Fanfic:Shadereaver Part I
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After reading the message, Caden Ives put it to the marble fireplace.
"Edon," he said, his eyes staring upon the parchment as it crumpled and blackened in the flames, "bring quill and paper." His dark-haired squire, standing at the other side of the room, bowed and left the Gaidin Captain's chambers, his white robe flowing after him. Caden had just received a note from the smith in Elman's Creek reading he did have time forging him a weapon, yet needed him to bring him preferences of weight and shape of blade. For a weapon so yore as an ashandarei - a kind of polearm primarily used in the Age of Legends - he was pleased he did not need to borrow one from the Weaponry and show it to him. This was the fourth smith he had approached, and all the previous had work piled to their ears due to the coming war.
When Edon returned, shutting the door behind him, Caden looked over his shoulder as the young man immediately sat down by the redwood desk. "Write," said Caden and turned to pace the length of the room. Gathering a deep breath, he then continued. "Dear Leanna Sedai. I write to you as I shall leave the Grey Tower for Elman's Creek today and aid the local smith in forging me a weapon. I reckon you will manage without my immediate presence since you will be dealing with the Kandori nobles who arrived yester morn. If you would need me, just send for me since I shant be far. In the Light, Caden Ives."
When Edon was finished with the letter, he stood and folded his hands behind his back. "Should I leave it with the Keeper then, master Caden?" he asked in his even voice. The dark collar of his boiled leather armour hinted above the shining white of the robe. On both sides of his chest, swords were embroidered in black thread and when Caden nodded, the youth's black boots scraped as he left once again. He show great promise, yet he has no humour to share, he thought when the door closed. He had wanted to write more to Leanna, but it would not have been appropriate to share his emotions with his so-formal squire. He is even more formal than me.
Sighing, Caden paced to the bench underneath the stained glass window and lifted his long sabre from its place among the rest of his weapons. The hand-and-a-half sabre was a trusted companion now after all those years, and due to the fine craftsmanship, they had not affected the steel. Nor had the use it's seen. For a moment he stood and inspected the evenly oiled steel in the filtered morning sunlight. Content, he sheathed at his left side. Next he reached for his waved dagger and before he strapped it behind his back, he eased it in its black scabbard and pressed it back with a satisfying click. For last, he threw his fancloak over his shoulders, his charcoal grey coat hidden by cloth adapting to the sunlight he stood in.
When Edon finally returned, they both left for the stables.
Autumn was upon the mountains, and rim-frost clung to the sparse trees and patches of grass. Their breaths fumed in the chill air. As they made their way to Elman's creek, the sounds of the horses... hooves echoed between stone and sky. Riding down the road criss-crossed by fingers of mist, Edon seemed intent on something to the right of their deceding path. His shorter frame was coiled like a viper as he pointed towards a trail leading downslope. "Brigands," he said and rested his hand on his new sword, stalling the pace of his dun.
Gazing down the trail, Caden reined in Sandstorm. To his green eyes, it looked like a wagon was encircled by men on foot. In the morning sun, steel glinted and the Gaidin's eyes narrowed. "Aye," he said to Edon, "They are not uncommon these days. I reckon we have to help the villagers. Follow me and make sure you keep your eyes open for hidden men in the terrain."
Edon looked up to him briefly with hazel eyes when they turned their horses. "There might be a dozen of them, master Caden," he said, but to the Gaidin's surprise, he did not sound the least bit afraid.
"Yes," he replied and his lips hinted at a smile. He could hear raised voices now from below. "And there are two of us. Do you not favour the odds, young man? Think again. You are missing a number of vital factors."
There was a pause, then Edon looked up again. "We do not know the numbers of villagers in the wagon - they might aid us. We are better armed, since I can see that they only carry daggers and short axes. We are mounted, and they are not. We have the terrain on our side, as they are downslope to us," he said and looked down the trail again. "I see their leader, it is the one with silver earrings who speak to the ones in the wagon. If we get to him, the others might flee."
"Very good, Edon." Caden nodded, and eased his long sabre in its scabbard. "Now keep your eyes open for this will still be very dangerous." And it was then the brigands noticed them, and with shouts raised, the gathering's full attention was turned towards them. To Caden they looked ready to leap at them any second. His mind at edge, his brow-ridge lowered gradually over his green emerald orbs. He reined in ten spans from the highwaymen, his buckskin stallion snorting once in irritation. "We don't want your kind on the Grey Tower's soil. If you leave the villagers in peace and return to the lowlands you shall arrive there unharmed."
Edon spoke up unbidden, "Either that or we will throw you down the slopes." The young man looked quite intimidating for his age, mounted and white robe stirring as he kept his skittish dun in firm control. Caden would have to reprimand him for speaking at such a bad time later on.
The raven-haired leader stepped through the wall of now cursing bandits and drew back his lips in a snarl. "Watch ye tongues, fools. There be only two of ye. I think we be da ones who throw ye down da mountainside," his big earrings swayed as he looked to his companions. "Don't ye think so boys?"
The stony flatness in Caden's eyes never faded when he smiled. "Ah, I reckon we have a scholar. I hear that you are good with numbers. And well-spoken, to add. Can it be that you are schooled in the axe you carry as well?" He indicated the broad-bladed axe hanging in a loop at the outlaw's wide belt. "I advise you not to boast of yet another skill, for then we would have to show ours. Leave. That is our final warning."
The brigand stood still and regarded them. The air was thick with tension. Caden never looked away from the leader, but Edon scanned over them all, measuring their intents. Fingers opened and closed around hilts, their own were still. Some of them wet their lips, some cursed under their breath and others were blinking away sweat. The Gaidin smelled death already. If it was his own or not, he could not tell beforehand.
The light morning breeze died then, only to give birth to a storm of steel.
Caden could not really tell what happened first - what it was which had finally stirred the storm, but there he was, riding down two brigands and slashing down to the right at another. The leader had darted out of his path and he tried to seek him out in the blur of motions. He could see Edon slashing down to the left and right from the back of his dun, all the while his face stiff in focus.
While engaged in combat against armored footmen Caden knew that he must strike at the neck, face, or under the armpit; otherwise his blow would glance off the armor and be a wasted effort. This was not a problem now, for the highwaymen wore next to no armour. In the heat of the battle, he remembered the words of his former teacher, Elrion. He had constantly told him, keep his legs loose, and the reins tight enough to let the animal know who's the boss, but not too tight or he'd cut its mouth turn it frenzy.
From behind came a throwing axe, missing his scalp by inches. The thrower hefted another axe while Caden turned his mount around. When another axe came he was ready and slammed it aside with a strike of his sabre. The ringing noise his block resulted in had not faded when his horse quite suddenly reeled to the side - and then reared with a terror-stricken scream. He kept his legs from going stiff when his animal reared up. If he stiffened his legs he'd be thrown, no matter how well he gripped the reins. With a hasty glance, Caden could see how an outlaw had run a longspear into the side of Sandstorm. No... The horse was in panic from the pain, and it looked like the spear had punctured between two ribs since the wooden shaft did not show any steel anymore where it had entered the buckskin's side. He cursed himself for not spotting the weapon earlier amonst the brigands.
Before he fell to the ground and was buried under the weight of the beast, Caden loosed his right foot from the stirrup and swung his leg backwards - over to the left side in an overly violent kick. He managed to hit one brigand squarely in the face, which sent the man flying to the ground. The Gaidin Captain landed on his feet and came eye to eye with the one who threw axes at him the moment before. The man used one of his axes to strike towards his head, and Caden stepped to the right and swung his blade in a rising arc, holding the blade far out to the side. The brigand's hands were severed and blood rose towards the sky with the blade. The Crooked Strike came a thought as he remembered learning the swordform from Sigmund Gaidin. Pivoting to the right the Gaidin used Water Flows Downhill to open a man from shoulder to opposite hip. Only when the man was convulsing on the mountainside did he realize it was the man who had skewered his mount.
Rather than seeing or hearing another coming up behind him, Caden felt the threat and acted accordingly. Crossing his feet he spun around by twisting his hips and shoulders. While he spun, he held his blade horizontally and delivered Arc of the Moon. The slash was meant to intercept, but it turned out as a block. He found himself face to face with the leader. The earrings glinted in the sun and the look on the man's face was that of a madman. "Now ye die!" he screamed and chopped with his big axe anew - lounging forward.
Stepping in, Caden raised the hilt of his sword and caught the attack from underneath. His blade angled downwards, he let the axe's blade glance of the length of the long sabre and swung around in a tight arc while he stepped past the opponent. The strike completed a full circle before it took of the head. When the remaining body fell, Caden was standing on the opposite side of where he had been.
The remaining fight was short, for the brigands scattered soon after they saw their leader's head rolling down the slope. In a matter of moments, they were retreating down the mountainside, leaving Caden and Edon with the wagon.
"Edon?" asked Caden, watching the fleeing highwaymen. He shook the blood from his blade in a measured movement before sheathing it.
"I'm injured," retorted the squire from his mount. "It could turn out bad if I don't see to it, master." Looking over his shoulder, Caden saw that the young man's arm was cut, his white robe now soaked read down the forearm. His chin held a quite pale hue and Caden walked over to his side.
Producing his dagger, he cut the arm of his coat by the shoulder and removed the cloth with a sharp tug. "Lean down," he commanded and when he was obeyed, he tied the wound shut with a quick, hard movemets. Edon winched in the saddle when the cloth tightened, but he said nothing. "Ride back to the Tower, Edon. And make sure you get to the Infirmary. You need the Yellow Ajah's skills."
"What about you, master?" came the reply.
"I need to see the villagers safely home, squire. The brigands will be hungry for vengeance. And I lost my mount. Make sure you bring message to Lelianna Sedai that I might be further delayed. Now be on your way, before you bleed too much to know the way back."
"Yes, master." With those short words, Edon turned his dun around and galloped homewards, leaving Caden to regain his breath after the fighting. Slowly, the world turned tranquil in his senses, and the adrenaline thinned in his veins. I'm sorry Leanna, I hope you don't need me by your side this day, he thought while he watched Edon disappear up the mountain.
Hearing the wooden door of the wagon creak open, he turned around to see two children climbing out. They were raven-haired and grey eyed, and there was no mistaking them being brother and sister. They looked vary, and no doubt they were thinking what he would do next. When no one else came fourth, Caden walked towards them. "Don't be frightened. I will not hurt you," he said, spreading his hands. "Are the two of you alone? Where is your mother and father?"
"Mother is gone long ago. Father is at home. Who are you?" Asked the girl, the boy silently wringing his hands by her side.
"I'm Caden. I'm from the Tower. Have your father told you about the Grey tower?" he asked, not wanting to walk any closer. He crouched down instead and folded his hands.
"Yes," answered the boy, suddenly interested. "Can you throw lightning and fire? Where is your black coat?"
Smiling, Caden's stone features warmed a little. "I'm no Asha'man. I am a Warder. Don't you think I would have scared the bad men away if I could do such things? What's your names, young ones?"
"I'm Bari and this is my brother Sami," said the girl. "Why did they want to hurt us? We never did anything bad to them."
"I have no good answer to that, Bari. They were poor and they thought you had gold and silver. They wanted to steal it from you. How come you are travelling alone? Shouldn't your father be with you?" asked Caden, changing the subject from the dead men all around the road. It was bad enough they lay there, in play view to the children.
"Father lets us travel to the town to buy food. It's so close. We have never been attacked before," said Sami. "Father told us to ride very fast if anyone would attack, but we couldn't. They put a tree in the way," he continued and pointed to a rotten trunk lying across the road. Caden hadn't noticed it earlier.
"Next time you shouldn't travel alone," he said. "The roads aren't safe anymore." Looking towards the trunk on the path, Caden stood and walked to it. It was very thick and heavy, but owned an even surface, so he could roll it quite easily. After a minute or two, he had cleared the trail for the wagon. When he walked back to the children, he saw Sandstorm's body.
He was angry with himself for loosing his stallion, it was his own fault the poor animal was dead. It had worn no armour against the spear, and he had rather recklessly thundered into the midst of highwaymen. He would miss it greatly, for he had not ridden a better and more daring horse. Pulling his thoughts away from the dead stallion, he spoke to Bari and Sami, "I will accompany on your way home, in case the bandits return. It's for the best."
Bari and Sami looked to each other and the boy soon spoke up. "We thank you, kind Warder. Are you sure that will not be too big a bother?"
"I lost my horse, so I have small choice," he smiled faintly. "Now I need one of you to sit with me by the reins. Show me the way home to father."
