CHAPTER SEVENTEEN - COURSE CORRECTION

Mayor Brimly sat back in his chair, stunned. Beside him, Constable Malory’s expression had softened. He and the Mayor looked at each other for a long minute.

“We did not set out to desert. But when High Command gave those orders…” Raedrick shook his head. “I would not execute such an order. Nor would I order my men to.”

“No. No, I imagine you could not.”

“The rest of us in the squad left with him,” Julian interjected. “And some others from the platoon as well. Disobeying an order gets you the gallows. Not reporting a desertion gets you almost as bad. But weren’t none of us who could stomach staying with the unit after that.”

The Constable nodded slowly. “What about Farzal? Or..what was it you called him?”

“Isenholf,” Raedrick replied with a sigh. “Theobald Isenholf.”

“He was a rat from the beginning,” Julian said, earning a look of reproach from Raedrick. “What? He was. You just didn’t see it because you were a Squad Leader as well.” Looking back at the Mayor, Julian went on. “He had a cruel streak, and took matters too far even before things began going downhill. Then the officers found out that he had been stealing. They were going to make an example of him, but he left before they had the chance. Took a few of his cronies with him.”

“And now here they are,” Mayor Brimly grumbled. Grunting, he stood up and turned around to look out his office window. “This town cannot survive under Farzal’s domination. He’ll drain us dry. And we do not have the resources or know-how to deal with him on our own.” Taking a deep breath, he turned back around. “Very well. The job is still yours, if you will do it.”

“Your Honor, I…” Constable Malory began.

“Would you have done differently in their place, Lucian?”

Malory took a moment in answering. He looked sidelong at Julian and Raedrick and frowned. Then, finally, he shook his head. “No, I suppose not. But still…”

“We can worry about the rest after this crisis has passed,” Mayor Brimly replied.

Malory nodded, clearly not happy even if he did understand.

For his part, Julian didn’t much like the sound of that. The only thing he could think of that they had to worry about later was turning them in, and damned if he was going to risk his life for them just to be repaid like that. He was just about to open his mouth and say that when the Mayor spoke up again.

“You understand the Constable and I are bound by oath and duty to turn in deserters that we come across. However, if you will rid us of these criminals, we will pretend we did not learn of your past. Are we agreed?”

Raedrick nodded and Julian followed suit.

“Very well then. I’ll leave you to get on with it.”

* * *

Julian and Raedrick descended the steps at the front of the Town Hall. Their men, waiting in the street at the foot of the stairs, perked up when they returned.

“Is everything alright?" asked Selam. He did not truly sound concerned.

“No problem. The Mayor is calm again at least.”

Julian’s words evoked chuckles from the fishing men.

“Brimly is high strung, that’s for sure,” Rolf quipped. “But he means well. Now what?”

That was the question, wasn’t it? Julian looked to the east, where the sun was beginning to dip below the mountains. The day was about done.

“Change in plans, Julian,” Raedrick said suddenly. “You’re running the training on your own tomorrow. Rolf, Hiram, and Gilroy will assist.”

“Say again?”

“Selam and I are going to take an excursion tonight, and I doubt we’ll be back in time to meet the others in the morning.”

Selam blinked in surprise. “Where are we going?”

Raedrick pointed toward the end of Main Street, where the brigands had turned right after leaving town. “Twenty men on horses leave a trail that should be easy to follow. We’re going to find their hideout.”

“But Rae, I…”

“You’re still hurt, Julian. You’ll slow us down, and you’ll be a liability in a fight right now.”

“Now hold on.”

“You know it’s true, my friend.”

Julian wanted to deny Raedrick’s words, but he could not. Even going up and down stairs was a strain, and would be for a number of days yet. Reluctantly, Julian nodded.

Raedrick smiled and clapped him on the shoulder. “Don’t worry. We’ll leave a few of the scum for you to handle.”

With that, he and Selam set off down the street. Julian couldn’t help but chuckle at his friend’s bravado. All the same, he felt a pang of something that felt disturbingly close to jealousy as he watched them depart.

* * *

Twilight was nearing its end as Julian stepped into the taproom.

Even though he had been in the Vale for a number of days, he still found it strange how quickly night descended in the valley. He was just as happy to get indoors, since the night’s chill was beginning to set in. That was one advantage to not going on Raedrick’s excursion; it felt like it was going to be a cold one.

The taproom was more crowded than usual. Men sat at every bar stool, and most of the tables were taken. It took a moment of thinking before Julian realized why: tomorrow was Godsday. No work on Godsday, so there was no reason for people not to stay up a bit later than normal, and maybe indulge in a little extra fun. Molli was behind the bar this evening, a change from her usual routine. Lani was probably around somewhere too, but Julian couldn’t see her anywhere.

Instead of lingering in the entryway, Julian decided to go say hi to Molli at the bar. She was always good for a chuckle, and maybe a discounted drink. But as he hobbled around a full table and barely avoided getting run down by a hurrying waitress, he spotted another lady he had not seen in a while.

Melanie sat, impeccably dressed and alone as usual, at a table for two near the fireplace on the right.

Julian altered his course without thinking twice.

The lady mage, or whatever she wanted to call herself, noticed him coming long before he arrived beside her table. He chose to believe the little toss of her head came from happiness to see him rather than something else, but it was hard to not notice the way she rolled her eyes as he continued toward her table.

Well, they say if you want to get close to a woman it’s better to get her dander up than to not cause any emotion in her at all. Julian had always seriously doubted how wise “they” really were about women, but just then he clung to that thought like a drowning man to a twig.

“Good evening, Melanie,” Julian said.

“Why do you insist on bothering me, bumpkin? You and your friend got your help, so can you leave me alone, please?”

“Yes, well, about that. First, I’m not a bumpkin. I was born and raised a city boy, if you must know. Second…” Julian cleared his throat softly. “Our plan didn’t turn out so well.”

“No.” If sarcasm were gold, she would be able to live like a queen for the rest of her life.

“No, really, it didn’t. But we’re moving on to plan B. There is a chance we’ll need to ask for more help, though.” She rolled her eyes again, her expression even more annoyed than it had been. “But that’s not why I’m here.”

“Then why are you here, city boy?”

He simply could not catch a break with her. “Well I’m on my own tonight. You clearly don’t have any company.” He put on his most winning smile and gestured toward the empty chair at her table. “Eating with company is always better than eating alone.”

“Not always.”

Feeling slapped across the face, Julian had to force the smile to not become a snarl. “Well if you’re going to be rude about it…” He turned to leave.

He could hear the eye roll in her tone as she spoke to his back. “Oh sit down, Julian. Honestly, it’s no wonder you men are always fighting duels and starting wars, as thin skinned as you are.”

Julian had half a mind to just walk away, but looking back over his shoulder, he was struck by the color of her skin in the firelight and how the flames reflected off her eyes. She really was stunning. And so, against his better judgement and the commands of his ego, he sat down in the proffered chair.

And had no idea what to say next.

The silence had become almost unbearable when their waitress finally came by to ask for his order. Silently blessing the waitress for her timeliness, he looked questioningly at Melanie.

“I’ve already ordered.”

Nodding, Julian said, “Ale. And to eat, fish and chips.”

The waitress nodded and made a note on her tray, then hurried off toward the bar.

“You’re a true gourmet.”

Now it was Julian’s turn to roll his eyes. “Really, do you have to mock everything I do?”

Melanie sipped at her drink and smiled innocently. “You make it very easy.” He opened his mouth to protest, but she stopped him with a raised hand. “But I’ll try to be more gentle.”

How kind of her. He half-snorted, half-chuckled. “Thank you.”

They were silent for another brief period, during which the waitress brought Julian’s drink. He gulped down a mouthful of ale and relished the flavor for a moment.

“Which city?”

Swallowing another mouthful of ale, he raised an eyebrow at Melanie. “Come again?”

“Which city are you from?”

“Oh.” He set his tankard down and shrugged. “Taris, on the coast of the Tymor Sea.”

“Very cosmopolitan.”

Irritation welled up. It must have been visible on his face, because Melanie rolled her eyes again and said, “I’m serious. It’s one hell of a lot more worldly a place to grow up than my little village.”

“Really. And where was that?”

She shrugged. “It’s called Vernon’s Passing. Not even a one horse town, in the middle of nowhere. I got out of there as soon as I was able.”

Julian supposed that explained a few things. “You’ve come a long way.”

“You’ve no idea.”

Glimmer Vale is the first book of the Glimmer Vale Chronicles, an ongoing heroic fantasy series set in a world of valor and magic. It will be published here, one chapter per week, on Tuesday.

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