All that Glitters (Stavin DragonBlessed Book 1) (13 page)

The rest of the warriors had gone up to their rooms and Barvil waved them over. "Sleep. No talking all night like you've done before. Tomorrow will be a busy day." With that he went to his own room, leaving the two youngsters at their door.

Stavin looked at Karvik and sighed, "Your dad's no fun."

T
HE NIGHT PASSED QUICKLY, AND THE
smell of frying pork bacon and kava had the men up well before sunrise. Stavin and Karvik, true to their training, immediately went out to check the horses while the older men were getting ready for breakfast. Everything was in order, so they headed back to the inn.

Karvik noticed a strange man standing at the gate of the inn yard and got Stavin's attention. "Stave, at the gate," he whispered.

"I see him," Stavin replied softly. "Predator."

"Make him prey?"

"No, we warn Barvil unless he makes a move toward us." The man didn't move until Stavin's hand touched the latch on the inn door. Then, as the latch lifted, he darted out of sight. With the door safely closed behind them, they immediately went to Barvil's side and snapped to attention.

"A man was watching the yard, Sir. He never took his eyes off Stave. When we came inside, he darted out of sight toward the street," Karvik reported.

Barvil sighed and nodded his understanding. "I was afraid this would happen. The trader and his men have had plenty of time to spread the story of Stavin and his golden armor. Add in what happened yesterday and there are bound to be people looking for him. Some are just going to be curious. Others are going to be trouble. Stavin's status is going to make him, and consequently us, more sought after." He paused and looked around to ensure he had everyone's attention. "Stavin can save a trader a lot of silver that he would otherwise have to spend on tolls and taxes. We just have to ensure that it's in our interest that he does. I want everyone in full armor and weapons until I say differently. Kar, what did you make of the man you saw?"

"He was after Stave, Dad. If Stave had gone out alone I believe the man would have attacked. He was definitely a predator," Karvik answered, having come to attention again before speaking.

Barvil looked around at his men and shot a glance at the stairs. "Eat fast, then armor up. We'll go to the memorial and pay our respects, then hope there's a caravan that's leaving soon that will hire us."

The young men ate with all haste, not that they tended to dawdle anyway, and soon everyone was assembled in the common room in full armor with their weapons strapped on.

Barvil led his men out of Elain's and they immediately formed a column of twos behind him, dividing into the five-man teams referred to as hands that they were famous for. Davel and Kahndar were at Barvil's shoulders and the younger men lined up behind them. Stavin and Karvik were, as always, last in line.

The people of Twin Bridges were accustomed to having warriors walking through their streets, but Stavin's golden armor drew even the most jaded bystander's attention. People came out of the inns and shops as the visual confirmation of yesterday's rumor walked down the street.

Stavin did his best to ignore the gawkers. His years as the butt of everyone's jokes had trained him to look straight ahead and ignore everything that didn't force itself on him. He schooled his features into the carefully neutral mask that he'd worn for years, even though his helmet hid most of his face.

The crowd remained sparse, and few people were rude enough to shout at them. Part of that was undoubtedly due to the weapons that they wore so conspicuously as they walked through the city.

The memorial that honored the legendary warrior-woman who had been called Mary Death was located near the ancient Temple of Justice. Marydyth Zel'Karyn had been one of the Knights of Justice for several years before she renounced the path. She'd died defending her adopted kingdom, and a grateful king had erected a crypt and monument to her memory.

The edifice was constructed of red granite with white marble columns. It was a long, narrow rectangle squeezed between two ancient temples, yet it was the most magnificent of them all. Down the center of the floor was a path of pure white stone that showed no sign of impurities. The warriors walked single-file through the building until they reached the gigantic marble crypt. On its lid, carved by the greatest sculptor of the time, lay a life-sized statue of Marydyth Shelina Forlan Ne'Karyn Zel'Fordan, wearing her armor with its inscribed dragon rampant. The Zel'Karyn Heir's Diadem was on her brow, and her mighty sword, Sang Del Dracl, was in her hands.

Barvil knelt, and his men knelt behind him with their heads bowed. He spoke in a strangely muffled voice as he recited the litany of honor.

"Mary Death, in life a warrior."

"Mary Death, in war a wonder."

"Mary Death, in wonder a legend."

"Mary Death, in legend remembered."

Barvil stood and walked to the foot of the crypt, then bowed deeply. "I am Barvil Kel'Carin, and I honor your memory."

Davel stood next and repeated the ceremonial introduction. Then Kahndar introduced himself, and one by one the valley warriors followed in the footsteps of the thousands of warriors who had come before them.

Stavin went last, waving Karvik to go before him. He had a strange feeling in the pit of his stomach, almost like the one that he'd felt the first time he'd asked Barvil for Dorvina. As he finally stood at the foot of the crypt, that feeling intensified.

"I am Stavin Kel'Aniston, and I honor your memory." His words seemed to echo in his own ears and the others were all staring at him strangely.

Karvik finally spoke, his voice soft with wonder. "Stave, you're glowing."

Stavin looked at the Dragon's Tongue in his hands and saw a nimbus of light surrounding it and his gauntlets, then extending up his arms. Looking at Barvil, he saw the light of understanding in the older man's eyes. "Dragon magic knows dragon magic."

"Indeed it does, Friend Stavin," a woman's voice said from the shadows. The woman who followed the voice was a tall blonde dressed in an elegant white gown. The only anomaly was the sword that was belted at her narrow waist. To everyone's surprise, the ruby on the pommel was glowing. "I am Ehrwan Zel'Fordan, keeper of my ancestress' memorial."

Barvil went down on one knee and his men followed his example. "Is that—?"

"—Sang Del Dracl?" she finished for him, then smiled. "No. The sword is in Coravia with the current heir." She tapped the glowing ruby. "This is a piece of the Wizard Armen Fel'Ervin." She walked over to Stavin and smiled. "Stand, Friend Stavin."

Stavin rose smoothly to his feet and looked up into her eyes. "Lady Zel'Fordan, I am honored," he said deferentially as he bowed his head.

"It is I who am honored to meet a man who attracted the attention of a dragon," she replied. "There have been few such men in living memory." She placed one hand on his shoulder and tilted her head prettily to the side as she smiled. At her side, the ruby sent shafts of scarlet light through the memorial as it glittered in the presence of another dragon's magic.

T
ROUBLE FOUND THE VALLEY WARRIORS ON
the long walk back to Elain's. A dozen men came rushing out of an alley and attacked without warning. They carried axes and swords and proved that they were well versed in their use. Three of the valley warriors fell in the first rush and Stavin found himself isolated from the rest as three of the attackers singled him out. The rest of the attackers fought to keep Barvil and the others from assisting him.

Stavin took a hard blow to the back that knocked him into the arms of another of the attackers. Luckily for Stavin, he'd instinctively brought his Dragon's Tongue up for balance and the blade of the upper point caught the man in the face. The man recoiled in pain as the blade sliced across his right eye, nose and mouth.

Stavin pushed away from the man and whirled his Dragon's Tongue around in a desperate attempt to clear some space. He'd faced multiple opponents in training, but the reality was far different. He felt a tug of resistance and heard a gasp of anguish from behind him and turned to find the third attacker backing away, holding one bloody hand in the other. He had tried to grab the Dragon's Tongue with an armored gauntlet, but the dragon-wrought edge had sliced his fingers away.

Stavin was turning back to his last opponent when a massive blow to the side of his helmet dropped him in his tracks. He was too stunned to move, but he could still see as his opponent swung an ax back for the killing blow.

The man never finished his back-swing. Seemingly from nowhere, a thrown Dragon's Tongue sliced into the man's chest. He had time to look down at it before Karvik's burly form leapt across Stavin and used the haft of the Dragon's Tongue as a lever to spin the man away from Stavin, incidentally severing the man's spine in the process.

The attackers withdrew as fast as they had arrived, leaving five of their friends dead in the street. Four of the valley warriors were down, but none were dead. Stavin's ears were still ringing and his eyes didn't want to stay focused. Horvan Kel'Erins had been knocked flat in the initial rush, but had only had the wind knocked out of him. Lavin Kel'Farin was unconscious, but his helmet had limited his injury to a concussion that matched Stavin's. The worst was Kahndar.

Kahndar had been engaged sword-to-sword with one opponent when another had struck his sword arm with an ax, numbing it from elbow to fingers and cutting through the light armor and mail to leave a deep gash. Kahndar had turned toward his first opponent and surged forward, driving him back. When he had room to move he had brought his left elbow up into the man's throat, crushing his windpipe. He had grabbed his sword left-handed, but the fight was over and he staggered over to kneel beside Stavin.

"Are you all right, Stave?" he asked through gritted teeth.

Stavin looked up at him and flinched, closing his eyes. "Oh, Gods Below! There can't be four of you."

Kahndar sighed in relief. "You'll live, and Shari won't torture me before she kills me. Gods Above and Below, my arm hurts."

Barvil was checking his wounded when the sound of running feet alerted him that more people were coming. "On guard!" he shouted, drawing his sword. "Flying Geese!" he snapped, commanding his men to form a 'V' behind him.

The sound of running feet came clearly from around a corner and was soon followed by a quartet of City Guardsmen who were responding to the disturbance. The leader saw them and slowed, drawing his sword. "Stand where you are and lower your weapons!" he commanded. "What happened here?" Barvil began to respond, but the leader of the guards pointed his sword at him and shouted, "Silence, you! You'll get a chance to defend yourself before the Magistrate. You," he snapped, pointing at one of the bystanders, "did you see these barbarians attack our citizens?"

The man shook his head. "T'wer the other way 'round, Guard. These were passin' quietly when that lot come out of the alley."

"Fagh! What would make five men jump a double handful of mercs?"

"Probably 'cause there was more of 'em to start. As to why, that young 'un in the gold armor would be my guess."

The guardsmen all moved to where they could see Stavin lying in the street. "Golden armor—Friend Stavin, my apologies. I had no idea that this was your party." He walked quickly over to Stavin's side and knelt. "Are you badly injured, Friend Stavin?"

Stavin opened one eye and looked at the guardsman. "No, nothing serious. Just a broken head," he answered. "I need help to stand." Barvil and Karvik immediately helped him stand up, then caught him as he pitched forward and vomited.

"You need to stay still, Stave," Kahndar said as he was helped to his feet.

Stavin moaned as he answered, "I am still. It's the ground that's moving."

The guardsmen stepped back and the leader looked around. Spotting a cooper's shop, he walked over to the man at the door. "Do you have a wagon that will hold these men?" he asked and the man nodded. "The City Guard asks your assistance in aiding Friend of Evandia Stavin. Please take Friend Stavin and his—party—to their lodgings." He pulled a bronze medallion from his pouch and handed it over. "You may redeem this with your taxes."

The cooper took the medallion and disappeared into his shop. He came around the corner a few long moments later in a large wagon. The guardsmen helped get everyone loaded and settled, then bowed deeply to Stavin, even though he was lying back with his eyes closed. The cooper clicked his tongue at his horses and got them moving as the guardsmen dispersed the crowd and started checking the dead men.

The cooper drove in silence for a bit, then turned his head to look at Barvil. "Where are you lodged, friends?"

"We are staying at Elain's, good Sir," Barvil answered. He was busy checking his wounded.

"Best stay there, then," the cooper said, turning forward again. "The city guardsmen don't take kindly to foreign warriors fighting in the streets. If not for Friend Stavin, you lot would be in lock-up until a magistrate passed sentence on you. More than one band has been stripped of their belongings and cast out."

Barvil had spun around to stare at the man's back. "We were the ones who were attacked, not the attackers!" he nearly shouted, but the man simply shook his head.

"Don't matter none," he replied without turning. "You were fighting in the streets. That's all they know or care about."

"How does Stave being a Friend of Evandia make a difference?" Ivalin asked.

The man chuckled, his whole body shaking for a moment. "A Friend of Evandia is a personal friend of the king, and only a member of the royal family can judge him. No guardsman or magistrate can touch him."

"And none of them want to face the king and explain what happened to Stavin in their sector of the city," Barvil said, finally understanding.

"Just so," the cooper agreed. "So long as Friend Stavin wears that golden armor there'll be those that think it
is
real gold, stories about dragons be damned."