I don’t know
what’s going on right now. Berith is the one who brought me here. Some husky
and Amaka brought Starlight back. They never made it to Berith’s brother’s.
Next time Berith steps foot in here, I’m getting what happened out of him.
I would say I
could get what happened out of Amaka, but if Commander Barthow’s description of
the newest bounty target is who I think it is, it’s her. I sent her out of this
town to avoid this very thing! Why did she come back?
Starlight
isn’t well enough to talk, otherwise I might could get what’s up from her. I
asked Barthow to find the husky and bring her here for me. He knew that it’s
important, since I never ask anything of him without reason. Not even when I
was an Army Captain did I ask anything of his predecessor, and he knows it.
It took him
a few hours, but his men found her. They said she was chatting with Johan in
the tavern, like she knew him real well. When they escorted her in, I knew
immediately she had been around Amaka. She was wearing Amaka’s shirt.
I introduced
myself, as did she. The conversation that followed was enlightening to say the
least. Makes me reconsider my trust in Berith. But that’s why I need him to
talk to me as well. That’ll be later I’m sure. Anyway, this is how the husky’s
conversation with me went.
“Hello, I’m
Alakath. Who do I have to thank for escorting Starlight back?”
“Gladia,”
she replied. “Gladia Rosebud. Amaka speaks very highly of you.” I smiled at
that. Then she continued. “What do we need to talk about?”
“What
happened out there? How did both Starlight and Amaka end up back here? I sent
them with Berith to his brother’s to get them away from this town that has been
against them since birth, in the case of Amaka, and since Starlight’s arrival.”
She gulped
before answering. I had put her on the spot and she obviously wasn’t
comfortable talking with me yet. But I was more concerned about Amaka and
Starlight’s well being. But she, eventually, did muster her words. “We stopped
in a glade about eight to ten miles away from here that evening. On the way,
Starlight’s unhealed wounds had reopened and she collapsed partway there. Amaka
also passed out, although it was just from sheer exhaustion in her case.”
“Were you
running the whole time? Amaka’s in surprisingly good shape,” I asked.
“I had to
jog at times to keep up with Berith. He had been injured himself when he, after
being alerted by Amaka, had saved me from a bunch of Vanja warriors. Their
blades were poisoned, and once it was neutralized, he wanted to sweat out the
remaining poison.” I noticed the sword on her hip and the shield on her back at
that point.
“That
explains the pace, then. What happened at the glade?” I nearly barked. I didn’t
notice until immediately after I rattled off my question that she was starting to
tear up.
“Well, once
we arrived, I had Amaka sit with Starlight while Berith and I gathered some
wood for a campfire. Berith got the fire going and then, Berith and I
alternated watch while we allowed Amaka and Starlight to rest. This went on
until about an hour before sunup.”
“Why until
then?” I asked, trying to make my tone more gentle.
“Because,
while Berith thought I was sleeping, he talked with this young fox about paying
for Starlight and Amaka. From the way the conversation sounded, Berith was
selling Starlight to someone himself, although Amaka was added apparently to
offset Starlight’s injuries.” If I didn’t before, I most assuredly understand
now why Amaka doesn’t trust men in general. I know I’m an exception, and with
him doing that, I know now she’ll hesitate to trust even me a bit now, as she
likely only agreed to go because of my trust in him. She continued.
“Needless to
say, Amaka and I ran him off, even if it was just from him not wanting to hurt
us fighting.” I was actually speechless for a bit. I sighed before talking,
finally.
“I apologize
about my tone, so you know. I’m just worried about them,” she nodded at that.
“I do appreciate you bringing Starlight here. But neither she nor Amaka can
stay in this town.”
“I could take
them to Drayden’s Burrow. They can live with me,” she suggested, very quickly
might I add. “Now that,” she started. Then she sighed and lowered her head
before softly saying “never mind.”
“No, that’s
a great idea!” I told her. She smiled a little at that. “I no longer have
connections there, otherwise I’d have worked out something for them there
myself.” I paused here. “But that’s not why you said ‘never mind’, is it?” I
asked, recalling how she was tearing up earlier. She had since steeled up
herself. She nodded.
“What
happened?” I asked.
“I already
told you that, or do you mean?” she asked. I nodded, hoping we were thinking
the same thing. She sighed again before starting. “I was exploring with my
brother when the Vanja found us. We made our way to solid, defensible ground
and tried to fight them off, although it was all we could do to just fend off
their blades.”
“Moments
before Berith showed up, the Vanja had managed to slice my brother’s throat
open. He fell instantly. Another second and I’d have been downed myself. But
Berith managed to get them all to attack him, and he killed them all, although
he was injured himself. Since my brother was starting to choke on his own
blood, Berith took one of the Vanja’s blades and drove it through my brother’s heart,
killing him instantly, but more mercifully.”
I know my
mouth was open. I felt really bad then for rushing her through her story
before. “I’m sorry,” I choked out. “I didn’t mean to cause you grief.” She just
shook her head.
“You didn’t
know. Like you said earlier, you’re worried about your friends. You don’t know
me, so I don’t have the honor of being in that number, but maybe that can
change?” she said. I smiled at her, relieved that she at least appeared to be
understanding of my earlier brashness. She still had a worried expression,
however. “But I’m worried about Amaka. She disappeared the night we got here.
Since then, I’ve caught glimpses of panthers tailing me and no sign of her.”
Panthers?
I’m only aware of one in this town. Maybe it’s the same one and she’s just
imagining that there’s more. “I can’t think of many panthers in this town. Only
one comes to mind, actually.”
“Well, one’s
male and the other is female, if that helps you any,” she said. “Amaka didn’t
seem too keen about the male. She pointed him out to me before she disappeared.
He was keeping an eye on this place, even.”
It doesn’t
surprise me that that panther knows I’m here. Very little happens in this town
that he doesn’t catch wind of. In fact, I wouldn’t be shocked if he was behind
Amaka’s “disappearance.” The General is a cruel master, and one like that
panther won’t stay shackled long with such maltreatment. And Amaka is the
perfect person to use to get back at the General. General gets a new pet should
she fail whatever he has her do, but if she succeeds, then gods know what
happens, but it likely will lead to some misfortune for the General.
“Any idea if
he’s behind Amaka’s disappearance?” Gladia asked.
“Most
likely. She’s pretty well known here, half for her thievery, half for her,” I
hesitated, trying to find a way to not be crass about the fact that she has
large breasts.
“Her tits?”
Gladia asked. I nodded.
“I just wish
I knew what the big cat had planned. I have no doubts he’s why she’s
disappeared. He’s had to have conned her into doing something for him. I get
the feeling that you being tailed is part of that, but that could also be my
pessimism speaking.”
“Maybe I
could search for her?” Gladia posited. “Perhaps maybe she needs help?”
“Until we
know for sure what the game is, we need to keep away. For now, you need to stay
near the tavern where the Commander’s men found you,” I said, pain slowly
starting to develop all over. “I’ll either find you when I’m released or send
for you if I need you, okay?” She nodded and left, although I saw her speak
with one of the nurses outside. Apparently, she noticed I’m starting to be in
pain.
I glanced
over at Starlight and she was just laying there, looking at me with a smile on
her face. When I smiled back, she just closed her eyes and fell back asleep.
I’m sure she was awake for all of that, so she knows that Gladia is also okay.
Now, I just need to figure out Amaka’s situation. That can wait until this pain
subsides though.
