Ulrick spent most of the day in and out of consciousness. Elise expected as much, and frankly, it was a relief: the fact that he could get rest without sedatives meant that he really was healing up. She didn’t know how it was possible but he would probably be well enough to leave within the next few days. If he didn’t have too far to go and wasn’t in a horrible hurry, at least. She didn’t understand how it was possible beyond some sort of dark magic. Yes, some people healed faster than others, but not like that. Her gut told her that there were other things contributing to his miraculous recovery, but whatever it was, she wasn’t seeing it, and he certainly wasn’t telling.
That was the one downside of him not being conscious: she couldn’t ask him anything about it.
Beyond her caring for Ulrick, the day went just as every other one went: cleaning up the house, doing dishes, mending clothes, stocking the bar. She and Pa would take shifts watching over Ulrick, making certain he didn’t make a sudden turn for the worst. Pa would check his ledgers when it was his turn, seeing if anyone was racking up too much of a tab and making certain that he’d bought everything he’d needed at the market to be successful for the next week. When Elise’s shifts came, she spent them mending Ulrick’s clothes and, once that was done, looking through the large tome Ma had left her, filled with everything every healer in Thaos ever knew. She never understood a lot of it, but she made a habit of flipping through the pages, to feel closer to Ma if for nothing else.
Ulrick was still asleep by the time they were getting ready to open the tavern that night. Elise and Pa sat at one of the tables, having a quick meal before they opened the doors for the night. All the while, the bullet she still kept in her apron pocket sat heavy in her lap and in her mind. Did she tell Pa what she found? Did she keep it to herself? She didn’t want to make Pa worry when she didn’t have to but she didn’t want them to be caught off guard, either.
“Have you talked to the Watchman at all, today?” Pa asked.
“A little,” Elise said. “Just while you were at the market.”
“Did he say anything about what happened to him?”
The bullet felt as if it were crushing her. “Some.”
“I don’t suppose he told you about how he really got hurt, did he?”
Elise looked up. He knew?
“Did he tell you?” She asked.
“You don’t spend three years in the army without getting real familiar with the way a gunshot wound looks,” Pa said. “I’m guessing he told you, then?”
Elise pulled the bullet out of her pocket and set it down on the table. “I found this in his shoulder last night. When I asked him about it, all he said was that he made some mistakes, and he paid for them.”
Pa picked up the bullet and began to inspect it.
“I’m sorry for not speaking up the second I found it,” Elise said. “I just-”
“It’s alright,” he said. “Did he say anything about the people who did this to him?”
Elise shook her head. “No. But I think they gave him all those cuts, bruises, and burns, too. Whoever did it, they wanted him to suffer before they killed him.”
“Gods,” Pa said quietly.
“You… don’t think whoever did it is going to come looking for him, do you?”
“I don’t know,” Pa said. “I had the same thought while I was at the market, though, so I picked something up from Luke.”
Pa got up and went behind the bar, then picked something up.
She paled.
It was a rifle.
Elise stood up, anxiety eating at her gut. It looked like Pa thought someone bad was coming, after all.
“We’ll be prepared,” Pa said. “I’ll teach you how to use it tomorrow.”
Elise didn’t say anything: all she could do was stare. Did he really expect her to use that on another human being if it came down to it? She didn’t think she could do it; she didn’t even want to touch it.
He put it back in its spot. “Gods willing, of course, we won’t have to use it.”
“Right,” she said quietly. “Gods willing.”
It began to rain outside. Ominous. It was as if the Gods were trying to tell her something, tell her that her fears were correct.
She forced the thought out of her head.
Soon afterwards, they opened the doors, and everyone began to file into the tavern.
Things progressed normally: Torben’s music filled the air, the patrons talked and laughed amongst themselves. Same old, same old. Just how Elise liked it, frankly.
Keller, Aimes, and Persh came in at their usual time, sat in their usual spots. Keller looked a little sick to his stomach, though, his usual, cheery self seemingly long forgotten.
“Evening, boys,” Elise said as she set tankards in front of them.
“Evening, Elise,” all of them said in unison.
“Whatever happened with that Watchman last night?” Aimes asked. “Been eating poor Keller up all damned day.”
“Pa, you wanna have some respect for the dead?” Persh asked. “It’s rude to ask so soon after something like that happens.”
“He’s alive, actually,” Elise said. “He’s just resting in the back.”
Keller began to choke on his drink.
“Well, damn me twice,” Aimes said. “I’ll be honest with you, Elise: I didn’t think he’d make it. Looked damned rough when he came in.”
“Does he still have both of his arms?” Keller blurted out.
Persh looked at his son a sip he’d just sprouted an extra eye. “Keller, what kind of question is that? Were you expecting to hear that his arms just kind of popped off like your grandpa’s shirt buttons?”
Aimes smacked his son. “Watch your tongue, boy.”
“He had limb death up to his shoulders. Both arms, too,” Elise clarified.
Persh cursed under his breath. “And the bastard’s still alive?”
“Not only that, but the limb death receded overnight.”
Keller’s eyes got wide. “I didn’t think that was even possible!”
“I’m as confused as you are,” she said. “I don’t think I would’ve believed it if I hadn’t seen it with my own eyes.”
“It’s that damned Watchman witchcraft,” Aimes said. “Devils straight from hell, they are.”
Keller frowned and looked to his grandfather. “You told me I was being ridiculous for saying the exact same thing just last night!”
Elise walked away as the Coopers descended into yet another argument, trying hard to keep from laughing. For a moment, it seemed like life had gone right back to normal.
But, like the previous night, it wasn’t long before that normalcy was shattered.
Elise didn’t even see the soldier walk in: it was busy in the tavern. Too busy to notice yet another rain-soaked man walk in. She didn’t notice him until he spoke up.
“Can I have everybody’s attention?” The soldier called out. He was about her age, dressed in the deep blue uniform with the two gold and one silver bands of a cavalry scout by each cuff. His boots were covered in mud, and he looked like it had been awhile since he last washed his uniform.
“What the hell are you doing with your cap still on?” Titus, the town garrison commander, demanded. He sat next to the door, as always, with his right-hand-man Brody Smith sitting next to him.
The scout quickly ripped the cap from his head, wincing. “S-sorry, sir. I’m looking for Captain Titus Woods. The men on fireguard said I’d be able to find him here.”
“Well, you’ve found ‘em,” Titus said. “Now, what self-important ass sent you?”
“That would be Major Zousa, sir.”
Everyone in the tavern - including Elise - perked up when they heard that name. Major Zousa was a veritable legend: a hero of the war between Caithia and Fialia where he lost an eye defending the border from would-be invaders. There’d been a big celebration for him when he passed through Thaos on his way to the Gisken border.
Just like everyone else, Titus perked up when he heard that name. Then, he looked at everyone else that was listening in, his eyes narrowing. Elise tried to make herself look busy.
“Maybe we ought to talk about this somewhere a little more private,” Titus said.
“Actually, I… think everyone should hear this, sir.”
Elise looked back up at them. Titus didn’t look angry: he looked tired.
Somehow, that was even worse than him being angry.
“The news isn’t good, is it?” Titus asked.
“No, sir,” the scout said. “It’s… it’s the Giskens, sir. They broke through the line.”
Elise’s heart sank.
Titus cursed. “Don’t tell me that’s all Major Zousa had to say!”
The messenger shook his head. “He suggests that everyone here evacuate to Airde as soon as possible. He thinks he can give Thaos a couple days, but the Giskens will be here, soon.”
Elise didn’t listen to the rest of the conversation. She felt sick. The Gisken army had spent the past three months probing at the Caithian border. Two years before them, they’d finished their year-long invasion of Kurzh, Gisk’s neighbor to the north. They said it was because of Kurzhian raiding parties, but nobody believed that. What could they possibly want with them?
She prayed that they’d be able to get out, before the Giskens came to ruin all of their lives.
***
General Raul Fletcher hated the rain.
He hated being wet, being stuck in sopping wet clothes. He hated having to stand out in it as he watched the small town of Thaos, waiting. He was alone on the hilltop overlooking the town that dark night, with the rest of his army a couple miles away. They were all shivering in their tents, trying to keep warm and dry. He was looking forward to being in his own tent, soon, getting out of that damned uniform. But, he couldn’t do that until his aide-de-camps returned from his mission.
He’d best hurry up, before we both catch our death out here, Raul thought to himself.
Finally, Raul saw a rider approaching, wearing an enemy cavalry scout uniform.
He didn’t unshoulder his weapon, or raise the alarm: he knew exactly who it was.
“Were you able to find him?” Raul asked as Captain Finn Ackers, his aide-de-camps, approached.
“Yes, sir.” He hopped off his horse and saluted. Raul saluted back.
“I estimate the entire town to be about two hundred souls the town garrison about fifty souls,” Finn said as he stood at attention. “The garrison is mainly made up of old men and young boys: should be a simple task to take the town."
“So, our initial estimates were correct,” Raul said to himself, scratching at the white scruff growing on his chin. “What would your recommendation be?”
Finn paused before responding. “Sir, I would send light cavalry, no more than a platoon-sized element. The streets are wide enough that they won’t be able to bottleneck our troops, so more troops than that won't be necessary. The element of surprise will also lend to the effectiveness of our troops. As for whom to send, perhaps Lieutenant Krantz’s men: they aren’t worn down from breaking through the line.
Raul had similar ideas. Good: having one of his more capable soldiers agree with him always served to ease his mind.
“What are your orders, sir?” Finn asked.
“Find Lieutenants Krantz and al’Heida, tell them that they are to report to me first thing in the morning. You’ll report, as well, and you’ll follow and observe Lieutenant al’Heida during the battle. He’s been looking for an opportunity to prove himself; he’s going to get one.”
Finn’s back stiffened. He didn’t like the idea, clearly: Finn and Blair never had seen eye to eye. “Yes, sir. Anything else?”
“Get some dry clothes on, make yourself some tea,” Raul said. “You’ll catch your death if you aren’t careful, and I can’t have that.”
“Yes, sir.”
Finn saluted, then got on his horse and rode towards camp. Raul took one look back at Thaos before getting onto his own horse. Thaos. After tomorrow, he wouldn’t have any more obstacles between him and Airde.
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