“Where are the patrols most likely to be?” said Jon with a look to Odellius and then the First Rider, while Sorus worked carefully to pack away the remnants of the camp but remained silent.
“South,” said Odellius. “That’s where we met them in battle. We know they’re trying to get to the Mountains of the Orc, so our patrols are working their way up and down the region.”
“That’s a lot of ground to cover,” said Jon as he again looked to the First Rider for an answer.
“There aren’t that many passes up into the mountains,” said Odellius, “and our men can cover those pretty well. I doubt they can slip past us completely. All of their warriors are dead and only their clerics and mages remain. Once we catch them it’ll be easy enough to destroy the few that are left.”
“We don’t want to destroy them,” the First Rider interjected himself into the conversation for the first time since his talk with Jon the previous evening. “We want to follow them. They are the only ones who know the location of the staff. We follow them to the staff and then take the thing by force.” He did not say what happened after that, leaving the question open for debate. Jon did not pursue the matter and they quietly continued to pack their gear until all stood ready. Then all four mounted their horses, the First Rider turned his steed south, and the rest followed.
They traveled for a good part of the morning without encountering anyone and the conversation was largely about the birds and small animals they saw, as Jon proved eager to learn as much as possible about the region. He and Sorus rode together in the middle while Vipsanius rode ahead and Odellius, on his massive draft horse, brought up the rear. The mountains to their left rose majestically high, with snow covered peaks visible early in the morning, but then clouds rushed in to hide their tops. Their slopes were green with trees and the sounds of a thousand birds sang through the morning. To their left the Frosty Run River occasionally meandered into view and at one point Odellius rode over to it and plunged his head into the cool waters.
When he caught up with the others his face bore a huge grin and his wet locks hung down alongside his ears, “Ahhh, the only thing better than a cold bath is a big-breasted woman with an itch that only a man such as myself can scratch.”
“How’s that,” said Jon and nudged his trotter over to Odellius.
“Ah, they used to call me Odellius Buffalodick when I was young and chased the fair sex, but I’m an old man now and shrunk down to a mere foot and half long in the pants,” said the mammoth rider as he grabbed his crotch and smiled broadly.
“It’d have to be about that long to get past that belly of yours,” said Jon, “and I fear for the poor girl trapped under your bulk.”
“Ahh my boy,” said Odellius, “Come over here, Sorus and you might learn something. I’m going to tell our little Jonny boy that there are many ways to make love to a woman, even for a big fat fellow like myself. You might learn something useful,” he finished with a wave of his great arm to the young knight.
“Sorus,” said the First Rider over his shoulder, “Odellius might exaggerate a bit but you can learn a few things from him, if you try not to take it too seriously.”
Sorus rode over to Odellius his eyes shone brightly, “Favor me with your advice, Sir Odellius of the giant prick.”
Odellius and Jon laughed aloud but then the rotund knight let his face relax into a shallow grin, “You like that Shia girl as I recall,” he said to Sorus; the boy immediately blushed, and put his head down. “There’s no shame in that,” he went on, “she’s a lovely girl, full-bodied and spirited as well. If you want to take her maidenhood you’ll have to be more aggressive in your wooing. Standing about stammering and drooling is no way to win a girl, particularly one your age. The lasses tend to like older men, something I lamented back in my youth, but which served me quite well enough over the years!” he said with a boisterous laugh. “Tell her what you want, and if she says she isn’t interested then go off and do something foolish, they like that.”
Jon nodded his head, “My sister says I’m about the most foolish boy in all of Tanelorn and the girls seem to like me alright. So, maybe this big oaf has it right.”
“I’m not like you or Odellius,” said Sorus as he sheepishly looked down at his feet in their stirrups. “I know that guys like you get all the girls, but I never thought I’d be a knight. Shia only wanted to be with one, so I guess I never really told her how I felt.”
“It’s never too late, boy,” said Odellius, “until she gets married at least, but even then the bravest of us knights have a tendency to die young; hazard of the job you know, so you can always get another crack.”
“First you tell me to do something foolish, which in our profession is likely to get me killed, and then you tell me to wait until all her other suitors do something crazy and die,” said Sorus.
“Achh, you think too much,” said Odellius, “I’ve known lads like you all my life.”
“My brother’s like that,” said Jon. “Always thinking and never doing.”
“Listen,” said Vipsanius and suddenly held up his hand, which caused the four to pull up their horses and turn their heads to the side. A moment later the sound of hoof beats became apparent to them all and, seconds after that, half a dozen fully armored knights pounded up from just over a rise and bore down upon them. As they approached and identified the group they immediately pulled aside and saluted the First Rider with clenched fists.
“First Rider Vipsanius,” said the apparent leader of the group, a tall human with pointed ears indicating some elf blood in his veins. “We’ve spotted the reptile men survivors. We allowed them to head into the hills as you commanded.”
“Lead us to the spot,” said the First Rider with a nod of his head. “But, not too close, they might set a rear guard.”
“Yes, sir,” said the man with another salute and expertly wheeled his horse. The other five men looked at Jon, Sorus and Odellius, but then turned their horses and followed the first.
“We’ll dismount and go on foot when we get close to the mountains,” ordered the First Rider looking back at the other three. “We need to follow them for as long as possible without being spotted if we hope to let them lead us to the staff. Sir Sorus, Sir Odellius, this isn’t your fight and the safety of Elekargul is not directly at stake, if you wish to leave Jon and I to pursue the mission I grant you that right.”
Sorus looked to Odellius and the young man and the older knight smiled and shook their heads in unison, “I think we’ll stay for a just a bit longer,” said the rotund knight. “I don’t know if I speak for Sir Sorus here but I’d like to see how this thing turns out in the end, if you don’t mind.”
“I’m staying with Jon,” said Sorus suddenly. “Sir Germanius ordered me to stay with him no matter what, and I’ll not let anyone tell me different, not even you First Rider Vipsanius.”
Jon turned to the young boy a puzzled expression on his face, “Sir Germanius said that?”
Sorus nodded his head, “He told me to stick with you no matter what, so you’re stuck with me whether you like it or not.”
“I like it just fine, Sorus,” said Jon with a nod of his head and he rode over to the boy and clapped him on the back. “I can’t imagine a better man to share my quests than you. No offense, Odellius but I’m not sure I can take enough food along to keep your appetites quelled.”
“None taken, boy,” said Odellius. “Sir Germanius was a good man, a bit out of touch in his later years but a fine knight and a true champion. If he thinks you and Sorus should stay together then I support that decision. Besides, I have a feeling you’ll be doing quite a lot of traveling in your lifetime, Jon, and I’m not a young man anymore despite my youthful appearance!”
“If you ladies are finished nattering,” said the First Rider as he looked over his shoulder and shook his head. “There’s a relic of the Old Empire to be found.” With that he cantered off after the other knights.