Heirs of Avaline: The Journey Begins

Chapter Five: Threats and Warnings

The 6th of Yaesoot, 1428

Jane

It was all gone...all the gold from the treasure house...all of it gone...twenty once-filled bags lay empty in the back of the wagon. All that remained, besides the gold in my satchel, was two coins that were stuck in a crack in the wagon woodwork.

I turned to the servant boys. "Where is the gold?" I demanded.

"We're sorry...we had no other choice," The older one said.

"Gesta put you up to this, didn't he?" I grabbed his collar. "ANSWER ME!" I yelled.

"We took it for ourselves to pay off a debt." The younger one said, falling to his knees. "We needed the gold to settle an account in Ekron. Our father has been ill, and we went into debt to help him," he pleaded.

"We didn't know what else to do. We didn't think it mattered because you were reported to be dead," the older one said.

I let go of his collar and pushed him away. "You are brothers?" I asked.

They nodded. "We worked for Gesta to pay off our debt, but he hardly paid us at all. We became desperate," the older one said.

"Please show us mercy miss..." the younger one begged.

I chewed the inside of my mouth, trying to think quickly about what to do. "Get out of here. Go and never return to Clairwood or Gesta. If your story is true then that shouldn't be a problem," I said.

The older one quickly pulled his younger brother off the ground and the two ran back in the direction of the tavern.

"Um...Jane..." Daniel and the others approached me.

I turned to them and met their concerned gazes. "Let's find a place to set up camp. We no longer need to be in a hurry." I marched past them without speaking anymore. They all silently returned to their horses and began setting up camp for the night. It became dark rather quickly. We all sat around the fire. Small conversations were had between the men, but I remained quiet, still reeling from what had happened. I was deep in thought when I heard my name being called. It was Nate. He stood, glaring at me over the fire. 

"What is it?" I asked.

"I was just wondering how you are supposed to pay your hired companions after you have lost all the gold you stole," he said.

"I had no intention of forgetting your fee if that is what you mean," I said, trying to remain civil.

He scoffed. "Then what are your intentions? Clearly, you haven't enough support for even yourself."

"My intentions were and still are to pay you when we reach Clairwood," I said, standing.

"Do you plan to pay us? Or do you plan to run away with the gold you stole from the crown?"

"That the crown stole from the people," I yelled. "You and your companions tried to take it from me, so don't play as if you're the righteous one."

Doc stood and tried to intervene in the conflict. "Calm down both of you. We made a deal and we-"

"All you Esronians are the same. You play by your own rules and expect everyone else to fall in line. If you fail to pay us when this is over then-"

"Then what? You'll kill me? Slaughter me and take turns maiming my corpse?" I spoke. "I have had every threat imaginable hurled at me in a cheap attempt to assert dominance. Your words are meaningless, and they do not cut me anymore." I grabbed a sack of gold from my satchel and threw it on the ground causing coins to spill out. "If you are so desperate, then take it and leave, it's yours. I was alone when you found me, so its fine by me if you all want to scurry back to whatever hole you crawled out of." I left the campsite and headed toward the river nearby. I needed to clear my head. I couldn't blame him for being concerned about their payment, but I also didn't have to listen to his insults. If I didn't need them to take me back to Clairwood, I would be long gone already.