Chương 127: Chapter 126- The Camp

Cooper's POV Thunk. Thunk. Thunk. Cooper's cleavers broke the joints of the game bird before him as he separated the breast flesh from the ribcage of the beast. As he worked he began fileting the chunk of steaming hot meat into thin slices, something less fit for a stew and more for a fine roast, a cut that would not go to waste even if his liege lady was not present to consume it, at least not if the bottomless pits around him had anything to say about it." Hey, slow down!

There's more to go around, the big man won't let any of you go hungry!" A small smile flickered over his face as he glanced over and caught sight of Sasha alternating between scolding and encouraging the hungry townsfolk in line as a few of their members jockeyed for position. His smile faded as he caught the dead, leaden and vacant stares from the rest as they lined up obediently, only showing the occasional flickers of hope as the breeze from the cookfires drifted through the line.

A soft breeze swirled through the trees, the susurrus sounding like the soft murmurs of home in their wake, and as the breeze brought the scent of the cookfire to the rest of the line, Cooper's smile blossomed again as more grew on the faces of the unfortunate victims waiting in line. The playful gust swirled past, and as it did he gave a gentle smile as he dropped one of the cleavers and silently genuflected in thanks.

Cooper caught the roll of Astrid's eyes out of the corner of his as he gave the customary stomp and clap tribute to the god of the wind currents, even if it was just a soft slap to one shoulder followed by a slight shuffle in more modern times. He gave her an embarrassed shrug as he returned to his ministrations, his liege lady had bade him to take care of her people in her absence and he would be damned to the abyss if he failed her again.

He sighed as he glanced around for a moment, popping the joints in his neck, taking in the silent forest around him on the edge of the Whitten estate valley. The neat lines of the camp were laid out in orderly rows, swollen by those that were sheltering from the fading cold, but the vigilance of the men and women of the patrol compared to the rest of the Emberhioldt troops brought a slight grin to his face.

His lady's legacy lingered, no matter her fate, her men still held to the strict discipline she expected of them. Cooper sighed to himself, he knew he hadn't failed her, but as he swept the pieces of cooked meat onto a serving plate and with a flick of [Food Safe] sterilized his blades before turning towards a haunch of venison he could not stop a tremor of despair from slipping through his heart.

As he swiftly chopped the piece of game into chunks, his mind drifted back to the distant words of his mother so long ago, the sound of her hammer on the staves sounding a beat in his mind.

"See those wagons?" A pair of stout arms gestured up the road to the Ember Hold as he nodded.

"Every one of those folk's somebody's family." Matthias frowned.

"Even the nobles?" His mother laughed softly.

"Aye, even them." She set another hoop in place with one hand, and set it with a tap from the other, before sealing it in place with a practiced strike.

"The Emberholdts keep the monsters from our doors. The patrols keep the roads safe. The farmers grow the grain. We make the barrels that carry it all." She rested a hand on his shoulder, tapping the top of a nearby barrel with the pommel of her hammer.

"Not every soul protects the clan with a sword, Mattie. Some do it with a hammer." Matthias, Cooper to his friends, stopped for a moment after he scooped the last of the venison into a waiting cauldron. He ran a finger over the blade of one of his cleavers, the many meals it had carved and the many lives it had reaped flowing through his mind, as he considered his mother's wisdom. Should I hang 'em up for a hammer again?" Oi you lot!

I'll scarf all the rolls myself and shit them out on yer plate before I let you hoard them all! There will be enough for everyone, hold yer backs ya fiends…" Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more. Matt glanced over at his diminutive companion that was in charge of the line, a smile blooming on his face as he watched Sasha work her magic. Naw… Gotta keep things spicy for the little lass or she might leave for greener pastures. The smile remained as he bent back to his task.

Lady Emberholdt expected him to take care of everyone, and he would. One bowl of stew at a time.

Cooper's POV Clack. His cleaver paused on the last strike as a distinctive trilling bird call whistled through the canopy above. Matt's gaze drifted back down from the canopy above as he joined the rest of the squad in sharing a glance for a moment before they raced for the treeline, the remnants of their weary customers left behind to graze upon the empty serving tables.

Within moments as they approached the treeline and, as a sharp whistle from Sasha cut through the air as they all pivoted as one towards the sound of her call. Matt pounded through the treeline, sharing none of the grace from Sasha or her friend Astrid, his heavy footfalls cracking branches and crushing brush as he bowled through in his best impression of an angry bear, but he couldn't find the room in his heart to care. They're back!

He surged through the brush, and as he cleared the edge of the valley the rest of the squad joined him, their postures just as tense as his own. A series of trilling chirps communicated something he did not understand, but a soft thump landed next to him as Sasha dropped from the tree above.

As the warmth of her small hand touched his arm his smile quivered for a moment, and as he looked down he nearly smirked down at Sasha, knowing that she could have been completely silent if she wished, and that she had only made a sound so he would know she was there. His smile dropped as he took in the worried expression on her face as she looked back up at him, as he realized maybe the sound wasn't because she was being nice." Someone's seriously hurt, and there are three of them."

Cooper grimaced, " Do we know who was hurt? And yeah three was expected, two would be worse…" Sasha grimaced as she gave Matt a pained expression, " No three people, no sign of Tia." The squad surged forwards, leading the treeline and its inherent cover behind as they strode towards the crest just below it, and as they reached the edge of the ridgeline Matt was able to make out four figures below making their way between the disheveling vineyards and the drifts of snow in the valley.

Three humans, two carrying a limp form between them, an arm over each shoulder, and a small reptilian form hovering at their side, occasionally darting between them. Matt's heart froze in his chest for a moment before he spotted a bob of crimson hair adorning the top of one of the figures, and he gave a sharp whistle, long and loud in the still cold and crisp air of the lingering winter air. That crimson bob of hair in the distance twitched at the sound." Let's go lads, the Lady's come home."

He was gone in a moment,, as he plunged down the slope.

Cooper's POV They all raced down the hillside to the distant figures below, and Matt couldn't help but grin as he spotted the Lady and the Lad both still alive and moving. The figures were still slowly trudging through the snow below, weaving through the frosty vineyard trellises, but as the calls sounded from above they paused, waiting for the squad to approach.

Matt frowned as they grew closer not quite understanding what he was seeing, but as the footfalls around him slowed, he never did, his Lady needed help and he would deliver. However, as he drew close, his heart clenched in his chest as he realized just who was being propped up between them, and as Matt came to a stop his mind couldn't help but flash back to the stupendous light show that had lit the sky mere hours before. It couldn't be. Mira. Mira. She was invincible, a legend in her own right, the kind of…" Mr.

Cooper." Matt's thoughts froze at the familiar voice, and his gaze snapped away from the slumped form between the two figures as he focussed his gaze on Astra as she gave him an exhausted smile. His hand reflexively crashed to his chest as he drew short, doing his best to hold back the tears in his eyes as he answered, " Aye, my Lady?"

The knot in his chest faded in a wave of relief as a brilliant smile greeted him in return and she stood as straight as she could under her burden and returned his salute, if sloppily." Prepare a litter, Mira requires immediate attention. Send a scout to Theron's Watch, and no one enters or exits the manor without my express permission." Matt nodded as the rest of the squad gathered around him, quickly encircling the group and taking up their usual positions, but a single soft hand on his arm brought him to a stop.

He looked down as he spotted a very tired Lady Emberholdt resting a hand lightly on one arm." Mr. Cooper…" She gave him another exhausted smile, " … You have done well." It took all of his will to resist the desire to wipe the annoying moisture from his vision as he answered, a single tear tracing down one cheek." As you say my Lady."