Brendon rode behind Condon Ivri and Borem, the two marked knights to his back. The cousins spoke to one another as friends or brothers, Brendon was unsure of the standing in the relationship as of yet. He only heard bits and pieces of their conversation and when he rode faster to keep pace, the two increased their speed as well. A glace back from Borem told him he was to keep behind.
He was apprehensive about making conversation with the two knights, they hardly said words other than acknowledgements from Borem. Everything about them seemed odd. They carried two-handed swords across their backs as Brendon did, but they were most certainly trained for mounted combat; thick suits of bulky black and red plate. All aspects of humanity were stripped by their armor. Only a vaguely human shape was left. Broad, loose plates stuck together and shifted slightly as the horse's pace rocked the riders. The helms they wore were rounded in the back while a stiff, slightly curved plate of steel sat as something of a visor, though he had never seen it raised on any of the men. Carved into the visor's angular point were two sets of eye slits, each spaced parallel to one another. He could see nothing behind them.
Brendon reasoned that the pace was too fast to hold any conversation and so resigned to a silent ride back to camp.
Supper was being served when they arrived, Brendon had not eaten since breaking his fast with Saul and Nesdin. Toren and Shaw had been gone the entirety of the night and were still away when he left after the brief inquisition in the early afternoon. He let Borem ride away with his escort and the young Condon, who he had scarcely been introduced to, and stabled his horse near the command tent.
Brendon lifted the front flap of the tent. It was all he could do to smile when Toren was present inside the. 'I am starving, come eat with me,' was all Brendon could say before turning around, assuming his friend would follow.
Toren dashed out of the tent and filed alongside Brendon. 'That's a funny sort of way to say hello.'
'It has been an odd few days, so it is not so out of place.'
'If you insist,' Toren shrugged, steering along with Brendon's paced movement through the camp. 'Anything in particular I should know?'
'Only that I was used as something of a visual representation of Borem's plea to lord Ivri for support. Beyond that, I killed Arthur Thaxasil after he attempted to recruit me in assassinating Borem. If anything I could really just use a few drinks.'
'I'm with you on that,' Toren smiled, 'but you must explain these things in more detail. One is not pleased simply with so few words on the killing of a High Lord..'
Supper was stew and bread. Brendon could have insisted on more for himself, but enjoyed eating the same meals as those he would fight with. He and Toren took seats at one of the wooden benches set around their camp's kitchen. It was a single table with no others to bother them.
'Certainly I have been keeping busy,' Brendon started, 'but what of you?'
Toren spooned a chunk of meat from the stew into his mouth and, while still chewing, began speaking. 'Shaw and I took about fifty out with us in to the swamps. A fun bunch, really, at least half were even decently skilled or showed promise. Twenty or so didn't come back; either they died of a result of our little excursion or fell victim to the terrain, either of which means we're better off. I left Shaw with the men, giving them proper weapons and a day's rest before we start the real training. So, tell me what I've missed. I can plainly see the dragon hasn't annihilated the camp, so nothing can be going so bad as you made it out to be.'
'Everything is going well I suppose.' He sopped up a bit of broth with a chunk of bread and bit into it. 'But more and more oddities surface.' Brendon told of the encounter with Arthur and that of the initial meeting with lord Ivri. 'The man seemed uninterested in me at first, though he had heard of me, but when the formal event were closed he aimed a question about Arthur Thaxasil at me, as well as one about his father.'
'You put that man down as well, didn't you?'
Brendon nodded. 'Long ago, you and I were apart at the time, though only on different sides of the battle. He wished me to do much the same as his son asked, though it was for a different lord and in a much different time. I wonder if there is a connection.'
'I don't doubt it, but just slip those thoughts to the back of your mind and keep the less complicated in thought; remember what our disappearing friend said.'
His eyes drifted past his friend to some unknown place. 'Complete the task presented to us, watch for those with the mark. I am sure he referred to these emissaries that serve as Borem's personal guard. This man, Ralak, must be involved somehow.'
'Again, I wouldn't doubt it. But there is nothing to do at the moment but keep our eyes open,' Toren grumbled, sipping at the stew.
Toren began with a story of the training in the swamps. Shaw appeared not long after, joining with the telling of the tale. Brendon saw Nesdin part from Tz'Simren, who she had been spending more time with, not far from the kitchen and joined the growing table. Saul was the last to find his way to them, plopping down next to Brendon and beginning in with his own tales.
Brendon sat over them as moderator. It was the first time they all had sat together as the Brothers of the Blade since they arrived in the port coming from North Wind. As odd as things had been for Brendon, the table talk calmed him. Familiar voices, familiar arguments. A smile became a laugh as Toren told a bawdy joke. So soon back at the game, the thoughts of a winter of relaxing was sitting out of mind. If he could only count on just these four, or five including Taelen, then he could put the strange thoughts to the back of his mind. Borem put so much on them already. A battle would be won by Brendon and his command.
Saul coked his head to gaze upon Brendon. 'So what is it fearless leader,' he questioned, 'your smile seems a mask?'
'Bren has to feel the brunt of Borem so we can enjoy ourselves,' Toren said from across the table, 'didn't you know that?'
Shaw scoffed, 'Borem seems a very little man.'
'Larger than you might think,' said Brendon, gripping his drink tightly in a gloved hand. 'At least' his aspirations are large.'
'His reach may be far, but you know what they say'' Saul shouted.
Brendon turned to him with a quizzical look, but it was Nesdin who finished. 'His reach may outstretch his grasp.' Her smile told of nothing but an understanding that Brendon wish he possessed.
He was glad in that moment to be surrounded by friends.
