Bold Souls

The mission

Blake

On my way back to our home, I've tired my best to cool my burning wounds with the coolness of the fresh snow. Before I opened the door I took a deep breath and watched as my breath mixes with the smoke coming from the tiny chimney. Denali is probably already back. I opened the door and saw her with an apron in front and without her thick clothes. Denali was standing in front of the stove and the scent of some fish stew lingered in the house. She glanced quickly back with the wooden spoon in her hand and flashed a smile at me.

- Oh, finally! Bring me the salt I'm almost done woth dinner. But it is a little tasteless! - I hurried there and handed her the salt, trying to avoid her gaze.

- What took you so long? - she asked while she added a little salt to the stew and I started to take off the outdoor clothes.

- Brent, we chatted a bit after I finished the exchanges. - Denali giggled.

- I'm glad that at least he gets along with you! The old geezers should take an example of Brent! - she suddenly turned to me with a spoonful of stew and opened her mouth to say something. Unfortunately, despite the dim light, she immediately noticed my eye that was slowly turning brown to be a gorgeous plum purple in a few days. Also, there was a deep cut on my bottom lip and on my left eyebrow. Denali cursed something in their native language and put the spoon down. She turned the stove off and with two metal spoons and a bag she rushed out. I went after her.

- What are you doing!? It's freezing cold outside! - she threw a snowball against me and came back quickly. She put the bag of ice on my eyebrow and the cold spoon on my eye. Her wolves were staring at us from the door whimpering. She turned to them, said a command and they went back to their nearby cave. Denali kicked the door close and pushed me down into my armchair.

- Denali, I can explain... - I've started but when my eyes met her crimson ones, I saw anger and worry in them. Her voice broke and resonated with hate while she said.

- Shut up. - Denali almost froze my eyebrow down, but I soon realized why she did it. Denali walked to the drawers in the living room section and pulled a needle with some strings.

- What are you going to do with that?! - I asked and she just frowned at me. Denali kneeled in front of me, pulled my head down and started to stitch my eyebrow. Thanks to the previous freezing, I almost felt it. When she finished and put everything back to its place she stood in front of me and asked.

- Who did it? - I hung my head down. I was a nearly thirty years old dude in my sould and Blake's body was also a young man's now. If I hide behind her all thia life, I won't survive.

- I tripped. - Denali scoffed and went to pit on her boots.

- Where are you going? - she put her coat on and her gloves.

- None of your business. Eat your dinner and don't wait for me. - she said and before I could've said a thing she shut the door behind her and left. I sat back in the armchair and held the melting ice against my lips and later my side. f**k this s**t! I wanted to become strong enough to survive alone and God forgive me, but maybe even protect her! Yet I'm sitting here, beat up as a mashed potato. I ate some of the stew and saw the other fishes Denali caught. I put some of them outside into the ice whole and prepared more with salt for worse days. Hours passed without Denali coming back and I don't know after how long I've dozed off in my chair. I woke up to Denali putting a blanket on me. She then put some more wood on the fire and headed to her bedroom corner but I caught her hand and pulled her close to me. I inspected her face and clothes for signs of injuries. The only thing I've noticed were her bloody knuckles.

- Where have you been? - I asked and she pulled her hands away.

- I went to let off some steam. If you are already awake, go to your bed and have some rest.

- Won't we talk about what happened? - I asked and she, without looking at me, said.

- There's nothing to talk about. You just tripped and I just practiced my hand to hand combat skills. Good night, Blake. - with that she went to her bedroom corner and pulled the thick curtains together, creating a wall between our rooms and us.

The next morning Brent knocked on out door. He looked rather troubled. Denali was out with the wolves and I've decided to take advantage of it, and find out what happened last night.

- Hi Blake! I see Denali took care of your injuries, I'm glad. - he said and I crossed my arms in front of my chest leaning against the doorframe.

- Thanks Brent. Now, would you be so kind to fill me in with the events of last night?

- You brought me some goat milk and I gave you salt... - I snapped at Brent.

- Don't pretend to be an i***t. What happened when Denali went to you? - Brent looked at the snow.

- Brent...

- Fine! Denali came to me and wanted to find out who beat you up.

- And? - Brent looked into my eyes.

- I didn't have to tell her, because they were still talking disgusting things about her and you. - my hands clenched into fists.

- I should've killed him... - Brent gasped.

- Well... That would've been mercy for him.- my eyes widened.

- What do you mean? - Brent nodded towards the town.

- Come with me. - I followed Brent and saw Bjorn hanging from a tree by his ankles. He was severely bleeding, and he had frostbites all over his body. One of his eyes was clearly eaten out by a flock of crows that were still lingering around. I ran there, pushed my way through the crowd and cut him down. I checked his vitals and shouted to the people around us.

- He is still alive! Call the fletcher!!! - but they didn't move. I looked at Brent and he pulled me away from Bjorn.

- We can't do anything Blake. This is the outcome of a sacred duel. The loser gets this punishment.

- What kind of a sacred duel is this? - I've asked but instead of Brent, Faroque himself answered.

- A duel for honor. If someone challenges openly the honor of a warrior or the purity of his companion, they can challenge the ill tongued individual. It looks like Bjorn didn't measure his chances up well. It's a shame. Hang him back up. - he said and Bjorn's friends from last night, terrified by something, obeyed to their leader. Faroque turned to me and said with disgust in his voice.

- Follow me Hellbird. - I did as he ordered and soon found myself in the town hall. A small wooden building in the center of tye tribe's territory. For my biggest surprise, Denali was already standing in the middle of the room.

- What is happening? - I asked her in a low voice and she shrugged. Faroque sat at his desk and cleared his throat.

- Our spies that we sent to the capital to find out the current situation were found dead near our borders. I hate to say this, but I have no better idea than sending the two of you to gather information. Lately the King was more impatient than ever to find his lost son. - I felt my throat drying up. There was a reason why Blake ended up in that battlefield chained up. Since I didn't write his background story, the king himself could be the culprit and this whole search can be a trap to get rid of loose ends. Denali scoffed.

- You don't trust us. Why should we obey? - Faroque stood up and walked to Denali. He grabbed her face and for a split second his gaze softened before he looked into her eyes. Than, with hate in his voice, he said.

- Neither of you look like us. They won't suspect you as spies. - Denali giggled and grabbed her grandfather's wrist.

- What makes you think, old rag, that we will come back? - Faroque grabbed Denali's throat and I reached for the dagger on my side, but the guards pointed their spikes at me.

- If you betray me at least I'll never have to see your face ever again. It's a win-win situation. - he released her and turned away saying.

- You have a day to get ready and leave. If you won't, we will kill all of the wolves and the kid in front of your eyes, Halfblood. - the guards lead us out and shut the doors behind us. Denali looked at the town for a moment than turned to me with a half smile.

- I guess we are out on a mission, let's get ready Blake.