THE GOLDEN HILT 19 | HEMLOCK | MEDIEVAL SERIES

ADVENTUROUS MEDIEVAL SHORT STORY SERIES

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THE GOLDEN HILT

He walked beside Ares as the elders walked in front of them. They walked from one street to another, avoiding the soldiers on the roof of shops. They reached the inn and went to the stables, he saw his and Lykos’ horse in there. He petted his horse and untied its reins and walked outside, Lykos decided to take another horse that seemed much stronger and faster than Lykos’ own horse.” I do not think it is wise to take steal someone else’s horse. They will know it was us and then they might send people to find us.” Lakmeer said. Lykos looked at him and said,” They are welcome to do so.” Lakmeer knew that Lykos was not going to listen to him so he became silent.

They walked to a small street where there was hardly any place for the horses, but they took them there anyways. There crossed one street after another. After a long walk they reached the wall, they could not take any chances and go to the wall, so they walked in the street where they were still hidden by the houses, from the sentries on the wall. Lakmeer looked up all the time to see if he could see the sentries, if he could see them then they could see them as well and if they did he would tell them to hide, but he saw none.

In his brief stay in the city Lakmeer had never come to this part of the city, and it did not seem safe. Lakmeer had never set foot ahead of the closest city to his village until this journey, and he was still trying to make himself familiar with the new places, he never felt safe at the places. This part of the city was not like the other parts, here there were only very old houses with no people at all. The windows were broken and here and there you could see dogs walking around or at times barking and fighting. This was as far from home as any place could be. The orphans house was not home, but it felt like home. This place does not have any welcome sites, only broken houses with ghosts and mice living in them, and dogs and cats to eat those mice.

Lakmeer looked at Ares, he seemed scared and was looking here and there. He was not scared of the soldiers, that was for sure because he was alright in the inn but now he looked like he had seen a ghost, or he dreaded to see one. Lakmeer knew it was the later cause, anyone would fear this. The place was not welcoming at all; this was the last place Lakmeer would ever want to see himself but he was there all the same, as this was where he could find the way out, the only way out.

They stopped in front of a closed door, the light coming from under the door showed that there was someone inside. Lykos knocked the door three times, there was no movement from inside for some time. Then he heard footsteps slowly coming at the door. “Who’s there?” someone said from inside.” It’s me.” Said Lykos “Hemlock.” Adding his name after a pause. The person inside who was called Hemlock became silent. “You are not deciding to leave from the other door and tell the guards by any chance, are you Hemlock?” said Lykos. The lock made a click sound after that the door opened and the ugliest and dirtiest man Lakmeer had ever seen stood in the door way. He was smiling, but Lakmeer knew it was not a real smile, Lakmeer had recently learned that art of recognizing fake smiles. He showed what few teeth remained in his mouth and said,” You are good at joking my great friend Lykos.

You know very well I would never betray you, I would rather give my life. And it is my great friend Odin how wonderful seeing you again after so many years.” Odin nodded and said,” I know you will betray us the first chance you get, even if it horseshit you get in return. But…” Odin said tossing a small bag, which sounded like it is full of coins. “You know very well that in case we survived you will not and we pay you well.” He took the bag of coins very happily opening it the moment he caught it. It was full of silver coins, which was odd as how exactly did Odin get so much money. He then opened the whole door and let them in. He gave a good look at everyone that came in. Hemlock gave a good look at Lakmeer and then to his sword, after seeing which his eyes seemed they would fall out of the sockets.

Everyone got in and sat on anything they could sit on. Hemlock sat on the floor near the fire where it was warmer. He looked at them all and said,” To what do I owe the pleasure of your visit.” Lykos was the one who answered” Don’t act like you don’t know, you know that the city watch is looking for me and I need to use the tunnel to get out of this pile of dirt of a city.” He tried to look shocked but Lakmeer could tell he was not; nobody could hide behind their false faces anymore. He looked at Lykos for a time and said,” I must say I did hear about it, but I did not know you would ever want to use the tunnel. You know very well if they find out what happens, who gets caught.” Lykos got angry, spat in the fire and said,” That is how I care for you and your head.” Odin threw another bag at him and said,” If they find out you helped Lykos escape, you know very well where to go. That is for using your tunnel.” He opened the bag and smiled, once again showing his hideous remaining teeth,” This is not at all needed you are friends.

 But there is something you would want to hear, looks like Mr. frogs is really obsessed with finding you. He has sent a band of the city watch to patrol on the road to Gordor. Though it seems like even the road to Gordor is not safe anymore, a band of ten soldiers were found hanged on a tree. The work of rebels they say.” Lykos did not seem moved by this but Lakmeer wanted to ask him something.” Do you know of any caravan that came from the desert villages.” He looked at him and said,” It is something foolish to come here from so far during times as these, but I haven’t heard anything about any caravan, I don’t own any demons who bring me knew boy. I walk through the market and hear people talk about things, that is how I know this.”

Lakmeer looked at Odin who looked at him pitying him, while Lykos looked towards the fire and said,” we have to leave.” Hemlock looked at him and said,” It is cold and there is nothing to eat, not even a squirrel.” Lykos didn’t answer him and said,” We have to leave, Now.” Lakmeer knew it was time to go, he got up and took the reins of his horse that was still eating what little fodder he had thrown in front of it. Lykos and Lakmeer were both wearing warm clothes and they had salted mutton that Odin had stolen from a house. They had enough food for a week and warm clothes that were good enough for a freezing temperature.

Hemlock got up as well and announced,” Follow me.” Everyone followed him to a door that was hidden behind a cloth. He took a torch from the wall and went towards the fire, lit it and came back. He opened the door and went inside while others followed him. Lakmeer got inside and looked around the rooms. He saw that on the other end of the room, the ground was broken and a large tunnel was made, through which a horse could go. He then walked towards the tunnel while other followed him. It was a long walk. Lakmeer looked at the ceiling of the tunnel which was held by woods, everywhere he could see woods sprung up to the ceiling of the tunnel to stop the tunnel from collapsing. Odin came beside Lakmeer and said,” It was made for smuggling goods into the city.

The city watch takes taxes for selling goods in the city, they take one silver coin for goods worth one gold. Many merchants do not want to pay money to the city watch for it so they find other ways, this one for example was made by Hemlock, he takes less money than the city watch; one silver for goods that are worth five gold. They send most of goods from down here while in order to avoid getting caught they take some of their goods from the gates and write their names in the register in which the details of their goods is written.” Lakmeer looked at him and said,” Don’t they get caught by selling more than they paid for?” Odin smiled and said,” The city watch does not patrol the market, so they never get to know about it.” Lakmeer smiled and looked down the tunnel where he could see the end.

Not after long they reached the end that was covered with a big piece of leather but it had something heavy on it from the other side. Hemlock walked forward and told them to step back, he pushed the leather outside and made a small place for himself to go outside while Odin and Lykos went after him. not long after that, the whole leather was removed from the mouth of the tunnel through which Lakmeer and Ares with the horse went outside. The cold wind was blowing, it hit Lakmeer’s face like cold steel making him wince at the pain that it gave him. Ares was not wearing warm clothes due to which he was shaking violently. Lakmeer walked towards him and gave him his cloak, Ares put it on looking at Lakmeer with grateful eyes.

Odin walked to him to say his farewell, while Lykos took the reins of his horse and waited.” So you are leaving.” Lakmeer smiled and said,” It does seem odd, Like I have lived here whole my life and leaving is something sad for me.” Odin looked at him with fatherly eyes and said,” I would have said you are welcome to stay if it was a great place. But you have a home to go to, and of course you are always welcome to visit us anytime.” Lakmeer smiled with tears in his eyes, Odin walked forward and embrace him saying,” You are a great man, and you will make a great warrior.” Ares came and embraced him saying,” I never had a brother, but at least I got to know how it feels to have one.” This made him even more sad and it felt like he would cry, but he did not want to make leaving much worse for himself.

Lykos shook Odin’s hand and said,” I will never forget what you have done for me.” Odin smiled and said,” No you won’t.” Lykos climbed his horse and then Lakmeer on his, Lykos nodded at Odin and the others and urged his horse while Lakmeer followed. The cold wind whistled at them and hit them with all the forces it could but that was not enough to stop him, nothing could stop him.

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