Aries and the Prince No More, page 10
Unfortunately, while Kristoff had meant to subdue the man, his blow only served to further infuriate him. The man quickly flipped the table over and lunged toward Kristoff, grabbing him in a bear hug. Aries then grabbed a wooden chair and broke it over the man’s back, prompting him to throw Kristoff to the ground and come after her.
“Oh, I will hit a girl, especially one with manners like yours,” said the man, spitting disgustingly as he spoke.
Backing up, she was met by a group of his friends. They were yelling and joking, apparently pleasantly surprised that two strangers decided to start a fight with the biggest among them. The man grabbed Aries by her throat with one hand, which was more than big enough to actually choke her. She attempted to fight off his hand with hers, but his grip was too strong. Kristoff jumped on the man’s back, trying to return the favor by choking him as well. He was using a technique her father had once tried to teach him, but he was doing it wrong. Letting go of Aries, the man used both hands to grab Kristoff and throw him onto the floor. Kristoff quickly got up and faced the man once again. Aries had never seen Kristoff with this kind of fight in him. She would have been proud if she wasn’t worried it would mean the death of them both.
“Do you feel tough? Picking fights with strangers who are half your size?” he asked, squaring up in front of the man, doing his best to strike a fighting stance.
The man didn’t respond. Instead, he began swinging haymaker punches at Kristoff as hard as he could. Luckily, Kristoff was able to dodge them with relative ease. The man’s muscles must significantly diminish his speed, thought Aries. Kristoff eventually ran out of room, and the man grabbed ahold of him by his throat, this time using two hands, which she knew would be more than capable of choking him to death. Aries was on her way to attack the man again, but before she could get there, Kristoff stuck a finger into the man’s nose ring and ripped it out. Blood began gushing as the big man stumbled back, screaming in pain.
The man felt his nose trying to assess the damage. He made his way to the bar and looked at a mirror to see what Kristoff had done to him. Everyone in the bar stood in shocked silence at what had just happened. The man turned towards Kristoff, blood dripping down his face. As he walked towards him, he slowly removed a dagger from its sheath.
“You’re going to die for that.”
Chapter 8
“Oy! Take it outside, Wolfe. I ain’t cleaning this mess up!” shouted the barkeep.
Aries and Kristoff were forcefully ushered out of the bar by the crowd. They were thrown to the ground, hitting the dirt road with a thud. Aries looked up to see three men, all with smirks on their faces, standing outside the bar and looking down at them. The middle man had short brown hair, a strong jaw, and large lips. His eyes were green, and they were looking directly into Aries’ own eyes. He was tall and had an athletic build, but he was not the tallest of the group. The man beside him stood about three inches taller than he did, and he had light brown skin and dark hair that was curly and pulled back. The man on the right was a short fellow that was very large and appeared to be strong. Of the three, he had the kindest face. He had dark brown eyes that matched his messy brown hair.
The rest of the crowd exited the bar forming a half-circle behind them. Aries and Kristoff got to their feet, brushing the dirt off of their clothing. Aries debated whether or not they should run for it, thinking perhaps Captain Rockwell and his crew were still docked at the pier. But she knew this wouldn’t work. The three men standing outside would block their way. The large man that the barman referred to as Wolfe exited the bar, tossing his dagger from hand to hand.
“Well, you fancy a straight-up fight ginger, or should I let you get the first shot again?”
“Did he say your name was Wolf? What kind of name is that? Did you name yourself?” asked Kristoff, confused, causing the three men behind them to laugh.
“Don’t mean to be rude, but you got a bit of blood, mate,” said the man with the green eyes, making his two companions laugh.
“Wolfe’s face done sprung a leak, eh? Tricky business, them nose rings,” replied the shorter friend, who was clearly enjoying seeing Wolfe in this state.
“This doesn’t concern you, Lee. This is Guul business.”
“That’s where you’re wrong, isn’t it? See, I have it on good authority these two outsiders requested parley with me and my lads, but you denied them. Is that straight?”
The big man’s tone had changed. He didn’t speak to Lee like he did Kristoff and Aries. Despite there only being three of them, Aries got the feeling Wolfe was afraid. The man with green eyes, who was called Lee, gave Kristoff and her a wink, followed by jerking his head backward to indicate that they should get behind them.
“This isn’t happening. We have to finish this,” said Wolfe angrily.
“Looks like it’s finished mate, judging by the state of your face. Best to quit while you still have one nostril left,” said Lee’s tall friend, causing even some of the people from the bar to laugh.
“If you want to press the issue, that’s your call, and if I’m honest, I’d much rather you did. But, seeing as how they called a parley, and I’m the acting Romani Enforcer at this pitiful excuse for a pub, I must protect them until they can meet the head,” said Lee.
“Wolfe, it’s not worth it. Save it for the games, mate,” said one of Wolfe’s men, trying to nudge him away from the fight.
Wolfe studied the situation, gripping his dagger so tightly that its leather hilt screeched. Lee slowly removed his jacket, displaying a blade of his own fastened to his belt on his right hip. “Just say when, aye?”
Wolfe breathed heavily, blood and snot running down his face. Then, just when it looked like he was about to make a lunge, he turned and stabbed his dagger into the wooden door frame of the bar. “I will see you at the games. You can count on that,” he growled before walking into the bar followed by his crew.
“Good lad,” said Lee, using his jacket to conceal his dagger once again, smirk still on his face.
“Sorry ‘bout them, they don’t care for our lot. But I figure you gathered that much by now. Name’s Lee. This tall young fellow here is Jaseen, and this strong and sturdy man is Andrew. Who might you be?” said Lee reaching out his hand to shake.
Aries was thankful they arrived when they did. She shuddered to think about Kristoff in a duel with that giant of a man. She knew she wouldn’t have let anything happen to him because she would have interfered, but that probably would have meant their deaths.
After introducing themselves, Aries explained that she was trying to contact the Romani. She also told them that her mother was a member who gave her a bracelet to show that her story was legitimate. For his part, Lee was cautious before he said too much by way of detail. After looking over the bracelet for a few moments, he handed it back to Aries and stated that he would share the information with the Head, as he called them, and told them he would lead them to the tavern where the Romani could be found.
“Good thing we arrived when we did, aye. I don’t think Wolfe would have survived another round with this one,” said Lee, patting Kristoff on the back. It was probably the first time in Kristoff’s life that he had a fight he could say he won, even if the victory was controversial. Despite the danger it placed them in, she found Kristoff’s actions inspiring.
“Well, don’t leave us hanging. Spill the details!” Andrew said, laughing.
Kristoff enthusiastically told the story of what happened and Aries found herself thinking that if she hadn’t seen it with her own eyes, she wouldn’t have believed the tale. The trio of Southlanders laughed heavily at the story, thanking Kristoff for putting Wolfe in his place. Aries had not seen Kristoff this happy in a long time, if ever.
As they walked, the Southlanders explained the seaside town to Aries and Kristoff and gave them pointers about places where it was safe and other areas where it wasn’t. They were told about the Faire that was going on, which explained why clans from all over the Southlands happened to be here at the moment. It sounded like a big celebration full of tests of skill, dancing, drinking, and great food.
They had only been in the Southlands for a few hours and had already got into a fight that could have easily turned deadly, but Aries still didn’t feel as if it was nearly as bad as Stur said. Thus far, it seemed like an exciting place that was strangely dangerous yet accepting and lively. It was as if there was no formal law enforcement but there were strict rules that guided things that made such a role unnecessary. After getting a tour of the town, they came to another tavern. This one was two stories and overlooked the sea, and just like the first tavern, she could hear live music coming from within. Several people outside of the pub welcomed Lee and his friends by name as they arrived.
“Sorry, but I have to run in and get the go-ahead before you lot can come in. Don’t worry, nobody will trouble you here. Not like you two would care though, eh,” said Lee as he pretended to box with Kristoff. Aries felt that his dialogue was exhausting. He had so much energy, and he carried himself like he was larger than life. She knew that in due time she would find his personality annoying. But perhaps a humorous kind of annoying. While they waited for Lee and his crew to return, the duo caught sight of the full moon, which appeared to rest directly above the sea.
“It’s beautiful, isn’t it?” said Kristoff.
“Yea, it is. Sure beats staring at farmland every day. But hey, instead of the view, can we talk about how you fought a giant and won?”
“I don’t know what got into me. It’s like I’m just not afraid anymore. I can’t really explain it.”
“I know what you mean. If you get angry enough, then nothing seems scary, not even death,” said Aries as she threw a rock into the sea, making a barely noticeable splash in the choppy waves.
“Yea, exactly. I’d have gladly died back there. I hate what happened, obviously, but one good thing is I feel free. Life is no longer scary, and we have nothing left to lose,” he said.
“Well, besides each other. But that never will happen,” she said, realizing she was frowning and quickly turning it into a fake smile.
“What if the clan doesn’t accept me because I’m not related?” said Kristoff, changing the subject before the conversation turned to one of sorrow.
“If they don’t accept you, then they don’t accept me. We are a package deal. I debated lying to them, but I doubt they’d buy it on account of your fire hair and big ears.”
“Do you think it can find us here?” said Kristoff, not fazed by her attempt at a joke.
Aries knew he was talking about the revenant, and she had considered it, but doubted that it would be able to. “I don’t think it can swim this far,” she said, throwing another rock into the ocean.
“Who’s to say someone won’t just unleash him here like they did in Redwood?”
“That’s why we are going to train every day. But honestly, I hope I get the chance to face it again, don’t you?” asked Aries.
“More than anything. I am going to rip its fucking head off and throw it out to sea. Let’s see it put it back on then. Maybe it can spend eternity stuck on the seafloor. It deserves no lesser punishment,” he replied with conviction.
“Oy! The head is ready for ya,” yelled one of Lee’s friends, whose name Aries had already forgotten. She was terrible with names and judging by the clan’s size, she worried there was no way she would ever remember everyone.
They walked up the dirt path to the two-story tavern. It wasn’t exactly the nicest quality, but Aries liked how welcoming it felt. The music was even better than the other Southland pub they had been at, although she knew she may be a little biased with how things ended there. Once they stepped inside, the music came to a halt and everyone was staring at them, making their arrival nothing short of awkward. Oh great, the two outsiders who have been causing trouble in town and almost caused a clan war just entered the pub and ruined the dance music. She had hoped that they would be welcomed warmly, but after all that had happened in just a few short hours she wasn’t so sure a warm welcome was in the cards.
“You look just like your mother, thank Gaia. I have been waiting for this moment for ages, Aries,” said a plump woman wearing a casual dress and no shoes. Her hair was mainly white, with slight traces of brown. She was short, jolly, and extremely welcoming. Her dark brown skin was smooth and without blemishes. She gave Aries a big hug, lifting her off of the ground, despite her short stature. “And who is this?” she said before, also giving Kristoff a big hug. “Oh, blessed be! This is cause for celebration! It is destiny fulfilled, but I am sure you knew that.”
Aries began to cry, but she didn’t know why. Maybe it was because of how warm and welcoming the woman’s voice was. Or because this woman had welcomed her and Kristoff without question. Or maybe it was simply because this was the first nurturing voice she had heard from a woman since her mother had passed. She finally felt safe for the first time since they had left Fairfield, and she was surrounded by people who were happy to see her though she didn’t know a single person in the room. She tried to hide her tears, and the woman took notice and signaled to the musicians that they should begin to play again. As the music filled the room once more, the woman walked them to a table on the second floor. Aries noticed Lee seated there, along with several other people dressed similarly to him. They wore coats and had scarfs tied around their necks. Many of them wore clothing that was forest green, which Aries presumed was a clan color.
“You two must be exhausted, bless your hearts. Food and drink for our friends, please,” said the woman to a barmaid.
Aries and Kristoff provided a limited description of the past few months to the woman, who listened intently, hanging on every detail. The woman’s attention, understanding, and support exceeded Aries’ best-case scenario for how things could have gone with her arrival in the Southlands. The woman was small and kind beyond measure, and she seemed to possess a strange glow that Aries couldn’t quite understand. It was difficult to describe, but Aries knew that there was something extraordinary about this woman and that she was most likely the Crone that her father had told her she needed to find.
“There will be plenty of time to talk about everything in the morning,” said the woman, smiling kindly. “Tonight is a celebration, a wonderful celebration. Our beautiful family has arrived. Everyone, welcome Kristoff and Aries, treat them both like blood, for in the eyes of Gaia we are all brothers and sisters, and for it is through the love of Gaia that we are all beautiful!” yelled the woman to the crowd below, prompting them to cheer and drink from their mugs.
“So, I understand you’ve met Lee and his friends. No finer blade in all the land than our Lee. He is going to bring our clan another tournament championship title at this year’s Faire. That’s why we are here, after all. This is the fall equinox, and every fall equinox, each clan from the Southlands meets to compete, share in brotherhood, and celebrate. Our Lee here will show you the ropes and keep you safe. I understand the Guul have already picked a fight with you. It’s a shame because the Faire is supposed to help keep the peace, and yet they want to start a war.”
Aries nodded, drinking from the mug that had been handed to her by the barmaid. It tasted like tea with honey or sugar.
“Yes, all we did was ask if there was anyone that could put us in touch with your clan…” said Kristoff as he slathered his dinner roll with butter.
“Your clan too,” said the woman smiling.
“Sorry. Our clan.”
Aries felt good hearing Kristoff say it, and she saw him smile as well.
“But then this large man they called Wolfe aggressively introduced himself. He started threatening Aries, so I smashed him in the face with a metal mug. There was a scuffle, and then I pulled out his nose ring.”
“Oh, my dear!” said the woman laughing and slapping her leg. Her laughter extended for several moments and seemed to be contagious to everyone at the table.
“And then he pulled out a dagger and wanted to fight me to the death,” Kristoff continued, “and that’s when Lee showed up, and Wolfe backed down.”
“He knew he’d have been dead in seconds if he challenged our Lee to a duel. Besides, they know the rule of parley. I have half a mind to go and speak to them myself. But all’s well that ends well, and I don’t want to ruin this blessed moment with further conflict.”
The party continued for some time before Aries remembered the letter her father had given her. Without being told directly who the Crone was, Aries assumed that it had to be the woman before her. “I was told by my father that I needed to give this to you, I believe. It is from my mother, and I am not supposed to open it until you get it. Also, I was told to show you this,” she held out her hand displaying the bracelet she had gripped tightly in her fist. “This is a bracelet I was told belonged to you.”
The woman took the sealed letter and the bracelet from Aries and slowly studied it before smiling warmly at her. “Of course, dear. But it is not the time to open this just yet. I will let you know when. Thank you so much for the bracelet. I gave it to your mother years ago when she left for the north.”
Before Aries could express her frustration about waiting to open the letter, the woman stood up quickly, clapping her hands. “I almost forgot. I have something for you!” Aries wondered how this woman could possibly have something for her since there was no way she could have known Aries would be here on this day. The woman returned after a few moments with a wooden box that was a little over a foot long.
“Well, don’t just stand there, open it. Actually, no, wait! Everyone! Gather around. Aries is going to open the box,” said the woman.
“Bout time! Mum’s been carrying that bloody thing around for years, not telling any of us what it was for and swearing us to oath that we wouldn’t look inside,” said Lee, who made his way over to their table, curiosity in his eyes.
