Chapter 3

A small dell was the best camp Ree'al could find and it afforded little shelter on the wind swept slope. Between the wind and snow, there was no chance of starting a fire. The travelers would have to bundle up as best they could.

An hour after dark Lormia spoke from her cocoon of clothes and blankets, "Ree'al, I can't feel my feet. Are they frozen?"

"No, they aren't frozen yet. It's too early in the night for frost bite. That will come in the small hours of the morning when our bodies turn down their inner flame to save energy."

"We're in trouble. Aren't we," she asked.

"Yes."

"I'm sorry."

"I could have left. It was my choice to stay."

"If we bundle together?" she asked. "Do we stand a better chance?"

"Do you want to snuggle together?"

"Ree'al you are a bastard," Lormia spate the words out. "You've been waiting for me to say that, haven't you?"

"Well not exactly those words," he said innocently.

"I think I'd rather freeze!"

"Don't be silly," he said calmly. "Dar and I spent many a night snuggled together against the rain and cold. There is nothing sexual about it."

"Alright, but I'm only doing it to keep from freezing. If you touch me I'll kill you."

Ree'al actually tried to hold back his laughter but failed. "Shall we snuggle 5 feet from each other or is that too close?" he choked out.

"Bastard," she laughed.

In the end she touched him, not the other way. She sat behind him and they wrapped themselves together in their blankets.

"My hands are freezing," she complained.

"Well put them some place warm."

"Where?"

"You don't want me to say," Ree'al chuckled.

"Oh Gods, a typical man."

"You asked, I told you," Ree'al said. "Surely you can't hold that against me, can you?" They tried to keep each other awake but the night was long and at last they fell asleep.

The morning sun shone on the slope and the wind had died, still it was bitterly cold. A quick check of fingers and toes show no sign of frost bite.

"We'll head up hill until noon," Ree'al said. "If we aren't over the pass we'll have to make a decision. If the weather is good, we can try to stay on this mountain tonight. If not, we must head down until the weather breaks."

No practice this morning just as they had not practiced last night. They were up on the road early, reaching the pass at mid-morning. They made no stop for lunch, eating dried fish as they pushed on down the mountain. Ree'al stopped at a small flat area in the mid afternoon. There was plenty of dried grass and the wind was just a gentle breeze.

He started a fire surprising Lormia. He didn't attempt to cook food. He melted snow and made warm tea, bullying her into drinking more than she wanted.

"Dehydration is a real danger here, as much as the cold is. If you haven't peed in the last three hours, you should drink. Sad to say it should be a non-alcoholic drink."

"That must be hard for you," she said insincerely. "I'm sorry."

"You may have started late in life but you seem to have an aptitude for the best kind of humor," Ree'al said.

"Just what is the right kind of humor?"

"Why, humor I find humorous of course."

"You are the most self-centered man I have ever known," Lormia gave him the look reserved for those who just don't measure up to her standards. That special look all women posse have.

"Are you saying that there are women more self-centered than I am?"

"Of course not stupid," She took her pack and started down the path.

The night's camp was a normal one. That evening they practiced as usual. Afterwards as they cooked a meal and set about mending their garments and gear as needed. Lormia was distant and nervous.

Ree'al decided to goes easy on her for once. "Lormia, don't worry. If you get cold tonight, join me. I will take no other meaning from your presence."

"I find myself waiting for the other shoe to drop," her hand on her hip.

"I just had a moment of weakness," Ree'al smiled. "It won't happen again."

Lormia snuggled up to him for warmth again that night. Nothing was said about it as they practiced, ate, and broke camp.

"Ree'al we have not seen a single traveler since starting towards Lupida. Maybe this is the wrong direction to go."

"Maybe, but I don't want to walk back up that mountain. Do you?"

"No!" she insisted. "But we see side roads, maybe we should head more northerly."

"Maybe."

"Ideas Ree'al. We need ideas. Once again you're a duck."

"At least I'm warm."

"No. At most you're warm."

"Lormia," he said. "I have no idea what we will find in over the next hill. But sooner or later we'll come to a town. There may or may not be information for me there. If not, I'll ask you if we can head northwest to the coast. There will at least be rumors at the ports and perhaps a sailor has been to Sulvara recently. I know there's nothing that will happen before we get over the next ridge. Ask me again when we get there. Odds are that there will be yet another hill and we can have this exact conversation again. Won't that be fun?"

"Once we have parted, I will put a pebble in my boot," Lormia said. "It will remind me of you."

"Lormia, your humor is better and better."

"Shut up."

They didn't have the same discussion that day. From the top of the ridge they could see a broad valley with a river winding through it. Neat rows of fruit tree were laid out next to open pasture and winter fields that lay fallow. A town, some might call it a city, was on the southern edge of the valley where the river flowed out of the mountains. The town was built around a cross road. A larger road led north and south from center of town. A larger road than the travelers now followed headed east out of town towards a hills and mountains beyond the valley.

They were met at the edge of the valley by two soldiers, their cloths and uniforms in good repair. These were professionals, not the usual town guards.

"Good afternoon, brave guardians," Ree'al gave a small bow. "Can you tell us what town lies below?"

One of the guards laughed, "Before last week I had never seen a Sulvaran. Now they breed like mice. The town below is Winter's Haven. Another Sulvaran is at the Green Pig. Are you the man he's seeking?"

"Probably," he said with resignation. "My name is Ree'al and this is my sword partner Lormia."

The soldiers gave her a small bow. "We want no trouble in town, but we have no problem if two Sulvarans kill each other outside of town. So long as it is a fair fight and the winner disposes of the loser."

"Fights are never fair," Ree'al said as he walked past the men.

Once out of hearing, Lormia turned to Ree'al. "I am not your sword partner!"

"I know, but the fiction may keep you out of a fight."

"I am not afraid to fight," her eyes said that she would be happy to right now.

"I know that and I know that you could defeat either of those two men," Ree'al spoke calmly. "But do you want to fight? Do you want to go into town and pick a fight? At the fish camp we limited the killings to one man; I'm trying to keep this to the same scale. The soldiers will talk and most people will think we are more than sword partners."

"That's exactly why you shouldn't claim me as a sword partner!" Lormia spate out. "I am my own person. I'm not yours."

"I know you are and I know you will always be your own person. I know you would kill any challenger to prove it, but it wouldn't be much of a fight, would it? If we are together fewer people will dare to test you or me. Fewer town guards or drunks will force you to kill them to maintain your honor. It's a small lie easily told to save a life or two."

Lormia searched Ree'al face for any hint of a grin, for any hint of mirth. There was none. He was serious. He actually meant calling her a sword partner as a compliment.

"Humph," she snorted and turned towards the town.

As they walked across the valley Lormia asked, "Why don't we skip this town?"

"Why don't you drop your drawers, bend over, and let me boff you from behind."