Mauraders Vengence Day seven

“Yarrow said he pulled your body away from the burning house and left the sword behind. Think about it. Vanchura would have come back to inspect the location for his new mine. What would he have found if you were dead?”

“A body.” Yarrow said darkly. “But all he found was his henchman’s sword on the ground covered in dry blood.”
“And if you’d managed to walk off on your own,” Idithum started.

“The sword would have come with you.” Yarrow finished.

“But because it didn’t,” I said softly.

“It means someone came and got you.” Yarrow finished.

Idithum sat back in shock. “But how on earth would Vanchura notice that sort of thing? I mean there’s no way I would!”

Yarrow shook his head in disgust. “Great.” He whispered hoarsely. “Not only is he cruel but he’s brilliant.”

“I don’t get it though.” Idithum said. “Yes I get that Marcos is missing but how does that connect with me?”

“Because who else would have taken care of a sick dying man?” Yarrow asked. “His family.”

“But we didn’t even know about it.” Idithum protested softly gripping my shoulder and glancing at me. “I mean I wish we had then we could have come to help you.”
“Then you would all be dead.” Yarrow said softly.

“But not me.” Idithum protested. “Vanchura just kept me locked up in jail.”

“No I think you’d be dead as well. I think Vanchura kept you alive in hopes that you could tell him where Marcos is.”

“But why is it so important that Vanchura know where I am?” I asked. “I’ve never met him before and I’ve done nothing to him well except stay on “His” property which I didn’t even know about until it was too late.”

Yarrow threw up his hands in disgust. “Does it really matter why he wants you? My guess is that he’ll hunt the both of you down until he can kill you personally. Maybe you’re a challenge, maybe he doesn’t like witnesses on the loose either way he’ll kill you the first chance he gets.”

I lay there feeling like the whole world was closing in on me.

“We’re not safe here.” Idithum said hoarsely.

“Why?” Yarrow asked. “I’ve been here twenty years and no one has ever come around here except Marcos’s children.”

“No the guards said Vanchura would be back tomorrow to investigate the crime.”
“They told you that?” I asked in disbelief.

“No I overheard them as I slipped through the ranks four days ago. I didn’t understand what they meant because they said he was visiting the burned house at the west side of the mountain.”

Yarrow stood up abruptly. “That is bad.” He said quietly. “Because if Vanchura can deduce so much from simply looking at the ground, he can probably trace us here. Our footprints lead to and from this cave. They’ll simply have to walk far enough to spot them.”
“We have to go.” Idithum agreed standing as well. “We should leave now.”

“No.” Yarrow shook his head. “We must eat first and plan this carefully. Vanchura is a smart villain. Where would he expect you to go?”

Idithum shrugged but I was puzzled. I craned my neck to look at Yarrow. “Wait why didn’t Vanchura figure out it was you from the moment it happened. You said you dragged my body here.”

Yarrow nodded. “I did but I went to the road first. There is a gentler incline there.”

“Then why couldn’t Vanchura follow that?” Idithum asked threateningly. It wasn’t too scary coming from a seventeen year old kid but Yarrow cowered away regardless. He held up his hands.

“I swear to you I did nothing wrong Idithum. I am just rather secretive about my property. I erased the tracks and stomped around at the bottom of the trail to make it seem as though a great many people had been there to help. I am sorry Idithum I am probably responsible for your life’s falling apart as well.”

“As well?” Idithum asked stepping closer. “What does that mean?”

“It means that he is human.” I said softly. Both men glanced at me seemingly to be reminded that I was there. “Yarrow’s own family was killed and he didn’t see it personally. When he saw it for real, he could not move for the horror he had.” My voice was thick as I pushed through the memories of my house and my children. I wanted to be angry but I understood too that Yarrow was a broken man.  I was broken too.

Yarrow hung his head in sorrow. Idithum looked at me then at Yarrow. He took a deep breath and put a hand on Yarrow’s shoulder. “I probably won’t ever understand what you’ve gone through, but I want to trust you. I think if we’re going to make it out of this alive you’ve going to have to trust me. We’re going to have to trust each other with our lives. Swear to me that you won’t do anything to endanger me.”

I watched my cousin with disbelief. This was not my young naive cousin who’d been upset over wedding details a few three months ago. I was sorrowed to see the change in him.

Yarrow grasped Idithum by his forearm and nodded. “I swear it. Will you swear it as well?”
“I so swear.” Idithum nodded and they shook hands.

“I swear it too.” I said dryly. “Now can we focus on not getting in Vanchura’s way again?”

“Of course.” Idithum said and he began to glance around. “Let’s see we’ll need blankets, I can’t tell you how much I wished I’d had the last couple weeks and…”
He went on and Yarrow collected them making comments as he went. I was in shock. I’d never as much as thought about living on the run. But both my companions seemed very experienced and adequate for the job. I felt my nausea coming back to me.

I lay down my head pounding against my skull. I closed my eyes and felt my mind drift back into the past. It was a relief because my emotions where to much to handle at the moment. I saw the faces of my children as I’d kissed them on the heads before I’d sent them out to play.

“Why do you have to go?” Marissa my little four year old had asked.

“Daddy’s getting new work in the big town.” Tessa. Her beautiful brown hair thrown over her shoulder as she stroked her daughters hair.

“That’s stupid.” Drina had said. I smiled becauase even as little as she was she was very opionated.

“Don’t worry darling I’ll be back soon enough and we can play marbles.”

“It’s still stupid.” She’d muttered sulking as I kissed her head. “The rich know how to write why can’t they do it themselves. Why do you have to be the scribe?”

“It’s a valid question.” Tessa had said smiling.

I knelt down to Drina and kissed her forehead. “I don’t really care why, I just want the money for your birthday present.”

Her eyes had lit up at the mention of her seventh birthday and she’d had no problems after that letting me leave. I felt a pause in my heart beat knowing that I could never buy her birthday present now.

I forced the memory on as my son Benjamin who had been eight proudly told his sisters that I was the smartest man in all the country and that the rich where lucky to have me.

I had chuckled and ruffled his hair. “Don’t know about that Benjamin but thanks. I’ll tell them that when I get done and hope they give me a raise.”

Tessa had raised an eyebrow at that suggestion, and I’d grinned wickedly. She’d poked me in the ribs and kissed me good bye then sent me on my way. The children had walked me to the edge of the house view then ran off on their own adventures.

Why hadn’t I done more with Tessa before I’d left? Perhaps told her I’d loved her or held her in my arms for a longer time. I’d give anything to have such a moment just once more. She’d been making raisin bread. And I’d never get to have it again.

Water splashed on my face and I jerked back to the here and now coughing. And that coughing hurt.

I groaned and tried to sit up. I instantly felt a large knife cut through my pelvis. “For heaven’s sake Idithum, I said clean his face not drowned him.”

“I didn’t.”

I opened my eyes and saw Idithum with a rag above me. “What’s going on?” I asked.

“Idithum was supposed to wipe the sweat off your face but apparently he decided you needed to be half drowned so he dumped half a bowl of water on you instead.”

“It wasn’t my fault I tripped.” Idithum said indignantly. “You are all right though aren’t you?” He asked looking down at me.
I nodded wiping the excess water off of my face. I realized that it was completely dark now. “What time is it?” I asked still a little out of this world.

“The dead of night. We’re going to leave as soon as you feel all right.” Idithum said proudly. I noticed two packs near the cave entrance and a stretcher next to me.

I sat up and quickly as I could. “You’re not carrying me.”

“Yeah cause we want it to take twenty minutes to get out of the cave.” Yarrow said sarcastically. “You don’t have a choice boy. We’re carrying you.”

“I’m thirty.” I said coldly.

“And I’m sixty four so move to the stretcher.” Yarrow snapped back.

I groaned and turned to plead my case before Idithum. He shook his head. “Don’t look at me cousin. Yarrow said you couldn’t even walk to the cliff edge how do you expect to flee as far as human possible into the woods?”

I didn’t have an answer and I was frustrated. I wasn’t sure exactly why I wanted to so badly to not have to depend upon these two for everything but my whole soul was possessed with the idea of getting out of here on my own.

“Besides it will confuse Vanchura.” Yarrow added. That caught my attention.

"How so?” I asked skeptically.

“There are three pairs of footsteps around the cave. Only two of them will leave. If we’re lucky he’ll wait here for the third person to show up. And he never will.”

Idithum grinned widely. “Isn’t it brilliant? Yarrow is quite the military strategist.”
“Hardly have I just had more experience with running for my life.”
Idithum shrugged and looked back at me pleadingly. “Trust us Marcos. You just have to let us carry you. I know how proud you are and I know how much your hurting right now but seriously man you can’t walk out of here without doing some serious damage to your wounds.”

I glowered at him because I knew he was right. But I was to weary to argue it out. Reluctantly I lay down and began to scoot over into the cot. Yarrow and Idithum said nothing and let me do it myself. Then they covered me with blankets and picked up their packs.

Yarrow tied a stick to the front of the stretcher and attached a lantern to it. There was also one in the back so Idithum could see where he was going. It was well thought out I suppose but I didn’t want to admit it. I was anxious to find a flaw in this plan of theirs.
“Where are we going?” I asked.

“There’s a cave up in the tops of the mountains we’re planning to go to.” Idithum said happily. “Yarrow’s stayed there a couple times before when he’s been out hunting herbs.”

“How great for him.” I muttered under my breath.

“Marcos.” Idithum snapped. “Be nice.”

“It’s all right.” Yarrow said shrugging it off. “He hasn’t had much sleep and he’s a little tired.”

“No.” I snapped. “I’m not tired. My life is horrible. That’s what’s wrong.”

“Come on.” Yarrow said leaning down to pick up the front of the stretcher. “Let’s get going.”