Chapter 31:
Capture
As Silas and Meredith traveled outside of Meuridge's walls, they were able to rent new horses and travel farther east, towards Cailith. Cailith was situated closer to the Bethell Kingdom, nearly half a day's worth of travel away from the eastern border. There they would be able to meet their informant and complete their mission for Eva, allowing Silas the chance to return home to the Faelfier Kingdom and the chance to see his family again. Silas could only hope that Eva had not been lying to him, and that his family was safe and alive somewhere on the continent.
"Are you sure you want to do this, Silas? There's still time. We can return to the Faelfier Kingdom." As Silas sat on his horse, holding the reins tight in his hands, Meredith slowed his horse to walk next to Silas's, looking at his face with an uncharacteristically anxious expression.
Silas looked down at the reins in his shaky hands, still moving slowly forward on the horse. "Meredith, I can't just run now. I'm about to see Cirdan, Aurelia, Mom… And what would happen if we kept going? What if we ran and got caught? Then everything we've done would be for nothing."
Meredith sighed quietly to himself as Silas continued forward, looking at the cloudy sky with a listless gaze and tired eyes. The dark circles were highlighted by his unusually pale pallor.
"You know that I'll follow you no matter what, Silas." Silas looked over his shoulder at Meredith and saw the man's soft, smiling expression, causing him to smile back in response.
The warmth in their faces would make anyone think they were in danger for their lives in the least. However the two had traveled a great distance since they had left Meuridge. They were able to hastily leave town, but they were cautious and made every possible attempt to be unseen. Other than renting the horses from the senile old rancher not far outside of town they had passed before, they had not seen or approached anyone. They had been using the back trails the elves had used before, and the paths were still clear enough in the forest to travel through with little difficulty.
Meredith had used their travel time to use a communication stone to speak with Eva and to update her on their progress on their journey. Eva was pleased with their progress, and was quick to end the conversation as he wished them a safe delivery before she left, leaving the light to dim in the stone with a lonely grey color.
Not long after, the clouds had begun to darken in the sky, and they rumbled low, threatening a storm. As the air around them hastened, the wildlife fell quiet, causing Silas and Meredith to look up at the sky and pause, smelling the scent of rain on the wisps of the wind.
"We should stop and take a break. We can keep traveling when the storm passes." Meredith jumped down from his horse and grabbed the reins and began to move his horse forward, attempting to find a tree large enough to cover them from the rain as they rested.
"Wait, Meredith, I think I see something."
Silas looked through the foliage of the trees, spotting something in the middle of the woods. From Silas's view, it looked like a wooden shed. Squirting his eyes, he tapped the sides of his horse and began to move closer to the building with vigilance, grabbing his knife and holding it in one hand with his other hand holding the reins.
The closer he moved, the more clear the building became, and after jumping down from his horse, Silas approached the dilapidated structure. The outside of the wooden building was hidden with moss and other plant growth that had taken over the outside walls and part of the wooden roof. Silas's eyes moved to the dark, broken windows and the flimsy door on the outside of the building, appearing to be closed.
"Careful." Meredith appeared at Silas's side as he whispered to him, holding his right hand up with a small dagger of his own.
Silas approached the building as Meredith silently walked to the side, by the front window. He stood next to the pane as Silas moved to the front of the door, resting his hand on the weak door with a still expression. With a quick wave of his hand, he threw the door open and Meredith quickly moved to cover Silas's back. Stepping inside, the dust that had coated the wooden floor kicked up under Silas's feet, causing him to cough as he moved through and cleared the room, seeing not a single trace of life.
There was nothing in the room except a broken wooden stand for weapons, particularly swords. Looking at the craftsmanship, Silas was sure it was an elven tool. "This used to be an elven hideout."
"Mhm. Seems so." Meredith replied, walking over to the small window and peeking out, "Which would make sense, seeing as this place is near impossible to find if you don't know the back trails, which only elves do." Meredith walked over to the doorway and looked out before nodding, "I think we're safe for now. You should rest for a little before we move on. You'll collapse if you keep pushing yourself-"
As Meredith was saying this, stepping out of the doorway, Silas grabbed his head and leaned against the wall. Silas tried to call out as he felt his legs get weak and his adrenaline drain from his body, but he found he could not move his lips. Instead, Silas lost all of the energy in his legs and collapsed onto the floor in a heap.
"Silas!" Meredith called out as Silas fell hard onto his palms, his face drenched in cold sweat. His arms were shaking from fatigue, making it difficult for him to support the weight of his body on his forearms. Finally, the weight of his body made him fall forward, and his cheek hit the ground hard, making Silas's eyes spin more than they had before. A small welt formed on his forehead from the hit, making the upper right side of his forehead turn a bright red, and a small stream of warm blood trickled down onto the dusty floor.
Meredith quickly ran to Silas's side and lifted his head gently off of the ground, placing a bag underneath his head to cushion it. Using a handkerchief from his pocket, Meredith patted at the blood on his forehead and sighed as he looked down at Silas's unfocused eyes. He ran his fingers over Silas's brow and felt the hot skin through his gloves.
His brows knitted as he shook his head and said to Silas, "You have a fever."
Silas, still feeling disoriented, reached his bare hand up and touched his forehead, feeling it with the back of his hand before he slowly responded, "I feel so dizzy."
There were no more medical herbs, and Meredith had used the last of the herbs to make medicine during the journey. They were unable to buy more after being chased out of Meuridge by Clarence and the royal knights, so they would only be able to collect more from the forest. Meredith could at least fix the fever if he had any mana to waste, but Meredith felt he was at his limit too. He could not use any large amounts of mana at the moment, or he would end up like Silas, and Silas desperately needed tending to. The storm outside was still raining down, but it was enough for Meredith to use a simple water-repelling spell on his cloak to keep himself from getting sick as well, since it used such a small amount of mana. Casting the spell, Meredith turned to look at Silas, who had closed his eyes to rest as his sore head laid on the bag.
"Silas, I'm going to collect some herbs. Wait here, and I'll be back soon."
The only response Meredith received was the sound of Silas's shallow breaths. He had already fallen asleep, curled into a ball on the ground. Silas's cloak had fallen to his side after his fall, leaving it laying in a heap next to his side. Carefully, Meredith walked to his side, grabbed the cloak, and shook out the dust off to the side, near the door. Then, he brought the cloak back to Silas and draped it over his body, covering him from the cold of the outside.
Thunder rolled outside, and Meredith could not help but look into the sky, his sapphire blue eyes looking dark as he stepped his left foot out, beginning his search for herbs in the abandoned forest.
…
Resting his left knee on the dirt path, Captain Laurent lifted a handful of loose dirt into his palm and sniffed it with a tense expression, his lip twisting into a smile as he sniffed his palm like a dog tracing the scent of its owner. The nearby travelers on the rural path stared and whispered at the well-dressed, muscular captain on the path. No longer dressed in his formal uniform, Beau had selected a well-made travelers suit and found a long jacket to hide his sword under, making him look like a well to do business man.
They went this way. After shaking the dirt out of his gloved hand, Captain Laurent stood up and dusted the dirt off of his pants with a quick wave, clearing the dry dust off of his grey suit. The scent has gotten stronger. They shouldn't be too far from here. Thinking of capturing the runaway elves from the brothel, Beau was almost giddy. Having been a captain for the royal knights, he was famous for capturing elves and other fugitives quickly and efficiently, earning him the captain title at the young age of thirty two. There was only one woman he was unable to capture, and it had tarnished his record for more than five years. He would not allow these elves to run free like her.
The horse provided from the kingdom was a large, white stallion. He had received it as a gift for his excellent service as a captain, as well as his impeccable record of capturing elves and elven sympathizers. More people had been killed, captured, and interrogated under the captain's hands than anyone in the kingdom. He was their shining star, and they were liberal with his supplies and resources as long as he provided criminals.
The captain was able to quickly mount his horse as he adjusted his jacket, fixing the lapel as he lifted his head high, his brown eyes sparkling with a new light and determination. As he looked up, he saw the darkening sky and the sounds of thunder becoming closer to the path he was on. The nearby travelers had already made their way forward, leaving the strange man to think to himself for a short moment before he resumed his work and began to follow the trail to the elves.
The path he had been traveling on led him into the forest, deep inside the woods where few humans would want to travel. The path he had started narrowed drastically, and logs and other tall weeds and tree roots made the path difficult to travel through on horseback. His horse was trained and was quickly able to maneuver through the rough terrain with Beau leading it through the path.
As he traveled deeper and deeper into the path, the sky darkened until even the hints of daylight were eaten away by the dense cloud cover, and the tint of the sky ate at the light of the forest, making it appear to be darker than evening. Captain Laurent slowed his pace and trotted through the forest steadily.
It wasn't until the rain began to fall did the captain find a clearer trail deeper in the forest, and the scent of mana was strong enough to smell its faint traces through the forest. Stopping his horse, Beau closed his eyes, listening only to the sound of rain falling to the ground as he heightened his senses, focusing on his nose. As he inhaled, the smell sharpened, and his eyes flew open with a flash of surprise.
In his low, mellow voice, the captain grinned, "I found you."
Moving forward, the captain was able to trot his horse past a grove of pine trees, through a narrow trail, where there was a small wooden cabin in the middle of the woods.
…
Captain Laurent was careful to approach the cabin, retrieving his long sword from his hip as he walked around the building as quietly as a summer breeze, making it impossible for anyone that could be possibly hiding inside the cabin aware he was surveying the building outside. After checking his surroundings, Captain Laurent moved towards the windows and door, placing his hand on the flimsy door.
There was only silence inside, and the captain pushed open the door to the building with his hand, scanning the small room before opening the door the whole way. He sniffed the air as the door creaked open, smelling a mixture of elven scents. There were at least two elves here. Nothing that would be difficult to handle for Beau.
Yet, when Beau entered the cabin, he was greeted by an unexpected, though not unwelcome, sight that made his eyes widen in surprise.
His gaze was fixed on the elf's face. His eyes were closed tight, shrouded by dark circles that were stark against the elf's pale white pallor. His cheeks burned red. Beads of sweat dripped down his forehead and down the side of his face, some passing his pale, dry lips, moistened by his damp breath. This weak and innocent sleeping appearance of the Silas's had caught the man off guard, and he could only stare at the elf for a moment more before he caught himself, making him cough once awkwardly in embarrassment.
Don't lose your bearings, the captain looked around the cabin once again, smelling the faint trace of another elf. As he moved to the outside, the smell was lost. The rain was causing the dissipating trace of the other elf, but that the smell was faint in the cabin meant that the other elf had left, at least for now. Beau looked back over his shoulder at Silas, who was still unconscious and ill, too weak to respond to the dangerous wolf that had arrived at his doorstep.
I can't pass up this opportunity while I have it. I'll take this elf into custody for now, and come back for the other one later.
After checking the rest of the cabin, Beau put away his sword and walked forward, the wood creaking under his feet as the water on the bottom of his boots made them squeak out. The sound of the wood grew closer and closer, but Silas was heavily asleep and unable to hear the approaching captain towering towards him with steady steps.
It was not until the captain was next to Silas, preparing to bend down and look at him closer that Silas's heavy eyes opened slightly, exposing his bright green eyes to the captain.
The woman from the brothel? The shock of recognizing the elf caught the captain off guard, and he was slow to react to Silas's bleary gaze on him. No, not a woman. A man in disguise. Beau laughed and looked away for a moment, letting everything register in his mind.
At least I won't feel as bad arresting you now.
"You-?" Silas's voice was hoarse, low, making him sound as ill as he was, "Why are you here?" Silas rested on the cold, hard wooden floor, his forehead burned as he sweat from the heat of his body, attempting to replace the mana it had lost from overuse. His breaths were shallow and moist, and he was too weak to move from laying on his side. All he could see in front of him was a tall, muscular figure in a cloak. With the hazy ring around them, they looked like a spirit, and Silas could only guess in his muddled state that it was not Meredith, but rather the ghost of his ancestors that had previously lived here.
Beau remained silent, hoping the elf would stay muddle-headed long enough to be subdued and captured.
"Have you come to punish me? Because I'm so sorry for everything I've done." Silas said, tears misting his vision as shame and guilt built up in his heart, "I've shamed you and damned all of my elven brethren." Silas blinked slowly, his dizziness making him feel sick as he looked on to what he thought in his delirium was one of his elven ancestors, "I should have killed him. I know it. But I couldn't bring myself to. I'm so sorry. We're damned, and it's all my fault." His voice trembled and was so quiet, Beau had to lean closer to Silas to hear the words coming from his lips. Watching the elf's heartfelt confession, the captain felt a small tinge in his heart.
Captain Laurent lowered himself down to Silas's side, brushing his bare fingers against Silas's moist forehead, wiping away some of the stray beads of sweat lingering on his brow.
"Rest." Captain Beau said, his voice low, "That type of speech won't help you recover." The elf would have to be brought back alive in order to be useful. If he were to bring back an elven corpse, all he could receive would be the bounty. There would be no information, no leads, nor prestige with that. In any case, he would enjoy torturing the information out of this elf.
Lowering his hands under the elf's waist and knees, Beau lifted the unconscious Silas off of the ground and held him in his arms for a moment, this elf weighs nearly nothing. Though his frame was well-built, it seemed like air in the man's arms. If Silas were awake to hear this, he would have cursed the captain to the moon, but Silas was unable to do anything but lay weakly in his embrace.
Captain Laurent directly placed the elf on his shoulder like a piece of luggage, leaving Silas's head to droop down Beau's back. Beau's hand held the elf's waist in place with his right arm and hand. Beau's fingers grazed past Silas's waist as he held him down, adjusting the cloak to cover the elf's head and body from the cold rain. If he were to get any sicker, Beau would have to stop at a nearby village for medical attention, and the situation would become far messier than he would have liked. Instead, he would be able to use the medicine he had packed away for his journey.
The rain had lightened, and Beau was able to quickly leave the cabin with Silas over his shoulder towards his horse, waiting for him in the nearby woods. When the stallion saw Silas in the captain's arms, it huffed at him with a displeased squint of his eyes and looked away from him with a sideways glare. Seeing the horse's reaction, the captain did not attempt to console it, and instead threw Silas face-down on the horse's back, leaving him to lay sideways like a sack of luggage.
The horse snorted as Beau lifted his foot into the stirrup and lifted himself onto the saddle, just behind Silas. With their positions, it would be difficult to ride the horse properly without Silas falling off, so the captain could only grit his teeth and lift the feverish, cloak-wrapped elf up and lean him against his chest. Silas was thin, and with the captain's arms around him, he was able to fall back and sit up with the support of Beau without a problem.
Beau was not used to riding the horse with a passenger, and it found it awkward with the extra body in front of him. The heat of Silas's body, however, was welcome. With the chill of the rain still in the air, Silas's body kept the captain's body warm against the wind. As Beau grabbed the reins and led the horse forward, Silas's covered head rolled to the side, resting against the captain's shoulder, where his warm, moist breaths fell against Beau's neck. His breathing was soft and gentle, and the heat of his face burned through Beau's armor and passed to his skin, making him feel more heat than before.
The long journey will be worth the reward. Captain Laurent smiled to himself.
The white stallion rode off quickly into the woods, back towards the main trail where they had entered the forest, the rain passing down to muddy their footsteps further than it already had.