Fate of an Empire (Talurian Empire Trilogy Book 1) (14 page)

Rurik pulled
the wagon through the front gates of the city, noticing the locals staring at
them. It was one of the poorer cities in the empire and, other than new
recruits for the school, travelers rarely came through.

Rurik and
company had been on the road for seven days now and had reached the city of
Dartholme—a city that had sprung up around the military institute that it was
named after Dartholme Military Academy. The school catered to the highly
privileged boys of the five houses of Talur, usually gaining officer ranks for
its graduates.

The seven days
together had slowly put the group into a good routine and, even better than
that, in a friendly mood. Klaric calmed and eventually stopped butting heads
with Amira, Galro and Gleb were inseparable, and Rurik and Amira were able to
slowly get over their embarrassing run in.

They were
getting closer to the capital with each city they passed. Though, Rurik
couldn’t help but think about the battle that would start in Hillsford, most
likely that very same day.

Klaric sat up
front with Rurik. “What are you thinking about?”

“If we didn’t
leave on this trip, we would be facing down an army right now,” Rurik said, “A
little unsettling.”

“Don’t even
think about it. You are doing something important here. This woman and child
need to be safe.” Klaric put a hand on Rurik’s shoulder. “I’ve been meaning to
tell you. I’m really proud of how you are coping with your brother’s death. You
have really stepped up, instead of falling apart.” He nudged Rurik with his
elbow. “I didn’t know there for a little while.”

Rurik gave him
a slight grin, “Yeah, thanks.”

Amira pulled
back the small curtain on the front side of the wagon, which opened to the two
men, and poked her head out. “Who are these young men I keep seeing, all
dressed in red?”

“They are the
senior class from Dartholme; the military school at the heart of the city,”
Rurik answered, “The honor students usually act as the law enforcers of the city,
like on-the-job experience, before shipping out to the front lines. They will
serve till about two months before graduation.”

Groups,
consisting of two or three young men, scattered about the city, all wearing the
formal uniform of the academy, buttons and pins showing their class
accomplishments.

“Interesting,”
She smiled, “They are pretty cute.”

Rurik and
Klaric laughed out.

“They are a
little too young for you,” Rurik said, playfully pushing her head back into the
wagon and tugging the curtain closed.

“I know
someone who isn’t too young for her…” Klaric gave Rurik a knowing eyebrow
raise.

“I don’t know
what you are talking about,” Rurik responded, “She is spoken for.”

“Whatever you
say, my friend. Something happened back on that first day out, I don’t know
what it was, but now you two have this weird,
sexual
tension.” Klaric
pantomimed two people embracing, “
Oh, I love you!
”

Rurik laughed,
“Enough.”

“Ha! So, you
don’t deny it!”

“There. That’s
where we will stay tonight,” Rurik pointed to an inn at the end of the street.

“Fine, I’ll
let you change the subject.” Klaric prepared to jump down and help Rurik lead
the wagon into the stable.

They quickly
got the carriage situated, and Rurik went inside to make arrangements for their
stay, while Gleb, Amira, and Klaric went through the luggage for items they
would need for the night. Galro was free to start rubbing down the horses and
seeing to their needs.

“Do we have a
room number yet?” Amira asked. She stood in the doorway, Archaos on one hip,
and a bag on the other, with Klaric and Gleb waiting behind her.

Rurik looked
at the irritable innkeeper for an answer, who had been, so far, unhelpful.

He took a look
at the woman holding a baby and sighed, “Room three. Up the stairs and to the
left.” He handed Rurik a key.

Rurik nodded
thanks and walked over to Amira, taking her bag. She moved to the stairs first,
followed by Rurik then the rest of the group. He couldn’t help but watch her
body as she climbed the steps, able to recall her slender hips from memory.

They reached
the top of the staircase and turned left to find their room. Rurik unlocked the
door and opened to a small room with two double stacked bunks and a small desk
with an accompanying chair.

Reading the
group’s minds, “I’ll take the floor,” Rurik said, setting down the luggage.

Amira placed a
hand on his arm. “Would you mind asking for a crib?”

“I’ll see what
I can do,” Rurik replied with a smile, “You guys get settled in and meet me
downstairs in the common room for some supper. I smelt a stew of some kind,
coming from the kitchen—far better than our dwindling trail rations.”

*
* *

Amira stood in
front of the small mirror hung on the backside of the door. The others were
already downstairs while she was contemplating what to wear.

Holding up dress
after dress, “What do you think?” She said, looking to Archaos, who was propped
on one of the bunks.

He was more
interested in trying to fit his whole hand inside his mouth.

“The blue one
it is,” She decided.

With the baby
in tow, she closed the door behind her and walked down the hall to the
stairway. She spotted the group sitting near the fire in the back corner of the
room. Rurik had kept a spot open next to him, and she noticed how he was quite
absent from the conversation, keeping an eye out for her. He stood to his feet
and waved her over, motioning for the few men standing in her way, to step
aside.

“Thank you,” Amira
said, accepting the pulled out chair.

“You’re
welcome. The food should be here shortly,” said Rurik.

“Well, I’m
going to excuse myself.” Galro stood from his seat. “I have some items to pick up
before we leave in the morning.”

“You can’t
wait for the food? You need to eat.” Klaric looked toward the door to the
kitchen. “How long does it take to put some stew into a few bowls?”

“I’ll grab
something while I’m out,” Galro responded, pushing his chair in and grabbing
his coat off the back.

“Want some
company?” Gleb asked. “I have never been to this city. I wouldn’t mind seeing
some of it before we set out tomorrow.”

“No, no. Stay.
Enjoy the food and warmth of the fire. I don’t know how long I’ll be or where I
am to go for what we need.” Galro left without waiting for a response from
Gleb.

“Ha!” Klaric
laughed, “I think he wants some time alone, maybe needing a quick stop at the
whorehouse.” He winked at the young man.

Gleb shook his
head in disgust.

The kitchen
door swung open, and a chubby, short man tripped out, almost losing the
contents of his serving tray.

“Damn it,
Elop! Be careful! You are going to cost me another round of ale, spilling food
on the customers like that!” The grumpy innkeeper shouted from behind the
counter.

“S-sorry,
s-sir.” Elop stammered, weaving in and out of the crowded room. He stopped at
the group’s table and started handing out the bowls of lamb stew, then placed a
loaf of herbed bread in the center.

“Thank you,”
Rurik said, handing him a coin.

“Thank
you
,
sir,” Elop bowed. He quickly cleaned off another group’s table and disappeared
back into the kitchen.

The group ate
everything, dabbing up the last bits of gravy with the fresh bread and emptying
the decanter of wine.

Amira leaned
back in her chair. “That was delicious.”

Klaric let out
a belch. “Agreed.”

Rurik shot him
a disapproving look.

Suddenly Amira
let out a little burp; she quickly put her hands to her mouth.

Klaric
laughed, clapping his hands in the air. “There we go!”

Amira lost it
and started laughing too, followed by Gleb, and then finally, Rurik.

After
finishing one last pitcher of wine, they retired to their room, having enjoyed,
a much needed, relaxed evening together. Little Archaos had napped through the
entire dinner, resting comfortable in Amira’s lap.

*
* *

Rurik lay
awake on the floor. They had been back in the room for half an hour and Klaric
was the only one able to quickly fall asleep, snoring loudly from his top bunk.

“Where is
Galro? He has been gone for three hours,” Gleb whispered. “I’m starting to get
worried.”

“I’m sure he
is fine,” Rurik reassured.

“It
has
been a long time,” added Amira from her bunk, underneath Klaric’s.

The door
handle rattled.

“There he is,”
Gleb said, pulling himself onto his elbows.

“I thought we
gave him one of the keys,” Rurik grumbled, getting to his feet to unlock the
door.

Rurik was
three feet from the door when it burst open with a loud crash, hinges snapping
off the frame. Klaric shot up and leapt from his bed. He landed on the floor as
five men rushed into the cramped room, all carrying short clubs. Amira grabbed
Archaos and crouched low in the back corner of the room. Gleb stood with Rurik
and Klaric—the three men waiting for the outnumbered attack.

The intruders
were large, burly men, their heads covered with hoods. They started to slowly
circle in, cautious of Rurik and Klaric’s drawn weapons. Rurik took the
initiative and jumped behind the desk, overturning it, and putting a barrier
between them.

The five men
charged at once, the desk separating them into two lines—Klaric against one,
and Rurik, the other.

Gleb ran down
one of the men who had decided to go after Amira. He jumped on his back and
wrapped his arms around the man’s neck, dragging him to the floor, choking the
life from him.

Rurik and
Klaric slashed out, but the intruders blocked the strikes with their heavy
clubs. Rurik did a quick drop and cut through one of the men’s leg, separating
it at the knee. He screamed out in pain and fell backward, knocking the one
behind him down.

Shouts could
be heard from downstairs. The innkeeper must have overheard the struggle, and
now people could be heard running up the stairs—Help? Or more opponents?

Klaric was hit
hard in the chest with the butt of a club, doubling him over. Rurik vaulted over
the desk, putting him at the back of the other two attackers. Before they could
react, he had his sword through the chest of one and a dagger shoved deep into
the other’s groin, severing an artery, gushing blood onto the floor. Another
man ran into the room, only to be met by a well-thrown knife, from a kneeling
Klaric.

“Let’s get out
of here!” Rurik shouted, wiping the blood from his brow.

They grabbed
what luggage could be gathered quickly and made for the stairs. Upon entering
the hallway, they found Galro standing over two other dead attackers, a
bloodied sword at his side, and a sack of supplies over his shoulder.

“Guess it’s a
good thing I got here when I did,” Galro said, with a grim look on his face.

The innkeeper
could be heard downstairs. He had called the local city watch, soldiers from
the military academy. They weren’t going to give Rurik and company a chance to
explain the situation.

“Pssst…Hey!” A
man stepped out of a doorway at the end of the hall. “Come here!”

Rurik looked
at the group for thoughts. He got shrugs all around.

“Hurry! There
is another way out.” The man said.

“Ah! Might as
well.” Rurik grunted, taking off down the hall, followed by the others.

They reached
the doorway, and the man motioned them to follow him to the window. “There is
an emergency ladder that goes down off that ledge,” He pointed out along the
wall.

Klaric didn’t
hesitate. He pushed the window open and climbed out first, offering his hand to
Amira next. Once all were out, they shimmied along the narrow outcrop until
reaching the said ladder. Once down, they found their wagon pulled out of the
stable, ready for travel.

Rurik shot
their mysterious rescuer a questioning look.

“You need to
get out of here quickly,” He said.

“Wait! I knew
I recognized you!” Klaric stepped closer. “From the common room. You were the
one who served us.”

“Yes, the name
is Elop. You need to hurry.” He repeated.

“How did you
know that we were going to be attacked?” Rurik asked.

“A feeling. I
saw some of those men watching you during the night. Pretty much any wealthy
merchant that enters the city gets a nice big target on his back. This isn’t
the first time I’ve helped a family flee from the scum of the streets.”

“We thank you
then,” Amira smiled.

Rurik nodded
his thanks and jumped into the wagon, grabbing the reins. Klaric joined him,
and the rest of the group piled into the back, shifting the cargo around to
blockade them in—this wasn’t going to be the smoothest ride. They needed to get
out of the city. Fast.

“I’ll open the
gate,” Elop said, running ahead of them.

The soldiers
of the city could be heard coming from the other side of the building. They
only had a couple seconds before being cut off from escape. Rurik hurried the
horses forward as Elop unlatched the heavy door.

As he pulled
it open, a group of crossbowmen stood ten yards out aiming at the runaway
wagon. One of the bowmen let a bolt fly, hitting Elop in the shoulder. The
blast blew a gaping, bloody hole in his shoulder, knocking the overweight cook
to the ground.

“Grab him!”
Rurik shouted.

As they passed
in the wagon, Galro and Gleb reached from the back and pulled Elop in. When
they made it through the open gate, a barrage of crossbow bolts hurled down on
the wagon. Klaric grabbed one of the shields that was up front and tried
blocking himself and Rurik the best he could. Rurik grimaced at the sight of
all the projectiles penetrating into the enclosed part of the wagon, hopefully,
the others were well covered.