Engraved - The Hunted Warrior

Chapter 28.2 - Choices

Gretch the Hunter held the coin up temptingly. He moved it slowly between his forefinger and thumb. It glinted in the cool morning light, capturing the attention of the grubby little fur trader. Gretch knew that information could be obtained through five means: threats, violence, charm, deception, or gold. Thankfully the fur trader's weakness was gold. Greed was the almost as easy as threats. Gretch avoided trying to use charm and deception. They were not his strengths. Why spend hours smiling at people when showing a sword could get the same result in seconds?

"How many were there?" he asked slowly.

"There were two groups. The first was a pair of barbarians, two of those clan savages from The Plains." The fur trader was a short filthy man with quick shifting eyes. His accent was thick, and a little difficult to understand.

"Describe them to me," Gretch commanded.

"Both young, warriors by the look of them. Not traders, that's for sure. They carried weapons for a start, and didn't have the right gear for the mountains. One had longer hair and rode a huge horse. The other had short cropped hair and rode a more normal mount."

"And the other group that passed this way?" Gretch prompted.

"Let me hold the coin and I'll tell you. There should be trust among traders."

Gretch handed him the gold coin. The way his eyes lit up Gretch knew it was the most money he had ever held.

"There were a handful of them. Five, six, seven. Something like that. I couldn't count them properly for I was in the trees at the time. Most of them were soldiers, but one was a queer sort of man with red robes. There were some women folk among them, but they looked to be just as much as soldiers as the men."

"Where were they going?"

"Up that way," the fur trader said pointing deeper into the mountains.

"I did not ask what direction they were going. I asked where they were going."

"How should I know where a bunch of queer folk are heading in the forests?"

Gretch read the lie plainly on the man's face. He silently plucked the other gold coin from his purse and held it up.

"They are headed towards the Fear Forest. There was a rumour started a year or so back that an enchanted cave is hidden back there. Apparently an Evara queen or some such is inside it. It's all lies and rubbish and gossip, but that is the only thing I can think that could attract such people." The man held out his hand.

"Are the rumours true?" Gretch asked as the coin went into the trapper's palm.

"Put it this way, I've trapped in these woods since I was a lad. My father and his father before him did as well. None of us has ever set foot in the Fear Forest, or seen some Evara in these parts."

"How long ago did they pass?"

"Two days ago went the two barbarians. Yesterday was the strange folk in armour. They were traveling powerful fast."

"There is just one more thing I need from you." Gretch said.

"What's that?"

"My coins." Gretch extended an empty palm.

"I don't think so!" the fur trader said affronted. "The goods we traded aren't the kind as you can return!"

"You are a simpleton, so I will explain this simply. A fur trader that goes back to town with gold coins raises many questions. A fur trader that dies in the woods raises none."

The man turned and ran. He was quick, but not quick enough. It only took one swing of Gretch's heavy blade to end him. Once his body was thrown into a ditch Gretch wiped clean the great sword. He then carefully rubbed every crimson speck off of the two gold coins and caressed the rough image of a woman's profile on them.

"Do not worry my queen. I will not give you up so easily."

------------------

Please consider sharing this story with others. Thank you for your support.

-Y. V. Qualls