On the dawn of the fourteenth day after I’ve lost my closest friend, but also gained a new one, the fortified palisade of Ravensbrook finally comes into view. The town of roughly a thousand folks gets most of its income by allowing merc’s to have a safe place to rest in between their missions. Which, in our current situation, is likely more of a curse than a blessing. “Malinka, repeat to me what the plan is again.”
I feel the anxiety slip into my voice, but I think she didn’t notice. She seems to be too annoyed by my repeated nagging. “When we reach the gate, you do all of the talking. I’ll only speak when asked to, and the only thing I’ll tell them is that my name is Malinka. I will stay by you the entire time we’re in the town, and if any of the merc people are around I will be extra careful.”
I nod my head in assent, though my eyes never stop focusing on the town ahead of us. “Do you remember why we have to be extra careful around the merc people?” I allow myself a smirk at the title Malinka gave anyone who belongs to the various mercenary companies. In the distance, I see a wagon arrive by the gate. A group returning from their mission perhaps? A traveling merchant? The answer becomes obvious shortly after due to several wounded getting escorted out of the wagon and laid on the ground.
“Because merc people don’t like hunters like you. I just.. I don’t understand why? You said that we’re all the same, so why wouldn’t they like you? I like you.” Malinka’s cheeks puff up in what I can only assume to be righteous indignation. She’s got the right mindset, I’m content I managed to teach her that we’re all people.
“Remember that explanation about powers I gave you a while back?” I start my explanation, though my mind wanders to the time years ago when Fen was the one imparting these self-same lessons onto me. Malinka nods, her eyes focused.
“Most people have… simple powers. Strong, but simple. For example, they would be able to always hit the center of a target with a bow and arrow. Or maybe the person could be perfect at tricking people with cards. Another one could simply know how to forge the perfect shield ever since they’ve been born. These powers run the society of the Lands Inside, and the various mercenary companies hire people with a power useful in a fight.”
She nods at me, but I can see that she doesn’t understand why I’m telling her all of this. Still, she listens to my words. To be fair, there isn’t much to distract her. Just a long stone paved road with fields of grass that seems to stretch on forever and the two of us. “Then there’s people whose power is… more difficult.” I bite my lip, trying to think of the best words to use.
“Everyone would prefer if things were always simple, but reality doesn’t like simplicity. As such, sometimes people with difficult powers are disliked, called liars and such. People like me.” I say as I motion to myself, my mind adding ‘and you’ to the end of the sentence. I leave those words unsaid. Best to not weigh down her mind with that just yet.
This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it
In the distance, the wagon full of wounded mercs is still being tended to. Though, the officials have finished processing their documents so they try to rush them through the gate nonetheless. I think they’ll be safer inside the walls too. Malinka’s words interrupt my observation. “I still don’t really get why someone would dislike you.”
“Then don’t worry about it now, I’m sure everything will be fine.” I give her a shrug of a response before picking up the pace again. “Let’s get to the town before sundown.” Her only response is a resigned complaint. “More walking…”
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Few hours later we reach Ravensbrook and one the men standing guard in front waves us over. He seems exhausted from the rush of the events before, but still manages to maintain a polite yet disinterested tone. “Names, affiliation, age and purpose of visit please.” In his hands I see one of the Vedas - tomes that share knowledge between each other.
I’ve been practicing the answer to this question for the past half an hour, so the reply comes to me naturally. “Morana of the Hunt, age 28, merely stopping for a few nights before continuing on to Eldorath.” I see the man’s expression darken ever so slightly at the mention of my affiliation to the Hunters. “This is Malinka of the Hunt. Age 12. Same purpose.” His eyes shift to her as I speak, filled with distrust. “In the Veda you will find that I was accompanied by Fen of the Hunt. Please amend her record. She’s…” My voice wavers for the first time. “... She is deceased now.”
The man’s expression switches several times in a row, going from annoyed to worried to pity before finally settling on a neutral face. His eyes scan the surface of the tome he holds before hastily scribbling something in. Likely that we visited, who was with me and what our purpose was.
“What was the purpose of your last visit and when did it happen?” He asks a clarifying statement, his eyes focused on the book. “Three weeks ago, investigation of a supernatural storm at the edge of the world.” My reply is steady and firm, as it should be, unlike my hand. The hand that Malinka’s holding onto.
The man nods, clearly satisfied with the answer. “Right, go on in then. I’ll be closing the gate soon. And…” He seems to hesitate for a moment, but soon decides the words he thought about should be said. “...If I can give you advice, Miss Morana. Keep a low profile. Last mercenary group that returned lost a large portion of their force to a suppression mission." Must have been the group I saw earlier. Suppression mission. Means they went out to murder a torment. "They usually drink at the Rowdy Rumbler.”
“Thanks.” I state simply as I pass him a few copper coins for the favor. He didn’t have to warn me, but he did. “I appreciate the advice.” I give him a polite smile before the two of us venture into the clutches of civilized society.