The Tattooed Woman Pt. 12

THE TATTOOED WOMAN - Chapter 12

I hope folks are enjoying the story so far. Please leave comments, as criticism both positive and constructive is inherently useful. Plus, I like reading comments, so that's cool.

Chapter 12: I may have overreacted, just a bit.

The battlefield was a quagmire of torn bodies and bloodstained snow, trampled and steaming. The Orcs were dragging the dead beasts off towards the woods so they could be skinned, and proper trophies taken. The iron-hard hides of the supernatural hounds would make very fine armour and the Orcs knew this well and were a far too canny a people to waste such a bounty. The Captain had sought out the oldest of their warriors and offered him her sword for the task, for the runic engraved dark adamant and mithril-laced blade could peel apart even the tough pelts of a barghest like a hot knife through butter. The grizzled warrior had hefted the old blade with appreciation. Drawing a hissing breath his eyes all but glowed as he looked along its deadly lines as he turned it this way and that, feeling its balance, and he used his leather-like finger to gingerly test the razor-sharp edge, drawing blood instantly.

Eventually, however, he handed it back with an appreciative nod, "A warrior's weapon, keep for warrior's tasks. Muscle and strength will work here well enough, as it has always been," he grinned at her wolfishly as he added, "when you die, I will have this blade from your corpse, until that day you keep it close."

The Captain laughed, "Well, at least it will have a good home and will go to someone who'll use it well, so for my part, I think my shade would be happy enough with that."

The old Orc slapped her on the back hard enough to almost stagger her and Nyx carefully hid her grin.

After he had wandered off towards the woods Ashunara groaned as she flexed her shoulders, "I swear that bastard just does shit like that to annoy me," she looked about, "any idea where Azure is? If she was out there and ran into those things she could be in tro..."

"I'm right here Boss."

The voice came from directly behind her and the Captain had to stifle a shriek, "Dear Gods! You have got to stop doing that! You're going to give someone a bloody heart attack someday!"

Azure grinned, "Well, I keep trying, but so far, no luck. Anyway, I was out and about when I heard the howling, but I was too far off to get in on the fight, but I've since tracked the beasts back from our camp to look for their lair," she sniffed and pointed back into the trees, "there's a spot a few hundred yards back there in the woods where the snow is melted, it looks like a big, scorched circle. All the tracks originate from there, and it looks like the beasts came out of that mark running in pretty much a straight line, hell for leather and full tilt, directly for us. They only spread out a bit as they got closer."

Nyx frowned, "A portal?"

The scout looked off into the trees and nodded, "That's my thought, yes."

Ashunara pondered, "Any chance Quintus could maybe examine it and discern its source when he recovers sufficiently?"

Azure shrugged, "I'm not an expert in this Captain but he's an adventurer, and from what little I understand of these things his magic is more to do with destroying his foes and murdering his enemies, you know how those lunatics are. Though he has a few practical enchantments for healing and the like. Still, some adventurers deal with ancient traps, wards and the like so it's not impossible that he may perhaps have some skill with forensic magic."

The Captain mused, "He's been damned handy to have around for a human, but seems to lack stamina. He's collapsed again after casting only a few spells, though they were certainly effective. I just wish he was a little stronger."

The scout gave a short bark of laughter, "Captain, respectfully, you saw just how tough those things were and he all but vaporised three of them and that took no small amount of effort, added to that he's barely recovered from his last exertions, and that he did so with no preparation or instruments makes his spellcasting all the more impressive. But I suspect this investigative work you suggest may be more about craft and art, as opposed to power and strength."

Ashunara nodded with a dry chuckle, "I know, I'm not saying against the man, I saw him save Maggie when he blew one of the bastard things to smouldering ruin, but you know how Captains are lass, give them two wizards and they'll complain they don't have three. Well enough then, once he's sufficiently recovered would you take a suitable escort with you and show this man the place you found so we might see what he might discern."

"I'll take Elsadore and a couple of Orcs with me Captain and be ready when he is."

"Well and good."

Nyx looked across at Ashunara with a furrowed brow of curiosity, "And what, as if I did not know already, do you plan to do if our errant wizard can discern the source of this attack?"

Ashunara frowned, "Hmm, well whoever did this is clearly powerful, and so we must consider the cost to our houses if we engage in a prolonged contest, so perhaps it may be prudent to attempt to treat with them and come to terms."

Nyx gave the woman a look of surprise, "Seriously?"

The Captain smiled such a smile that would make toothy things found in the very depths of the sea look friendly and welcoming in contrast, "Fuck no! Nobody with power enough to throw a pack of Barghests at us will give up so easily! These bastards are going to keep coming so when I find them, I'm going to murder them all, then burn their damned house down for good measure."

Nyx clapped her hands in satisfaction, "Splendid! Thought for a second some doppleganger had replaced you with someone boring."

The rest of the day was spent in tending the wounded and making the camp more secure. The Dwarves, with the typical tireless practicality of their kind, swiftly constructed a stockade of sharpened stakes around the encampment and then began to surround it with a trench.

Ashunara attended and spoke to their leader, looking at the row of the fallen as she passed, their armoured bodies all laid out with warpick and shield in hand, being tended by their brothers in arms, who polished their mail and braided the beards of the dead as they lay on the cold ground. As she watched, the leader of the Dwarves approached her and she gave him a short bow, "Centurion, I regret the deaths of so many of your kind."

He looked up at her with hooded eyes, "Do you indeed?"

"I do, truly. They were no enemies of mine that I would enjoy seeing them slain, and you took the bulk of the attack upon yourselves. Had we been here alone I think we might have been overwhelmed. So, for that and more, you have my thanks."

He grunted, "Why have you come Dökkálfar?"

"I came in part to express my respects for your fallen, and to offer what aid I can to your wounded."

The Dwarf grunted, "Your pet human has been doing what she can, and her efforts are appreciated Captain," he turned a canny eye on the Dark Elf, "do you seek recompense?"

She shook her head, "No, not this time. Your men were hurt when we fought a common foe so for my part, I say there is no debt between us."

Garok looked at her and nodded, but his broad shoulders slumped in disgruntled irritation, and he sounded dejected, "Fairly spoken," he gestured towards his company, "with our wounded, we are no longer fit to pursue the human slavers and I fear those of my kin he took are now lost to us. It is a shameful thing to fail so completely."

Ashunara turned to him and argued otherwise, "A barghest is no common foe Centurion, and a pack of such beasts is not something that can be taken lightly, not by anyone. If not for the rock-hard toughness and discipline of your Dwarves, they would have likely wreaked ruination upon my own company, I think. As for your lost kin, I heard the human slaver let slip that he had been dispatched to specifically search for Dwarves to capture, so there is therefore some unseen purpose behind his raid. Humans enslave their own so I would doubt it's simply workers or labourers they seek, and its well-known Dwarven craftsmen would take their secrets to the grave before revealing them to humans. So, my suspicion would be that they are taken for leverage in some way. Now I do not know Dwarven business, but if such were the case, I surmise they will be treated well enough and ransomed back as part of some human scheme. So do not be dismayed, I think they will be home soon enough."

The Centurion pondered, "Think you so?"

"I do."

The Dwarf grinned, "They say that the Dark Elves are a crafty folk. In this, I hope your reputation for cunning is deserved, and I thank ye for giving me some hope Mistress Elf."

She looked down at him, "Would you wager on it?"

"What! Wager on the lives of my kin? Are ye mad?"

She laughed, "No, will you wager if I am as clever as I think I am?"

"Who but a numbskull would wager otherwise Captain? You Dark Elves are as devious as a whole skulk of foxes and twice as sly. But yes, for good luck if nothing else I will wager another keg of best rum against a gold Dragon that you are correct in this and my kin are restored unharmed by winter's end."

"Done!" The Captain spat on her hand and held it out to him.

He looked at it and raised a formidable eyebrow, "That is truly a disgusting habit. You've been associating with Orcs too long."

Laughing she walked off towards the Dwarven wounded.

...

A good part of the next day had passed when Gorsini spied Dana coming over the hill and heading back towards him. His company were making fair progress, but he had hoped to put in a few more miles before stopping for the evenings' repast and to make camp, for he was wary of the possibility of Dwarven pursuit. "Those wee bastards are swift enough on the march and the fuckers do not tire worth a damn, they'll be gaining ground."

Dana jogged through the snow and came to a halt before him breathing heavily after her run. Her breath misted before her, and her cheeks were rosy with the cold. He suppressed a grin as he watched the lithe young woman panting, and the entertaining rise and fall of her chest under the leather jerkin she wore, "She's quite fetching in her way."

"Take your ease and catch your breath there Dana, before you give a fellow ideas that an old man like myself really should not be contemplating."

She grinned, "I would have thought an old man like yourself would be too tired to get such ideas after cavorting all night with a Dark Elven vixen such as Captain Ashunara, but perhaps she was gentle with you, having consideration for your advanced years of course."

He snorted, "Ha! As gentle as a wolf perhaps, she was as demanding a lay as I've ever had the pleasure of encountering outside a bawdy house on payday. I'm certain she left bites and scratch marks over half my hide."

A long-legged blonde woman moved alongside him with a grin and winked mischievously at the scout, "And was the experience worth all those scratches and bites Captain?"

He smiled at the memory, "Well, as to that, a proper-born gentlemen would not speak of such things, especially in mixed company."

Magda laughed, "And since when did you aspire to be such a gentleman I ask?"

"Well, that's a fair question, so I'll just say that seeing her outwith that mail she wears was a sight to behold and overall I confess it was an experience well worth the remembering."

Dana chuckled as the Skald winked at her as she asked with feigned innocence, "And do you think she'll be remembering you, good Captain?"

The man drew himself up with a smile, "It would be unmanly to boast of such things, but in all modesty, I should say that I would doubt she would have much cause for complaint!"

"Well from all the noise she was making I'd wager you may be right enough."

Gorsini grimaced, "You heard us then?"

The blonde woman eyed him incredulously, "Heard you? The whole bloody camp heard you! Still, I won five silvers from Beorn, he said the shrieks would fall quiet afore midnight, but you were still going strong well after."

"Oh, fuck."

"Well, yes, exactly. I'm fairly sure that's what was going on, but of course, you're far too much of a 'proper-born gentleman' to regale us with the lurid details, well, not while sober that is."

Dana was still chuckling, but she cleared her throat to catch their attention, "As fascinating as the Captain's sexual conquests may be, might I make my report Sir? There are things you should know."

Looking back at the Half-Elf Gorsini gestured for her to continue, "Aye, apologies lass. I'm sure you didn't jog through all that snow just to listen to Magda mock me. Let's hear what you have for us."

The scout pointed back the way she had come, "There is a company up ahead and coming this way, Captain. They have a martial aspect about them and are well armed and armoured."

"Hmm, what are their numbers and composition?"

The Half-Elf looked back at him, "About a dozen horse and five times as many afoot, mostly spearmen, but with a company of crossbowmen, each bearing a pavise upon their back."

Gorsini pursed his lips and his eyes narrowed in thought, "That'll slow em down a bit. Anything else?"

"Aye, the horsemen are mounted upon decent-looking palfreys, they are clad in crimson and bear the standard of the Scarlet Order."

The human Captain nodded, "Red nuns?"

"Indeed so. I did not get too close but returned as soon as I saw."

"Just as well, if those murderous zealots got hold of you, they would like as not slaughter you and set you alight for a fucking jape."

He turned to Magda, "Halt the company and deploy for defence!"

Turning back to the Half-Elf he queried, "Do they have scouts out?"

She shook her head, "They only have a rider out front, but whomever it is barely hazards more than a bowshot ahead of their column and they avoid the woods as if they fear them."

The man shook his head in disgust, "These fools are asking for ambush. If they ever catch up to those Dark Elves Captain Ashunara will teach them caution to their cost. That bloody scout of hers in particular would like as not kill a few before they realised she was even there. It's those poor bastard spearmen I feel sorry for. These idiots will lead them to slaughter. Still, they have the numbers."

Turning on his heel he marched quickly back to his company and directly to the two captured Orcs. They eyed him suspiciously as he drew a dagger, but other than growling they did not flinch, or avert their eyes, though their look of barely contained hatred changed to one of confusion when he sliced away the fetters that bound them.

"Right! You two can fuck off."

The blonde woman who had followed stared at the man as he regarded the two Orcs who stood unmoving, "Captain, what are you doing?"

He spared her a glance, "We took commission to capture the Dwarves at the behest of someone with coin and influence, so those bastards will likely do nothing other than make barbed comment and bemoan the fact that they cannot simply massacre them. But these two are just worthless chattel as far as they are concerned. Now I'd have sold them as fighting slaves at some arena for the coin, but those fanatics will attempt to seize them from us if they think they can get away with it, calculating, probably rightly, that I'll not provoke a confrontation for a couple of unloved Orcs, and they'll murder them for nothing. Now, I'm not above killing these bastards in a fight, or for pay, but I'll be fucked if I'm going to let some lunatics do it for their bloody amusement and at MY expense."

Looking back at the Orcs he pointed at the woods, "Oi! I'm not fucking about, get lost! NOW!"

The Orcs looked at each other for a moment longer before loping off towards the trees.

The Half-Elf shuffled slightly, "Erm, Captain, what about me and Cormach, will they not set their sights on us if they can?"

Gorsini turned to her, "You work for me. I might not start a fight with them over a couple of Orcs, but you are one of my company. If they want you then they'll find it'll cost them blood to have you. But try and stay out of trouble if you can."

She looked down at her feet, "Thank you, Capt..."

He growled, "Fuck that noise! Loyalty goes both ways, Dana. I can hardly expect my soldiers to keep faith with me if I sell them out as soon as it becomes convenient. They'll not have you as long as I draw breath, my word on it."

The woman nodded and grinned when Magda slapped her on the back, "Stay with the others and keep your weapons to hand and we'll spit in the eye of any who think you fair game."

Gorsini had his men deploy upon a rise that provided a good view of the surround, with trees behind and rough ground in front to slow any mounted charge. Magda sidled close, "We deploy so for this? I had thought these were if not allies, then at least not entirely foes approaching?"

The human Captain spat, "The Scarlet Order are psychopathic zealots convinced that only by subjugating those who do not adopt their beliefs under their yoke and consigning all creatures of the Fae to the flame can humanity show they are once again worthy of the God's favour. They are a shower of murderous cunts and no allies of mine! But at present, they have the ear of the court and wield too much influence to simply crush as they deserve. We will take no chances with their fickle nature. I hope they can be dealt with at least cordially for they have the numbers to make any martial engagement a poor choice for us, but I'll not have us sit and fawn. They'll know that even if they can succeed in a contest of arms it will cost them dear, besides," he gave the woman an evil smile, "I'm hoping the fuckers will pass us quickly enough and run smack into any Dwarven pursuit charging up our arse. Be a shame for the spearmen, but as my old Sergeant used to say, "If'n ye cannae take a joke ye shouldna be fucking about as a sellsword."

The woman laughed, "That is a terrible accent, where in Hell did the poor bastard come from?"

"Fuck knows, but he was a mad drunkard of a man and as ill-tempered a fellow as you could ever meet, but I'll say one thing for him, he never turned his back on a friend. He was killed by Orcs some ten years back, but he took a few of the bastards with him. My scout says they burned him on the same pyre as their own dead, and that's a rare gesture from them."

The woman glanced back at the company and her eyes met those of the scout, "And did you mean your words to Dana?"

He looked at her and his voice was flat, "She's one of mine and they'll not have her."

"You could lose your entire company though?"

Gorsinin spat, "Would you have me hand her over to curry favour? Is that your counsel?"

The woman smiled at him, "You know, you're quite handsome when you get angry, a bit short for my liking, but not so bad for all that. I'm beginning to see what yon Dark Elven Pixie admired, and no, I would counsel that if they start any of their shit we kill every red-garbed cretin we see and take our chances with the rest!"

The man laughed, "Good lass, now see to the troops if you please. Make sure the crossbowmen know that if any of these cunts look to be casters, they kill them first."

In the distance, Captain Gorsini saw the outrider of the approaching column crest the small hill and come into view. The man, or woman, wore a scarlet cloak and they paused as they saw his company before wheeling back out of view. He scratched his short beard and drew a breath, "Well, that's that then. They'll be here soon enough."

His words proved prophetic for within a half hour a dozen riders in red crested the hill and halted there. He shook his head in disgust, "Stupid bastards to sit atop a hillcrest like ducks at an archery range thinking I'm some peasant who can be overawed by their pretty red outfits. Fucking clowns is what they are. I should let them catch the Dark Elves. Ashunara would ambush and chop those riders to bits before their infantry could get close enough to provide proper support. Bloody amateurs!"