CANSTVER 12TH YEAR 548 ASMERIAN CALENDAR
Jackson awoke with Ruby next to him. He was the first to wake and got to his feet without disturbing anyone. He walked over to Gran who was grazing next to the tree he was tied to. The forest was full of dangerous animals such as goblins and orcs. This didn't concern Jackson however, he had heard of stories of hundreds of goblins running from just a platoon or squad of infantrymen. While raids still did happen, it was very unlikely.
Connor opened his eyes an hour later and saw that Jackson had gotten his peiron sword out of the cart and was practicing movements and swings. The sun was rising just behind him. Jackson, mid-swing, lost his balance and fell down. Connor jumped up and ran over to him. "Are you okay?" He asked frantically as he feared that he had fallen on top of the sword. Jackson quickly rolled over and jumped to his feet, sword in hand, and turned to his father who had stopped running ten feet away.
"Of course I'm okay father, but you've awoken all of the girls."
Connor turned and saw Ruby had jumped in fear onto Veronica's lap and had buried her face in her chest. Alice had also awakened but was unable to move without her wheelchair. Connor quickly ran back and apologized to everyone. Ruby took a while to calm down but as for Veronica and Alice, the shock didn't last.
With that, they all sat down around the campfire and ate a small breakfast. It was steak and eggs, one of Jackson's favorite meals. With their stomachs filled and nerves settled, they loaded up into the cart and continued north along the Zander road. The road was made by King Zander when he was a young man with only a few dozen followers, he made the road with his sister's help by way of her magic.
The road was smooth and didn't jolt everyone around as other roads did. Connor had traveled the Zander road many times since becoming a peddler. There were many times when he and his elven friend would sit and watch the stars at night. Connor thought back on all of the good times he had with the elf before he met Veronica and fell in love. "I sure miss her. Vailin, where are you now? What are you doing?" He thought to himself.
They passed many merchants heading the Greendale to sell their Gregorian goods. The day was spent as they arrived on the south bank of the Verio river. The Verio river was controlled by Gregoria, whose fleet was able to defeat the Asmerian fleet when the tyrant king chased down several lords who had sided with the Scottkey's. Fort Verio stood tall in the distance, with its walls thirty meters in height standing three times higher than that of Greendale's walls.
Connor set up camp while Jackson and Ruby went hunting for firewood. There had been a harsh rain the night before and all of the suitable firewood had been soaked in water and the river swelled in size. Making the very soil turn to a deep mud once you got close enough to the water's edge.
Miller who by this time had just reached the city of Concord ran into the city hall. Wherein was Baronet Von Schneider. Miller burst through the guards into the Baronet's chambers, he was in the middle of speaking to Sir Erik Hughes about the recovery of several former judges of Asmeria. "My lord!" He exclaimed, dripping wet from the rain.
"Frederic?" Erik said as he turned to. "What are you doing?"
"Erik, I'm in trouble, ya need to help me," Miller said as he collapsed onto the floor.
Miller recovered consciousness and told Erik and Schneider everything that had happened to him. "So, you can no longer work in Asmeria safely?" Schneider asked.
"No m' lord, I cannot, nor can the Scottkey's if that bastard turned them in as well," Miller said, referencing Mister Barker with disgust.
"Very well, I'll go and see what I can do for em," Erik said. "Though I'm not wanted, I'm sure the Asmerian's will be cautious around me."
"I agree, Sir Hughes, I would like you to go with only a single horse and as little arms as possible," Schneider said.
"Consider it done my lord." With that Sir Hughes exited the room.
Miller took a deep breath and finally took a seat. He relaxed into the seat and looked straight into the campfire as it crackled and popped. "Oh, by the way, Sir Miller," Schneider said as he clasped his hands over his mouth.
"Yes my lord?"
"Your wife just headed down to Greendale as well to check in on you before your return. I was going to send word through Sir Conrad but she demanded that it be kept secret. She should be in Greendale by now."
"What in the hell was she thinking!" Miller jumped out of his chair completely enraged. "Why would you let her go into Asmeria?"
"Calm down sir!" Schneider barked as he stood up. "She is an accomplished mage capable of taking care of not only herself but the entire Concord Militia. Do you even believe that she's in danger?"
"Of course she is, I just managed to piss off the entire nation my wife is in!"
"I apologize for not seeing the future Sir, now sit back down, none of this could have been prevented. Even if I had gotten word to you. Do you think you would've been able to stop her?"
Miller sighed and took a seat, trying to regain control of his emotions. The two stayed there for a moment longer, only the sound of the fire broke the silence. Schneider stood back up and walked to the door. "My friend, I've known you for far too long to know when you need some time to yourself. Just know that when you need me, I'll be close by." He shut the door behind him before Miler could say anything more. All that he could do now was think.
A million and one things rushed through his mind, he didn't know what to do for the first time since he became a knight. He rubbed his eyes as he thought about Jackson and Ruby. Though it had only been a few weeks since he freed her, Ruby had become a daughter to him. The thought of losing her was a terrible thought, so terrible, he started to panic as he frantically looked around for something. He didn't even know what he was looking for or why. "Fuck!" He exclaimed as he fell to his knees. "I'm so sorry." Tears ran down his eyes as he crawled over to the chair.
A guard opened the door ajar and peeked inside. To see such a renowned knight in such a way sent a chill down his spine. He thought to ask if he could help but his jaw was clamped shut, unable to move. He watched as Sir Frederic Miller, a hero of Gregoria and fond topic of Gregorian children, wept on the floor. The guard silently shut the door, without disturbing Miller.
Miller woke up as the sun peered through the large stained glass window, he stood up and sorted out his clothes. He saw a mirror in the corner and walked over to it, he saw that there were streaks running down his face from when he lost control of his emotions. "You know better." He said under his breath. "Come on now, time to go home." He combed his hair and beard, straightened his shirt and tucked it in his pants.
He walked out of the room as if nothing had happened, the guard from the night before was still there and Miller looked at him in the eyes. "Did you not get relieved last night?"
"I was offered, my lord, but refused and maintained the guard."
"Why?"
"With respect, no man should be seen in such a state, my lord."
"You saw me last night huh?" Miller put his hand on the guard's shoulder. "You have my thanks, what you did was honorable and you have my respect." He turned and headed out of the building, Concord was a much larger city than that of Greendale.
It tripled Greendale in size and had four times as many residences. The port on the Vario river was Concord's main source of income, most of Concord's men had set sail before and the Gregorian fleet was ported in Concord as well. Gregorian Marines guarded the city and Sailors patrolled the streets. The Concord Militia was stationed outside of the city in the castle of Fort Vario.
The bridge across the river was a marvel of engineering, standing one hundred feet above the water and visible from any point in Concord. The steel beams that made the bridge could only be made in Gregoria. Gregoria had always been ahead of Asmeria technologically speaking. The downfall of Gregoria's power came from a loss of knowledge when the tyrant king destroyed the city of Vorgraten. The city was completely leveled, and there were only a few survivors of the city who even then, had limited knowledge of the workings of steel and magic.
Miller found his way to his home, it was a grand building near the river. He opened the door and his Servant, a young woman by the name of Talia, greeting him in her servant uniform. It was a white gown with black embroidering and accents. "Welcome home my lord." She said. "Lord Schneider came by last night and told me to expect your arrival." She bowed and turned back to the grand staircase. "As you can see my lord, I've taken great care to clean the entire house and keep it well maintained in your stead."
"Thank you, Talia, I'm quite hungry right now, go fetch something to eat." He said as he took off his boots.
"Breakfast has already been made my lord." She said as she bowed her head once more. "If you will permit me, I should like to retire to my quarters, my lord."
"Very well Talia, thank you." Miller entered the dining room and saw that there was an assortment of food on the table. He sat down and started to eat, as he did, he looked around and saw where his wife would sit.
The empty chair next to him sent a shiver down his spine as he picked apart his food. He then saw a new chair, undoubtedly the one he requested his wife buy for Ruby to use. The feeling of loneliness shrouded him. He had grown used to living in Asmeria, with Ruby and the Scottkey's, in Gregoria, he had very few friends who would treat him as a friend, instead of as a Ritter of Gregoria. He liked the anonymity of living somewhere where no one knew his name.
He finished eating and headed outside, standing at his front gate was Baronet Schneider. He was well dressed and had his glasses on. "Good morning my friend, have you eaten yet?" He asked as he let himself in. "Yes m' lord, thank you."
"No thanks are needed my friend, I've never seen you in such disarray before now. I hope that you've returned to some state of normalcy."
"I have m' lord, I apologize for my behavior last night, it was unbecoming of a Gregorian Ritter." Miller sat down on the bench on his porch. The sun was at noon and the northern breeze was cooler than that of Greendale's. Miller had forgotten how it felt to be in Gregoria. Like a child returning to his parent's place after a lifetime of adventuring, it felt odd but relaxing all at the same time.
"Sir Hughes crossed the bridge this morning, he'll find the Scottkey's and take them safely across the river," Schneider said calmly. "You know, Sir Hughes told me about the Varin girl you've taken in."
"Oh, what did he say about her m'lord?"
"He told me that she was like a wild bird, she'd take off running from the first thing that startled her. And like wild birds, she was very beautiful."
"I'd say that would just about be accurate m' lord, but the lass has spirit. She's a very kind and timid girl. I doubt she's ever going to be a normal girl. My father sure as shit wasn't, he was as spineless as they came, but I loved him nonetheless."
"He also mentioned her name matching that of her hair. He said the color of her hair almost glows like the gemstone of her namesake."
"Aye, there's one thing I know about her. If nothing else, she'll make fine offspring for anyone who can tame that wild bird." Miller said with a grin, he thought back to the first night he laid her to bed and how her hair shimmered with the fire.
"Well, let us hope that she can come here and find that man."
Jackson woke up as the sun crested the horizon, he was again the first to wake. He grabbed his sword, secured in its scabbard next to his father. He started the day as his uncle had instructed him to. An hour of training for a day of leisure. He was still a fourteen-year-old and was constantly sidetracked as he gazed across the river into Gregoria. There was a road on the other side and on that road were merchants, soldiers, and carpenters alike getting ready for the day ahead. There looked to be a village being constructed along the river. Next to the Fortress that loomed over the river.
Ruby opened her eyes as she rolled over expecting to see Jackson there next to her. He, however, was nowhere to be seen. She sat up and looked around outside the cart. She saw him sitting some fifty feet away, his sword in his lap. watching the river. She got down from the cart without waking the others.
Jackson was entranced by watching the men who were the size of ants go to work on the other side of the river. Ruby crept up behind him and sat down next to him. "Oh, hello Ruby," He said.
"Good morning Jack, why weren't you in the cart?"
"Because I wake up earlier than everyone else, so I can train with my sword."
"Well, next time, can you wake me up as well?"
"Sure, I don't mind, but why?"
"I want to watch you, and I don't like waking up alone." Ruby leaned against Jackson, she yawned and started to nod off. He wrapped his arm around her, they had grown to be close in the past months. "So, what do you think his wife is like?" She asked.
"You mean Mister Miller's wife?"
"Yeah, what do you think she's like?"
"Well, I imagine that she's a kind and beautiful woman. Other than that, I have no idea."
"I hope she's like my mom."
"Oh, and what was your mother like?"
"She was nice and took care of me and my father. I don't remember a lot about her. I just remember her smile."
"Is that so? Well, I'm glad you found a new family with Mister Miller."
"I am too, I'm excited to see his real house."
"Well, we have to reach it first."
Jackson and Ruby spent the rest of the morning together watching the Gregorian's on the other side of the river. They sat in silence until the others woke up. They ate a large breakfast and once it turned to noon they started for Gregoria for the last day of their travels. Connor was pleased by the time that they were making. Gran was a powerful horse, worth every coin, but he needed ample time to rest and recover from pulling a heavy cart all by himself.
There was one last hill before they reached the bridge to Concord. This area was normally left to the local guard to police and tax imports and exports. However, Connor noticed several men on top of the hill all clad in gambeson with the king's colors. The men also had a bannerman with them, who was flying the Royal House's coat of arms.
These men frantically created a blockade across the road and as two men mounted their horses it was clear to Connor what was going on. He didn't panic nor did he turn the cart around, he continued as if nothing was the matter. Gran couldn't outrun horsemen with a cart hitched to him. The horsemen fast approached the cart. "Halt, " the first horseman barked as he blocked Gran. "State your names!"
"I'm Connor Scottkey, and this is my wife and my two children."
"I'm Lieutenant Lawrence of the King's Guard of Greendale. Mister Scottkey, you have a warrant on your name. Surrender yourself, your wife, and your children at once and you will be given a fair trial!"
"For what reason?" Connor quipped.
"Treason against the crown! Now if you don't comply I'll simply use force."
"Jackson, ready your sword," Connor said quietly, but the guard overheard him.
"You raise that sword boy, and I will take your head." Lieutenant Lawrence said as he drew his sword. Jackson however, didn't hesitate and quickly drew the peiron blade from its scabbard. The horsemen's steads panicked at the sight of the sword and bucked the men off from their backs. "You bastard!" The other horseman exclaimed as he jumped back to his feet.
Connor tried to get Gran to move but it was too late. The horsemen stood to their feet and slew Gran before he could move the cart. Connor, still not willing to turn himself in, jumped down from the cart and tackled the man on the left, and stripped his helmet off. Jackson watched from on top of the cart as Connor killed the man with the helmet. Jackson, still in shock from watching his father beating a man to death with a helmet, watched as the second horseman swung his sword down on Connor. Connor tried to block the sword with his arm.
Veronica screamed at the sight of Connor's severed arm falling on to the ground. Connor had blocked the strike with his arm and was still alive, though he was bleeding out from the wound. Jackson finally came to his senses and jumped down from the cart, on top of the horseman, knocking him down to the ground. As he raised his peiron sword, it felt as if it tripled in weight. And the point of the sword came crashing down. The tip pierced straight through the man's armor and through his heart.
The man whimpered and then fell limp. Connor was in shock from losing his right arm. "Father," Jackson cried as he saw Connor profusely bleeding on the ground. "Why, why did you fight them?"
"Because I'm a Scottkey, and because, if we don't fight here, we'll all pay the price of treason in Greendale." He let out a whimper as he stood to his feet, clasping his arm to try to stop the bleeding. The rest of the soldiers charged down the hill towards Jackson. There were too many for Jackson to take on by himself. Veronica frantically searched around the cart as the men charged forwards. "Here, Connor, take this." She said as she tossed the sword that Jackson had used during the competition down from the cart. Connor didn't catch it and it fell to the ground, he tried to reach out with his right arm to grab it but quickly realized that his arm was still laying on the ground in front of the cart.
He wielded the longsword with his left arm, just in time as the soldiers reached the cart. As he looked up Jackson had already skillfully slain two of the men and was engaged with another. Connor stumbled forwards and swung at the nearest man to him. The soldier quickly parried the blow and slashed Connor's leg. Jackson turned and watched as Connor tried to get back up but the soldier slit his throat before he could do anything. "Father!" He cried as Connor dropped his sword and tried to stop the bleeding in vain.
Jackson fought his way towards Connor but he was already dead on the ground when he reached him. The last of the soldiers backed off because Jackson had already killed or injured five soldiers. Veronica jumped down and grabbed the sword from next to Connor's body. "Stay back!" She screamed. "Or I'll kill you!"
"We're soldiers for the king, we're not scared of a wrench like you!" The sergeant barked back. "Drop your weapons and surrender yourselves."
Veronica took one last glance at Connor's lifeless corpse. Without warning, she charged into the five soldiers and struck one in the torso nearly killing him. As she turned to the next man a sword plunged through her chest. Jackson quickly joined the fray and killed the soldier behind Veronica. But it was too late, the sword pierced her heart and she was dead before he hit the ground.
Jackson didn't have time to notice that his mother was dead, the other three soldiers charged him all at the same time. He had no choice but to back down. "Come here you little shit." The soldiers taunted. "We'll make a fine example out of you and your little friends."
Jackson nearly stumbled over Gran, but he managed to regain his footing before the soldiers could advance. Jackson started to observe his surroundings. He looked up and down the road for any sign of help but there was no one. It was just him, the three soldiers, and the girls in the back of the cart. He finally saw Veronica laying on the ground. His entire body felt as if it turned to lead. He felt the world crash down on him and he didn't know how to respond.
He looked over to Alice, she was still in the cart holding on to Ruby. They were both crying and frantically trying to cover themselves. A soldier noticed him looking back to the cart. "What's a matter boy, don't have the balls to protect the ladies?"