NaNoWriMo, part 14

[bookish_dragon]

Chapter 8

"Get your fingers out of my stew!"
"I was only tasting! And it needs more salt."
"It has enough salt. Let me cook," Emmar said. She glared at Bjernu. The group had stopped and made camp for the night. Over the past couple of days of travel Emmar had taken up the position of cook. Her knowledge of herbs was not restricted to healing.
The scout glared back. He had not taken to Emmar yet. Both monks had dropped the 'Sister' since they were not at The Duchess anymore. He resented the way she had joined the group. He turned to glare at Olgyu, but the warrior had gone off into the forest for more firewood. Marnak and Ameena sat off to the side, keeping out of the argument. Like cats, it would not be wise to break up Emmar and Bjernu. They would only circle and snap at each other the rest of the evening. It would be better to let them get it out of their systems. Emmar whackedBjernu's hand with the ladle as he made to put it in the stew again. He yanked his hand back. "That hurts!" Sulking he sat down next to Ameena and Marnak.
"Serves you right. Let me cook." With narrowed eyes she watched him go. The way he treated her irked her. She wanted to prove she was a good addition to the group, but he did not let her. It made her feel small and angry. The only person who appreciated her being here was Olgyu. The warrior did not say it, but they did share bedrolls. Emmar felt safe then, held and warm. She shook her head and went back to cooking. The rabbit in the stew should be done by now. More salt, ha! It did not need more salt. She would show him.

Bjernu sat down next to Ameena in time to hear her say "But what about neutrality? There is something in not following a particular set of morals and being bound by them in your actions. Neutrality allows you greater freedom."
Marnak was silent. Bjernu sighed. Ameena and Marnak had gotten into the habit of discussing morality and faith, both topics which bored him. "Some times things need to be done," the scout said, surprising himself. "Worrying about whether it is good is counterproductive and delays what you have to do until there is no need for it anymore." He stretched out his legs.
"How is that?" Ameena asked.
"If you wait too long with diving into the river to save a child who can not swim because you are fretting whether that is a good thing to do, the child will have drowned. And what you think is good will be evil to someone else. The child might have been evil."
"That depends on the child's age. What would you do?" Ameena asked.
"I would jump in and save it. Drowning is a horrible way to die," Bjernu said.
"But you would not worry if it was a good or evil act?" Ameena asked.
"Not much, no. What would be the point?" Bjernu said.
"Saving a life is a good act," Marnak said.
"We also kill. That is evil," Bjernu said.
"That is self-defense," Marnak protested.
"It is not evil if it is for the greater good," Ameena said. Both men were silent at that.
"Who decides that?" Bjernu asked, finally. "How can you measure the greater good?
"When you stopped the goblins from invading Plün, the greater good was saving the village and its inhabitants," Ameena said.
"If we had not intervened, they would never have attacked," Bjernu said.
"You also stopped them from robbing and destroying Plün's resources. That is also the greater good," Ameena contested.
"Those goblins are dead or scattered. Are you saying that the needs of humans outweigh the needs of the other races?" Bjernu could feel himself getting angry.
"No, I am not. I am not human myself, so why should I stick up exclusively for them? The needs of those that live peaceful lies and who do not resort to weapons and violence to get what they need outweigh the needs of those who think they are allowed everything because they have a shiny sword." Ameena fell silent.
Bjernu was too. He felt out of his depth with this conversation and the turn it had taken. He wondered why he had opened his mouth and participated in the first place. "I do not know. This is getting beyond my understanding," he said.
Ameena smiled at him. "That is all right. It is rather tricky stuff to talk about."
"Do not talk down to me. I may not have had the same training, but I am not stupid," Bjernu snapped.
Marnak sighed. Not those two as well. He searched for a way to distract them.
"I am sorry. I did not mean to," Ameena said.
"What do you mean, 'It depends on the child's age'?" Marnak asked her.
Ameena looked at him. "What? I do not understand what...oh, that," she said. She pulled her legs up to her chest. "I do not know myself, why I said that."
"Are you saying children can be evil?" Marnak asked. "Are they capable of that at that age?"
"I do not know." She picked at her tail. "People say it depends on what race it is. So all orcs are evil, regardless of age."
"What do you think?" Bjernu asked her. He scooted closer to her.
"I am not sure. It seems too easy to say that. Being an orc does not mean you are evil."
"What does that have to do with the child's age?" Marnak asked.
"Good and evil are educated. What we think of as good is what the people around us think is good. The same goes for evil. I have seen children who were complete bullies when they were young to grow up to be fine and moral people. Because they got raised well and so developed a set of morals which told them that bullying was wrong, so they stopped doing it." She stopped again.
"Please go on," Bjernu urged her.
"I can not. I do not know what I am saying anymore," Ameena said. She put her hands around her legs. Bjernu put his arm around her shoulders.
"Becoming evil is a conscious choice, one you make when you know what evil is, and what good is?" Marnak asked her.
"I guess," Ameena said. She leaned against Bjernu. "That was the case with me."
"You made the conscious decision to become good?" Marnak asked.
"I am not good. I am not evil either. Both are too restricting for me. I follow the laws, because those are necessary for a good working society. However, those are all conscious decisions on my part."
"Would you let that child drown if he was evil?" Bjernu asked.
"No. He might still change his mind. He must be given that chance," Ameena said. "Everybody deserves a second chance."
"But what if he has already had one, and has chosen for evil? What then?" Bjernu asked.
"Give him another chance. Being dead will not help him."
"Sometime you have to kill. How do you feel about that?" Bjernu asked.
Marnak decided to leave them to talk. They were barely acknowledging his presence. He got up and joined Emmar near the fire. As he thought, they did not notice him leaving. Marnak shook his head, and warmed his hands.
"If it was necessary, I would do it," Ameena said.
"Have you ever killed anyone?" Bjernu asked.
"No. Not that I know of," she said slowly. She leaned in closer to him, hoping to find comfort. Her pulled her closer in response.
"Are you all right, Ameena?"
"Maybe. I do not like where this is going. Can we talk about something else, please?"
"Certainly. What do you suggest?"
"I do not care. Just talk to me." She put her head on his shoulder.
Marnak and Emmar watched them. "They look very cozy," Emmar said. She looked to the forest at her right, where Olgyu had gone into. "Dinner is almost ready. I hope she will be back soon."
Marnak said nothing, and waited for that evening's meal.

Chopping-sounds came from deep in the forest. Olgyu was panting slightly from the exertions over providing the firewood. The branches were too big to transport to the campsite, so she was chopping them down to size. It also gave her time to think. They were a week out from The Duchess. She still could not say what she thought about Emmar being there. It was nice, more than nice, to share sleeping-places, even if twigs poked in your back and stones got into your bedroll and you got chilly during the night. Waking up and seeing that sleeping face framed by red sleep-tousled hair made it worthwhile, and that scared her. As did how fast she had gotten used to Emmar being there. Was this what falling in love felt like? How did anyone survive that? She felt all fuzzy inside, when she had never felt like that before. She sheathed her axe and gathered the firewood. With her arms full she wandered back to the camp.
"Well, well, well, what do we have here? Are you not a fine-looking piece?" a man's voice to the left of her said.
Olgyu stopped. She turned her head to see where the voice had come from. "Ah, ah, ah, hold it right there, sweetheart. We do not want to spoil the surprise, now do we?" Olgyu sighed. One of those. All talk and no substance. "Now just keep standing there like that. We really would not want you to go for that nasty-looking axe of yours." The bushes rustled as the owner of the voice came out. He was a scruffy bandit, hair hidden under a dirty bandanna. He was holding a loaded crossbow pointed at Olgyu. "Just keep standing there, dear. I will relieve you of any valuables as what might be keeping you from reaching the noble cause of keeping warm. All right, love?" Olgyu pretended to stand frozen, and waited for the man to come closer. "Hand them over then, dear."
"You told me to stand like this. Come get them yourself." She listened for any sounds that might indicate that he was not working alone. She heard nothing beyond the normal forest-sounds. She should have done so before, but she had been too preoccupied. Stupid love.
The bandit stood hesitating. He had told her that. This was not how it was supposed to go, though. The woman was supposed to break down and cry and give him everything she had. In the end his desperation won. He had not properly eaten for too long. "Just stand like that, or I will shoot you." He walked close to her. When he got withing arm's reach Olgyu moved, and threw the firewood at him. He found himself lying on the forest-floor under a big collection of logs. "You bitch! You were not supposed to do this! I just wanted your money!" he screamed. Olgyu stood over him with her axe at this throat. He stopped trying to get up.
"You are right. This axe is looking very nasty. Now then, dear, give us your valuables. You are looking very burdened."
He glared at her. "I do not have none, you stupid cow. Why do you think I am here? You were supposed to cry and wail and beg me to have mercy."
"Sorry, I do not do crying. And nothing you can do will leave me begging." She hit him in the head with the butt of her axe. He went out like a light. Olgyu took the crossbow and searched him for any further weapons. She left him lying there and walked back to the camp with the firewood, the bandit's crossbow, its arrows and his daggers.
"You are late," Emmar scolded as she entered the campsite. "Dinner was done ages ago. Where have you been?"
Olgyu smiled. "I had a little run-in in the forest. Tell me, can you handle a crossbow?"

"Now, hold it like this and aim like that. See the target over there? Just aim." Out of the way but still clear in sight of the camp Olgyu and Emmar were practising the usage of a crossbow. A few hundred metres away a target had been hung on a tree. "If you have it clear in your sights, then say so."
Emmar was a bit nervous. She had not handled weapons beyond the compulsory training every member of the order had had. She sighted along the crossbow and saw the target. "I see it," she said, softly.
"Good. Now then, squeeze the trigger until it can not go any further." Olgyu stood next to her, correcting her posture. "Pull your shoulders down, do not hunch."
"Yes, Olgyu." Emmar lowered her shoulders, sighted again and squeezed the trigger. The arrow hit the tree under the target.
"Good. You just need to aim higher. It could be the crossbow too. It is not the best quality I have ever seen." Olgyu put her hand onEmmar's shoulder as encouragement. Emmar aimed higher and fired another shot. She hit the outer edge of the target, and let out a small yelp of joy. "Very good, you are getting the hang of it. Practise to get the feel for how it shoots."
Emmar looked confused. "How do you mean? I know how it works."
"This one tends to shoot lower than expected. That is something you need to get the feel for. Just practise some more," Olgyu said. Emmar awkwardly reloaded the bow.
"Hey, that is my crossbow!" The bandit staggered out of the forest.
Olgyu sighed, and turned around. "I have not hit you hard enough."
Back in the camp Ameena and Bjernu had looked up at the bandit's shout. They grabbed whatever weapon was nearby and hurried in the direction of the practise. Marnak stayed behind to watch the camp. Olgyu laughed when she saw them arrive. "You are not needed here. He is no threat. He could not even cut himself shaving."
"You bitch!" the man screamed at Olgyu.
Emmar turned and pointed the bow at his chest. "What did you say to her?" She narrowed her eyes at him. The bow dropped lower. "This crossbow is currently pointing at your lower torso, but as you might know, it having been yours and all, it tends to shoot lower. So think very carefully about your words."
Olgyu looked at her admiringly. "I would listen to her. She is a fast learner," she told the bandit. "Oh, and you are surrounded. What do you want?"
The bandit looked cared and defiant. "I want my possessions back that you stole from me."
Olgyu shook her head. "Those are mine now, as repayment for trying to rob me, dear. You are not one of the smartest persons, are you? Coming up to someone with a loaded crossbow?"
He stamped his foot. "Those are mine. Give them back!"
Ameena was leaning on her quarterstaff, trying not to burst out laughing. She could not believe what she was seeing. Bjernu's hand was on the pommel of his sword. He was grinning at the scene. The bandit was going red in the face from all the screaming. He was swaying, and fell down.
Olgyu raised an eyebrow. "Now what is wrong with him?"
Emmar walked over, and knelt next to him. Olgyu stood next to her, and took the crossbow from her hands. "He is starving," the healer finally said. "he collapsed from not having enough food and sleep."
"That does explain why he was so insane," Olgyu said. "Well, we still have some stew left, we might as well feed him. Come on." She gave Emmar the crossbow, and shouldered the bandit, taking him back to the camp. The rest followed.

"You did what?" Marnak asked. "He tried to rob you and not want to feed him?"
"He can not take care of himself right now. We can not leave him to die here," Emmar pleaded. The unconscious bandit was lying at their feet on the ground.
"How long do you want to feed him for?"
"Until he can stand on his feet without collapsing. You are a priest. Why are you opposed to this?" Emmar asked.
"If he was stupid enough to let himself starve, then why should we feel obligated to take care of him?" Marnak insisted.
"Because it is the right thing to do." Emmar turned away from Marnak, and sat down next to the bandit, a bowl of stew-juices in her hand. Feeding him solids now would not be a good idea. Olgyu stood close by. She did not want the man to get any strange ideas when he came to. "I need someone to prop him up," Emmar said. "I can not feed him otherwise."
"I will do that," Ameena volunteered. She knelt down on the other side of the bandit, putting her arms around his chest and pulling him into her lap. "Will this do, Emmar?"
"A bit higher please, or he will drown in the juices." Ameena followed the instructions, holding the man securely against her.
Bjernu and Marnak snorted at the scene. The priest stalked off to the other side of the camp. They were not here to dispense charity. If anyone was so stupid as to try and rob an obviously very strong and experienced warrior, then they deserved whatever happened to them. There were not to be rewarded by being fed. It set a bad example. How would they learn? Why would his group not listen to him?
The scout felt a stab of jealousy as he saw the bandit being cradled against Ameena's chest. He knew she did not mean it beyond helping out Emmar, but he could not help it. He grabbed his bow and climbed a tree. 'Might as well keep watch,' he thought. It was getting dusk.
After a copious amount of juices the bandit came to. The first thing he saw when he opened his eyes was Emmar. "Now there is a sight for sore eyes. I knew you would not shoot me, love."
Emmar sighed. "I am not your love. Now please stop talking, you are going to need to conserve your strength."
The bandit leered at her. "Oh, I will, love." Olgyu glared at him. He looked back to see who was holding him. "Well, well, well, it must be my animal magnetism."
"You are going to need one first," Ameena said. She wrinkled her nose. "You stink."
"You wound me love. What you smell is all me." He waggled his eyebrows at her.
"More like old skunk with a hint of deer-dung," Olgyu said. "Now listen to the person feeding you."
"I was not talking to you. I was talking to these beauties here. How about it, dears?" He yelped as an arrow hit the ground between his legs.
"Oh, I am sorry," Bjernu's came from a tree. "Did I almost hit you?" There was a hint of menace in his voice, and a threat that he could hit more accurately. Ameena flashed a smile in the direction the voice had come from. She could not see Bjernu, but found herself feeling safe knowing he was there.
"Open your mouth," Emmar said. "You are not done eating yet. Now open it."
The bandit opened his mouth, and did not speak during the rest of his feeding. "Thank you, love," he said as Emmar had finished. "I knew you would take my side in the end. Now if you will just give me my weapons and perhaps a kiss for good luck, I will be on my way." He got up, trying to get a grope in at Ameena. She hit his hand. "Ow! What was that good for, sweetheart? I did not hurt you, so there is no need to hit me."
"Keep your hands to yourself," Ameena said. "Before something bad happens to them."
"That is not very cordial, dear." He got wide-eyed as Ameena got up from the ground. "'Ere, you got a tail. Eww, now I am going to need a bath to get your touch off me. I hate baths." Another arrow hit the ground next to his right foot. He did not notice.
"We can smell that," Olgyu said. She grabbed the front of the man's shirt and brought his face close to hers. "Listen, we fed you, and saved you from your own stupidity. Now, if you can not be grateful and apologise right now, things will turn very bad. Starting with Bjernu stopping goofing off and aiming like he can do very well. Understood?" The bandit had turned very white. He nodded, slowly. "Good man. Go on, say you are sorry for insulting her." She let go off his shirt and shoved him inAmeena's direction.
"'M sorry," he mumbled, not looking at her.
"Louder, please. We can not hear you," Olgyu said. "And look up while you are talking."
"I am sorry for insulting you," he said to Ameena, looking fixedly at her chest. Nice view.
"My eyes are up here," Ameena said, crossing her arms in front of her chest. "Now get lost, before you get infected more."
"But my weapons," he protested. Ameena looked unbiddable. "I am going. You will regret this. All of you, but you the most. You are not natural, you are." He found himself reeling from the blow Ameena dealt him.
"Get lost," she hissed at him, Her eyes were turning red and her tail swung furiously. She shook out her hand.
"You will regret this All of you!" he screamed as he ran off into the forest.
"That did not end as expected," Olgyu finally said.
"Thank you," Ameena said to the warrior.
Olgyu shrugged. "You are welcome. He deserved it." She put out her arm and pulled Emmar close to her.
"I only wanted to help him," Emmar said.
"Some people do not know how good they have it," Olgyu said. "It is not your fault."
Ameena wandered off to where Bjernu's voice had come from. "I am here," he called at her. He threw down his bow and climbed down. "Are you all right?" he asked when he was standing next to her. Far off they heard the sound of someone smacking into a tree. They ignored it.
"I am fine, I think," Ameena said. "It was just a shock, after we helped him. I sort of forgot how much that remark stings. Thank you."
"Anytime. That was a nice blow you dealt him," he said.
She smiled. "Thank you. I do not think I would have done that a week ago."
"What has changed?" Bjernu returned the smile.
"Being here. In this group. It...I do not know exactly, but it does make me feel better."
"That is good to hear. I need to get back on watch. Are you taking the second one?" He leaned on his bow.
"I am. Good luck."
"I will wake you then. Good night." He climbed back into the tree, and positioned himself on a branch. Ameena wandered back to the fire, feeling better.
Marnak was also there, trying and failing to hide his smugness. "It is not such a good idea now, is it?" he was asking Emmar who was clearing away the remnants of dinner. The redhead did not look up.
"Leave off, Marnak," Olgyu said. "What is the use?"
"Trying to see if we have learned anything from this. That is why we do not pick up and care for strangers. I was right, you should have listened to me. It is your fault, you did not listen to me."
"He needed help!" Emmar said. "We could not have left him lying there to die. It would not have been right."
"Olgyu left him in the woods, and I do not hear you complain about that," he said.
"I am not happy with that either. But she did not know what state he was in."
"Whatever you say. However, we will not be doing this again. I have spoken. Good night." He rolled himself in his blanket, and went to sleep. Emmar stared furiously at him and went to her and Olgyu's bedrolls. Olgyu joined er after making sure the fire would not go out easily during the night. Ameena stared in the fire. She wondered what had gotten into Marnak. He had turned into a bastard, sniping at the others like that. Slowly quiet came over the camp, the only sound the flames whispering to each other.