Chapter 13

  The hot soak took some of the soreness out of Glem’s muscles after the morning's training while he waited for the horse from Jorick to arrive. Hmm, better than expected this morning, at least if it comes to a fight, we should be able to make a showing, Glem thought.

  There was a heavy knock at the door. "Glem, there is a young man here with a horse for you. Said you are expecting him," Oarf said through the bath door.

  "Thank you, Oarf. Please tell him to wait."

  Glem pulled on the fresh shirt and riding breeches that the girls had surprised him with when they returned from the shop in the market. "She does good work," he muttered to himself as he admired the fine stitching on the shirt.

  Feeling younger than he had for ages, Glem strode through the inn and out the front door.

  "Jorick sends his regards, Sir. He sent me to deliver you this horse and told me that you saw Cerya in her shop yesterday for equipment. I stopped by her shop to see if there was anything she needed to deliver, and she sent me with the saddle, bags, and boots. She told me to tell you that the girls had been fitted, and the rest of your stuff will be ready on time," the young pimple-faced man said in a rush. "Is it… is it true, Sir, what the rumors say?"

  "I don't know what the rumors say, but usually find they’re a waste of time," Glem replied as he looked carefully over the tall stallion. He glanced up at the young man. "Boots?"

  "Yes Sir, she said to bring them to you since they were ready," the young guardsman said as he pulled open a saddlebag, and took a pair of long, heeled horsemen's boots out.

  He handed them to Glem.

  Glem sat down on the bench next to the door and began to pull off the low, soft boots he had worn since he arrived to care for Alyra many years ago.

  "Never did get comfortable in these," he said to the young man. Glem pulled on the horsemen's boots and stood to settle them with a stomp. The full, thick leather rose just above his knees in the front. "Ahhh. That feels more natural." He reached up to pull the saddlebags down. "Hold the horse for me while I get the rest of my gear."

  Glem walked back into the inn and looked around the main room, looking for the girls. He found them at his favorite table in front of the cold hearth.

  “I will be leaving for a few days to scout for the cowards that burned our village. In the morning, go to the market for the rest of your gear. I expect to be gone for less than a week, but it could be a few days longer depending on how far we must go. The room and meals are paid for. You two stay out of trouble and listen if Oarf or Eiriean tells you something. I am going to ask them to keep an eye on you while I am gone.”

  “Aww, Come on, Grandpa. We are two grown women. We don’t need minders anymore,” Alyra complained.

  “Just the same, I will feel better if I know there is someone else watching out for you.”

  “Do we have to stay in the inn, or are we allowed to go out into the town?” Rues asked as she glanced at Alyra, willing her to keep her mouth shut.

  “Stay in the walls of the town and stay together. You will need to get your new stuff from the market, so you will have to go out for that.” Glem handed a small bag to Rues. “Here is some silver to get some sweets or something pretty if you find it. Maybe a cookbook for Alyra if you find one.” He winked at Rues.

  Alyra threw her arms around Glem with tears in her eyes. “Be careful, Grandpa.”

  “I will, Alyra, I will. You take care of each other while I am gone,” Glem said, pulling Rues into the hug with Alyra. “I will be back soon. Now, you two wait here while I go talk to Oarf and Eiriean.”

  Glem walked over to Oarf, who was behind the bar and cleaning as usual.

  “I don’t know how long this is going to take. I expect only a few days but have no way of knowing how far we will have to go. I appreciate you looking after the girls while I am away. I talked to them, and they should not give you too much trouble.”

  Glem handed Oarf several more coins. “This should cover everything until I get back, but if you need more, I will settle up when I return.”

  “No. No. This is too much.” Oarf replied, trying to push the money back to Glem.

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  “Ha, by the time I get back, you are going to think I underpaid you. If you feel overpaid, maybe teach one of them to cook. Alyra can burn water in a full pot,” Glem joked.

  Clasping Glem’s forearm, Oarf said, “Be careful and look after Jorick. He is a rascal but we would miss him.”

  Glem headed up the stairs to the room with his saddlebags.

  He tossed them over the chair in the room and started to quickly sort through the things he was taking with him and those that would be left for his return. Inside a few minutes, everything was ready. His bags packed, they waited as Glem stood by the bed looking at spread out mail.

  “This never gets more comfortable. Nothing for it.”

  He slipped the heavy mail over his shoulders and felt it settle into place, then picked up his equipment and strode out of the room. Glem stopped in the inn’s main room one last time to give each of the girls another hug and assurances for his safe return, then he left.

  Glem stepped out through the door of the inn carrying his cloak and saddlebags in one arm and his sheathed sword in the other. The sword was still in the wrappings to obscure his signet. He looked like a completely different man than the one who had arrived two days before.

  "You are him!" the young man exclaimed as he came out.

  "Him, who, lad?" Glem asked.

  "The one that beat Lt. Garen, Lt. Jorick, and Capt. Lorne together this morning. Sir…" he said at a near whisper.

  Glem heaved a heavy sigh, "I guess I am at that."

  "Umm...Sir?

  "Spit it out, lad," Glem said.

  "Jorick said to tell you to meet them at the gate you came in when you arrived in the city, an hour before dusk. I am supposed to wait for your answer on the timing," the young man said.

  "Humph, once I get loaded, I will follow you back to him."

  "Thank you, Sir. He also said you only need your gear; the captain is supplying the rest of the provisions. Sir, are there any additional messages you would like me to deliver? The lieutenant said to return with your answer and then to run any errands or messages you need, Sir," the young man said, tripping over his words as if talking to royalty.

  "Thank you, lad, call me Glem. I don't need anything done, and the girls picked up the rest of my gear already. I'll be ready in just a moment."

  "I can't, Sir. Lt. Jorick was very clear that I was to address you as Sir."

  He settled his saddlebags in place and tied his heavy cloak to them with a practiced motion. After he swung up into the saddle, he reached a hand down.

  "Come on, lad, it'll be faster getting back if we both ride," Glem said as he quickly towed the young man up into the pillion behind him. "Is Jorick at the guard headquarters?"

  "I think so, Sir. That is where he told me to find him after I delivered your horse," he replied.

  The city doesn't yet know the danger it’s in, Glem thought as they entered the now quiet yard where he had spent the morning.

  A nod to the guards at the gate was enough to grant him entry now without question.

  A familiar form hurried across the yard to meet them as they came in.

  "Jorick," Glem called loudly, bringing his new friend to a stop. He dismounted and strode to Jorick. "I wanted to have a look at the plans again before we left, so I had this young man bring me to you."

  "Good. I thought you might, but I wanted to leave it up to you. Trainee, take Glem's horse to the stable and rub him down with straw. We'll resaddle him just before we leave."

  "Yes, Sir."

  "Glem, you're with me. I’m on my way to see the Captain," Jorick said, turning into the doorway just ahead of them.

  With his hand, Glem shaded his eyes from the sun that set low above the wall as he emerged from the building a couple of hours after entering.

  Glem saw five horses that were just being led out, held by the young man he’d met earlier in the day. Three more serious-looking young males walked across the yard from the barracks, buckling on their swords as they angled toward Glem and Jorick.

  "Is everything in order?" asked Jorick sternly of the three.

  Coming to attention, the middle of the three stepped one pace forward. "Yes, Sir, the horses and gear are as requested. Jake was also able to find the heavy longbow the Captain requested for Master Glem," he said, nodding to the shorter young man to his right.

  "Bow?" Glem questioned.

  "Yes, Sir. The Captain said he remembered you having a... fondness for the bow and suggested that you might appreciate it if we could find one heavy enough. We have a good bowyer in town, and he thought that this one might be enough for you," he said as he pulled a thick bundle from under a strap on Glem’s saddle.

  "This was made by the master bowyer here in the town," the guard said, handing the unstrung bow to Glem along with a string taken from a pouch.

  Glem took the bow and looked it over. "This is good work. Hmm. Good weight to it," he said as he set the curve of the bow over his instep and strung it in one smooth motion. He drew the string to his cheek a couple of times to test the pull. "This will do," as he unstrung the bow. He looked around at the shocked faces of the others. "What?"

  "That bow has hung in the bowyer’s shop for years. The bowyer built it for a giant of a man who never came back for it. No one else has been able to string it, much less draw it. Glem, they bought it as a joke," Jorick said.

  "Ha, looks like the joke’s on you," Glem said to the guard.

  "How much was the bow? And for your joke, you get to rub down all the horses every night," Jorick said.

  "He gave it to us for a penny and said that if he couldn't draw it to bring it back, he would keep the penny, and we could buy a regular one," the guard said, still staring in shock. "I think he just wanted it out of his shop finally."

  "Enough of that. Let's get on with it. If we are going to clear the gates, we need to move," Glem said as he slid the bow back under the saddle strap. He raised an eyebrow at the guard as he swung into the saddle. "I'm keeping this."