As the revelry downstairs continued, Howard moved towards Ulthan's room and knocked on the door, listening to any sign of movement from inside to soon hear the approach of footsteps. Opening the door, the taller fighter grinned.
"What is it," Ulthan asked. "Can't sleep," he grinned as his eyes glanced towards the distant stairwell.
"Actually, I can sleep through a storm. I wanted to talk to you a bit, if you'll allow."
"Sure." Ulthan backed and allowed him to enter, then closed the door behind them as Howard glanced around the room to find the sparse accommodations seemed to be the norm. Though, being in such a small town that wasn't a surprise. He moved to a chair against the right wall and sat down as Ulthan tossed the blanket back over the head of the bed and plopped onto the thin mattress. "What's on your mind?"
"You," Howard leaned forward, resting his arms on his thighs. "Why are you wanting to go with us?"
The younger knight sighed and thought for a long moment. "Don't let me being younger than all of you think that it's blind desire for adventure that drives me. I'm as faithful to them as you are."
"I wasn't questioning your faith, friend."
"They choose those they wish to bless with a higher calling," Ulthan leaned in and tried to keep his voice down. "Not us."
The implications not lost on the older warrior, Howard smiled. "I also wasn't questioning how they have conducted their business over the centuries. What drove you to give up your life and pursue one that could mean your death on some faraway battlefield, lost to time and probably forgotten by the locals who don't even know your name? That's what I want to know."
Ulthan's eyes fell to the floor. "I have nothing and no one to remain in Thomson for, if you must know."
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean..."
"No, it's okay. We've all lost in the war," Ulthan raised his hand, then let it drop. "I'm not asking for pity. I have Arhus's trust to keep me at peace now. My faith in him and this cause is what drove me to find you and your friends. I may not have fought on the walls of Davos, but I have seen my share of battle and I'm just as capable as you."
Howard smiled. "In that I have no doubts." He straightened. "I have been told to head north and I'm sure when we near them, he'll let me know. I think that we should remain in the background initially to ensure that we haven't brought any danger to them before we reveal ourselves."
His host nodded in agreement. "I only hope I've been cautious enough. I don't want to be the one to let you all down."
"It could actually be Ryan's bravado that gets us in trouble, not your zeal."
Ulthan smiled. "How long have you known them?"
"Adam is my cousin from Newcastle. He and I grew up training with Ryan and many others in the art of war. My grandfather is the Captain of the Guard in Zariva and was squire to Duke Lericanin for many years before he was knighted. I grew up under the shadow of great men," he stated proudly. "And consider myself honored to have done so."
Ulthan swelled in admiration. "Then it's my honor to ride with you."
"Well, it's not I that we're going to be serving. Just keep that in mind."
"I will."
* * *
After ten days and two more cities were traveled, the quartet entered the city of Bakony. A large trade center and home to one of the largest populations on the western side of the kingdom. It's rich history was close to overshadowing the older capitol of Davos, a fact not lost on Howard as he thought on how rich this prize would be to the enemy.
The clamor of city life assaulted the knights as they picked their way through the daily traffic to find the central marketplace and a warm place to sleep for the night before continuing on.
"How much farther, you think," Adam inquired as his cousin leaned over, their horses nearly touching.
"Not sure, but they're not here," Howard confided. Something had been nagging at him for the past few nights though and he wasn't sure why yet. "I thought to stop at the cathedral for a moment as well."
"That would be fine," Ryan stated from behind them. "I'd like to visit it as well. Been a while since we traveled through this city."
It took some time for the group to find the tall spires hidden behind an inner wall to the duke's palace and other homes of wealthy merchant families as well as related nobility. Howard reined in his steed before the large double doors and dismounted as his friends followed suit. Gardens and manicured bushes framed the small courtyard and marble benches as he stretched tired muscles, then headed for the entrance. Under the quiet gaze of statues above, he pushed open the rightmost door and stepped into the quieter interior. Boots popped off of large flagstones as they walked through the foyer and into the main sanctuary whose towering ceiling rose into the sky, bordered by tall stained glass windows which lit the artwork and carved ribs arching upward.
"Such a wondrous feat is the dreams of men," Ulthan stated reverently as he followed them down the central aisle.
Howard smiled to himself, appreciating the honor given by their companion to the impressive architecture. "It's but a house, Ulthan. It's the people that are His concern."
"I know. It's just I've never seen anything this beautiful before. The cathedral in Carbost is close though."
They continued to the front and he finally knelt before the raised dais and closed his eyes while his friends found their own spot to thank the god of justice. During his quiet supplications, a vision of a dark figure entered his mind. He focused on the warning and followed them through the darkened interior of a small home. Or was it just a narrow hallway? They slowly opened a door and glanced into a room whose dim light picked out two beds, one on each side of the narrow confines and crept in, dagger in hand. Once they neared the leftmost, the blade raised and moonlight picked out a greenish sheen down it's length. Poison.
His eyes opened quickly and he felt the reassuring presence around him that he always felt. "Is this danger against us or someone else?"
'You,' the beautiful angel whispered from above and behind. 'They don't wish the ranks of the Chosen to be swollen. You're presence is a threat to the enemy, but you must prevail and reach those you've vowed to help.'
"I will. Thank you."
Creeping heel-toe through the dark hallway, the assassin moved silently. He knew his targets had gone to bed some hours ago, so should be sound asleep by now. A state that they would enjoy eternally. Dirk in hand, he quietly reached for the handle to the door and listened for movement to find only the cool breeze drifting up through the stairwell beyond this room. Pulling slowly, he slid the bar from it's hold and pushed the door open. Training had taught him how to infiltrate not only palaces and locked churches, but also simple rooms such as this. He grinned to himself as he crept in and moved towards the leftmost bed as moonlight through the shuttered window's slats picked out the form under the blanket. All too easy, he thought to himself as adrenaline pumped. Raising his right hand for the killing blow, he could already see the praise showered upon him for this act.
Suddenly, a blade against the back of his neck stopped him cold.
"Tell your masters when they come to meet you in death that I said hello," the male voice behind him stated. As the assassin tried to duck the sword, he spun with dirk in hand to strike upwards, only to catch another blade which pierced his back. Reeling from the killing blow, the darkly clad agent fell to the floor in shock as his life ebbed away.
********
Howard looked down on the vaguely highlighted body laying still on the floor with pity. "Too bad he actually thought he was on the right side of this fight."
Adam huffed as he moved to the rightmost bed and grabbed his backpack. "The unfortunate part is they think they can win."
"True." He stepped over the body and reached for his own gear, then removed the pillow from underneath the blanket and tossed it against the headboard. Time to move from here before anyone else paid them an unwanted visit. Sword still in hand, he led Adam towards the stairwell and heard a metallic crash and scuffle in the main room below. Quickly running down the stairs, he noticed two forms standing over another as he and Adam reached the bottom. "Ryan? Ulthan?"
"Yes," his older friend replied. "Someone that just wanted to see us off," he stated sarcastically as he wiped the blade of his sword, then resheathed it. "I take it things went about the same upstairs?"
"Indeed," Adam informed as the other three sheathed their weapons as well, then continued to the front door to the tavern. Once outside, they climbed into the saddles of their horses and rode into the torchlit, quiet streets of Bakony towards the western gate with not but the occasional barking dog to bid them farewell. Another five day ride northwest would find them in Haun, a small walled town whose claim to fame was the templar compound to it's north and, their destination.