Date: Fri, 17 May 2002 01:32:24 -0700 (PDT)
From: c z <cezmail1@yahoo.com>
Subject: Battered Barbarian and His Boy-Chapter 4

Disclaimer- Standard Nifty and I will just add, if you
don't want to read it or can get busted if caught, don't.
Easy enough done and I am not responsible if you screw up.
The story is mine, and I am going to insist on its
copyright. So hereby Battered Barbarian and his Boy is now
copyrighted  ( C ) by cezmail, my pseudonym on the net. Ask
permission to post it elsewhere and I will most likely
grant it, but doing so without is a violation of my
copyright. Thanks for understanding.

This is all complete fiction. NONE of it is true. It has
elements of fantasy violence ( explicit at times ),
relations between a boy and a man, and sexual themes. If
this is illegal for you to read or not to your tastes,
DON'T READ! Otherwise, please look on down and if you have
an opinion, let me know. I am more then willing to listen
and reply.

This is a new turn of events for me, my first all complete
fiction. It is based on a roleplaying character of mine,
and with that, I move ahead with this new story.

Thanks for all those who liked the first chapters.You  made
me feel I was able to convey this well and have fun while I
was at it. I appreciate all the kind folks who have come
across my story and read it. Thanks for all the emails and
support. I am still with it and will hope to keep writing
when I can. May not always write as often, but I am still
here folks.

Special thanks to Kyle Aaron's whose work Kandric I
admired. My story may have a few things in common with his
tale, but as with any fantasy game work, that is to be
expected. I still say to those that ask, that he is the
better writer, but he was kind enough to encourage me and
praise my story. I appreciate those emails Kyle. Thanks.

Also thanks to Coal Black, Skip, Charlie G, Michael H, and
the good man from the Mountains, Bob in CO. Thanks my
friends for the emails and the friendship. You keep me
smiling and wanting to write.  : )


To all others, as before, feel free to email me with any
comments. I gladly answer any and all. You can email me at
cezmail1@yahoo.com,

Chapter 4

The night went peacefully. Both Zert and Zax had only
pleasant dreams this sleep. Zax of feeling safe in the arms
of his Hero and Protector. The nightmares of his capture
were gone. The memories of Blood Ax's foul breath in his
nose as he heard the deep bass of the Hlaf Ogre pronouncing
his fate. Now he was on his way home with the man that had
saved him from slavery or worse.

Zert's own dreams were of having a cause and a goal to
carry on. Zert had not allowed himself to linger on what
had happened, but all the family he had known for the last
5 years was gone, killed, captured or just disappeared.
All he had was his honor, his Goddess, and now his charge.
He had his duty to get Zax to his family and Clan.

In time the dreams ended, and the sun started to shine on
the eastern horizon, Zert started to stir, He came to his
senses with Zax still clenched in his grasp, his small head
cushioned against Zert's chest. A few birds could be heard
to sing, and the lingering smell of the fire was still in
the cave. Nature called to him, so he tried to lift Zax to
the side so he could have a piss, but as he was about to
release the boy, he woke up. Zax looked slightly confused
as consciousness came to him, but the sight of Zert's
scared and hairless face recalled where he was and he
flashed his Hero a warm smile.

" Morning.  What's going on Zert? "

" Just have to release my bladder. Do you ? "

Zax paused as he looked into his body and felt the familiar
sensations. " Yes, I do. "

The two went outside and in a lee of the hill, urinated.
Zert used some loose dirt to cove it up, to black as much
of the smell and moisture from showing any possible
followers of the enemy. That done they went back to the
cave to wrap up the camp and begin to repack their bundles.
Zert had Zax prepare the ration packs and refill the
waterskins as he made his morning prayers and to refresh
his pleas in case they were to be needed.

The two ate in salience, just enjoying this moment of
peace. The danger about the land was forgotten for the
moment, as the sounds of the Gods creations came to their
ears, and the smells of trees and grass came to their
noses. It was at the end that Zert recalled the sealed
scroll he had been carrying, and felt this was a good time
to check it out. It could hold valuable information, and
why Zax had been captured.

He pulled the case from his pack and still not able to make
out the seals, not recognizing them, but took his dagger
and broke the seal. Opening the tube, he drew forth some
pieces of parchment. He unrolled them and started to read.
What he read  made his stomach clench in fear and
trepidation. It read, having been written in Orcish.

" To My Lord Gore Traskin

I have sent this boy to you as I was directed by Chief
Gaznark and Mage Margune. The boy is Zax Greendragon, son
of Talin, and cousin of Baron Zargon II. He is ripe for
your needs, and I am sure our Master will be gracious to
myself and to you for his delivery, Mage Margune sensed
that the boy was indeed a worthy treasure for the Master.

He is accompanied by two of my personal guards, and the
elder of them, Kask, is a disciple of Shaman Usik. Use them
as you see fit once they have fulfilled the mission I have
assigned them. I keep my Troll Dogs as the others of the
guard that I have to move on with the second part of the
plan.

The boy has mage blood in him, and that should only add to
his worth and the needs of the Master. Mage Margune sent a
messenger of his own to his compatriots and their should be
a contingent of the Black Hand when I meet up with the
reinforcements of the Shattered Thigh.

Glory to Kalen Dahl, Master of Goria.

Your servant

Blood Ax "

' Gore Traskin ' flashed through Zert's mind again. He well
knew that name. It had been he that had been the guest on
that last fateful night at Master Husk's feast. Traskin was
a captain of the Hell Hounds, the personal guards and
agents of Kalen Dahl. Feared throughout the lands for their
murderous ways and the mayhem they indulged in at the
behest of their Master,  What made Traskin all the worse
was not only was he an expert warrior, but a sworn priest
of Voidius, God of Murder, Assassination, and Destruction.
The antithesis and divine enemy of Rawndalla.

The note told more then it said, so the ways of Kalen Dahl
was indeed evil in the extreme. The needs it referred to
had to mean that Zax had been intended as a sacrifice to
help empower the Lord of Goria, or at least used in some
rite that could only mean something even worse then death.
If Zert had not rescued him, then his soul would have been
consumed and the husk of the remains used or discarded.
Zert shook in the thought of something happening to his
precious ward.

Zax had waited patiently, but he had his limits., He nudged
Zert and this drew Zert back to the current surroundings. "
What did it say Zert,. huh? Come on, tell me. "

Zert took a moment to gather his thoughts and check his
fear, he did not want to frighten the lad. " It was
instructions on who you were and how you might be handled.
Later I will tell you more, but for now, we need to move
on. We have rested enough and we waste daylight. Come on
boy, up and walk on. "

Zax frowned at the obvious brush-off, but he did not pursue
the matter at this time. Packs on and weapons at the ready,
they vacated the cave and continued on their way to the
southwest. The were able to get through some thickets
without having to go through them, though it did hold them
up. The rest of the day went without any complications. At
a rest in the afternoon, as they rested their feet in a
small pool, they saw some ducks eating. Motioning Zax to
stay still, Zert slowly slipped back on the bank and
reached for his bow. knocking an arrow he got to his feet
and braced himself. The birds seemed to sense something and
went to flee to the sky, but the arrow Zert released struck
a mallard true before it could get away., It fell against
the grass on the far bank, dead.

Thus they would have some fresh game for dinner. Getting
close to the time they would want to make camp, they
finally came across a sign of others,  A trace left by a
cart led off to the south, and it was fresh, Mule tracks
were among the cart tracks, so most likely it was a farmer
or trader, as orcs would not use a single cart. Zert
decided they should check it out, as they could use a
chance at a warm shelter and to find out what may have
happened since the battle of the other day, Had the Orcs
made it this far? Did any know of the invasion the map
seemed to have implied?

It took them 30 minutes of following the tracks before they
reached a small farmhouse. It was very close to dusk, and
the remaining light left many long shadows. A little trace
of smoke came from the chimney and some light came from a
shuttered window. Zert looked to Zax. " Hold here lad and
watch my back. I'm going to go check this out. If all is
well, I will buy or trade a chance to stay inside, get a
hot bath, and get some information. Let out with an owl
hoot if you need me. "

Zax did not like this and his face showed his emotions, but
he accepted it, He gripped the spear he had and stayed
close to a tree to watch Zert and the back from where they
had come from. Zert then moved closer to the farm house and
as he was about to call out, motion drew him. Then a voice
called out.

" Hold where you are Orc, or your dead! " came the voice of
a human.

Zert froze, both from not sensing this person and
especially for being called an orc. He clenched his teeth
and bit his tongue.  " Drop your shield and sword, and
raise your hands. I gots you covered and my boys are ready
to back me up. " Zert complied and turned his head to see
who his captor was.

A small wide bodied man stepped forth, a large crossbow in
his hands aimed right at Zert. The man looked to be in his
40's, grey in his hair and a beard that was thick and
tangled. Two younger versions of the man with a spear and
another crossbow were at his sides. They looked to be in
their late teens. Grim determination was on all their
faces, and closely held violence.

Zert spoke up, to reassure Zax he was alive and ok, and to
try to reason with these folks. " I am Zert of Clan
Braggin, and I am also a devote servant of Holy Rawndalla.
I give you my oath that I serve  the Gathered and not Evil.
If you will allow me to come to your light, I can show you
my symbol and the token of my being a member of the Golden
Company. "

The trio got close enough that they could see that Zert was
not an Orc, but a Half Orc. Not that this detail changed
their temperament, but they seemed to loosed up a touch. As
the elder was about to speak, Zax interrupted. His high
preadolescent voice came in strong from where he had moved
from his hiding place.

" Zert is my guard. I vouch for him fully kind folk. We
seek shelter for the night, and succor from the wild. "

The younger boy kept his bow on Zert, but the other two
turned to face Zax. They saw he was a young human and the
manner of his voice address showed that he was of a higher
station.  They did not drop their weapons, but the older
one spoke up. " Well youngling, you have strange taste in
guards, but I will allow you two to move inside. Keep your
hands up and not make any sudden moves, or I may get
careless and drop you with a bolt. Ulf, get their weapons.
Tarton, watch the boy. I gots the .... guard covered. Lets
move in then. "

The two younger men nodded and in short time all 5 of them
had gotten to the door. Then the elder man called out. "
Yokus, its Da. Keep your bow down, we are coming in. " A
call of muffled agreement came back and then the door was
opened. It showed an open room of the farmhouse with stairs
to some rooms upstairs. A pot was upon a fire on the
kitchen chimney and a boy just into puberty with a horn bow
stood on the stairs waiting for them. The elder motioned
for Zert to go against the wall, with Zax on the side wall.
Then the elder and two younger men came in and the door was
closed and braced closed.

The elder spoke up.  " Well you came to the farm of Dirdir
and them are my boys, Ulf, Tarton, and Yokus. Now lets here
your story. "

Zert looked to Zax and with a motion of his eyes to allow
him to speak, began to tell the farmers of his recent times
and the last battle of the Golden Company. He said he had
rescued Zax, though made no mention of the lad's last name,
and that they were on their way to Port Nayr. He told of
the map he had found and his fears that the Orcs and the
Gorians were allied in a war of raids and invasion.

Dirdir said nothing till Zert finished and then spoke up. "
Well I knows nothing of this new battle with the Fricken
Orcs, but if yuse right in the Gorians in on this, then we
might all be in trouble. I fought with the Free Legions 20
year ago when we beat them back to the Velver but they are
mean bastards. Now lets see some proof of who you are. Show
me your symbols and tell me, who was your Captain. I knows
of the leader, so lets see if you do. "

Zert nodded and very carefully pulled out his holy symbol
and then the medallion of his former Company and handed
them with his off hand to Ulf. That done he looked back at
Dirdir. " Vorn was my captain, a man of medium height,
strong face, and a scar across his hands where a spiked
chain hand entrapped them. he wielded his double ax,
Fruyus."

Dirdir nodded as Zert finished and made a motion to his
boys. " Ok lads, I believe him, for only someone in the
Company or a friend of Vorn would know the name of the ax.
Sit Zax and Zert, and we can see what we can do.  Nice to
know a man that served with my old Captain, but tis sad
that he and his company died. May Durgon embrace them and
succor them." Then Dirdir and his boys secured their
weapons and bowls were gathered for the stew.

Relief showed on Zax's face as the tension was settled
without a fight and he his pack on the ground to give
relief to his aching shoulders. His mouth watered as the
smell of the stew permeated the house and he smiled as he
watched Yokus, who looked like he might be 2-3 summers
older then himself, serve out generous portions. The sight
of the rear of the youth intrigued him, as he had times of
play with friends back in the manor.

Zert handed over the duck that he had shot earlier. " I
have not yet had a chance to clean to dress this bird, but
I freely give it to you for a share of your dinner, and I
can also pay hard coin if you will allow Zax and myself to
heat up some water to bath in and a place on your hearth to
bed down. " He said all this to Dirdir, as he was the
master of this abode.

Dirdir motioned to Ulf, a lad of about 17 summers, and the
teen took the bird and secured it in a cold room for later
preparation and eating. Tarton, the oldest at close to
19-21  summers, stayed silent, content to let his father
continue the talk and to assess the strangers. His look
showed that even with the calm that had come to the
encounter, he did not trust Zert. His crossbow, though
leaning against the wall, was still armed.

The meal progressed and small talk ensued. Dirdir said in
the morning he would help to get Zert and Zax on their way,
as they were about 3 days travel to Port Nayr and a
village, Perth, was only a day away. if all went well, Zert
could restock on supplies and possibly get a horse or two.
Dirdir just had a mule and a pair of oxen.

Yokus and Zax talked on and were soon smiling with the
other as they found they left alone as Dirdir and Zert
continued their talk. Tarton continued his guarded watch,
while Ulf left after the meal to attend to some chores.

After bathing and cleaning up, Zert and Zax started to fall
asleep, so the others left to their rooms as Zert and Zax
rolled out their bedrolls near the fire. Not saying
anything, they put both bedrolls next to the other and were
soon asleep with Zert once more holding young Zax.

Morning came and the house began to stir. A breakfast of
hot porridge, bread and butter, with tea and water filled
all their appetites and the sons of Dirdir left to attend
to chores. Dirdir took some of the gold that Zert had
captured as payment for his services as well as giving Zert
some cheeses and sausages to supplement the ration packs.

Girding his weapons and about to say their goodbyes, a
sound came suddenly to draw their attention. Horns! ORC
Horns were blown and soon the cries of Orcs could be heard.
Somehow, the enemy had found or tracked Zert and Zax.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ok here ends Chapter 4. It took a little longer then I had
hoped to post it. Work interruptions and being busy. Thanks
for all the emails and comments folks. I very much
appreciate every last one and I gladly reply. Keep them
coming and I will see if this is to continue.  I will say
here and now I am committed to the story. had some replies
from other authors whose stores I drew a little inspiration
from. Really helped to boost my ego.

Check out my other story- Monterey Delights at
http://at.nifty.org/nifty/gay/young-friends/monterey-delights/

Praise me, flame me, or just tell me where I may improve or
screwed up. I am more then willing to reply and we can see
what the future holds. Email me at cezmail1@yahoo.com.

Thanks

Charlie