Page 82 of Oath of Betrayal
The old man always kept me well-supplied when I needed it. In reality, he was only a few years my senior; unfortunately, he looked as if life had rolled over him like an avalanche, then given him a swift kick when he was down. He was missing an eye and had a burn scar that covered the left side of his head and cheek, leaving only the semblance of an ear. The poor man was also missing two fingers and had a crooked leg that had obviously been caused by a badly set break, leaving him with an unsteady gait.
I quietly admired his resilience. I’d never seen him complain, and he worked tirelessly, fulfilling every order the rowdy soldiers threw his way, leaving their insults unanswered. There were plenty of both. The new recruits especially proved difficult, and without Orm’s presence to keep them in line, they behaved as if they owned the place.
‘As you wish, Lady Mage. Would you like to try some dried apple slices preserved in honey and cinnamon? They would go well with your drink.’ I think he tried to smile, but the scars pulled, turning it into a painful grimace.
‘Yes, please, and thank you. I need something sweet tonight.’
Regrettably, a group of newcomers overheard my words. ‘Leave that crisper alone and join us, pretty lady. I can sweeten your time if you’d like,’ said the bulkiest of the group, and I bristled at the cruel nickname they had given the injured man. I saw the barkeeper’s shoulders sag, and he turned around, wiping the already spotless worktop.
Where the riders and veterans in the fortress were gentle and well-mannered around the females, the conscripted soldiers—especially those newly recruited—were the scum of the earth, press-ganged from the gutters and sent here to die in service to a kingdom disgusted by their existence. They were loud,obnoxious, and precisely the type of men any reasonable woman would avoid.
I, however, was not a reasonable woman, and I wasn’t in the mood to deal with their attitude.
I turned towards the barkeep. ‘What’s your name?’ I asked, doing my best to ignore the group. I should have asked earlier, especially since the man had been so kind to me, but I’d been too busy moping over the monster’s words.
‘Ian, my lady,’ he answered, visibly surprised that I was still talking to him.
‘How about this, Ian? Drop that rag. The worktop is clean enough, and nobody else is calling for a drink. I need some decent company, and you look like a man with an interesting story. Please, join me.’
He was utterly baffled. ‘Me?’ I knew why he had reacted that way; the lack of women at Varta Fortress meant most of them were already engaged, married, or counting the days until freedom.
Single females were wooed, cherished, and spoiled by every single man here. With a ratio of twenty-to-one, not counting conscripted soldiers, the ladies could take their pick from amongst the best mankind had to offer. Yet I had chosen him, and I saw the disbelief and suspicion on his face, as if he couldn’t understand why.
‘Yes, you.’ I pointed to the conscripted soldiers. ‘If I had any maternal instincts, I’d be over there changing their swaddling blankets, but seeing as I’m a grown woman looking for decent conversation, I want to talk to a real man.’
From the laughter in the tavern, I could tell I’d made my words clear enough for everyone to hear. The long-term residents of the town let me know they appreciated my biting wit by jeering and aiming various obscene gestures at the new recruits.
I knew I’d poked the hornet’s nest, but I was strangely proud of myself, especially when Ian attempted to smile again. ‘Please, my lady. Be careful. These men haven’t been shown the way things are here yet,’ he said, but I saw his posture straighten, and for the first time since I’d met him, the old soldier looked me straight in the eye.
‘I’m Ani. I’d like to thank you for your kindness the other day.’ I reached for my mead, sipping it slowly and pretending not to have heard his warning. ‘I’ve never tasted such an interesting flavour. Where did you source it? It’s delicious. Is that summer pear I can taste?’ I rolled my tongue over the roof of my mouth to identify the ingredients.
‘You have exquisite taste. There’s not much for an old campaigner like me to do, so I brew mead and ale. In fact, I made this batch myself. It’s summer pear and a little black pepper mixed into mead and left to ferment for six weeks. I can add a bit of water if it is too sweet for you.’
The pride in his voice made me smile before I shook my head. ‘No, no, it’s perfect as it is. You know, I think we’re going to become the best of friends. If you make something new, can I try it?’ I said, flinching when a heavy clay tankard smashed into the counter next to me.
‘This beer tastes like horse piss and smells just as bad.’ The soldier who’d tried hitting on me earlier clearly didn’t know to never disturb a mage who’s moping with a tankard of delicious mead. I turned, taking in the man before me, and he preened under my assessing stare.
‘Did your mother drop you on your head as a bairn?’
He frowned in response. ‘What?’
‘Is that a yes?’ I asked, and he bristled.
‘Watch your mouth, wench. Where I come from, ladies know how to behave, but I’m guessing you ain’t no lady.’ He reached for my arm. ‘Let me guess, you’re one of them here to servicethe soldiers.’ The snickers that came from his companions didn’t mask the sound of falling chairs as the veterans leapt to their feet.
Thank you, All-Father, for those too stupid to know better. Your daughter needs to take the edge off, I thought, unable to hold back my smile. The wise god was giving me precisely what I needed—a distraction, in the form of an idiot who deserved everything headed his way.
I tossed back the last of my drink. ‘Damn, that mead’s too good to spill,’ I said to Ian, and his pupils widened as I winked and tightened my grip on the handle.
That was the only warning anyone got before I unleashed chaos.
I didn’t use magic. That would have been a low blow to the ordinary soldiers, beating them up with elemental power. Besides, I didn’t want to put Ian out of business. Instead, in one swift move, I pulled my hand back and smashed the tankard on the soldier’s head. He was strong, but he hadn’t expected it, and when he slid to the floor, holding his bleeding nose, the rest of his group rushed towards me.
‘Hands off our lady, you dirty bastards,’ bellowed a veteran as he lunged forward and grabbed one man by the collar, choking the assailant as he threw him back against the wall. My laughter rang out as I leaned back against the bar and kicked my feet off my stool, catching another overeager fool between the legs.
As the man’s face connected with the discarded seat, I landed on his back and launched myself into what was now a full-blown brawl. I grunted when my forehead connected with one man’s nose. As blood sprayed across my face, a massive arm wrapped around my waist, pulling me off my current victim.
‘What thefuckis going on in here?! Who dared attack my woman?!’
