Strange Times: Aed's Journey Vol. 3

By Charles G. Dyer

Aed starts a new friendship with Rowena. And that makes her think that she might be able to lead a normal life. She teaches Rowena magic. They decide to confront Padraig about his part in Aitheda’s death.

Padraig sets his Dark Magic familiars on them and initiates a new and dangerous challenge. Once more, Aed’s wanderings weave a complicated and terrible path peppered with betrayal and trickery.

Nevertheless, there is some hope and romance in this exciting culmination of her journey.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Charles G. Dyer
• Release date: Aug 6, 2013
• ISBN: 9781301361373

Charles G. Dyer

Charles Dyer is a consulting engineer, former senior lecturer and former technical magazine editor. He creates 3D models to help with visualisation and realism in his writing.

Book preview

Strange Times

Aed's Journey Trilogy #3

Charles G Dyer

Copyright 2013 Charles G Dyer

All rights reserved.

Kindle Edition

License

Thank you for downloading this ebook. Whether it was purchased or on a free promotion, it remains the copyrighted property of the author, and may not be reproduced, copied and distributed for commercial or non-commercial purposes. If you enjoyed this book, please encourage your friends to download their own copy at Amazon.com, where they can also discover other works by this author. Thank you for your support.

It would be greatly appreciated if you could post a review on the site where you purchased this book. If you have any comments about this book, good or bad, you can write to me at [e-mail].

Other books in the Aed's Journey Trilogy:

Book One – Innocent Fugitive

Book Three – Strange Times

They can be found at:

https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/chas1951

Contents

Chapter 1 - A New Friend

Chapter 2 – A Normal Life

Chapter 3 – The Sorceress's Apprentice

Chapter 4 – A Score to Settle

Chapter 5 – Dragon's Mouth Again

Chapter 6 – The Raven

Chapter 7 – The Rest of the Flock

Chapter 8 – Of Wolves, Ravens and Rats

Chapter 9 – Betrayed Again

Chapter 10 – The Ailing King

Chapter 11 – The Trapper

Chapter 12 – The Dun Roth Incident

Chapter 13 – From Duck to Man

Glossary

Chapter 1 – A New Friend

Waking to the hubbub of the forest, a few moments were needed to orient herself. Feeling grubby from the previous day's road dirt, Aed pulled off her pale blue boots, cream linen blouse and dark green culottes. Savouring the freedom, she threw her head back and enjoyed the tickling of her hair against her buttocks. A magical shower of warm rain rinsed the grime from her body. As she ran her hands over her breasts, she felt Doonegal stir in her head.

Wish I could be watching this, he said.

"Oh you would go and spoil the moment. I told you that I would banish you from my thoughts. As you said, practice improves skill and it is only a matter of time before I will be able to carry out my threat."

Sorry girl, but it also takes time for an old man to adjust to the idea of being inside a beautiful woman's body.

Well you had better hope that you have made the adjustment before I work out how to squash you.

A short time later, Aed rode Smoky back onto the Great North Road and turned South. She stopped to gather mushrooms at a stream that fed the Saer River. On resuming her journey, she met a gentleman coming up the road. Ever wary, she wrapped her hand around Aitheda's hilt. Good morning to you sir.

Aye it is a good one too Mistress. Where are you bound? he said, doffing his cap.

Ath Saer, if all is well there, she said.

There was no trouble when I left there. I wish you safe travel Mistress. He touched his cap.

And I you sir, she said, rising in the saddle to prompt the grey to move along. She wished that everyone could be so polite and considerate.

A low stone wall atop a long grassed scarp surrounded Ath Saer. Heavy timbers formed the battlements above the wall. An allure, hidden by the parapet, was patrolled by archers. Each town guard was accompanied by one of the King's Guard. Aed remembered hearing that this arrangement had at last brought peace to the strife-torn town.

Being the only town that provided a direct route to Machair in the West, Tyr na Lorc and Tarngair Mag, Ath Saer was always busy. Merchants from all these lands converged to trade in the dozen markets that were each dedicated to different kinds of goods. Textiles and clothing, grains, preserved and dry foods, livestock and meat that was either salted, pickled or smoked were found in the largest marketplaces. Smaller areas were devoted to the sale of leather goods, weapons, armour, a variety of trinkets, tools, spices and furniture.

Although the markets were geared to trading on a large scale, all were happy to also sell small quantities. Thus the town drew shoppers from far and wide. The permanent residents had their hands, and purses, full trying to cope with the constant flow of visitors. Prices were high and accommodation was at a premium. The only bargaining that could be done was at the markets.

Aed was fascinated by all of it and wished that she had some reason to test her negotiating skills. The fact that she could magically make her own money let her indulge herself in a reckless gamble. She bought a few bolts of silk and sat on them while other traders ran low on stocks. Later in the day, she started to offer the fabric for a quarter as much as she had paid. The shortage of similar material, coupled with a clever story about its origins soon saw her walking away with a handsome profit.

On the way back to the inn, Aed stopped at several kiosks to browse through their wares. The presence of guards and her elation at her successful venture made her less than wary. To avoid the crowds, she slipped down an alleyway, hoping to take a shorter route. Before Doonegal could caution her, she felt a knife at her throat and another in her belly. The cutpurses had stepped from facing doorways as she passed. Their timing perfected by years of felony.

The one behind her clamped his hand over her mouth and hissed. One peep out of ya an' ya be dead.

Quick as thinking, deft fingers undid the buckle of the belt that held Aitheda and a purse. The dark alcove she was forced into hid his face but not his unwashed smell. He pocketed his knife and ripped Aed's blouse open. As his hands groped at her breasts, she used Water magic. Sending a probe into his chest, she found his thumping heart and froze the blood.

Before his last gasp left his mouth, she swung the probe around into the head of the man that held her. For a change, the lack of light was in Aed's favour, he did not see his fellow rogue dying. In a trice, his brain was frozen. Aed pried his dirty fingers from her mouth and the blade from her neck and let the body slip to the ground. Ugh, disgusting curs! She spat without spitting and rubbed her mouth to clean it.

Feeling around, she found her belt and fastened it back around her waist. Aitheda was in its sheath and the purse had not been opened. You really ought to stick a knife between their ribs to allay suspicion of sorcery dear.

I couldn't bring myself to do that Doonegal.

You must girl, it's dark so you will be spared the sight of it.

Swallowing her revulsion at the gruesome task, Aed found the daggers that had been held to her flesh and plunged them into the chests of their owners. There, you see it wasn't all that bad, was it. She retched violently and ran from the awful niche sobbing.

Stares from people passing the end of the alley made her look down. Her first thought was that of guilt and that she was covered in the blood of her assailants. Exposed breasts were what interested everyone. She fumbled with the torn linen. A hand on her shoulder startled her into a scream, which in turn frightened the woman to whom it belonged.

There, there dear, I want to help. Didn't your mother tell you not to go into alleys? the woman said. She took her cloak from her shoulders and wrapped it around Aed.

Delayed shock took over. Weak kneed, Aed stammered, Thank you.

My house is close by. Come with me and we'll get you fixed up in no time, she said.

Clutching the cloak around her with one hand and clinging to the woman with the other, Aed walked to her rescuer's house. They stopped outside a clean-looking building with a black painted door and a gleaming brass knocker. The woman pulled a key from her purse and unlocked the door.

The woman helped Aed into the house and bade her sit on a chair while she put the kettle on and fetched a blouse. She returned with a yellow silk top. Here put this on while I see what I can do to fix yours.

Thank you Mistress, Aed said trying to contain her emotions. She stood up and took the woman's cloak off. On seeing her breasts again, she cried.

The woman hugged her and held her to her bosom, rocking from side to side. There, there dear. You're safe now. In a moment I'll give you a strong infusion of woodruff for your nerves, St. Johnswort for lifting your mood and mint to settle your stomach.

Aed clung to her until she calmed down a bit. It was so sudden and awful, she said.

I'm sure it was. Sit dear. I'll be back in a moment with the tea, Aed's benefactor said.

Sinking into the chair, Aed pulled the ruined blouse over her head and slipped into the silk top.

While Aed drank the brew, the woman spoke. I am a widow, thank goodness. My name is Rowena ma Owain. Please call me Rowena. How did you manage to escape from the alley? Women that are foolish enough to venture there are usually found with their throats cut and worse.

Well met Rowena. I am Aed Uar and I'm not usually so thoughtless as to enter such harbours of iniquity, she said and sipped the tea. Good fortune gave me the chance to turn their weapons against them when they were groping me. Aed shuddered.

Looking over the top of the mug, Aed formed a mind probe to apply calming magic to herself. Rowena was a plain-faced woman in her mid-thirties. Too young to be a widow Aed thought, and she is grateful for it. I wonder what made her say that.

Shoulder-length black hair hung in wavy disarray around a pleasant but narrow face. Soft brown eyes reflected genuine concern for Aed's wellbeing. Her attraction is in her figure. Doonegal agreed with this assessment and received a sharp rebuke for his unsolicited opinion.

That was fortunate indeed. If it had been me, I'd not have been able to defend myself. Little wonder that you are so shaken up. I wouldn't mention the fact to anyone else though. The town guard won't ask questions, they'll be only too happy to have fewer thugs to deal with. Rowena smiled. Is the tea helping Aed?

Yes thank you. Aed liked the woman's name and felt that this could be the beginning of a new friendship. Rowena I do feel much better now. You never know what courage you can muster in a crisis; you might also have succeeded in getting away. Aed knew that was not true and she felt guilty for saying it.

You were right to say that, the wizard said, it detracts from the fact that you used magic.

Fetching a tooled leather box from a shelf, Rowena picked up Aed's torn blouse. She opened the box and took out thread and a needle. Needlework was not something Aed had ever mastered; she watched closely as Rowena's slender hands worked. The fine stitches were invisible at the two pace distance between them. Aed laughed and said, It's ironical that, as a draper's daughter, I cannot manage a needle.

They talked about their respective backgrounds and Rowena explained why she celebrated her husband's death. He might have been an honest merchant but he treated me worse than a harlot. I lived in fear of his coming home. He caused me nothing but pain and humiliation. On the few occasions that we went out together, he was a perfect gentleman. Nobody ever knew what the brute did to me behind closed doors. Yes, I am glad that he's dead. I would never wish his kind on any other woman. He truly was a street angel and a house devil.

Unsure what to say, Aed kept quiet for a minute and watched Rowena work. I'm sorry to hear that you had to endure such abuse Rowena. I hope that all's well with you now.

Silly me burdening you with my woes, after what you've just been through, Rowena said.

Aed thought about telling her how Beag had seduced her. Now's not a good time dear Doonegal said from a dark corner of her mind.

Not at all Rowena. It does one good to talk about bothersome things. Keeping one's own company is most tiresome, Aed said.

Oh, are you also alone in the world then Aed? Rowena asked, looking up from her stitching.

Now I am, yes, Aed said. Recently, in quick succession, I lost my only two friends.

Rowena twisted her mouth in a sympathetic way. In the two years of freedom from Mister ma Owain, I've not made one friend. This is a miserable money-grabbing town. If you aren't parting with coin, it's unlikely that anyone will speak to you.

Giving the matter some thought before answering, Aed spoke. I think that you have a worse deal than I Rowena. Alone amongst people seems to me to be far worse than being alone, as I am, in a distant retreat.

Setting the sewing aside, Rowena got up from her chair and knelt next to Aed. She took Aed's hands in hers. Aed my dear, after what you've been through today, I think that you should stay here tonight. Please say yes, she said. Her brown eyes begged affection.

The idea of being in a real home struck a chord in Aed. Tears welled up in her eyes. Oh Rowena, thank you so much for the offer. I'd be truly delighted to stay here. She leaned forward and kissed the woman on the forehead.

Good that's settled then. Come and help me with dinner. Rowena lifted Aed's hands to her lips and kissed them.

In a quiet moment while Rowena was preparing vegetables, Aed asked Doonegal why she felt disgust with her actions if killing the men was the right thing to do. My dear girl it was right. In the absence of other choices, you were judge and executioner of two ne'er-do-wells. The world is a better place without them. You know that it was them or you. Anger and revulsion at being forced by them to lower yourself to killing is why you feel ill at ease. If you did not feel that way then you should worry, for then you will have become as hard and heartless as their ilk.

In Aed's opinion, Rowena's cooking surely could not have displeased the late Mister ma Owain. A tasty and palatable pot roast with vegetables garnished by herbs was both homely and a delight to consume. Mild mead complimented the meal.

Upstairs, there was only one room. Its size diminished by the slant of the roof and a dormer window that overlooked the street. A pewter basin stood on a washstand in one corner. Around the walls were four trunks and a chest of drawers that also served as a bedside table on which stood an oil lamp. Of the several pegs that protruded from the walls, cloaks occupied two. A thick and