Valentin reunited with his deg a day’s ride east of Jervin. He and Maeve had to take a circuitous route to avoid passing back through Aethin Wod and any Bothair warriors that may have wished to find him. They briefly entered the town of Stallfyr and waited for a couple days before following a small southern path that eventually led back to the main road to the capital.
A brief nervousness passed Valentin as the rounded the stronghold of the Sovereign. Regardless if the young druid succeeded in bringing timely aid to Rois Bothair, word of what befell the noble woman would soon spread. It would not be unbelievable for a description of his mask to begin to travel down the road to the ears of the Rilleon warriors; an overlooked consideration he was beginning to regret.
Such concerns turned out to be unfounded. Even if they had known his name and likeness, it would have been impossible to see him amongst the crowds that walked around the massive city. Not once did they earn an additional glance or look of suspicion.
They left the environs of the capital in the early morning to avoid the congestion. Once they had traveled several miles away, Valentin was able to comfortably lead Vescal on the road east. To the left side of the road sat the Altinen Delta and the various tributaries that would extend across Povia and into Orso. Large groves of apple trees, the specialty of the region, grew near manors overseeing the various villages. Valentin had heard that there were an incredible variety to the fruit and was eager to try some if given the opportunity.
To the right side of the road, the southern Povian hills began to protrude from the ground like proving dough. It was somewhere tucked away in the quarries of the hillsides that Durant awaited Valentin’s arrival.
His deg was not difficult to find. A considerable line of carts and horses and warriors ambled along the right side of the road under the mid-morning light. A warrior’s head turned around lazily at the sound of hooves only to light up in recognition of their leader.
“Deggan Valentin,” Guain called out, the first to notice him from the back of the column.
More heads turned around to see Valentin’s return. Some waved while others snapped to attention while blinking the sleep out of their eyes. Valentin smirked, seeing that some level of normalcy had returned to his warriors.
Of course, there were still exceptions; namely in the form of Kerwin and Zoe. While the former still seemed to be somber about what had happened, his failures compounded compared to others, the latter appeared to be outright scornful. Valentin’s hunch that it was about him was quickly overturned when she gazed upon him with a look of pleading distress. However, before he had the opportunity to allow words to leave his mouth, she turned her head and looked away from him.
Médéric rode at the front of the column along with his brother, Rou, and Caera. Whatever conversation they were having came to an immediate halt as they watched Valentin match their pace.
“Deggan Valentin,” Médéric greeted. “Was your mission a success?”
“The conclusion was not idyllic,” Valentin confessed, his eyes drifting back towards Maeve’s demure demeanor. “But I did manage to extract value from it.”
Médéric narrowed his eyes slightly at Valentin’s periphrastic explanation. However, the warrior’s expression quickly relaxed once he saw no hints for alarm on Valentin’s face.
“It is good that you gained something valuable,” Médéric replied with a nod. “You’ve returned at an opportune time. We should reach the road that will take us to the battlefield later in the day. Caera and I were just discussing what we would do if you were unable to rejoin us before nightfall.”
“You’ve spared us the rest of that conversation,” Caera agreed with a nod. She offered a long dramatic sigh. “I never wish to speak of supplies again. Please ensure that Médéric takes care of those concerns from now on.”
Valentin tilted his head to the side and appraised the situation. “Should I interpret this as Caera elevating herself to the role of Vice Deggan?”
“Médéric and I agreed to split the duties for now,” Caera explained.
Despite the confidence in her voice, Caera closely inspected Valentin’s expression for any signs of disapproval. Unfortunately for her, Valentin’s face remained placid as, he too, was lost deep in thought over the revealed information.
“I approve,” Valentin said with a nod. “Are there any dissenters? Kerwin and Zoe appeared displeased when I rode by.”
Both of his vice deggans looked over their shoulders towards the column behind them. While Médéric scratched his chin, Caera frowned.
“Kerwin’s anger is still facing inwards,” Médéric answered. “It will take time to recover the confidence necessary to challenge for higher positions. As for Zoe…”
“You will need to speak with her yourself, Deggan Valentin,” Caera spoke on Médéric’s behalf. “She saw something unsettling a few days ago and has been in an irritable mood ever since. I tried speaking to her about it, but she seemed unwilling to speak in more detail.”
Valentin simply nodded in acknowledgement. He did slightly sigh in anticipation of the uncomfortable conversation. It was unlikely that her emotions about him had subsided and their last words were not pleasant. But, as leader, Valentin had to always ensure that he did not allow such histories to color his judgments.
Besides, it was not the most uncomfortable meeting that he had scheduled.
They continued to travel onwards for the rest of the day without issues or distractions. Sparse cloud cover would occasionally spare them from Ortus’ seasonal heat. But, it was often fleeting and insufficient, leaving the travelers sweaty. Fortunately for them, they had been subjected to the unnatural heats of Aoire. The balmy weather of Grian was nothing in the face of such sweltering oppression.
In the early evening, they crossed through the town of Tallen that sat at the intersection of the road they sought. Merchants were busy closing down their stores for the night. Any storefronts that possessed shopfront inventory moved it within the safety of the homes and businesses before locking their doors.
Fortunately, Valentin managed to spot a produce vendor that still had not yet moved their apples. After a short exchange, he left a few bronze coins poorer and a bag of apples richer.
He bit into the red skin and sweet juices flowed into his mouth. His lips smacked happily.
“Would you like an apple?” Valentin asked, offering one of the fruits to Maeve.
While she did not answer verbally, Valentin felt the apple removed from his hand. A loud crunch could be heard from underneath the hood. The sound caused Vescal to snort in jealousy. He had been doing the walking for all three of them after all. He deserved a reward.
They set camp a few miles south of Tallen. The next night would bring them the meeting place listed in Durant’s request. While he may have wished to delay their return for just a while longer, he knew that this was the opportunity to have his warriors bounce back from Aoire and return to the annoying confidence that they once possessed.
After dinner, Valentin roamed around the outskirts of camp. Cooler air always seemed to help with clearing the mind of thoughts. The quiet time spent with Maeve had left him too much time to be caught alone with his thoughts. What he did in Aethin Wod could not be recalled and he knew that he would do the same thing over and over, even if time miraculously turned backwards. He had to accept Rois’ suffering was his responsibility and that nothing can overturn it.
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He crested the closest hill to look over the landscape only to find that he was not the first with the idea.
Zoe sat upon a rocky protrusion, gazing out at the waning horizon. She appeared to be deep in thought, she did not shift at all at the sounds of someone approaching from behind. He did not wish to interrupt the reverie, using his own preferences as guidance, and took a step to depart. The conversation could occur later.
“Are you just going to stand there or are you going to say something?” Zoe questioned brusquely. Her displeased expression trained squarely on Valentin.
“I did not want to intrude on your thoughts,” Valentin responded, moving to stand beside Zoe.
Zoe shrugged her shoulder and yawned. “There was not much thought for you to be interrupting, Deggan Valentin. I was only watching Ortus’ descent. What brings you here?”
“Caera told me that something happened a few days ago,” Valentin reported truthfully, wishing to cut to the heart of the matter. “I wanted to know if you were feeling alright. I was told that there was an unsettling sight that has affected you.”
Zoe sighed and turned her head away from Valentin, past conversations preventing a more enthusiastic response. She rubbed her temple, massaging out whatever headache that seemed to take residence.
“Do you remember those stick and straw vendor kids that I stood up for at that market?” Zoe asked probingly.
“I do,” Valentin answered. “Others did not approve of their business.”
“I was once one of those stick and straw vendors,” Zoe admitted, still not facing Valentin. “I was the kid that took the beating so their little brother did not, the one that was too hungry to grow as child. I lived in a shack that my father built and did just well enough not die of hunger or cold. But, by then, it was just my brother and me. Before you ask me a question, my father died of illness and my mother disappeared shortly afterwards.”
Valentin closed his mouth that had inadvertently began to open to ask exactly those words. Instead, with nothing to add, he simply nodded in understanding.
“It was my eleventh Faur and the snows came early,” Zoe continued. “I hadn’t managed to collect much of my kindling by the time that the forests were blanketed. I was only able to scrounge up a measly amount of suitable materials to sell. It also meant that not many others managed to collect in time. For once, I felt like I was actually paid for the work that I did. People traded me food and coin for a handful of sticks.”
“And other vendors noticed?” Valentin asked, already knowing the answer.
Zoe just nodded solemnly. She curled her body, tucking her knees to her chest. “They establish their ‘territory’ and chase off any that invade. If my village was claimed, so was the next one, and the one after that. Since I was young, since I was starved, I could not defeat those larger and older than I was. So I lost my inventory and much of my earnings. All I had was enough just to survive a few days longer. I could have hunkered down and endured for longer. But, I had had enough. I was going to leave. What a disaster.”
She rubbed her arms in remembrance of the unseasonal chill. The story going a long way to bring back the phantom feelings of her youth.
“I will not bore you much longer, Deggan Valentin,” Zoe promised. “I took my brother and attempted to travel south to escape the cold. Of course, I both underestimated how far we would need to travel and how much more food we’d need to eat to go that far. When all we did was forage and hunker within our hut, we did not need much. Walking for miles on end caused me more pain than any of the beatings ever could. My brother fared worse. Eventually, I had to carry him more than he walked on his own. I couldn’t keep stopping for him, so I walked with him on my back throughout that day and much of that night until I reached a temple. When the druids came out to help, he had been dead for half a day already. I didn’t even notice, his skin was already so cold when he was alive.”
“So when you saw those children at the market-“
“I saw myself,” Zoe confirmed bitterly. She rose to her feet, her face contorted in a look of rage. “What did those men lose by allowing them to exist there? How much money failed to go into their purse? How much food was taken from their bellies? I only wished to do what I prayed someone would have done for me.”
Valentin did not answer, for he did not know the answer. His home never reached such desperate temperatures. Those that had poor harvests were given bread from Tiarna Lunoult’s granary. Neighbors would offer the produce and wool that they could spare. If that was not enough, fish could still be caught in the bay and rabbits still hopped through the hillsides.
“What did you see, Zoe?” Valentin asked.
“It must have happened that morning, at around dawn more than likely,” Zoe elaborated. “Their bodies lied limply on the corner which they sat when we passed last. The druids had only just arrived to collect the corpses by the time we rode through. Those bastards killed them. I’m sure of it. They cowardly faces were nowhere to be seen, they possessed enough shame to disappear from the market for the day.”
Zoe’s voice of righteous indignation quickly led to hot tears of rage and frustration. Her mind appeared overwhelmed by the radical emotions that gripped her mind. She ran her fingers through her hair and kept her hands compressed onto her scalp.
“Did I kill those children with my interference?” Zoe asked Valentin. “Would they have lived if I ignored them?”
“They may have starved if you did nothing,” Valentin replied, unwilling to allow Zoe to embark on this spiraling path. He had experienced it himself. “It is the ones that killed them that shoulder the blame. To say that it was your interference that contributed to their actions is only going to cause you pain. You speak about murder as if it is a phenomena of nature.”
Zoe bit her lip gently. Valentin could read her thoughts without needing the vocalization.
“What do you want to do about it?” Valentin asked.
“Huh?” Zoe asked in surprise.
“I asked what it is that you would like done,” Valentin repeated. “If you would like, I will give you leave to allow you to hunt down those responsible and punish them as you see appropriate. Though an execution outside of the local tiarna’s orders is strictly illegal and will only cause issues if you are discovered, I find myself wishing for justice anyways.”
An incredulous gaze escape Zoe’s eyes. Such blanketed permission appeared to be far outside the realm her expectations. For a moment, she seemed to possess every intention of taking up the provided offer, but the words never came out.
“Would it be enough to stop at those people?” Zoe asked. “It is only one village amongst many. It is not even the village that I came from. Should I go back and hunt down the ones that drove me away in the first place? Who is the one responsible for all of this so I can kill them and solve it all at once?”
Valentin moved to stand next to Zoe. His hand twitched with the thought of offering a consoling touch, but he was not ready to do such things.
“There is no person that forces impoverished adults to beat impoverished children,” Valentin reasoned. “Inflicting suffering on the ones that wronged you may only create further ripples, affecting those that are unrelated. I may still be learning about you, Zoe, but I do know that you wouldn’t not find satisfaction in harming innocents in that way, even indirectly. What do you truly want?”
Zoe hung her head, her mind racing through the labyrinth of revenge, unable to find the path that would lead her happiness.
“What I want cannot be obtained anymore,” Zoe admitted with reddened eyes. “What I really wanted was not to starve back then. I wanted my father to live and my mother to stay. I wanted to be allowed to live.”
The words resonated with Valentin. While he still wished for recompense against all those that wronged him personally, at the heart of it, he also wished to have been able to live. He wanted to celebrate his success with his family, to go to Briste and live peacefully with High Tiarna d’Gauval.
Not to say that he was ungrateful for what he gained in this version of his life, it was of little debate that his life would have been happier if Killicia had gone differently, futile a thought as it was.
He admired Zoe’s openness, her ability to admit such things without hesitation.
“I suppose there is only one thing that I can do to get my revenge,” Zoe said with certainty.
“That being?” Valentin asked curiously.
“I’m going to live more successfully than they could ever hope to,” Zoe began, a look of seriousness on her face. “I’m going to accumulate enough money to buy land and have people live on it. When they suffer or starve, I will use my wealth to help them. And, if any of those bastards find themselves on my land, their begging hands outstretched, I will fill it with food. I will tell them, ‘Look at how little your actions have affected me. Look at how you should have acted when the roles were reversed.’ I want them to be so ashamed they can never look at me in the eye. And, when I die, I want the whole region to grieve as my sparkling star no longer graces their sky.”
Valentin smirked and then he began to chuckle. Zoe looked at him with a look of betrayal while he waved his hand to calm her down.
“What a great idea, Zoe,” Valentin complimented. “You should shame the entire continent into kindness. Then, we can all bury our weapons and wash our hands of all the unpleasantness of the world.”
Zoe’s initial smile at Valentin’s praise quickly faded into a pensive look. She looked down at her hands and towards the mercenary camp.
“That is, if someone like me has the right to do something like that,” Zoe said with a sigh. “The money used to build my revenge will be built upon a great deal of blood. Likely more than all the men who beat children could ever spill.”
“That’s true. But, who cares? Be selfish,” Valentin encouraged. “Everyone else is anyways.”