Eudora

Her girls needed no further instruction and followed her into the undergrowth without hesitation, their faces hardening ever so slightly as they prepared themselves to fight, switching from lazy comfortable riding to concentrated handling to manoeuvre their horses between branches and trunks. Once they had traversed the lines of trees and their winding roots, a wide lumpy field opened up before them. At the eastern edge, the women Eudora had spotted were doing battle with a horde of imps, their round bald heads bobbing up and down as they scrabbled to find an opening to gnaw on human flesh.

The largest of the three women wore half-plate armour with forest green underclothes and a shining silver helmet, she was armed with a large shield and a fine, albeit bloodied, sword and even from a distance Eudora could see she was an experienced warrior. She cut down every imp that approached her, controlled and without delay. However, she was consumed by the little bastards throwing themselves at her and did not see her comrade behind her struggling to keep astride her steed. It was no wonder that the woman was struggling - she was far too close to the fight to be of great use given she was armed with a crossbow. She showed no expression of fear or anger on her flat face; instead, she diligently continued reloading her bolts and taking her shots. She had a good aim and quick hands but a crossbow was not a weapon for close range and she would either be dragged to the ground or eaten to the knees if they did not hurry.

Riding around their group with a bouncing gait, their third member was knocking down and decapitating imps three and four at a time with a spear almost as long as she. Her lithe body swinging from side to side as she twirled her weapon like a baton. Her scantily light leathers allowed for incredible flexibility and her incredibly courageous horse allowed her to throw her weight and body in a manner that would spook, or at least irritate, most. Lowri’s stubborn steed for certain would never allow her to ride so foolishly, she’d be thrown to the mud in a matter of seconds. Although the spear-wielding woman was doing a fine job of eliminating imps, she was not clearing them speedily enough for her friend to find an opening to pull back with her toes intact.

Eudora lead her troupe forward, sharply picking up speed while the imps had yet to notice their approach. She raised her left hand and flicked two fingers forward to signal Blaire to overtake, then made the same sign with her right hand for Lowri. They would take the front line with their steel shields, Blaire unsheathing her sword smoothly and Lowri yanking her mace from her back. Magali was already muttering incantations to herself from the back of their new formation and Eudora recognised enough words to know she was beginning with her routine protection spells. As the wash of magical shielding ran over her skin Eudora rearranged herself in her seat, lifting herself for better vantage and lowering her centre of gravity for maximum accuracy as she raised her bow and readied her first arrow.

“Lowri, you join the plated warrior.” She ordered, taking aim at an unusually tall imp widening his jaw to take a snap at the kneecap of the woman with the crossbow. “Blaire, get to the crossbow as fast you can.” She released her arrow, catching him in the throat and killing him instantly. Normally she would aim for the head but she ran the risk of it shooting straight through to the horse on the other side with the animals clamouring around them so. “Magali, the usual.” She plucked off two more in quick succession.

Crossbow was first to notice their approach, nodding her gratitude to Eudora as she finally gained a little breathing room. She settled her feet back into her stirrups fully, taking control again.

Eudora’s ladies all made affirmative sounds. Not that she ever needed to glance across to check they were following orders, her group was a perfect team unlike most bands of mercenaries. If Eudora did not feel she could consider you a sister, you were not fit for her family.

Blaire reached Crossbow as Eudora knocked down another of the snarling creatures. It writhed in the clumped mud until a hoof unintentionally finished the job.

She continued to pick off imp after imp, riding in a wide circle around the area of battle so as to spread her aid amongst the women and simultaneously keep an eye on hers. Her girls were first priority in any battle. Blaire was seasoned and confident and it showed in her fighting style, she cut down every enemy in her path with perfect precision. Lowri was enthusiastic but less accurate, swiping at any bald-headed, sharp-toothed, pointy-eared creature to approach her. Magali was cautious and watchful, every spell cast with mindful weighing of how she can support her fellow women best, a deliberate mixture of defensive cloaking and shielding spells intertwined with offensive bolts of electricity and small jets of fire. It made for quite the display. One day, she thought, she would take Lowri to see the lights shot into the sky in the summer months at Emerald Heart Keep.

Eudora paused momentarily, her bow still held taught, at the sound of light laughter. She glanced at the spear-wielder, riding in her fluid, carefree manner and apparently enjoying herself immensely. As much as Eudora enjoyed the feeling of victory, and especially when it drer near and obvious, she had never guffawed with happiness at any conquest. A strange woman the spear-wielder was, but a worthy warrior, too, and Eudora let herself smile in solidarity at their success. There were only a sprinkling of imps remaining, some fleeing for the long grass with squawking sounds.

They made short work of the remaining beasts and the plated woman lopped off the dry-skinned head of the final imp brave enough to still be trying to bite.

The seven of them collected together a few metres from thebodies now feeding the spongy mud with their blood. The plated woman rode up slowly, as though hesitant of Eudora’s group. For a peasant that would be understandable, but for a woman in heavy and well-forged armour, with swordsmanship expertise that a blind man could see, it prickled the skin on the back of Eudora’s neck that this woman would not ride to them confidently. What did she have to be afraid of?

Her fellow warriors awaited her arrival before speaking.

The woman with the crossbow spoke first, “Thank you.” Her voice was raspy, and genuine in her gratitude. “You four have fine timing.”

Their leader pulled off her helmet with a sigh that gripped Eudora’s gut painfully, cutting off any words that might have been ready to leave her. She knew that sigh, and she knew the face that appeared from under the helmet, and the dark blonde waves, tied back, that had been covered until now. Knew it all despite wishing to forget. Matilde’s hazel eyes locked onto her own immediately and held her frozen in place, worse than any paralysis poison she had been subjected to on adventures past.

Matilde rested the helmet against the top of her saddle “Yes,” she agreed quietly. “Fine timing indeed.”

“Something wrong, Tilly?” Blaire asked with a knowing smile. Matilde’s group blinked between them, the corners of the spear-wielder’s mouth twitched with amusement.

“It’s been some time, Blaire.” She dragged her eyes to Blaire’s face from Eudora’s, slowly, to give her a nod. “Dora,” she added, sliding her gaze back. Eudora hated the heat that burned through her at the look. Hated how easy it would be to giggle girlishly at the tall, muscled warrior that she knew could lay her down on a bare bedding roll and make it feel like a luxurious four-poster - canopy, silk sheets and all. It took effort to hold her composure, and she managed it.

“You know these gals?” Spear-wielder asked, grin lazy and eyebrow raised. She looked over Eudora’s group with cordial curiosity. Her eyes drew you in with thick kohl liner painted across beautiful smooth monolids and gold powder lightly decorated across her waterline; it was a struggle to look away, or focus on any of her other features. She was a blaze of gold, but her gaze the sunbeam in the centre.

Matilde responded with a grunt, “We used to ride together.”

“Oh. How awkward.” Spear-wielder’s words did not match her expression at all, she remained open and cheerful in face, her eyes twinkling. Almost enjoying the idea of Matilde’s discomfort.

Crossbow cleared her throat gently. “Well, it was very good of you to stop for us, we shan’t hold up your travels any longer.” She offered another grateful nod to every member of Eudora’s group.

Spear-wielder laughed lightly, “Bloody imps, eh?” She adjusted the straps of her spear resting across her back, pulling out any blonde hairs stuck in the clasps. “Thanks again for the backup!”

Eudora’s girls joined her with chuckles and smiles as best they could before waving and nodding their goodbyes. Eudora and Blaire both took just a few extra moments to look over their old… friend before turning awkward smiles upon each other and trudging their steeds back to the beaten path. Thankfully, Matilde and her riders were not moving in the same direction.

Eudora’s group rode in silence for not more than two hours before Lowri could not contain her inquisitive nature. She urged her horse, cooing its elderly woman name, to line up with Eudora, breaking formation with a sheepish look.

“You and the plated warrior were once close?” She asked in a voice barely above the sound of breath.

“A fair while ago,” Eudora answered both honestly and ambiguously.

“How close?” Lowri wiggled her brows cheekily and Eudora averted her eyes. This youngling was far too perceptive. “Were you two… sharing a tent?”

“And if we were?”

“No judgement intended,” Lowri said quickly. “How did it happen that you aren’t still… sharing?”

They rode in silence for a few metres as Eudora considered her answer. Blaire knew everything that had happened between she and Matilde, an unwitting witness to the rise and fall of their relationship, but she was kind enough not to speak of it. Magali knew nothing of her last lover and was very unconvincingly feigning disinterest in the conversation happening not a foot from her, turning away to inspect the leaves on every bush they passed.

“She wanted a housewife,” Eudora finally answered. “I wanted to be an adventurer.”

“She didn’t know that about you when you met?”

“When we met I was your common peasant girl.” Eudora smiled softly as she reminisced about her younger self: a skittish and pathetic girl desperate to see the world. “She thought that I would grow out of it. She thought if she took me out on a few wild escapades I would have enough and decide to settle down. I saw her as a mentor, someone I could train under until I was just like her. I wanted us to be equals but she couldn’t quite get her head around that.”

Magali snorted, quickly dropping her plant-enthusiast act. “And she expected you to what, stay at home in some piddly village while she continued to live the exciting life of a warrior?” She shook her head and her dark hair swung around her throat.

“I suppose she wanted roots somewhere and thought a wife would be the best way to create them.”

“She doesn’t have family?” Lowri asked, leaning towards her with those round black eyes that made her appear even younger than her years.

“Not that I know of,” Eudora admitted tentatively. “And from the way she told it they had been rather nomadic when she had them.”

Magali made a humming sound, “So, how did it end?” she asked.

“We fought.” There was no need to get into the specifics. The words thrown, the items thrown. “I left with Blaire and a couple of our party and never saw her again.”

Lowri helpfully corrected, “Until today.”

“Yes, and hopefully that will be the last time for a good long while.”

“You don’t wish to reconnect?” Magali mused. “It sounds like the two of you would have much to talk about.” It was difficult to tell her dry humour from genuine care at times.

“No, we have a lot of ground to cover and those trolls aren’t going to clear themselves.” Eudora answered, fully aware of how weary she sounded. “Lowri, back in formation, please.”