A Soldier's Life - 357 -

It was not a fun chapter to write, and I will rewrite it after I read the comments. I did rush toward the end so need more detail there.

Chapter 357:

Mateo roused next to Clarissa, a widow he had met on returning from the Boutan Caliphate. She had been desperate after her husband had been lost at sea and was selling wild onions in the market with her three young children hanging on her. Mateo had purchased her entire stock for a silver, ten times what she had been asking for the bundle. He just dropped the wild onions off for Lirkin at Adrian’s Rest to use in the evening meal. He had earned way too much silver traveling with Eryk, and his only obligation was to train in the evening with the other company men under Blaze’s direction, so he considered the silver well spent.

He returned for the next three days to do the same even though the bundle was smaller each day, to Clarissa’s immense relief, and she no longer complained about being overpaid for her harvest, accepting the silver gratefully to feed her children.

When Mateo learned she took her three children to the woods at sunrise to dig up the onions, he didn’t know what to do, so on impulse to help the young mother, he offered to watch them. At first, Clarissa was suspicious of Mateo, as Anna, Mabel, and Oliver were her whole world. They were ages nine, eight, and six, respectively, but taking them miles outside the city was dangerous. She could also harvest more if she didn’t have to keep track of them.

Clarissa was only a year older than Mateo’s 25 years, and he found her devotion to her children attractive. The first time he watched them, he spoiled them, buying them new used clothes and multiple meals. Clarissa was at a loss for words, and there was only one thing she could think to do to repay his generosity. He refused her, and she broke down in tears, thinking it was because she was ugly.

Mateo did think her nose was too small, her sandy hair too wild, and her jawline too sharp, but he refused out of guilt. He wanted to help, not purchase her services. After he explained his reasoning in way too many words, she calmed down. Mateo took up babysitting duties from then on, usually bringing the trio to Adrian’s Rest, where he had a room. The other men of the company adopted the children with Mateo, teaching them and entertaining them during the day.

Mateo stretched in bed, Clarissa’s naked body nestled closer to him. After a month of watching the children, and with encouragement from Castile and Sylph, Mateo had finally slept with her. From there, the floodgates opened for him, and he fell hard for the woman. He still watched the children during the day but got Clarissa a job working for Lirkin at Adrian’s Rest. She knew the city well, so she procured everything he needed for his kitchen. She was good at it, getting excellent deals.

“I love you muscles,” Clarissa whispered into his ear as she traced his pectoral muscle. Mateo stroked her hair in response.

“We can just stay in bed all day,” he said suggestively.

“You could! I have to go to three butchers and somehow find a hundred apples that are out of season!” She said, in theatrical rage. She loved a challenge, so she was not really complaining.

“If Eryk were here, he would just make them appear and hand them over to you like that,” Mateo snapped his fingers.

Clarissa rolled her eyes. “If Benito is to be believed, your Eryk could leap into a dragon’s mouth, get shit out its rear end, and still smell like a summer breeze.”

“He probably could,” Mateo said, grinning, and Clarissa playfully slapped him. She had heard enough fantastical stories about Eryk that she thought he was probably not even a real person—or maybe a collection of a dozen people.

“I’m hungry, Mayo.” said the overly thin Mabel in the doorway. Her younger brother, standing behind her, nodded in agreement. Mabel had trouble with the letter “t” since she was missing her front teeth, so she called him Mayo. Mateo sat up to see Anna cleaning up the common room in the small apartment beyond them.

“Okay—you all get some shoes on, and I will take you to Grannies.” The faces of the young children lit up, and they all scrambled to get out of their nightclothes and dressed. Grannies was a small tavern with excellent breakfast portions for a few coppers. Mateo was not thrifty, but he liked the old woman who ran the tavern by herself.

Mateo reluctantly dressed as well, giving Clarissa one final kiss. He had shared his mouthwash potion with her—the intimacy benefits far outweighed the costs. Another thing he was happy to have learned from Eryk. Soon, he was walking down the street with three energetic children, waving to familiar people. Grannies was on the edge of the slums, but he wasn’t too concerned. Benito, Lirkin, Blaze, Helen, Sylph, and himself had roughed up one of the local gangs after they found them abusing some orphans for child labor. It also helped that they had two mages at their backs, Castile and Selena.

He settled into a chair in the tavern, dropping four copper coins for breakfast. Granny smiled, most of her teeth missing as she swept the coins up and placed four large bowls of porridge topped with dried fruit and a hefty sausage link they would have to split. A pitcher of watered-down ale followed for another copper. Anna ate daintily while Mabel shoveled the food into her mouth rapidly. Oliver, the six-year-old boy, struggled to maneuver the overfilled spoon into his mouth. Mateo smiled as he slowly enjoyed his bowl. They reminded him of his own siblings, but he was now somehow the adult in this company.

“Are we going to play with Marius and Clara today?” Anna asked as she ate with a straight back and square shoulders. Marius and Clara were Viridia’s children who sometimes hung around Adrian’s Rest, but they lived and were schooled in the upper city. Anna was trying to imitate Clara with her manners as she aspired to join the wealthy class one day.

“I don’t think so. Marius has sword lessons today, and Clara is probably with her mother helping care for the baby,” Mateo replied patiently. Anna’s big blue eyes held disappointment, but there was nothing he could do. He focused on savoring the simple gruel with a hint of sweetness from the fruit. He smirked a little, knowing whose baby it was. He couldn’t wait for him to return and discover that he had sired a child—one just as obstinate and obnoxious as the man himself.

“Mayo, can we get honey cakes?” Mabel asked, her bowl somehow empty. How that wisp of a child could eat so much yet remain so thin was a mystery.

“We can get them tonight and share them with your mother,” he said, giving in to the child’s messy, innocent face. Mabel beamed happily at her victory.

Suddenly, Mateo’s danger sense triggered. He froze and scanned the room. Three men in cloaks with their hoods up had entered the dark tavern. Granny could not afford glowstone, and only frosted glass allowed light in. One of the hooded men turned toward his table. Even in the shadows, Mateo recognized the face. What was Firth doing here? Firth leaned in, and his companions split from him, one heading for the back exit and one standing at the door.

Mateo’s blood chilled. He had his long knife and legion hatchet on his belt. His sword was too valuable to carry in the city. Firth moved to the table and sat between Mabel and Anna. Both children looked outraged at the stranger’s presence and looked to Mateo to deal with him.

“Mateo, been a long time,” Firth said, taking Anna’s bowl and helping himself.

“What are you doing here, and who are those men?” Mateo said calmly. His danger sense told him he couldn’t do anything with the children so close. “Kids—go to the inn and wait for me there.”

“Why do we have to go to Adrian’s Rest?” Oliver whined. Firth smiled, and Mateo winced.

“Adrian’s Rest? What a fantastic name. No, I don’t think so,” Firth said, putting an arm around each of the girls. Their small frames had no chance of resisting.

“What do you want, Firth,” Mateo ground his teeth in frustration.

Firth exhaled tiredly. “Here, I travel across the entire continent to be with friends, and you treat me so poorly.” Mateo’s eyes hardened. Firth gave up trying to honey his words—he was not good at it. “Fine. I need to bring back Castile to Emperor Octavian. I would much prefer she was alive than dead.”

Mateo laughed and shook his head, “What are you a Hound now? Not a chance I am helping you.”

“Actually, I am.” Firth grinned. “I am in charge of my own little Pack of hunters,” Firth smiled impishly. “Come now. Why don’t you go tell Castile we are here for her. She comes voluntarily, and she will be brought before the Emperor alive. In the meantime, I can watch your—” He looked at the three children, “Family?” Mateo tried to remain impassive, but that is what they were to him now after nearly half a year of watching them.

“You hurt Castile, and Eryk will cut off your head with his magic!” Anna said, and tried to struggle out of his grasp.

A mask of confusion spread across Firth’s face. “Eryk is dead—” he seemed to question the air. Anna, not knowing any better, replied, “No, Uncle Benito says he went to the other side of the world to save the goliaths!” Her struggling grew more intense, and Firth clamped down on her shoulder, causing her to squeak in pain. Granny came storming out of the kitchen only to be punched in the stomach by the Hound at the door. She collapsed to the floor and curled into a ball, holding her ribs, whimpering in pain. Mateo felt adrenaline surging with his anger, but had enough self-control not to risk the children.

“Anna, calm down. Mabel, Oliver, stay here with this man, but if he tries to take you anywhere, scream at the top of your lungs.” Firth tsked at Mateo but didn’t say anything. Mateo slowly stood up and sheathed his knife. He had been ready to lunge across the table to protect the children.

As Mateo edged to the door, he heard Firth asking, “Tell me all about this hero, Eryk.”

When he stepped into the street, Mateo scanned it and noticed another figure in a dark cloak. This one with the hood down. Wylie was here, too. He had been Firth’s lackey in the company. He thought about approaching him to try and reason with him but instead turned and started to walk quickly to Adrian’s Rest.

He knew he was being followed, but there was no point in trying to lose them. They knew where he was going now. He burst in the inn. Benito was playing cards with some locals, stacks of copper coins at the table. “Hounds are in the city!” He barked at Benito. “Where is Castile?”

Benito was on his feet, his chair flying back. “She is having lunch with Elaro in his villa.”

“Harpies tits! Its Firth and Wylie and other Hounds!” Mateo yelled.

“Why is Firth and Wylie working with the Hounds?” Benito asked, confused.

“They are Hounds!” Mateo yelled back furiously, going behind the counter and grabbing a buckler and blade stashed there. His blade was secreted under his bed upstairs. Lirkin came out of the kitchen, his apron covered in blood from cutting meat. Clarissa came behind him, as she must have just delivered part of today’s provisions.

“What is going on?” Clarissa asked worriedly. “Where are the children?”

Mateo ignored her for a moment, “Where is Blaze?” He knew Helena and Sylph were with Selena on some secret mission.

Lirkin moved to grab his own weapons behind the counter, “He was dropping off our armor to get adjusted.” That fact was most of them had put on some weight and they had to constantly bring their armor to Ignis for “adjustments.”

Wylie stepped through the door, and the locals began to leave. He let them pass without interference. It was unlikely the city guards would intervene until a fight actually broke out. Lirkin, Mateo, and Benito faced Wylie, who was once a faithful companion. Wylie looked different now, his eyes harder and less jovial than Mateo remembered. “The Emperor wants Castile to answer for her crimes. Firth thinks she will be spared and just imprisoned as an example if we bring her back alive.”

“Hounds don’t bring back people alive, Wylie,” Lirkin spat. “Why didn’t you come with us?”

Two other men in cloaks entered the inn’s common room and moved to either side of Wylie. “Be reasonable,” Wylie pleaded. “No one has to die.” The Hound on his left grunted, which made Wylie angry. The standoff didn’t last long as Firth arrived with the other two Hounds that had been with him at Grannies. Only Mabel was with them, her eyes terrified.

“Where is Castile?” Firth said, annoyed at seeing his old companions. “Be careful, the child said Blaze is somewhere in the city as well.”

“Where are my children?” Clarissa bellowed in fear. She raced forward before anyone could stop her from reaching Mabel. The Hound on Firth’s right blade appeared from under his cloak and hissed through the air, cutting through her throat. Her hands went to her throat as she fell to her knees.

Firth tried to say, “No,” but it was too late. All hell broke loose at that moment as Mateo roared in rage and charged. Benito turned on the nearest Hound, parrying an attack and tackling him to the ground. They rolled together in a tangle of the Hound’s cloak.

Mateo needed to get to Clarissa and get a healing potion into her before she bled out. He was stopped as two Hounds converged on him. Wylie was paralyzed, unable to move. Mateo let the Hound on the right hack into his arm while he parried the other blade. Ignoring the pain, he came back with his blade and skewered the man who had struck down Clarissa through the throat. He then used the body to shield himself from another attack.

Lirkin had moved to engage Firth, who was furious that his men had acted without his permission. Grunts, screams, and clashing blades echoed in the room. Mabel knelt in the blood of her mother and shook her as combat was waged around her.

Benito was on his feet, a deep cut on his forearm, but his opponent was dead. The other Hound quickly beset him. Mateo desperately tried to reach Clarissa but couldn’t disengage from the other Hound. Firth yelled at the stunned Wylie, “Fight, damn you!” Wylie came out of his shock and moved to help Firth against Lirkin. The company cook had put on some pudge in the last year but was still strong and fit.

When Wylie engaged, Firth used his spell form and accelerated his movements, creating an opening. Firth’s runic blade cut through the bloody leather apron and into his ribs. Benito yelled, but it was too late. Mateo bowled into his opponent, taking a glancing blow off his good arm. The stumbling Hound forced Firth and Wylie back from Lirkin’s collapsing body.

Benito got lucky when his opponent slipped on some blood and created an opening, which Benito seized, hacking into his neck. Firth was angry and flushed. “No. It didn’t have to be this way!” Three of his Hounds were dead, and Lirkin was practically dead. “Pull back!” He spat in anger and disgust. Wylie didn’t hesitate, but Quintis, the other Hound, looked confused. Mateo would bleed out soon, and the odds would be three to one. But with Firth and Wylie backing up, he had no choice but to follow. They hadn’t even found the mage.

Benito let them go and raced behind the bar. There was a single dungeon healing potion there. He ripped off the wood panel and grabbed it, but when he turned around, he was indecisive about who to give it to.

Mateo was trying to staunch the bleeding on his wounds, “Give it to Clarissa!”

Benito looked at Lirkin, who was on his back and breathing shallowly. “Do as he says!” He sputtered with blood flecking his lips. Benito knelt, cracked the potion seal, and poured a little over the thin line on Clarissa’s throat before pouring the rest in her throat. Relief washed over him as the neck wound disappeared, and then the woman coughed up congealed blood, splattering Benito’s face.

“Get a healer!” Lirkin shouted from the floor, still hoping to survive but feeling relieved as Mabel collapsed onto her mother, crying. Clarissa’s chest began to shallowly rise and fall again. Benito raced out of the inn, but ultimately, the healer did not return in time to save Lirkin from his injuries.

Blaze, Benito, Mateo, and Castile searched the city for Firth and his Hounds but only found evidence that they had fled through the western gates.

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