Night Calls the Raven (Book 2 of The Master of the Tane) (25 page)

Tchee made a loud squawk of protest but Teek was not persuaded. Eyeing the young Waseeni and then looking past him at the giant bird, Helgar sighed. “Don’t be worryin’
yerself,” he finally spoke to the bird. “We’ll be watchin’ after ‘im.” Then under his breath, he added, “There be enough guards fer him, me and a large group of criminals.”

Teek refrained from hugging the stout dwarf, knowing it would have only embarrassed him, and shook his hand instead. “Thank you, Helgar. Thank you. I’ll be well behaved, I promise.”

“Jes keep near me and yer eye on Helgar, here,” Rangor said in mock seriousness. “He be havin’ a way of getting’ himself into messes.”

“You
be goin’ too?” Helgar’s face turned a deep red and Teek was certain he would pull his axe and turn on the captain but, surprisingly, he didn’t say anything more, only waved his hand to Teek and then started toward the road headed for town. Teek said goodbye to Bardolf who had opted to stay behind and then gave Tchee a reassuring pat on her chest before chasing after Helgar, Rangor, and the four guardsmen who were already putting distance between them. Tchee screeched after him as if in warning and then gracefully lifted her great body into the evening sky.

The village was just as wonderful and frightening as Teek imagined it would be. The crowds had not dissipated much since their passing earlier in the day and more than once Teek found himself bustled by a passerby. Helgar eyed the crowd dangerously and whispered a warning to
him to keep his eyes open for trouble. “Many that be bumpin’ into ye will be havin’ their hands all through yer pockets and takin’ what they can find without ye feelin’ any the different.”

Teek’s eyes bulged at the revelation and quickly felt for his dagger and the ornament Twee had given him before his death. He breathed a sigh of relief. All was where it should be, but from then on he was more careful and alert.

Their first stop was to outfit Teek with some warmer clothing. His simple loincloth was plenty for use in his swampland home, but out in the early spring weather, he needed something more to protect him from the elements. A small shop run by a skinny man and his fat wife outfitted him nicely. The woman fretted over him, pinching his cheeks more than once and exclaiming what a cute little boy he was while her husband maneuvered deftly around her measuring his arms, waist, chest, and legs. It was like a dance they had spent years perfecting. Teek looked at Helgar for help but the dwarf merely smiled, a mischievous twinkle to his eye. Rangor and the guard, of course, were no help, standing to the side all business and threatening. Teek just sighed. This was not the type of excitement he was thinking of when he came to the village. Being mauled by a plump woman was definitely not what he’d been looking for.

After innumerable pinches, pats and giggling comments, he was finally suited in some fine brown leather pants matched by soft, calf high boots and a white wool tunic that he cinched at his waist. A dark green, hooded cloak tied snuggly around his neck finished the ensemble along with more patting and pinching from the large woman.

Though grateful for the warm clothes, he was happy when they were out of the store and away from the woman’s busy fat fingers. “Thanks for the clothes,” he said to Helgar as they exited with a last little pat to his rear and a wave goodbye from the chubby wife. “I think.”

Helgar chuckled, his mood much more jovial now. “Now
lad, what in the world are ye fussin’ about? Ye should be flattered. That were a fine specimen of a woman in there. If not fer her being already hitched, I might have asked her along as a companion to ye.”

Teek stared at him in shocked disbelief. “What!”

Helgar just howled with laughter, pleased with himself and with Teek’s reaction.

Their next stop was to find the marketplace that was already beginning to wind down as the village became dark and the farmers started leaving for the night. The market was no more than a large, open area circled by small shops on the perimeter and crowded with carts and tables in the middle. A stable on the far side held the farmers’ mules and oxen that were used to pull the carts in and out of the city.

Helgar and the guard quickly busied themselves with grabbing what they could from the remaining sellers to fill their empty food sacks and packs. The best vegetables and foodstuffs were sold in the early morning when the farmers first entered the village and set out their goods. Then they were fresh picked and hadn’t passed through so many hands in search of the best produce. But, for a bargain, the evening was the best time of day. The more sold today meant more room in the cart tomorrow for fresher goods that would sell quicker and easier than day old wares. Dwarfs were not that picky about what they ate, as long as there was plenty of it. So, shopping at dusk was ideal for them. Plus, the crowds were smaller so the guard could concentrate more on helping with the supplies than on codling Helgar.

Much of the crowd was moving to other parts of town and most of the farmers had their mules or oxen hooked to the carts and were pulling out when a group of six rough looking men staggered past pushing each other and talking of the next tavern. One of them, a large baldheaded man with a scar across his cheek and a patch over one eye, bumped into Helgar knocking the
dwarf prince forward into a cart of winter tomatoes and onions. Regaining his footing, the bald man grabbed Helgar by the shoulders and pulled him back to his original position while the guard menacingly, but without notice, positioned themselves to either side of their prince, hands stealthily finding their axe handles and preparing to draw should this turn sour.

The bald man bowed mockingly to the dwarf. “Beggin’ your pardon, master dwarf,” he slurred. “You’ll have to forgive my clumsiness.” Teek relaxed, thinking it all just a mistake when Helgar’s hand suddenly shot out and caught the man’s arm, pulling him down close. Reaching into the bald man’s cloak with his other hand, Helgar pulled out a bag of coins clearly marked with the Axegrinder seal.

“Clumsiness can be always forgiven,” Helgar hissed, “but thievery be another matter.”

The whole market area seemed to pause as if taking in a deep breath before everything suddenly broke loose. Still holding the coin bag, Helgar’s first shot forward, connecting squarely with the man’s nose shooting blood across his face and splashing some onto Helgar. The man’s friends rushed forward to help but were met by the guard and Rangor who quickly decided their bare hands were all that were needed, leaving their axes secured to their backs. Arms and fists flew about as dwarf and man threw themselves into the fray. Teek stood frozen, watching the bodies collide in a freakish dance of grunts, blood and sweat. Although the men were larger, the dwarfs seemed to quickly be gaining the upper hand.

Teek felt someone grip his arm and before he could react, he was whipped around and pulled face to face with a nightmare from his past. Two feverish eyes locked onto his and a crazed smile twisted across the grimy face that was now inches from his. Teek knew that his captor had only one arm but found he was unable to pull himself away.

“So, by the look of ya’s eyes,” the high pitched voice cackled, “I cans see that ya ain’t forgotten old Brak now have ya, he, he, he.” Teek recoiled from the crazed man struggling against his grip but it was too tight and he couldn’t pull himself free. “Yous ain’t goin’ nowheres there boy. You still got some money yous owed me and Zel. Ya, remember Zel, don’t ya.

“What do you want?” Teek squealed trying hard to keep his voice steady.

Brak screeched with demented laughter and then his voice suddenly went cold and still. “I only
wants ya’s eyes. Oh, and ya arm.” Brak pulled on him, dragging him toward a dark alleyway that was only feet away from were he’d been standing. Pulling as hard as he could he was no match for Brak’s craze added strength. He knew that he needed to get away. He knew that Zel was dead; the horrid image of his mangled body and twisted head flashing in his mind. But who knew if Brak hadn’t found someone else to share in his maniacal schemes. Once they got to the alleyway, Teek knew his life would be over.

Looking over his shoulder he just caught sight of Helgar’s fist crashing against the skull of another opponent, the baldheaded man lay unconscious on the ground, while the guard busily dealt with the other four men. There was no time to get their help. The alleyway loomed dark and close and he could feel his life was only seconds from the end.

Suddenly remembering that he had a weapon, Teek cursed himself for his muddled and frightened mind as he reached inside his cloak and grabbed his dagger. Pulling it, he shouted at Brak just as he was starting to enter the alley. “You forgot one thing!”

Brak turned back just in time to see the dagger he had once stolen from Teek come slashing down across his arm. Brak’s arm recoiled from the pain as blood rushed out of the wound. Teek found himself free but off balance as he fell back onto the ground. Brak recovered quickly pulling his own knife and brandishing it as he towered over him.

“I will cut yous into tiny little pieces fer that,” he spat, a large stream of drool escaping his mouth and running down his chin and neck.

Teek brought his blade up in defense but Brak suddenly stopped, his eyes staring back at the fight that was just ending behind them. Surprised, Teek watched as he quickly turned and disappeared back into the alley, a small trail of blood marking his path as he went.

“Ye be all right?” a rough and panting voice suddenly asked just behind him. Teek quickly got to his feet and turned around to see Helgar holding his axe and looking past him into the alleyway.

Teek looked over his shoulder into the blackness that had almost been his doom and then turned back to Helgar who was now surrounded by the guard. None of them appeared to be injured save for a red mark around Helgar’s left eye that was now beginning to swell and turn black. “Fine,” he said putting his dagger away.
“How about you?”

Helgar looked taken aback. “What? Ye
be meaning this?” he said, smiling and pointing to his eye. “Why, that be nothin’ at all. A lucky kick with the foot while the bloody coward took his rest on the ground. And what about the one that got away?” he asked motioning with his head toward the alley.

“It was Brak,” he answered, suddenly breathless.

“Brak?”

“Yes. The one I told you about when I rescued Tchee.” His face suddenly felt flushed and his legs began to shake as the adrenaline left him and his mind caught hold of what had just happened. “I thought he was dead.”

“Aye,” Helgar replied. “And I was startin’ to worry that ye might be as well.”

Teek blanched, realizing how accurate Helgar’s words were.

Rangor cleared his throat calling for their attention. “We shouldn’t be standin’ about and talkin’ here, sire. There’s apt to be guards comin’ and we cannot be stalled by questions an’ inquiries.”

Helgar glared at the dwarf but nodded his head. “Ye
be right. Let’s be gatherin’ our things and be getting’ back to camp.” Helgar suddenly chuckled. “I can’t wait to be seein’ the look on Bardolf’s face when he be findin’ out about the fight he missed.”

Teek just stared into the alley and shuddered, having the distinct feeling that this was probably not the last time he and Brak would meet.

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

Kornok circled lazily high above the mountain pass, too far for any human to see with their weak eyes. But, even if they did see her it would not matter. They were nothing to her. She wanted to swoop down now and release her fury on them but had to restrain herself. Bedler wanted it to be a surprise. Oh, it certainly would be a surprise should she drop down on the men below and give them a breath of welcome. She laughed out loud. She was amused by all of their foolish preparations and running about. Her brothers and sister could rid the land of them all in a few short weeks. Why Bedler insisted on using his idiotic trolls and equally inept goblins was beyond her. Though they had begged, she and Gorbrak were not allowed to wreak their havoc on the pitiful humans. She envied Wargon, Krengor, and Klawbrak who had already left on their missions and were probably feasting now on sweet meats. Gorbrak was also gone, but his time would not come until late. He had not taken that news well. She savored the memory of his tantrum though it didn’t ease her frustrations at having to wait.