The Weapon Bearer (Book 1) (13 page)

Brent said loud enough for Bowie to hear, “This is the Town Keepers. It’s on the edge of Lake Leviathan. These people are here awaiting the return of a water king. They were all servants of the water king and they stay to take up lodging when a new one arises. These people are a sort of annoyance to King Atmos. They do not build walls, and do not request his guards for protection so they don’t have to pay taxes. They sit and wait for the return of their new king. Being a water wizard, they will welcome us with open arms. I will talk to them about allowing a fire wizard to sleep in their town before we go inside. These wooden houses would go up like kindling if she woke now. We will sleep here for the night with their permission.”

As the small party approached Keepers, Brent motioned Kilen to lean in close. “Kilen, ride so that you are just behind me and keep your hand on the hilt. Ride as though you are a fully trained weapon bearer. Sit up straight and give this town the confidence that they have nothing to fear except you.”

Bowie said from behind them, “In your other saddle bag there is a blue cloak. Its fine enough for a lord.”

The wizard nodded in approval to Bowie. Kilen reached down and donned the deep blue traveling cloak. The inside of the cloak was as black as night and both sides were made of a fine material that seemed to shimmer in the fading sunlight. Brent nodded in approval, “Now while we are getting settled I will give you more instructions. You will not speak to anyone unless I tell you that you can. You will look everyone in the eyes. The people here will notice someone using water magic so don’t use it unless you want to look like a fool. They know a trained wielder when they see one. They already know me and if we play this out right they will assume that you are very deadly. The safer this town feels from your sister the better welcome we will receive.” Kilen started to scowl back at the wizard giving his best intimidating face. “You just look like a fool now. Not like you’re not mad at the world, just cautious. Just try to meet every eye that we see. Look at them long enough to say with your eyes, ‘I see the darkest parts of your soul.’” Kilen didn’t know if he had that kind of look in him.

They rode at a canter at the edge of the town. There was no gate nor walls. There were two men sitting on either side of the street on wooden stools. The men were large and wearing full set of armor bearing the same crashing wave as Brent across their chests. The town had a poor hometown feel to it, made of small houses with no signs of embellishments. The two men stood and made their way down to the street to greet the late arrivals into the town. Each man lifted an arm in a sort peaceful greeting. When Brent got nearer they each hit a gauntleted fist on their breastplates in salute. “Greetings wizard, and…armor bearer?”

“Wizard Brent of the Earth Realm Council,” Brent added giving himself the full title. “This is Kilen a weapon bearer from the Earth Realm.” When Brent introduced Kilen the guards looked at each other and then looked at Kilen’s eyes. When they were both satisfied they then saluted him also. Kilen nodded and saluted back, having the feeling it was right.

“How can we aid your travels along, wizard? Perhaps you have brought us a new king.” The guardsmen pointed his chin at Bowie in his red outfit.

“Not this day sir, I am however in need of a place to rest this evening. We are escorting a newly awakened fire wizard to the king.” The two men began to pull swords from their sheaths, Brent raised his hand to them. “Be at peace, Kilen and I have her under control. You dishonor me thinking that I, a water wizard, would willingly walk an untamed fire wizard into Keepers.”

They returned their swords to their sheaths, shrunk down at his raised voice, and offered a bow in apology. “Our apologies wizard, as long as she is truly subdued we will find comfortable accommodations for your people. Welcome to Keepers, as a town rule we shall provide a two person escort for the fire wizard. Sgt. Wells will go with you now and another shall be coming shortly. You should see Master Bradley at the kitchen near the waterfront.” Sgt. Wells walked on the opposite side of the Brent saying nothing as they walked through the town. Children came out of houses to get a glimpse of the visitors. Parents leered in the house doors only taking a tiny bit less amusement with the travelers. Kilen tried to look each person in the eye long enough that they knew him to be looking at them. Most of the town’s people would look down or away at his gaze.

Kilen wanted to look away from the villager. He had grown up thinking it rude to stare at people he didn’t know. He knew that the same feelings were what made the villagers turn away now. As they rode through the town a second man still strapping on his armor came to join Sgt Wells. The second man was younger than the sergeant but just as large. They put their heads together a couple times, and the younger man looked back at Kara and then at Kilen, looking at his eyes. He too quickly looked away from them. The town seemed skittish after they looked at Kilen, he felt as if his emotions were reflecting off of everyone in town. He would continue to look them in the eyes no matter how nervous he got.

The group finally came to an open area with cook pots in the center and fires in formed into a large circle around them. Small three-walled structures surrounded the fires. There was a large man moving from fire to fire smelling and tasting the contents of the cook pots placed there. He had an apron full of spoons, forks, and herb’s sticking out of the pockets. The belt he wore had variations of knives used to filet and chop. The sergeant called to him as Master Bradley. An adolescent boy with dark brown hair of a medium build was following him around adding herbs and spices into each pot as the he instructed. Brent stopped the group and Sgt. Wells went to talk with Master Bradley who immediately waved them towards a three sided structure.

Brent lead the group into the structure. As they rode Kilen could feel the warmth from the fire and he closed his eyes, viewing the world with only the water vision. The comfort of the warm fires was short lasted as he heard Kara let out a small moan. Kilen felt the hairs on the back of his neck raise and he saw the water in Kara move faster than normal. He reacted quickly, grabbing her by the shoulder and forcing water magic to subdue his sister, in fear of her turning into a ball of fire. It would have raised the alarm and she would have fallen victim to the guardsmen if she came awake. He looked at the wizard in fear as Kara slumped in her saddle almost falling out except that Bowie was there to catch her. Brent was now facing Kilen, his deep blue eyes looking back into Kilen’s with recognition of what had happened. He moved quickly to Kara and adjusted the water in her body slightly and led her horse closer to the fire. “You have acted too quickly. Any more and you would have killed her,” Brent said gently to Kilen. Kilen shrunk at the statement from the wizard. He had almost killed his sister. The concentration that he had put into his demeanor vanished.

Sgt. Wells spoke proudly, “Good, One less fire demon to bother us in the kingdom of water.” He nodded his approval to Kilen.

“THAT IS HIS SISTER CORPORAL WELLS!” Brent snapped at him and let the words sink in before he continued, “Will you see a Water Realm person be killed because they have the unfortunate circumstance to be a fire wizard? Would you kill a baby for crying in the night? Would you kill a man because he as a stutter? She has no other choice to be a fire wizard than she does to breath.” Brent asked the questions without letting the startled guard speak in between questions. Sgt. Wells opened his mouth but no words escaped it. Brent spoke in a more commanding tone, “See to it you find us nice accommodations for this evening.” Wells ran off into the town at a quick pace, Kilen knew that it was to find anything to make their stay more comfortable. The cook walked up to Brent.

“What’s the problem wizard, I haven’t seen the Sergeant run like that since before the water kingdom fell.”

“The fire wizard almost came awake and the weapon bearer did his job. The rest is between the sergeant and his hate for them. Can I assume that the food will be as grand as when I last passed through?”

“You can. Would you like the usual bit of herbs to help the body cooked in?”

“If you can provide that for my whole party except for the young ladies food. She will be needing a broth for now, but will be able to eat a meal in the morning.” The cooked turned and started naming off herbs to his small assistant who then moved from pot to pot adding spices and herbs. Kilen hadn’t noticed the adolescent boy move up with the cook. He was quiet and quick with his movements around the makeshift kitchen.

“I’ll keep my son bringing the food to fill your plates until you tell him he can stop. I’ll have the Sergeant bring fresh hay and supplies for the horses as well as for the bedding here.”

“When those tasks are completed have the Sergeant meet with me and bring another to escort the girl. I have a task that I know he will be able to handle.” The cook nodded in acceptance and went about tasting and adjusting the food. Brent examined Kara to find that all was well once they got her near the fire for a short time. They unloaded their belongings in the dark and put them in one of the three sided structures. The warmth from the fire seemed to fill its walls and it was much warmer than Kilen had thought it would be. Wells came back with a second guard and began to brush down the horses. Bowie asked permission and went looking about the town for any wine to drink or good merchandise to be bought. Kilen ate a stew that had been cooked to perfection. The herbs and spices filled his mouth and the taste seemed to renew his energy. He removed both rings to see how tired he was. He noticed that he wasn’t. The cook’s apprentice had introduced himself as Leroy Bradley and carried the same array of knives, herbs, and spices on his cooking apron as his father. Kilen noticed that he took a bite of everyone’s food before allowing that person to eat it.

He finished three more bowls before picking up a half loaf of bread while listening to the fire’s crackle in front of them. Brent watched every move that Kilen made, but said nothing. The meal was eaten in silence, Kilen and Brent enjoying the smells and small comforts they were provided. Sgt. Wells had finished brushing the horses and bringing extra blankets for bedding on top of the fresh hay. Brent pulled him away from the camp into the darkness just inside Kilen’s water vision. When he returned he spoke to Kilen in a soft voice. “Sgt. Wells has agreed to see to a bit of training in the sword tonight, I will watch Kara and stay in the camp. I have told him a bit about you. He has forgiven me for making him think you were a fully trained weapon bearer subduing your sister. He has given me his word that he will not tell the others. He will take you outside of the camp to give you some instruction. Listen carefully now, he is a very capable man with the sword, and has devoted his life to the next Water Realm king, even before he has been crowned.”

“I’ll do my best.”

“That is all I can ask, now remember he has no magic so you must remove your rings and use your own strength. He went to get some practice swords. You will need to practice what he has taught you whenever you can. I don’t know how fortunate we will be to receive any weapons training while traveling.”

“Shall I leave my sword with you to train Bowie while I’m gone?”

“You should never leave your sword with anyone you do not trust. That sword cannot be taken from you for any reason, short of being a traitor to your king. I would like to use every second I can to train Bowie in case something happens, but we can’t risk looking suspicious to the people here. Believe me, a weapon bearer that leaves behind his weapon is suspicious.” Kilen took the message to heart and rethought the idea of letting his sword out of his sight when he had been through so much to get it. He also understood he wasn’t only powerful and dangerous because he had the weapon, but the weapon was just as dangerous without him to keep it from falling in the wrong hands. The sergeant rode up on a horse holding a second set of armor in his hands. He bore four wooden practice swords also.

He looked down on Kilen from his high seat. “I understand you have been separated from your armor. Here is an old set from the Water Realm. It will need some care and a touch by a smith to be in full working order, but I offer it as an apology.” He held out the bundle. In it there were bracers, a breastplate, a small shield and a dented helmet with no face piece. Kilen reached up and grabbed the bundle and felt the weight hit him even while using magic from the sword. “If you want to ride out to scout the land a bit with me I would suggest the bracers and shield. We will travel light so we can chase down any brigands we find. I would enjoy the company of a weapon bearer to my usual sort,” he nodded in the direction of the young soldier.

“I will join you, and I accept your apology and give thanks. I will pay for the armor. There is no need for this gift as an apology, you didn’t know how not to insult me. “Kilen reached down to his coin purse and pitched forward when he removed his hand from the sword leaving the full weight of the armor to his unprepared muscles. Kilen was sure that everyone saw him fall over, yet not one laugh was heard through the camp. He knew they saw him as a weapon bearer and feared either his wrath or Brent’s, he couldn’t be sure which. He picked up the armor and began to untie it so he could put on the pieces Wells had mentioned. Brent helped him put the gray unpolished bracers on his arms, pulling them snug with leather straps on the inside of the forearm. Kilen picked up the shield and slipped his rings back into his shirt. “Lead on Sergeant,” Kilen said while standing beside the man on horseback.