{"id":1592,"date":"2022-03-07T10:24:10","date_gmt":"2022-03-07T17:24:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/baakay.com\/Snow\/?page_id=1592"},"modified":"2022-03-13T22:37:43","modified_gmt":"2022-03-14T04:37:43","slug":"chapter-17","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/baakay.com\/Snow\/volume-ii\/part-i-past-and-present\/chapter-17\/","title":{"rendered":"Chapter 17"},"content":{"rendered":"
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 <\/p>\n

Even though they were moving at a good pace, the time they\u2019d spent talking to Brunulvr back in Amber Creek had set Qaralana and Chip well behind everyone else. In the nearly-total darkness it should have been easy to spot the torches of Agnar\u2019s party, yet Qara saw nothing aside from the road at her feet.<\/p>\n

\u201cHow did they get so far ahead again?\u201d she grumbled as they descended the switchbacks beyond the waterfall.<\/p>\n

Chip had been sniffing the air as they ran. \u201cThey definitely came this way,\u201d he said, moving from one side of the road to another. \u201cWhat do you mean, again?\u201d<\/p>\n

Qara glanced at him. \u201cI mean that when we were looking for one of Agnar\u2019s keys, I had to meet the brothers at a cave. I took a shortcut over the mountain \u2013 but they were already there by the time I reached the spot. It was almost inhuman, how fast they moved.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\u201cHmm. I had a feeling that might be the case,\u201d Chip said. \u201cThey\u2019re probably already at the fort, too, unless they needed to slow down for the Jarl and Brother Thorlough.\u201d<\/p>\n

She couldn\u2019t help herself; she snorted in derision. \u201cBrother Thorlough has a tendency to move slowly. On all sorts of levels.\u201d<\/p>\n

She heard Chip chuckle as they moved along. She watched him moving side to side, raising his head to sample the air from time to time. He stopped and looked up at the darkened sky, breathing a sigh of relief.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know if it\u2019s a good thing or a bad thing that it\u2019s so dark tonight, but it\u2019s a relief at any rate,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

What on Nirn is he talking about?<\/em><\/p>\n

There was something that nagged at her about everything they\u2019d said to each other since arriving on Falskaar. Some underlying, common theme wove its way through all of it.<\/p>\n

\u201cChip,\u201d she said. \u201cStop.\u201d<\/p>\n

She hadn\u2019t intended it as anything other than a request, but the look on her brother\u2019s face when he turned to face her said that she\u2019d used a bit more of the power in her Voice than she\u2019d intended.<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, ma\u2019am!\u201d he said, a touch of sarcasm slipping into his tones.<\/p>\n

Qara sighed. \u201cI\u2019m sorry. I didn\u2019t mean to order you around. I\u2019m still not sure what I\u2019m supposed to do with all this power. I\u2019d be much happier if Uncle Dar was still the Dragonborn.\u201d<\/p>\n

Chip stared at her for a moment and then nodded. \u201cAnd I\u2019d be happier if Kodlak Gray-Mane was still the Harbinger of the Companions.\u201d<\/p>\n

Qara felt the shock of surprise slam through her body \u2013 a familiar but still tremendously unpleasant sensation. I knew he wasn\u2019t telling me everything about this situation, but still.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cDo I know what that means? Harbinger? You told me that you\u2019d joined up with the Companions. Are you saying that you\u2019re\u2026\u201d She trailed off, not even sure how to formulate her question.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Harbinger? In charge? Yes and no. I\u2019m the one everyone listens to now, gods help me \u2013 and them. Kodlak was killed, not too long ago. He left behind some notes that said he thought I should be the next Harbinger and when we\u2026\u201d He stopped himself and shook his head. \u201cWell, let\u2019s just say the others respected his wishes.\u201d<\/p>\n

Qara stared at him. It didn\u2019t add up.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s time he spilled the beans. I\u2019m tired of this.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cLook,\u201d she said. \u201cI\u2019ve shared stuff with you, about being Dragonborn and all that. It\u2019s no fun finding out that you\u2019re something you weren\u2019t expecting.\u201d She put her hands on her hips and drew a deep breath. \u201cBut you\u2019ve been changing the subject every time I try to ask you about this. You\u2019ve been hearing things I can\u2019t hear. You\u2019ve been sniffing <\/em>at stuff ever since we left your house, like some kind of a dog. And now you\u2019re\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

She stopped short as the implications of what she\u2019d just said and thought hit her. She stared up at her brother and saw his expression: eyes more narrowed than usual but placid, almost sad somehow, as he simply waited. Her gaze shifted, catching the unusually-shaped and, as she had seen, powerful bow he carried.<\/p>\n

\u201cHircine\u2019s\u2026\u201d she began.<\/p>\n

\u201cYes,\u201d he answered.<\/p>\n

Her head spun. \u201cHircine\u2019s what?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHircine\u2019s chosen hunter, Qara,\u201d he said quietly. \u201cOne of Hircine\u2019s own.\u201d He looked up at the sky. \u201cThat\u2019s why I\u2019m glad the moons aren\u2019t bright tonight. We need to be able to get in there quietly.\u201d He started to move away, but she grabbed him by the arm.<\/p>\n

\u201cWait. You told me that Daddy was a vampire once.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah. That\u2019s what he told me, anyway.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd I\u2019m Dragonborn.\u201d<\/p>\n

Chip nodded.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd you\u2019re a\u2026 what, a shape-shifter?\u201d<\/p>\n

Chip laughed, a sharp, bitter laugh. \u201cI\u2019m sorry. I don\u2019t want you to be afraid of me, Qara. Gods know even I was afraid of me, at first.\u201d<\/p>\n

She stomped her foot. \u201cDamn it all, Chip, I\u2019m tired of people treating me like a little kid! I\u2019m not afraid<\/em> of you, but all this hush-hush is getting to be a bit much. Will you just tell me why you act like a\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

He turned toward her, snapping his words. \u201cA dog? Is that what you want to say? I act like a dog because I am a werewolf, <\/em>Qara. I don\u2019t know how, and I don\u2019t know why. Nobody else seems to be able to tell me, either. I don\u2019t mind telling you I\u2019m kind of bitter about it. But that\u2019s what it is, and sometimes I change even when I don\u2019t want to.\u201d He glanced up at the sky again. \u201cTonight, I don\u2019t want to. It\u2019s not even remotely possible to sneak into a place quietly if you\u2019re a full head taller and wider than I am right now, and covered with fur to boot.\u201d<\/p>\n

Qaralana wasn\u2019t sure she could formulate words right then, even if she\u2019d known what to say. It was so huge. So life-altering. It was at least as terrifying as having a dragon burst into flames in front of her and having its life force enter and mix with her own. Her mouth opened, and shut, but no sounds would come.<\/p>\n

Chip sighed.<\/p>\n

\u201cLook. I know we\u2019re in a hurry, but I can\u2019t have you looking at me like that. I\u2019m still me. I\u2019m still Chip.\u201d He reached out and grabbed her by the upper arms. \u201cI\u2019m still your brother, and I always will be, Qara. None of this has changed that. But I have to show you, so you\u2019ll believe me and not think I\u2019ve lost my mind. Just promise me you\u2019ll stay put for a few moments.\u201d<\/p>\n

Qara nodded, numbly. He\u2019s going to show me? Show me \u2026what?<\/em><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Chip took a couple of steps back from her and closed his eyes. Then the most awful thing happened. Qara gasped and nearly grabbed for him as he moaned, and growled, and a terrible snapping sound came from him. Her heart started pounding, her legs felt like water, and she reflexively drew her daggers in terror as she stepped back herself. In the next moment she found herself face-to-face with a creature at least double her mass if not more.<\/p>\n

The werewolf calmly regarded her with its green eyes \u2013 not the deep emerald she usually associated with both Chip and their father, but something closer to their mother\u2019s pale, eerie eye color. Its broad shoulders were mostly bare skin, but covering its muzzle, and flowing down its back to a long, fluffy tail, was a thick pelt of fur.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s red,\u201d she found herself saying. Curiously, her panic started to recede.<\/p>\n

The werewolf cocked its head to one side, asking a question just as clearly as any dog she\u2019d ever known would do.<\/p>\n

\u201cYour fur. It\u2019s red.\u201d<\/p>\n

The werewolf snorted. It drew its lips back, exposing a full set of intimidating fangs, and its tongue lolled out of its mouth.<\/p>\n

He\u2019s laughing at me! The jerk is laughing at me!<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cQara,\u201d it said, slowly. \u201cBlades.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\u201cBlades? What?\u201d She looked down at her hands and tsk\u2019d. \u201cBlast it. It was force of habit. I wasn\u2019t about to actually use them. Shor\u2019s beard, Chip, you\u2019re so much bigger than I am.\u201d She looked back up at him. \u201cNow do you suppose you could, I don\u2019t know, put that thing away<\/em> so we can get moving?\u201d<\/p>\n

The werewolf grinned again, its tongue out. Then the cracking noise began again. The wolf\u2019s shape blurred. In the next blinking of her eyes Chip stood before her, clutching at his chest for a moment before straightening up and dusting himself off.<\/p>\n

\u201cDamn, that hurts,\u201d he grumbled. \u201cI don\u2019t think I\u2019ll ever get used to it. It\u2019s worse when it takes you by surprise.\u201d<\/p>\n

Qara pulled her hood back over her hair, thinking hard. The oddest thing was that she had every reason in the world to have been frightened \u2013 but she wasn\u2019t. Not really. He would never hurt her. They were too close. It wasn\u2019t even the strangest news she\u2019d ever had, though definitely among the most unsettling.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd yes,\u201d Chip said. \u201cIt\u2019s red. You dope, what other color fur would I have with hair like this? The only one in the family who doesn\u2019t have red hair is Ma.\u201d He grinned at her. \u201cYou coming?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah. Yes, I am,\u201d she said, forcing herself into motion. \u201cDoes Daddy know?\u201d<\/p>\n

Chip shook his head. \u201cNo, though I thought for sure he was going to guess. He asked if I\u2019d gotten scratched by a werewolf. I hadn\u2019t. So that\u2019s all I told him. I\u2019m sorry I kept it from you so long, Qara. It\u2019s just that people don\u2019t deal well with were-beasts. It\u2019s not like vampires, who can just blend in. That\u2019s one reason I\u2019m glad my house is out in the middle of nowhere.\u201d<\/p>\n

She nodded slowly. \u201cOk. Let\u2019s see if we can catch up with the others.\u201d<\/p>\n

Her mind worked furiously as they ran. It had been hard enough to grapple with what Chip had told her about their father; but somehow she\u2019d managed to tuck that fact away into some tidy little corner of her mind. He wasn\u2019t a vampire now. He wasn\u2019t ever going to do any vampire things in front of her. He was just Daddy.<\/p>\n

This, though.<\/p>\n

Now it makes sense. Hearing waterfalls and bandits way before I knew they were there. Sniffing the air, and corners of the room. Talking about wanting\u2026<\/em><\/p>\n

Chip stopped short and hissed at her. \u201cOver there,\u201d he whispered, pointing toward the black nothingness that had to be one of the mountains. \u201cI don\u2019t know if you can see it yet but it looks like torchlight.\u201d<\/p>\n

Qara tried to shake herself out of her daze. \u201cOK, I\u2019ll take your word for it. I think we\u2019ve come far enough east, it might actually be them.\u201d She took out her map and peered at it. \u201cWe crossed the bridge, and that looks like a ridgeline off the road just in front of us. Yes. That has to be it. Good thing you spotted the torches. I would have missed them completely.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

They left the roadway and ran to meet the four men clustered around a group of large tree stumps. Ulgar turned to look at her well before she neared them, and Svegard, who was nearest the mountain itself, swiveled around a second later. Behind her, Qara heard Chip harrumph.<\/p>\n

Wonder what that\u2019s all about?<\/em><\/p>\n

She didn\u2019t have much time to think about it, though. Jarl Agnar turned as she closed the gap between them, his expression grim.<\/p>\n

\u201cI hope you\u2019re ready, because we don\u2019t have any time to waste. This is an old sewer entrance. We\u2019re hoping it\u2019s lightly guarded and we can get in without alarming the whole fort.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOK. Let\u2019s go.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ulgar pushed the wooden cap aside, revealing a ladder down into the dark. Svegard descended first, followed by Thorlough and Agnar. Ulgar grunted and gestured to Qara, so she went next. She looked up at the opening just long enough to catch Chip and Ulgar giving each other a long look ending in a pair of nods.<\/p>\n

Hmm. I wonder what <\/em>that\u2019s all about.<\/em><\/p>\n

It was like stepping into the Ratway. Qara knew that she and Chip would be at home fighting in this enclosed space. But he\u2019s right. That werewolf is just too big.<\/em><\/p>\n

The Jarl and his retinue turned the corner first, moving up a stairway. None of them was particularly quiet.<\/p>\n

\u201cWho\u2019s that shuffling about in the dark?\u201d she heard from above them.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Somehow, Chip managed to get past her into the open space beyond the stairwell, a tall chamber with a hanging bridge spanning it above. Qara reached the room just as chaos erupted in a swarm of Yngvarr\u2019s hired thugs. Qara didn\u2019t dare Shout; and it was even a bit dicey to help with her blades for fear of striking Agnar, Svegard, or Ulgar by mistake. The only people she could definitely identify in the mass of people in nondescript armor were Chip and Brother Thorlough.<\/p>\n

Chip\u2019s repeated loud taunts told her he was fine. What surprised her, though, was how fiercely Thorlough battled. He and Chip stood near each other, sinking one arrow after the next into the goons atop the bridge and those trying to hide in the shadows. When he wasn\u2019t using his bow, he pulled out a sword and readied some kind of frost magic in his left hand.<\/p>\n

Perhaps I\u2019ve underestimated him, she thought. In the next moment, voices from beyond the hanging bridge had her trying to rush ahead. Thorlough was fully in the way, and was so engaged in trying to find the source of the voices that he didn\u2019t notice her trying to get by.<\/p>\n

\u201cMove!\u201d she yelled, trying her hardest to keep her shout from becoming a Shout.<\/p>\n

I can\u2019t get angry. He may irritate me nearly to death but he is on our side.<\/em><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Once more Qara found herself at the rear of the knot of men, wondering how she could push through it to help defend Jarl Agnar. Once again she was left watching Chip\u2019s superlative archery and being nearly as impressed with Thorlough\u2019s ambitious efforts. And as usual, Ulgar and Svegard plowed through the narrow spaces, mowing down foes with their bulk and ferocity.<\/p>\n

But she wanted to be in it, not just watching it.<\/p>\n

I swear by all the gods, if these guys are pushing me to the back on purpose I am going to send each and every one of them flying. I don\u2019t care whose side they\u2019re on!<\/em><\/p>\n

A pitched battle on a staircase ended. While the men all gasped for breath and looked around for the next targets Qara ran past them, up into the tower beyond. A lone archer stepped out of the shadows and took aim at her; but she\u2019d seen him with more than enough time to duck, roll forward, and pop up just beside him, stabbing him multiple times.<\/p>\n

Their seemingly-endless passage through the sewers led to stairs, to towers, and eventually to barracks and dining spaces higher in the fort. Unnvaldr men and hired mercenaries came out of darkened side-spaces and down from upper levels. Once or twice Qara found herself wounded, badly enough that she needed to back up and let the others take point while she healed. Finally, though, they emerged into a partially flooded space with cages at its far side.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe holding cells!\u201d Jarl Agnar cried. \u201cThey must be here!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThey\u2019re probably in the back somewhere,\u201d Thorlough said.<\/p>\n

\u201cGood thinking. Let\u2019s check,\u201d Agnar agreed, disappearing into the darkness ahead.<\/p>\n

Qara tsk\u2019d. There may well have been more holding cells ahead, but who knew what might be between them and Agnar?<\/p>\n

\u201cWait!\u201d she yelped, darting after him as quickly as she could go while keeping her footing on the damp stones beneath. She would have completely missed Agnar if not for Jalma\u2019s voice coming from a chamber to her left.<\/p>\n

\u201cHello?\u201d<\/p>\n

Jalma once again impressed Qara with her calmness in the face of a fearful situation. She\u2019d called out, but quietly \u2013 a loud whisper that might have escaped her jailers\u2019 notice, if any had been left alive.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s Daddy!\u201d Wilhard cried. \u201cI told you he would come save us!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAgnar!\u201d Jalma choked out, her voice full.<\/p>\n

\u201cJalma! Wilhard!\u201d Agnar cried. \u201cYou are alright!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMan!\u201d Wilhard yelped, with a youngster\u2019s enthusiasm. \u201cEveryone\u2019s here! Mr. Thorlough, Ulgar, Svegard, and you!\u201d He pointed at Qara. \u201cYou must be the Traveler!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMy name is Qara, Wilhard. And this is my brother Chip. I\u2019m glad you and your mother are ok!\u201d<\/p>\n

He grinned. \u201cMan, these guys are in trouble now.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cStand back, you two,\u201d Agnar told his family. \u201cUlgar, get the door.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m on it,\u201d Ulgar growled.<\/p>\n

Why do they need to stand back? What\u2019s he going to do, blow it up?<\/em><\/p>\n

If that had been the case, there would have been good reason for the Jarl\u2019s family to stand back. Instead, Ulgar grasped the metal door and pulled. Hard. The sound that came from him as he bent and twisted the lock was a low snarl that grew until the lock broke and the cage door swung inward.<\/p>\n

Qara dared a glimpse at her brother. He didn\u2019t see her silent question, though; he was stroking his chin and nodding.<\/p>\n

\u201cGet going,\u201d Agnar told his wife. \u201cWe have to get out of here as soon as we can.\u201d<\/p>\n

A war-horn blew somewhere in the distance. Agnar\u2019s eyes widened for a moment and then narrowed, a hard, angry expression taking his face.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, they know we are here. We don\u2019t have many options. We can\u2019t go back the way we came. The exit across the hall from us is locked.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd the one key we found doesn\u2019t open it,\u201d Svegard said, handing a key to Agnar.<\/p>\n

Agnar reached for Qara\u2019s hand, pressing the key into her palm. \u201cTake this and try it on the door to the left. Maybe you can find another way out. We\u2019ll work on getting this exit open. Let us know what you find.\u201d<\/p>\n

Qara nodded. She didn\u2019t like it much, but she didn\u2019t have a better idea to offer. \u201cCome on, Chip,\u201d she said, darting back out of the cell block and toward the door at the left end of the hallway.<\/p>\n

As soon as she\u2019d unlocked the door and opened it, a mercenary opened fire on her. This time she was in a large, open space with no Jarls or Jarls\u2019 family members in front of her.<\/p>\n

\u201cFUS- RO DAH!\u201d<\/p>\n

The archer flew end over end, slamming into the wall; she was able to take advantage of his being down to run forward and end his life. She turned to the sound of Chip\u2019s bowstring twanging over and over and gasped to see Ulgar, backing into the room with his greatsword held high, staring up at an adversary somewhere over her head.<\/p>\n

\u201cGet back to Agnar!\u201d she hissed, running past him. \u201cProtect the King!\u201d<\/p>\n

Ulgar ignored her. Even worse, Brother Thorlough entered the fray, running past Chip\u2019s drawn bow and up the stairs past Ulgar.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat are you people doing<\/em>?\u201d she shouted; but they paid her no attention. She shrieked in anger, hurtling up the stairs past both of the men, hoping that Chip was following but not really caring one way or the other. The mercenaries in the chamber at the top of the stairs made her care. One of them went down easily but the other swung a war pick \u2013 a mace with two long, nasty spikes that made solid contact with one of her arms. She cried out, backing away from the man and barely hanging onto her ebony blade. There was a distinctive whoosh, <\/em>followed by a thud; and the man groaned, falling to the floor.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s done, then,\u201d Chip said, emerging from the dark hallway. \u201cAre you alright?\u201d<\/p>\n

Qara gulped and nodded, casting healing on herself. \u201cI will be. What were those idiots thinking, leaving Agnar like that?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThey were trying to clear the path for us, Qara. Don\u2019t be so hard on them. Besides, Agnar still had Svegard and Jalma with him. Don\u2019t underestimate Jalma. I saw her pick a greatsword up off one of the bodies. She\u2019s not to be trifled with.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOk,\u201d Qara said, panting. \u201cOk. I\u2019m better now. Let\u2019s go.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

There were two more flights of circular stairs up into the tower, and one more room holding one of Yngvarr\u2019s hired goons. This time, Qara was able to creep up behind the man and slit his throat before he knew anyone else was in the room with him.<\/p>\n

\u201cUnsportsmanlike on my part,\u201d she said quietly, \u201cbut I don\u2019t think I care.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t worry about it,\u201d Chip said. \u201cI\u2019ve still got a couple of cards to play, too, if it gets bad.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat totem staff?\u201d<\/p>\n

He nodded. \u201cYeah, that\u2019s one.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd the other?\u201d Qara asked, not certain she really wanted to know the answer.<\/p>\n

He grinned. \u201cMe.\u201d<\/p>\n

He\u2019d said that just as they reached the end of the hallway \u2013 a dead end with only a ladder leading up. She climbed the ladder and pushed the hatch above it open.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou again?\u201d<\/p>\n

They were obviously at the top of a tower, but one for which the stone railings had been reinforced inside by an almost solid ring of tall, sharpened, thick wooden posts. Qara was completely disoriented. She couldn\u2019t see over them to get a sense of where they were in the fort, and she couldn\u2019t see where the Orc\u2019s voice was coming from.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou may be able to break into my fort, but you\u2019ll never get the Key!\u201d the Orc rasped. It was the same self-important soldier she\u2019d encountered with the late Jarl Valfred, in the catacombs beneath Borvald. \u201cI\u2019ll crush your skull! And feed your body to the\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, shut up,\u201d Qara said. \u201cFUS- RO DAH!\u201d<\/p>\n

The force of her Shout struck the Orc full in the face. He flew backward into the wall of spiked posts and crumpled to the stones of the tower, giving her the opening she needed to attack with blades. Chip drew his own daggers and dashed forward, helping her get through the full Orcish-make heavy armor Yngvarr\u2019s lieutenant wore.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s got the Key of Shelter on him somewhere,\u201d she said, kneeling down to search the body. \u201cThis is the guy who stole it out from under our noses. I\u2019ve been waiting for a chance to take him out.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cRemind me not to get on your bad side,\u201d Chip said, one eyebrow raised. Qara couldn\u2019t help but snicker.<\/p>\n

\u201cOk, let\u2019s get this key back to Agnar.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Jarl was waiting just outside the cell block when they finally made it back down through the tower. He looked not so much anxious, Qara thought, as impatient.<\/p>\n

\u201cDid you find anything useful?\u201d he asked. \u201cBecause, eh, we got this door open.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s great then,\u201d she said, \u201cbecause we got the Key of Shelter. Here you go.\u201d She handed it back to him as he gasped.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat? So then\u2026 you had a run-in with Lieutenant Kolgrim, I assume?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s his name? Yeah, we did. That irritating Orc won\u2019t be irritating anyone else again.\u201d<\/p>\n

Agnar stroked his chin. \u201cWait. If he is dead, that means the fort is without a commander.\u201d He broke out into a slow grin. \u201cWe have a huge advantage! What do you say we take out as many soldiers as we can? I have grown tired of Yngvarr\u2019s games.\u201d<\/p>\n

Qara frowned. It seemed to her that getting Jalma and Wilhard back to the safety of Amber Creek was a higher priority at the moment than settling squabbles on the backs of an already-depleted force here at the fortress. She had just opened her mouth to say so when Chip spoke.<\/p>\n

\u201cSounds good to me.\u201d<\/p>\n

Qara swung around to stare incredulously at her brother.<\/p>\n

\u201cHelp us clear the base,\u201d Agnar said. \u201cThen we\u2019ll get the front gate open and meet back in Amber Creek!\u201d He turned to the rest of the party, waiting next to the door they\u2019d gotten unlocked. \u201cYou heard it. The Lieutenant is dead. Let\u2019s show these bastards what we are made of!\u201d By the time he\u2019d reached the end of his statement, the Jarl\u2019s voice had changed to a deep-throated growl.<\/p>\n

He turned and made for the door. Qara tried to catch her brother\u2019s gaze but he, like Agnar, had an almost bloodthirsty spark in his eyes. All of the men ran through the now-opened door and disappeared, and Qara screamed in frustration and stomped her foot on the ground.<\/p>\n

\u201cMen!\u201d she shouted to the empty room. \u201cIdiots, every last one of them!\u201d Even Daddy<\/em>. Then she drew her daggers and followed as quickly as she could.<\/p>\n

Making their way out of the fort through this newly-opened passage was much like the trip into it had been. There were pockets of mercenaries stationed all through this wing of the fort, and too many of them fighting in close quarters for her to play much of a role in clearing them out. She ended up standing beside Jalma as the Jarl\u2019s wife halved one of the more lightly-clad bandits with her borrowed greatsword; and even Wilhard had a shortblade in hand and was doing his best to make his own way through the fighting.<\/p>\n

And then they all stepped outside.<\/p>\n

Qaralana had hoped that they\u2019d taken out most of Yngvarr\u2019s hired hands. She was wrong. The fort\u2019s yard was easily as well-manned as the inside had been, if not moreso. And it was still pitch-dark out. As difficult as it had been to tell friend from foe inside the towers, it was worse out here. She ran to attack the nearest form she saw and then stopped at the last second, horrified, as she realized she\u2019d almost slashed Jarl Agnar. Thorlough was there beside his Jarl, and reached under Agnar\u2019s weapon to take down the nearest bandit himself.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Thank the gods Thorlough was there. And I never thought I\u2019d be saying that. <\/em><\/p>\n

The noise was overwhelming. She could hear Agnar\u2019s ultimatums, Chip\u2019s sarcastic taunts, and the distinctive sound of his bow. Ulgar and Svegard were snarling, laughing, and based on the sounds she heard, slicing up enemies. But she couldn\u2019t make out where anyone was.<\/p>\n

An arrow struck her in the leg, and she whirled to find a Bosmer archer behind her. A Shout sent him flying off the edge of the platform they both occupied. She followed down the stairs to finish him off, but he\u2019d landed behind her and clambered to his feet, firing another arrow that grazed her hood. She was positioning herself to attack and watching the Bosmer draw his own blades when an arrow flew down from the platform above, and the Bosmer dropped.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\u201cThanks, Chip!\u201d she yelled, not seeing him but recognizing the sound of his bow and the speed with which he fired.<\/p>\n

\u201cRight behind you!\u201d he shouted back. It turned out to be good that he was, too, for there were several more archers in front of her, trying to finish what the Bosmer had started. She stepped back into the shadows to heal herself as Chip\u2019s arrows flew past one after another.<\/p>\n

There was a sudden lull of near-perfect silence. For a moment of sheer horror she was afraid someone had managed to kill Agnar. Then she heard a roar, the clang of a sword, and Ulgar\u2019s robust voice chuckling. \u201cThat wasn\u2019t so bad!\u201d Her relief nearly had her legs giving out from beneath her.<\/p>\n

\u201cCome on!\u201d Chip called, leaping down from the platform and dashing into the dark toward the rest of the party. Qara collected her wits as best she could and followed.<\/p>\n

They\u2019d reached the main gate. There were a few more mercenaries there guarding the exit, but they were being swarmed by Agnar in his righteous wrath, and his housecarls and followers in theirs. It wasn\u2019t long until Agnar was able to sheathe his weapon and turn to her.<\/p>\n

\u201cGo get that gate opened. We need to get back to Amber Creek.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Qara didn\u2019t take time to be offended that he\u2019d just given her another order. Clearly, he thought of her as one of his<\/em> people, and not as some outsider who had just stumbled into his lands. She nodded and ran back, up the several levels of fortifications toward the broken tower holding the lever that controlled the main gate. She had just about made it back down to the gate as it swung open.<\/p>\n

They weren\u2019t alone.<\/p>\n

Home<\/a><\/div>\n
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Home Previous \/ Next   Even though they were moving at a good pace, the time they\u2019d spent talking to Brunulvr back in Amber Creek had set Qaralana and Chip well behind everyone else. In the nearly-total darkness it should have been easy to spot the torches of Agnar\u2019s party, yet Qara saw nothing aside … <\/p>\n

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