Chapter 10: Kill the rabbit?

The horse kicking the wall of the barn that I was leaning against was one of the worst ways of waking up in the morning that I had ever experienced. There was a blanket across my legs and my sword was laid on my lap. Meri was nowhere in sight but there were plenty of other women and children already moving to do their morning chores. I slowly got up and stretched when I noticed that Meri was bringing me a bucket of water and a towel, while Kira was bringing me a platter of food.

So much for sleeping in.

I thanked the ladies and shooed them off, with a reminder for Meri to do whatever Kira wanted her to do. Kira smugly took Meri by the arm and led her off.

I don't want to know.

I walked around to the side of the barn and stripped down to my boxers and washed up in the freezing water. I wrapped the blanket around my waist and removed my boxers before I sat down to eat. A couple of the braver of the kids came up to me and peppered me with questions, I silenced them with a hand and gave them my clothes and asked that they get washed since they were splattered with blood.

After they left I held my amulet and prayed to the Blessed Lady, I gave thanks for keeping me safe and helping me rescue my charges with minimal pain.

That now familiar warm glow filled me and I relaxed and enjoyed it.

Please Blessed Kassandra, show me what you want from me.

I felt a smile of approval, so I let go of the amulet and just tried to relax figuring that another crisis was just around the corner.

I closed my eyes and just leaned back and enjoyed the sun. I wished that I had a straw hat to cover my eyes.

"Charles, it is time for you to get up and at bury the miscreants." Looking up, Grandma Kira eclipsed the sun for me, it seemed that she had a handful of clothes which she deposited in my lap.

"Thanks", I muttered. She also had a shovel in her other hand. Not wanting to move I asked what she had planned on doing with the two survivors.

She countered, "What are you going to do with the girl?"

"Honestly, I just wanted to keep the women from doing real harm to her, now I'm not sure. Most likely I will give Meri to you. Have her do a five year indentured servitude to repay her part in this."

I shook my head at the situation. "They probably used her until they had captives to take her place. I would say that her type is normally treated pretty bad all around." I stated, relaxing against the barn resting my eyes since she still stood directly in the sun's path. "I figure that that would give her a chance to redeem herself and have a hope for a decent life."

"I can't take her." Grandma Kira stated forlornly, "There isn't a man over the age of ten in a two day ride. I'm going to have to petition the king for some old loyal soldiers to marry off the older women to. He's also going to have to be warned about the invasion that's on the horizon."

"Let me guess, the pregnant ones will have to stay here until they drop. And none of the women are prepared to run a farm without a man or two around."

"Yup." She said succinctly

"You are going to send me to the king or whoever is in charge of this area to inform him aren't you?"

"Yup."

"I'll need a map ready for me to leave at first light tomorrow. I will also need enough provisions to get me wherever you are sending me. I'll want five horses for the two of us unless the girl decides to go her own way. I'd like to leave most of the money from the chest with you. I'm also going to arm the girl so we will be taking one of the better swords and a few of the daggers. We both will need a couple of sets of clothes and extra waterskins. Now turn around so that I can get dressed."

I dressed, and when I looked up to hand her the blanket I noticed that she had a smirk on her face. I tried to ignore it but blushed anyway. I remembered to take the shovel in my hurry to get away from her.