Dark had fallen long before they arrived in Vongran, and Jarlen hammered continuously at a bolted door when they arrived at the inn.
“QUIT THAT POUNDING!” a voice finally shouted from within, “NO ADMITTANCE AFTER NIGHTFALL!”
“The Lordlings of Kalahath seek refuge!” Jarlen replied through the door, “We’ve wounded with us, and are in need of a healer!”
“There is no admittance after nightfall!” the voice within insisted, “No exceptions!”
Jarlen turned away from the inn, defeated by the innkeeper’s insistence.
“Unwilling to open the door for wounded…” Reilgaeth muttered, “Times must be hard.”
“This close to the capitol too,” Cordin continued, “It’s a bad omen.”
“Go knock again Jarlen,” Grimond ordered, “See if he’ll direct to a healer.
“Cordin, you and I will stay with Lorvig and the girl. Bramden, take Bastad and Thungras and knock on every door in this village until someone can direct us to a healer.”
Grimond checked Lorvig again, hoping that his condition had improved.
“Why did he die?” the girl asked.
“He isn’t dead,” Grimond explained, “though he might if we can’t find a healer. His condition isn’t improving, and his breath is ragged.”
“You didn’t explain why…” she pressed.
Grimond turned angrily from his brother at the child that had caused his condition and stubbornly refused to explain her presence alone in the woods.
“Who are you?” Grimond demanded.
Faced with the question several times already, she sternly refused to answer again.
“My men and I put our lives at risk to save you,” Grimond argued, “my brother is dying – we deserve to know who we’ve put ourselves in danger for.”
“I’m an orphan,” she admitted, “I am coming of age, and I saw no future for myself in Urthendril. I fled, hoping to find a future elsewhere.”
Grimond scoffed in disbelief.
“I’M TELLING THE TRUTH!” she exclaimed.
“Yes… I’m sure you are…” Grimond replied, “But since you persist in this ruse, I’ll have to insist that you remain with us when we leave Vongran tomorrow.”
“Tomorrow…?” she asked.
“Yes,” Grimond said, “Even if we find a backwater herbalist here, Lorvig will need a Sorcerer to fully recover.”
“A Sorcerer…” she stammered, “So you’ll be going to…”
“On to Urthendril, yes.” Grimond finished.
Shock on her face, the young girl turned on her heel and ran away from Grimond.
Distracted by her distress, she ran squarely into Bramden’s broad chest.
“I’m afraid she’ll need a guard tonight,” Grimond announced, “Though if she agrees to keep her wits about her, I’ll not insist that she be bound or gagged.”
Sheepishly, the girl agreed as Bramden and Bastad escorted her back toward the horses.
“We found a midwife,” Thungras announced, “She has a patient tonight, but she has extra beds that we can use for the night.”
It was a long night with the screams of childbirth echoing through the halls, and the group rose tired in the morning.
“Bramden,” Grimond ordered, “Take Bastad and ride ahead, warn Urthendril of our situation and find a Sorcerer that can meet us on the way.”
Bramden saluted with a sharp turn and left for the stables with Bastad.
“Cordin,” Grimond continued, “You and Thungras are to stay with the girl. One of you must be by her side at all times.
“Reilgaeth how is Lorvig’s condition?”
“He’s stronger,” Reilgaeth replied, “But there is only so much I can do with the midwife’s supplies. We need to get him to a Sorcerer…”
“Pay the midwife well for the supplies you used,” Grimond said, “Hopefully Bramden and Bastad can find a Sorcerer in Urthendril and return.”
As if to emphasize his words, Bramden and Bastad’s horses thundered away from the house.
Leaving his brother in Reilgaeth’s care, Grimond turned to Jarlen to discuss their supplies and travels.
“We’ll have to rotate who rides with Lorvig and the girl,” Jarlen announced, “Or the horses will tire long before we reach Urthendril.”
“Cordin and Thungras can alternate who carries the girl,” Grimond agreed, “That leaves three of us to carry Lorvig.”
“It will still be a hard ride…”
“Leave behind all the supplies,” Grimond added, “We’ll ride through lunch and arrive this evening at Urthendril, a little hunger is a small price to pay for my brother’s life.”
They rode hard, slowing only to rest the horses and shift passengers; by late afternoon, their hunger was rising and the young girl grew more upset with each mile they passed beneath the horses’ hooves.
“I am not your prisoner!” she exclaimed with a sudden thrust of her elbow into Cordin’s chest, causing him to lose his balance and fall from his mount.
Thungras pulled hard on his warpony’s reigns, veering the horse away from Cordin to prevent the Lieutenant’s chest from being crushed under the beast’s hooves.
The girl leapt from Cordin’s warpony and bolted toward the tree line, but Grimond had spun Storm Hoof and cut her off before she had taken two steps.
“If you did not insist on acting like one,” he growled as he lifted her with one arm and dragged her aback Storm Hoof, “I would not have to treat you like one! However since you insist on delaying our arrival while my brother lies dying, I’ll have to ensure you’re complacent for the rest of the journey.”
Jarlen stepped forward, pulling off his belt and wrapping it around the girl’s wrists as she lay on her stomach over Grimond’s saddle horn.
“I will not be carried so!” she shouted, “You WILL regret this!”
“You nearly cost my man his life!” Grimond spat, “And your tantrum further delays us! You will ride how I deem necessary!”
They rode another hour with the girl’s shouts and screams as a constant accompaniment. As the trees began to thin, Bastad came riding around a curve ahead.
“BASTAD!” Cordin shouted in excitement.
“WE’VE FOUND THEM!” Bastad called back.
Grimond breathed a sigh of relief as Bramden and a large party of Urthendril Rangers followed Bastad around the corner. Jarlen immediately rode Lorvig over to the green robed Sorcerer. Grimond however, was accosted by a veteran ranger wearing the sigil of a High General.
“Release her at once!” The High General barked, “How dare you treat the princess so!?”
Grimond’s men were speechless as the High General and his Rangers lifted the girl down from Storm Hoof’s saddle; Grimond had expected as much however, given the princess’s attitude and mannerisms.
“I have treated her the same way I would treat any girl who endangered my men and refused to identify herself. After rescuing her from goblins I would have expected some manner of thanks rather than being treated like criminals.”
“A likely story,” The High General said dismissively. Turning to the girl he said with deep concern “Are you well, Lady Larny?”
“High Ranger Corlan,” Larny stated, “These men have kidnapped me and must be executed immediately!”
The High General, Corlan, looked amused at the demand.
“I will note your accounting of events on the record, Lady Larny,” Corlan replied, “But not even your mother has the power to bypass the courts with such a demand. If you speak the truth, the courts will have justice against them.
“Lordling,” he said to Grimond, “Rest your horses; you’re welcome to return to Urthendril with my men and the Princess.”
The rangers fell in around the party as Grimond and his men dismounted.
“We should take Lorvig and go on ahead.” Jarlen suggested.
“I’m afraid I must insist, Captain,” Corlan answered, unbidden, “that you remain with my rangers. My healer will see to his wounds until we arrive in Urthendril.”