Chương 137: Chapter 275: Final Preparations

With her new bronze adventurer's medallion in hand and an impish smile on her face, Raelia offered to buy everyone ale.

"All the ale you can drink, on me," she said, placing a worn gold piece on the table. I took her to the side for a moment to remind her not to tell them that she had been in the Shimmering Labyrinth with Maveith and me.

"It is fine that you are trying to ingratiate yourself with my companions, but you cannot tell them you fought with us in the Labyrinth. At least not for a time." She gave me a look like I was an idiot, but to my annoyance, she didn't confirm that she wouldn't reveal this truth. Raelia grinned.

"You mean our companions. Now I have to go and get to know them a little better." I had a round with everyone and tried to relax, half-listening to the conversations as Raelia, Blaze, Benito, Maveith, and Mateo spilled their life stories. Suddenly, Raelia drained her mug and said she needed to return to care for Baldo. She was slightly unsteady on her feet. Watching her leave, I noted she did not have an escort. I assumed she had snuck out to join the Guild.

I just hoped we would not be chased down by an irate Regent claiming we were abducting her ward. I excused myself, as I had some nighttime duties of my own to attend to. I relaxed in my room, taking brief trips into the dreamscape to train with my companions. I was working on identifying their weaknesses to help eliminate them the next time we practiced. The manifestations of Konstantin and Xavier were a great help in offering advice, and I found I missed Konstantin's constant berating.

Well past midnight, I slipped out the window. I moved to the stables behind the Hall and found my mounts had been delivered. I checked them thoroughly and, happy, gave them a late-night snack. After confirming no one was around with an earth pulse, I placed Ginger in an empty stall. She immediately panicked at the sudden change in her environment. Holding her reins tight, I rubbed her neck.

"Ginger, it's me. Calm down, and I will give you an apple." She calmed quickly, but the damage was done. Her angst stirred up the other horses, and soon, the elf stable hand appeared, bleary-eyed. He looked at me with a questioning expression.

"I just brought my mount in to stay with the others that were delivered," I informed him as I rubbed Ginger's neck and fed her another apple with my other hand. He looked skeptical but was apparently too tired to argue and left. I settled Ginger in over the next hour, constantly talking to her soothingly. I wish I had done this a few more times to help her acclimate to being moved in and out of my dimensional space. After Ginger was comfortable, I snuck back into my room.

I was immediately on alert when I climbed through the window. The building was mostly stone, so my earth pulse told me someone was in the hallway, clearly waiting outside my door. It was not one of my companions, as they were all accounted for. The person seemed to be waiting for me and knocked as I stepped into the center of the room. I calmed myself and opened the door. Guildmaster Jhaartael was standing there, clearly unhappy. His voice was gruff and abrasive.

"Regent Maeralya told me to apologize to you. I would have waited till morning, but apparently you were busy sneaking around the stables and climbing through your window, so I knew you were awake." He looked smug, having revealed that he had been watching me. Since I had been in the presence of powerful mages before, I could sense that this man had great depth of power. He had been spying on me, but did he see me release Ginger? No, otherwise he wouldn't have been so calm and smug.

"I was checking on my horses. I wanted to make sure they were delivered safely." He narrowed his eyes and grunted. From his light reaction, I was positive he had not seen me remove Ginger. He continued with a slight warning in his voice.

"I am told you took a posting with Rolf Sheadings. I will be watching to make sure it is completed and that he makes it safely to Khoura." He stared at me for a heartbeat before he turned on his heel and marched down the hallway. He clearly still did not like me or trust me, even with the endorsement of a Regent. Good thing I would not be in his city much longer. Maybe the Regent would reconsider her goodwill toward me when Raelia disappeared. No, that would create too many problems.

If Raelia wanted to travel with us, her aunt would need to be told. I didn't sleep that night, sending out frequent pulses to check on the others in my mild paranoia. There was also some interesting and exciting action going on in other rooms in the Guild Hall. After over forty pulses, I suddenly stopped. Someone was wandering the halls, and I thought he was trying to find the origin of the pulses. It was the first time anyone had been able to sense the earth speak pulses.

I was the first one in the common room in the morning. I had to order food for everyone from across the street, as the kitchens in the Adventurers Hall were only open for lunch and dinner. I got an impressive spread for everyone, and Benito was the first to arrive. His eyes were a little bloodshot and vacant, but that didn't slow his consumption of the offerings on the table. The short man's stomach seemed bottomless. Mateo arrived with Maveith, and Blaze was last. As everyone was eating, I talked.

"Your horses are in the stables. Take them out for some exercise, break in your bodies, and familiarize yourself with them. Teach Maveith how to ride, and tonight, we practice in the yard out back. We leave in two days as an escort for a dwarven merchant to Khoura, a southern city in the Caliphate."

"Will Raelia be joining us for practice?" Mateo asked, too eagerly. A little annoyed, I answered him.

"Maybe. I don't know. It wasn't my turn to keep track of the elf." Blaze arched his eyebrow in amusement. Was he seeing something I wasn't?

"What are you going to be doing today?" Blaze asked as he slowly stacked his plate.

"Doing leader things. I am going to interview the two orc adventurers and see if they are a fit for us," I replied. Mateo talked with his mouth full.

"If we need another, Enyara is still available. She has reasonable rates, and I think she already has a horse."

"With Raelia, we don't need another scout," I said tiredly.

"Or another elf," I muttered to myself. After last night's visit from the Guildmaster, I now assumed Enyara was working for him to keep an eye on us. Her group had seated themselves next to us in the common room and listened to our conversation, but maybe I was too paranoid. I left the group to finish breakfast and headed to the port district. The first orc was named Glamrar Understone. He lived by the docks because most of his jobs were on ships. I was fortunate that he was not currently at sea.

His residence was in an apartment building that overlooked the harbor. I knocked, and it didn't take long for a scantily clad elf woman to open the door. Her angular features showed amusement at my shock.

"Looking for Glamrar?" she asked, grinning. I nodded like an idiot because her shift was translucent, leaving little to the imagination. She opened the door to let me in, exposing me to a musky scent and cooking bacon. Deep in the apartment, a large, bare-chested orc was cooking breakfast. He was not tattooed but was almost seven feet tall and thickly muscled. After explaining the mission to the brutish-looking orc, he shook his head.

"No. My wife would kill me if I returned to the Caliphate for any reason."

"Yes, I would!" the elf woman yelled from the bedroom with levity. He pointed his cooking spatula at me.

"Yes, I married an elf. Do you have a problem with it?"

"No. Sorry for interrupting your morning." He nodded good-naturedly, and I retreated out of the apartment. Why was it so hard to find an orc for my party? According to the elf clerk at the Guild, the only other candidate in Artiria was a healing mage. The healer, Tarek Blackjaw, was easy to find and was a dedicated delver. There were only three dungeons in Esenhem, but he was determined to complete all of them and was not interested in returning to the Caliphate until he did.

He explained his reasoning: "I seek to one day be named a warlord of the Caliphate. Though my skills could have me named a cleric, my blood runs hot for combat. When I am truly confident in my delving, I will return and claim the mantle of a warlord." Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

He was surprisingly amiable, considering the other orcs I had met, and I found myself engrossed in a lengthy conversation with Tarek as he meticulously divulged details about the dungeons within the Caliphate. My time with him offered a rare glimpse into their culture, but recruiting him eventually proved to be a fruitless pursuit. I wondered if my search would yield better results in the Caliphate or if it was a hopeless endeavor. I returned to the Hall to find a groaning Maveith laid out on the common room floor.

The others sat a bit uncomfortably around a table. I took a seat next to Blaze.

"Any fortune in your search?" he asked as he shifted uneasily in his seat, showing some soreness from riding again.

"None. It appears all the orcs who have left the Caliphate do not wish to return." I indicated Maveith.

"Riding lessons?" Blaze nodded.

"We did twenty miles. You selected fine mounts for us, and they like to run. Maveith lost his saddle four times and has yet to find the rhythm. He is constantly trying to force his will upon the large black." A small smirk appeared on his lips.

"I see you found a mount with the same coloring as your first."

"No, it is Ginger." I stopped talking, as I saw Blaze was not being serious.

"Any sign of Raelia?" I asked half-heartedly.

"No, she has not shown herself," Blaze replied.

"Are we going to train in the yard?" I could tell Blaze was hoping I would say no. After so long out of the saddle, a twenty-mile ride had to be difficult on all of them.

"Just two hours," I announced loud enough for everyone to hear. Benito groaned the loudest. Mateo made to stand but stumbled as he got to his feet.

"I miss Adrian," he muttered at my lack of sympathy for their injuries. Blaze had my back.

"Adrian would have you practicing for two hours before turning you over to Delmar to dig defenses for the camp. Eryk has been paying your way since we left and got you a fine mount." I gave Blaze a slight nod of thanks. In my mollifying command voice, I addressed the group.

"We need to work on our communication; being such a small band, teamwork is paramount in a fight. Blaze, you are going to have to put down your bow for a while and swing your sword." Blaze joined the others in a mock groan at my betrayal after he supported me. During the extended session, I served more as an instructor. I was using what I learned in the dreamscape to ferret out their weaknesses and help them improve. Our tactics were simple.

Maveith, for all his size and strength, would still best serve as a ranged threat with Blaze. Mateo and I would serve as our front line, with the speedy Benito filling in on the flanks as needed. Maveith, with his runic hammer, could always come from the back in support. We worked up a good lather and drew more than a few eyes because of our training intensity. Mateo was working twice as hard because Enyara was one of the spectators.

When I called an end to the practice, we sat on benches drinking from our canteens. Enyara approached to stand over our group.

"You fight well for Telhians. Are you any good with that? Care for a wager?" She was indicating Blaze's bow and arrows. Blaze looked at me for approval to accept. I knew what this was. She was trying to show her aptitude with the bow to impress me. She was trying to worm her way into the group. It made me even more suspicious that the Guildmaster was involved.

"Show her how to shoot, Blaze." I tossed an apple to Blaze, who deftly caught it. He nodded and took a bite, masking his discomfort as he stood. After swinging a sword and holding a shield for the last two hours, he was at a significant disadvantage in the contest. The contest drew considerable attention from the elven adventurers, and bets were being placed. Benito fought past his soreness to be part of the betting action. He sought Maveith to back his wagers, as he had almost no coin.

He should have evaluated Blaze more closely before placing his bets on him, as Blaze had difficulty stringing his bow. Blaze placed his apple core at the furthest distance the training yard allowed, fifty paces. He raised his bow, aimed, and lowered it three times before releasing it. He was trying to find that feeling he told me about—maybe some type of clairvoyance spell form. The arrow crossed the distance, knocking off the apple core sitting atop the archery target.

He got appreciative nods from the spectators and a uncomfortable fist pump from Benito. Enyara frowned slightly, not expecting Blaze's success or maybe the small target. She walked to the apple core, which had been split in two.

"What's going on?" A familiar voice to my side asked. I hadn't noticed Raelia arrive.

"A contest of archery skill," I replied without looking at her.

"Did you receive permission from your aunt to join us?" Raelia was suspiciously quiet as we watched Enyara stick the halves together and set the apple core atop the target again. As she walked back, Raelia said, "I got a horse and a special saddle for Baldo and me."

"That is not what I asked," I said, finally looking over at her. She was dressed in adventurer clothes and leather, wearing the Ranger's cloak from the dungeon. It looked like a normal cloak, but I knew better. With it, she would be an excellent scout for us.

"She can't stop me. I am an adult." Her petulant tone almost made me laugh. Realizing how she sounded, she spoke more confidently.

"Yes, she is aware I plan to leave her household."

"Will it cause me trouble?" I asked seriously as Enyara took aim. She didn't take nearly as long as Blaze before she released her arrow. Her arrow thudded into the target, an inch below the apple core. The impact was enough to knock the apple core off. A groan of dismay and despair echoed through the elves. Benito cheered madly as he tried to figure out who owed him coin.

"No, Regent Maeralya will not interfere." After a pause, she added, "She is not happy with me, though. And I expect she will be informing my parents and brother back in Bartiradia that I am running off with some Telhians." Raelia's brother was a general in their army. I almost asked if he was still alive, but instead, I accepted her word that we would be unmolested when we left.

"We leave the morning after next. Be outside the Hall an hour before sunrise. Where is Baldo now?" I asked.

"In my room upstairs," she informed me, relieved. She must have thought her position with us was not guaranteed. I just assumed she was not going to take no for an answer. Personally, I was a little surprised at how quickly the elf woman was joining us, and she didn't seem nervous at all to be adventuring with ex-legionnaires. She was placing a tremendous amount of trust in us. I grunted because that seemed like the thing Konstantin would do at this moment.

"We are going for a ride in the morning. You can join us." Raelia let loose a satisfied smile that made her look beautiful in the evening light. Maveith, who had been listening from a bench nearby, groaned. Enyara was receiving some ribbing from the adventurers as they broke up to get an evening meal. I caught her looking at Blaze with a respectful and perhaps covetous stare. She clearly had not thought she would lose to him. Benito was giving Blaze a share of the silver he had collected from the elves.

I arranged for a meal for everyone before checking on the horses. Ginger was upset with me for some reason, and I thought it was because we had not gone for a ride with the others this morning. It was easy to find Raelia's horse from its unique saddle hanging outside the stall. It was long and looked like there was a special pillion seat behind it for Baldo. It was more of a basket than a seat. Raelia weighed maybe a hundred pounds, and Baldo fifty, so her gray mount would be carrying less weight than Ginger.

There were grips inside the griffin's basket for Baldo to hold onto if Raelia broke into a gallop. I handed out half-apples before returning to eat. Raelia was eating contentedly with the others, already feeling like she had been accepted into the fold. They were all laughing at something Benito was saying. Looking around the room, it seemed like we were more accepted here today than yesterday, our Telhian stigma fading.

After enjoying a meal of baked chicken and roasted veggies, everyone retired early to rest their abused bodies. I lamented not being able to convince the orc healer to join us. I was up first in the morning. Ginger was saddled and eager for the ride. The others wandered into the stables one by one. Maveith was a bit gimpy as he walked to his black stallion. I was proud the goliath had not utilized a potion to wash away his injuries. Raelia arrived last, Baldo in tow.

The dog-sized griffin looked around curiously as he stayed glued to Raelia's side. When we all mounted, we walked our horses out of the city. Baldo was sitting regally in his little nest in the saddle.

"Don't griffins eat horses?" Mateo asked. I nodded.

"It is their favorite type of meat." I patted Ginger's neck.

"Don't worry, girl. I won't let the big bad Baldo eat you." Raelia defended her griffin.

"Baldo is smart and listens to commands. He will only eat horses if I allow him to." Baldo hissed and chirped at hearing his name. I decided, as a leader, I wouldn't tease Raelia or Baldo. How long I kept that promise to myself remained to be seen. Outside the city, we rode together, never breaking into a trot even though I sensed Ginger's eagerness to do so.

Ginger was also setting the pecking order among the horses, even bossing Maveith's massive black mount with a nip when Maveith started to have trouble controlling him. As we rode, we discussed how we would protect the three wagons, who would be positioned where, and how we would engage a threat. It was more of an open discussion than me dictating tactics. I made it clear that Blaze was second in command after me. We returned after midday and rubbed down the mounts.

Baldo took to hunting rats in the hay, even catching one, to Raelia's delight and praise. I thought Raelia was meshing well with the others. Mateo certainly enjoyed talking with her, although he was doing most of the talking. Although the merchant was providing food and feed, I sent Mateo and Blaze to obtain additional supplies for the horses. Everyone was expecting another training session tonight, but I let them off, to their relief. I told them to be ready two hours before sunrise to meet the merchant.

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