The Exodus Sagas: Book I - Of Spiders And Falcons Read Online Free PDF Page B

Marcus’ face reddened, frustrated at the young knight, pointing his finger at him as he stood.
    Pushing one door open, James shoved his way through the crowd that pleaded, cried and begged for his words that they thought would relieve their fears and pain. Nothing I could say would do anything but the opposite , he thought. Questions and swarming turned into shouting after a few minutes of James’ continuous walking and shoving ahead. Minutes later it was the same as days earlier, “traitor”, “coward”, and stones flew through the air, spitting and cursing the honored knight as he kept constant his pace. One woman called him an ogre-lover, and the crowd shushed as James stopped dead in his tracks. The youth, still bruised and scratched on most of his body, turned and stared through the crowd of his own people, until his obvious harasser met his gaze. He drew his blade, Arlinne’s blade, and marched at her with a vengeance and hate that he had only felt when he plunged his sword into the ogre king’s arm. His lunge was shortened by his steps, purposefully, and the blade came under her chin, the old woman of gray hair, baker’s mother he recalled. A hush fell over the mob, vicious people who knew him, yet had no idea of what he had been through. Alexei, Kaya, Marcus, and a dozen or so more of his brothers and sisters of Southwind moved in the distance, trying to get through the gathering. Young Alexei, perhaps seventeen seasons now, stopped, his eyes fixated on his father’s sword that James Andellis now held against the throat of an old woman. He could not speak, there were no words of revenge or arguing here, nothing but more pain. James turned and sheathed the blade. He walked through the northern portcullis of Southwind Keep, up the road to Elcram, still followed by commoners and soldiers alike.
    As he walked through town the mob dwindled into smaller groups of ten or so people, hundreds now talking and watching, waiting for the crazed youth to do or say something. James looked up at The Silver Chalice Inn and Tavern. The worn knight, full of too many emotions to stand it much more, gripped his blade and entered the establishment, slamming the door shut behind him. The rooms were dark, dingy and smelled of pipe, ale, and wine. All stared, this motley crew of whores, drunkards, criminals, gamblers, and transient vagabond merchants. Of course, men like James Andellis did not frequent places like this in town, not a knight. “Your finest bottle of wine, barkeep, and one glass.” ordered the young man, determined to get rid of all this pain one way or another. The wine, a dergolian and jathneer grape blend from Caberra, tasted rich like dried fruit and sweet berries of the earth. It warmed young James Andellis, and promised with the tingle and ease of its consumption that all this would pass much easier with more.

 

    James I:II
    Hurne, Chazrynn 344 AD, thirteen years later
    “Every man is plagued with demons; the only ones that slow him down are the ones he chooses to dance with.” -an old elven proverb from the philosophies of Emonaia Chaldre of Gualidura.
     
    The lights of the lanterns were barely enough to see across the room this time of night, and the barkeep strained his eyes to see if the man was still awake at the table. Old Timber, that’s what they called him, as big and strong as a tree. He had to be to run a tavern in Hurne. The trade city can be rough, with mountain traders from Boraduum, savage fur merchants from the Deep South, vagabonds from every city in Chazzrynn, and the occasional ogre raid in the coldest desperate parts of bad winters. Timber polished glasses, wiped the bar, and came closer to the, yes, old drunk mercenary snoring in his chair. Same chair, same table, Timber shook his head. This fellow James has been his most regular customer for over five seasons now. Only time he was not here was when he went on the hunt for the rogue ogre band for land owners somewhere in