Boldrin and I smashed through the window of the taproom, our momentum carrying us through the air as we landed on the hard, cold earth. I felt it press against my cheek and tried to rise, only for a boot to find my face before I got the chance. It bounced my head off the ground, causing my brain to rattle around in my poor skull.
My response was immediate and vicious. I threw a punch at Boldrin's bearded face, connecting cleanly with his nose and causing yet more damage. I had broken it initially by striking his head against the bar, hoping that the fight would turn to my advantage by making it difficult for the old man to see. It hadn't worked quite as I intended.
Boldrin and I scrambled to our feet, ignorant of the eyes on us, the chilled air on our skin. No, we were consumed by our own battle lust and our need to hurt one another. I threw myself forward, sending blistering strikes towards his abdomen as I felt his huge, mallet like hands strike against my back with crippling force.
The mercenary commander was an easy fighter to read. He was all brute strength and little finesse, much like his personality. He moved as Tessa did, as I did, but he lacked the dexterity we had both worked into our own styles of brawling. Boldrin relied on pure power and it was easy to see why: It worked for the man.
I had once postulated that Boldrin was as powerful as I was when in a basic state of Bonding without using any Gifts. I wasn't far off when I had that thought. He was the better fighter by a mile, but this wasn't that kind of fight. If we were attacking each other with everything we had, I would lose.
I was driven to my knees by a particularly intense blow, my bones rattling after each impact as though I was being struck by a war-hammer. I grappled him, not giving him a moment to recover as I locked my arms around his waist and heaved for all I was worth. I was a large man, strong and more than confident in that fact. I lifted Boldrin an inch off the ground as he continued to lay into my back with spine shaking force. I gritted my teeth and roared as I spun him in the air, bringing him down on his head with all the might I could muster.
He got his arms up in time to defend himself but his abrupt meeting with the dirt was enough to make even me wince. I stepped back to recover, breathing was difficult as my lungs attempted to pull in anything they could to still my shaking vision.
I hadn't called on the power of the Storm and I was unlikely to. This was not a battle of Knights, nor a battle to the death. It was one of rage, one born of the mistakes this man had made during his life. He shouldn't have hurt her. He shouldn't have punished my Tessa with a life so fucking horrific it was a miracle she made it out the other side at all.
My rage grew, matched by my hissing flames. Lightning crackled as a storm formed within the heart of my very being. I charged the man as soon as he was on his feet.
Boldrin met me with a snarl, his huge hands connecting with my own nose and I felt it pop as it was crushed against my skull. Warm blood flowed, but I ignored it. Instead I spun and threw an elbow into his cheek, which opened up a fresh cut.
Boldrin was never one to let wounds give him pause. It was this aspect of the man I had tried to emulate. Even in the midst of war, covered in cuts from a dozen weapons, his smile would not fade as he laid into his enemies with axe and sword. A maelstrom of death as he moved through the battlefield.
A crushing hay-maker knocked me to the ground next. It connected with the kick of a stampede and my vision shifted, faded, as I fell to the ground. I lashed out with a leg and brought my will to bear upon my soul. I wouldn't lose. Not as easily as that. Not to one fucking punch.
My foot hooked Boldrin's ankle and I yanked with all I was worth, the maneuver causing the man to slip as he lost his footing with a curse. I threw a blind punch that connected, but I felt something snap in my hand, the pain a fresh wave to accompany all of the other injuries I had gathered throughout our brief bout.
I was not meant to win this fight. Boldrin had too much experience. He knew everything I was going to throw at him because he was the one who had taught them to me. Either in person or by watching him fight, my style of combat was determined by the bloody, great bastard in front of me. That wouldn't give me pause though. I had righteous fucking fury and an iron-clad jaw on my side. Wars have been won with less.
I jumped to my feet, my legs shaking as I lifted my hands weakly. Boldrin recovered as well, managing to get his boots beneath him. I noted the hitch in his right leg and prepared my attack.
“Enough!” The shout came from Vera, who stepped in between us. Her expression was the perfect encapsulation of barely restrained anger. The red of her face making the white of her hair appear all the more pronounced, “What the fuck are you two doing!?”
Boldrin and I said nothing , too busy staring down each other. I noticed sadness, shame, in the large man's eyes when they met mine and I knew it wasn't because of Vera's words. He knew what he did and he knew why I was acting the way I was. He would have to be a fool not to.
“I asked you a question,” Vera snapped at us like we were children “We are trying to avoid the most dangerous Knight the Hall has ever produced and you think now is the time to fight each other!? You know what? Don't bother answering, I don't give a shit for the reasoning behind this stupidity. Get the horses, we're leaving. Now!”
Finally, after a tense instant, Boldrin relaxed with a chuckle, his hands moving down to his waist as he let down his guard, “Apologies, lass. Me and the lad here were just-”
He didn't get a chance to finish his little speech before I smashed into him wrapping my arms around his massive torso, or trying to at least, as I pushed him back with a roar. We both left the ground, Boldrin's yelp of surprise the only sound that reached me.
We smashed through another taproom window.
The glass fractured and fell around us as we both hit the floor of the inn with groans emanating from the pair of us. The wood hardly made for a soft landing. Boldrin and I lay there as silence followed our descent, moving involuntarily as we tried to avoid the glass all around us.
“Good... good fight, lad,” Boldrin said with a coughing laugh, one hand fixed to his side as he stared at the ceiling overhead.
“Aye, boss,” I grumbled, my anger tamed slightly from inflicting pain upon the man I considered to be my father, but not quenched entirely. Such was the way with revenge. It felt good at the time, but it rarely offered anything more than a temporary release, “Good fight.”
“Orin!” Elora's voice was a balm and the appearance of her concerned face in my vision was better still. She immediately became light, Etherin taking her as she was consumed by her soul and sank into my chest.
The wounds on my face, arms and torso all healed in the next instant. There was no lasting damage, even if they were left to heal naturally, nothing would have come of a few cuts and scrapes. Boldrin and I knew how to inflict pain without causing any significant harm.
The large man watched as my injuries vanished, shaking his head with a grumble, “Don't suppose there's any of that for me?”
“No, boss. I reckon you can suffer through it,” I spat out with a sigh, climbing to my feet, vigour returning to me upon Bonding, “But you can tell me what the fuck you're doing here.”
“Orin,” I turned to my savage Smith, who stepped through the broken window. Her arm was folded across her chest and clutching the other. She looked unsure, her grey eyes flickering between Boldrin and I.
“Speak with her,” Elora's whispered advice was as loud as a crier's shout in my mind, “She needs you.”
I've never been one to deny the wisdom of my Princess. I crossed the distance between us in a second, gifting her with my warmest smile. Tessa didn't return the expression, her eyes and thoughts still far removed from where we stood. I didn't really know how to begin to explain why I did what I did, but I could see it in her steady stare. She knew why Boldrin and I had fought. “I'm sorry. I couldn't stop myself.”
“I can see that,” Tessa replied hesitantly, looking around at the carnage surrounding us.
Our battle had not only taken place outside. We had a merry go of it in the bar as well. Many tables were smashed and many more bottles of booze had gone to waste, smashed as they were by a thrown stool. I couldn't even recall who had done that.
I fully expected Tess to be angry and was unsure how to take the sudden show of vulnerability in the young woman. I know she doesn't blame Boldrin for her childhood, for the significant part he played in her becoming who she was. She reserves that particular resentment for her father and I was unsure how she would react to me attacking our former commander. Tessa doesn't like people fighting her battles for her. At least, that's the facade she maintains, the face she wears to hide her true feelings from the world around her. But things were different when it came to me.
Her arms were slow to move, but purposeful, as she wrapped them around my body, burying her head in my chest. The contact made her shake, but me returning the gesture made the tremors quiet some.
“You did it for me.” I had to strain to hear the mumbled words, but hearing them put a small smile on my face as I laid my head on her hair, just letting her calm down. I wasn't quite sure what brought this on, but it wasn't a bad thing. The way she spoke, she almost seemed surprised.
“Course, I did.” I chuckled fondly before quieting down, “Couldn't let it stand, Tess. He wasn't the architect, but he played a part. That deserves a beating.”
Tessa's grip on me tightened.
“While I hate to break up this lovely moment of Knight and Smith Bonding,” Vera's hissed words came from outside the building. If she had been only angry before, now she was livid. The red of her face draining to become deathly pale, “You have put on quite the performance for this band of villagers. One which I'm sure they will not forget for some time. We cannot stay here. Get the horses. Now!”
I looked past the First Knight, Tessa still in my arms, and caught sight of the burgeoning crowd that was beginning to form outside. The band of drunken miners, interspersed with the crowd that was even now fleeing from the inn, were watching us in dumbstruck fascination. I'm sure seeing Elora Bond with me hadn't helped things none. I came to the very swift realisation that Vera was right. Arn was done for us, we had to leave.
“Get up, old man,” I grumbled at the still prone Boldrin, “We're leaving.”
“Aye, seems like the right idea,” The large man said as he climbed to his feet, the table he leaned on for support creaking dangerously under his iron grip. “How you doing, girl? Being a Smith as good as you thought it was?”
Tessa smiled slightly at the mercenary, “Better, Boldrin. Much better.”
Boldrin grinned at her, “I'm glad to hear it, lass. I knew the boy would come to his senses.”
“Elora?” I said aloud as I broke from Tessa and grabbed Boldrin's shoulder, guiding him towards our newly made door, “Everything alright?”
“Fine, love,” Elora said back, “I think I might stay Bonded for now though. I don't like some of the looks those miners are giving you.”
I grimaced at the crowd that was slowly growing by the second. I reckoned we were about two minutes away from the emergence of a mob, one which was baying for the blood of the people who had destroyed their rarely used inn. A mob didn't need a good reason, only one that vaguely suited them. It appeared we had created it for them and the drunk amongst their number didn't seem to be helping with their exaggerated shouts, crimson cheeks and unsteady eyes.
I was beginning to think I hadn't thought this all the way through. But what else was new?
I helped Boldrin over the lip of the window as Alden, Deirdric and Annabelle arrived, each of them pulling our steeds behind them. I climbed atop my old horse with the nimble grace of a Knight. The big bastard could try and throw me if he wanted: With my Knightly strength and speed I was pretty much rooted in place.
“I've paid the keep,” Vera said as she rushed out of the inn, “We leave, ride until the horses can't stand it.”
“Ye can't just fuckin' leave!” One of the rosy cheeked miners snarled, “You've wrecked our town!”
His shout was soon joined by a second and then a third. I caught sight of the foreman within the group shaking his head at us in disgust along with the rest of his men. Looks like we wouldn't be having his help again tonight.
We started at a sprint, with me taking up the rear. Bonded as I was, I was the best suited to repel any attacks. A few bottles were thrown our way but I snatched the first out of the air with ease and hurled it back at the drunkard who'd thrown it. It collided with his face and cracked, causing his head to whip backwards. I watched each of them warily as we moved through the thickening mob, my war face firmly in place as I stared down any who dared to meet my eye. That seemed to give them pause.
It was something I had learned from Tessa while watching her over the years. The best warriors were the ones who didn't have to fight at all. All they needed to win was a glare. I was glad it seemed to be working, but I didn't put much stock in it lasting long. Ale had a way of giving even the most cowardly of men and women courage.
Luckily we rode free of Arn in mere moments, picking up the pace until we were in a full-blown sprint. I didn't think there was much chance of us being followed, but I understood why Vera wanted to put as much distance between us and the small town as possible. If Samuel passed through Arn, it would take him all of five seconds to discover we had been there. I cursed myself internally but instead focused on riding to take my mind off my idiotic actions.
“You had good cause, Orin,” Elora said, “No one blames you for acting the way you did.”
“I think Vera might hold a little bit of a grudge.” The Princess had nothing to say to that and I couldn't blame her. I wasn't looking forward to us stopping for the night.
We left the road soon after Arn and headed deep into the forest of Gel'mardin. We were approaching the edge of the great wood now. Soon it would be open plains between us and the Republic.
Vera came to a grinding halt in some clearing, well hidden in the brush and thick trees surrounding us. She hurled herself off of her horse and walked up to me, her teeth gritted as she reached up to rip me off my steed. I could have resisted, but I chose not to, instead tumbling off of my horse and onto my feet lightly.
“Do you not understand the meaning of the word 'subtle'!?” Vera roared, her face inches from my own. “You might as well have told everyone in that town that you were an Heir bound for Ragora. By the fucking Spirit, Orin, think beyond yourself!”
“The lad had good reason to quarrel with me, First Knight,” Boldrin's growl pulled Vera's attention, causing the woman to round on the man, who'd climbed down from his horse. I recognised the large beast as Shatter-spear, Boldrin's own tremendous warhorse that could trace her lineage back to the great cavalry mounts of the Queendom to the west. “Don't talk to him like he's a child.”
“With all due respect, a mercenary shouldn't even be here,” Vera snapped, not backing down for an instant, “You might've just led our enemies straight to us with that display of idiocy.”
“Samuel won't come this far east so soon,” Boldrin interrupted, “It was wise to leave the town, but the trail we left will be long cold by the time he's finished in Myrin.”
“And what do you know about Samuel, Boldrin?” Annabelle asked, her demure frame showing just as much anger as her sister, “You are a mercenary and hardly qualified to speak on matters of the Hall.”
“More right than you do, seeing as I worked with that one more than once during my years there.” Boldrin snapped back, which gave both Vera and Annabelle pause.
“Boldrin was once a Vigilant,” Tessa chimed in helpfully.
“A Knight-Killer?” Alden looked shocked, Deirdric's face turning pale as he stared at Boldrin.
“Well, that's just perfect.” Vera said with frustration plain to see, rubbing at her forehead angrily.
“You're right, Vera. I fucked up and I'm sorry,” I said calmly, trying to ease the pressure off this conversation, “Boldrin's also right, though. My reason was sound.”
“What possible reason could be good enough to jeopardise our chances of reaching our destination? Not to mention putting the Princess in danger, something that I swore upon my honour and Annabelle's to avoid at all costs?” Vera asked sarcastically.
“Me.” Tessa stated softly, all eyes drawn to the young woman, who looked away at the attention, “He fought him for me.”
“We may need a little more information than that, Tessaraina,” Annabelle said.
“You won't get it,” I said to the First Smith, meeting her eyes with mine before turning that gaze on her sister, “So don't ask.”
Vera looked about ready to explode, deflating in the next instant as though she had realised that continuing on with this line of questioning was futile. She sighed angrily, the strength of her convictions suddenly fleeing her. She chuckled as she kicked at the earth beneath, laughing at a joke that I didn't undertsand. Then she did something utterly unexpected, she punched me on the shoulder gently, though I still felt the strength behind the blow. “Defending your Smith isn't the worst reason in the world for being a dumb-ass. Still, it's pushing the boundaries. I'm not asking for much here, Orin. I think we both know that our relationship is strained, but if you could let me know the next time you decide you want to destroy a building, I would be much obliged. I'm not just here for Elora. You are the future King of Venos and I will do all I can to defend you. Just... Please try to not make my job harder than it needs to be.”
I didn't know what to say to that. Honestly, I was expecting Vera to be a little more severe with me. Eventually, after a moment of the two of us staring at each other, I nodded contritely. Vera grumbled in approval before turning away.
“She regrets Paldrum,” Elora whispered, “She's trying to make it right, in her own way.”
I frowned as I considered the Princess' words, watching as Vera retreated over to her sister. Perhaps she was right. Maybe Vera was trying to find some semblance of common ground between us and going easy on me now was her way of doing that. I wasn't sure how I felt about her still. I appreciated everything she was doing for us and her anger in this instance was more than justified. My reasoning for fighting my former commander was well-founded, true, but I'd made yet another mistake. Another lesson to learn, one which I had been taught before: Do not allow my emotions to rule my actions. When it came to Elora and Tess, I just wasn't sure that was possible.
“We'll camp here tonight,” Vera said, looking up to the starry sky above us. The sun had set, but the remnants of rays remained, lighting the area around us, “No fire. I suppose your presence here means that you will be joining us on our journey, Boldrin?”
“Might be,” He shrugged and glanced over at me, “Depends on the kid.”
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I narrowed my eye at the man. We had to have a conversation, one which was long overdue. Elora appeared next to me in a shimmer of light, her skin rippling as her soul vanished once more. She smiled at me and I felt a gentle jab of comfort over the Bond. Tessa had also gotten off her horse and wandered over to join us, her eyes carefully scanning her surroundings.
“What do you think? Good spot?” I asked the young mercenary who nodded wearily.
“Aye, it'll do,” Tessa said, “Covering more ground would be better but the horses couldn't take it, I think.”
We each went to work, pulling our saddlebags free of our mounts as we set up a basic camp. It was nothing fancy, Vera had only managed to procure the most basic equipment to ensure some modicum of comfort for us and I was fine with that. I did hate the fact that I had managed to ruin my chances of staying in a nice bed. Worse still was the fact that the bed would've contained my rather beautiful wife. Shit, this Heir life was really becoming more trouble than it was worth.
“Lad. We need to talk.” Boldrin's hesitant tone was enough too pull me from my thoughts as I turned in place too face the towering man.
He hadn't set up any of his gear and I wondered as to the reason for all but a moment until I realised he was waiting for my word. He wanted to know if he was welcome, if he could stay. He was waiting for me to give him my answer. I looked to Alden, Deirdric, Annabelle and Vera. The two pairs were on the other side of the clearing, busily putting out their tents as Annabelle put together a cold dinner from our limited rations.
“So talk, boss,” I shrugged, “My Smiths stay.”
Elora and Tessa both nodded at me, both turning to the man expectantly as he prepared to speak. The commander sat on a stump near our two tents, indicating for me and the girls to sit opposite him. I did as he requested, Tessa to my left and Elora to my right as we settled on the grass. For some reason, I felt like I was with the band again, sitting around the fire as we all waited to hear one of Boldrin's stories from his time as a mercenary.
“I knew we'd have to do this one day,” The large man scratched at his scraggly beard, “Even practised it once or twice but the words never came out right. Or maybe they did and it still sounded fucked beyond repair.”
Boldrin shifted in his make-shift seat and pulled a wineskin from his waist. He held it before his eyes fondly, “I did, however, always think I sounded better after a drink.”
The man took a swig before tossing it over to me. I snatched it out of the air and took a long pull of the skin. I Immediately knew what it was as it burned my throat beyond all recognition. After you've tasted it once, you never forgot the taste of Brin's signature brew.
“That old man knew his spirits.” I said wistfully as I took another draw before passing it to Tessa.
“Aye, he did that.” Boldrin said with a chuckle, “Brin was a mean warrior, but in another life he'd have liked to dedicate his whole being to his craft. He was the last of them, you know? The last of the old guard, the first ten who joined my Brigade. Back when we were young idiots looking to make a name for ourselves. He left every now and then, usually when he found some girl who'd put a spell on him, but he always came back. A warrior born was Brin.”
Elora coughed as she tried to match Tessa and I. The Princess' eyes became saucers and her usually pale skin became tinged with green as she finally managed to force some of the foul concoction down, grimacing at the wineskin in disgust as she passed it back to Boldrin.
“I am suddenly thankful I didn't have the chance to try Brin's brew when we were with the Brigade,” My Princess said weakly as her coughing fit subsided.
“Oh, Brin would have gotten around to it eventually, your Highness,” Boldrin smirked, “It was a right of passage among my warriors to down a little of his latest batch. To Brin, one of the finest men I knew!”
The warrior drank more, smacking his lips after the fact as though it were some fine wine from the Duchies rather than the roadside swill it actually was.
“Was Brin... his body...” I felt a sudden sense of guilt overwhelm me. I hadn't thought about the old man much. I'd been trying not to. The memory of his death was still rather fresh in my mind. The smile as he went, the words he spoke. He was proud to have saved me, to have helped me in the moment I needed aid the most. How could I ever be worthy of such a sacrifice? This thought was only compounded by the other members of my mercenary family who had fallen for me, who had put all on the line for my sake and mine alone.
“We buried him where he fell, spear in hand,” Boldrin spoke softly, “Not our way, I know, and the area wasn't exactly safe, but I wanted to send him off in the old way. Into the earth and onwards to the Infinite Void. He believed all that bullshit and I wanted to honour it.”
I nodded, pleased. Old Brin deserved it. He had a hard life, one which was filled with toil and battle. I hoped that he found his peace in the next, blind drunk and happy for all times. It was a nice thought. I just wished I truly believed it.
“This shit is the last of it,” Boldrin smiled, “The rest we gave out to the band a few days after the battle. I wish you were there to tell the story of his final fight, kid. I know Brin would have liked that.”
“Aye, I wish that as well,” I replied, sharing in my grief with my old commander, while also in the joy of Brin reaching the end of his long journey through this life. “How are Alec and the others?”
Boldrin took another swig as he weighed his answer, “Fine and well. We lost many of the old hands in the battle, but they went with a smile on their lips. I want you to know something, Orin: All knew who you were, knew what you were. They went in with both eyes open and pride in their hearts. They loved you, son. Each and every one of them.”
His words meant more to me than I was expecting them to. I carried their burden with me after Dunwellen, it was only in Myrin that I had begun to come to terms with their deaths. I had asked them for help and they had answered. I would never forget their sacrifice, never forget their faces.
This I so swear.
“Who of Alec's team fell?” I asked with a brittle tone, desperate to know and at the same time terrified.
“Hosta and the twins,” Boldrin intoned, “They died with sword in hand. They even managed to bring down a Knight. Warriors all!”
Hosta. A bitter old bastard if I had ever met one. Quick to anger and even quicker to fight, but his kindest moments shone through when surrounded by the young. Children had a way of bringing out the best in the old man. He would spent hours playing with them. I had asked Alec why one night and he told me it was because Hosta had children of his own once, long ago. That was all that needed to be said.
The twins, Dig and Dag, were terrors on the battlefield, but they were perhaps better known for being great fathers and husbands. Their wives were followers in the band and their children also, but they had moved on to greener pastures long before I'd joined. Often you would see them drinking with Brin and returning to their tents in a state of disarray only to be shouted at by their wives, much to the amusement of all. They would wake the next day and pick flowers for their women as a way of apology. A good pair. I'm strangely glad they fell as one, for they would never choose to live apart.
The fact that the three men had killed a Knight would only add to their song. They would be legends among the fallen of Boldrin's Brigade. I felt my heart swell with pride at their achievements and snatched the skin from Boldrin's hand.
“Adrian, Grove, Heston, Tadeus, Sabah and Frode. Brin, Hosta, Din and Dag. Warriors all!” I downed the mixture to hide the fact that my eye was tearing up.
Thank you, brothers and sister. I will never forget you.
Tessa followed, drinking it down with as much fervour as I did, “I knew them all well. All bar Frode joined me on my watch. The twins were the first to show me the dagger, to teach me of the skill I needed to wield them. Heston taught me to cook, Grove instructed me in the spear and Sabah in stealth. Each loved you, Orin. Each wanted to be a part of your legend. Warriors all!”
I hadn't expected so much from Tessa but her words pulled a smile from me all the same. I handed the skin to Elora who looked at it with a foul expression. I can only assume it was what I looked like when I stared at my horse. She drank deeply, closing her eyes and holding her nose as she did so before finally coming up for air.
“I don't know if I have the right to say anything,” Elora began with a small hiccup, “But these men and women all helped Orin and I reach my parents, helped to save Venos. I thank them for that from the bottom of my heart. Warriors all!”
Boldrin clapped his hands together heartily, “They hear your words, young Princess. You speak well and they know it, wherever they may be.”
We sat there for a moment in silence, each of us remembering the fallen and their valour. I needed this, I felt. Boldrin and I had our troubles, but I'd never deny that the man loved his Brigade, that he'd die for any one of them. Me included. To have a small impromptu drink in their honour felt right.
“Now onto more serious topics,” Boldrin spoke gravely, the skin sitting beside him forgotten, “We good, son? Things got pretty heated back there.”
I knew what he was asking and I didn't quite know how to respond. Boldrin was still a great man in my eyes, the one who had plucked me from obscurity and given me a purpose, put a sword in my hand. Of course, that was a lie. All of it was. I wasn't lucky to be picked by Boldrin, nor did he see something special in me like I had once believed. I was recruited because his entire purpose for being in Venos was to watch and protect me. It was a betrayal, but one of the same kind as the Sister's own. I had come to terms with my mother hiding secrets. If I didn't do the same with Boldrin then I would be a hypocrite. I could accept the role he played in my life. Tessa was another matter entirely.
“I forgive you for hiding the truth, Boldrin,” I began, “Like I said at the bar, I know you did it with the best of intentions. The rest of it... Well, that isn't my sin to forgive.”
“Aye lad, I know,” Boldrin grimaced and turned to Tessa then, the young mercenary watching him with a sharp-eyed gaze, “We never did much talk about what I put you through, kid. I could make the excuse that your father put me up to it. I could say I didn't have a choice, but that wouldn't be true either. I believed that Orin was worth the pain I caused you and I took the nightmares in fair trade for that. All I can say is that I'm sorry. I can't fix what's been done. The past can't be changed. Believe me, I know that better than most. You've grown up so much, Tess. I know it doesn't mean much, but I'm proud of you.”
Tessa nodded slowly, the shadow of a smile crossing her lips as her eyes moved over to me before back to the commander, “More than you might think, Boldrin. I stopped blaming you for what happened a long time ago. Orin acted in my defence, because that's what he does. I may have forgiven you, but I know why he couldn't let it go. He'll always protect me.”
Her speech was hesitant and her stare even more so as it flickered to me once more before looking away. I smiled and reached over our Bond, touching her soul gently, just to let her know how true her words were. The belief, the Idea that she had Forged into Storm, was a powerful thing. I had made a promise then to never betray her faith in me. The blame I felt for the role I played was something I would use to ensure Tess never had to go through anything like that again.
“You have yourself a great Smith, Orin,” Boldrin said in a sombre tone, “Hope you appreciate her.”
“I do, Boldrin. It took me a while to understand that, but I do. Tessa answered your question for you. I'm still angry with you, boss. I don't think that'll change anytime soon. But for now, we're good.”
I felt Elora touch me over the Bond and turned to my Princess, who beamed at me with pride, her fingers brushing my own as she did so. Having her support, especially after how turbulent that first attempt by Tessa to Bond was, meant the world to me.
“Well, now that's out of the way,” Boldrin grinned, “It's good to see you, kid. Soon as I got word of Samuel, I knew time was short. I'm glad you got out of Myrin when you did. He'll be there soon, if he isn't already.”
Elora trembled at that, but I clamped my hand over hers to reassure my Smith. Her parents would face Samuel, but we didn't yet know what kind of confrontation it would be. The King's assurances helped me rest a little easier, but the way they spoke about the Hall's agent in the palace had left me feeling more than a little uneasy for Elora's sake.
“You used to work with him?”
Boldrin nodded, “I did. Three times in total over the course of my years in the Hall. It's quite the thing being a Vigilant, lad. We're mortals, sure, but we get the best equipment and training. We killed Knights in teams, trained to weaken, maim and then kill them. The people we put down... they weren't good folk, Orin. Pairs can do a lot of damage without oversight and there ain't a whole lot a normal person can do to stop them. There ain't enough Knights to deal with all of them, so the Vigilants were created to fill the gap.”
“And also to burn villages to the ground, to murder innocent children,” Elora said with no small amount of anger, “We can't forget that important part of their mandate.”
The band commander winced at that, looking away with shame, “We meant something once, Princess. At least, I thought we did. We did the dirty work, true, but it was always to keep people safe. I wasn't apart of what happened to Sulturut, that was after my time. I gave up on the Vigilants when they gave up on me.”
“What do you mean, boss?” I asked plainly.
The mood changed then. Boldrin's face became cloaked in a shadow of grief and regret as the last light of the sun faded, painting the world in shades of oppressive black.
“I was married once, son,” Boldrin started slowly, a cold chill hanging in the air as he spoke, “Back when I had a different name, a different life. I was a soldier in the Yelesi Legions and I was damn good at it. Countless battles and two wars under my belt before I'd seen my twenty fifth year! But I felt something was missing. I finally figured out what it was when I was on leave and returned to Gell, my home town. I met a young girl named Olga, her brother introduced us. What a firecracker she was, Orin! We got to know each other after I visited the tailor shop she worked at. She would fix my clothes and we would talk. Got to the point that I was ripping my own tunics just for the chance to speak with her! Can you imagine that! Me!? But she was just so lovely, I couldn't help myself.”
I found myself smiling as I imagined a young Boldrin tripping over his words as he spoke to a young woman. I could barely picture it. The man I knew was the most confident merc to ever walk Ouros. It was an endearing image but one that was tempered by the horrible sadness that emanated from the man I considered to be my father.
“You don't have to tell me this, Boldrin,” I said carefully.
“Nah, lad. I do,” Boldrin smiled, though it didn't reach his eyes, “You deserve to hear all of it and you'll know the reason as soon as I mention his name. Olga and I were married in the spring. We danced amidst our friends in the sunshine. It was a glorious day, son. The second best of my life. Hammond, Olga's brother, stood at my side when we gave the vows.”
I froze, felt ice pour down my back and the hairs on my arms stand at attention. Craven was Boldrin's brother-in-law?
“You think him a monster and rightly so,” Boldrin spoke as though to console me, “But it wasn't always the case. He was good man once. A great one. He was a soldier like me and he introduced me to Olga. He was my best friend, Orin. I would've trusted him with my life. But that all changed after Ingrid was born.”
Boldrin trembled as he said the name and I felt my heart sink into my stomach as I realised where this story was going. The inevitable ending that I should have seen from the start.
“That was the best day of my life,” Boldrin said wistfully, a giant smile forming and joy dancing behind his eyes as his weary expression faded away, “Oh, what a thing she was. The most beautiful girl you'd ever seen. Cute as a button, just like her mother. She had my eyes. Ingrid changed me, made me want to be around more. I was planning on leaving the military and buying that tailor shop Olga worked at. We would be a family. Just one more tour and I'd have the coin to settle down for good.”
Boldrin stopped himself, his teeth gritted and massive hands clenched at his waist. I saw tears fall and I felt something inside me crack at the sight. Here was the strongest man I knew, yet this memory was so awful, so poisonous that it reduced even him to tears.
Tessa got to her feet and walked over to Boldrin, placing a consoling hand on his shoulder. She didn't say anything, but the mercenary threw her a grateful glance all the same before she returned to her seat.
“I won't go into much detail here, son,” Boldrin said softly, “I would if I could, but I... I just can't. Reliving it is enough. Gell was attacked by a rogue Knight who had managed to allude capture by the Hall. I arrived as the walls were breached, as the army of savages, brigands and bandits he led fell over my city like a plague. I fought through the streets. By the time I got to our home, I was slick with blood. Hammond was there. He had retired before me, you see. He wanted to meet a nice girl, wanted to settle down as I did. He... He was holding my girls...”
Boldrin's voice cracked and he looked away, eyes closed as he drew in deep breaths before releasing his tension with a chuckle. “So many years have passed me by and the memory is still as fresh as yesterday. Hammond tried to save them, he did everything he could but he didn't get there in time. He got the men who did it, but that was cold comfort for him or for me.”
Boldrin smiled at me then, maybe in an attempt to banish the sorrow that I could see shining so clearly, though it dissipated as quickly as it appeared. His wish to be free of the past not enough to make it so, “The Knight left soon after, his army following in his wake. Hammond and I hid in the cellar of my home for three days until they had gotten their fill and fled. I clutched the cold bodies of my wife and daughter until Hammond spurned me to action. We buried them outside the city, away from the carnage and smoke.”
“Boldrin... I'm so sorry,” The words felt hollow, empty, next to such a tremendous loss. For some reason I saw the man more clearly than I ever had. I finally understood why he was always so boisterous, so loud. He was running from the pain of his life being ripped from him.
“Ah, no need for those words now, lad,” Boldrin said, “I may not look it, but I made my peace with their deaths a long time ago. This world is a cruel place. Something you know better than most. We all know of someone who was taken before their time. Your Leila was one.”
I nodded bitterly. I would trade my life for hers in a instant if I could go back. But like Boldrin said, it simply wasn't possible. All we could do was live on and in a way that honoured them. That was as true for my fallen mercenary friends as it was for my little sister. “Doesn't make it easier to live with.”
“No, it doesn't,” Boldrin sighed as he glanced over in the direction of the rest of our party, “But we soldier on regardless. We strive for better.”
I turned to my Smiths in turn. Elora was openly crying silently as she stared at Boldrin, dabbing at her eyes with the sleeve of her tunic as she endeavoured to hold back sobs. Tessa was more restrained. She smiled at me sadly and blinked away tears that I wasn't sure had even been there to begin with.
“After that, Hammond and I only had one thing on our minds,” Boldrin continued, “Revenge of the most vile sort. We had our own creed, our own code. Together we would kill those who had power but didn't deserve it. We would kill the monsters in the dark before they had a chance to hurt innocent people. For two years we tracked the Knight who killed my family. For two years we hunted those who believed that their status as Knights gave them the right to harm those they perceived as beneath them. I ain't gonna lie to you, kid, it was a dark time in our lives. We lived day to day, honing our skills and training ourselves to hunt Knights. We were just two mortals, but our creed gave us strength when all seemed lost. Eventually, after two long years of searching, we received a missive from a source that claimed the Knight we were looking for was in the Empire.”
“Who sent it to you?” I asked with a frown.
“There was no name. Only a title. 'Mentor'.”
A cold wind blew and the hairs on my arm stood on end as I gaped at the man, “He gave you the Knight? Craven's Mentor?”
Boldrin nodded solemnly, “I realise now that he was only using us. He wanted the Knight dead and was going to make us do it in his stead. I didn't care much at the time, only that I had a lead to follow. We arrived at the village he and his men had near destroyed and staked it out for near a week. Then we made our move. The man in question was not Bonded, though his Smith was nearby so we needed to act quickly. We broke into the home he had taken and I slit his throat in his sleep. I watched him die, let him know I was the one who ended his life.”
“Good,” Tessa murmured ferociously, “Fucker deserved it.”
“Aye, he did that,” Boldrin replied, “But I didn't feel any better even as his life's blood soaked his sheets. I noticed he was reaching for something. A chest in the corner of the room. I opened it to find a young girl of about thirteen, naked and staring up at me with broken little eyes. It was his Smith. She'd survived his death. He was keeping her like a dog.”
“By the Spirit,” Elora said, trembling as she grasped my hand with her own, “What kind of Knight would do that to his partner?”
“The very worst kind, Princess,” Boldrin stated, “One which deserved a whole lot more pain than I gave him. We took the girl and left that village behind. We were good, the best, but we weren't strong enough to survive a battle with so many. With the Knight dead, they would destroy themselves in time, we were sure. Three months later and the girl hadn't changed in the slightest. We clothed her, fed her and helped her as best we could, but what she had we couldn't fix. That was when we received another letter from the Mentor.”
“He wanted her, didn't he?” I said suddenly, coming to the same terrible realisation as my Smiths, “He wanted the girl.”
“He did,” Boldrin nodded, “And I was disinclined to give her to him. Hammond, on the other hand, thought it would be for the best. The Mentor didn't just ask for her, but for us as well. To be a part of his organisation, to hunt Knights with his resources at our command. I smelled a trap and told Hammond but the idiot wouldn't believe me. I said that taking her to the Hall would be best. He said I was a hypocrite for wanting to hand her back over to the people who abused the power of their Knights in the first place. He wasn't wrong.”
Boldrin leaned back on his makeshift chair and hefted the wineskin, taking a quick swig before handing it over to me, though it was forgotten in my grasp, “I believed that it was better to trust the evil you knew than the one you didn't. I couldn't help her and I would be damned if I was going to hand her over to someone based on some words written on a piece of parchment. Hammond didn't like that. Our mission, our creed, it had consumed him. He believed that by giving us the Knight the Mentor had 'saved' us, given us a new path. There was little left of the man I had once called my brother. We fought. I won and that was the last I saw of Hammond until Myrin. The girl and I left to go to the Hall. After I handed her over and explained where I found her, I was offered a position in the Vigilant. In the beginning I stuck around to keep an eye on the kid, but the more I learned, the more I wanted to be the best Vigilant I could be. The Hall knew of the corruption among the Knights and I could help rectify that. I was naive back then.”
“How so?” Elora asked.
“Because they only care about their reputations. I said it at the beginning; I gave up on the Vigilant when they gave up on me. They stopped listening when I spoke, when I told them of Knights who were abusing their power. People were dying and we did nothing because of politics. I left after only a few years. I cast aside the name Gustav of Gell and became Bold Boldrin of the Republic, the dashing leader of the meanest band of mercs this side of the continent,” Boldrin snickered at that, “Initially we were to keep doing the work that Hammond and I started. We did, for a time, but that all changed when Mastan told me about you, lad. He was the only Master in the Hall who seemed to actually give a shit about what was happening to Ouros. You gave me purpose again, Orin. I never did thank you for that, but I can now. My creed, the one I followed with Hammond, was a tainted thing from the offset. Cursed with the sorrow of a man long dead. As Boldrin I could be better.”
“I think it was you who gave me purpose, boss.” I said to the man, uncomfortable with his admission and drawing a laugh.
“Nah, I just put a sword in your hand. You did the rest. You've become a great Knight, Orin. A greater man.” Boldrin leaned forward and clapped a hand on my shoulder that sent a tremor through my body, “I'm proud of you, son.”
“Did you tell them, Boldrin?” Tessa asked suddenly as the big man took his hand back. “Did you tell the band?”
Tessa had told me that Boldrin intended on telling the Brigade the truth about his purpose. Of being my sworn protector. At least, he was going to tell the younger members who didn't know. It was bold, but right and long overdue.
Boldrin winced, “Aye, I told them, lass. They took it well all things considered. They love Orin and not a one of them spoke up as to the contrary. But they hated being lied to. I decided it would best for me to leave. They wanted me to stay, but I don't deserve their loyalty, not after the lie I told. Boldrin's Brigade is now Alec's Brigade. At least, that's what it seemed like as I left. The kid lost an arm, you know that, Orin?”
I grimaced, shame filling me, “Aye, boss. Tess told me.”
“Don't be down, lad, Alec certainly isn't,” Boldrin laughed suddenly, “The boy's a natural leader and I know he'll take the Brigade to new heights without this old fossil weighing him down. He said I could come back anytime and that if I called, they'd be there. He knows I never would, but the gesture is nice all the same.”
“You said that you saw Hammond in Myrin. Was that before or after he tried to kidnap Elora?”
The humour drained from the old man's face as he sighed, scratching at his beard as he did so, “It was before, lad. I hadn't seen the man in years. I knew he had taken up the Mentor's offer. That was the rumour anyway. Seeing him again, tainted and broken. It was no easy thing.”
“You knew,” I reeled back from the man, “You knew he was going to take Elora, yet you did nothing to stop it?”
“What could I have done?” Boldrin said helplessly, “I wasn't his match anymore. I think our fight in Dunwellen made that clear and I didn't for one second believe he would be able to pull it off. He had to fight through the First Knight, Elgard and a half dozen others to reach your Princess. If I had known Erin had been there, if I had known you would become involved, I would have stopped him.”
It was an excuse. He knew it as well as I did. As much as he said Hammond was no longer his brother, a bond like that, one forged in the fires of war and tempered by marriage to the man's sister, was a hard thing to dispel. I believed that he would have helped if he knew I was going to be on that stage, but he hesitated when that wasn't the case, despite knowing what Craven had become. I put myself in Boldrin's shoes for a moment. If I hadn't known Elora, hadn't Bonded with her, would I have been able to kill Pater to stop the kidnapping from happening?
I didn't know the answer to that question, which was an answer all by itself. It was another betrayal on Boldrin's part, but one without bite. He weighed Elora's life against Hammond and chose his brother. I would be a naive fool to judge him for that.
“You should know something, Boldrin,” I began softly, “In the end, when Elora put her dagger in Craven's... Hammond's eye. He looked something close to human again. He finished the job himself. I think he knew what he had become, knew he had to die.”
Boldrin stared at me as I spoke and looked away when I stopped, sniffing in the night air as tears danced at the corners of his eyes, “Thank you for telling me, lad. He truly was a good man once. The best I had ever known. I'm glad he left this world with a little dignity.”
“Thanks for telling us your tale, boss,” I said as I climbed to my feet wearily, emotionally drained from our brief conversation, “I know it couldn't have been easy.”
“You needed to know the truth, lad,” Boldrin said with a smile, also rising “Now you know everything, but the journey's just starting. I've got no idea where your song will take you, Orin, but I know I want to be there with you. I know you won't forgive me anytime soon, but I'm willing to work damn hard to prove I'm in your corner. If you can find any use for this old warhorse, I'd gladly give all I have.”
“Then teach me,” I said intensely, my eye fixed on Boldrin's own, “Teach us. Show us how to fight like a Vigilant, teach me how to best kill a Knight. I think I'll be doing a fair bit of that in the days to come.”
Boldrin grinned as he drew himself up to his full size, glaring down on me with furrowed and thunderous brows, “I can do that, lad. Though you may curse me when you come out the other end. No more gentle lessons like back with the band. I'm gonna teach you the shit you need when you get into trouble.”
“I'm up to the challenge,” I replied, conviction in my voice, “All of my enemies are stronger than I am. I need to get stronger still.”
“Done!” Boldrin held out his hand and I gripped his wrist firmly, “Make sure you get a good night's sleep then. Training begins tomorrow.”
I nodded and turned with my Smiths before hesitating. A question I hadn't asked had just entered my mind and my curiosity got the best of me.
“One more thing, boss. What happened to that girl. The one you saved?”
Boldrin's grin crumbled as his expression darkened. “You'll have already heard of her, lad. She's one of the reasons you're running towards Ragora right now. Samuel's first Smith died near fifteen years ago. The Hall gave him another.”
“You mean...?” Elora turned and stared at Boldrin with horror, her face turning pale. Tessa was just as taken aback, her eyes widening with disbelief.
“I told you I knew Samuel well, lad. Though not as well as his Smith.” Boldrin said grimly, “I knew her as Sif, but she has had many names since. The Mad One, the Black Smile, the Saint's Burden. Most know her only as the Harlot.”