Swords with Souls
A Medieval Fantasy Fiction Story
(Adult Content)
By Dan Watt
A Motely Sisterhood of Pirates!
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Cover of Swords with Souls by Darren Joy
(Author of the Plagueborn series)
Furious
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He sits at the front of the wagon beside Haashir. Before he drinks any of the water downed mead they have sitting in a clay jug between them, he orders Haashir to drink first. As they roll along, he watches the Carnival Owner for any signs of drowsiness.
“Not poisoned,” he scoffs and starts drinking and drinking from the jug. There’s a constant itch between his shoulder blades. Similar to how it feels when he gets a shaving of bronze in one of his fingers.
“Swords are not as efficient as hammers and axes for the dwarves,” Haashir says in a raspy voice. “Especially the ones related to the first king. Their shoulders and hips are too wide.”
“How did you get the crown you gave Novak?” he asks and takes another swig.
“I had carnivalers located along the river to see where you were going,” he hears Haashir admit.
“Who dove down to get it?”
“Jedreck. It might be cursed. It took a long time for Jedreck to give to me.”
“What made him relinquish it?”
“It was too big for his head.”
He looks at the giant riding ahead of them. Lara is riding beside him. From the easy sway of their upper bodies, it appears they’re familiar with each other. “They seem to enjoy each other’s company,” he says with a yawn. He feels exhausted.
“It’s an innocent attraction,” Haashir says and he sees the Carnival Owner smile.
“Innocent?”
“There’s no politics or hidden purpose. It’s generic not forced.”
“That’s called true love,” he says and thinks of Lara’s mother. “Now that we’re riding beside the river, I need to bathe.” He sniffs his armpit and makes a disgusted expression.
“I understand,” Haashir says. The Carnival Owner makes a long, single whistle.
Up ahead Jedreck looks back and nods. The giant says something to Lara and the they both slow their horses to a walk and head towards a line of poplars beside the river. Haashir gently reins in the carnival wagon’s horses and pulls over. “I’ll wait here,” the Haashir says.
He jumps down and heads towards an elder shrub.
“Where are you going?” Lara asks.
“I need to bathe,” he replies. He can feel the river drawing him towards it.
“Me too,” she replies. “Jedreck, stay here and let me know if anyone else shows up.”
He glances at the giant. Jedreck’s expression is conflicted between stern protector of Lara and suspicion of him.
“We’ll go behind the elder shrub,” he says. “In the water you’ll have cover from the bullrushes and floating crowfoot.”
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