the changing of Barony and city names every time there was a new baron. Baron Malcomp was over the Barony of Decmoore. An exception was Plimgus. Since it had split from Decmoore and the Polman Barony had not been around in a long time, he was Baron Plimgus in the Barony of Plimgus, and he lived in the village of Polman, which wasn't on a whole lot of maps, so the village may change to Plimgus on the maps within ten years especially if the population grew.

What I learned from it all was that memorizing the names of barons is pointless unless they are well-established. It is important to know the major players. The rest, myself included, could be ground under the heel of the more well-off nobility.

Once boredom set in, I tried writing in my notepad and decided never to try that again. My carriage was smooth compared to whatever else was available here, but it was not like riding in a modern car with shock absorbers and springs. Add to that the fact that the roads were garbage here, and you get a total mess.

So I sat doing nothing for most of the day. We passed through the first barony and stopped in the second fiefdom of the Barony of Waterford towards evening. As a baron, I had the right to request a room in the manor. The lord was not there presently. But his steward graciously prepared rooms for our unexpected visit.

The knight, Egon Miter, was not at home presently. He was attending a feast in Vaspar after having had a very successful harvest this year. His lands were known for their feed. They raised quality grain and hay for livestock. According to the Steward, their barley was famous across the county, and if we had bought mules and horses in Vaspar, then most likely, they were fed Miter Feed.

Dinner that night was salted pork and oatcakes with honey. It was quite good. It made me want to grow more oats this next year and share the wonders of honeyed oatcakes with my barony. We would need them for our growing herd anyway. I had been planning on buying horses in Vaspar along with the mules so I could start a herd, but with all the other expenses, I had decided to forgo that little venture. I had some mares and a couple of studs, so we would start small.

I got up early in the morning and painted a picture of the manor house with the rising sun behind it. It took me a couple of hours to get it just the way I wanted it, but it was well worth it. I needed to do that after the last couple of days.

I did not have a frame, but I did have a couple of prebuilt canvases since I had been expecting to paint more in Vaspar. When I handed the painting to the steward, he was ecstatic at the gift for his master and couldn't stop thanking me.

The next few days were uneventful—that is, until we reached the Barony of Newmoor. Newmoor was heavily wooded and shipped a lot of wood. The trees branched over the road in some places, and sunlight streamed through the leaves, dappling the road. It was quite picturesque.

I wanted to stop and paint the scenery, but it was a good thing I didn't. Suddenly, there was a thunking sound coming from the front side of the carriage. I heard Drake cry out along with a few of my guards. Shortly after that, there were a few more thunking noises, and the carriage jolted forward a few meters but then stopped. Metal clashed on metal as men began to shout.

I knew the answer before I said it, but I had to ask. "Bandits?"

"Yes, my lord," Benjamin said gravely.

After listening for a bit, I heard no more arrows. I looked out of the window on each side. About thirty men were surrounding the carriage. If it weren't for the fact that they were less well-equipped, I would have thought we were dealing with a mercenary crew. They were fighting defensively, but that didn't mean they didn't know what they were doing. They had to have all fought before I was down to seven men since I had sent three of my men north. It was only a matter of time before they wore out my men.

When I pulled back into the carriage, I said to Benjamin, "I see at least thirty men out there. Our men have trampled a few with their horses, and even though they have the high ground, the bandits have spears. We could try to flee, but for some reason, our carriage was not moving, and the horses may have been shot. I believe they will eventually wear us down. I didn't think there would be so many. Weren't they supposed to avoid nobles?"

"Normally, yes," Benjamin said. "Also, that is a large group to be here."

I had to do something. Before I could chicken out, I opened the carriage door. "Cease this fighting!" I yelled. "I seek to negotiate with your leader. Men pull back."

The bandits were stunned by my presence long enough for my men to disengage. However,my men did not lower their spears or swords. A man with a bow stepped out of the woods.

He was a short, wiry man with dark brown hair. When he smiled at me, I could see he was missing a few teeth. Maybe I could sell him some chalk powder?

No, Amos, this is no time to get nervous and start cracking jokes.

I had to remain calm even though seeing us surrounded by thirty men made me almost pee my pants. My thoughts turned to that time on the beach. This time, however, there was no running away. I steeled myself, remembering the faces of Hector, Franklin, William, and Dwaine. Men that had given their lives for me as I ran away.

"Well, my lord, how can we help you on this fine day?" The wiry bandit said.

"I would appreciate it if you would leave and let us carry on our way," I said, "You must have noted my flags your act will not go unpunished by the nobility."

"Normally, I would have left you quite well alone, but you see, those wagons you have with you look to be too much of a prize to pass up. So if you don't mind having your drivers get off my wagons, you may leave," He said with a grin.

"You would rob me of all my supplies? How about one wagon?"

"Ha! I like you, Baron. No demanding or threatening. But no, this is not a negotiation. We have the upper hand. The wagons for the lives of you and your men. If you decide it is difficult, we will shoot the horses, and you will have to leave the wagons anyway. We are not leaving without those goods. It is a small price to pay for your life and those of your men."

Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.

I turned to the two men and my servants cowering in the wagons. "It looks like we will be traveling at a slower pace. You all get out of your wagons and come here."

"Leave the women." The Bandit leader said, eyeing my servants.

I looked at the terrified faces of the women as they took in his words.

"No, I will join my men, and we will fight to the death before we allow any of my women to be violated. Are more of your men willing to die for your lust," I said, fury radiating from me.

We stared at each other for a long moment before the leader said, "Very well, keep your whores."

All thy people departed the wagons and came to surround the carriage. A bandit hopped down from the front of the carriage where he had been holding our horses steady.

"It looks like you will need a new carriage driver, Lord." The leader laughed as he got up into the lead wagon and turned around.

My rage was boiling over as I rushed to the front of the carriage and saw the body of Drake slumped over. An arrow protruded from his chest, and the wound was leaking blood. "Get him down off the wagon and lay him on the ground gently," I shouted.

I took off my jacket and took my belt knife off my hip. I started to cut up my jacket. I had no idea what to do. The arrow was between two ribs. Was I supposed to pull it out? Had it punctured the lungs?

"Does anyone know what to do for an arrow wound?" I asked in a panic. No one answered.

"Do I leave the arrow in?"

"Why would you leave the arrow in, my Lord?" My wagon driver, Moss, asked.

"So we can get him…"

So we can get him where? There were no emergency services. If I left the arrow in and put pressure around it, would that be better then pulling it out and putting pressure on it? I froze in indecision.

"My lord, please save him. Jacklyn is expecting him home. He asked me if it was ok to propose to her when he got back." Benjamin said desperately.

"I can't," I said pathetically, "I don't know what to do."

"Do anything, my lord. Anything you think might save him."

Trying not to think about what I was doing, I pulled out the arrow and put the pieces of my jacket over his chest. As I applied pressure, I tried to distract myself by talking to Benjamin.

"Why did he ask you?"

"They have loved each other for a long time, but he knew that Jacklyn and I were close. I was the steward of the house, so he was afraid of offending me. I like Jackie, but I knew she loved Drake. Her happiness is important to me."

Drake gave a weak cough, and foamy red bubbles formed on his lips. The boy was dying, and there was nothing I could do. Suddenly, I felt his chest shutter, and then I could no longer feel the movement of his chest. It took me a few minutes of kneeling next to the boy before Benjamin pulled me away. I still gripped the blood-soaked cloth. I barely registered all the blood on my hands.

Drake was dead. He was just a kid, and those men had slaughtered him like he was no more than a cow. I wandered down the road for a few minutes before I fell to my knees and howled.. I sat there until Benjamin came and got me. "The men have buried the boy. It is time to leave. Let us head back into the carriage. The sooner we report this, the sooner justice can be served."

I was skeptical about justice around here. Those men didn't seem too concerned. What made them so bold?

"I want to walk," I said quietly

"My lord, it would-"

"I need to walk," I said more forcefully. It isn't like we can go any faster than our men. The flags on the carriage are their only protection now that we have been robbed of our horses and wagons. Though it doesn't seem to matter much here."

Benjamin backed down after that and just walked beside me. It took a bell and a half before we reached the next fiefdom and approached the manor. I had calmed down a lot as we walked, but I was left with a cold furry. I did not care if I had to bring all the men of Bicman to this pathetic barony and burn it to the ground. I would not leave the murder of Drake unanswered.

I had cleaned myself up and entered the carriage before arriving. I was greeted by a solemn-faced steward. He noticed our state and probably guessed the reason for it.

"My lord, his Lordship Aethelried Cumfrence, will want to see you immediately." It was another name that I might have laughed at in better times. Now, I only wanted to rage at such an incompetent knight who could not keep his Fiefdom safe from bandits. The Steward introduced me as we entered an audience chamber as big as my great hall. The knight was not on his chair at the head of the room but rather was in the center of the room. Men were surrounding him, strapping on the last bit of his armor. Fortunately, this wasn't the Middle Ages when men were encased in steel. I hear it took a long time to get a knight into their armor in those days.

As soon as it was on, he stood forward, a stern look on his face. He bowed low. "My lord, forgive me for my rushed introduction, but my men and I must move quickly if we are to find these bandits before nightfall. If you can send a few of your men with me to appraise me of the situation as we travel, it would be much appreciated. His eyes were alight with a ferocity that you only see on men about to enter the battlefield. He was eager to spill blood.

"Yes, take all of my men if necessary. They all have horses and a score to settle with these bandits," I said with equal ferocity. "I would join you, but I fear my men would spend more time trying to protect me than they would be killing bandits."

"If you insist, I will not turn down the help. Please walk with me as I explain the situation."

This knight was practically ordering me around. Not something I was used to from someone of a lower station than me.

"My lord, I am sorry for what has happened, but I assure you their blood will be spilled before the sun sets. Endless One be willing. We have been scouring our lands trying to catch these bandits, but they seem to retreat to Lord Kizis's lands before we can catch them. Lord Kizis Is down south fighting the Hitub with his men, and the steward claims he has searched but found no evidence of the bandits. He also refuses to let us enter Kizis's land while his master is away."

"You believe he is in league with the bandits," I said, catching on.

"Precisely. Up until now, I could not have moved into his land since our baron was also participating in the war. Now, however, they have gone too far. They have attacked a baron, and you can demand justice. Only Baron Moren could stop you from requesting we take action on his land. And since he is one of the best military minds in the duchy, they will not be allowing him to come home any time soon."

"Then I request that you find these men and slaughter them all. I do not care if you find our goods, but do not let these men harm anyone else. I will also write a letter to your count explaining my request." I said.

"That would be much appreciated. Count Rathmar is a just count, but a letter from you would carry much more weight than a letter from me."

As we reached the exit to the manor, he bowed again and said, "I will prevail, my lord."

And as I looked at the fifty men fully equipped and on horseback, I did not doubt that he would.

He turned back to me right before he led his men out of the gates. "Oh, please don't kill Becca while I am away."

I stared after him in confusion. Who the heck was Becca?

The steward guided Benjamin and me back into the Manor and to their dining hall. He escorted us to the table at the head of the room and told me that dinner would be out shortly. As I sat there, lost in my thoughts, a man poked his head in at the far side of the room. He wore a large hood shadowing his face. He looked left and right as if trying to be sneaky. As soon as he was sure Benjamin and I were the only ones in the room, he opened the door slowly and stepped in. He definitely ate better than most in this world. Either that or he was wearing a lot of clothes.

As he approached the table, he pulled the hood back, and I had to correct my assumption. It was a woman. She looked to be in her fifties, with slightly graying black hair done up in a messy bun. She strode up to the table and sat down, the myriad of bags tied around her waist jiggling or rattling as she sat down across from me. She had a knowing look in her eyes. "You lost your dog, didn't you? Is that why you travel?"

Ok, maybe I was mistaken. Knowing might have been too strong of a word. I faltered at the sudden comment. "Um, I don't have a dog."

"Ah, that is why you are sad. Every boy should have a dog. I will help you pick out the right dog for you. It is one of my specialties."

"Ah, I am assuming you are Becca."

Her eyes went wide. "We have not introduced ourselves, and he knows our name. You must be a seer."

"Well, actually-"

"A dog for a seer. Now, that will be tricky. You see, it can't be just any dog. I think we need to consult the mushrooms."

She fiddled with the pouches at her waist, peering into them one at a time. Finally, she smiled and pulled out something that looked like a gray dried-out sponge. She thrust it towards me. Here we are. Eat this."

I leaned back, "I am not eating that."

"Apparently, someone doesn't want their dog badly enough." she huffed.

"Stop!" A voice shouted from behind me. We all turned to look and saw the steward coming in with a few serving girls.

By the time I turned back around, Becca was halfway across the room, fleeing towards the door.

The steward let out a sigh. "I don't know why he tolerates that woman. Please forgive the interruption, my lord. She is a little different, but she means well. And sometimes she even has some good advice."

"So what's her background?"

"I believe it would be best for Sir Cumfrence to explain why he keeps his hermit around. I believe my opinion is skewed, " he said with an unhappy look on his face as he glared at the door Becca had exited.

We finished dinner, and I stayed up until the candle burned out, waiting for news. None came.

He said they would be done by sundown. Was there a larger force than they thought? Were they ambushed?

It wasn't until the early morning hours that I finally fell asleep, too tired for even my troubled thoughts to keep me awake.