Chapter 2
The Humdrum Travels of a Medic
Not too far from Defiance, Bree had encountered a farmer who was looking for a pharmacist or medic to help with her ailing child. In return for Bree’s help, the farmer offered a ride all of the way to Imalone, a small town about half a day’s walk from Defiance. All the way to the farm, Bree listened to the woman’s story looking for a hint of what the ailment could be. The woman worked the farm with her children after her husband had left for war. He had not returned, and she never heard what had happened to him. Her oldest son was nearly a man, but he had health problems that kept him from taking over the farm. Now her youngest was showing the same symptoms, but her health had deteriorated much more rapidly. The other two children seemed to be alright, but the farmer feared for their health.
All it took was setting foot in the small farm house and Bree knew exactly what was wrong. Giving the child some medicine and a good meal, she then sat the mother down and pointed out all of the unclean things in the house. Superstitions resulted in more deaths than most dangerous beasts attacks any given year, and this house was just one more place taking the wrong path. Bree explained the problem in such high-handed terms, she knew the woman would do whatever Bree said. It was the one benefit of being a medic – people would always believe what you said and do what you told them. Bree helped the woman remove all of the dead plants and other things inspired by superstition and cleaned up the home. Two hours later, the child already seemed to be doing much better. The mother was so grateful that she gave Bree a whole sack of vegetables before they departed. Leaving the oldest son in charge, the woman and Bree set off to Imalone.
Bree hopped off of the cart, intentionally leaving the vegetables behind tucked just behind the woman. There was no way the farmer’s family could afford the payment, and Bree really did not need it. With a big smile and a reminder of what the farmer needed to do to keep the children healthy, Bree waved and headed off toward the small inn. There was a chance that her childhood friend Saskia was in the town on her latest venture, and Bree could use a little distraction. Between her concern for Annora and the disquieting experience she had leaving the inn, Bree wanted nothing more than an evening of good food and an adventure. Of all their friends, Saskia was the only one willing to go out and do virtually anything. She and Bree tended to get each other in serious trouble when they were young because they never seemed to know when to stop. It was a trait they both shared that had made them the successes they were. However, Saskia’s success had always been assured as her father was a wealthy merchant. He had of course hoped that she would settle down and marry well, but he never knew how to say no to her either. Bree had been an orphan who lived on her brains alone. She and Annora had lived on the streets for a couple of years together ever since Bree was 8 years old. It had given Bree a sense of comfort around men because for those first few years, Bree had believed Annora was a boy, largely because Annora always wore boy clothing and carried a sword. It was only after they had come to know a couple of other orphans, Nyle and Naya, that Bree had learned the truth.
It was probably why Annora was the only person that Bree never felt needed her help. Annora was the most reliable, strong, and stubborn person Bree knew (and she knew Annora felt the same way about her). They may not have liked the other’s profession, but neither of them could help but respect the other’s talents. Annora had become a highly efficient and effective dragon hunter in a field without any other women. And Bree was a name that was whispered in dark places with a look of terror. Of the two, Bree was easily the more dangerous.
Saskia had been the last to join the group, but she had been like a breath of fresh air to Bree who had hidden who she was for far too long. Annora had learned about Bree early on, but Naya and Nyle learned about her only after Saskia joined them.
With a huge smile on her face, Bree swept through the streets drawing looks from everyone. Her shimmering green dress highlighted her figure and made the woman look like a goddess who had wandered into the town. It was the same reception she always got when she arrived in Imalone, and there was only one person brave enough to talk to her. Her smile was real as she opened the doors to the Butler’s Respite.
The place was small but incredibly comfortable. Bree’s eyes met those of the innkeeper and she immediately headed over to greet the man. His arms stretched open wide and she happily hugged him, poking his over large belly as she pulled back.
“I see you still aren’t listening to me, are you?” she teased.
With a hearty laugh, the innkeeper lead her to a back room that was kept for special guests.
The man put down a large bottle of their finest wine, a bottle that they kept just for Bree and Saskia before giving the young woman the bad news.
“It has been far too long, Brandon,” Bree said swirling the wine in her glass.
“It certainly has,” he said sitting down across from her. Placing his chin in the palm of his hand, Brandon watched the young woman enjoy her wine. There would be time for disappointment in a bit. For now, he just wanted to catch up with one of his favorite patrons.
Bree closed her eyes and let out a happy sigh as she rested her check in her elegant hand, “Oh, has it been a long day.”
There was a look of humor on his face as he pointed out, “It’s only just a little after midday. If it has been rough now, you may want to take it a little slower on the wine.” Despite his words, Brandon refilled the young woman’s glass.
Bree laughed and knocked back a second glass, “It will take a lot more than a couple glass to do much to me.”
“For such a fine looking young woman, you aren’t nearly as feminine in private as you are for the world are you.” It was not a question as he gave her a slightly reproachful look.
Bree laughed again, “There is nothing feminine about my kind and you know it. It would be like asking a frog to be genteel or a human to be sensible.”
The man gave a stern looking before his face broke into a wide grin, “I take it there was another story on the way here. “
“Indeed, but nothing new. Just more of the same. You are such a breath of fresh air, Brandon. Except for your love of eating, you have more sense than nearly anyone else I know.”
“And that includes you.” He gave Bree a knowing look.
“Of course it does. Only a fool would think someone like me is sensible. I spend too much time among humans to maintain rational thought.”
Brandon shook his head and responded in a way that suggested this was not the first time they had this exact conversation. “Humans make you more sensible. Without us, you would be half crazed, dancing naked under the sky.”
Bree stuck her tongue out at him, “Then you and your kind fail because I did that just this morning.”
“Dear gods! I hope no one saw you.”
Bree shrugged, “Just the young man across the way. I’ve no doubt he enjoyed it as much as I did, so I’m sure there is no harm done.”
“Only a beautiful woman could fail to understand exactly what her affect is on a young man. You realize that no woman is going to be able to satisfy him now.”
“Then perhaps he should find a nice man to keep him company,” Bree gave Brandon a smile and wiggled her wine glass.
“So cruel,” he said leaning over and filling up her glass. “I guess that is my sign to be cruel in return.”
Bree gave a short chuckle, her eyes watching Brandon’s face as he sat back. “I have been waiting for your bad news this whole time.”
Though she had known he had something to tell her, Bree had allowed him to distract her for a little while. Brandon knew that meant her mind was preoccupied, but there was no way to know if it was something serious or another man. He was always willing to help her forget for a little while. But that time was over.
“Saskia cancelled. I think she’s gone back to Achaean. Of course her apologies were profuse and-”
Bree blew on her bangs as she held up a hand, “That girl wouldn’t know how to profusely apologize if her horse rampaged in Illyrian’s palace. You can tell that you tried to persuade me, but I already know the details down to the look on her face when she went racing back about a boy.” Setting down the full glass, her eyes met Brandon’s, “It’s disappointing, but not surprising. Well, thank you Brandon. I really appreciate your time and attention. As always, I leave Imalone feeling much better than when I arrived.”
“Well, you know how it is, but this time it wasn’t about a boy.”
Bree had been standing, but stopped now to look at the host waiting for him to finish.
“There was a report about something happening. I didn’t hear the details, but some sort of disaster. Saskia left in a hurry as soon as the news was delivered, and the way she was acting, whatever it was, it wasn’t something that she knew how to handle. I’ve never seen her look so worried before. Unfortunately, I don’t have anything else to tell you.”
Bree paused and looked down at the table. First Annora had gone running off into the night bleeding, now Saskia had hurried back to Achaean because of some disaster. A serious look passed over her face as Bree pinched the bridge of her nose. “Thank you Brandon. I appreciate the wine and the words. I guess it’s time to move on.”
Brandon’s face was sincere as he looked at her, “You aren’t going to go find out about it, are you?” He already knew that the young woman wasn’t.
With a sad smile, Bree shook her head, “No time for that. If Saskia isn’t here, then I have other things I need to do. There was barely time for a detour to Imalone. I’ve absolutely no time to make a trip all the way to Illyrian to find out what this is all about.” She gave a very low bow to the man, “Thank you very much Brandon. I wish you a prosperous and safe year.”
“So you will be gone that long?”
Bree shrugged, “I do not know, but this one is taking me a long way out into the middle of nowhere.”
With a heavy sigh the man gave her a look of pity. Brandon was one of the few people who could get away with feeling bad for the young woman because she hated to be pitied. Bree dismissively waved a hand, “Don’t give me that. You know that I will come out of it with more skills, so it is hardly something to regret.”
Brandon shook his head, “Someday you are going to quit acting like you are ok with all of this. I still remember what you said.”
Bree’s eyes flashed in a warning, but just as quickly she turned her face from him, “If you don’t watch it, I’m going to take that memory.”
Brandon laughed, “You already tried that, and now you just have to accept that there are a few people out there who know a bit more about you than you would like. I really hope you find your peace and finally have a chance to stop running away.”
Bree kept her eyes looking toward the door and her voice was soft as she responded, “Please don’t Brandon. It doesn’t help.”
“Nor does the wine, but I gave that to you. It isn’t always about what you get out of something, but how you use it.”
Bree looked over at her friend, “Sensible to a fault. Alright Brandon, I’m heading out. Take good care of yourself.”
His smile covered his face as he looked at her, “I’ve nothing better to do.” He followed her to the door in a sad silence. Moving a little faster, he got to it and put his hand on the knob before turning to look at her. “It isn’t always about duty. Sometimes, you have to take care of yourself and those you care about. It’s just as selfish to put your work before your loved ones because it is just another excuse to fight your future regrets. Sometimes love does come first.” Brandon opened the door and kept his head lowered, unwilling to look Bree in the face. Either she was angry or she was sad, but he did not want to remember either look after she left.
There was a light pressure on his head as Bree reached out her hand. Patting his thin hair, she left without another word. He remained in that posture like a statue as the sounds of her footsteps faded. Once he heard the door, the man sighed and returned to work.
Whatever she had felt inside, Bree’s face was back to the normal smile and her attitude lighthearted as she moved through the small town. Not quite a half hour passed before she was approached by a man and a woman. The woman was wringing her hands and the man looked distraught as they approached her.
“How can I help you?” she asked the couple as they couldn’t seem to find the words to talk.
They shared a frightened look before the man said, “It’s our children. You see, they have been ill and we don’t know what to do.”
Bree nodded, “Let’s go see what can be done.” She moved her hand indicating that she would follow them.
Without a backward glance, the couple began moving into the woods. Bree raised an eyebrow but followed them. The walk went further and further from the road and all forms of human civilization, but there was no doubt that she was following two humans.
Finally, the women turned to Bree and gestured toward a small cave, “I’m so sorry miss. We’ve had to live in a cave after our home burned down. And now I’m afraid-” the woman burst into tears.
The man put an arm around her shoulders. His eyes were on Bree as he said, “Please, miss. Please save our children.”
Bree looked at the cave, then at the couple. Extending her arms in an exaggerated stretch, she let out a very loud yawn. The couple looked at each other, but Bree ignored them and spoke to the area around her. “You can come out now.” She held her arms out and moved toward the cave, “You got a defenseless little medic here, so what is it you want? Apart from a long, painful death from your own stupidity.” There was a threat to her voice that reverberated around the area. As if to emphasize her point, there was an unexpected thud that shook the ground. Though it wasn’t anything she had done, Bree did not allow it to distract her.
She heard the hiss of steel behind her as the couple each pulled a weapon. “Yeah, you were far too ugly to be any kind of a woman.” She spun to look at the pair.
They leered at her as nearly two dozen men emerged from the forest. Bree was unfazed as they circled around her. Stifling a yawn, she looked at the fools as they leered at her.
Suddenly, she felt a tingling sensation that put her on edge. Her eyes darted around as she looked for the source of the disturbance. “Alright, which one of you is the shifter.” There were confused looks from the men, “I know one of you is, it’s not like you can hide that kind of power. Which one of you is it? Because I know you can tell that the lot of you are in much bigger trouble than just the Medics’ Association.”
The tallest of the men looked down at her, a wicked grin on his face, “We don’t know what you are talking about, but we sure do love that confidence. I hope you can keep it up because it’s been a long time since I felt any real spirit with a woman.”
Bree gave him a cold look before closing her eyes. She could hear the men approaching, but her attention was outside of the circle. Her brow furrowed as she opened her eyes. “Hey shifter, I know you are hiding in the woods. Why not come out and fight me instead of sending these pathetic things at me? I know you are quite powerful, so why not give me a real challenge?” The men around her were getting angry as she was addressing some strange presence and almost completely ignoring them.
The one who had played the woman growled, “I’ll show you who’s pathetic!” He charged, his sword raised above his head.
The instant that Bree turned to look at him, the man froze. He was just a few inches away, his sword ready for a downward chop. Where his body had been in full motion just a second before, he now could not move a muscle. And all of his muscles were screaming out in pain as they tried to move forward against an unseen force. The pain intensified as the other men stood and watched in horror. Slowly, Bree moved a hand up as if she were asking for money, a look of boredom on her face. “Yes, it is well done. It isn’t anything new as far as pathetic people I’ve seen, but it is a good reminder of just how insect like humans really are. You do realize that you are holding that all wrong, and only a fool opens himself up to easy attacks by doing that with his arms.” There was clear disdain in her voice as she critiqued his fighting stance. Her hand raised up a little more and the man’s feet left the ground. The sound of his whimpers began to echo louder around the area. “Oh, the words you say,” Bree gave him a seductive look before turning her attention back to the unseen shifter. “Fine, I suppose I’ll open up and let you see since I really do not feel like playing this game.” Bree dropped her hand and several things happened at once. The man who had been suspended over the air let out an ear-splitting shriek and collapsed in a heap at her feet. He was bleeding from several wounds and it was clear he was dead. The chest and other luggage appeared out of nowhere and dropped in the spaces around her.
The men stood back for a second confused as to what had happened. Then all as one, they charged at her. Bree sighed and slowed time around herself. She walked through the men quickly dispatching them before they could fully comprehend their position. To them it appeared she was moving at an impossibly fast pace. They were wrong. Creatures like Bree almost never needed to move fast.
Bree had taken care of all but four of the men when time resumed itself. It would be a while before she could use it again, but there was little need to be concerned. Holding out her hands, two swords seemed to materialize out of the air. Moving with less skill than Annora, she sliced through two of the men before they even realized she was armed. The remaining two circled her.
The one who appeared to be the leader leered at her, “A little witch traveling like a medic. Afraid that people won’t be hospitable if they knew what you are?”
Bree released the swords and they disappeared back into the air, “Shifter, I know you are there.”
“I’m talking to you bitch!” The man lunged at her, Bree held a hand up at him as if he were a naughty child, and the man froze. A pain in her side reminded the woman that there as another man still alive. Looking down she watched as the man pulled a dagger out of her side. The man she had been holding, fell to the ground and rose with his weapon at the ready. Bree looked at him with a curious expression as she heard a sickening sound behind her. It was the sound of metal tearing into flesh. Though she didn’t see what happened, Bree did watch the look on the man’s face in front of her. His eyes went wide in astonishment, then a strange metallic weapon seemed to sprout out of his head. He crumpled in front of her.
Bree’s head turned toward the forest. Standing there with his arms folded across his chest was the man who had kept her from falling just outside of the Palace Paradise. His arms bulged under the clothing he wore, and she found that their positioning drew her eyes to scan his entire form. Last time she had gotten a good look at his face, this time, her eyes wanted to drink in the rest of him. He was tall, probably about half a foot taller than her. It looked like he spent most of his days working out. Then again, most young shifters did. It was only with great reserve that Bree had been able to keep herself from taking most of the shifters she encountered to more private quarters. They were truly beautiful creatures, much more so than humans.
His face was unreadable as he spoke, “Why should I come out? I’m not with them.”