‘What was that?’ Kiall asked.
‘That was Beltzer. Once seen, never to be forgotten.’
‘Beltzer?’ whispered Kiall. ‘The golden-haired hero of Bel-azar?’
‘You will find, Kiall, that song and fable are not reliable. There could once have been a blind sow who would have considered Beltzer handsome – but I doubt it. I’ve seen whores turn him away while his pockets were bulging with gold coin.’
‘It’s incredible,’ whispered Kiall. ‘He’s ugly and fat – and he smells.’
Those are his good points,’ said Chareos. ‘Wait until you get to know him.’ He stood and walked towards the barn, where Finn was helping Maggrig to stand.
‘Still drawn to trouble like moths to candles,’ remarked Chareos, smiling.
‘It would seem so, Blademaster,’ answered Finn. The boy here got a crack to the skull.’
‘Bring him to my room.’
‘I don’t want to stay here too long,’ said Finn. ‘I hate crowded places – you know that.’
‘I remember. But spare me an hour, if you will. Kiall will show you the way.’
Chareos walked over to where Salida sat on the raised walkway around the tavern.
‘I have met some old friends, Captain. I will be in my room if you wish to talk to me.’
Salida nodded. ‘Get your friend another sabre. I will take Logar’s back to the Earl.’
‘And what of me, my friend? And what of you?’
‘You go where you will, Chareos. And may the Source guide you. As for me . . . who knows? I wasn’t always a Captain of Lance – there may be other roles I will enjoy. But I think the Earl will send others after you. He is no longer rational where you are concerned.’
‘Be careful, Salida.’
‘Yes, this is a world for careful men,’ he replied, waving a hand at the battlefield.
*
Inside the tavern the bodies had been dragged away, leaving trails of blood on the wooden boards. The eastern end of the dining room was now a hospital area, where soldiers were stitching wounds and applying bandages. Chareos saw the innkeeper’s wife sitting beside her husband. With a deep wound in his shoulder and a lump on his temple, Naza was white-faced and deeply in shock.
Chareos joined them and the woman looked up and smiled wearily. ‘Thank you for your aid, sir,’ she said. ‘I thought they would kill me.’
‘What did they want?’ asked Chareos.
‘The timber workers are paid tomorrow. We keep the silver coin hidden here. There are four hundred men, and they are paid each quarter year; it is a sizeable sum.’
‘I see. Would you mind if I took some food from the kitchen? My companion and I still have not eaten.’
‘I will prepare you something presently,’ she offered, her face flushing.
‘Not at all,’ said Chareos swiftly. ‘Stay with your husband. It is no trouble to me, I assure you.’
‘You are kind, sir,’ said Mael.
Chareos walked through to the kitchen. Several tables had been overturned and there were broken pots and crockery on the floor, but a large pot of stew still simmered on the huge iron stove. A serving-maid entered from the rear of the building. Short and slender, with dark, curled hair, she curtseyed. ‘May I help you, sir?’ she enquired.
‘Bring some food, stew, meat, bread . . . whatever, to the upper guest room. We will also need some wine – five goblets. Oh yes, and some linen for bandages. Will you do it now?’ he asked, handing her a half silver piece. She pocketed the coin and curtseyed once more.
Chareos returned to his room where Finn was sitting on one wide bed, dabbing with a cloth at the wound on Maggrig’s head; it was a shallow cut, and his temple was bruised and swollen. Beltzer was sitting by the fire with a pitcher of ale in his hands; Kiall was standing by the window, looking down at the former battleground. He had surprised himself today, leading the farm workers into the fight – the excitement had been great, and his fears had vanished in the chaos of the skirmish. Now he felt like a warrior. He glanced up at the sky. How blue it was, how fresh and clean the air. He turned and smiled at Chareos, then switched his gaze to Beltzer. Ugly the man was, but he had swung his axe like a giant of legend. He had not seen Maggrig and Finn in action, but merely to be in the same room as the heroes of Bel-azar filled him with pride.