Dragon Riders of Etrea—Chapter 10

Henrik was used to the towering buildings and dense crowds of Selfoss, so his first sight of the small town was an eye-opener. Most of the buildings were made from fieldstone and cob—Henrik expected wooden houses, but then he realized trees were in short supply in this area—and none of them were over two stories tall. Most buildings lacked fireplaces as well; this far south, it wasn’t really a requirement. Only one building had a chimney, but no smoke rose from it.

“Right there,” Tobias said, pointing to the lone building with the chimney. “Let’s hitch our horses and start talking to the locals.” He looked over at Rasud. You might want to sit this one out. No offense.”

“None taken,” Rasud said, grabbing the hood of his robe and pulling it over his head. “I have no desire to rub elbows with those that would call me dog, and this seems like just that type of place.”

They approached the stables and a teenage boy came out. His eyes widened at the sight of Tobias in his shining mail armor and brightly colored tabard, and widened further at hulking Henrik with his hard face and massive sword. Rasud, he stared at for a moment, trying to see into his hood.

“Take good care of our horses, now,” Rasud said, flicking him a coin. It gleamed silver in the evening light.

The boy caught it and his eyes bulged when he saw what it was. “Yes, my lord,” he said, knuckling his forehead. He helped each man unload their equipment, then led their horses to the stables.

“How much did you pay him?” Henrik asked.

“Enough that he won’t mind the color of my skin if he sees it,” Rasud replied.

“To be honest, that’s a good use of your money,” Tobias said. He carried his shield and bow with him this time, not wanting to leave them in the stable.

They approached the old inn, which had a wooden sign above the front door that designated it End of the Road. 

Rasud laughed when he saw it. “A rather ominous name, wouldn’t you say? Perhaps they meant it in a different way.” He pushed the door open and the three men entered the tavern.

A hush fell over the room as everyone turned to see who had arrived. In a small town this far to the east, they were likely used to the same people every night; friends and neighbors. Travelers would always draw attention, but the nature of these stood out.

Tobias was clearly a professional soldier, with his gleaming mail armor, tabard, and kite shield. Henrik stood a head taller than anyone else in the room and wore a heavy sword at his hip, which drew plenty of glances. And then there was Rasud, a smaller man, but wearing robes with the hood pulled forward so that no one could clearly see his face.

A heavyset man with a white apron that had seen better days hurried up to them, and gave a slight bow as he approached. 

“A fine evening to you, good masters. Will you be taking food and drink tonight? Rooms? Hamil is my name, and I’m pleased to serve.”

“Three rooms,” Tobias said, taking the lead. “And a table for me and the big man. My smaller colleague here will take his food in his room. He is doing important research, so once his food is delivered I ask that you not bother him.” Tobias reached into his coinpurse and pulled out several silver coins, then passed them to Hamil.

Hamil’s eyes widened at the sight of so much silver. “Of course, my lords,” he said, bowing his head several times. He raised his voice to the serving woman that was walking by. “Francine! Get these fine gentlemen a table and some ale while I prepare their rooms.”

“Funny how a handful of silver will turn ‘good masters’ into ‘my lords,’” Rasud said with a quiet chuckle as Hamil hurried away.

Francine directed them to a nearby table, and the three of them sat. Several people tried to catch a glance inside Rasud’s hood, so he kept his head down and the hood pulled forward. Knowing him, he probably had a spell to keep his face in shadow. Henrik sat down and made sure to relax his face. He had a bad habit of glaring at everyone. He couldn’t help it; it was just how he looked at things.

Francine arrived a moment later with three mugs of ale in her hands. She was a pretty woman in her middle years, with her blouse unlaced just far enough to hint at what lay beneath. Her eyes were dark brown, as was her hair, which was pulled back and tied with a red ribbon. On any other day, Henrik would have tried his luck with her, but they had more important matters at hand. Besides, she had a no-nonsense look about her. 

“Good evening, my lords,” she said, placing her fists on her hips and looking at each one of them. “Now, the lot of you is clearly not from around here. Are you from the city?”

Henrik nodded, but it was Tobias that answered.

“Yes ma’am,” he said. “We would like some information of recent events, if possible. An attack on some of the local farmers. My employer wants to put a stop to such things.” He indicated the tabard on his chest with Duke Ardun’s colors.

Francine frowned. “Yeah, they avoided us for all our lives until recently. Not sure why they suddenly got all vicious. Some say it’s that new chief of theirs, making them want to fight everyone. Or maybe farms are just an easy source of food. Either way…if you could deal with them, I’d help however I could.”

“Can you tell us which farms were raided? Or more specifically, where they are?” Tobias asked, eager now that he had a snippet of information.

She shook her head. “No. East, probably. East and south. I usually don’t bother myself with such things.”

“And here you are, my lords,” Hamil said as he hurried back to the table with three large keys in his fat hand. He handed one to each of the men. “All on the second floor. My best rooms, of course.” He turned to Rasud. “My lord, if you wish to go to your room now, I will bring your food up myself as soon as it is ready.”

Rasud nodded. “I would like that. No meat in my dinner, please.” He pushed himself to his feet and walked to the stairs, never looking to the side.

“Your friend is a mysterious one, isn’t he?” Hamil said as he watched Rasud walk away.

“He is a man of books,” Henrik said. “A collector of ancient knowledge. The kind of man that enjoys his peace.”

Hamil watched him for another moment, then turned to Henrik as the subtle meaning of his words set in. “Oh, of course my lord! No one will bother him here. I run a tight crew, me and Francine that is. We keep things under control.”

“They were asking about the recent raids,” Francine said, then left the table and went to the kitchen.

“Oh,” Hamil said, his demeanor suddenly changing. “Yes, well…no one is happy about that. Not many people were harmed, but plenty of food was stolen. Out here, that’s all many people have. They sell sheep and barley and wheat to the city to make their living. Taking that from them takes away their ability to feed their children.” He shook his head. “I can’t tell you much, but one of the farmers is here. He might be able to. Should I call him over?”

“No need,” Henrik said. “Can you just tell us roughly where his farm is located? In relation to Limestone.”

Hamil rubbed at his chins with a fat finger. “Well, if memory serves, you take the southern road from town and just follow it for half a day. It eventually turns east and then you’ll come across Abner’s farm.”

“Does the north road also turn east?” Henrik asked.

“East and west,” he replied. “A few miles north of here it splits. I would advise you to avoid the eastern road, though. Almost no one travels it, save for the one or two farmers brave enough to live out that way. You go an hour or two beyond that and you’re in no man’s land.”

“Why do you call it that?” Tobias asked.

Hamil gave a nervous chuckle. “Oh, my lords, I don’t want you to have a laugh at us country folk and our beliefs. Suffice to say there are plenty of stories of things far to the north and east that would chill your blood.”

“How many dragons live out there?” Henrik asked.

Hamil hurriedly glanced around to see if anyone had overheard Henrik’s question. “We don’t talk about them, my lords,” he said quietly. “Most people believe them just stories or children’s fancies. A lot of people come through here, and I’ve heard men talk about it, though.”

“What did they say?” Henrik asked, leaning forward.

Hamil chose his words carefully. “I don’t want to speak no words that ain’t true, my lords. Remember, this is just what I heard.”

Henrik nodded impatiently.

Hamil glanced around one more time, then spoke quietly. “A man came in, only two or three weeks ago. I never seen someone so frightened. He looked like he had seen the dead walking. He had been a farmer along that eastern road I told you about. According to him…. Well, he said one day one of those things appeared out of nowhere. It swooped down and grabbed one of his sheep, and damn near scared the rest of them half to death.”

“A dragon ate his sheep?” Tobias asked. “Well, easier than hunting, I suppose.”

“The strangest thing was that he said a woman rode the dragon, just as a man might ride a horse. Even had a saddle, right there on the dragon’s shoulders. She threw something shiny at him. He looked around and found it, and it was a gold coin. I suppose she was paying him for the lost sheep.”

“Dragon rider,” Henrik said, glancing at Tobias, who nodded. “Well, she paid the man. Someone evil wouldn’t have done that. Can you tell me anything else about her? Or the dragon?”

“The farmer questioned his own mind after that,” Hamil continued. “Said the woman was the most beautiful person he’d ever seen. It made no sense, her riding on a dragon. He thought he was losing his mind and seeing things, except one of his sheep missing proved the woman and the dragon really were there. So he set his animals free, grabbed all of his money he had saved, and left. Said he couldn’t live out there no more.”

“How far to the east is this farm?” Henrik asked.

Hamil looked at him for a moment. “You aren’t planning on going out there, are you? My lords, it isn’t safe. Meaning no offense, my lord, you certainly look like you can handle yourself, but—” he lowered his voice to a whisper and looked around. “A damn dragon!”

“Just answer the question, friend,” Tobias said, keeping his voice easy so as not to intimidate the nervous innkeeper.

Hamil rubbed at his chins again. “Well, if you take the north road, it turns to the east after a few hours’ ride. Keep going that way…. Judging by when he arrived and when he said it happened, it should take you most of the day to get there.”

“Thank you,” Henrik said. After a moment he reached into his coinpurse and withdrew a silver coin, then slid it across the table to Hamil. “Information has value. You’ve been a great help.”

“Oh! Oh, thank you, my lords,” Hamil said as he snatched up the coin. He knuckled his forehead to them and half-bowed. “If there’s anything else I can do, please let me know.”

“That was much easier than I expected,” Henrik said as he watched Hamil walk away.

“Well, you have to remember one thing,” Tobias said, finally drinking his ale. “Oh, that’s good. Out here, not much happens beyond farming and herding. Some man walks in, looking half-crazed and talking of a dragon…. People will listen. Many will dismiss his words as ramblings of a madman, but smart ones like Hamil will tuck that information away.”

Francine stopped by their table at that moment holding plates piled high with thick slices of meat and what looked like green beans but in a rainbow of colors. She set the plates in front of the men, then pulled heavy forks from a pocket of her apron and gave them one each.

“Now, you boys enjoy this, and let me know if you want more,” she said, giving each of them a motherly smile.

“Oh, this is just excellent,” Tobias said after a bite. “I could get used to life out here. Fresh food, fresh air, people calling me my lord.” He chuckled. He turned and glanced at Francine walking away. Her hips had a nice sway to them. “Nice women, too.”

“Nothing to do but count sheep,” Henrik said, although he agreed the food was wonderful. Even the beans. Rasud would enjoy that. And while a peaceful life was appealing at times, Henrik knew he would get bored within a month. 

They each had a second round of ale and shared stories, mostly tales of fights they had experienced. Henrik also had a second helping of food. While Henrik still didn’t trust Tobias, he found himself warming up to the man a bit once Tobias had stopped being such a blatant asshole. He seemed to be quite an experienced fighter as well, if any of his stories were to be believed. It was fortunate Henrik didn’t cross swords with him when he infiltrated Duke Ardun’s palace.

Eventually, they retired to their rooms. Henrik removed his sword belt and leaned it against the door, then barely pulled his boots off before lying on the bed, still fully clothed. Two mugs of ale and three helpings of dinner and he was out in a matter of minutes.

His peace didn’t last long, unfortunately.