I walked slowly using my bush craft to not leave a trail. It was wet and cold, and not the kind of weather that a normal person would be out in. Liches and undead not included, they were not normal, and not people. Not anymore.
Traveling slowly I made my way west towards the range of hills that became the mountains. It was an rough land, a place not easy to survive in but a safe place. Or it had been. My mind kept returning to the undead. What were they doing here; we were miles away from anything. The nearest Keep was about 150 miles away. I was on friendly terms with the Lord there. The nearest free town was about the same distance once you made it past the Keep.
The nearest old world town was about 75 miles east of me, and was not one of the major centers for the Undead. I was puzzled and that worried me. In the old world if something happened Dad had always told me just follow the money trail. It was good advice back in the old world, but in this new world problems were not so easy to track down.
I froze; I had seen something move on the peripheral of my vision. Looking all around and not letting my eyes focus on any one thing I saw the subtle movement again. Deer, and of a nice size. I like Deer, and I really like Jerky. It made great pemmican, and was tasty in broths. I wanted that Deer.
Want however, is not the same as need, so I held still and waited. In this kind of weather that Deer should be bedded down under a tree somewhere. Not walking along the tree edge. Something had spooked the animal and that was enough to have me wait. Looking down the tree line I saw them, two figures slowly walking near the edge of the forest.
One fell and the other tried to help. Slowly they stood, and continued on. Something told me that one of those people would not be long in this world. No worries, the dead would come back, if the head was not removed, or the brain damaged. I silently followed the figures, until they could go no more.
When they finally stopped they grouped together under a tree, wrapping themselves in a blanket and huddling for warmth. It would be surprising if both of them made it through the night.
My decision to help had already been made. The problem was waiting for the weak one to die.
By showing up now I would have to make an attempt to keep someone alive, which was beyond my skills.
It is better that the weak one dies and then change. No one objected to killing the undead. Morning came with the dawns prelight softly opening up the darkness. The shadows and the mist that arose from the ground covered the hills and whirled around the trees. The rain had stopped and it felt like a change in the weather had arrived.
The scream rang out across the forest and the hills. It’s shrill and high pitched tone revealed shock and fear. Probably a young boy or a girl, which probably meant a parent, was the other person.
I glided through the trees arriving at the camp. Sitting up on a large bough was the girl, and below her was the other woman. Now undead, but still fresh. It was apparent that she had been a looker. Her body was slender but curvaceous and her breast heavy and round. Her hair was fine and thick with blonde highlights. With high cheeks, and full lips, she would have been a bed warmer in any Keep.
Above her the girl looked down with shock and horror. The same fine features, the full breasts, and lithe body. Her hair was more auburn with red streaks. She was the most attractive girl I had ever seen. I immediately knew what had happened and why they were here.
I slowly walked into the small clearing, unnoticed by the Undead or the girl in the tree.
Waiting for a few minutes, I noted that the girl had finally stopped crying, but was softly whispering “Mom.” Looking at the undead it was apparent that she was fixated on the girl. I had seen this before; the first living person that an Undead saw was the first person they attempted to kill. They would ignore the other living nearby; fixated on that first person they had seen.
I slowly walked into the clearing, until the girl noted me standing near the trees. Staring at me, I could see the emotions flash across her face, hope, anger, fear, and finally sadness.
We looked at one another for a minute, and then I pointed at the Undead. “Close your eyes” I spoke softly, sure that the Undead would ignore me but ever cautious.
The girl looked startled but then closed her eyes, and without hesitation I focused on the Undead and made the magic happen. She stood there for a brief second, and then slowly turning to face me she collapsed to the ground. I stood there looking at this woman who had sacrificed her life for her daughter. I honored her memory for a moment then turned and looked at the tree.
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“You can come down; the Undead will not bother you.” Looking at me with fear in her eyes she glanced down at the still figure of her mother and began to cry. I backed up a few feet to give her space. If she was what I suspected then she would not enjoy being too close to a man. She slowly walked towards the dead Undead, stopping a few feet away from the body.
After several minutes of tears, she turned to me and spoke, “Thank you, she would never have wanted to exist as an Undead.” I nodded; I was not used to speaking much, and from what I had seen in this world most people spoke bullshit. The woman looked at me curiously, and asked, “What are you doing here, in the middle of the abandoned lands?”
I hesitated; I was not sure how much I wanted to tell her about myself, knowledge is power over people. I remembered a quote from the old days. “Loose lips sink ships.” “I am a freeman, a traveler.” The girl nodded at that and then looking around stated, “We made some distance. I wonder if we lost them.”
I thought for a moment and then responded. “You ladies were obviously fleeing from someone, and not prepared for the wild, I would guess that you left in a hurry. You talk of being followed, which means that someone has placed a degree of value on you. In this world the only value that attractive women have it that of being a concubine to one of the new lords or their favorite followers.” My face had gone blank as I spoke, and I hoped that she would not detect the anger I felt at this way of life so many people found themselves in.
Looking at me in surprise the girl spoke, “Yes, how did you know. My mother was the favorite chamber maid of Lord Stephen. I am his daughter. We were favored and had our own room at the keep. I worked in the laundry and kitchens, until that pig found me. I had disguised myself as best I could with ashes from the hearth and wrapping my body with old rags for the kitchen work.
In the Laundry there is no disguise, you stripped down to just a loose shift, and that would get wet within minutes of being in there. One day the pig came to the laundry and saw me, I was wet from bringing the clothes from the large tub. He stared at me and asked who I was, I told him I was his daughter, and he laughed.” “I have many children here at the keep; almost every family has one of my bastards. Who is your mother?”
“When I told him he smiled and then grabbing me, he forced himself on me right there, with me bent over the tub and all the other girls still working. When he was finished, he ordered me to tell my mother I was to take her place from now on. Then he left the laundry as he adjusted his robe. Like raping a 17 year old girl in front of other people is nothing. The pig.”
I nodded, this was not the first tale of woe I have heard and would not be the last. “Girl what do you want to do?” I waited for her to respond as I casually scanned the woods and hills. The thought that some scumbag lord would follow these ladies out here to the abandoned area did not surprise me. They were women of uncommon beauty, and it was whispered amongst the free men that the lords would trade or sell the bed warmers once the novelty of nice young fresh flesh wore off.
I focused on the girl and nodded still waiting. “I don’t know, I am lost and have no idea what to do. Mom she had a plan, she thought that we could make it to a free town and then find some work.” Here the girl stopped, it was clear she knew what work her mother would have been offered at the local tavern.
“Help me,” the girl spoke softly, “I have no one and I know I won’t survive, between the undead and the living. I can’t pay you anything that you could not take for free it you wanted. I promise I will do whatever you want, but please help me.”
Staring at the girl, I reflected on the fact that life is full of surprises. I knew I would help her, not for her beauty, not for her ripe body, but because someone had loved her enough to sacrifice all they had to try to save her. That meant something to me.
“If I bring you, you must do exactly what I say, when I say it. There are no second chances in my world. Can you agree to that?” Watching her I saw her swallow and nod. Her expression of relief was tempered by a fear of what I might ask. “Worry not, I not a rapist and do not force myself on women. What is your name girl?” “Sonia, my name is Sonia.”
“We must go, if they are still hunting you those screams this morning would have carried in these hills. Do you have anything to take? Grab it and then follow me, try to walk as I walk at the speed I walk at, and when I stop you stop. Understand that now my life is as dependent on you as your life is to mine.”
“What is your name, she asked. “Levi.”