The Elder Origins (20 page)

15

              Night fell upon the grassy hills before them. It didn’t take great effort for Madison to listen out for any life within the region. Sounds of a tavern closing down and drunken men leaving to return to their clay and wooden built homes was one of many sounds Madison could clearly recognize. Drunken men stumbled about, barely leading one foot in front of another. She failed to make out their language clearly, but she knew enough by the scent of the tavern as she approached it to know that the men were not in any state to struggle. They would soon sleep from their take of drink.

             
It wasn’t until she traced them home, choosing one gentleman who appeared somewhat more unstable than the others, that she noticed something foul permeating the air. It was a scent she had grown accustomed to after Jayden’s pillaging of the Vam-pyr-ei-ak. But never had it been this profound or revolting.  The smell took her back a pace and her face contorted. It was strong enough for even a mortal’s sense of smell to quickly grow disgusted.

             
Bodies. Death resided here. And it was abundant. Not certain if she wanted a closer look or not, she allowed herself to be guided to where the scent originated. Within yards of the neighboring meadow and only a distance from the tavern, lay a large hole in the earth. A man in a rank thickly oiled cloak and a mask of a bird beak stood before it, shoveling bits of dirt into a gaping wound in the ground. Madison approached it and peered inside. Bodies were stacked upon one another, arms and legs splayed in all directions. There lay at least twenty. Men, women, and children, all completely drained of life. Their complexions were as pale as hers with eyes wide open. The man filled the hole clumsily, throwing dirt in where ever it may land. She could smell their disease from where she stood.

             
The man turned and saw her. Flies flew around him as he moved. The bird beaked demon mask was suddenly staring directly at her. He shouted words she didn’t understand, and thrust his arms about for her to leave. His tone was harsh and forceful, although she didn’t need to be told to leave. She ran away faster than she had intended. Her speed left the man behind her in a daze. She reacted purely from instinct. The wind was littered with the stench as she ran. She understood what it was. She had only ever heard of it from stories of what had taken place in neighboring villages. Never had she seen it herself.

             
“Did you find their lodgings?” said Jayden as she approached. “Hopefully we can find a pair with suitable clothing as well. We cannot run around in these native clothes without being noticed as a bit… peculiar.”

             
He then felt her alarm strike his senses. It seemed almost violent as she drew nearer. “What is it, mistress?”

             
“A sickness. This village is dying. It has taken many already.”

             
“But you said you heard them in the tavern. They were having a grand time.”

             
“They are awaiting death, Jayden. They are merely drinking away their sorrows. Their loved ones are in a nearby mass grave. They lay completely lifeless,” she said.

             
“Then no one should suspect foul play as we take our drink as we need it. We drink from those who remain healthy and move onward,” he said. He was relieved to know that there was already a culprit of death in the region as it would cause less attention to be drawn to them.

             
“Their streets are filled with filth and rubbish like I have never seen,” she said.

             
“That is how confined villages are, mistress, dirty and unsightly. Grime often fills the streets from human waste. How did your previous village handle theirs? I doubt it was any different.”

             
“We were on the coast. The sea took such things away,” she said.

             
“Other villagers are not always as fortunate or near fresh waters.”

             
“But the sea here is only a mile away. They could easily do away with such things. The sea would take it from them,” she said, her disgust clearly showing in her expression.

             
“Maybe they cannot be bothered. Especially if they soon expect to meet death,” he said.

             
“There was a man digging a large grave. He wore a heavy cloth. It was dripping in oil. Flies were drawn to it. And his mask, how could it possibly ward away evil as he stood just above death,” she stated.

             
“Perchance it was not meant to ward away evil. Especially if you were approaching him,” he said with sarcasm.

             
“But then why would he wear it?” she asked, not bothering to respond to his lack of civility.

             
“If he were a grave digger, I imagine it was meant to ward off those who still live. And someone must rid this world of deathly corpses.”

             
He felt her doubts rising. It was no longer mere apprehension. “What of it? What affects you so?” he asked.

             
“It is as though we never left. We have been in lands completely unknown to us, and now sickness overtakes those around us again,” she said wearily.

             
Jayden looked at her sternly and walked over to her. “We take our fill of blood tonight after those men pass out from drink. Then we go far from here. This is a small village. If many have not travelled, and if the sickness kills quickly, we will find lands of healthy people not far away.”

             
Madison glared at Jayden, her gaze not leaving his. She suspected that he wanted her to remain calm. The thought of more sickness was clearly her weakness. He knew her thoughts lingered on Jamison.

             
“I know what you are thinking and you are wrong,” he said, stepping closer to her. He took her shoulders into his large hands, their width nearly covering the length of her. Her eyes did not falter from his.

             
“This is not our home. You are not to lose another home to fire, sickness, or death. We will move onward and continue doing so,” he said, taking the back of her head into his hand to bring her closer to him. She could feel his breath on her skin, and empathy in his emotions. “I will get you away from here,” he continued, his voice grave with each word.

Everything around Madison had turned silent. All she could sense was what Jayden was feeling and the heaviness of his hands upon her shoulders, his grip behind her freely loose hair.

              “Come now,” he said. “Let us get out of these native clothes. They nearly put the stench here to shame.”

             
Madison walked quietly behind him. For the first time, she realized the true emotions coming from Jayden. She only felt it when he touched her. He had buried it so deep that she hadn’t noticed it before. Even when he caressed her shoulders and ran his thumb down the back of her hair as he let her go, it still wasn’t blatantly obvious.

             
Compassion. It was nearly tender, the kind of tenderness she only knew Jamison capable of. His indifference and cruelty were not there when his sentiments came upon her. There was only good will and a desire to have her near. But she knew better than to think that it would ever make itself pronounced. Or so she assumed.

             
“Just there,” said Jayden, pointing forward as they approached the tavern. Two horses stood sleeping with ropes restraining them to a metal bar on the outside wall.

             
“If they be dead soon, mistress, they will have no need of them,” he said, his sarcasm already returning.

             
“We can move faster on foot,” she said.

             
“Was it not you who suggested we remain discreet? If we ride, we do not appear of note,” he said.

             
Madison merely nodded in response. She walked to the animal before her and stroked its side. As she lifted herself upon him, she could feel the life coming from under her. It was a different feeling than what she found within the ocean. The ocean contained life. The horse thrived upon it. It was a creature that contained a whole new meaning for her now. Before it had been a means of transport forced on her by Jamison. She knew them as an animal that ran too fast and they were often too tall for her liking. Now she knew she could relish in the animal’s strength.

16

Hours passed into the night after they left the small village, having taken their feed from the drunken men as quietly as possible. Drinking from those who slept proved the ideal method over the course of the following days.

Jayden always rode his horse behind her, just as he had when they ran or swam together. For a moment, Madison wondered if this was his way of insuring that she would encounter danger first as he had teased before. But something told her that it was quite the opposite. He wanted her within his sight.

Madison suggested that they keep to the nearby forest and away from pathways. There was enough of a dimly lit trail to follow through the woods and they both wanted to stay out of sight. A faint haze appeared over the grasses in the surrounding trees as they rode. The towering trees vaguely reminded her of the woods containing the Vam-pyr-ei-ak, but she brushed the thought from her mind. She began resisting the temptation to find similarities in every place she went to every place she had previously been.

A
sound descended from the trees on both sides. Madison broadened her hearing expecting it was a herd of forest animals. But these on comers rode on horses as well. They had been silent up until they reached a certain point, as if they had been waiting.

“We are not alone, Jayden,” she spoke softly knowing he could hear her.

“I know. Slow your pace,” he said with equal stillness.

“Why? They are waiting for on
comers, they cannot have good intentions.”

“And neither do we.”

It had been only a day since their last fill. Although she didn’t feel the need for blood, the desire was always there.

Madison slowed her horse to a walking pace.
It could hear the others as well and wanted to draw back. Trying to gain control of the animal, she laid her hand on its mane. It seemed to calm with her touch almost instantly, but it was still uneasy at the prospect of strangers approaching.

There was something
wrong with the smell in the air. It was the same odor from the previous village. Death accompanied these men. They came forth with a stench that even made the horse recoil his nostrils in repulsion. These men were entirely dressed in black and grey with long hooded cloaks covering most of their faces. She wondered if they would immediately notice that she was a woman even with her head intentionally covered in a long dark skinned cloth she had managed to save from the natives. Jayden had stolen a man’s trousers he found for her, deciding it best if she wore apparel that would allow her quickened movement. She tried her best to conceal her face, given how she was riding as a man as would.

Six
men on horses circled them. Jayden came closer to her from behind. Madison dropped her head down to avoid showing her face.

“Why do you come forth in such a manner?” said Jayden when not one of the strangers spoke immediately. They simply stared at them.

“You can come no further,” one said. His face was dirty and his teeth yellow. Madison could smell his atrocious breath from feet away.

“And why not?” said Jayden.

“Have you been touched by the pestilence?” another man asked.

“We are not ill, if that is your meaning,” said Jayden.

“Our village remains untouched, and we will not have intruders bringing it in,” said a tall man from the opposite side. He leaned in toward Madison, curious as it why she didn’t speak. She continued staring downward, knowing full well that the man was lying. The smell of the sickness saturated their clothing.

“T
he pestilence travelled farther than the coast, then?” asked Jayden.

“It is everywhere. We cannot allow it to travel farther. We do
not permit strangers beyond these woods.”

Jayden concluded this man was their leader. His greasy hair went down to his shoulders. His accent was thick and not quite English. Jayden could identify it as foreign. He suddenly realized they were not on English soil. Although it had to be near as the language was still a broken sort of English. He thought he might have heard it before.

“You are Gaelic?” asked Jayden.

“What else would we be? We do not permit English here. For you are who brought this pestilence upon us. You would see fit to travel during such times?”

Jayden laughed. “We landed far from where we intended then. We will make way for England then, if our presence offends you so,” he said.

Madison continued to look downward.

“You won’t make passage here. Leave from wherest you came or you will be removed.”

It was only then that Madison glanced upward slightly. The other five men had cloths wrapped around their faces, meant to protect them from the infected.

“And which route should we be advised to take to avoid your village?” asked Jayden.

“Just go back. Go back from where you came.”

“How many areas are affected?” he persisted.

“They are
all affected,” shouted the man. “And I would think you complicit in spreading it should you stand your ground much longer. Is that a witch you bring with you? Does she intend to spread this evil?”

A cloaked man from behind Madison grabbed the back of her deer skinned hood. She let out a cry and her cover was removed. Her hair came spilling out
. The man didn’t let go but tried to dismount her from her horse. She grabbed his arm and twisted it backwards, sending the man screeching in agony down from his horse. His feet dangled above the ground as her grip clenched around his forearm. Finally she let him drop. He reached for his shoulder and immediately backed away from her. The others stared at her.

Jayden reached for the throat of the man who spoke for them. His teeth ground and his eyes widened at the strength in Jayden’s hand.

“That is my wife you threaten, sir. Do you truly desire to make such foolish accusations if they may cost you your life?” Jayden thrust the man backwards and released him. “You do not look well yourself, sir. I daresay you may already be infecting your village. We pose little threat to you or your people unless you provoke us so,” said Jayden.

Madison slowly came beside Jayden, staring down at the man gasping and heaving for air as he tried to gain composure
from Jayden’s tight grip. Both Madison and Jayden could sense their sudden nervousness.

A younger man from behind gazed forward at Madison. He spoke from under the cloth wrapped tightly around his nose and mouth.

“She is a witch! Look at her eyes. She is one of them, I tell you. A demon thrives inside her!” he pointed at her as he spoke, as if his hand could strike her with the allegation.

“I am no witch, young man. But a demon may liken in my features. For I have seen demons you could never imagine,” she said, growing increasingly angry. “I am more than willing to show you should you permit me.” She smiled at him, revealing her sharpened teeth.

The young man rode away almost instantly. The others backed away as they stared at Madison’s eyes. Her hair had now fallen behind her head graced the length of her back. She looked more angelic than demonic. But the combination of her strength and features were enough to frighten them.

“If it is money you desire, gentlemen,” said Jayden calmly, “you will receive none from us. Nor do we take kindly to thieves. They pay with their lives as will you if you do not desist.”

“We are no bandits, sir. We seek only to protect our village,” another spoke.

“How noble of you, good sir,” Jayden mocked. “I cannot say I have met many men willing to meet those who may carry the disease in order to protect their
people. I would be more suspicious of such a nature than a man who was willing to profit from sneaking up on strangers.”

“Our loyalty to our lord and township offends you?” the man asked.

“No, your lies offend me. You had every intention of charging us a toll before you saw my companion was that of a lady. Then your intentions became even more sinister.” Jayden knew he was right when their leader looked back at him, still not fully recovered from Jayden having grabbed him by the throat. Touching him when he gripped his throat gave Jayden all the confirmation he needed. “I can sense your dishonesty, sir,” he continued. “And it repulses me.”

“We are suspicious of any strangers should they require passage through our village,” said another.

“Is that what your leader here told you?” said Jayden looking at the man who was still gasping for breath and trying to regain his speech. “We are only passing through. And should we require passage through the woods of your village, we will take it. If you wish to stop us, a horrible fate may become of you. Now desist, gentlemen.”

Jayden
was suddenly thirsty. He wasn’t even trying to clout it. To a normal man, his eyes would appear mad. But Madison knew better. She abruptly took his arm in her hand and drew him and his horse backwards.

“I think these men know better now,” she said gently.

“Do you think us so weak as to be threatened by a mere lady?” said another man from behind her. He drew his sword and pointed it at Madison. She turned to see he was no older than she was. Yet she could sense that he wanted to reclaim the honor of their leader. She turned and took the edge of the sword in her hand. She leaned forward and smelled its edge.

“You have drawn blood with this weapon, sir,” she said. “Do you wish yours to be next?”

“I shall be gloried in my taking of a demon from a young woman’s body. And if you be a witch, no one shall mourn you,” he said gallantly.

“Is that what you believe?” She was surprised to find that she enjoyed watching fear spread over them.

“I have been a victim to true magic and demons, sir,” she said. “Never will it happen again.”

She hoped that this would disturb the man enough to back down. But he showed no sign of ceasing, only a desire to prove himself. Madison felt the thirst
rising from inside her.

“A life for a life, I suppose, sir. You have taken human life. You shall pay for it with yours.” Madison moved so quickly even Jayden was left a little taken back. The man plummeted to the ground with a thundering blow. Madison dug her teeth deep within his throat and took what she could from inside him before thrusting him
in the air.

Two other men drew their swords and leapt
forward at Jayden, and reached for Madison from behind. Jayden took a sword directly from the man’s hand, grabbing for it by the blade. He turned it and thrust it directly into one man’s chest. Madison twisted after seeing what Jayden had done and tried the same. She took the sword from the man coming for her and grabbed it. She felt the skin on her palms rip open, but knowing it would quickly heal, she turned the sword around. She reached for the man’s leg with her other hand. He fell from his horse almost instantly. Wanting a less direct form of communication, she took the handle of the sword and thrust it into the man’s head knocking him unconscious. The others seeing this display of strength quickly turned their horses and fled. Madison looked back at the man she had thrust aside, his throat open with wounds from her razor teeth. He was still too shocked to stand.

“You have taken other women with this blade, haven’t you,” she said. She felt his fear turn to terror as he tried crawling away on the ground by his hands and heels.

“You think yourself a protector?” She took the sword within her hand and pointed it at him. “You are more of a demon than I could ever be.”

“I hunt demons and witches like you!” he shouted, somehow managing to find his voice as his body shook. “I kill those who conspire with evil
.”

“How many would you say? How many
demons
have you killed?” she said coolly.

“Enough to grant my place at the lord’s side; I do the work others cannot bring themselves to accomplish. They will find you, madam. Your soul will be freed of this confined body you have sold to the devil. God will take his vengeance upon your treachery.”

“He already has, sir. Indeed, he already has.” Madison dropped the sword. The man looked at her strangely. Jayden expected her to lunge its hilt forward. But her eyes quickly took to his throat. She moved faster than he could see, and captured his neck to her mouth, piercing a new wound, deeper and harder than before. She still relished the feeling of the warm blood moving down her throat.

She understood now why Jayden had taken so many lives from the Vam-pyr-ei-ak. It was more satisfying to take from those who had kille
d. Perhaps there was even justice in it.

“Not much for sharing, are you?” said Jayden from behind her.

“You had your man there,” she said, motioning to the man he had run through. “You chose a less direct approach with that that sword in your hands,” she said.

“Less direct? I thought it more dramatic.”

“Hastier, for certain, but not more dramatic,” she said smiling.

“Take what you need from him” he said. “Then we must press forward.”

“You believe that they were actually from a neighboring village? I assumed you thought them thieves,” she said sarcastically.

“Anyone who charges a toll is a thief of sorts. I’ve seen the tactic before in England. This sickness has everyone afraid. They would not hesitate to take what they needed if they thought travelers had food or other valuables.”