The Broken Key (02) - Hunter of the Horde (6 page)

And Bart of course, as he was going to get the death mark removed, couldn’t very well have been carrying all that stuff with him. Other than Kevik’s estate, there simply was no other place feasible. So like it or not, Bart had acquiesced.

They finished the pitcher of ale and had another one on the table when the bard made his appearance and began to perform. All of the songs, sagas, and ballads that he played were ones that Riyan and Chad had heard time and again. Most were primarily geared for fighters, which wasn’t too surprising seeing as how ninety percent of the clientele were that.

“Wonder if he knows any about the King’s Horde?” asked Riyan.

“Think we may learn something?” asked Chad.

“Couldn’t hurt to ask,” replied Riyan.

They waited until the bard’s next break before Riyan got up and went over to him.

When Riyan made his request, the bard said he knew one and would sing it next. Riyan thanked him and returned to his seat. “He said he would do one next,” he told the others.

Several minutes passed by before the bard returned to the stage and took up his instrument. He turned to the crowd and announced, “A request has been made to hear a song about the King’s Horde.” At that loud cheering went up and a smattering of table banging accompanied it.

He strummed his instrument for a few bars until the crowd quieted down, then began:

In times long gone, when the world was young,

A King walked under the blazing sun,

All lands were his, the people were strong.

What manner of man was he?

What manner of man was he?

Coins. Coins in the earth.

Buried and cherished they bided their time.

Coins. Coins in the earth.

Though they’re buried again they will shine.

Cities there were with buildings of stone,

They rose up to heights of majesty unknown,

Dazzled the eyes their brilliance shone.

What manner of cities were these?

What manner of cities were these?

Coins. Coins in the earth.

Buried and cherished they bided their time.

Coins. Coins in the earth.

Though they’re buried again they will shine.

A people’s love, a King of hope,

Prosperity reigned the people did thrive,

His kingdom was one of colossal scope.

What manner of kingdom was his?

What manner of kingdom was his?

Coins. Coins in the earth.

Buried and cherished they bided their time.

Coins. Coins in the earth.

Though they’re buried again they will shine.

One fell day their beloved king did die,

Deep in the earth they piled it high,

Riches and treasure to dazzle the eye.

What manner of treasure was this?

What manner of treasure was this?

Coins. Coins in the earth.

Buried and cherished they bided their time.

Coins. Coins in the earth.

Though they’re buried again they will shine.

In a tomb of earth, deep, deep below,

Treasure untold his people did sow,

For what purpose but his spirit to show.

The magnitude of their love to him.

The magnitude of their love to him.

With the last strum of the last chord, the audience which had been spell bound throughout the ballad erupted in a thunderous applause.

Riyan clapped and shouted with the rest and when the applause finally settled down, he turned to Chad and Kevik. “Didn’t learn much, but it was a good song.”

“I especially liked the chorus, ‘Coins. Coins in the earth’,” he said. They spent the rest of the evening listening to the bard, drinking ale, and having a good time.

Sometime around midnight was when the trouble started. It had absolutely nothing to do with them. They were simply minding their own business when two men at the table next to them started arguing over some woman. Before they even knew what was happening, the two men had come to their feet shouting. One struck the other across the face and knocked him onto the table before Riyan.

Riyan scooted backwards quickly to avoid becoming entangled with the man.

Unfortunately, when he scooted backwards, the contents of his mug went flying and soaked the man behind him. One thing led to another and before he knew what was happening, the whole place erupted into a free-for-all.

Fists were flying and he would no sooner get away from one man only to be pummeled by another. He tried to give as good as he received, and managed to land a few good blows before the town watch arrived and broke up the fight.

They waded into the combatants with their clubs and knocked senseless anyone who wouldn’t stop fighting. They rounded everyone up and marched them off to the city jail.

Chad and Riyan were among them, where Kevik was they didn’t know. He sure wasn’t with them marching off to jail.

“Wonder what’s going to happen to us now?” asked Chad. He had an eye practically swollen shut and a lower lip that was almost half again its normal size.

Riyan shrugged and turned eyes full of worry to him. “I don’t know.” Then he saw how Chad’s face looked and added, “You don’t look too good.” Chad grinned but then grimaced when his swollen lip flared with pain. “You don’t either.”

Riyan had an eye beginning to swell as well. Also, the side of his jaw felt like it was going to fall off. He was afraid to look in a mirror.

Down at the jail, the sergeant of the watch took one look at the white cloths tied to the hilts of their swords and immediately sent one of his men down to the Guild for someone to come take them. When they realized that someone at the Guild was going to be woken up in the middle of the night to come drag their sorry butts out of jail because they had taken part in a brawl, they groaned.

“What in the world is going on?”

Riyan and Chad sat on a table in the infirmary as the Guild’s healer worked to heal their wounds. Tad, one of the swordsmen that helped with the instructions had been the one to pick them up from the jail. When Riyan and Chad had seen that it was him, they were relieved. Of all their instructors, he was the one they got along with the best.

He didn’t harangue them about their stupidity or anything like that. All he did was take charge of them and walk them back to the Guild. At first Chad and Riyan thought they had managed to avoid serious punishment. But, once Tad dropped them off at the infirmary and the healer began working on them, he told them he was on his way to inform the Drillmaster.

“Now?” asked Chad.

“Couldn’t it wait until morning?” Riyan said hopefully.

“Sorry boys,” Tad said. “But those are the rules.”

Fifteen minutes later, the Drillmaster had showed up and he was in a foul mood.

“What is the meaning of this Recruits?” he asked as he stalked toward them.

“It wasn’t our fault,” Chad blurted out.

“It really wasn’t,” added Riyan.

“I was hoping to have one batch of Recruits where I wouldn’t have to be dragged from my bed in the middle of the night because of some stupid, pigheadedness!” He glared at the two of them. “Brawling! Two of my Recruits were arrested for brawling like a couple of common street thugs.”

“Actually, most of the others…”

“Quiet!” their drillmaster shouted, cutting Riyan off in the middle of his sentence.

“There is no excuse for this. You were told to avoid getting into trouble were you not?” They both had to nod that they had, for that was one of the first things they were told after joining the Guild.

“But there was no way for us to avoid it,” asserted Riyan. Chad nodded.

“Hold your head still,” the healer said. He was applying some kind of ointment to Chad’s swollen eyelid and needed him to keep still.

“Don’t use any magic to heal these two,” the Drillmaster told the healer. “I want them to feel it for awhile as a reminder.”

The healer turned to glance at the Drillmaster and grinned. “Not to worry,” he said.

“Tad already so instructed me.”

“Good,” he said. Then he glared at the two of them. “Extra drill for the both of you until your next ten-day,” he said. “And if I should discover that you had some part in starting this brawl, you two may find yourselves out of this Guild for good. Do I make myself clear?”

“Yes sir,” they both said.

Turning around, the Drillmaster left the infirmary.

“You two got off lucky,” the healer informed them while he continued to work on Chad’s eye.

“What do you mean?” they asked.

“The normal punishment Recruits face if they’re caught brawling is five lashes,” the healer explained. “It would seem he believed you when you said you didn’t start it.”

“But then why the extra drills?” asked Riyan.

“Because he had to get out of bed in the middle of the night,” the healer replied with a chuckle. When he finished with Chad, he began working on Riyan. They were soon out of the infirmary and on their way back to their barrack.

The following morning when they entered the mess for their breakfast before their drills, the others who were there turned and stared at them. Apparently the rumor mill had already begun churning out a version of the previous evening’s events.

“You two look like death warmed over,” commented Seth when they took their seats.

“Yeah man,” added Soth, “I hope the other guy looks worse.”

“He does,” Chad said. “Riyan and I went up against half a dozen and were doing petty well before the watch showed up.”

From behind Chad, Torin said, “I heard you two were crying like babies when the watch dragged you away.” Torin was one of the Recruits that didn’t care much for Riyan and Chad.

Chad stood up and turned to face him. “That’s a lie!” he yelled.

“Sit down Chad,” Riyan said to his friend. “Don’t let him goad you into getting yourself into more trouble.” Conversations throughout the mess quieted down following Chad’s outburst. Riyan noticed that many an eye was directed their way.

Chad stared at Torin for a second then retook his seat.

“If you guys ever need to learn to fight,” Torin said, “I’m sure we could dig up some old ladies to show you.” He laughed and turned away.

Seth had a hand on Chad’s arm to keep him from getting back up and attacking Torin.

“Actually,” Seth said, “the rumor I heard said that you two were in the wrong place at the wrong time.”

The level of conversation gradually rose once more as it looked as if nothing of interest was going to develop.

Riyan nodded. “That’s pretty much what it was,” he admitted. Then he and Chad related to Seth and Soth the events as actually transpired there in the inn. After that it was time to report for drills.

The day passed slowly and when it came to the end of the day and the Recruits were dismissed, Riyan and Chad had to remain behind. For another hour they practiced with the fat-uglies before they were allowed to leave.

Their arms ached badly and all they wanted to do was crash on their beds and go to sleep. But first they had to get dinner. So after returning to their barrack and putting their swords on, they made their way to the mess.

While they were there, one of the runners who worked at the Guild appeared and made his way to their table. “Excuse me,” he said once he reached them.

“Yes?” Chad asked.

“You two have a visitor waiting out in the foyer,” the runner explained. There were always one or two runners out in the foyer. Their job was to deliver messages that those visiting the Guild wished passed on. More often than not, it was to inform someone that a guest waited for them.

“A visitor?” asked Riyan. “Who could be visiting us? I doubt if it would be Kevik though I wonder what happened to him last night.”

“Is it a man or woman?” asked Chad hopefully. One of the girls whom he’s been seeing had shown up once to pay him a visit.

“It’s a young gentleman,” the runner replied.

“Could you ask him to wait a few minutes?” Riyan said. “Tell him we’re almost done eating then we’ll be there.”

“As you wish,” the runner said then turned around and walked from the mess hall.

“Who do you think it could be?” Chad asked Riyan after the servant left.

Riyan began shoveling food in his mouth quickly. “I don’t know,” he said through a mouthful of food.

They finished their meal quickly and hurried out to the foyer. When they saw Bart sitting in one of the chairs on the side of the room they were surprised. After having been gone for so long he was the last person they expected.

“Bart!” Riyan exclaimed as they came forward.

“Good to see you,” Chad said. He reached out and gave him a hearty handshake.

Bart eyed them up and down, then he grinned. “You two sure have changed a lot,” he said.

“What do you mean?” asked Chad.

“We got into a brawl last night,” explained Riyan figuring the statement must have something to do with the state their faces were in.

“Not that,” Bart said. Then he reached out and touched his bicep. “Been working out have you?”

“Not by choice I assure you,” Chad said with a grin.

Bart laughed. “I can imagine.” Then he gestured for them to take seats near him as he sat down.

“How did things go in Wardean?” Riyan asked.

“I’m here aren’t I,” Bart said. “No longer need I fear a dagger in the back.”

“That’s great news,” Riyan replied.

“How about what you’re here for?” he asked. Lowering his voice he said, “Anything about the coats of arms?”

The grin Riyan bore disappeared as he shook his head. “No. When I asked about it they told us that unless you were born into a family that already had one, you couldn’t get one until you were knighted by the king.”