Chapter XIV

The Morning After

The early hours of the morning had been very chaotic for Dave, Nick had been in a stupor, even though he hadn’t drunk that much the previous night. So, it had fallen to him, to clear up the mess, before Vernon found out about what had happened. It had been a close-run thing, but he had managed it. The only major shock he had received was during the final stages of the cleaning up process, when his older brother arrived back at the house, about three hours after Nick had lost consciousness.

“What the fuck are you still doing up.” Jack said, although he had a small grin on his face, whilst he had wanted to spend the whole night with Erika, they had both agreed that it would be safer if he returned back here before he was missed by the rest of the group.

“I could ask the same about you.” Dave responded, he knew exactly why, but it moved the conversation away from those dangerous waters. And for the time being he was being cautious, as he had not heard the sounds of Vernon’s snores coming out of his room for the past half an hour.

“Right. I won’t ask you questions if you do the same.” Jack said, and Dave nodded, it was better this way, he nodded to his younger brother and headed to his room, he didn’t have to go on patrol tomorrow as he had left a note at the armoury on his way back from the inn, explaining that he was cashing in one of his days off that he had accumulated, he looked forward to not having to.

Once Dave was alone, he smirked, that couldn’t have gone any better, he had managed to keep Jack in the dark about his own activities and made it look like they were both getting something out of the deal.

As Vernon, Dmitri, Charlie, Jack, Dave and Martin sat at the table together eating when morning finally came, Nick still not having woken up from his stupor, it was clear that all may not have gone to plan about keeping the old butler in the dark. But fortunately, the attention seemed to be on Jack, who still wore a grin across his face. However, whilst the others did notice, only Dave chose to speak up on the topic. Hoping to keep any unwanted attention off himself.

“So, Jacky, how was last night?” Dave said with a snicker, whilst the whole idea had been Nick’s, he was well and truly aware of it and agreed to it. He just hoped that Martin wouldn’t speak up about it. Despite his youngest brother’s innocent look, he had managed to worm the truth out of both him and Nick the previous evening, after the pair had had too much to drink, Martin having refused to have any more after a set point. At this line of questioning Jack spits out the food that had been in his mouth in shock, with Vernon and Dmitri looking over at them in a confused manor. With Charlie also seeming to have perked up at this line of questioning.

“It was... good.” Jack said, and it was the truth, although he had no idea how Dave had found out about it.

“I bet.” Dave said, the same grin on his face. Although Martin had gotten him to spill the plan, he still felt good. As what happened the previous night may stop his older brother acting like a damn idiot.

“Wait, where exactly were you last night young Jack?” Vernon asked, looking at the eldest Wolfrick brother in an excusatory way, and as Dave continued to snicker, he could see a dawning look of comprehension flash across Dmitri’s face.

“Err.” Jack said, trying to find the words to let the old butler down as gently as possible, but before he could Dmitri spoke up in an all-knowing tone, which was at least defending him.

“Leave the poor kid be Vernon. It's not the lad’s fault if he couldn't wait to... What was it Jack? Explore the surroundings.” Dmitri said as he smiles over at Jack, in a way of letting the sixteen-year-old know that he knew exactly what happened the previous night. Vernon looks first at Dave then at Dmitri and then finally at Jack before a dawning realisation comes over his face.

“Well lad. You better get going don't want to be late again for patrol duty.” Vernon said, not knowing exactly what to say at the situation, he had too heard about the lad’s feelings for this northern girl, he just hoped it wasn’t as deep as he feared it was. If it was, it would make it all the harder when they chose to leave this place.

“Er, yeah.” Jack said, he had been distracted by the partial interrogation. But gulps down the remainder of his water and walks out the door, although not to the job, but back to the inn, he felt guilty not having told Vernon about the day off, but it was for the best, he had after all worked every day, including training for the past two months, and Idar had mentioned to him that he needed to rest, so that is what he intended to do. He was followed out by Charlie, who had somehow managed to stay out of the conversation, that was until now.

“So, kid. You really like this girl then?” Charlie asked, and Jack only nodded as Charlie continued. “Well, I happy for you kid. Really. I just hope you remember that we won’t be staying here forever.” Charlie finished.

“I know.” Jack said, he had indeed thought about that fact, and weighing up the pros and cons of remaining behind, when the rest of the group continued to head north come the spring.

“If you choose to remain. I’ll understand. So will Vernon, but it will take him longer to come to peace with that fact.” Charlie said, as if she had just read his thoughts. Jack again only nodded as she took her leave and headed towards the small lab in the town.

Back in the house and once the old butler was sure that the lad was out of earshot, he turned to Dmitri a tired and slightly bemused look on his face.

“Well, the lad finally did it I guess.” Vernon said as he got up. It was slightly hard to believe. But then again, hadn’t Alan also gotten Laura pregnant with Jack when they were both in their late teens. It wasn’t surprising, at least Jack had the excuse of being cooped up in an unfamiliar town with very few people his own age, which was something at least.

“It was only a matter of time Vernon. The lad has been cooped up for too long, and from what I hear from both Barca and Bruce. Jack has really fallen for this girl.” Dmitri said, he had so far not seen the girl yet, but what he said still rang true. He just hoped that the lad knew that it could only be temporary, as he knew that Vernon was dead set on moving on northwards, despite the warnings that the dwarves had shut their gates.

“Well, Nick was wrong, he did it with that girl and is still acting like a fool.” Dave said, taking a gulp of water to sooth his pounding headache.

“So, Dave, are you going to be having any more drinking sessions with your younger brothers?” Vernon said watching the teen closely, the look of shock on Dave’s face was more than a confession than he needed to prove the lad’s guilt. Dave looked angrily at martin who shook his head and shrugged. “You should really talk quieter in here if you don’t want me to know about your booze smuggling ring.” Vernon finished smiling, leaving the rest of what he was thinking unsaid. But it went along the lines off. ‘If I catch you getting your younger brothers drunk again, I’ll have you scouting for food on the snow mountains.’

Normally Dave would have been one of the first out, and waiting by the town’s main northern gates, but he had decided to take the day off, Barca and Abi could scout just as well without them, and he knew that their food stores were sufficient to last them a few more weeks. Meaning that he was not needed to track any more food for at least a few days. But mostly it was due to the headache. But right now, after Vernon had found out about his little plan to smuggle booze back here, he felt it would be in his own self-interest to leave the house and go out and put about a few hundred meters between himself and the old butler.

So, with that decided, he left the house, with only the knife that Dmitri had given him what felt like a lifetime ago, and out into the town, he felt confident not taking his gun, after all, he was going to be staying within the town limits and would be unlikely to encounter anything that would need a gun. He was blissfully unaware of the two people watching him as he made his way to continue his exploration of the western side of the town.

As Codsworth walked into the armoury, ready for the fresh new day on the job, whilst some found the work tedious, he found it strangely relaxing, due to all the stresses of his later life, he found it remarkably peaceful, not having people underneath him that constantly needed orders to be given to them.

“Ah Codsworth, you’re finally here.” Idar said looking up from his station and getting up, on the desk in front of him was a bunch of papers, whilst the old Codsworth would have been interested, right now he was fed up with paper pushing that he saw no reason to get involved.

“Yes. Sorry for my tardiness, something came up.” Codsworth said, although Idar through up his hands.

“I already know. The kid sent word ahead. So, I also know that he won’t be coming in today. I gave him that at least.” Idar said, and Codsworth wondered how much the local captain knew about Jack and Erika, probably more than he was letting on, the captain had been there when the girl had painted Jack’s face, and combine that with the weekly training sessions, meant that it was a matter of when, not if, that the lad would tell the captain something. “So, you’ll be out patrolling the western sections on your own.” Idar finished handing Codsworth the route.

“Okay.” Codsworth said simply and made to leave, but he heard Idar made another statement, that made several uncomfortable memories come to the forefront of his mind.

“I heard that you played a major role in the war down in Bartazer last year.” Idar said.

“I was.” Codsworth said, hoping that the local captain wouldn’t press the issue. However, he was not to be so lucky.

“Which means you were in Bartazer when the order came through, weren’t you?” Idar asked, leaning up against the wall of armoury.

“How did you know about that?” Codsworth asked, from his knowledge, the order that had gone out, had been restricted to the south, there had been no imperials up here to receive it.

“Word of the legendary commander Codsworth location, travels far indeed my friend. Even here in the north.” Idar replied nodding. That fact was true, as many people wanted to recruit the commander for his talents, despite the fact that he was no mercenary.

“I was. At least until word of what had happened came through to just a few days after the fact.” Codsworth said, he had no idea why he was talking about the darkest weeks of his life with Idar, who was basically a stranger. But part of him told him that the local captain was trustworthy. But more importantly, he was neutral in the whole matter.

“What was it like, after you refused the order?” Idar said, continuing his questioning of the commander.

“The worst thing about that betrayal like all the others. Is that it didn’t come from the enemy.” Codsworth said mournfully, remembering how his own troops but more importantly his brothers, had turned their guns on him. For the simple crime of not following Mayor Osmund’s orders. How he had been forced to kill the very men he had been placed to command, over some slight that had wounded Osmund’s pride. “Those men, I had fought alongside and lived with for almost a year. And then to have them ordered to shoot you down, for something that happened half a world away. You will be lucky to never know what that is like.” Codsworth finished and raised his hand when Idar looked to continue the questioning. “Maybe some other time.” Codsworth said, before heading out and starting his patrol.

As Dave walked around the corner, he finally became aware that someone was tailing him, initially it had been easy to shrug off, it was a small town after all, it was possible that people would make a similar route to his own, but when he noticed that his tailers stopped when he did and followed him into deserted alleys, it was enough for him to get concerned. And so, he decided to try and lure them into a trap, it wasn’t a well thought out plan, but it was the best he could come up with on the spot.

He remembered seeing a good hiding place nearby, the last time he had come exploring around this part of the town. He silently wished that he had had the foresight to take his gun out with him, but it was too late to drown in self-pity, and he put his terribly thought-out plan into action.

Finding his hiding spot, in a large crack of some long-ago abandoned building, Dave watches as two figures walk into the same alley and look around at the seemingly empty street.

“We know you’re here kid.” A female voice said, which took Dave by surprise, he had assumed that both of his would-be attackers were men, as he had heard that all the known people who were out for the members of his group were male. “We promise we won’t hurt you.” The voice continued until her partner looked at her with some confusion, before nodding. “We just want you and your kind out of here. We don’t want to hurt you.” The female voice continued.

Dave slid back, trying to control his breathing, he knew that they were lying, or at the very least, the idea of not hurting them was not something that the entirety of this group believed in. He wished he had brought his gun, as he had a good position to shoot from up here. He stood up, one thing that was for certain was that he couldn’t remain up here all day, the people down on the street below would be able to wait and more importantly, starve him out. It was time to put his plan into action. He knew that there was a gap in the building that he would be able to jump down from and get the drop on at least one of his would-be attackers. And so long as the other didn’t have a gun, he should be able to get the better when the odds were one on one.

But before he was able to move out of his hiding position and get around the pair that were waiting for him in the street below. He heard the sound of a scream come from the street, and the dull thud that sounded like an axe colliding with a skin.

As the thirteen-year-old walked to a better vantage point he saw Jack standing over two bodies. The axe he had been given by Idar clutched shaking in his hand. He looked down at his older brother, who was too fixated on the two people lying on the ground in front of him to notice as Dave clambered down the side of the building and walked up to his older brother.

“Are they dead?” Dave asked looking at the two bodies.

“No. I just knocked them out. Although I was tempted to just end the second one.” Jack said shrugging, as he two looked at the bodies. He had decided to follow his younger brother after the teasing that Dave had given him this morning, wanting to get back at him in any way possible. Which is when an idea came to him, as he turned to look at his younger brother and smiled. “But if you ever think to make fun of me or Erika again, you’ll be praying that I do the same to you as I did to them.” Jack said, before turning around and walking off back down the deserted street, leaving Dave alone to think on that statement.