A.D.w.D. Chapter 5: Best Laid Plans

• Posted by Exuro July 29, 2015 - Filed in TSC: CB Story - 1,178 views

   

  Amari must have fallen asleep at some point, for she was rudely awoken by the loud crack of a wooden spoon to the head.

   

  “Rise and shine! Now get to work; it’s almost breakfast time.”

   

  Old Hjorta seemed to be back to her normal self again. Amari blearily rubbed her head, crawled out of bed, then dressed using her spare set of clothes. Her burnt and bloody set was hidden in the bottom of their closet. She hurt all over; the bruises along her back, chest, and head complained with every breath. Although despite the pain, she felt hopeful; the sun was shining and today was the day; today Silver was going to help her escape.

   

  …One way or another…

   

  The words of Hermaeus Mora haunted her. What did the Prince of Fate mean by that? He had said a storm would bring new beginnings; was he talking about Silver’s plan? He couldn’t have meant a literal storm; the sky was a clear blue to every horizon this morning.  And her mother; he had her mother and he said she could find her. She wanted nothing more than to break into the Captain’s chest and use that Black Book to do just that, but she restrained herself.

   

  Her mother had once told her of the story of Ysgramor and the Hare. He was hunting and had lost the trail of the White Stag, an incarnation that Hircine, the Prince of the Hunt, uses to test the skill of mortals. Hermaeus Mora approached in the guise of a talking hare and tricked Ysgramor into wishing he had longer ears so he could hear the faintest of the stag’s footsteps. Had Sheor not intervened in the form of a fox to kill the hare, the races of man would have been transformed into long eared elves.  

   

  It was just a child’s tale, but she couldn’t deny the similarities to the reality. He gave her a hope, then showed her an easy way to reach it. No, she had to rely on her own wits, there had to be another way to reach her mother. Unless he was planning on a wary reaction. He probably had had a plan for either case; by Sheor’s Stone she hated these games!

   

   As she walked to the kitchens she felt a sense of unease all around her. Nothing appeared different than any other day, but on a subconscious level everyone in the camp felt powers beyond their control at play. Once in the kitchens, she grabbed a sack of potatoes and started dicing. She just needed to wait for Silver’s signal and then she would be free.

   

  Could he pull it off? What if he backs out? Her hand froze. What if it’s a trap? Would he betray her?

   

  No, he couldn’t, but maybe the poison was a better way. The Toad had started coughing up blood fast, much faster than the Captain had. Her poisons were becoming more potent, but that also meant the bandits would know it was her, so she would have to get all of them. She had filled the empty Skooma bottles with the frenzy potions; a few of those might make a better distraction. But what if Silver stayed true and she ruined his plan?

   

  “By the Nine girl, you look like a troll took a on shit you!” Gnarly Nan’s endearing observation broke through her looping thoughts. The older woman inspected Amari carefully: a few of her bruises encroached across her face, part of her hair was burnt, she had a split lip, her hand was pink with new flesh, and her eyes were haggard from having only a few hours of sleep. Hjorta’s eyes widened as her mind jumped to conclusions.

   

  “So soon, but you’re still just a girl…”   

   

  “No! I -” Amari stopped herself. She killed that bastard! Killed him and… and more, but she couldn’t tell anyone that, so she finished with, “It's nothing.”

   

  Then Hjorta hugged her, surprising both of them.

   

  “You survived, that’s what matters,” Hjorta said, although whether it was to Amari or herself she didn’t know.

   

  Being held in the Old Nan’s arms, Amari’s walls crumpled; walls that she’d held so long she’d forgotten they were even there. She didn’t need to act for the tears streaming down her face. She had survived, but at what cost? Molag Bal’s chilling laugh still echoed in her head.

   

   “Why were you always so cruel to me,” Amari asked suddenly. Gnarly Nan pushed her to arm’s length.

   

   “Because you’re a disrespectful brat that is always calling me an old root!”  Then Hjorta seriously considered the question. “Every time I look at you, I see what I once was. I hate it. I hate that you’ve been thrown to the same fate as I. I hate that every time I look at you, it reminds me that I’m replaceable.”

   

  This time it was Amari that hugged her and they stayed like that for a long moment. The old root didn’t react well last time she brought up escape, but it felt right now.

   

  “So… if a big distraction were happen today and you just happened to already have your stuff packed, it might turn out well.”

   

  “What are you goin’ on about girl?” Well, she didn’t hit Amari with the spoon this time, which was an improvement. “You want to know what will happen if you run?”

   

  She drew back her hair to show the back of her neck. A deep scar ran diagonally from behind her ear to her neck and another, lighter one crossed it vertically behind her jaw. Amari recognized the location at once; the vertical scar was following the carotid artery.

   

  “They cut the first one deep enough that I could feel my heart beating against the blade, the second one was a warning. They said if I ran again, that’s where my life would spill from. They will send the Elf to hunt you, he will track you day and night, across rivers, through mountain storms, it doesn’t matter; he has never lost his prey.”

   

  Amari laughed. “Is that it, are you trying to scare me? I stared into Death’s eyes and he showed me my death a thousand different ways, and each far worse than that. It’s not Man or Mer I fear now.”

   

  Hjorta didn’t know what to make of that, so she opted for what she did know. “Hmph, well either way breakfast still needs to be served.”

   

  As she finished up serving breakfast, Silver caught her eye and flashed a thumbs up. They were still on! Then the Captain called out from the head of the new table, “Where’s the Toad? I have words for him.”

   

  The bandits nervously looked to each other, but said nothing. Amari quietly slipped back into the kitchens out of sight.

   

  “Well, who saw him last?”

   

  “I saw him go into the cove last night,” the Mer raid leader spoke up with a smirk, then pointed at one of the Nord bandits. “I believe Hulgar was the one on watch down there.”

   

  The accused cursed the bloody snitch under his breath. “Yes, I was.” The Captain’s gaze did not relent until he continued, “He ordered me to leave. Said he couldn’t sleep, so he wanted to take a shift.”

   

  “You left your post. Come here.” The bandit nervously walked to the captain. All the eyes in the camp followed Hulgar in silence. The Captain pointed at the table before him, “put your hand there.”

   

  “Captain?”

   

  The captain’s cold stare bore into him until he broke. The bandit reluctantly placed his hand before the captain with a cold sweat already dripping from his brow. In a swift motion the captain drew one of his daggers, flipped it in the air, and then caught it by the tip.

   

  “You were following a superior’s order, which is forgivable. I will assume you did not know he was a traitor. You may go.”

   

  The bandit fled to his tent, trying to conceal the stain spreading on the back of his trousers. Everyone else started murmuring at the word traitor. The Toad? He was always pushing the boundaries, but he was also one of the oldest members.

   

  “Yes, traitor. I have suspected for some time he was plotting a mutiny, then yesterday he attempted to poison me. He failed." The Captain's words were clipped and precise. Any emotions over the betrayal were hidden behind a wall harder than ebony. "Who was watching the South wall?”

   

  One of the bandits, a Breton, gulped and stepped forward. The Captain pointed at the table in front of him again. The bandit obeyed. He still shook, but was embolden by the previous mercy.

   

  “Did you see the Toad leave?”

   

  The bandit shook his head, then faster than the Breton could react, the Captain tossed the dagger straight up, caught it by the hilt, and slammed it down through the meat between the thumb and forefinger, and the table. The bandit screamed and went to pull out the dagger, but the Captain stopped him.

   

  “You’ll leave it in! Your job was to watch the cove entrance, you failed; that is not forgivable.” The Captain turned to the Elf. “Hunt him down, take whoever you need and bring me back his head.”

   

  His cold, blue eyes didn't falter once as he condemned his oldest comrade to death.

   

  “Take these louts hunting? No, for one I don’t know how they manage to even bring deer in; and I don’t think they could stomach what I do to traitors. This prey I hunt alone.” The Bosmer was grinning from one long ear to the other with a hunger in his eyes and his full set of pointed teeth on display. He left the table at once to prepare and Amari wasn’t the only one to feel a shiver run down their spine.   

   

   So they thought the Toad poisoned the Captain and didn’t know he was dead yet. Not to mention the Elf would be off on a wild goose chase. This was turning out well.

   

  “Camp!” The Captain called out, “we’re doubling the watch till the Toad is brought to justice. Everyone else search the camp for any clues of his motive.”

   

  Well shit; she spoke too soon. She had lots of secrets hiding in the camp and twice as many sentries to worry about now! At least Scuttles was safe in the bag around her neck. She stuck her head out to cast a desperate glance at Silver. He looked completely bewildered; he had just found out about the Skeever Incident over breakfast and now this.

   

  Awhile later Old Nan found Amari still fretting about the kitchens while the bandits tore apart the camp.

   

  “A storm is a brewing to the East; looks like it’s heading this way.”

   

  A storm!? The harbinger of new beginnings. Hermaeus Mora’s prophecy was already beginning, was that good or bad?

   

  “Thought you said you didn’t fear men, what are you afraid they’ll find?” Gnarly Nan followed up.

   

  A voice from across the courtyard answered for Amari, “Captain! I found The Toads dagger, and blood.”

   

  Hjorta looked curiously at Amari and she paled under the gaze. How could she have forgotten about the dagger embedded in the door or all the blood splatters? He hadn’t mention her stash of poisons at least; hopefully those were still safe.

   

  “Whose blood?”

   

  “Dunno; his? Not the sentry’s we know though. Also the dagger was stuck deep in the meat locker door.”

   

  A passing bandit piped in, “Wasn’t the young wench cleaning up the skeevers down there.”

   

  “Yah,” the first bandit responded, “maybe that old goat wanted some pie before runnin.’ She did look roughed up this morn' now that I think about it.”

   

  “Bring her out.”

   

  “Hey wench girl! Get your ass out here!”

   

  Hjorta and Amari looked at each other, Amari gulped and nervously met the men outside. She didn’t like the leers the bandits were giving her, but the Captain’s signature frozen glare remained unchanged. He was still at his seat at the table looking at a map. Every few moments he moved the map a bit to avoid the spreading blood from the Breton sentry’s hand that was still pinned to the table. The sentry was focusing on steadying his breathing and kept casting strained glances at the Captain with pleading eyes.

   

  “Ignore him,” the Captain stated, then critically examined her. Amari hid her hands behind her and shifted her weight uncomfortably. She knew it was her fault the bandit was suffering.

   

  He spoke to the first bandit, “How much blood was there?”

   

  “It covered a lot of area, but was mostly splatters. Maybe a hamster’s worth.”

   

  “Hmm. Girl, why are you hiding your hands? Show them.” After looking them over he continued, “I see bruises and whatever happened to your hand, a burn, a boil? But I see no cuts, where did the blood come from?”

   

  “I, I, I-“ Amari stammered under his direct gaze, then Hjorta hurried out to her rescue.

   

  “By Ysgramor’s Beard!” She wacked the Captain on the head with her spoon. “What!? Do you want her to strip before the whole camp? It’s obvious she’s already suffered enough at the Toad’s hands. You know what he’s like! It’s not hard to imagine where the blood came from; just don’t humiliate the poor girl more!”

   

  Those within earshot, which was everyone, guffawed that Old Gnarly Nan actually gave the Captain her spoon treatment, the camp silent as they awaited the Captain’s response. Hjorta had fought tooth and nail for what little respect she had, for what little control she gained over her life. Did she just throw it away for what? This brat? Her replacement? Her reflection?

   

  The Captain raised the corner of his mouth, which was as close to a smile as he ever got, and pulled the knife from the table. The bandit gasped in relief and clutched his hand.

   

   “That will be enough for now. We’ll wait for the Elf’s report to conclude this matter.” With that the camp returned to normal. As Amari went about her duties, she kept glancing at Silver. She didn’t like what she saw, he seemed to be lost in thought. Neither of them had anticipated the camp being on high alert and once the Elf returned without the Toad, she didn’t think her story would hold up.

   

  Her break came at lunch. With so many bandits on watch, the Captain decided everyone should eat at their stations, which meant Amari would be delivering their food to them. As she left with the first set of bowls, she turned towards Hjorta. “I feel like something distracting is about to happen.”

   

  “Hmmph… Wait, what!” Hjorta turned to stop Amari, but she was already gone.

   

  Amari caught Silver’s eye as she mouthed the word, “NOW” to him. His eyes darted to all the sentries questioning. She nodded and opened her dress a bit to reveal the poison, he cocked an eyebrow at her. Realizing what else she had revealed, she blushed and quickly covered back up. He silently laughed at her, but got the message and ran off. Whatever he planned, she hoped it would help give her a lead.

   

  She went to the sentries posted at the two platforms flanking the road. A wood bridge ran between them and once she crossed it she would already be halfway to the river. There were two sentries at each platform this time and they were scanning the horizon for any sign of the Toad. The two sentries closest to her were looking across the river towards the trade hub of Skyrim, Whiterun, and were bickering. Her steps faltered as doubts and warnings filled her mind.

   

  “I’m tellin’ you, those clouds weren’t there an hour ago. It’s unnatural!”

   

  “You think everything is unnatural or cursed! This is cursed, that is cursed, Daedra stole your sweetroll, and on and on and on.”

   

  “Well, I’m usually right and you know damn well that whatever keeps stealing my sweetrolls isn’t from this Plane!”

   

  “Meh, who cares, maybe they’ll finally bring some rain; they look dark enough.”

   

  Amari looked to the clouds as she passed them; dark nimbus clouds focused about a point in the distance were rolling their way. It was definitely unnatural and she knew who it was after.

   

  “Oye,” the second bandit called out and slapped her rear, “’think I found one of your sweetrolls!”

   

   The first looked up hopefully. “Ass, don’t get my hopes up like that. Hah, yah better watch your back, the little one’s got a glare to match the Captain.”

   

  No, there was no turning back. Halfway across the bridge she heard Silver call out from the center of the camp, “I bring a bonus from my quest! Free Treasure! First come, first serve!”

   

  He started rattling off his wares like an auctioneer and tossing gleaming jewels through the sky as people started calling out. Nothing like treasure to distract a bandit, not to mention the stunt would also dramatically raise his popularity and standing in the camp.

   

  She handed the lunch gruel to the bandits on the far side, the one spiced with frenzy went to the larger of the two. Hopefully it would work. They both chugged down the gruel and complained about being stuck guarding the outskirts, away from the action. A jeweled amulet flew through the air and landed in the hands of the bandit that slapped her rear on the other side. He dangled it before them and taunted, “Ha ha, looks like you guys are too far away for the bonus!”

   

   “Damn it, I will have it,” growled the large bandit next to Amari. He grabbed his bow and before his watch partner could react he let loose an arrow. It streaked across the divide, penetrating deep into the taunter’s lung.

   

  “By Shor, What’s wrong with you?” The other bandit tackled the larger one and Amari took advantage of their struggle to jump off the platform. Behind her she heard the larger bandit bash the other with his bow. The smaller bandit reeled back to the edge of platform, trying to staunch the blood gushing from his nose.

   

  “Die milk-drinker!” The larger bandit bellowed and launched the other off the platform with a powerful thrust kick, then he turned at the twang of an arrow and took a shaft to the shoulder. He drew his axe and with an incoherent war cry he charged across the bridge to his attacker.

   

  Wow, Amari thought running towards the river, that worked a lot better than expected. She was in the final stretch now! She was almost at the river bank, then she just needed to follow the current, away from the camp, away from the ever approaching storm. She reached the bank and was one step away from the water when an arrow materialized in her thigh; the impact threw her leg back and resonated through her bones. She never heard it, but when she looked across the river she saw a silhouette perched at the peak of a rocky hill, the Elf.

   

  Her leg went numb and she toppled over into the water. She tried to swim, but within seconds the numbness spread throughout her whole and the current carried her limp form downstream.  The first droplets of a darkening sky peppered the river.

   

  

   

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