The Eternal City, Part 8

“The tall ones are called Seraphs,” Nessa explained as they neared the farmstead. The ones like you and me are Humans, and the short ones are Dwarrows. These are the three most common peoples you will find around here.”

As she spoke she pointed out different forms working in the fields surrounding them. They followed the same path the workers took to reach the fields, and they were headed for the walled compound where their homes were located.

“There are many other kinds of people in the world, and you will see a great number of them when we reach Pass-by, and probably before,” Nessa continued. “In fact, it should be close to time for the Steadmeet, at Gate Island. They come from all over for that.”

As Nessa spoke, Kira looked all around her. She had only ventured as far as the edges of farmsteads. She was further from the forest than she had ever been. Looking back over her shoulder, she could see the trees getting smaller. She was leading Nessa’s horse, and could barely see over its backside, leaving only the tops of the trees in her view.

She stopped and stepped away from the horse. She regarded her home from a distance for the first time. Leaving the forest had never entered her mind before yesterday. In fact, she had rarely given any thought to the future, simply living day to day in the easy company of Hero. She had never felt she needed anything else.

“Kira?”

She turned to find Nessa regarding her curiously. “Thinking of going back?”

“Saying goodbye,” Kira replied.

“It is not so easy,” Nessa said. “Leaving your home for the first time can be… difficult. When I was chosen for the Sword Goddess, I didn’t want to go. But, I soon found another home at the Fortress.”

“There is no other home for me,” Kira said, more to herself than to Nessa.

The gate of the compound was open, and they were greeted by a Seraph who was the farm’s blacksmith. His smoke-stained face had a wicked scar running from his forehead to his upper lip, across his right eye socket. He wore a patch over that eye. His name was Belin.

Belin had the authority to bargain with travelers and traders in the name of the stead, which he called Bellows Howe. He very proudly showed off the huge bellows that breathed life into the fire at the center of the vast array of anvils and metalworking equipment. All around the blacksmith’s works, his apprentices labored. Clearly, Belin’s enterprise was the center of the stead, and his personality was the center of life here.

As the sun was beginning to dive below the horizon, Nessa agreed to take a watch on the wall that night in exchange for shoes for her horse, and Kira would wash dishes for her berth.

Belin led the horse away to the shop, leaving Nessa and Kira alone.

“Perhaps this would be a good time for your first lesson in combat,” Nessa said.

“I am ready,” Kira replied. Indeed, she felt an eagerness to learn to kill. The image of the beast that had wounded Hero so badly as to take him from her floated up into her mind, giving her focus, and she learned well.

Nessa handed Kira the shorter of her swords, and they practiced a few elementary moves. To strengthen her arm, Nessa had Kira simply stand for a long time, holding the sword out before her. Some of the smaller children laughed at her until their mothers came to nervously shoo them away.

“They must not like armed strangers among their children,” Nessa said. “Come, let us wash for supper.”

Kira held the sword out to Nessa.

“No,” Nessa said. “That will be yours now. Keep it sharp and near.”

The next morning, Belin led Nessa’s horse back to her, as they prepared to leave.

“You are a warrior and her apprentice,” the Seraph stated. “If it is not intruding, might I ask your destination?”

“It’s no intrusion at all, Belin. We are your guests,” Nessa said. “We are bound for Pass-by, to the chapel of the Sword Goddess.”

“Ah, it is my joy, then, to know a Sword Maiden?”

“I am a Maiden, yes,” Nessa said, not without some pride.

“Would it be out of place then, to offer and to request?” the Seraph said, in the peculiar vernacular of the dealmaker.

“I would listen,” Nessa replied, switching to the bargaining form.

“Beyond the gate, our caravan for Steadmeet awaits,” the Belin said. “It would be my honor if you would condescend to volunteer your services to guard and protect my people and their goods on their way.”

“I would be most happy to accept the wealth of your farmstead for the privilege of guarding your people and their goods,” Nessa replied.

Having stated their agreement to bargain, several minutes of offer and counteroffer ensued, until Belin and Nessa reached agreement. Nessa and Kira would guard the wagons of the farmstead, and they would, in return, have the hospitality of the wagons, and would be given goods to barter on their own at Steadmeet, as well as a horse for Kira to ride.

On that last point, Nessa assured Kira that she would teach her to ride before she could embarrass herself. In the meantime, the new horse would carry Nessa’s armor and other belongings, and they would ride the other horse together.

About an hour later, the little caravan was under way. There were three loaded wagons, each pulled by two horses. Each had a driver and a passenger seated next to him or her with a crossbow. There were three other riders guarding the wagons, all from the stead. Nessa and Kira were the only outsiders.

One rider rode out before the wagons, leading the way, another rode a couple hundred feet to the left of the wagons, and another brought up the rear, while Nessa and Kira guarded the right flank. Occasionally, Nessa would ride a bit further out on their side of the wagons, checking over little rises and such for ambushes. In those moments, they would take a little time to teach Kira to ride, and then catch up.

By the end of the day, when the leader of the wagons, a Dwarrow named Stanold, called a halt for the night, Kira had the fundamentals of horsemanship down. Nessa remarked at what a fast learner she was, but Kira wasn’t sure if that was kindness and encouragement, or truth.

Also, the forest had disappeared behind them. Kira had a moment of panic when she realized this. But, it soon passed, and she calmed herself with the thought that she was learning to kill the beasts that had hurt Hero, and that she would return to the forest one day.