[Fanfic] Tainted Blood

[Raishazalarc]

Quote

Prolouge

 

The giant sails of the windmills  slowly turn. Tepid water reflects the haze of summer sun. Floran leisurely bathes in the sunlight as the wind refuses to leave its hideout. Even the birds keep the chirping to themselves…. Everything seems so exhausted.
This scenery can be mistaken for a painting as it is hard to detect anything that is not staying still. The only thing denied of this silence is the humming of one poor bard.
He stands there; at the broken fence of Balron farm , declined like its drunken master. Balron farm is just right at the short end of the main road from Giran to this village. Some said the bard had been in this village for  ten years , some said twenty years ,or even hundreds of years. He just stays there ,seems like waiting for someone or something but his sight never lies on the road stretch far over the horizon.
 “ He only looked at his feet, '' said Barolian ; daughter of the Balron family; one of the nine daughters to be specific.

There is a lot of gossip about the bard identity without the person being aware. 
“That fellow must be an Elf” one said
“Nay, for sure a busty Dark Elf i bet” yet another one
Despite that no one dared to get close to that drag of coat the bard put on whether winter or summer. Suspicious and fear of the thing one does not know are just human nature.

Ever since Barolian took her first step she  has been listening to the bard’s song. Some about glorious ancient battles, sometimes songs of the Elf ; crystal clear and high like the night sky. On some rare occasions a Scavenger stayed in the village he would sing a mining song of the Dwarven; and get paid well for it.

To this Village , the bard is just an old mystery no one bothers to unveil. Only Barolian is the one closest to that fella but she swore on her father butts she knew nothing.

Floran is located on the main road of Giran to other Dukedom but travelers just rest here for a short while , not many stay the night.

On the other side of the road to Balron farm is Folu ’s bar ; double as tavern. The bar is always full from morning till night; not sure if it is because of the bard song or the two wives of Folu.  Folu is dumb and kind. Right after his parents passed away ; he married both the first and second daughter of Balron and ensure the wine supply for the good for nothing father-in-law.Opened this bar despite his terrible wine brewing skill that almost made him bankrupt

And yet today the bar is just so empty, only a drunken Dwarf at the table, sleeping  while snoring and swearing in between.

The steady harp and tender singing voice permeated  the air . Barolian drowsy sits beside the bard. But then silence spread out. If only there wasn’t the harp then the silence wouldn’t be all over the place like this.
Looking at him with puppy eyes , Barolian asks with  an almost inaudible voice.
What is it master?
There’s a storm coming; Balint. The bard answered. 

Before Balron ’s wife passed away , and also before Balron remarried to wine, he was a good farmer; even best in this small village. Although embraced by wine all the time, Balron still teaches farming knowledge to his daughters… when he’s sober which is rarely .Together with what she picked up while playing , Balin knows  there's no way this weather could become stormy even if it might irritate someone.
Sleepy heads in the bar raise their heads because of the lack of music but soon back to dreamland.

The sails slowly creaked with every turn ‘em take , The river looking like a mud swamp steady flow. The wind still not presenting  and the bird not chirping. Even the singing has gone silent. But then something more noticeable happened. From afar a dust cloud heading this way , either it heads to the Dion castle or this village….. But then something went wrong. It heads toward Barolian and her master. The rider looks very young, her long blond hair has turned to red copper because of dust. The black mare in contrast to her white armor. The red lion in her short sleeve left a  strong impression but what stands out the most is the injury in her left shoulder. A black arrow came out of her shoulder , from tail to shaft and even the arrowhead , all black. Sure enough that arrow was from Black Snakes Ranger , an assassin clan  bringing terror from Aden to Gludin.
Hunter guild even gives a bounty of 100 million adena for each Black Snakes head.

Before this moment , today is just another day for Balint ever since her sisters married. Her dad beating them less because he has been spending more time being drunk .Because of the irritated weather she slept in more than usual. Her master just said some incomprehensible thing just like the sermon of the old Cleric, But somehow she feels things happen just like the way Einhasad wants it to be.

As for Flavern Rosevent  everything seems to become meaningless. Just one week before she received  the Theca leather armor with the lion embroidered with golden thread and became a  Ranger of Silver Hand. But a sudden raid of  Black Snakes on  the clan branch in Gludin ended it all. Everyone ran for their lives , heading back to clan headquarters in Giran. After then she killed 3 of the pursuers , took an arrow on the shoulder. The poison coated in the arrowhead can’t be neutralized by the potion Bishop Valdamal gave her in the clan ceremony. When getting near Floran and seeing the windmills , she felt something was not right. Either her premonition or her head not thinking straight because of blood loss, she heads toward the two peasants in the village entrance.

Master! Looks like the storm is really coming. Balint pointed toward the incoming rider and said. The one she calls master still does not lift his head , just silently nods.

The rider stops before the two , and jumps off the mare with so much  effort. Seeing that Balint hid behind her master. Flavern face paled because of blood loss but she shows no fear nor pain. A Silver Hand must not forget their warrior pride in any situation. Flavern learnt this after her clan members fell one by one.

Take it!  Flavern throws a coin sack to the bard. It hit the ground with a jiggling sound.
There …..should be about 100 adena …..in ….. Forgive me… .there… no time . For Einhasad… please… i  ... need  help.
The haughty pride of a Knight no more there. It’s  not like Flavern a coward, even though she had been taught “ death is just a part of the mission” but still ; she is too young to die here. It’s not like she forgot Darvin fell down with sword in hand , eyes still open angrily at the enemy. It’s not like she forgot Capt Brave smiled at her then dash toward the Black Snakes , for the others to run away.
Right, she would never forget. So Flavern must live even if she has to beg these two peasants.

Barolian takes a glance at her master. The bard just nods, as usual , just slowly and leisurely nods.
For anyone else , what could a nod have any other meaning ? For a normal person , a nod in this situation is just a simple matter. But for that bard, that nod is a result of serious inner conflict.

Barolian run up and hold the rider while feeling fear, because this peaceful Floran never have this kind of incident before. The last time she saw this much blood is when the villagers slaughter her house pigs to celebrate her two sisters wedding. Despite the bloody gore more she didn’t feel fear like this.
The horse….. hide it… do not let anyone see. Please. I… .. treatment. Flavern tried to talk to the young girl.
She reflexively nodded and looked back at her master. He nods again , just that this time a bit faster and more certain.
At this moment Flavern just feels so much enmity toward that silent bard. Her anger arose but then she fainted. 
Before losing consciousness , she feels her body lifted up and hears some small talking…..
...to my place….  ….  the horse…. I  ...later... 

 

A fanfiction i wrote back in 2006-2010.  Also made a revision in 2015 but immgonna post this ver first. 

More chapter coming .  Anyone interested can read next chapter ahead in my patreon.   

Raishazalarc