The Beast and The Brain.

Someone touched my shoulder and I opened my eyes, the light was just about gone from outside. Jake was standing over me; I stretched and got to my feet. “Good rest?” He asked me.

I nodded my head, “Not too bad.” Jake went over to the doors and closed them.
“My son will be here in a moment. I told him you would be here; he didn’t like the idea to much, like I said he’s pretty shy.” Jake went about cleaning up his mess, to get ready for his son. A man entered the room, he was large like his father, and had short cropped hair and a beard, he was only about twenty-five but he could easily take on anyone older.

I sub-consciously stood up straighter to try to look taller and bigger. I had a good amount of muscle, but I was fit, this guy was a giant. “Hello.” I greeted, “My name is A. I wanted to meet you and praise you for your blades; they are beautiful works of craftsmanship.” I stuck out my hand. He looked at it a moment then shook it. His hand enveloped my wrist and hand easily. I knew that if he chose to, he could have smashed every bone in my hand to dust.

However, I wasn’t afraid of him. A little intimidated sure, who wouldn’t be? However, I found I wanted to befriend him, I could tell from his eyes that he was a kind soul, and I would have bet a lot of money that people were scared off by him. His hand was rough from working the fires and hammers of the smithy, but he didn’t shake my hand hard. He hardly held it before he let go.

“Gavril.” Jake said firmly, “The young man praised your work. What do you say?”Gavril, to my surprise, was larger than his father. He turned back to me.

“Thank you.” He said quietly. His voice was deep, but soft. I realized then that his brain was young like a child’s. I had seen people with underdeveloped brains, I always wanted to be kind to them. A lot of people don’t know how to act around them.

I smiled, “Your welcome, would you mind…if I watched you work?” I asked him. Gavril looked up frightened at the idea, and he looked at his father. The father looked and shook his head.

“No I’m sorry, he doesn’t let anyone but me watch him work. I’m afraid you will have to go now.” Jake led me to the door.

“Thank you for letting me thank your son.” I shook Jake’s hand. “Perhaps we will meet again.”

Jake nodded his head, “I normally don’t let strangers meet him, he’s a bit timid, but I trusted you for some reason.”

I shrugged, “Well I’m glad you did, thanks again.” I waved goodbye as he shut the doors behind me. I gathered the horse’s reigns in my hand and led him down the street. The sun was fully gone now and I knew that I still had an hour before I had to meet J at the bridge. I decided to get a quick mug of ale at the tavern across the street.

Men were piled into the common room sharing stories and troubles of the day. A musician played off in the corner and some of the men sang along with the song he was playing. I made my way to the bartenders counter and ordered a mug of ale. I paid the man and took a sip of the foamy substance. I turned around and watched all of the men. Most all of them had smiles on their faces, they sung joyously, and laughed often. All of them, except two. There were two men in the corner of the tavern drinking slowly from their cups. They wore dark colors that were meant for blending in, dark brown, dark green, grey, and black. Their swords were buckled to their waist, I couldn’t see but I would have bet they were two handed swords meant for hacking rather than speed.

Their hair was short and uneven, as though they cut it with their own knives. Which, they probably did. I drank from my mug and watched the men. They talked quietly to themselves; even then their conversation was sparse. I had a bad feeling about those men; their looks sent a shiver down my back. I finished my mug quickly and made my way to the door slowly, keeping an eye on the two men. I paused to watch them some more.

One of them leaned over and said something to the other, and then I saw the swords hilt. The hilt was long, meant for holding with both hands; it had a black leather grip. Then I saw it. A symbol, it was engraved into the leather and into the pommel, a symbol of a sword in a snakes mouth. My eyes widened and ducked out of the tavern and ran for my horse. I fumbled with the reigns for a moment, my heart was racing and my mind was panicking. They were here, the men were here. I jumped into the saddle and urged the horse to make for the bridge. They were here.

~ ~ ~ ~

I got to the bridge, J wasn’t there yet. I looked around frantically, we had half an hour before we were meant to meet up. I didn’t know where to look to find J, and I was afraid if I left I would miss her. I needed to find her, to tell her they were here, that we needed to leave, right now.

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, “Think Asher. How can you get J?” I asked myself. I rested my hands on the pommel of the saddle. The horse shook his neck, “Think.” I told myself. Then I had an idea, a crazy idea, but an idea none the less. J could read minds; she could control minds, so I wondered if it worked both ways. It was worth a shot.

I focused my thoughts on J; I pictured her clearly in my mind and took deep breaths. J I thought about her, I didn’t leave out any detail, then clearly I thought, J, I need you. Over and over again I chanted it inside of my mind, as loud and as strong as I could. J I need you. I wasn’t sure if it would work or not, but it was worth a shot. This was an emergency.

A minute later, I heard hooves and I opened my eyes, J was on her horse walking over the bridge to meet me. “So it’s you.” She said annoyed once she was close enough. She stopped her horse so she was looking at me.

“It worked?” I asked amazed.
“Not really.” She said rubbing her temples, “I can only hear thoughts of people that are close enough, what you were doing is just simply annoying. At that distance my brain can only pick up a buzz, it really just gives me a headache, once I get close enough I can hear you. However, you were not, so I decided to walk around until I found out who was annoying me. And so I did.” She growled.

“I’m sorry.” I told her.
She grunted, “Now, what is it that you wanted so badly?” She asked. Suddenly the urgency of the situation sunk in and my eyes widened again.
“They are here.” I told her quickly.
“Just who exactly?” She was still rubbing her head.
“Those men, those men that are after us, they are here in this village right now!” I told her.

She dropped her hand and looked me in the eyes, “You’re sure?” She asked.
I nodded, “I got a drink at the tavern, but I saw their swords, the symbol, and I came here, and that’s why I tried to get a hold of you the way I did.”

Her eyes were suddenly alert, they scanned across the bridge back towards the tavern, I realized she must have been looking at my mind to see which tavern and the symbols I saw. “They were having a drink?” She asked.

I nodded, “Yes.”
She frowned, “That’s not normal behavior.”
“Does it matter? We should leave.”
“I agree, but we don’t have to worry about them…or at least I don’t think we do.”
This time I frowned, “Why do you say that?” I asked.

She let out a sigh, “Because I don’t think those men are after us. The men that are after us wouldn’t stop for a drink at the tavern. No, if I had to bet, I would guess those men are here for someone else.”

“What do you mean J? You’re speaking in riddles.” I told her.
“Not actually. Listen, the men we are running from…they are what you could call bounty hunters. They are a part of an elite group that hunts down people like you and I. I am guessing the men you saw were a part of the same group, only they are after someone else, someone here in town. Not us, no, the ones on our trail are still on the road somewhere.”

I took the information in, “So that’s why we left? You were leading them away from Grace.”
J nodded, “We owe Grace a lot, it was the least I could do. However, I would suggest we leave before those other bounty hunters find out we are here.” J suggested, “But first, here are your clothes.” She handed me two sets of clothes. I took them, “Go change quickly.” I nodded. I put one pair in my saddlebags. We got off the bridge and I went into an alley and got dressed quickly.

I matched J now. My pants were made of blackened leather, my tunic was black cotton, and I had a black leather vest that laced up in the front. Good fighting clothes, they offered light protection yet open movement. I also had soft leather boots for riding. “How do they fit?” J asked as I mounted my horse.

“They fit great.” I told her. My sword was buckled at my side, and my knife was at the other. I felt like a real Guard or soldier for the first time in my life. I sat up straighter and grinned at J. She raised an eyebrow.

“What?” She asked.
“Nothing, I just…feel good.” I told her honestly.
She rolled her eyes, “Yes, well then let’s get moving shall we?” I nodded and we slowly made our way out of town. There was no reason to draw attention to ourselves by running. We slowly made our way up the hill to the forest.

There was something that was bothering me though. Something that J had told me, it itched me the wrong way, finally I couldn’t hold it in , “J?” I asked. She grunted to let me know she was listening, “What you said, about the bounty hunters…?”

“Yea, what?” She asked.
“Well, it’s just…” I moved in my seat uncomfortably, “You said we shouldn’t worry about them because they are here for someone else. Who else here is like us? Can you sense them?” I asked.
She sighed and didn’t answer me, but I pressed, “J? Who has a gift?”
“You really want to know?” She asked.
“Yes.”
“You met him, you should know.” She shrugged.
“Jake!?” I asked shocked. J turned in her saddle to look at me, she had an eyebrow raised.

“Jake? Are you sure?” She asked. I stopped my horse. I stared at j in the eyes for a moment, disbelief written all over my face. I shook my head, “No.” I said, “No….it can’t be…Gavril?”