BsE~ Chapter Three

3

The road north was barely recognisable as the party of two travelled along it. Vegetation was a scarce sight on these dusty planes, and Scott for one was glad not to be looking over his shoulder every few moments. Jessica clung to him, her hands no longer resting on his shoulders, but wrapped loosely around his waist. Her head resting between his shoulder blades, she seemed asleep as Scott lightly rested one of his hands on her crossed arms. A rock dislodging further along the road snapped his attention away from the woman at his back to the danger that was more then likely in the next dip of the road. He squeezed the arms he was just softly touching, Jessica instantly threw up all the defensive spells she knew around them and the horse before coming fully awake, and with only her little training staff her normal one being to large for the horse and passengers to manage.

“Nice work, that was extremely efficient of you, heal all of us and quick step, I fear we have met one of the five tribes.” Scott looked over his shoulder at the now white face of Jessica smiling grimly, “Not to worry, we are only surrounded.”

Suddenly Jessica squeaked, Scott faced forward yet again and in one fluid movement drew his dagger sweeping it so the arrow aimed for his breast was knocked sideways. A feral grin spread across his handsome face, transforming him completely. This was one man only the very brave or foolish would want to fight with. By the looks of the men surrounding them, these men were the latter.

“Get off” Scott ordered as his blood lust began to take hold. “Do your healing spells and try to keep out of the way.” Luckily, for Jessica he helped her dismount, pulling the staff from the ring connected to the saddle and handing it down to her.

Even in the state he was in, Scott was shocked to find the staff on the heavy side. He looked down at her as she grabbed it from him, she did not even seem to notice it. Having held Mariam’s countless times, hers was nowhere near as heavy as the one he passed to this girl. “Only use it to harm if you need to. Your life is mine for a year, remember that.”

Jessica nodded and backed into a large rock; standing straight, she pulled together her panic and twisted it into anger. “You remember Scott Channers; your life is truly in MY hands. You die on me I shall revive you then beat you to death myself!”

Scott’s smile widened, he knew what she was doing. He had done it himself when the first real fight came along, and a few times after. “Girl, if you die I will take a week to bring a healer to revive you. Then take my own pleasure in killing you once more!”

Jessica’s eyes were slits; she raised her staff and swung it back into the rock. A loud crack echoed around the clearing, then the sounds of crumbling rock. Although she spoke quietly, her voice carried to every man that was there

“Do not mess with me, I am hungry, I have no horse and I stink!” All the men plus a horse took a pace back shocked at her outburst. Then the would-be ambushers surged forward weapons raised, hate, lust and blood on their minds.

“I said DON’T,” Jessica swung her staff in a wide arc, the running men slowed then stopped altogether. The only things that moved on any of them were their eyes Scott dismounted. Rummaging through his saddlebags pulled out a long length of rope and systematically tied all their hands together.

Once his task was finished, he made his way slowly to where Jessica still stood, her beautiful face flushed with anger.

Reaching down slowly, he treated her as he would a skittish colt. Slowly with great patience, he took the staff from her hands and just as slow placed it on the ground. Straightening he placed his hands on Jessica’s shoulders, feeling the shudder that ran through her body he pulled her into his arms. Quiet unexpectedly her legs buckled the bottom half of Jessica’s body pressed against him, the top hanging over his arm. Holding this strong yet fragile woman Scott gently moved some hair covering her eyes, shocked and annoyed at himself he placed Jessica on the ground. Moving away he whistled to the horse it quickly trotted over to its master, Scott pushed the horse so it shielded her from the sun.

Still not in control of himself, he made his way to the now captives and knelt in front of where he got them to sit.

“What is the problem here?” He inquired of the first man “why the revolt?

“That is none of your business my Lord.” Scott scanned the group for brown sun-men to find the speaker. Spotting the healthiest one there Scott turned his attention to him. He was dark, like all his kind, with dirty long black hair flowing down his bare back.

“You are mistaken friend, I was paid to stop this little escapade of yours, and that woman who caught you with little effort is my bond-mate for a year.” He looked back at her laying in the shade of the horse.

“I am no friend of yours, Mercenary and I don’t give a damn about the woman.” He spat at Scott then, and before any of them knew what had happened wicked dagger was pressed tight against his throat.

“We know all about different sets of abilities mercenary, and that was no healers spell. That was a ranger’s Stop Step. You have a Ranger hidden somewhere near here that my men failed to see.”

“You are a fool, friend.” Scott’s voice was so low the group strained their ears to hear him. “There is no Ranger; you were beaten by a Healer, a little girl who just finished her training at school.”

“You will get nothing from us Mercenary, so it is pointless to try.” The man felt nothing as the dagger slit his throat cleanly, slumping forward he hit the ground with a solid thud. Scott looked around at the rest of the brown faces staring horrified at him, he smirked his handsome face twisting.

“Who will answer my questions?” He asked a deadly calm in his voice and he wiped the blade clean on the tattered remains of the dead man’s pants. A small rabbit like man squirmed where he was bound looking intently at the ground. Scott knew if pushed this man would break, but the little man was not ready to crack just yet.

“You,” Scott pointed to the man next to Rabbit making them both jump as he stood and walked through the men to get to them. Squatting in front of the second man, he flicked the dagger out nicking the man’s cheek. “Tell me, you pieces of scum, who ordered you into this revolt?”

Holding his bound hands to the cut on his cheekbone, the man shook his head pressing his lips together. Scott glared at the man his own lips thinning “I am losing my patience with you, tell me now or you get to meet your friend there in one of the ten hells.” Scott flicked his dagger again, but this tip cutting the man’s chin and pointing it over his shoulder at the dead leader. At the man’s flinch and Rabbits’, gasp his grim smile spread across his features once more.

“Well?”

The man once more shook his head and showing his teeth Scott stabbed the man through the heart. Slowly Scott turned his head to look at Rabbit, his feral smile still in place. With quick movements, he wiped the blade across Rabbits chest, giving a hollow laugh as the man wet himself.

“You tell me what I want to know and you will live. You refuse to say anything and…” Scott glanced at the body beside the terrified man. “That happens, so little Rabbit the choice is entirely yours.”

The man looked from Scott’s face to the dagger to the dead men. Taking a deep breath the man opened his mouth, before he could utter a word the man on the other right side of him yelled. “Don’t say any-” his own blood drowned out the rest of his words as Scott’s dagger was embedded in his neck. Scott reached past the Rabbit, noticing with detachment that the man shat himself. Giving a hard yank the dagger slid out leaving the man clasping his throat and gurgling. “You were saying?” he inquired looking at the terrified man once more.

“T-the m-man who hired us…” He stuttered then fell silent.

“Continue.” Death was on Scott’s’ voice and the little man knew it, so he took a deep breath and through his trembling lips blurted

“We call him Lord as his asked us, he was northerner, with long blonde hair and a big sword…” Taking another deep breath, he plunged on “He had a girl with him, a spite-full little bitch she were too. Picked me up by my hair she did!” He finished almost yelling in his haste.

“Do you know what way they are headed? What their plans were?”

“No My lord Mercenary we… that is… I… well umm…”

“You what friend?” inquired Scott looking intensely at him “I want to know even the smallest thing you stinking bit of horse shit.”

“They headed off in the direction of the wetlands my Lord.”

“Thank you Rabbit, Your comrades are all free to go. But you little Rabbit stay with me.” with one precise pull Scott released them all and grabbing the man by his scruffy shirt pulled him towards the horse and the now sleeping healer. Hearing the quick movements of feet getting more distant he looked down at Jessica, and using the toe of his boot nudged her.

Jessica’s eyes flickered and slowly she opened them, and raised a hand to shade her eyes. “What?” She asked numbly “Why am I on the ground?”

Scott’s eyes narrowed and he gestured to the pile of rubble near her. Jessica turned her head slowly and looked to where he indicated. Upon seeing the destruction of the boulder swallowed hard a few times, she sat up holding her head in her hands, a small moan escaping from her.

“What happened my Lord?” She asked using his title not his name. “I remember we were surrounded…” Her head snapped up at the memory of all the men and she quickly scanned the area around them.

“You took care of them, Healer.” His expression of annoyance never changed. “You also took care of a dangers boulder; it didn’t stand a chance against your deadly attack girl.” He sneered at her.

“I don’t understand…” Jessica stood up and swayed slightly, with her vision wavering she took hold of the nearest thing to her. Unfortunately the thing she grabbed a hold of was Scott’s shoulder, as her vision cleared she realised her body was pressed against his and hurriedly stepped back. Jessica lost her footing and fell onto her backside, hearing a snort she looked up at Scott close to tears Scott had a sneer on his face no sign of amusement there. Seeing a quick flash of movement behind him she looked. A small dirty person was leering at her behind Scott; Jessica looked down at herself and blushed a deep red. Not for the last time she cursed the required garments as she tried to pull down the fabric. Although her clothing was not as small as Mariam’s it still left little to the imagination, and Jessica was doubly grateful for the leggings warn under her panties. She would be talking to the Healers counsel when they returned.

“Well if you have finished giving us a show, can we head out? We do have things to do and people to meet. Rabbit here has been kind enough to help me out so heal him and send him on his way.”

Jessica looked up at Scott, her embarrassment turning to full blooded anger. “I refuse” Came her clipped reply as she stood. The wind changed and she scrunched up her nose at the smell of urine and faeces in the air. “I do think though you could use a clean up Scott, I didn’t think you were one to mess yourself. You know you really do stink, please do not come any closer to me, I think I may just vomit.”

“It’s not me,” He stuck his chin out at her, a sign she came to know as he was becoming irritated and very angry. “It’s Rabbit.”

“Well, let him sit in it.” Jessica replied stubbornly. “I am neither his nurse nor his maid. I will not clean heal someone nor clean them up just because you have asked me to do so Scott Canners.”

Scott took a deep breath resisting doing something as childish as this girl before him, letting it out slowly through his nose before he spoke “Heal him now Jessica Stevens, that is an order.”

Jessica looked at Scott wanting to jump up and down screaming that there was no way on the goddesses green earth she would heal this thing, but she realised that was how Scott expected her to act. She straightened her spine and looked coldly up at the man she both hated and loved; Jessica let a small smile play on her full pink lips.

“Heal him yourself Scott, for I shall not do it.” Jessica walked over to the stallion then leaving a dumbfounded Scott staring after her.

Jessica heard him hiss something at the man, then his footfalls coming up close behind her. She was on the verge of tears once more, her head was throbbing and then being asked to heal some filthy lecher. She stood straight though, not wanting to appear foolish, but Scott walked past her and mounted the horse. Jessica petted the horse once before grabbing Scott’s offered arm and swinging up behind him.

To Jessica’s surprise she was placed closer to him then the last time they rode together, or maybe she just imagining it. They followed the road they were originally taking, the horses pace slower as Jessica lacked the energy to cast any spells now, so Scott let her be.

It was reaching sunset when Scott dismounted awkwardly, trying to keep the sleeping girl from falling. Once his feet hit the ground he gently pulled Jessica from the horse and laid her on the earth.

Telling the horse to Stand, he scouted the area. They were still about a day out from the city here, but finally on level ground. Walking to the horse, he pulled the sleeping equipment out and placed it on the ground close together. If the silly girl took it into her head to do something foolish, he would be nearby to stop her.

Jessica opened her eyes to the dawn, sitting up she looked around. Scott and his stallion were not far away. With a groan she stood and clutched at her still aching head, and as quickly as she could without hurting herself took the canteen Scott was holding out to her.

While she had been sleeping Scott had made them a meal and was not pacing back and forth before her while she ate. “Jessica you need to listen to me.” She looked up at him and watched as his hand clenched and released the handle of his sword. “You have the power of three out of four branches flowing through you, I hate to admit it but the Lord Marshall was right in assigning you to me.”

“What do you mean Scott?” She asked pretending ignorance.

“You fool, I have met your father remember?” Scott ran his hand through his hair remembering how close it came. “Your father is a ranger and your mother a mage, the town were gossiping loudly when you became a healer. You did cast Stop Step on that band of thugs girl, so I was wondering if there was anything else you may not be telling me.”

Jessica fought hard to keep her meal down before answering him reluctantly, “I don’t know what my skills are Scott. Both father and mother said they could feel their powers in me, yet as you see I am a healer. There are also times when I feel something strange inside… Something that would not be welcome if brought out…”

“I need to know everything girl-”

Jessica stood looking up at him, “I don’t fucking know alright!? If you want to know about it you should seek out my father, he is the only one who knows anything about it.” She stiffened and dropped her voice “Someone is here… No, lots of people are here.”

“Mercs!” Scott hissed near silently, “on my word dive over to the horse and grab your staff as quickly as you can. Ready, go!”