The Beginnings Omnibus: Beginnings 1, 2, 3 & Legend of Ashenclaw novella (Realm of Ashenclaw Beginnings Saga) (34 page)

The rule in Oakhaven was simple…respect the law and the law-keepers will respect you back. The seemingly unending patrol of The Watch saw to that.

Oakhaven was a fine place indeed
, Rose recalled again, absently smiling as she did so. A serving wench came over to her table and delivered another expensive tumbler of wine.

“Who are they?” Rose asked the server, a quietly beautiful, unassuming woman, as she turned to leave.

“They are the survivors of the terrible slaughter of the Chansuk tribe to the south,” she answered in a whisper, trying not to alarm them. “Had you not heard?”

“I had not,” Rose lied. Of course she had heard of them, she’d just never seen the barbarians in person before. Rose tossed a silver coin on top of the few copper she owed and the woman scooped them up and hurried away.

Rose sipped at her wine and studied the women of Chansuk, noticing that they were all masking a serious pain and drowning it, or at least trying to, in the mass consumption of alcohol.

She recognized it as something all-too-familiar.

It made her grimace reflexively as she recalled her youth and then immediately forced it from her mind. Instead, she studied the group again and attempted to assess them. Rose made a habit of trying to read people on every possible level. It made her occupation easier, too.

One of the women looked more powerful than the rest, although they all seemed to be fairly ruggedly built for females. But this one in particular was firm of stature and jaw, and had a look of something desperate in her eyes that she tried to hide. She appeared to be quite unfocused and somewhat inebriated, also.

A potential victim?
Rose thought. But she quickly dismissed the thought as too dangerous, especially in here with all of the other barbarians around. Besides, she’d promised Melin just recently that she would stop pilfering from his patrons. And so, she considered just how well this strongly built woman could handle herself in combat.

It might be fun to test
, she thought again. But then she realized that the urge for a fight, which came from somewhere deep inside her, had not surfaced for many years. That alone surprised her. The reality of the situation was that she would have to fight the entire tribe, which was surely suicide. Besides, she had taken to robbing the more wealthy merchants who were slower of wit and weaker of sword. She let that thought sink in. Her expression soured unintentionally. She realized that thought had brought her a level of melancholy, though she couldn’t quite put her finger on why.

Before she could give it any more consideration, the doors to the tavern swung open and two members of The Watch entered. One conferred with Melin Flinteye, who nodded an approval, while the other posted an official document up on the main message board near the entrance of the tavern.

After the watchmen left, there was a sudden rush to read the notice that was posted. Rose waited for the crowd to die down, most of them waving hands and chatting amongst themselves, seeming to have mixed reactions at its contents. Moments passed as it thinned out a bit more and she approached the document. It read:

‘The High Council of Oakhaven is seeking those strong of sword and sharp of mind. We are in dire need of aid in the form of brave, cunning and heroic individuals.

Any applicants of questionable moral ethics, or who are unwilling or unable to cooperate with others, need not apply as time is of the essence.

Those who deem themselves worthy should arrive at the Hall of the High Council as soon as the third bells toll on the first Day of Holy Enlightenment. Be forewarned that the Inquisition will be conducting these evaluations and all individuals applying for this pact will be interviewed and methodically analyzed. Only the very best applicants will be chosen.

Such is the Covenant of the Faceless Knights.’

This intrigued Rose a great deal.

Saeunn stood from her chair and disengaged from her family and friends at the table. She heard the townsfolk whispering about the notice that was pinned to the message board. She walked over and looked at it. Her brow furrowed as she realized she could not decipher the markings on it, for she could not read.

Saeunn looked about embarrassingly and found a red-haired woman, who appeared to be studying it. She looked all around to see if any others were nearby, but there was no one else that she could ask. So she looked back at the leather-clad stranger, whom she noticed was eyeing her now with penetrating gray eyes in a way that seemed intrusive.

“Can you tell me what this says?” Saeunn asked the stranger in an attempt to both discover the meaning of the notice and to remove the woman’s gaze from her.

“Certainly,” the woman replied, not unkindly, and proceeded to read the document to Saeunn.

Upon hearing it, Saeunn’s green eyes widened with what looked to be pure bliss. The reader was taken aback by the show of palpable elation over the contents of the message, but Saeunn completely missed it.

“I guess this is good news for you?” the auburn-haired stranger asked Saeunn.

“Aye,” the barbarian woman responded, smiling widely at her. “It could be just what I need.” Saeunn turned and nodded at the woman, grabbing her firmly by the shoulders and saying again, “
Just
what I need!”

Saeunn turned from the woman and walked excitedly back to her table. She hoped that this would be the opportunity she needed, so that she did not have to begin what would certainly be a mundane series of occupations in the days to come. Instead, she hoped to once more grip tightly the leather-bound hilt of her blade and lay low the enemies of her people. Saeunn returned to the table smiling at her mother and explained what the note said to all her companions.

“So you intend to investigate the needs of the High Council?” Huuna asked her daughter when the initial excitement had passed and the others were discussing it amongst themselves. Saeunn appeared caught in a daydream and seemed not to hear her mother’s question.

“Saeunn?”

“Yes, I believe I can help them, mother,” Saeunn replied evenly, as she had been listening to her mother the whole time. “I would very much like to help the Races of Order in Wothlondia with whatever is coming.” She paused for a moment, her expression suddenly desolate, despite her best efforts to hide it. “But I made a promise to father, and will make good that promise.”

Saeunn was pained that the mere mention of Scarr, both saddened and elated Huuna at once. She knew that her mother and father had lived their lives to the fullest and now, without warning, he was taken from them. Huuna hugged her daughter, pulling her close in an attempt to hide her tears.

Saeunn gently pushed her mother back and straightened up. “This is lordly ale!” she exclaimed, attempting to brush aside her emotions as she stood. Huuna grabbed her daughter by the shoulder and chin, forcing her back down in her seat to look into her eyes.

“You have a destiny to fulfill, my child,” Huuna said. “Know that the spirit of your father certainly approves of his daughter’s intentions. He would have been proud had he been here to see it. Do not make me tell you again! Seek out the High Council and be sure to make your father proud!”

Saeunn began to respond, “But…what of—“

“You heard me, Sae,” Huuna interrupted, instilling a spark of confidence that was so obvious behind her actions and words. “Go and gather your things and make sure to seek a comfortable bed this night.”

Saeunn simply nodded to her mother and stood up.

 However, before she could leave, a man dressed in animal skins that revealed a heavily muscled chest and arms to match, impeded her progress.

“I can provide a bed,” he said in a gruff voice, smiling wide to reveal a set of yellowed teeth. He was a bearded hulk that reminded her a bit of the Chansuk tribesmen, which absently softened her demeanor. She stood looking at the man for a moment and waited for him to speak again, hardening her gaze. “You seem to be a worthy one for me to lie with this eve,” he added on with a chuckle that was openly demeaning to Saeunn.

“No,” Saeunn eventually replied, attempting to move past him. “You are not worthy.”

“I’d reconsider if I were you,” the man warned as he put his hand on her shoulder, in an attempt to turn her back to face him.

Suddenly Saeunn sobered. She did not feel the effects of the wine anymore; she simply felt anger in her blood. All of the Chansuk women stood up from their seats now, knowing what was about to happen, and acting as if they were ready to clobber this apparent dolt, too.

Saeunn swung her right arm—her free arm—and placed a hard palm-heel blow to the bearded man’s forehead. The blow was struck so swiftly and with such power that she knocked him back a few steps, removing his hand from her shoulder. He stumbled back and into a vacant chair, almost breaking it in the process.

Suddenly, Melin Flinteye’s two sons, Herum and Jarin, who Saeunn had met earlier in the evening, came over to the disturbance. They forced their way through the crowd that started to form around her and the heavily muscled brute.

“None o’ that business here!” Herum yelled boldly, waving a hand to dismiss any intent to fight.

“If ye be wantin’ to kill each other, do it outside,” Jarin said evenly, backing his older brother’s words. “Though I’m not tellin’ ye to do that either.”

The lout regained his composure and stared hard at Saeunn. “Think yer tough, lass?!” the man asked Saeunn in a blind rage. “I’m thinking yer not.“ He angrily wiped some blood from a slight gash on his forehead.

“Place your arm here on the table,” Saeunn commanded, sitting down at the now-open table. “I will wrestle you.
When
I win, you will leave me be.”

The man laughed, shifting the various animal hides once more to display his rather hefty arm, though in truth, it was not much bigger than Saeunn’s own. He flexed for her and whoever else was watching in the hopes of gaining their favor and intimidating the woman. She merely held his gaze and the crowd remained hushed. The man sat and put his right hand in hers, wrist against wrist. A second, red-bearded man stepped up to the table from within the crowd and tied a length of rope tightly around their wrists.

“No cheating now,” he yelled through a wicked grin. “Go!”

The man and woman locked gazes as they began their feat of strength. Many watched the event with enthusiasm and bets were quickly placed. Saeunn’s eyes steeled over in a sign of determination. That seemed to catch the man by surprise and she saw just the slightest hint of doubt in his eyes. She coldly locked eyes with her opponent’s furrowed her brow and pressed her advantage.

All of the Chansuk tribeswomen stood behind Saeunn. Her tattooed bicep muscle seemed to nearly burst from her arm and the crowd gasped as she began to impose her will. It was obvious to any who watched her that she was not a woman to be taken too lightly.

She had a size and strength that was uncommon for a typical female, but displayed the undeniable femininity and curves that the opposite gender admired; she made quite an impression on the crowd. The man’s blue eyes began to widen in disbelief and horror as he sensed his soon-to-be humiliting defeat. His brow began to show a noticeable grouping of sweat beads. The wound on his forehead began to spill blood more freely as he strained. A moment later, a streak of red ran down his face and into his unkempt beard.