4/2 The Rose Pendant

Tuster and Mercaine navigated through the streets of Resport, avoiding the main streets where they would be discovered by Norton’s gang. After about half an hour, the towering west gate loomed ahead. Like all other gates in Resport, there were no one to guard it and no one to challenge them as they went past them. As their sandals began to touch dusty soils and not concrete, Mercaine started to protest that she was hungry. She had not eaten a single thing since she was captured by Norton’s gang. Tuster at once also noticed he had not eaten anything too so he decided to cook dinner for the both of them. He found a small cove where he and the Mercaine can rest. There he gathered some firewood, skinned the rabbit and cooked it. Mercaine ate it and complimented that it was the best thing she had in her life. Tuster just commented that it could be better if there was seasoning to add.

After their short meal, Tuster noticed that Mercaine was already asleep so he kept watch while she slept. The girl must have led a fine life until now. To think that a hare would be the best food in this world was a joke to him. He spent the rest of the tine before he doze off watching Mercaine’s beautiful face.

He was awoken by the sound of footsteps around him. He sprang to his feet, dagger unsheathed and ready to attack, while his eyes adjusted to the light that blinded his eyes now. He was still sleepy when a heavy leathery fist knocked him across the face and he collapsed onto the hard ground.

When his vision came to, he was shocked to see that Norton was the one that delivered the blow. He tried to stand up but found himself being stepped upon. A boot kicked away the dagger in his hand. Another boot trapped his face onto the floor and he could hear those words coming form Norton’s mouth. “Boy we got your girl!”

From the corner of his eyes, he saw another man holding Mercaine. He had his forearm around her neck and the other hand was over her mouth. Both of Mercaine’s feet kicked wildly forward to no avail.

“Let her go.” Tuster demanded. He was more worried about Mercaine’s well-being than his, even though he was in a more perilous position than Mercaine but he did not care. He tried fighting against the foot but found himself pinned down even harder.

“Don’t even try.” Norton laughed hysterically. “No one messes with the Bander Buccaneers, especially me, Norton Gilyers!” Tuster knew he had to act fast. A brilliant but risky idea came to his mind.

“Fight me one on one.” Tuster demanded.

That phrase caught the attention of Norton. “Fight you, small boy?” Norton asked. That was followed by a loud laugh and the sound of a sword unsheathing from its scabbard.

“Very well.”

Tuster cannot believe Norton fell for it. The boots on his back and face were lifted and he rolled towards his dagger. His fingers went round the handle and he steadied himself in a crouching position, dagger forward, ready to pounce on his enemy anytime, just like what Baldarov had taught him. His eyes scanned round. There were about ten men around him and Norton was the only one with his sword unsheathed. The rest formed a circle around them. Mercaine was behind Norton, held by a bald, fat and beardy man.

“Stakes, boy!” Norton shouted. “I win, I cut your throat and the girl is my slave.”

Tuster’s reply was a more obvious one. “I win and we are free.”

Norton lunged at Tuster with a downward slash. Tuster dodged the attack and leaped to Norton’s exposed back. As he was about to deliver a stab at Norton’s back, Norton suddenly spin around with a backhand horizontal slash that was aiming for Tuster’s neck. Tuster abandoned his attack and chose to jump a step back to avoid the attack. Norton turned swiftly to face Tuster. His face produced an evil smile.

“That was just a test, boy.” He said. “Now is the real thing.” With that, Norton tossed his blade into the air and grabbed the handle in a manner such that the blade was pointing downwards. “Let’s go!” he shouted. Norton’s next attack was even faster than the previous one. His was a horizontal slash coming from Tuster’s left side. Tuster barely dodged the blade coming at his face but he managed to duck under the advancing sword. As he ducked, a heavy leather fist came crashing into his right cheek, sending Tuster into the dirt-covered floor. Norton confidently took a step back and gestured for Tuster to get to his feet. Tuster shook of the impact and spat out the stuff from his mouth. Blood. The blow must have cut his inner cheek.

Tuster eyed his opponent. Norton is an experienced fighter, unlike himself. He is also bigger and faster than him. Was there any way for him to win? Just as he was pondering what move to attack Norton with next, Norton said to him. “I shall strike you down with the next blow.” He assumed a crouching position, with his sword beside his face and pointing towards Tuster.

“Heeya!” screamed Norton. With breath-taking speed, Norton ran to Tuster. He thrust the blade forward, aiming for Tuster’s throat. Tuster’s mind screamed. Norton was going to kill him! At that point, a sort of frenzy overtook him. Tuster found himself, sidestepping Norton’s attack and at the same time, counterattacking with a horizontal slash that immediately drew blood from Norton’s right bicep. He added a punch to Norton’s jaw for good measure. Norton stumbled back, his left arm holding his right. Tuster saw an opening and started his attack, aiming for Norton’s throat. To his surprise, Norton ducked and the next thing he can remember his that his feet was swept under him and he laid on the ground, with Norton on top of him, sword poised to strike. He saw the tip of Norton’s sword glittering as it bathed in the morning sun. He thought this was the end. At that point, his life flashed before him. The time he had spent with Baldarov in Resport, the wonderful adventures he had in Resport and the daring rescue of Mercaine all came to his mind. He closed his eyes as he waited for death to claim him.

He heard a sound of metal hitting metal and felt the weight lifting off his body. Is this how death feels like? Expecting angels or death gods to take his soul away he waited. There was silence followed by footsteps and then Norton’s voice saying, “Darn it.” Puzzled, Tuster opened his eyes and he was surprised to see a towering figure in front of him.

The figure standing before him was a towering figure. He wore a plain brown traveler’s tunic and tight leather pants. His hair was long and was tied to produce a black ponytail. In his right muscular arm, he held a mace while in the other held a sword that Tuster was very familiar with.

“Boulder.” Tuster shouted.

Boulder did not turn to look at Tuster but spoke to him while he eyed Norton. “Get on your feet. Let me handle this.” The next few words were directed at Norton. “Since both of us are betting men, let’s make another wager. If I win, these two children go with me.”

Both men started to circle each other and were ready to attack anytime. Norton torn a piece of cloth from his tunic and tied it round his right bicep, stopping the flow of blood from the wound Tuster had cut earlier. He then spoke to Boulder. “I will cut all your throats.”

After about a minute of circling each other, Norton leaped to attack. Just like what he did to Tuster, he lunged in with a forward thrust. Boulder in a swift motion dodged the attack and swept the man over his head. Norton fell on his back. Boulder grabbed his sword arm in a vice-grip manner and twist. A crack sound was followed by Norton’s scream. His arm was broken. “I yield! I yield!” Norton screamed helplessly.

The Bander Buccaneers rushed forward to help their fallen leader. The man holding Mercaine released his grip on her and Mercaine rushed to Tuster’s side. As Norton was being helped away by his men, he shouted to the trio, “You haven’t seen the last of me yet!” Within a minute, they were gone, leaving only trace of dust that covered the air.

Boulder turned to Tuster and Mercaine. “Are you both all right?” he asked.

“I am fine. I thought I was a goner.” Tuster was all smiles. “Thanks again, Boulder.”

“And who is this damsel in distress?” Boulder questioned Tuster. He then looked in the direction of Mercaine, who was checking her body for wounds. He noticed a small silver pendant that was carved with the design of a rose hanging at the end of a necklace around her small neck. Mercaine saw that Boulder was looking at her necklace so she quickly tucked it into her tunic. She then turned and gave a bow to Boulder. “Thank you for rescuing me. My name is Mercaine.”

Boulder paused for a while. The pendant seemed familiar to him. He had seen it somewhere before. If he did remember correctly, this was the royal emblem of the Cerlors family. A family member of the Cerlors is given the rose pendant when he is born and will have to wear the rose pendant throughout his life. Only in death do they part with the pendant. Moreover, if a Cerlors is bonded to another person in marriage, the Cerlors will give up one half of her pendant to the other person. The only living people to wear this pendant is King Harton Cerlors, who has replaced the late King Wincern Heath as the new king of Banderlands two years ago, and his sister the princess Rose Cerlors, who is about the same age as this girl, Mercaine…..

Mercaine saw the look on Boulder’s face and was taken aback. Did he saw the pendant? She was not allowed to show her pendant to anyone. Only people that lived in the palace of the Banderlands knew about the pendant. Does this mean that this man knew her true identity? Suddenly she felt afraid and insecure. What is he going to do with her?

Tuster saw the look of fear on Mercaine’s face and quickly reassured her that Boulder was someone that can be trusted and she need not fear the man. Mercaine tried to cover up her fears by saying she was still shocked by the ordeal with the Bander Buccaneers. She then explained that she was captured by the Bander Buccaneers while her family was on the way to Humvale and Tuster had rescued her from Norton. Boulder bought the story, or he pretended to. He would find a chance to ask Mercaine about the pendant later. For now, he volunteered to escort them to Humvale for the journey will be hard. Mercaine and Tuster agreed.

So the trio set off on the journey to Humvale.