The shuttle was bound for a well flattened hilltop less than a mile from the settlement. From the air, Rimush could see a number of stone walled cottages with thatched roofs, guarded by a tall wooden wall circling the settlement. Numerous elves went about their business, feeding livestock, masoning walls, cleaning, some seeming to stop and watch the shuttle land.
Upon completing the landing, Rimush shot up from his chair to discreetly retrieve Inar’s package. He took some coins to barter with, then stowed the knife and staff into the pockets of a silk lined leather jacket he retrieved from one of his bags. Rimush spotted Taru’s magic focus, strung on a ribbon of silk. He decided to simply wear it as a necklace under his shirt, in the event it became necessary. He prepared the airlock to cycle and open.
“That pretty dress of yours is going to get dirty, princess. You sure you don’t want to change?”
Vanessa stood in the doorway between the docking area and the main cabin. “I’m not going.”
Rimush turned around. “I’m sorry, what?”
“If any of these nomads knew I was here, the sun would not set on this planet before an attempt on my life was made. There are many sympathizers with the independence movement among these travellers.” She placed a device, what looked to be a decorative ear clip, in Rimush’s hand. “Wear this. I will monitor from here and instruct you on how to proceed.”
“You’re kidding.”
Vanessa simply gave him a dissatisfied look. Rimush clipped on the earpiece.
“Off you go now.”
“Yes, your highness.” Rimush stepped through the airlock. There was a cold breeze blowing through the swaying trees, making Rimush thankful that he decided on his jacket. He began his descent along the dirt path winding around the hilltop through the trees toward the settlement.
“This is fracking ridiculous…” he muttered to himself.
“If it really is such a bother to go a short distance on your own,” a voice buzzed in his ear, “then perhaps I shall grace you with my company. After you have located the clan elder.”
Rimush had already forgotten about the monitor. “How gracious, your majesty.”
“Don’t make it a habit to talk to me once you are in the village. It prompts questions about your sanity.”
“Duly noted.” Rimush grumbled.
At the bottom of the hill, the trees cleared to reveal large plots of farmland. Mostly wheat, with some plots for potatoes. Rimush could hear conversations between the workers suddenly stop as he passed. Mostly unimportant gossip regarding the younger villagers, who fancied whom, complaints about lazy family members.
Following the walls around the settlement, Rimush eventually came around to the entrance to the village, guarded by two elves with large axes at their hips. They closed in to block the entrance when Rimush approached.
Rimush tried to put on a friendly face. “Hello. I’m a traveller looking to buy some provisions and ask for some directions.”
One of the guards stepped forward. “Save your breath, Raleighan. This is Fothar land. You won’t be entering.”
“I’ve travelled a long way. Surely you can permit me just quarter a pico to just buy some meat and ask a few questions.”
The other guard spoke up. “You heard the elf. You aren’t welcome here. Keep travelling, preferably back to Raleigh.”
Rimush sighed. “Sorry to disturb you.”
He walked out toward the fields to consider his options.
“What an impressive show of force.” The princess’s sarcasm was apparent.
“I don’t really know what you were expecting.” Rimush kicked the dirt with his feet. “An elven village this far out was never going to be receptive to a Raleighan visitor. Perhaps if there were an elf here to vouch for me, we’d make more progress.”
“Your treatment was, if anything, gracious compared to how they would react to the Visthan crown princess showing up at their gates. They didn’t even bother to reach for their weapons.”
“So, that was them being friendly?”
“Rather, that was you being utterly nonthreatening.”
Rimush shot an irritated glare at the field in front of him. “So now what.”
“Find an opportunity. We need to ask the elder about that ship.”
Helpful, Rimush thought to himself. He knew better than to try to approach the elves in the field, especially a lone elfess. He simply loitered by slowly making his way through the fields, toward the river, trying to listen in on the conversations in the field.
His wandering led him in the direction of the river near the settlement. An angry shepherd was arguing with a distraught elfess in a field surrounded by sheep. Rimush took cover behind a nearby tree and strained to listen.
“I have no idea where the boy is.”
The elfess was in tears. “Please, Ite is only fifteen. He should have been home by now! He was under your charge? How can you not know where your under-shepherds are?”
“All I know is that useless boy cost me three sheep! I had to gather them back myself when he disappeared. How hard is it to water a few lambs?”
The elfess was in hysterics. “All you care for are your frelling sheep! What about my son?! He was in your care!”
“Listen lass, I have no time to track down some boy abandoning his duties! He’s probably off bothering some of the girls inside the walls. Go check for him there. Leave me to my work.” The shepherd waved her off dismissively. The mother began to impotently strike at his backside in tears, continuing her tirade.
“Listing in on the local gossip?” Vanessa buzzed in Rimush’s ear.
“Finding opportunity.”
“Expand.”
“The boy’s missing. Might be in trouble. I could help.”
“Or he could be lazing about, perfectly safe. That is, until a Raleighan invader comes to kill him.”
Rimush started walking toward the treeline at the far side of the settlement.
“And where do you think you’re going?”
“The boy was watering the sheep. Nearest place to do that is the river.”
“And if he’s not there?”
“Then it’s good weather for fishing.”
“We are not amused, Rimush. Be quick about this little diversion but get back to finding a way inside those walls.”
Rimush harrumphed and continued toward the river. After a bit of walking, ignoring the suspicious stares of the field workers, he made it through the treeline to a marshy area.
“Aside from tracking mud into the ship, what do you plan to accomplish here?”
A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.
Rimush kept walking, eyes to the ground. “Well, the boy was shepherding a herd of sheep, so we expect to see a few tracks.” He smelled the air. “Probably over in that direction.”
He grabbed a nearby stick to push away the brush and branches. He discovered a well trodden path of elevated, dry soil. He started following it toward the river, avoiding the occasional pile of manure.
“How much longer until you are satisfied?”
“We…I haven’t even made it to the river.” Rimushed responded, annoyed.
“At least you have a way back with less muck to track.”
The trees thinned out, revealing the river proper. Rimush spotted an animal up ahead. It had sleek, wet brown fur, with a long tail, and webbed clawed feet. The face was peculiar. A dog-like snout and teeth to match, but with smaller, smooth ears.
“Strange creature.”
“The dobhar-chú? It’s common in Visthan rivers. Half otter, half dog. Perhaps a relative of yours?”
Well, I suppose mockery is better than complaining Rimush thought to himself. “Aggressive?”
“Aren’t all dogs?”
Rimush couldn’t tell if that was helpful or not. He hunkered down behind a nearby bush. “You’d think it’d be in a pack.”
“I’m afraid I wouldn’t know.”
“Well I’ll leave it be and wait for it to move on. No need to spook it.” Rimush leaned forward, hands on his knees in a squat. He noticed a scent of damp moss around him. Weird, he thought to himself, didn’t notice that before. Need to be more vigilant.
Before he could react, a dobhar-chú lept from the nearby brush and sank its teeth into Rimush’s right arm, causing him to scream in pain. He delivered a swift punch to the dobhar-chú’s nose and rolled out of the way, back onto his feet.
The commotion roused the attention of the other dobhar-chú near the river. Rimush looked over to it as it began its charge.
“Rimush! Look out!”
Rimush nearly forgot about the princess. The moment of distraction allowed the beast to tackle him onto the ground.
“Not! Helping!” Rimush grunted out as he struggled to keep the dobhar-chú from clawing at his face. He kneed it in the stomach, sending it tumbling away. The two dobhar-chú snarled and slowly approached. Seemingly coordinating their attack. Rimush slowly reached into his jacket to retrieve his staff. He smelled the air. The scent of damp moss surrounded him.
“Not again!”
He pulled the staff out with his left hand and squeezed. The staff explosively telescoped out, with its rear section catching a third dobhar-chú in the throat mid-leep at Rimush’s back, sending it careening off to the side and coughing. The other two pounced in response. Rimush smashed the one in front of him across the face with a swing of his staff. He instinctively guarded his face with his right arm as the beast to his right landed a bite on his forearm. The dobhar-chú locked onto the arm, but its teeth were impeded by the tantalum bangle Rimush wore on his right wrist.
Rimush pivoted and hip threw the dobhar-chú on his arm toward the one that tried to pounce on him from behind. A couple teeth tumbled to the ground as the dobhar-chú lost its grip, followed by a violent smack, sending its compatriot off its feet.
“Enough of this!”
With a gesture of his hand, Rimush focused on the three beasts. A blue glow surrounded them before they crashed together midair. A sickening crunch of bone left the three limp. Shocked, Rimush released his hold, sending them into a pile on the ground. He leaned on his staff, letting his right arm droop and bleed.
“Such a violent display. Are any more lurking about?”
“If there are, hopefully I scared them off.” He sniffed the air to reassure himself. No scent of more lurking nearby. He caught his breath before straightening up, retracting his staff to pocket it again.
“That display. That was much more potent magic than the trick you showed me earlier.”
Rimush idly gripped the magic focus under his shirt. “Well I wasn’t fighting three wild animals at the time, was I?”
Vanessa was doubtful, but dropped the topic. “Your arm-”
“Will need stitches. In the meantime, if we have these bloodthirsty dobhar-chús running about, very likely that boy needs help.”
“Or he could simply be dead.”
“Well his mother deserves to know either way.”
“In for a credit, in for a bar, is it?”
“Something like that…”
Following the path up the river and around another bend, he saw a pack of dobhar-chús barking at and pacing around a large boulder. Perched on top of it was a frightened elven boy.
“It seems you’ve been vindicated, Rimush. How do you plan to take care of this lot?”
Rimush hid behind a tree off the side of the path, leaning his head over to observe. “There’s at least ten of them.” He leaned his back to the tree. “Frack this.”
“If you must use such language, you could at least curse like an elf.”
“Frell off, princess. I’m bleeding out here.”
“Well clearly you are in good enough spirits. So wow shall we save the boy?”
“Oh, now you care about the boy.” Rimush rolled his eyes. “And I’m not sure I agree with the implications of the word ‘we’ there.”
“It would be more productive to think of ways to chase off the dobhar-chú rather than bicker with me. Take a breath and calm your nerves.”
Rimush complied, breathing deep. The smell of the river bank filled his nostrils. Wet wood, flowers, weeds, mud, pete, some ruminant droppings, and…black powder? He squatted lower to the ground and sniffed in short bursts, directing his snout. Yes, black powder. And still dry.
“What in the name of the spirits are you doing?”
Rimush didn’t respond, continuing his sniffing. He crept, squatting low to the ground and moving quietly so as not to draw attention. Some distance into the brush, he found a stone structure, overgrown and reclaimed by nature. He pulled at the vegetation to reveal a metal gate, its joints rusted through. Using his good arm, he yanked at it, popping the gate off in a cloud of rust and dirt before it fell to the ground with a raucous.
“Smeg!”
“Rimush, before you are torn to shreds by those beasts, would you care to inform me why you are excavating that old fortification?”
“See for yourself.” Rimush stepped into the old stone dugout. Old rotten wood shelves adorned the wall. In the corner, three barrels.
“I still have no idea what you are getting at.”
Rimush pried the lid off one of the barrels. “This, princess, is black powder.” He replaced the lid and packed it down tightly. “The cause of, and solution to, a great number of problems throughout history. Among them,” He grunted as he heaved a barrel over his shoulder, “ours.”
“Have you gone completely mad?”
“Mad like a fox.”
“You are not making any sense. The blood loss has diminished your faculties. You will accomplish nothing but blowing yourself to Hezmana!”
“I’ll wait for you there with the pack of dobhar-chús.” Rimush stepped out of the treeline onto an elevated portion of the bank. He dropped the barrel on his side, then retrieved his staff and opened it over the barrel. The end of the staff smashed through the top of the barrel, leaving a small round hole. Gently tipping the barrel over, Rimush propped his foot on top of it.
“HEY KID!”
“Rimush! No!”
The elf boy looked over to Rimush, along with the pack of dobhar-chús surrounding the rock he was perched on.
“HEAD DOWN! EYES CLOSED! EARS COVERED! MOUTH OPEN!” Rimush kicked the barrel down the incline, rolling it toward the pack. The spinning barrel left a black trail of powder spilling from the hole in its lid.
The pack of beasts charged towards Rimush as the barrel accelerated downhill. He squatted, right hand over a portion of black powder left on the ground.
“This is going to hurt.” His hand glowed a faint red, releasing sparks of fire over the powder. The trail of black powder erupted in a cloud of white smoke and orange flame. The charging dobhar-chús sprinted past the tumbling barrel. Rimush simply laughed as the cloud of smoke rapidly approached the barrel.
The explosion vaporized a few of the nearby dobhar-chús, others were sent flying. The few that lagged behind the pack were blown off their feet, and quickly retreated into the river. Rimush himself was sent flying into a tree, smacking his back against the trunk and knocking the breath out of him. He landed facedown in the muck.
Rimush dragged himself back out of the treeline with his good arm, rolling over onto his back once he returned to the crest of the small hill overseeing the river bank. He wiped the mud and smoke out of his face. He let out a laugh and winced in pain, instantly aware of his bruised ribs.
“You absolute fool! You could have died!”
The elf boy had climbed down from the rock and run over to Rimush.
“How you doing, kid?” Rimush’s voice was raspy, from exhaustion, injury, and slight dehydration.
“Thank you, sir. I was stuck up there for a while. They attacked me while I-”
“Was watering the sheep. Yes, I know.” Rimush struggled to sit up. “Ite, right?”
The boy nodded.
“Ite, I’d very much appreciate it if you could walk me back to town and find someone that might be willing to patch me up.” Rimush offered his left hand.
The boy cautiously grabbed it and dragged the Raleighan up to his feet.
“Just so you know, kid. Unexploded ordnance is very dangerous. Never play with it.” Rimush braced his arm around Ite’s shoulder, leaning his weight on the elf.
Unsure how to respond, the boy simply wrapped his right arm around Rimush’s back to brace him.
“Agh, careful there.” Rimush shifted a bit to avoid bothering his injuries. “Alright, lead the way.”
The two made their way up the path toward the settlement.
