Chess made it back to her tent without incident and promptly collapsed face-first into her hammock.
Bunching the wool of her blanket into a ball, and after shoving it into her face, she screamed as loud as she could.
After venting for a minute, she rolled onto her back and took a deep calming breath. Now I see why Kate used to do that all the time. Freya’s tits, it’s therapeutic.
“Fucking rainy days,” she muttered, staring at the canvas overhead. The familiar ache of a premature hangover started pulsing behind her eyes.
Her belly rumbled and she rolled to her feet grumbling about her stupid stomach.
Glancing at the tent flap she shook her head, not feeling up to braving the rain again. Instead, she dug some of the dried meat and hard cheese from her pack to munch on, washing it down with liberal sips from the brandy to combat the headache. Hair of the dog, she justified to herself.
What do I do now? There has to be a way through all this nonsense that doesn’t involve service or death by some jack-hole wannabe villain. I mean, he raised a son that thought being a recreational slaver was a good idea. Like someone wouldn’t fight back eventually. How smart can he be? No, I can’t draw any conclusions. Slavery is obviously common.
She sighed and rubbed her forehead before working her braid loose and shimmying out of her dress then into bed.
Corking the brandy, she dropped it to the ground and drew the blanket around her. Screw this day in its rainy-ass, I’ve had enough, she thought, and it wasn’t long before the soothing drum of rain drew her down into slumber.
----------------------------------------
When she woke a stillness blanketed the camp and the rain had fallen to a light patter.
She smacked her lips on a dry mouth and spared the brandy a look. No, I need a clear head today, she decided, before digging out her waterskin and taking several long pulls. When she’d finished her mouth almost felt normal and much of her headache had abated. I miss coffee, even tea would be nice.
Laying back she tried to fall back asleep, but it wouldn’t come. I was such a dolt yesterday. I should've left well enough alone.
Just one of those days, she decided and squeezed the bridge of her nose.
Then she laughed, realizing what she'd said, and summoned her guitar.
Sitting back into her hammock she relaxed with the guitar in her lap and played the Limp Bizkit song as best she could remember. The silly way her voice and acoustic guitar made it sound reduced her to giggles a few times, and it did a lot to cheer her up and settle her worries from the day before.
This could be a useful song if I can figure it out, she thought after a few failed attempts to remember all the lyrics.
At a pause in her playing, there was a deliberate cough outside.
“Yes?” she asked, tapping on the instrument absently.
“Lady Stewart, I heard you playing and wondered if you had a moment before the others wake to break camp,” Sergeant Kan asked.
“Sure,” she said, then looked down at her mostly naked body. Damn.
“You better give me a moment to get dressed,” she said quickly, as the flap started to lift.
“That would be best,” he said neutrally before dropping the flap.
Chess heard him whisper to someone outside who answered with a loud grunt and the splash of receding footsteps.
Chess put aside her guitar and pulled on her dress, staring blankly at it for a moment. Strange, I've never given it any thought but it’s weird that I’m wearing this and not pants and tunic. It’s not like I don’t have some, she thought and gave Kan the all-clear.
She was still staring at her garment when he entered.
“Lady?” he asked, concern evident in his voice.
“Uh, oh it’s nothing,” she said looking up into his scar-lined face. “I’m a little hungover; it seems I no longer know my limits,” she reassured him with a weak smile, then bent to drink more from her waterskin.
“I sent your guard away so we can speak freely for the moment. Sir Caldur wanted me to bring you these,” he said, hefting two small Pyth bags. “Thump as you requested and Snow-Flurry which is rare in these parts and will fetch you a decent price,” he said passing over the bags.
She passed him the brandy flask in return, and he gave it a little shake, then gave her an inquisitive look. She shrugged with a sheepish smile, "limits..."
“Be careful with the Thump. It’s one of the ones that can’t be eaten quickly and the...” Cough, “...posterior method is not recommended. Its flavor is the reason the army doesn’t force it on anyone despite the useful skills that can come from many of the warrior classes as a result,” Kan warned.
This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.
Curious, Chess wet a finger, sticking it in the bag and touching a few grains of the powder to her tongue. Her eyes widened in shocked pleasure at the sharp spicy hit. Her tongue started to burn, and she sneezed a second later, then again, before taking a big drink from her waterskin. Freya’s tits, either my tolerance for spicy food was reset with everything else Freya did, or this is some of the hottest stuff I've ever had. And here I thought I was going to be stuck with delicious but simple fare. Hot wings here I come! Shit... I hope they have chickens.
“Hell yeah," she coughed out, a smile splitting her face. “Something to give the stew you all love a kick in the pants.”
“You’re... that is the last thing I expected you to say,” Kan said with a small pleased smile.
“I love spicy food. This makes my whole day,” she said cheerfully and considered the small sack. It’s gonna take a while to make it through this whole bag. But I'm going to savor every minute of it.
They fell into a short silence, and Kan fidgeted a second before taking a seat on the stool turning the flask in his hands. “So, Caldur put a watch on you... do you want to talk about it?” he asked after a hesitant moment.
Chess studied his face before rubbing her eyes with the heels of her hands. Freya, is he actually trying to be a friend, or is there some sort of agenda? No, I'll stick with Gramp's advice: trust a man until he proves he can’t be but never forget most people look out for themselves first. Treasure those that don’t.
“Don’t remind me,” she groaned. “What did they tell you?”
“Just to put the watch on you,” he admitted, matching her gaze.
“They seriously didn’t tell you?” Chess asked watching him.
He shook his head emphatically. “Noble business.”
“Right,” Chess sighed before giving Kan the highlights.
“I’m not sure what to believe. They seem dead set on forcing this service and or apprenticeship,” she bemoaned.
“Nobles, always with their agendas. Apparently, even Count Caldur isn’t immune to it, and he's one of the good ones. Way I see it, that wretch Canfree had it coming killing and robbing travelers. It's a bad business.” He shook his head in disgust, then pulled the cork from the flask and took a small sip. “I wouldn’t worry too much. They won't have you killed or imprisoned. You’re too valuable and potentially dangerous to piss off. At the very least, they won’t act against you unless you set yourself against them.
"You don’t see it yet, but human kingdoms have very few dedicated mages, unlike you elves. Besides, the Canfree duchy is over a week and a half away from Portheel, and news travels slowly between the two. They’re making things sound more desperate and worse than they are to set their hook. No, they will continue to find ways to pressure you until they can get your seal and you’re locked in for the duration,” he explained.
“They could be lying about this whole Canfree thing, it’s very convenient for them,” Chess muttered falling back into her hammock. “Gods! I’m still in survival mode here and not thinking clearly. None of this seems quite real yet,” she said wearily. “Stupid drama.”
“Normally, I would say they wouldn’t bother, as it's nearly impossible to lie to a judge or inquisitor, but maybe they don’t think it would go that far,” Kan conceded.
“Nathan, you said?” he asked tapping the flask. “Must be low in the family pecking order. Lord Canfree has at least eight legitimate children and dozens of bastards,” Kan said thoughtfully.
“You know that lends weight to the idea that Sholer and Caldur are blowing smoke up my ass. Who actually remembers that many children? Freya’s tits, I would have trouble remembering that many if they were mine,” Chess joked. “Then again, the absurdity might mean it’s true.” She picked up her guitar to strum.
“Blowing smoke, that’s an odd expression,” Kan observed, sipping from the flask while studying Chess as she played. “You know, Caldur is one of the better knights in the kingdom, people are happy under him and his family. But you have to understand the power of the temples; no one can afford to oppose them. It limits what he can do when they are around,” he said after some thought.
“Great, running away and hiding in a hole somewhere is looking more tempting by the minute,” she mumbled. Freya, but I miss my morning caffeine; it’s too early for this conversation without it.
“That’s the worst thing you could do. They will see it as weakness and likely put a bounty out for you if we aren’t ordered to run you down. Trust me, you don’t want that. Bounties are near impossible to get rescinded once they're out,” he said.
“I wasn’t being serious. I’ve learned the hard way that running from your problems makes them worse,” Chess assured him, regret tinging her voice. “I don’t see the answer yet, but it’ll come. Thanks for easing my worries at least somewhat.”
Kan inclined his head in acknowledgment.
“The other reason I’m here is to ask if you are going to continue with the patrol or head back with Sholer and the wounded?" Kan asked. "We could use a mage, even untrained as you are. The men are often drilled to protect mages if you’re worried. If the reports are accurate, then we’ve already killed over half of them. Caldur won't let us get caught unawares again,” Kan said.
“Wait, I'm given a choice? I thought I would be shanghaied into following Sholer. Though it’s a no-brainer; I’m staying away from her as much as possible,” Chess said frankly. “What about Ashley, or the wagon?”
Kan crinkled his brow at her. “She’s your ward, she goes where you go. The wagon will be useful for the wounded and Ashley already gave permission for its use.”
“Right, she wants to avoid the sisterhood too. She told me they creep her out,” Chess said.
“Well, it’s about time I wake the men,” he said, getting up and heading for the door.
He turned back at the threshold, “what were you playing earlier that made you giggle so much?”
Chess translated the lines she could remember for him, and he left with a laugh and a smile. She heard him murmur, “fitting,” as the flap closed behind him.
She got up and started packing her gear. It doesn’t hurt to be ready.
Once she had everything where it belonged, she hefted the pack and left, collecting Sprig on the way out.
She found the men preparing the morning stew and scored a bowl.
Growing herself a chair with a holder for Sprig, she smiled and poured in some of the Thump powder. She gave it a stir and dug in watching the men taking the tents down and packing them into the inventories of a few of their number. The spice started a fire in her belly.
“When the men described your abilities with plants, I accounted for the usual amount of exaggeration, but it appears I was mistaken to do so,” Sholer said from behind her.
Chess choked on her bite, pounding her chest to clear it. She looked up into Sholer’s thoughtful gaze with tears in her eyes.
“You need to work on your awareness though,” Sholer observed as she took a pair of bowls from the men with a nod of thanks.
Shit, there I go giving more away than I should. Would’ve been nice if she underestimated me, Chess thought when she could breathe.
“The Sergeant mentioned you’d be helping the men finish their mission. I approve, the young often need tempering to the realities of the world. To that effect, I’m sending young sister Lynn to be your chaperone. It will be a good experience for her, and a young noble lady such as yourself shouldn’t be alone in the company of soldiers,” Sholer said pointedly before striding off the way she'd came.
“That woman is really good at killing my mood,” Chess murmured, stabbing her spoon into the bowl and taking a bite with a grimace.