Chapter Fifteen - Maneryt
Lord Vayr was a noble, and thus only a congress of peers could judge him. He also had to be escorted to the capital of the Kingdom of Alnam, since with his actions, he had troubled the king directly. Said capital being, indeed, Alnam herself. The city was no less than half a month away at a sedated pace heading South, moving through areas that were notorious for their bandits.
One didn't need to be a seer to understand what might happen to a noble headed for judgment passing through slightly uncivilized lands. Sir Bravus had sought out permission to join the escort, and as a Paladin of Helm had to oversee it all, both Mavrus and I most dutifully offered our blades to the team headed for the capital.
Steeleye Norrick had chosen me for the duty at hand, much to my secret regret. I would do the task, and I would do my best, but I already knew that it would be of the utmost importance not to let any harm befall the noble regardless of my personal feelings on the matter.
Had that been all, I might have felt the task normal. There was also the problem that, as an eyewitness and accessory to the crime itself, the survivor from the mercenaries hired by the noble had to be brought along. She, differently from the noble, wouldn't be getting the same level of respect. We had two carriages, one for the common prisoner and the other for the noble one. The former was pretty much a cage on wheels, and the latter had a velvety interior and windows, as well as a driver seat with a plush pillow to seat on.
They were both under my protection until we reached Alnam. Anything that happened afterwards would not be my problem, but until we did reach the capital, I would protect them both with my life. My celestial dog could easily hold the pace of my horse, and as the noble carriage was set and prepped with guards from other nobles to ensure he'd reach the capital, the town's militia was instead bringing the rear with the commoner's cage carriage. Thus, the small group of twelve departed on a cold, windy morning.
I was glad I had a scarf around my neck, the cracking of it making me sigh in relief as my eyes scanned the horizon of the road. The carriages were moving slowly, most of the guards on foot and none eager to hurry their pace. They'd just get tired sooner, and then have to rest. It was true that a human could walk a long distance after all, and the guards all were physically fit for the task at had.
Endurance hunters, that was what humans were all about. As I mulled the thought, three of the guards were busy mumbling to one another. After a short while, one detached and courageously neared me.
"My lord," he spoke with the same tone he'd reserve to a lord. "When will we make camp?"
I looked at the man, and then glanced around with a furrowing of brows. Had there been another Paladin, I would have gladly asked for his counsel. There wasn't; and Sir Bravus was busy looking at the forest, as if eager to get his sword unsheathed and charge wildly into the fray of battle. I realized it was up to me to set the time for the escorts to follow.
"I'm no lord, just a servant of Helm," I answered. It wasn't a peculiarly hot day, but there was camp to make, and break. I dreaded the amount of time it would take for the lord's servants to set up a table and a chair for the man. "We'll try to cover as much ground as the day permits," I said in the end. "If you wish to eat while on the march, I will not stop you." It was true that Lord Vayr was a noble, and warranted respect. It was also true that he was to be brought to justice, and this was the gentlest way to do so. It was common to skip the main meal often, and merely have a bigger dinner when marching.
If instead he preferred to eat while on the move, then it would be his choice. The commoner would eat when we decided to feed her; it wasn't like we'd starve her, but it was common practice to give but a single meal, in order to keep them from growing too rowdy, or getting ideas on breaking free and running for the hills.
We did have provisions, which stood on the saddle bags of the horsemen, and some even on the noble's carriage. Meat pies that were stale when they were brought to us, and that would remain stale, but safe for consumption, for weeks and perhaps even months. We had dried meat, cheese, and what I believed was the most watered down ale and wine they could give us.
If we wanted something fresh, we'd have to hunt it ourselves and cook it over an open flame. It wasn't that uncommon, but out of everyone escorting the caravan only two had bows, and those weren't small, practical hunting bows but the large variety. The one that could puncture chain-mail and knock the wind out of you if they hit the breastplate.
The window of lord Vayr's carriage came down a few hours later, a valet wearing pristine clothes lifting a white gloved hand to catch my attention. I gently patted my horse's flank, and it increased its pace to catch up to the window.
"My lord?" I said.
"We will take a rest," he commanded airily. "Order the guards to stop."
I gave a slow nod, and did just that.
He was a prisoner. He was in wait for sentencing. He was also a noble, innocent until proven guilty. If he asked for a stop, then I would give him one.
"Take turns guarding the carriages," I said to the guards, "Groups of two. Those who are in need of relief, there's a forest nearby. Don't stray too far."
I glanced up at the sky. It was early afternoon, too early for a proper rest by setting up camp. "Don't rest too much. There's more ground to cover before the day ends."
In the far distance behind us, we could still see Maneryt, and way ahead of us, the verdant tops of the forest trees we had to trek through. Two weeks on the march would be a hefty toll on a noble, and I didn't doubt that the man's patience would fray and thin given time.
From what I garnered, there were more than a few roadhouses we could stop on the way to change our horses, and eat something warm and fresh. Of course, that depended on having the gold to pay for the meals in question. I suspected every guard had their own salary to draw upon, but for what concerned volunteers of Maneryt's militia, I did wonder if the temple of Helm had paid them in advance, or if they'd be paid at arrival.
It did make my heart bleed to think that they might be forced to sleep in the cold out of the roadhouse. Perhaps I'd politely inquire about the stables along the way.
"Shallowbrook!" Sir Bravus called with a wave of the hand, having dismounted his horse. "Since we're stuck here for a while, what about a friendly match?"
"No," I answered, dismounting myself with a dreary sigh. "We have a duty at hand."
Sir Bravus huffed, and then dismissed the issue with a wave of the hand. "It's just guard duty, an easy one at that!"
He had just jinxed us, had he not? I was reasonably sure that anyone who started saying stuff like that would normally invite retribution from the Gods of misfortune and mischief. I rolled my eyes, and gently began to bring my horse closer to some tufts of grass to have a snack. "If we hurry along, we can reach a roadhouse by nightfall," I said to the man, "I'd rather not have to take turns in the middle of the forest at night."
"Afraid of some Goblins?" Bravus asked, a smile on his face.
"There are other creatures that lurk the nights, Bravus," I answered. "And some are more dangerous than others." I glanced at the sides of the road. "If the task is boring, then I welcome it. For it means those I am sworn to protect will not be put into undue danger."
Bravus' face was really honest in its disgust at my words. He muttered something I couldn't quite catch, or chose to willfully let slide, and then he headed off to talk with some of the guards. Probably looking for a public to narrate his stunts.
A gentle bark caught my attention next, and as I turned my gaze to my dog, I couldn't help but kneel and rub its head. The Celestial Dog was a Mastiff, with its golden, intelligent eyes and wrinkled forehead. Its fur was the color of silver, and it emitted a soft, silverish hue of light. The tail shook right and left happily at the head rubbing.
At the very least, I would have intelligent company during my trip to Alnam.
Just as dogs were a man's best friend...
...celestial dogs were a Paladin's best ally.
