Free Forged in Battle by Justin Hunter - (ebook by Undead)

turned to
leave he noticed the two Reikland merchants sitting by the fire, gave them a
strange look and then stepped back out into the cold.
     
    When Sigmund got back to the barracks there were three neat
lines of five white tents arranged in the courtyard. He strode to his room and
imagined leading them out on patrol, but then he saw Gunter coming from the sick
room. From inside he could hear moaning, and the noise dampened his excitement
at getting reinforcements.
    “Nothing more we can do?”
    Gunter shook his head. He’d been a soldier for fifteen years,
and in that time he seen death so often that its footsteps were like the
approach of an old friend. “All we can do now is call the priest and have him
say his prayers then we can let this boy die in peace.”
     
    When Guthrie heard the news about Elias he left Josh in
charge of the bar and hurried to get his coat. The two Reikland merchants
watched the innkeeper hurry out. Eugen finished the beer with one long draught,
and grimaced. There were gobs of yeast floating in the bottom of his tankard.
The beer here was the same as the people: more than a little rough. “I better
go.”
    Theodor waited until Eugen had left before he went upstairs.
With his accomplice gone he could get some real work done. Ten minutes later
Theodor slipped outside, paused for a moment to let his eyes get accustomed to
the dark and then followed Guthrie down the road to the barracks.
     
    Guthrie caught Sigmund up in the streets and grabbed him by
the shoulder and turned him round.
    “What do you mean it doesn’t look good? That boy is my son!”
    Sigmund said nothing. There was nothing he could say. Guthrie glared and then
ran on ahead. Sigmund let out a long sigh and followed in his footsteps.
     
    Guthrie cried out when he saw Elias: the boy’s skin was
beginning to fester and his forehead streaked with sweat.
    The man’s sobs echoed around the barracks, making the men
uneasy, but after and hour, the man left.
     
    Baltzer stood at the barrack jetty and listened to the
footsteps depart. The lanterns around the barrack square cast long shadows out
across the water. There was a mist rising over the river. Baltzer shivered. He
missed the times when Osric was captain of the watch. Those were good days with
lots of easy money to be made. “I need a piss,” Baltzer said and Freidel nodded.
    Baltzer felt his way into the darkness, down to the jetty.
    “What time do you reckon it is?” Freidel called from the
other side of the trees.
    Baltzer shook himself and buttoned his trews up again.
“Late.”
    As Baltzer reached for his halberd, he saw something at far
end of the jetty. There was someone there. He was sure.
    He kept as low as possible so he could keep the intruder
silhouetted against the reflections of the river. It was a man, a large man.
Definitely not one of the halberdiers. Baltzer had sharpened his knife that
afternoon. Its blade was sharp enough to cut right through this intruder’s neck.
He slid it from the sheath, and took another step forward.
    The man was tying his boat to the jetty. His back was turned
and Baltzer slid the last few steps. “A fine evening!” he hissed and the other
man flinched at the feel of cold steel on his neck. Baltzer pressed a little
harder. “Please tell me this is not a love-tryst?”
    The man cleared his throat to speak.
    Baltzer recognised the voice. It was one of the merchants
they’d saved in the hills.
    “I’m visiting a friend,” the man said. Baltzer saw the flash
of gold but he did not take his sword away. Another gold coin landed next to the
first. And another.
    “The burgomeister sent me,” the man said. “And—if you are
still making your mind up—understand that I have no more gold.”
    Baltzer took his sword away. He didn’t want to interfere in
the business of the burgomeister.
    “Be quick!” he hissed. By the time he’d snatched up the coins
the man had gone. There was just the empty