I decided that when I checked in with my guild leader I would request some time to wander to the southeast for a while.
I arrived back at the Three Rivers compound late that night. The Three Rivers community was much larger than the farm community had been, due to its larger population.
There was no containment wall and it was made up of over a hundred buildings. Most of these were either living quarters or shops. Most buildings were made from mud bricks but there were several larger log or pole structures. A few of the larger structures were for the governing council or the various guild houses.
Most professions had their own guild house although a few of the smaller guilds shared the same quarters.
I would have to wait until morning to check in. I planned to start my wander the next day or so.
I stopped at a food stall to eat. It was a simple workers food stall with a wall made of mud bricks for the cooking area. It also had a small patio surrounded by a low mud brick wall and contained several tables and benches. The eating area was covered by a striped cloth awning.
After eating, I planned to go to my sleeping quarters. They were located in a large public barracks where Cain and I stayed whenever we weren't on an assignment working. Renting a cot there was much cheaper than having to keep up with the cost of maintaining a private residence.
Cain was at the food stall drinking when I arrived. Cain was an old friend. We had met when he first showed up at the guild three years earlier. Twice we had guided raiding parties into the old city area far to the south together. On those trips, we had served a protection role more so than guides.
The way south to the old city was well marked but travelers were plagued by bandits and wild ones. Raids on the cities were usually well prepared with wagons and plenty of warriors for protection.
As Trackers, our job was to range and strike potential attackers before they were aware of the raiding caravans presence. Both trips had been very profitable for the looters and our own guild. The metal spheres I used as ammunition were found on one of those raids.
I told Cain of my intention of going on a wander and checking out the city area on my own. Cain said he would like to come along as well. He said if anything of value was found, we could organize our own raiding party or we could sell the information and location to someone else.
I told Cain he was welcome to come along. We talked till almost midnight, catching up on events of the last two weeks. Cain complained that the percentage the guild takes on each job is increasing again, eating away at the Trackers cut from jobs.
"Soon they will be taking a larger share than those of us doing the actual tracking. Now they are talking about them taking 25% of the bonuses as well. I’ve been thinking of leaving the guild, and going it as an independent," Cain said.
Independents are despised by the guilds. None of the guilds will accompany a raiding group that uses independents. They also try and pressure the farm and manufacturing holds from trading for goods gathered by traders or raiders using independents. Once you had an established reputation good independent warriors were able to get assignments. Many farms preferred them because of the lower rates for a job.
It was well after midnight when we made our way to our sleeping quarters. The next morning the sun was well up when Cain and I went to a food stall for breakfast. After eating, I went to the Guild house to report in and request downtime. The downtime was granted. But I was told if I didn’t return within six new moons, my shares in the guild storehouse would revert to the guild.
"When did this rule start?" I asked.
The Guild leader said "At the last guild meeting it was voted on and passed."
When I told Cain about this new ruling he said, "Great, by all means, reward the old ones and the lazy ones who never go on tracking or raiding missions. But they are always present to increase their take from the Trackers that do the work."
I asked Cain if he was going to request downtime to accompany me.
"No. I will draw my shares and leave. I won’t be supporting them any longer. They will have to start earning their own keep as far as I’m concerned," he said with a venomous sneer.
We walked over to the storehouse. Cain muttered curses the whole time.
I withdrew a new sling, an extra dagger, and plenty of the metal spheres. The remaining shares I took as script that would be readily accepted here in the Three Rivers Village by other merchants.
By the end of the day Cain and I had three horses, a small cart, and sufficient supplies to live comfortably for several moons. We had converted the remainder of our script into trade goods we could barter at the farms and settlements on our trek. We left the hold around midnight. I took the first turn driving the cart. Cain rode beside me talking to me.
"You said that on your last mission you captured a healer?" he asked.
"Yes, she was a sufficient healer to keep one of the prisoners alive after I wounded him. He will probably be healed by the time they execute him." I said with a laugh.
"Is she young or at least good looking?" he asked me.
"Is who young?" I asked.
"The healer..." Cain said exasperated.
"Yes, young, and attractive. She is probably an apprentice healer, the daughter or granddaughter of a healer. If she were a trained healer the hold wouldn’t have let her risk her life by going on a raid." I answered.
"Maybe we should slip in and liberate her. I won’t be coming back to the guild or even the Three Rivers region. It's always good to have a healer around. Not to mention a good looking woman on a wander," Cain said.
"I don't know if she will go willingly," I said.
"Come on man, she knows by now what's in store for her. I would certainly welcome a chance of escaping a death sentence wouldn't you?" Cain asked.
We made camp and as we hobbled the horses, I told Cain, "You wait here. I'll go and try to free her."
"No… they know you, if you’re seen you will be declared an outlaw. I'll go. You wait here. But be ready to leave at dawn." Cain said.
"Ok, but don’t get caught." I said.
"Caught by a bunch of farmers? I deserve to be caught if they catch me." Cain said with a laugh.
About three hours later, Cain returned with the woman and the large man whom I had wounded.
"She wouldn’t agree to come without him. Let’s get on our way now before they stumble onto us. The other prisoners escaped as well," Cain said shaking his head and giving the woman a hard look.
"Are they headed this way?" I asked.
"No, I think they started for home. I think I covered our tracks well enough. When the trackers are called they should go after them not us," said Cain.
"Yes, they will return to our village. Death will rain down upon the filthy villagers of the farm for their threat to our lives," said the woman.
"Hey, wait a minute it was you that started that. Don't your people avenge murder and raiding?" I asked her.
"We came to trade, not raid. And we're certainly not murderers," she said.
"What did you want to trade?" I asked.
"Pests destroyed our crop this year and the village needed food. We have sufficient water without needing our well. We wanted to trade our ancient pump for food stuffs," she said.
As we rode south, she told me her version of the raid they had been accused of.
They had all come to the farm village on a trade mission. They had offered the water pump from the olden days for grain or milled flour. The farmers had been interested in the pump but were unwilling to pay the asking price. When negotiations finally had broken down the farmers had attacked and tried to take the pump by force.
The trading group had escaped the farmers and started the return trip to their home village. Nine of the original fourteen members of the trading party had survived to start the trip home. When I had set upon them in the foothills three more were killed and her brother was wounded. She nodded her head toward the large man.
r /> "My name is Sari and my brother’s name is Saam. I am an apprentice healer and Saam is training to be a warrior. Where are we going now? Are you taking us to sell at a slave market?" she asked.
"No, we are going to the old city in the south. We might have need of a healer, and you and your brother can drive the cart, cook, and maintain the camp. If we find anything of value you will get a fair share. When we are no longer in need of your services you will be free to return to your village," I told her.
"Really she asked smiling? You believe that we came as traders not thieves?" She asked.
"No, I don’t care if you were traders or raiders. I will give you your freedom as payment for your services," I said.
Sari’s smile disappeared but she nodded and said they would do their part if we would release them.