The next morning after breakfast, Percy, Byren, and I rode out into their hunting preserve with a half dozen rcenaries. Aside from with my usual sword and shield, the rest of the hunting party was equipped with crossbows and longswords.
While we were gone, Kyren planned to have more intimate talks with the servants outside her brother’s prying eyes, and Hrig and Stone were going to attempt to untangle the rcenaries' circumstances.
"What exactly are we going to be hunting?" I asked as we rode.
"We had two manticores released on the grounds. We’re hoping they put up a good fight," said Percy.
Manticores released in an unfamiliar environnt being hunted down by nine n were at a distinct disadvantage in my opinion, but I chose not to share that viewpoint. Once we reached the deepest part of the forest, we dismounted from our horses. Byren threw a waterskin in my direction, but it tore as I caught it.
"Sorry about that. Just wanted to make sure you didn’t overheat in that armor."
"No problem. Accidents happen." Though the fact that the water slled suspiciously like manticore musk led to believe it had been no accident.
Pebble had studied manticore, drakes, goblins, and all manner of creatures at the University of Usulaum as part of his focus on practical dungeoneering. Head of a lion, tail of a scorpion, horns of a goat was the typical configuration, though different regions had different subspecies, including one that actually resided near Usulaum with the head of a man. Pebble had attempted to talk to one on the off-chance he could learn more about them, but unfortunately, they weren’t sapient, despite what the human face would indicate.
"Let’s spread out, shall we?" suggested Percy.
He took two rcenaries, Byren took two others, and the remaining two went with . It wasn’t long until I heard movent in the forest near . I didn’t attempt to sneak up on it— fullplate tends to render that pointless—so I simply gestured to the rcs to follow and drew my sword.
Pushing through the woods, I entered a gap in the trees. The manticore was there, gnawing on a deer and letting out low growls. When I stepped into the clearing, it pointed its nose into the air and its nostrils flared, taking in the scent of the musk that covered my armor. I charged it before it could charge , slamming my pauldron into its face. That knocked it forward, and I slashed downward at its head with my blade, but it deftly moved to the side.
The rcenaries behind took aim with their crossbows and fired, embedding two bolts into my back. It was a clever plan. Hunting accidents were common, manticores were dangerous, and crossbow bolts would pierce even armor as fine as . Unfortunately for them, I was unhard, but now, I was also very much annoyed.
The manticore raised its tail and struck at , but I deflected the stinger with my shield. It pulled its tail back to prepare another strike, and I dropped the sword and shield. The stinger struck, but this ti, I caught it. I could see the rcs behind quickly working to reload their crossbows, but struggling, distracted by my confrontation.
I pulled on the tail, flipping the beast and causing it to lose its footing. I then dug a single foot into the ground in the direction of the rcs and hauled the manticore by its tail, throwing it in their direction. I heard them cry out in surprise as four hundred pounds of pissed-off monster hit them and began clawing at everything in sight. One rcenary managed to loose a bolt in the beast even as he was torn to shreds, and another managed to pull a dagger out of his belt and started stabbing wildly, hitting his companion as much as he was the beast.
While the three of them struggled, I calmly retrieved my weapon and shield and removed the two bolts from my back, all while taking in the show. Pebble would’ve loved to see sothing like this up close. The majesty of a manticore at its most ferocious. By the ti they were done, the rcenaries were dead, the manticore mortally wounded. In spite of its injuries, it moved toward , refusing to even limp. In recognition of a fellow monster, I ended it quickly, driving my sword through its skull.
After removing the manticore’s head, I retrieved the crossbows and their bolts, storing them internally for potential future use. I then made my way back to where we’d left the horses, using my internal compass to navigate. Unfortunately, leaving the horses in an area in which a large amount of manticore musk was spilled had been a very poor decision.
The remaining manticore was neck deep in one of the horses when I arrived, two other horses lay spasming on the ground, paralyzed and dying from the venom of its sting. Six horses were missing, the implication of that clear. Rather than disturb what to was a well-earned al, I simply lted into the woods and took the long way around the remaining manticore. He may have slled the musk that hung about , but with so much food readily available, he likely didn’t care.
Toward the entrance to the forest, I picked up the trail of the remaining six horses. Percy and Byren had left with their bodyguards, leaving covered in manticore musk with two rcenaries whose job it had been to kill .
I began to make my way back to the Wyrwind estate. Without needing to follow a horse trail, I was able to cut a significant amount of ti from my journey.
It was late afternoon by the ti I’d made it back. The guards at the main gate were too surprised by the sight of a man carrying a manticore head and covered in blood to question my re-entry. rcenaries and servants turned their heads as I passed by. Hrig t at the door to the estate with a smile.
"A good hunt, milord?"
"A little dull, but the result was positive."
"The masters of the house were just sitting down for a late lunch with Kyren. They seem to be under the impression that you’d died. Kyren is in such shock, she doesn’t believe them."
"I think I’ll join them for lunch. Would you lead there? I’m a little disoriented after all that walking."
"Of course, milord." She began to lead to the dining room, dropping her ek stance as we walked outside the gaze of the servants and rcenaries that populated the courtyard. "We weren’t too worried, though I’d like you to know that if you hadn’t shown up by nightfall, we would’ve slit their throats. Kyren insisted, in fact."
"It’s good to feel loved. Perhaps I should’ve taken more ti to get here, though. I’m not feeling particularly charitable towardthem at this point."
"Neither is Kyren. We think we’ve got them figured out, and a plan is in place. We’ll talk about it once we’re back in the room."
I nodded, and Hrig pushed open the door to the dining room. Kyren gave one of her small smiles, Stone one of his big ones. Percy and Byren looked as if their eyes might leave their heads. I approached them slowly, watching them trying not to squirm, and tossed the manticore head between them. Percy gave a little jump, but Byren managed to keep himself still.
"It was a bit too easy, but thank you for inviting ." I walked over to Kyren, and Stone pulled out the chair next to her for . I sat and gave Kyren’s hand a squeeze, both for comfort and to confirm the food wasn’t poisoned, before I started calmly eating a rather well-made vegetable soup. The lunch went on silently for a while before Percy and Byren managed to fully recover themselves.
"We’ll have to have this stuffed and mounted," said Percy.
"Yes, it’s a fine trophy," agreed Byren.
"The problem with mounting a manticore head is that it just looks like soone killed a lion. It can only really create trophies that are less impressive than the creature itself unless you stuff the whole thing."
Byren and Percy let out stilted chuckles, and Kyren let out a real one.
"I’m sure Sevald would like to rest. We’re going to retire to our rooms. We may not be able to join you for dinner."
"Of course, sister."
With that, we walked calmly back to our rooms, making small talk about the hunt and the quality of the lunch. Stone gave the all-clear, and I was imdiately assailed with questions regarding my health.
"I’m fine. The rcenaries they sent with did most of the work, though not until after they tried to kill with their crossbows. I assu they’d been expecting their return rather than mine."
"So that makes two attempts so far. They’re likely to be getting frustrated at this point," said Stone.
"Exactly, especially now that we know why they’re so desperate," said Kyren.
"We’ve solved the rcenary mystery, then?"
"Yes, between the three of us, we managed to pull out the information we needed from the rcs and servants. My brothers owe money to four different people. Two are fellow nobles, and two are less savory rchants from the capital."
"Is it gambling, after all?"
"No, much dumber and more dangerous than that. You rember Duke Wyther talking about those two elven barons who went independent?"
"Yeah."
"Those are my cousins. Our lines intermarried as part of the treaty that created peace between Caedun and Sylfen. Apparently, my brothers have been sending them monetary support for their independence movent. They’ve been promised princely titles and new lands as soon as the barons have solidified their borders. They don’t seem to realize how idiotic they’re being."
"Forgive , I only married into the nobility, so I may not understand. Why is it idiotic?" asked Hrig.
"Because they’re nobles of Caedun, a country that has had peace with Sylfen, but not always, and they’re supporting two barons who have seceded from that land. If the Sylfen find out, it will look as if Caedun is purposely fonting rebellion."
"Do your brothers realize how dangerous what they’re doing is?" I asked.
"They likely do, but think they can get away with it. They intend to hold lands and titles both here and in the barons' lands at the sa ti, making them nobility of two kingdoms. They probably think that will make them indispensable to both rather than an enormous liability."
"Why the sudden urgency to take your grandmother’s lands?"
"The barons' ploy for independence isn’t going smoothly. They need the holdings to buy ti with the debtors."
"So, what do we do?"
"Well, I’ve sent several letters to key allies, legal officials, and a few friends of Stone’s in the city. All we need to do now is survive the night and wait."
* * *
The first rc to slip into the room used the front door. He wore no boots, but was wrapped in a black cloak with a small dagger in his hand. The first thing he saw when he entered was , standing with my arms crossed, staring at him. He began to raise his dagger, but I shook my head slowly left to right. He sheathed the dagger, bowed apologetically, and left.
The second rc had actually taken the ti to climb a garden trellis up to the balcony near the bed. Unfortunately, his efforts were for naught as Hrig gave him a firm shove, landing him in a particularly thorny rose bush.
The third and final rc attempted to use a servant corridor to make his way into the room, but instead found Stone sitting with two cups of ale. He simply accepted Stone’s invitation to sit and enjoy so ale with him, and after hearing a story about Stone out-spitting a troll to cross a bridge, he left, either having forgotten what he’d gone there for, or, more likely, not willing to kill a friendly dwarf servant to get away with it.
After that, the attempts stopped, and everyone was able to get so rest. I had asked why the rcenaries would attack us if Percy and Byren were the ones who owed them money, and Stone had explained that it was simply the easiest way for them to get their money. Still, all we had to do was make it too difficult to go through us, and they would turn their attention back to the Wyrwind brothers.
Breakfast the next morning was quiet. Percy and Byren looked haggard and didn’t bother making their usual small talk. A servant entered the room quietly and provided Kyren with a small stack of correspondence.
"I apologize for interrupting, my lady. The courier said these were all urgent."
Kyren thanked her and opened the letters one at a ti. Her quiet smile grew ever so slightly with each one read.
"So good news, sister? Perhaps sothing from your fellow priests?" asked Byren, suspicion in his voice.
"Oh, sothing along those lines. I’m sure you’ll be receiving your own letters shortly."
By the end of the al, their own letters had begun to co in, and even just the sight of the nas on them turned both Percy and Byren white as sheets.
"I think we’ll retire to our rooms. It looks like you two will be busy sorting all of that." Kyren gave a little curtsy, put her arm through mine, and we walked out the door back to the room.
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