Fight.
My heart kept telling me to 'fight' but my brain thought better of it. As it stood with the 40 bandits at the camp we could probably have a powerful surge attack. Maybe even take out one battalion in the confusion, but looking at the families peering at me I couldn't possibly choose to fight. And at her current level I could barely even raise a hand against Claire if she wanted me subdued. No at all cost during this time of mourning I needed this confrontation to stay peaceful. In fact I didn't even know that this was a confrontation right now, this feeling of complete uncertainty, and fear. I doubt this was something my father felt when surrounded by his men. I feel relieved I'm not the official leader.
I had those thoughts, and then realized that all eyes had left Claire, and the now halted carriage, and were instead resting on me.
'What was I going to do.' was what the looks conveyed.
This was a scene I'd seen before but with my father as the gaze point.
It felt strange. I hadn't even noticed that the crowd had been made around me. Even Degin stood beside me glancing at his side arm and then to me. I nod 'no' slightly and he passed a slight grin, I suppose I maybe I have passed some kind of test?
I had seen the Count before. It was during a parade celebrating the birth of his son Julius. I was young at the time but Count Augustine was not someone you could easily forget. He was a heavy man to put it lightly. Morbidly Obese to put it in American Medical terms.
Despite his somewhat horrid appearance he seemed to have a genuine smile over the birth of his child. I remember he clutched at the child tightly and beamed a large smile. His wife beside him who was also fairly pudgy grinned smugly beside him during the parade.
But the man who gracefully stepped from the the carriage was not the Count, nor was it likely the son.
I assume so for two main reasons. One, surely that boy is overweight by now. Two, surely this man is 15 years my elder, if not more.
My father was likely forty however this man looked younger, so if I had to guess, mid or early thirties.
He held himself strongly. He was likely a soldier at a point in time. The sword at his hip didn't seem ornamental. The handle of it was a simple wood and the blade was carried in a leather pouch instead of a proper scabbard. The handle also seemed strangely long for what looked like a short sword.
The man walks directly towards me. His hand didn't reach towards the long handled blade, so I continued to leave my guard down. Not that I figure I could do a thing against this person. He glances towards the Inn, and I can only assume towards my mother and nodded with a solemn line on his face. He then continued towards me before finally opening his mouth.
"Good afternoon, or perhaps just 'greetings' is more fit for this occasion." He says nodding to me and then Degin, he was strangely aware of our command structure, despite the fact that I had only become aware of it seconds ago. "I have heard of the passing of the Hawk, I give my deepest condolences on behalf of the Count, his family, and myself."
"That's something of a surprise, I wasn't aware the Count knew of our existence." I reflexively say at the stiff and yet entirely unexpected show of good faith.
"Ah the Count, well, he isn't actually aware of your fathers passing but he was aware of your group. A good leader is always wary of the threats around him." The man explained with a slight grin during the later words.
"Hmm so you came here not on the Counts request, but on your own accord. And it's as you say exactly. Yet you still came. Does that mean you are not a good leader, or something else?"
Claire, who's group had finally arrived and dismounted. On hearing my words seemed to get slightly flustered. I suppose that means this man leads these battalions often. Its good that she is in a such a high post
The man grins at me and clears his throat, stopping the few soldier who had become indignant at my words Claire including. "Its exactly as you say young hawk. A good leader is always wary of threats, but they are also kind to allies. As you all have never shown sign of being a threat why proactively think of you as one?"
I smiled at the man and extended my hand to shake.
He looked at me strangely for a second and then extend his own grasping mine tightly and shaking it as we exchanged a grin.
This man reminded me of my father. Say what is needed. Make white lies when needed. Never say your whole meaning. I'm sure if he and my father met they would have been quick friends.
The man, who I learn was the main counsel for the Count, was named Joseph. He was a soldier first and foremost as I had assumed. He has shown great leading and fighting ability. Going so far as to duel some of the High King's generals. Naturally he quickly rose in rank and soon was counseling the Count.
He was actually leading this group past us into Godrick the outskirt village, so my fear was really for naught. But something still didn't sit straight with me.
"Why assemble such a large group of elites to go to Godrick? There is relative safety on the route is there not? And the town itself is small, is such an extreme show of might really necessary for whatever you are doing? And why send someone such as yourself?"
At the word 'elite' Claire perked up and her face turned slightly cherry colored. I wasn't exaggerating though, her blade skills were that of an elite. Even during the training my father had done with the two of us. He had said as much quiet often, it had made me slightly disheartened but it forced me to train harder. Even after she left a few years ago, I still kept up the training. I suppose these past three days are the only times I haven't broken a sweat with my wood blade.
"You are again perceptive. Well I can't go into all the details right now but there have been recent attacks on Godrick and the other up-river villages. With the attacks becoming more frequent the limited taxes that we were collecting from the towns have dried up entirely. Now they are even saying they will be unable to afford the cost of maintaining the bridge and road that they had typically maintained." He explains pointing towards the bridge a few hundred feet from the camp.
"With all, that the Count demanded that I send an army down to deal with the threat. But as it stands if we move troops to deal with bandits then our borders will be open to the empire to the west. Though their unlikely to attack, it's not something we should risk. So I said I would go to discuss with the village. As well as showing an appropriate show of strength to any bandits scouting the town. He had originally assumed it was you all who were attacking, but I assured him that was not likely the case."
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"Mhm I thank you for that, and I assure you, you are correct. We have a strict pact." I explain glancing at the tribes-people around me and taking a mental tally. Yeah, everyone is here. Its surely not us. The nods I get from people as I glance past them seems to confirm my thoughts.
It wasn't any of us, but it was the first I was hearing of other bandits in the area. I have to ask the others if they know about this after he leaves.
As if reading my mind Joseph glances at the sun overhead and back at the carriage.
"Well we have business with the village master in Godrick. If you would like to chat more about these issues later we will be passing by sometime tomorrow afternoon. We can stop in and get some of the famous sweet rolls." He then glances between me and Claire "I'm sure you two have much to talk about too."
He says the final words with a sly grin before turning to return to his carriage.
I wonder, how he is aware of my relation with Claire?
Perhaps she had mentioned it to him, it would explain why he knows so much about our tribe.
But the bewildered look on her face seemed to conflict with that theory. Well we both seemed to shrug it off as we both turn to face our targets and left without so much as a greeting. I wanted to say something but she was on duty and as Joseph had said we would have an opportunity tomorrow.
Thinking over one of the things he had said that had particularly grabbed my attention. I stop my movements right as I hear the carriage begin to depart. Without thinking I turn back and sprint towards it.
The guards move faster than I expect. I still got to within 3 feet of the door before beginning to speak, with several drawn blades pointed at me. Joseph quickly raised his hand to stop both the carriage and the men, and Claire, from killing me.
"Don't bother negotiating the bridge and road maintenance."
Joseph's once confused expression turns to one of understanding and then a bright smile.
"Done. I knew you could be an ally. I suppose it makes sense, the bridge belongs more to you all than to any of our two towns. Good, then we will discuss it more tomorrow. I will bring the proposal to Godrick's village master."
"Don't you need to discuss it with the Count as well"
"No, he will be happy as long as he doesn't need to spend the money."
"I see, then safe travels, we will discuss it more tomorrow."
"Ah actually there was one other thing I wanted you to be aware of before I leave." He says before whispering a few words towards me. I had heard the name he said before, but mostly in legends.
Surely what he said couldn't be the case. If it were these attacks would be much worse. 'Just rumor' as he had said.
But still.
With that, the two battalions reform after giving me some strange glances. They then depart without further ado.
Walking back towards the Inn I didn't even notice the over-the-shoulder glances I was getting from Claire as she disappeared into the wooded path.
When I reached the Inn I realized it looked strangely like one of my fathers emergency meetings that he occasionally held. The only thing missing was the final link of the circular seating arrangement. Taking my seat between my mother and Degin I glanced around at the anxious group.
"So, bandits in the mountain bay? Does anyone know anything about it?"
The mountain bay was the name for the area in which Godrick was the forefront, It was named such due to the a bay formed by mountains, inside there was a dense forest. Often it was claimed that mysterious things happened in the bay but it was just seen as myth and folklore.
There were five villages along the river in the mountain bay. Though only one of them had a road leading to it. The rest were just places you could happen upon while lost.
"There shouldn't be any large groups of bandits" Degin explains turning to me after getting a few nods from some of the lower ranked leaders who were knowledgeable on the area. "We don't often venture into the bay but when we first arrived we cleared it of any and all dangerous aspects, though that was quite a long time ago."
"Regarding the other thing though, I believe it impacts us greatly as well, I apologize for speaking about it to Joseph before asking all of you. Do you have any issue with us shouldering the cost of maintenance on the road and bridge?"
"You lead us Hawk." A tribesmen says glancing around and getting nods from those around him.
"Its as he says" Degin responds nodding "I too was troubled when I heard about the bridges maintenance, that is our lifeline to much of the food and other resources we need, its not something we can risk going into disrepair. You made the right choice, don't doubt yourself Hawk."
It was somewhat tear jerking to be called Hawk by these people, they had often said it to my dad so I assumed it was a nickname.
But I see now.
It's now my title too.
I feel slightly embarrassed to know so little about my own tribes history. I had heard we have a vast history, leading all the back into the era of the 48 tribes.
"Ah by the way," My mother asks with her trademark kind smile "Where did you learn 'that'"
"Learn what?" I ask, cocking an eyebrow.
"She means this." Degin says roughly grasping my hand awkwardly. I understand what he is referring to instantly. The hand shake from earlier. "That type of introduction is something only used in high nobility. Even I have only heard of it. To see it performed so smoothly was something of a marvel."
"Because I can shake hands?" I asked utterly confused.
Where had I learned it. It was something I've done a million times I'm sure of it, Constantly during job interviews and meetings. Wait, when have I interviewed for a job, but surely I have. I worked at a pharmacy for 6 months, and before that I popped popcorn at a movie theater. I've worked at a lumber yard too, and an investment bank.
'What is an investment bank though?'
The pain returned, This time with more force then before, throbbing my vision went white I felt the sensation of falling for a moment, I'm sure of it.