Draka

In the room that she shared with her sister at the inn Her Grace's Favour, Herald went through her pack one last time. She had spread everything she needed on the too-short bed, and now she inspected each item, making sure that it was presentable and fit for purpose. The only items not on the bed were the pack itself, which she had inspected, oiled, and set by the door; the tent and bedroll, which were spread on the floor; and her arms and armour, which Valmik had kindly offered to take care of.

Everything was there and in good order. There were the basics, of course: Clothes, equipment, dried food, waterskins and such. Then there was soap, a brush, and other hygienic articles. She was no stranger to roughing it, but she was not staying out for weeks with no possibility of a proper wash, or cleaning her clothes. The very thought made her skin crawl. She also had a cheap healing potion for emergencies.

Almost as an afterthought she included the small cloth wrap containing the chunk of dried skin, scale and horn that Draka had discarded. She was not sure why she had kept it. It was, objectively, gross. She admitted that, but it was important to her, though she could not quite say how or why. She kept it hidden, but she was not ashamed or embarrassed of carrying it around. She would just rather no one knew about it, which was not the same thing at all.

She also had Maglan's letters in a waterproofed pouch, together with two books: one intended to help children learn to read, and one about monsters, common and legendary. They had cost her a decent bit of silver, but she had spent it gladly. That pouch was one of the the most important things she was bringing, together with one containing Draka's money – including her cut from the reward for finding and saving the villagers – the harnessed bag she had ordered, and the firesteel. She must have checked a dozen times that they were accounted for. If she forgot everything else, she would bring those.

She would be leaving for the lake in an hour at most, together with Val. Mak had finally run out of excuses and leverage to keep her in the city. When they had first gone to meet Draka, four days after parting, as agreed, the others had practically had to drag Herald back. Mak had finally resorted to threats. They had a job. It was a simple one, but the promise to bring Herald along went both ways, and the prospect of being left alone while the others went out had been too much. So Herald had returned to the city, disappointed and worried. They had gone out, and cleared a den of monstrous badgers that were raiding a village's livestock. Then there had been meetings with the city authorities, where Mak had brought her as a witness, and a dinner with old friends, where Herald could not be absent for the sake of propriety. Every day her nerves got more frayed, and her sleep got worse. But now, all that was over.

Mak had not been able to find anything new to tie Herald down. Garal had taken her note with him when he patrolled the forest, promising to pin it to the tree by the lake. And Val, after much arguing and some outright begging, had agreed to follow her to the lake, at least until she got settled in. There was no telling what he had told Tam in order for her brother to accept it, but Val was coming. She would have gone alone if she had to, but she was honest enough to admit that having Val along was a great relief.

Herald had prepared food for a week, but she would supplement that with fishing and hunting. This time, she was staying until she met Draka again. And if Draka did not come, Herald would find her. She did not know how, but she would. Even if they tried to drag her back. Even if she had to face her nightmares, and go alone into the forest for the first time in weeks. She knew that she would not be able to relax until she saw that her friend was safe. And if she was not…

There was a bounty out for a wyvern. A gold Dragon, ironically. And if anyone collected on it Herald would find them, and she would destroy them. Then she would burn the Alchemists' Guild to the ground. Whatever it took. Whatever the consequences.

An hour later Herald and Val walked down Merchants’ Street, crossing the central market and turning onto Independence Way. They passed the forum, the main temples, and the Council building, then made for the Forest Gate. Each of them carried a heavy pack, but they were both used to it and Val had volunteered, or more correctly demanded, to carry most of the heavier items. With his strength and endurance advancements it only made sense, but Herald appreciated it nonetheless.

Two armed and armoured individuals leaving the city was nothing unusual in Karakan. Though the city was a member of the Sareyan League and therefore recognised as cultured and civilised, it was still on the frontier, at the forefront of the effort to reclaim the lands that had been lost in the Great Collapse some hundreds of years ago. Adventurers were a necessary and respected part of that effort.

But no matter how common a sight it was, Herald always drew stares. Some curious, some hateful, many lustful. She did not like it, but she was used to it. Taller than most men and with skin dark enough to mark her as having origins outside of the League, Herald had drawn stares all her life, but especially since she became a woman. During her childhood it had been fine. People have difficulty telling children’s ages, after all, and most just assumed that she was older than she was. But once her body started filling out and she started growing for real, self consciousness had become her constant companion. She had been twelve years old when she grew past her brother. At fifteen was taller than Val, and she had added a few inches since then.

On top of that, she knew that she was in no way ugly. She was not pretty, like her sister or Lalia, but she was young and healthy and had the same curves most women did. She had had to suffer her share of leers and rude comments, and at not much past seventeen years old she was already sick of it.

All that to say that when she walked down a street, especially with her arms and equipment, she turned heads and drew whispers. It was a relief to her when they passed through the gate and into the grassy fields that separated the city from the strip of farmland which preceded the forest.

Out in the open like this Herald finally felt like she could truly breathe again. The wilds of the forest had been her refuge for many years, a place where she could be away from the looks and the whispers. That was not to say that she hated the city. The city had many things that she did not want to live without, like books and good food, music, the theatre, and dear friends. It just became too much sometimes, and then she would escape to the forest, sometimes alone, sometimes with Lalia or one of her siblings or sometimes one of her less adventurous friends.

Lately, though, even the forest had not felt safe. Ever since she had encountered those two bandits with Draka, there had been a feeling of menace on the roads. Her eyes roved nervously among the trees and bushes, expecting someone to burst out at any moment. But today she had Val with her, and as they left the farmlands and entered the forest his presence kept her dread at bay. No one in their right mind would attack Val. Anyone with eyes could see that he was dangerous. Tam was just as dangerous, of course, but he was small and cheerful, not at all like his solid, solemn partner. She loved her brother, and loved spending time with him, but for this she was glad that it was Val who had come with her.

She may also have had a small crush on Val when she was younger, but that was neither here nor there.

They had not spoken much during their march. Both Herald and Val were comfortable with long silences, content in the other’s company but keeping their thoughts to themselves. When they neared the smaller road which would lead them to the lake, however, Val spoke up.

“If Lady Draka doesn’t come, what will you do?”

That was Val. Direct and without mercy.

Herald didn’t look at him. “I will stay until she does.”

“And if food becomes a problem?”

“Then I will return to the city, resupply, and go back.”

“How long must pass, before you give up? Weeks? Months?” Herald could hear concern in his voice, and she turned to look him in the eyes.

“As long as it takes. Or until despair takes me.”

“We worry for you, Herald. You’re aware of this.”

“I am,” she said fondly. “And I appreciate it. But this is something I need to do. I have to know that Draka is alright… or become convinced that she is not.” At the look in Val’s eyes she added, “I will promise you this: if you come to the lake, and you find me dying, you may bring me back. But anything else and I will fight you, one and all.”

Val searched her eyes for a long moment, and nodded.

“Mak won’t be happy.

“I know.”

“She still doesn’t trust Draka.”

She sighed. “I know.”

“But she loves you, and worries for you very much.”

“I know,” she said again, and smiled sadly.

They reached the lake, and Herald inspected the tree as Val began to make camp. She saw, with a rush of excitement, that her note was gone. Garal had confirmed that he had pinned it right where she had told him to, and it was unlikely that anyone would see it there unless they were looking. Barring some terrible luck, Draka had been here!

"Val!" she shouted as she ran over to where he was setting up the tent. "The note is gone, Val! She has been here!"

"Fortune’s with us," Valmik said, his serious face growing brighter at her obvious joy.

"She is alright," Herald said happily as she steadied a pole so that Val could more easily secure the lines. "She is alive, and she is here."

And she has not abandoned us, she added silently to herself. That was another of her fears. Despite her kind parting words, Draka had seemed so angry when they separated, though Herald could not tell why. And then she had not come to the agreed meeting. It was the first time that she had not shown up, and Herald had felt a very real fear that the dragon had decided against cooperating further with her group. And, worse, that she had decided against continuing their friendship.

That was a thought she could not abide, and she had quashed it ruthlessly every time it appeared. But like a bad tooth it would not be ignored, and it had haunted her, in her sleep and other quiet moments.

But now, everything was alright! Draka had seen her note, and she had taken the pin. She would come here, and they would talk. Herald would have her family, and her friend, and they had some money now… everything would be good again.

A small, traitorous part of her suggested that the silver-loving dragon might have just taken the pin, but she refused to entertain the thought. No. Everything would be alright.

The following days passed slowly. Garal or Lalia stopped by whenever they were on the northern patrol, and Herald and Val had company from another small group one night. The trio were packed heavily, with mules for most of their supplies, and were seeking fortune on the true frontier in the far northern woods. It was their third such expedition, and they were certain that it would be resoundingly successful.

To Herald's embarrassment the three readily assumed that she and Val were lovers. It was a fair enough assumption, since they looked nothing alike and shared a tent, but Herald still could not hide her mortification. Val only waved the suggestion off, though he looked at her fondly as he said, "Any man would be fortunate to win the favour of such a fierce and beautiful young woman. But I think she will not mind if I say that her brother is just as lovely, and it is he that holds my heart."

The conversation faltered after that, and at least one of the three looked at Val with distaste as they left in the morning. In hindsight Herald thought that she should have known. They were obviously worshippers of the Three, the Father, the Mother, and the Child. They favoured doing things in groups of three, and considered the third repetition of any act to be especially lucky. But they were also very big on family, preferably with three children. And though Herald knew that not all Three-ers were as hardline as others, many took a dim view of men who loved other men or women who loved other women. For that matter, they considered any relationship that could not produce children to be unfortunate, even favouring divorce if a couple could not conceive.

Herald did not understand them, but at least they usually kept their beliefs to themselves.

Otherwise they spent their time fishing, hunting, practising or pursuing their own interests. Val drilled Herald on her swordwork, and she had brought a sheaf of practice arrows, though she had soon broken all of those. Val had a bundle of cheap papyrus that he covered in charcoal sketches of whatever caught his fancy, and Herald read and reread Maglan's letters and the two books she had brought.

By the third day she was terribly bored. By the fourth evening, when Val had to return to the city, she almost let her resolve fail and went with him. But her desire to see Draka was stronger than her fear of boredom and loneliness. She said farewell to Val, sent her love to her siblings, and stayed.

She amused herself for a while by moving the tent. She could have remained where she was, but as the empty silence dragged on she became very conscious of the fact that she was a lone young woman, far from help. Instead she set up among the trees, camouflaging the tent with young trees and branches for good measure.

Draka still had not come, and the fear and insecurity was creeping in. What if someone else had found the note? Or what if her fears were true, and Draka had just taken the pin? She slept poorly that night, alone and with no one to comfort her when she woke from her nightmares.

The next day was miserable. Herald had severely underestimated how badly every unexpected sound could startle her, but at least the bursts of fear relieved the boredom. She desperately wanted to pack up and leave, to return to the city and her family, but she could not. She would not let herself. She was stronger than that.

Instead she barely left the tent all day, only going for a quick wash in a nearby stream, and then meeting Lalia when she came by on patrol. Lalia had wanted to drag her back to the city, of course, but Herald had persevered and the mercenary had finally given up, though she had not been happy about it.

A mix of fear and hope kept Herald awake long into the night. She stayed in sight of the tree, waiting for Draka to appear, her eyes straining in the dark until she found herself nodding off. Only then did she crawl into the tent and allow exhaustion to finally claim her.

Herald woke with a start. At the very edge of her hearing there was the rustle of dry leaves, and the sound of long, deep breaths. She held her own breath and reached for her sword, unsheathing it slowly as the sounds circled her tent. Then, by the side of the tent where her pack rested, there came two quick sniffs, and then silence. Nothing.

Herald began to relax and then whirled as there was a quiet snap by the front flaps of the tent. She raised her blade, preparing to thrust–

And her world was set right by one word, said in a soft, familiar hiss.

"Herald?"