Mercenary Scout

My name is Hunter Silvan. I am nineteen and had just finished burying the last of my family. We have lived here at the base of the northern mountains for ten generations. I have grown up learning to fight, track and hunt, my mother had made sure I could read and write as well. Life around the only pass out of the north was always hard. Besides the King’s Keep filled with soldiers, there were constant raids by Dark elves, orcs or goblins, there were occasionally trolls or long toothed lions.

I straightened and looked across the fields in the valley below to see a large city. This was where I had been told the mercenary companies wintered. I was looking for work as a scout and started down the road pulling the pack horse with everything I owned.

I carried my longbow, it was made from golden Cyprus and had taken me a year to make. On my right thigh was a long slightly curved knife, across my chest hilt down was another. My moccasins were made from troll hide. I nodded to the guards at the city gate, “I am looking for the mercenary companies.”

An older one smiled but the younger one snorted and started to say something. The old one put his hand on the younger’s shoulder, “go around to the east and you will find several camps. Try Trevor Macbane’s company.”

I nodded and turned to head around the city wall. Behind me I heard the old soldier, “he is from King’s Pass.”

I smiled but kept going and finally came to the camps. Men seemed to be laying around and doing nothing at the first couple of camps. I frowned and past them by before stopping beside another. I nodded to a large man sharping a sword, “I am looking for Trevor Macbane’s company.”

He glanced up and froze before turning to gesture, “two camps down and in one.”

I nodded as I pulled on the lead rope, “Thank you.”

He smiled, “anytime.”

When I reached the camp it almost seemed empty. A few men were practicing with bows and another was fletching arrows. I headed towards the one fletching the arrows and he glanced at me. He looked startled and turned, “TREVOR!”

I looked at him and then at the large tent as a short fit looking man came out. He hesitated and then smiled as he walked towards me. I looked at the twin long knives that were like mine and then into his face. He stopped and looked me up and down, “a Silvan.”

I nodded, “the last.”

He frowned and shook his head, “that is to bad, your family were the best.”

I nodded and he glanced at my horse, “Looking for work?”

I nodded again and he grinned and turned, “COMPANY!”

I looked around as men began appearing from tents. They came to stand looking at me and Trevor gestured, “leave the horse.”

I turned to touch the horses neck and whisper a command. I released the rope and turned to Trevor. He smiled and nodded before looking at the distant target, “need me to move it back?”

I glanced at it and nodded, “another fifty paces.”

The company murmured as three men trotted to the target and pulled it back. When they moved away I looked at Trevor, “Three?”

He nodded and I pulled one arrow from the quiver at my waist. I fitted it to the bow string and in one motion brought the bow up, pulled the string back and released it. I did not wait and pulled another arrow and it went speeding after the first and then a third followed the other two. I looked at Trevor as he laughed and looked at the company, “that is why men from King’s pass are the best.”

He held out his hand for my bow and I hesitated before handing it to him. He looked it over carefully before sighing and handing it back, “very nice.”

He looked at my horse with the long leather case, “the other?”

I glanced back, “Black Cyprus, my father’s.”

He nodded, “I pay a gold crown every month.”

I smiled, “when do we leave?”

Trevor grinned, “Tomorrow.”

He looked around, “Drake, Dillon and Thomas, you are scouting with Silvan.”

I looked at the three men that had answered him and then at him, “You can call me Hunter.”

Everyone went quiet and he looked at me closely, “Hunter was the one that killed two trolls at the Keep gates last winter.”

I smiled slightly, “They were not my first.”

He looked me over again and then laughed as he turned away, “Peter, find him a tent.”

I followed Peter, a blonde haired man with a crossed short swords. I glanced at the folded tent before shaking my head, “I will use my own.”

He nodded, “Cook’s wagon is behind…”

I smiled, “the commander’s tent.”

He looked at me and I touched my nose, he grinned and turned away. I unloaded my horse and set everything beside my ground cloth. I led the horse across to the picket line and tied it before slipping a feed bag on. I went back to my things and sat for a minute before sighing and opening a long pack. I began putting things together and ignored the looks I was getting.

When I finished, I stood in front of it and picked up one of the long, straight branches I had picked up as I walked. I put it in the lathe and adjusted it before using the foot peddle and pulling out a chisel. I kept ignoring the other men as they gathered around and continued to work the branch down to a smooth arrow shaft. I pulled it out and wiped it off as I checked it and then I slipped it into the pack with the other arrow shafts. Trevor cleared his throat, “You make your own arrows?”

I glanced at him before pulling an arrow from my quiver and handing it to him. He took it and smiled as he closed his eyes and let his hand feel the arrow. He opened his eyes and handed the arrow back, “That I was never taught.”

I glanced at the other men, “My great, great grandfather got the lathe from a dwarf and was taught how to use it by an elf.”

They all nodded and I turned back to reach for another branch, “You have to use seasoned branches as straight as you can find them. I turn them a little narrower than most like, but they tend to fly faster and straighter.”

I glanced around as I started shaving the branch down, “To narrow and they brake or shatter when they hit.”

They were nodding as I turned back to what I was doing, “I use snares to catch birds or use a sling. I trim the quills so they are even and fly the same each time.”

I nodded to my pack, “I also mix different ores to get a lighter and stronger tip.”

I did ten before stopping, Trevor had broke the men up but a few had still watched. A clanging came from behind Trevor’s tent and everyone stood and started walking. A back haired man grinned as he walked by, “that is to let us deaf, dumb idiots know it is time to eat.”

I smiled and followed him to the cook’s wagon. After dinner I put the lathe away and stretched and began the exercises I was taught as a very young boy. When Trevor slipped into the martial dance I moved with his flowing movements. He was my mirror and I was his. When he stepped back and away, I moved into a different pattern, one only my family practiced.

When I stopped and began to stretch slowly Trevor bowed, “thank you, it has been many years since I have had someone to practice with.”

I nodded as I undressed and sat, letting my eyes close as my other senses reached out around me. When I opened my eyes Trevor was sitting across from me, “the other exercises I did not know or what you were just doing.”

I smiled, “The other was what my family practice and has practiced for ten generations. As for what I was just doing, I was… listening and feeling what is around us.”

He nodded before standing, “Well thank you again. Meet me in the morning so I can show you where I want you to scout.”

I nodded and stood to dress now that I was cooler. I pulled out the large glassy red rock I had packed away and then the slim case with my gem carving tools. All of the top of the rock looked like tiny chain mesh. I glanced around as I sat and then I concentrated on what I was doing. It was tiny movements that carved links in the mesh. When it began to get dark I stopped and put everything away.

I went to check my horse and found someone had removed the feed bag and tied it beside the lead rope. A pile of green grass was by his head and he was eating. I lay back on my ground cloth and stared at the stars as they appeared. They sounds of hundreds of men around me was something I was not used to. The shadow that slipped into camp in the middle of the night had me coming to my feet.

I moved through the shadows silently. I moved in front of the man like shape before it could enter Trevor’s tent, “your people are not welcome here.”

The dark elf hesitated, “this is not your concern Silvan man.”

I smiled, “I am pledged to him.”

The elf shifted, “it is private.”

I turned slightly when Trevor slipped out beside me. He nodded to the elf, “brother.”

I turned to look at him but the elf ignored me, “others will be coming for you. Your mother took her trip with my father.”

Trevor looked down, “they were always happy together.”

The elf nodded and straightened, “I am going to our brothers now.”

I looked at him sharply, “they will kill you on sight.”

He bowed his head, “perhaps but I can no longer follow the dark path.”

I turned and looked into the night before reluctantly reaching for the stone chain necklace I was wearing. It was pale green with a small blue crystal. I held it out, “west of here a day is a peace stone. Place this on the stone and sit. Wait for your brothers and tell the one that comes that I said his debt is paid.”

The dark elf looked at me and then at the necklace before slowly taking it. I glanced at Trevor before walking back to my ground cloth. I lay back and relaxed as I looked at the stars and listened to the night. I was up early and packed. I saddled my horse and then loaded my saddle pack before going to the cook who had been up for a little while. I accepted two warm rolls filled with warm bacon and cheese.

I slipped into Trevor’s tent and nodded to the other men. Trevor used a small map table and began showing each of us where he wanted us to scout. After we were done I walked out and stretched before walking out of camp. Once I was clear of people I went to a slow trot. When I reached the clearing we were headed for I made a check before squatting beside a tree.

It was an hour before one of the others reached the clearing. Drake walked into the clearing calmly and glanced around smugly. I cleared my throat and he spun as he lifted his bow. I shook my head and he grinned, “how long have you been here?”

I shrugged, “Awhile, long enough to watch a small party of road thieves pass through.”

He frowned and looked around before walking to me and sitting beside me. We watched Dillon and Thomas move around the clearing before coming out a little later. Drake chuckled as Thomas said they were the first. They turned to see us before grinning. I stood, “I will be back.”

I slipped into the woods and began a slow walk around the outside of the clearing. I took a few birds with my sling before the woods around me became still. I shifted and listened carefully before suddenly moving and starting to run, “ORCS!”

Thick, slow moving black arrows past through where I had been and several more flew behind me as I ran. The roar and shouts as they began to chase me was one I had heard many times. I could see Drake, Dillon and Thomas with their bows ready as I ran out and spun. I was beside a large oak tree and started firing arrows as the small hunting party of orcs rushed towards us.

There were maybe twenty and then a dozen or less as I tossed my bow behind me and pulled my knives. I moved into the deadly dance, slipping a heavy scimitar away as I sliced an orcs stomach open. I cut another’s throat as I slid forward and spun to stab one in the neck and rip the knife out. I twisted to avoid another scimitar and reached in to slice its inner thigh open.

I stabbed into one’s arm and twisted as I moved past him and cut his throat. I spun, blocking another sword and taking the hand that held it. I jerked the screaming orc onto a lunging sword and moved past him to take an orc lifting a sword to swing at Drake and turned to stab another under an ear. I moved toward a last orc turning to run when Thomas put an arrow through its spine.

I straightened and looked around before kneeling to clean my knives. I ignored the dying orcs as Drake, Dillon and Thomas made sure they were dead. I went to pick up my bow and inspect it before turning and walking back into the woods. I made sure the ones hit by arrows were dead before pulling my arrows out. I checked them and removed the heads before snapping them.

I came back to the others as they pulled the bodies deeper into the woods. I helped and then we waited and the company finally began arriving. Trevor glanced around as he swung down, “It smells like blood and shit.”

Dillon chuckled, “We had a little dance with some orcs.”

Trevor looked around again, “Scouts?”

I shook my head, “A hunting party.”

He snorted, “Their nest is within a couple of days from here than.”

I nodded but Drake answered, “There were reports in the city off hunting parties.”

Trevor nodded, “I heard them.”

Thomas cleared his throat, “It should be okay if we post guards.”

That evening I took my time and plucking feathers and replaced the arrows I had used. I cleaned the old arrowheads and made a few more shafts before packing everything up. I was scouting the flank the next day but the only thing I saw was a lone bobcat. We came into the huge kingdom farmlands and scouting was not really needed.

The city of Black Rock was huge, with high stone walls and towers. Trevor had ridden ahead this morning but he was waiting at the gate when we got there. I was walking beside the cook wagon as we moved through the cobbled streets. I was trying not to stare at everything when we walked into a large square. We were moving past a large fountain with a pool around it when a young noble turned and threw a stone.

My reaction was automatic, my hand snapped the rock out of the air before it could hit the horse pulling the wagon, I spun and I threw it back. The noble yelled as it hit him and several of the other lad pulled swords. I moved away from the wagon after turning to toss my bow to the driver. I was crossing to the men as I pulled my knives. A loud voice cracked over the voices of the crowd, “STOP!”

The nobles froze and turned to look. I stopped and glanced at the man and smiled slightly. He was well dressed but short and very stocky. He smiled as he ignored the nobles, “I thought you were still up north Silvan.”

I bowed, “My father finally passed and your Duke sent notice we were no longer needed.”

He sighed as he stopped, “I think that was a mistake.”

He turned to the noble lads, “You are extremely lucky. This is Hunter Silvan and if he had wanted, you would have died here today. Now, go to the practice field and wait for me.”

I looked at him and he grinned when he turned back, “I get to teach these new lords.”

I shook my head and turned as Trevor walked towards us. I smiled, “Lord Devan, this is Trevor the commander of my company.”

Trevor smiled and bowed, “My lord, I have heard of you.”

Devon nodded before looking at me, “The Elves are gathering for a raid into the Trenadal.”

I glanced at Trevor who looked interested, “Why now? The deep woods has been quiet.”

Devon looked at Trevor, “Large parties of orcs, goblins and dark elves are raiding into the bordering farms.”

Trevor cleared his throat, “Does the king plan to send troops?”

Devon smiled, “Come see me tonight.”

He looked at me, “we had word the dark elves were sending a blood party for you.”

I grinned, “They did, I was north of the pass hunting a wounded long tooth. It found them when I found it.”

Devon laughed and shook his head, “and you probably just sat and waited before going to help the lion.”

I laughed and he sighed, “Fair well Silvan.”

I nodded and Trevor grinned, “This might save us a long march to Crow Peak.”

He turned and waved as he started for the front of the column. I walked back to the wagon and accepted my bow before starting to walk beside it. We set up camp outside the city walls. I started making more arrows, if there was going to be fighting I might need them. I slipped out of camp around noon and went back into the city until I found a blacksmith. I had to bargain sharply with him before he let me use his shop and his forge. I mixed fine shavings of different metals before putting it in the forge to melt.

The long silvery molds I used had been in my family a long time.