GoCorral

Chapter 1 – Tereman (Continued)

“Oh right! This was your last patrol. No longer a slave after you report to the captain.” Karl stroked his long dwarven beard as he said, “I should give you one last command to send you off.”

Tereman stood straight. One more command, that’s all it was.

“Ah, nevermind. I’d ask for that deer haunch, but that’s yours by right. I can’t be bother to even tell you what to do. Go talk to the captain.”

Tereman saluted and walked further into the barracks. He looked down at the bloody deer haunch. Perhaps better to dispose of that first. He made a detour to the kitchen. Grondi, Norris, and Talbian were all there as usual. They were slaves like him, but goblins instead of human and bound for life instead of for an expired decade.

Tereman told them, “This is for my freedom feast. Roast it nicely to share with the barracks, but keep the best parts for myself and Captain Logain.”

The goblins chittered among themselves in their language. The green one turned to Tereman. Was the green one Grondi? It spoke in Cimmerian, “Last day slave?”

“Yes, I’ll be free at the feast tonight.”

“Us free when?”

“You have to buy your freedom. You know that. Just get the roast ready,” as he spoke Tereman dropped the deer leg on the butcher block in the center of the kitchen. He turned and left before they asked more stupid questions.

Tereman stopped at the water barrel in the practice yard. He should be at least a little clean for meeting Captain Logain. He took a ladle of water out and drank it before getting another to wash his hands with. He used a third to pour on his hair and scrub the dirt from his face. A little less bloody and dirty, he was ready.

His feet walked slowly to the captain’s office. Tereman felt his hands shaking slightly. He swallowed his spit. The end of ten years of labor. He knocked on the door.

“Enter,” the captain’s voice said from within.

Tereman pushed the door open and took a step into the captain’s office. A window at the back let the late morning sunlight in. A large desk dominated the room with the captain’s wide chair behind it. The chair had a high seat to allow the dwarven captain to match eyes with all his staff, dwarf and human alike. On the desk were candles, ink, quills, and various legal papers and orders. A small bookshelf by the window held larger books detailing legal codes and ordinances going back to the Conclave. In front of the desk were three simple wooden chairs with stiff cushions on top of them.

Captain Logain looked up from the papers. He wore his small-framed circular spectacles while reading. Logain was a middle-aged dwarf. Crow’s feet were becoming visible around his eyes and streaks of gray were beginning to appear in his black hair and beard. Logain had dark eyes with just a tinge of gray streaking through them as well. The captain always wore his hoplite armor, even while working at the desk. Tereman knew the captain was married and had children, but Logain had never spoken of them himself. The dwarf’s thin lips smiled slightly when he saw Tereman.

“Back from your patrol so soon. You killed it then?” Logain asked.

“Yes, sir. I dropped the head off with Karl,” Tereman answered. He stood at attention in the doorway.

“Come in. Close the door and relax,” Logain said.

Tereman closed the door and looked around the small office, unsure what to do next. Logain provided the answer, “Sit.”

Tereman took off his pack and sat in the middle chair in front of the desk. Logain removed his glasses and stowed them in one of the desk’s drawers. He put his elbows on the table and knitted his fingers together. Logain placed the knuckle of his index finger against his lips as he stared at Tereman. Tereman stared back for a moment then looked down at the desk.

Logain spoke, “Ten years. Ten years of service to the guard. To Dalleer. To Lord Björn.” Logain leaned back in his chair. He separated his index fingers to tap the tips together. “Are you proud of your service here?”

“Yes, sir.”

“But you don’t want to continue.”

“No, sir.”

“Why?”

The question hung in the air. Tereman could answer easily, but Logain was still his master for now. To answer would insult him.

Logain sighed and brought his hands to rest on the armrests of his chair. “The chain of command is difficult to resist as is the chain of slavery. I simply want to talk with you, Tereman. Will you answer if I sign the paper first?”

Tereman blinked and said, “The paper? My contract?”

“Yes, your contract.” Logain pulled one of the drawers open and flipped through the papers within. He pulled out one. The paper was yellowing and rough. “Here we are. A contract of service made between the town guard with myself as the signatory and the merchant, Loftsiver, for ten years of his third living son, Tereman.”

Logain put the paper down facing Tereman. He swept the other papers on the desk aside so that Tereman could focus on his contract. Tereman’s eyes slide along the words to focus on the signatures at the end. His father’s signature and that of Captain Logain. There it was.

Captain Logain turned the paper back around to face himself. Tereman swallowed a lump in his throat. A stick of red wax came out from one of the drawers. Logain raised one of the candles at an angle to melt the red wax over the paper. A few red drops fell. Logain pressed the middle ring on his right hand into the wax, leaving an imprint of the city’s seal. Logain blew on the paper to cool the wax then handed the contract to Tereman.

“Is it?” Tereman said.

“It’s done, lad,” said Logain. “You’re a free man now. Free to join the guard as a free citizen. Or to join the temple as an acolyte. Or pursue whatever else you fancy.” Logain leaned forward and a smile appeared between his thin lips. “Free to answer my questions as well.”

Tereman cleared his throat. “Right. I… I won’t be joining the guard.”

“Aye. I knew that.”

Silence filled the room.

Tereman said, “I’m not sure what will be next. But I can’t stay in a place where I’ve been a slave for so long. I need somewhere were I’m free. Not just my body, but my memories are free as well.”

“Out on the road then?” asked Logain.

“I… Maybe?”

“Well there was something out on the road that came up while you were patrolling. The people of Shalerton are sending out an open call for help. Shalerton is one of the villages between here and Phoenix. They got attacked by some new type of monster. Humanoid, armed with swords and magic. A bunch of them got kidnapped. The ones who are left put together a sizable bounty for their rescue.”

Tereman said, “And you think I should go.”

“I think you should go. I know you stayed for these ten years out of duty. And I also know you stayed to help people. This is your chance to help a lot of people and find a new place for yourself. And I’m sure you won’t be going alone. They’ve pooled together five silver talents as a reward. That’s quite a bit of money and all the mercenaries are coming out of the woodwork to claim it.”

“I’ll do it.”

“Good to hear.”

“Was there anything else, Captain?”

“No. You’re dismissed.”

Tereman stood and left the captain’s office. He walked to his bunk in the barracks dormitory. Along the way he noticed the contract in his hand. What would he do with the thing? Keep it? No. It reminded him too much of the family he despised. He gripped the paper tightly in his hand, crumpling it slightly. He shrugged off his pack and left it at his bunk.

Tereman went to the fireplace in the dormitory. The fire was low, but still burning. He added another log and blew on the wood to get the blaze going. When the log was burning strong, it was time. He straightened out the creases in the paper. He folded it carefully in half and then placed it in the fire. Nothing would bind him anymore.

Tereman felt his shoulders. They were both aching from carrying his equipment all day. Tereman removed his armor and placed it by his bunk with his pack. He massaged his shoulders. If the people of Shalerton had sent out a call for help, they would need him in his best condition. Tereman raised his left hand over his right shoulder.

Speaking quietly to not disturb the sleeping night watch, Tereman prayed, “Hear me, O Zeus. If ever I have been devoted to you, mend my wounds. I offer you my undying service.”

Tereman’s hands glowed. As he rubbed his left hand along his right shoulder, the bite wound healed. Bruising disappeared and the broken skin drifted away like a bad dream. Satisfied, Tereman turned to his left shoulder. He rubbed his right hand along the back where the hoof had caught him. The aching feeling subsided and he was whole. Tereman held his palms up towards the sky above the roof. The glow faded.

“Thank you, O Zeus. I am your paladin.”

Chapter 2 – Galandir

Galandir had longed to be a hero all his life. He’d grown up hearing stories from his brother, Edialdir, and the historian, Shentien. Stories of the Dragon War and the brave heroes who freed Cimmeria from the Draconic Hegemony. His parents told stories too, but of the old days when the Olympians were still in Greece. Nothing as fun or exciting as the Dragon War Heroes and recent history.

Part of the point of NaNoWriMo is to just write without editing. But I still find myself doing minimal editing pieces as I’m going. I’ve done some minor edits that don’t matter much. One of the larger ones was turning Karl into more of a jerk to Tereman. I realized that if Tereman didn’t want to stay there’d need to be at least some negative energy directed towards him. Got two more protagonists to introduce!