The next morning, they started off with some light petting as they cleaned up and got dressed. They left the packs in Annette's room. They went downstairs and got food and ate until a messenger came in, "Jarron wants to see the 3 of you as soon as possible."
They finished eating and walked out. Eldar looked at Annette, "Connect to me just to talk."
Annette, "Yes."
Eldar, "Have you thought about that Drow spy at all?"
Annette, "Yes, I'm willing to try but only if the guy is blindfolded and gagged and you're with me. After the wedding of course."
Eldar, "I was going to suggest the same thing, but I will have you channel what you get to me. I can try and make sense of his work. Keep active just in case we have to talk."
Annette, "Sounds good and reassuring. Thank you."
Eldar, "We love you. I love you."
Annette, "I love you too."
Jarron was at the end of his desk. He shook his head, "I put in a hypothetical inquiry into our human ambassador posing the question on the human land you outlined. She stated if a group came forward to use that portion of the treaty, King Thornlord was agreeable. Even to your extension of a village onto both sides of the border. On what has been determined to be next to indefensible and useless land anyway.
Their King was impressed with the idea of someone stepping forward to try and use those clauses. We know if you get the land on the Elven side of the border, and that's a big if, that you could win your little wager. That would not disappoint me at all by the way. I spoke with your father and he laughed at me.
Said if I was foolish enough to take the bet I sure as hell better support you in your efforts. He will be at your wedding a couple of days early and as he has a dignitary status. He could stay in either village but he will be staying away from your mother's village as he is not as popular there. You, heading out soon?"
Eldar asked, "What is Annette's status?"
Jarron looked at her, "She could be useful if only we could prove it. As it is, she is at least trusted with the information she has and Charlemagne is responsible for her."
Eldar gave him a sideways glance, "What if we could prove her worth with your Drow spy? If you could get her and me in to see that spy, unseen, have the prisoner gagged and with a heavy bag over his head. Stripped naked and give us an hour and let us see what information she can get. I asked her to be linked to me. I could make sense of the data she retrieves. After our wedding of course but give it some thought."
Jarron looked at Eldar, "Are you sure you're not after my job?"
Eldar gave him a quirky smile, "Are you hinting it might be open soon and I should apply?"
Jarron laughed and shook his head, "Alright smartass, you guys get your team together and get going. Let me see what I can arrange."
Eldar looked at him, "One more thing, to protect us we will need to be masked going in. They cannot know our method of extraction until after the fact. Once I have the data, I will request an audience with whoever you want me to see but the name, identity, and method of extracting the information is an independent secret for now."
Jarron sighed, "You're getting to be as big of a pain in the ass as your father. I will make some inquiries, we can talk more about that when we meet again. I will be heading out in 3 or 4 days; I can ride faster than your caravans can go as you know."
They left his office, grabbed their gear, and the team. They got on the road with all due haste.
They spent the next 3 days in relative peace with the occasional annoying fly and the heat rising. They turned off the former trail that they used the day before; as they were headed toward the crossroads. The villages of Mirosa and Porzcosa, and what they hoped would be their future. The whole team seemed a little on edge as they had not been on this road.
They did not know the towns, campsites, or particular dangers they might come across. Toward the end of the day just as Eagle-eye crested a hill her filly reared up. Eagle-eye looked toward the field in the northeast and Eldar saw the lead wagon pulling to the left side of the road. He got a mental message he was not expecting to hear.
Annette, "Giant chasing two riders south."
He jumped off the moving wagon to grab his horse and started yelling, "GIANT spotted. Tranosa grab Doc, and your horse. Hunter, try to catch up with Eagle-eye. Fireball is with me. Charlemagne, keep these wagons moving onto the hill."
Annette, "One rider turning toward Eagle-eye."
Eldar yelled back, "Charlemagne ready for battle at the top of the hill."
Fireball and Eldar were off like the wind and Eldar told him, "Hold on tight, but give me enough room to breathe."
They reached the top of the ridge. Eagle-eye and Hunter had the giant confused as they flanked at range, it bought the other 2 riders some time. One had a very strange longbow that when she dismounts the bottom has an edge that pushes atop the ground the guy rode right toward Eldar, "Orcs and Ogres, attacking a small town to the north."
Eldar turned from the rest of them and took off toward the north with Fireball. The kid headed back toward the girl with whom he had been riding.
Annette, "Where are you going?"
Eldar, "Park your wagon and unhitch your team. Give the horses to Skinner, Cook, and your sister. Town to the north under attack by orcs and ogres. Fireball and I will buy some time. Tell Hunter so he can get the others moving after the giant is down. Take over the second wagon and keep moving forward."
Annette, "Stay safe will pass your instructions."
He told Fireball, "Looks like you will have a chance to unleash your inner beast, try not to hit the humans."
Fireball chuckled, "Will try, just get me there while I'm still on the horse."
The sun got lower on the horizon but they could see the battle had already reached the outside of the town and Eldar turned northwest.
Fireball shouted, "Where are you going?"
He pointed to the hill and an Ogre Magi who watched his troops. They rode between the Ogre Magi and behind the orcs.
Eldar grunted, "I will drop you off. You can challenge the Magi, I'll get the orcs from behind and then join you. Pull the fight out of the town, and that Magi will likely recall his forces to us which will allow us to open up. The group will see where we're at!"
He lowered Fireball off and headed 150 feet further toward town, but further away from the Magi. He got off his horse. He turned it toward the wagons and smacked it on the ass. He could hear Fireball and the Magi dueling it out behind him.
He saw two Ogres who heard the fighting. They started to recall the orcs to deal with him as Eldar's sword came to life and they realized they had 2 to deal with as his mirror image went off. He now had 4 images of him making him look like a small squad. When the 2 ogres were about 100 feet out, he threw his first fireball into the group dropping 4 orcs and injuring the ogres.
He activated the sword's wall of fire. It was 40 feet wide and went 100 feet. That was enough to send 12 orcs and the far ogre to the ground dead. Fireball still countered spells and kept the Magi busy.
Eldars fire wave attack had started some small brush fires and he could hear horses approaching from behind. The ogre was quicker than he expected and made a leaping spring attack killing an image and smacked him in the ribs and he broke at least one.
Eldar came across with a pair of crisscrossing cuts along his thighs. He had four more orcs coming in behind him when he heard the sounds of arrows and three of the orcs fell. One horse did not stop and Skinner jumped off and onto the back of that one orc and landed a double strike with daggers as he killed the last orc. The ogre started its next swing at him, taking out another image and getting another rib on the other side. The Ogre probably broke one or two ribs on that side.
Eldar yelled out, "Eagle-Eye and Hunter help Fireball."
The next horse came in and Charlemagne was on it and she flew into the air with both rapiers and stabbed the ogre in the back but one was high and the other landed above the lungs. He could see the tips of her sword sticking out the front and she hung in the air. Skinner lands a back-stab right into the kidneys and the ogre came down onto its face.
Eldar turned toward the magi and Fireball. "Mortana." The missiles flew and the Ogre Magi was shielded. He started running up the hill. The archer's arrows deflected off his shielding. They swung around behind the Magi and switched to swords. Another horse came flying in and this one had the kid who jumped off his horse, did a spinning kick in the air smacking the Magi in the back before landing near Eagle-eye's feet.
The Magi made a break for it and was still shielded.
He heard another horse approach. He looked over and it was Cook. She had Eldar's horse which explained where she was. She flew off the back of the horse and sunk a short-sword and dagger into the Magi's back straight through its lungs and rode it to the ground. She had straddled the Magi and Eldar could not help but quip, "Cook I know that's the largest piece of meat between your legs in as long as I have known you, but now is not the time for games."
Skinner laughed as he helped Charlemagne to her feet as she yelled out, "Hunter and Eagle-eye catch horses, everyone else let's check out the damage to the town. Weapons at the ready; look out for stragglers."
The kid whistled for his horse and his lady friend came riding up. She looked at them and sounded shocked, "You are Elves?!"
Eldar shook his head, "No, not all of us. Charlemagne and her sister back with the wagons are Half-Elves."
He started walking toward the town and gave a mock surprise, "You're both humans?!"
The girl could sense Eldar's irony, "Yes we are, we have never been this close to Elven territory and the only Elves we have seen were slaves or servants in some distant lands, none with your kind of abilities."
Charlemagne yelled over, "Cook and Skinner start going through the remains for any valuables or items worth noting."
They got to the road on the other side of town and decided to come up the street instead of between buildings with their weapons drawn. Eldar sheathed his for a second only to put out the flames and then drew it back out while it changed back to its red crystal form. The girl introduces herself, "I'm Keyno and my brother Tiger."
Keyno pointed at his sword, "A Devil's Blade."
Eldar shook his head, "My father called it a Hell's Blade."
She stopped, "Your father is wrong, a Hell's Blade is black. A Devil's Blade is red and turns black, has more abilities than a Hell's Blade. Many legends concerning them from our lands."
Eldar kept walking, "Like what?"
Keyno continued, "The people it kills are sent to the Nine Hells to become soldiers for the Devils. They are sought after by evil creatures who worship those Devils and Devils will come after a time to retrieve one that's in the wrong hands. The only way to destroy a Devil's Blade is to soak it in holy water. It will destroy the weapon but nobody who has shed blood with one can do so."
Eldar looked at her, "I'm not evil but I will consider what you told me. As you have never seen Elves then you have never been to an Elven wedding?"
She shook her head, "No, are you going to an Elven wedding?"
Eldar looked at Charlemagne, "Yes, we're on our way to one. Would you like to join us for the trip?"
She looked at her brother, "Do you think they will mind having humans there?"
Eldar shook his head, "There will be other humans there as well. You're welcome to travel with us if you like."
They nodded, "That idiot we called a leader said 'how much trouble could one giant be' he got the other 4 including himself killed. There was a 2,000 gold piece bounty on the giant but he was the only one who knew who to get it from."
There were several wounded that they could see, farmers with pitchforks who looked weary and cautious of them, "Doc, see what help you can provide to stabilize the wounded. Heal those who can be saved but are worse off; I will keep until tomorrow then I have ribs that need to be repaired."
Eldar asked, "Is there anyone in charge we can talk with?"
A middle-aged man steps out, "You the one who roasted dem sons a bitches?!"
Eldar looked at him, "I'm one of them."
He snorted, "Wells, I doubt the ow high and mighty King sent ya?"
Eldar shook his head, "No we're on our way home."
He huffed, "You're on the wrong road to getcha there."
Eldar smiled, "We're headed to a couple of small Elven villages that are down this road, not the capital; at least not yet."
He shrugged, "It's your time. Thanks for the help, once our crops come in, we're pullin outta here?"
Eldar asked him, "Because of this?"
He nodded, "Damned King promised pertection fer us fer farmin here. Five years and the only pertection has been g'rds heading to da dwarves."
Eldar looked at him, "What kind of crops and when do they come in?"
Jesup replied, "Hay, wheat, burlyyy, veg'tables mostly...in bout 6 months."
Eldar looked at him, "We might be back this way before then, maybe we will have an idea or 2 that might help you out. How big are your farms?"
He snorted, "On paper, we gots a dozen farms over 20 acres, in reality, we gots about 2 acres per farm that's workable. We get taxed on the farm size and again on the price per bushel."
Eldar nodded, "We got wagons to bring into town when Cook gets here she will help Doc tend to the wounded."
He shook his head, "We ai nots got gold to spare and they done burned down the stables, barn, and stur..we gots no inn?"
Eldar clasped him on the shoulder, "I may come back to see you, All I ask is you get your people together and hear me out before you pull up stakes."
Skinner showed up, "We found 8 more dead including 4 humans and their horses. We've collected everything of value, but thought you would want this."
Eldar sighed as he continues. "I remembered how you went off on the fact that were not treasure. That was only 5 of them. Let alone this belt we got off the Magi that's got 25 of them on it."
Eldar nodded, "They are grave markers..."
He pulled off his glove and showed them his, "Unless they are worn by the one who earned it."
Eldar took the belt and walked away. "Work with Hunter and Eagle-eye to bring the rest of the wagons into town. Tranosa, can you line up the dead out in the field; I want Jarron to see them when he comes through. Find some lamp oil to cover the bodies but do not burn them."
He turned to the middle-aged man, "What do I call you? Never got a name."
He stuck out his hand, "People call me Jessup, and thanks fer yer help."
Eldar nodded and shook his hand, "I'm Eldar Silvertree."
Keyno and Tiger gasped, "The same Eldar that killed 80 men in Grand Falls?"
Charlemagne laughed, "No he killed 6. I killed 2 and they attacked us. Funny how things turn from 8 to 80 in human societies."
Keyno shook her head, "They said you killed 80; including causing the death of 3 guard sergeants who got hung. They said an entire gang was wiped out because of you."
Eldar looked at her, "We left the day after we were attacked, we only killed 8 who attacked us. As to the guards, we heard 3 sergeants got put in the stocks but nothing about them being killed. They got their garrison drunk and unfit for duty.
If the Underhill Gang was eliminated the city is probably better off but we were gone by then and cannot claim credit or fault. You will believe what you wish to believe. Can you and your brother rope that giant and drag it to the other bodies being lined up?"
They nodded and rode off. Annette pulled in with the second wagon and Charlemagne grabbed the reins and found a good place to park it.
Annette looked at Eldar, "You alright?"
Eldar shook his head, "No 7 dead Grand Masters and 18 dead Masters. People think we killed 80 back in Grand Falls. I have a few broken ribs. Else everything is just FICKA perfect."
He walked to the back of the wagon, climbed in, and went to sleep. Charlemagne woke him for their shift.
She looked at Eldar, "You did not eat. Anything I can do?"
Eldar smiled at Charlemagne, "Give me some time to go over my spellbook, and then we can talk."
Eldar got his spells back but pulling guard shift in a town was a new one for him. He found Charlemagne, "All quiet?"
She pointed at the roof and the townspeople had guards as well tonight. He nodded, "What about Keyno and Tiger?"
Charlemagne points to the first wagon, and Eldar saw all of the horses had been recovered, "What do you think of those 2?"
Charlemagne shrugged, "They are good on horseback, she's a good archer even Eagle-eye was impressed. That's also the first time I have ever seen anyone, Tiger, chop wood with the side of his hand."
Eldar nodded, "So good recruits for a mercenary company?"
Charlie shrugged, "Well they both bring something new to the table. You should see what they pulled from the bodies. Annette grabbed a short sword called it Janta, said it was like her. She told me to give you your dagger back."
He slid his dagger back into his boot. "What kind of weapons are those?"
She shrugged, "We will have to get the 2 kids to explain them. That one looks like a really thin bastard-sword."
They walked around and kept an eye on things hand-in-hand. The rest of the night went by peacefully and Charlemagne seemed to realize he did not need to talk with her. Eldar just spent some time holding her hand and let some of his cares wash away.
Come morning Doc took care of his ribs. Then they turned their attention to the two human warriors. Eldar looked at their young guests, "Explain some of the exotic weapons that we discovered." Tiger grabbed some of them and started a display.
The speed at which he could use some of them was blurring to the eyes. He had a throwing contest with Skinner and demonstrated some hand-to-hand combat styles they had not seen. The more impressive display came when Keyno gave a demonstration of what she called 'Zen Archery.'
She did two shots at her brother's chest and on one he caught the arrow in front of his heart. The next he chopped it out of the air. Then she nailed a target dead center at over 200 feet. She could shoot from horseback, hanging off of the side of the saddle while moving and firing behind her.