Lady of My Heart Ch. 03

Walking back to the command tent, I overhear something I fear will not be so easily dealt with.

"So we had searched all through the night only to find both of them and the Dragon passed out in the barn, naked, in a pile, amongst a half dozen empty wine bottles. It took four of us to keep my father from throttling the Dragon, and that is the only time I have ever seen her run from anything."

I entered the tent and looked over to Ames. She was laughing along with Andy but her eyes were not laughing and if I did not know better I would swear there was steam coming out of her ears. Oh, shit!

"Uh, Andy perhaps when we stop in at the village, I should drop by and tell your wife about those two harlots down at Bailey Harbor, but then you were married when that happened and it's been three years since your father caught me in that barn. I might add that not only were we all three single and lonely at the time but they are your older sisters and I was not doing anything others had not done before me."

I stand stock still in front of his map table and look him dead in the eyes. This can go two ways; he can laugh it off and admit he's been trying to make it look like I'd been deflowering his innocent sisters in the family barn or he could take offense at my mention of their age and questionable virtue, and we can fight. At this point I hardly care which, and since Ames is obviously pissed at me what more have I to lose.

"Now, now, Dragon calm down, there is no need to bring my wife into this. I was simply telling the Lady of the only time I have seen you run. I did not intend to make you angry. Surely the Lady can understand that you've been a wild one for years and be proud that she is the one to finally tame you."

I think to myself, 'Oh, but you do not know women my dear friend'. I am positive as soon as we are out of earshot of everyone I am going to catch hell. I can feel that she is angry and she is trying her best to hide it from me.

Ames interrupts. "Tell us Captain, where did these bandits last strike?"

"Their last strike was three days ago, not far from here to the north. We set up the command center here to try and catch them before they head south where the road is more heavily traveled and they will have more victims. We think they have been hiding out in caves during the day to avoid us. I've had men patrolling day and night along the roads, but so far no sign of them."

"Well, Ames and I are heading south so if they have managed to sneak around you somehow, they may well make a go at us. How big of a band is it and how well trained?"

"There are seven that we know of, and seem an undisciplined and slovenly bunch from all the accounts we have of them. Still, you need to be careful and stay on guard."

Ames chuckles wickedly.

"If they make a try at us, it is they that will need to be careful!"

I am surprised. I did not realize she had it in her to be so eager to fight.

--

Eraat hides just outside the cave and soaks up the suffering. Eraat is happy. It was able to take control of the bandit leader this morning. It is in charge now and the Dragon may pay sooner than Eraat thought. For now, Eraat is happy, the merchant woman is providing fun, lots of fun, but Eraat must be careful and not go too far so as to break this new toy.

--

As we ride away from the guard camp, I am tense. I know Ames is still angry, though not as much as at first, but I'm more worried about these bandits that have been plaguing the road. I wonder how long it will take before Ames goes off on me. So far all I am getting is the silent treatment and I know the longer it lasts the bigger the explosion will be.

Leagues down the road, as we begin to set camp for the night, she hits me with it.

"Dragon, I understand you have been single and traveling for years. I can deal with the fact that you have had a lot of lovers, but two? At once? How am I to even attempt to compete with that?"

"Ah, Ames, I am embarrassed to admit this, but honestly, I remember being in the barn settling Bore in for the night. I remember the two of them coming out to the barn with the wine, but the rest is all fuzzy to me. I cannot compare you to having two women at once because I do not remember what happened. The thing I remember most vividly about it is the old innkeeper trying to get to me to kill me. And I want, no, I need you to know that what happened between us last night is the single most soul shaking thing I have ever experienced. I will never, ever, risk losing your love for me by being with anyone else."

She seems to be thinking that over. I know I can feel the anger ease in her but before I get a chance to say anything else, the bandits strike.

Bore screams out as they are upon us and nearly knocks me over as I am in the middle of unloading him. I unsheathe my sword in time to meet two of the bandits that rush me. Parry, jab, slash, thrust and now there is only one to deal with. I duck, turn and a sweeping backhand slash takes his left leg, he goes down screaming. I cannot see Ames in the dwindling light but I feel her with my mind and I hear explosions and men screaming.

Another man rounds on me, slashing at my head and I parry once more. Block, slash, jab, parry again; this man is good with a sword. I hear an earsplitting scream and the Cat is on his back riding him to the ground, mauling him. Bore is a bucking, kicking, biting whirlwind, as a man tries to take him and the packs he carries. His hooves make short work of him.

I sprint towards Ames only to nearly trip and fall over the body of one man, his face a blackened wreck.

"Ames! Ames, leave one alive, do not kill him yet. We will need to find the hostage."

The last of the bandits is but a few steps from her but frozen in place, clutching his throat and struggling to breathe. As I yell to her, his breathing seems to come easier and I grab him from behind, disarming him and forcing him to his knees.

"Tell us where the hostage is and I may let you live! Refuse and she will fry you like an egg."

The man cries and protests, then realizes he is the last living and relents. The leader is at a cave but a short distance east with the hostage, but we must hurry or she may not live through his treatment. Leaving our prisoner bound and blindfolded, tied to a stake before the tent and the Cat guarding both him and all our possessions, we hurry off to the east in search of the cave.

Finding it was not that difficult. I could smell the place long before we got there. Apparently none of the men had enough sense to know how to dig a latrine or just did not care to. The forest around their camp was dotted with things one would not wish to step in. As we drew even nearer I could sense the terror and pain of the captive and the glee of the bandit leader. At least she still lives, though I suspect is seriously damaged mentally, if not physically.

As we make ready to try and draw our quarry from his den, Ames turns signaling me there is something in the bushes beside the cave entrance and I feel it. evil, pure unadulterated evil. There is a scurrying and it bolts back toward the forest but not before Ames losses an arrow at it. There is a shriek but it continues on as the leader emerges from the cave. A second arrow fells him, shot through the chest and a woman screams.

We rush into the cave to find the merchant woman there tied to a rough wooden framework against a wall. Sylvie! I know this woman!

"Sylvie, Sylvie it is all right now, they are all dead or captured."

She is beyond comprehension and only screams and babbles as Ames cuts her loose. She cannot stand on her own so I lift her in my arms. Now the best we can do for her is get her far from this place as quickly as we can.

"Ames, I will carry her, stay on guard! I don't know what that was that ran off into the forest but it may yet attack us."

"Be gentle with her Dragon, there are injuries to her body as well as her mind; I will need to treat her when we get her to camp."

Sylvie buries her head in my shoulder as I carry her. The trip back to the road is a lot longer and slower when you are carrying someone, and it take us quite a time to get there.

Once we arrive, I lay her on the ground far from the prisoner and wrap her in my cloak to keep her dry while I finish unloading gear and setting up the tent. Ames sits with her and uses her magery to light a sputtering fire in what wet wood I could find quickly. She is brewing tea again, and I think I remember some honey among our gifts that should make it less bitter this time.

We move her into the tent and Ames again set her spell upon the walls, warming us all and giving us light to work by. Taking out a small crock of salve Ames begins to treat the many scrapes, bruises, abrasions, and burns this poor woman is covered in. I try and talk to her but to no avail.

"Sylvie? Do you remember me? I led the guard for your caravan this past summer. Sylvie, you are safe now. Relax, it is safe, you will be well now."

I hear horses and men: the Guards' night patrol has reached us! Rushing from the tent, I hail them.

--

Eraat scrambles farther into the overhang below a cliff. Pain! Agony! Eraat hurts! That bitch of a mage has shot its leg and it does not like pain when it is its own. Pay! They will pay and pay again for this! Eraat sniffs and smells a sulfurous reek in the air. Master! The Master comes. No! Oh, No! Master will be angry. Eraat has not made them pay. Eraat has not the stone. Master will be angry!

--

We ride along with the Guard troop headed for the capital. There was a great reward offered for the bandits and we must attend court to get our reward. I dislike traveling with such a large group, as there is little privacy for us now and we have not been able to be alone for days. Ames spends most of her time trying to soothe and heal Sylvie. She must be taking a much-needed break because she rides up beside me now, looking tired and pensive.

"So Dragon my love, I have but one thing to ask about Sylvie. If no, when she comes out of this is she going to be jealous? Have you slept with her too?"

"No, Ames. I can honestly say that I did not. Sylvie has a great, hulking, red bearded husband named Ben and he would break me in two if I even thought of it."

As we ride companionably down the road, I worry. I have not slept with Sylvie, but when we get to court there will be many that are not happy I am now attached. It may be a very eventful visit to the Court.