Mud and Magic Ch. 06

Hilgrun raised her goblet. "Only one more thing then. To the fallen! May their spirits be cradled near Hilgrun's bosom, kept safe from the cold and the black night!"

Rhys clinked his goblet to hers. "To the fallen. May Mercy shelter their eternal souls."

They drained their mead and slammed the goblets down onto the table, causing the platter to rattle menacingly. Hilgrun rose and walked to the bed. She sat down on the mattress and pulled off her boots.

"What are you doing?" Rhys asked, puzzled.

"Getting ready for bed." She pulled off her vest and folded it with quick, sure motions, then Hilgrun stood up and yanked down her pants. Only wearing her loincloth, she folded Rhys' duvet open and slid onto the mattress.

"Um... I don't think..."

"You haven't beaten me, remember? The best you can hope for tonight is a hug and a bit of warmth. I would be a horrid friend if I left you alone like this. Come now, I won't bite." She patted the mattress. "And should I feel you're trying to push things where they don't belong, mageling..."

"All right, all right," Rhys complained. He doused the lights apart from the one on his nightstand then stripped down to his loincloth. Carefully, he slid into his own bed. "Is that fine?"

Hilgrun snorted and scooted closer, pulling him into an embrace. "Now it is. Sleep tight."

* * * *

At first, Rhys was scared stiff, unsure if any of his movements could be interpreted as an attempt at crossing Hilgrun's boundaries. But the tall barbarian simply turned in his embrace, not minding that his hand ended up on her firm breast. Sighing, Rhys snuggled up against her muscular back. Hilgrun's breathing soon turned slow and deep and Rhys eventually dared to relax. But instead of being haunted by the day's events, he fell asleep soon after, nestled against Hilgrun's reassuringly solid form.

He was even too tired to dream -- or the specters of sleep were not able to reach into the realm of the awakened. As suddenly as he had fallen asleep, his consciousness returned some hours later. The room was dark save for the single sputtering lamp on his nightstand. Hilgrun's hair looked almost like spun copper in the dim illumination.

Almost like Dara's, Rhys thought. What little poise he had regained overnight was snuffed out in an instant. Memories of their last night together -- and the passionate morning after -- flooded his mind. He drew a shuddering breath.

Next to him, Hilgrun stirred. She rolled around to face him, her expression unusually soft, her blue eyes dark with concern.

"Bad dreams?" she asked. The duvet had slid down as she moved, only covering her from the hips down.

Rhys shook his head. "You reminded me of Dara just now," he muttered. "Sorry if I roused you."

Hilgrun pulled him close until his head rested on her breast. He froze as his cheek touched her skin. "Don't be. I always sleep lightly." She tousled his hair and Rhys allowed himself to relax. "Good memories?" she asked eventually. For the second time since he'd known her, Hilgrun looked at ease. Peaceful even. The hard lines around her mouth were gone, replaced by a ghost of a smile he found utterly captivating.

Rhys blushed. "Yes. But very bittersweet, in light of recent events."

"Hm. Sex."

"Am I that easy to read?" Rhys complained but without much conviction.

"Given what you told me yesterday, there were not many options," Hilgrun said. She hugged Rhys a little closer. Her voice was different as well. Without that steely edge. Much softer too. For a brief moment, he wondered how she would sound moaning or sighing in his arms.

He studied her face. Hilgrun looked unusually thoughtful, her eyes half-closed and a wry smile tugging at her lips. He also noticed her nipples hardening.

"What-" he began, but a knock at the door interrupted him. Hilgrun sighed and breathed a kiss into Rhys' hair then she sat up.

"Come!" Rhys called.

The door opened and Sen came in, bearing a tray with Rhys' usual breakfast. She stopped, three steps into the room, and rolled her eyes. "Seriously?"

"Jealous?" Hilgrun asked, tossing the duvet off her, the moment of tenderness dispelled with finality. She slid off the mattress, collected her clothing and stomped into the bathroom, closing the door with emphasis.

"No, I'm slowly getting used to his rotating cast of bed-warmers," Sen quipped at Hilgrun's back -- softly enough that only Rhys could hear it. Louder, she added: "Your sister has regained consciousness. Elara said I should fetch you as soon as possible." The half-elven maid placed the tray on the low table by the fireplace and intercepted Rhys who was already halfway across the room.

"First, you should dress and eat. She will still be there in ten minutes' time. And I am to fetch Thurguz as well. No need to drop everything -- or race naked through the tower and give everybody strange ideas." She smirked. "Not that it takes much around here."

Rhys came to a wobbling halt, realizing that trying to put on socks and the robe at the same time simply didn't work. Sighing, he untangled himself and dressed more slowly.

Sen upended his laundry box, raising an eyebrow at his mud-encrusted traveling gear. "And? How was it?" she asked.

"Hm?" Rhys made around a mouthful of oatmeal.

"Hilgrun." Sen rolled the soiled clothing into a ball, tying it all together with the cloak.

"Not what you think, guttermouth," Hilgrun said, less than an arm's length behind the bent-over maid. She had quietly left the bathroom without Sen noticing. "I've half a mind of giving you a spanking you'll never forget. And not the naughty kind." Her fists cracked. Sen paled, grabbed the ball of dirty laundry and fled, her lips pressed into a tight line.

"No wonder she's always so tense," Rhys said. "When everyone is treating her like that."

Hilgrun sat down opposite him with a grunt. "She's begging for it. If she knew how to keep that mouth of hers shut, she'd earn only half as much grief. But she can't help herself." The barbarian sighed and tucked a few strands of hair behind an ear. "I didn't plan on trading barbs. In fact, I just wanted to cuddle for a bit." Her eyes darted towards the bed and she blushed. "She started it."

"Cuddle?" Rhys asked. "You?"

Hilgrun growled. "What did you think we did? Nothing battle-bound friends wouldn't do for each other." She stood up again, heading for the door. "And if you can't sleep, come see me. I still have some of that mead."

The door fell shut behind her. Rhys sighed, shaking his head. Why do women have to be so damn complicated? he thought. Nevertheless, a small smile tugged at his lips. He polished off the last of his oatmeal, washed it down with the glass of milk and left his room as well, heading for the makeshift infirmary a few corridors down.

The mouth-watering smell of hot broth tickled his nose. Mirrin sat in her bed, Elara at her side, and stared, wide-eyed, at a tray full of food. A large bowl of oatmeal, a cup of steaming chicken broth, a bit of fruit puree, glasses of milk and fruit juice.

I know the feeling, Rhys thought, his heart skipping a beat. Whatever magic Idunn and Elara had worked overnight, it surely had helped. Even though her hair resembled a strawy rat's nest, Mirrin's cheeks were rosy, her eyes had lost some of that dull lifelessness which had shocked Rhys when last he had seen her. She almost managed a smile too as she had a taste of everything.

Elara rose gracefully and swept Rhys into a fierce embrace. "I was worried," she whispered. "How are you holding up?" Her body was warm and supple through the diaphanous blue robe she wore today, smoothing itself into his hands.

He leaned against her, deeply inhaling her fragrance. She smelled of fruit and leaves, even after what he guessed was a long and grueling night tending the sick. "Not sure just yet," he whispered back. "Probably as stable as an upended pyramid." He looked over at Mirrin. She hadn't even noticed him yet, completely entranced by the amount and variety of food, just like Rhys had been only a mont before.

"How is she?" Rhys asked, hugging Elara close once more before slipping from her embrace.

She made a soft, disappointed noise. "She's badly underfed and as malnourished as you were when you came here. Also, it's a miracle she didn't catch a fierce cold or an inflamed bladder, being wedged beneath the floorboards. Nothing a few more healing spells and good food can't cure. It helps she's still so young."

Rhys fished for a stool and sat down next to the bed. "Hey, little one," he said softly.

Mirrin looked up. "Rhys!" She nearly knocked the tray off her legs as she flung herself around his neck. With one hand, Rhys kept the tray from sliding off the bed, with the other, he pulled her close. Her spine was a sharp sensation through the nightshirt she wore.

"What happened to you?" both of them asked at the same time.

Mirrin looked him up and down skeptically. "You look different. Bigger somehow."

"I'm finally eating properly. And Hagazz isn't going easy on me during combat training," he said, tousling her hair. "You look better, too."

Mirrin smiled grimly. "Celeste has tried her best to help me. Said I should not let Faedal ruin my life. And Gran. I never knew how stubborn she can be. Never allowed me to give in to despair."

"You don't have to talk about it if you don't want, little one," Elara said.

"You mean about how Faedal and his men violated me for two days and nights?" Mirrin balled her fist. "Gran said I should stop being ashamed and start being angry about how they treated me." She put on a brave smile, her eyes narrow and filled with rage. "And when next I see one of them, I'll bite their cock off."

Rhys recoiled in surprise. That wasn't the little waif of a girl who had clasped his hand at the Tithing. Or who so innocently asked if she could hold one of the warrior's swords. No, there was a core of strength within her he hadn't seen before.

"There will be no need for such drastic measures," Elara said softly. "You're safe here, with us."

"What are you doing here anyway?" Mirrin asked. She picked up the broth bowl and drank deeply.

"I'm learning how to control the witch blood," Rhys said. "Or, to use proper language -- I'm training to be a sorcerer."

"And we're helping him with it," Elara said, grinning. She fondly hugged Rhys from behind, resting her chin on his shoulder. "Mainly by patching him up when he gets hurt." She smooched a kiss onto his cheek.

Mirrin opened her mouth to ask something but her gaze darted past Rhys and Elara. Her jaw fell and her eyes went wide.

Rhys looked past the explosion of Elara's golden curls. Thurguz, wearing his dark robe, towered in the doorway.

Mirrin's hand clutched Rhys'. "Wha... who is that?" she whispered.

Thurguz chuckled, closed the door and joined them at the bed. He bowed formally and favored Mirrin with a broad, tusk-filled grin. "I am Thurguz, my lady. Master of this tower and proud teacher of your brother, along with the other students you may or may not have met already." He winked at her. "And I'm quite harmless."

"If... if you say so," Mirrin said, eyeing the huge half-orc suspiciously.

"I am sorry to intrude upon this cheerful reunion," Thurguz rumbled, "but I have a few questions, if I may." He looked over at the other bed. "Once she's awake, I'll need to talk to Celeste too."

"If I can help with anything..." Mirrin began. "What do you want to know, sir?"

"Come now, there's no need for such formalities. We're all friends here. What happened at your house?"

Mirrin closed her eyes and remained silent. Maybe it's a bit early for an interrogation, Rhys thought. He opened his mouth to voice his thoughts when Mirrin spoke up. Haltingly at first but her voice gained strength and the words came out faster and faster, almost as if she tried to outrun the memories.

"The day was just like any other. After breakfast -- Father gave me breakfast every day since you were gone, Rhys -- Gran called me. Celeste and I had been gathering herbs the day before and Gran wanted to show me a few uses for them. While we were sorting the leaves, she suddenly sat up straight, a strange light in her eyes. I asked her 'Gran, what's wrong?' but she didn't acknowledge me. I...," Mirrin lowered her gaze, "I even slapped her cheeks, like Celeste had done when my memories overwhelmed me. Nothing happened. Suddenly, her hand grabbed my wrist, the nails really hurting me. 'They're coming,' she croaked. 'Fire and blood, Mirrin. They're coming to kill us all.' I could only stare at her. I had never seen Gran like that before. She was scaring me senseless!"

Mirrin took a sip from her broth. "Suddenly, there was a huge bang outside. I heard things break downstairs. Gran let go of my arm, finally," Mirrin rubbed her wrist, "and I ran to the window. A huge pillar of smoke was visible, coming from the inn. But before I could do or say anything, Gran stood up, out of her rocking chair, and ordered me to help her. Downstairs, there was yelling, Father ordering the boys to have a look outside. No one seemed to bother with us. Gran and I pushed the rocking chair aside and she knelt down, trying to open the floor boards. 'Do you need help with that?' I asked her. She looked up, still with that scary look in her eyes, and she said: 'Mirrin, do as I say. No lip, no cute remarks.' And there was something in her voice which made me shut my mouth and only nod. 'Good girl. Help me pry these boards open. Then you will climb into the space beneath and be a still, quiet girl until Rhys comes and gets you out, understood?'"

"She knew?" Elara asked, incredulous.

"Seems the witch blood didn't skip her after all," Rhys muttered.

"And you climbed into the space beneath the floor boards?" Thurguz asked.

"I didn't want to. It was horribly dirty in there, with bugs and spiderwebs. But I could not disobey Gran. I clambered down there and made myself as small as I could while Gran put the boards back. Then I heard her moan and cry as she fought to push her rocking chair back over the boards. And the noises were terrifying! I heard horses and men outside then someone calling Father and the rest. Lissy came into Gran's room and said that Carver's men wanted a word with everyone and if she knew where I was. Gran said 'If they want to talk to me that badly, they need to come in here. I'm too old to walk out there. And Mirrin is not here. I sent her playing in the woods. Girl needs all the fresh air she can get after her ordeal.'"

Mirrin reached for Rhys' hand again. "And then there was the sound of fighting outside. Lissy screamed and gurgled and then it was quiet for a moment. Then there were more screams and finally, someone came into the house. They talked among themselves, yanking open doors and making quite the racket. Then their steps came up the stairs. I heard Gran whisper: 'I love you, Mirrin,' then the door flew open. Gran said 'Hello there, gentlemen, can I help-', but they didn't even let her finish. There was a horrible noise, something hard smacking into something soft, the rocking chair nearly toppled, and then something wet and warm began to trickle on my neck. Above me, two men talked, complaining that there was nothing of value in here and they left again. I tried to hold my breath the whole time and when I heard the hooves going away, I dared to breathe again. There was more and more of that hot stuff dripping down on me and when I licked my fingers, I realized it was blood. Gran's blood."

"Mirrin... I...," Rhys began but she cut him off with a squeeze of the hand.

"I don't know how long I was down there but eventually I wanted out. Whatever Gran had done to me to get me in there was over and I wanted nothing but out. It got cold and very uncomfortable, laying on the beams and I needed to pee but when I tried to move the floor boards, I realized that the rocking chair stood on them. And with Gran in it, it was much too heavy. And then I heard a cockerel screaming outside and realized it was the next day and I was sure that no one would ever come to find me."

"How long were you down there?" Thurguz asked. "Give or take?"

"No idea. Could have been days. A week? I don't know. All I know was that I would probably die there, underneath the floor boards and no one would ever know. I was so hungry, I caught a rat and ate it."

"How did you do that?" Rhys asked, appalled.

"I have seen a cat hunt a mouse once. When I caught the rat, I bit through it's neck, like the cat did."

"Didn't taste good, did it?" Elara said, shivering.

"You have eaten rats too?" Mirrin asked.

Elara grinned viciously. "Sometimes that's all the forest provides." She shrugged out of her robe, groaning. Rhys heard the horrible noises as her bones reshaped themselves. Within moments, a large-eared, long-limbed great cat sat next to the bed, silver fur glinting in the lamp light.

"You know you are supposed not to scare our guests," Thurguz admonished her mildly. The cat yawned, displaying an impressive set of fangs. Purring, she invited Mirrin to pet her. Hesitantly, the pale girl reached out and tousled her between the ears. The purring kicked up a notch.

"What day is it?" The voice sounded tired and relieved at the same time. And it came from the other bed.

"Ah, glad to see you're with us again," Thurguz said. "How do you feel, Celeste dear?"

"About as good as you can feel after nearly being killed twice within one day," she grumbled. "Faedal wasn't gentle and casting a Teleport after all these years wasn't exactly pleasant. I've become rusty."

Celeste sat up in her bed, taking in all the faces around her. A faint smile tugged at her lips. "Rhys. Mirrin. So glad to see you both whole. I feared the worst."

"We're not the only ones who managed to escape the village, are we?" Mirrin asked. "What about Dara and Daffyd? Or anyone else?"

Celeste lowered her gaze. Tears welled up in her eyes. "I thought I was the only one who made it out alive, somewhat," she muttered. A bit louder, she added: "No, Dara and Daffyd didn't make it, Mirrin. In fact, they started it all."

"What?" Rhys and Mirrin asked at the same time. Elara cocked her head in a surprisingly human gesture of puzzlement.

"What day is it?" Celeste asked again.

"Monday, last week of October, 816 OY," Thurguz said.

"Then I was lost for more than a week?" Celeste asked. She hung her head. "I failed you, Master. I should have come sooner."

"No need to berate yourself for things you had no say over," Thurguz said, sitting down on the edge of her bed. The frame groaned in protest. "How about you start at the beginning?"

"You were down there for a week," Rhys said to Mirrin. "I don't think I would have made it." He hugged his sister.

She sighed against his shoulder. "I prayed to all the gods who would listen that you came and found me before I died. Someone was listening."

"Do you want that apple juice, Mirrin?" Celeste asked, pointing at the precariously placed tray.

"No, I'm good," Mirrin said. A burp ambushed her and she blushed. "Sorry."

Rhys took the tray and carried it to Celeste. She plucked the glass off it and drank greedily.

"Ah, much better. Well, it started late last week. For the past month, a particular squad of Carver's men had taken over patrol duty in and around the village. Very unpleasant men. And they seemed to gain a special delight in harassing Dara and Daffyd, demanding to eat, drink and be entertained in exchange for their policing duty."

Rhys paled. "I think I remember them. Bad-tempered archer and three others?"

"The lot," Celeste snarled. "They seemed to have taken a shine to Dara in particular. When she found the time to be with me, she bitterly complained about how she was treated by them. They were rough with her, spanking her until her buttocks were purple and-," Celeste stopped, her eyes meeting Mirrin's. "Anyway, there were new bruises every day. That went on for about two weeks. Last week, Daffyd had enough. When the tavern was full to bursting, he hopped onto the counter and started to rant, openly damming Carver for the tyrannical son of a bitch he is and demanding that all men in the village should grab their arms or tools and prepare to run Carver's dogs out of town. Granted, they only sent four men to keep us in check, but inciting revolt this brazenly was stupid, especially since some of Carver's men were at the inn, wearing plain clothes instead of their black armor."