Melody of War 2

“Link!~♪”

Melody sang out in joy as she reached the tip of the grass covered spire of rock that served as one of the teeth to the mountains it jutted out from the foothills of. Her joy upon reaching the tip was at the sight of a most peculiar maid garbed, or rather skinned, in a suit of chainmail and naught else from her chin to the soles of her feet. Her peculiar suit of armor hid nearly no detail so her similar to Melody, though a touch too thin to take advantage of her curves, slender figure was on full display. The long, brown haired and large, round-eyed maid would have been taller than Melody if not for the harpy’s stilt like feet but by no stretch of the imagination was the maid tall. The last similarity the two shared was their white skin, though Melody was lighter in shade still, as the accessories they wore differed with a two-handed sword on the maid’s hip and a blue cloth holding Melody’s large, twin blue bead decorated hair in a ponytail. Their similarities and differences meant little to the maid as she turned to see Melody fast approaching and greeted her with smile.

“Glad to see you on your feet Melody. Though I have to ask, where’s Elliot?”

“Ah, ha, ha, ha, ha!~ ♪ I challenged him to a race and won~♪”

“Feeling better then?”

“I wouldn’t take her word for that Chain. Before challenging me to a race she needed a moment to catch her breath and let the pain from her wounds subside.”

“Is that so?”

Melody offered Chain a nervous smile accompanied by laughter as Elliot caught up with her and gave away her condition to Chain. Chain did not seem particular surprised though and turned her attention back to the distance beyond the grassy spire of rock she stood at the tip of.

“I probably shouldn’t be surprised considering my talent with healing magic.”

“Speaking of such Chain, I must inquire of your own well being. It has only been a twin-day since you did battle with the Bandit King and surely you’re mastery of healing magic could not be enough to travel in such haste in safety.”

“Says the idiot who challenged me to a duel yesterday.”

“A folly I find myself strongly regretting.”

Elliot hung his head as Chain brought his challenge to duel to his attention. Growing quickly irritated with his crestfallen reaction Chain clutched at her left temple.

“Look, don’t worry about. I’m doing well enough and am more concerned about Melody than myself. As you saw for yourself when we were attacked by those assassins last night I can still handle myself in a fight quite fine. Melody on the other hand, well until she fully recovers it’s unlikely she’ll be able to fly which will prove problematic as we continue putting space between us and Highroot.”

“So that’s why we’re out here~♪ You took my advice and ran~♪”

“All night long.”

“All the more reason for you to rest Chain. Between your own injuries and our need for your magic to assure the foul beasts that roam at night out here leave us be it is best that you rest during the day.”

Chain had begun to lower her hand from her temple as she replied to Melody but Elliot’s comments only strengthened the ferocity with which she clutched at her head. Elliot was not about to let Chain disregard his concerns however and continued much to the maid’s chagrin.

“And I won’t hear anymore arguments. Melody has recovered enough to at least walk and Varen is more than strong enough to carry you while you sleep regardless of the weight your chainmail.”

“I have no desire to be swaddled like an infant while travelling the wilds and being left defenseless. That sling worked just fine for Melody since she didn’t really have a say but I do and I say no.”

“Um, Link, I don’t mean to interrupt but who’s Varen?”

“An idiot whose life I saved last night. He’s off hunting with a maid by the name of Mail whose life I also happened to save last night.”

“A fact I am, and for certain they are as well, most grateful for. It is shameful that even despite being a Hero I could not protect the soldiers under my command and the only two of my unit to survive were saved by you Chain.”

“Look, like I said earlier don’t worry about it. At least not yet, I’ll find a way to get you three to pay me back soon enough for all of the trouble that you’ve caused me. And I think that about sums up who Varen is Melody.”

“It kind of does but I see anyone besides you and Elliot, Link~♪”

“Really now. You may be preternaturally intelligent for a harpy but I worry about your observancy.”

“Huh?”

Melody tilted her head in confusion as a high pitched voice berated her from somewhere much nearer the ground next to Chain. Leaning sideways to peer just past the chainmail clad maid a peculiar creature who only stood about the height of a man’s shin stood garbed in red robes and a pair of spectacles came into view. Beyond that they were but a ball of grey fur with a short snouted mouse head, long curved feet that extended out of the ball of fur and robes, and a long smooth furred prehensile tail. Their expression was naught but one of irritation though that quickly changed to irritation and pain as Chain kneed him in the back of the head.

“I’d prefer you not assault me Chainmaid.”

“And I’d prefer you don’t insult my partner.”

“Aw~!~♪ He’s absolutely adorable!~ ♪”

Completely oblivious to the exchange between the odd creature and Chain, Melody’s eyes sparkled at the sight of the individual. Dashing over Melody squatted down to study them startling them with the speed with which she moved.

“It really doesn’t matter~♪ Every Rattama I’ve ever seen is just absolutely adorable~♪”

“I may be Rattama but I am also an important individual and vital to Sir Elliot’s mission. You would be wise to provide me with some berth.”

“But you’re so fluffy~♪”

“You should have nothing to fear from Melody, Master Wherks. Though I’ve scant known Chain and her companion a twin-day I can assure that even though Melody is a harpy she is as much a person as anyone else you are likely to meet on any city street.”

“Huh? This is Mater Wherks?”

“That I am harpy. One of the most renowned of all Rattama Song Smiths in all the Five Theatres of Civilization.”

“Really~♪ Then why are you out here in the middle of nowhere?~ ♪”

“Sir Elliot, though the Chainmaid likely disagrees I find this domesticated harpy to be anything but an enjoyable travel companion.”

“You’re right, I disagree.”

Chain’s disagreement with Wherks was emphasized with a repeated knee to the Rattama’s head. Elliot could offer little comfort to his Rattama charge beyond a hopeless smile. Earning a disapproving look from Wherks, Elliot turned his attention back to Melody.

“I believe I told you Melody that explanations would come after introductions and as Varen and Mail are working on securing us a meal from a pack of horned wolves we spied in the vicinity perhaps over breakfast will be best.”

“Horned wolves!~ ♪ Mmmm!~ ♪ They’re absolutely delecious~♪ Where are they?~ ♪”

Springing up to her feet Melody stepped past Chain and Wherks to look out over the jagged grasslands to the south of the mountains. In the distance her vastly superior vision picked up the sight of a pack of golden furred wolves that surely enough had antlers akin to jagged tree branches that Wherks required the spyglass he held to make out. Amongst their rank Melody spied a lanky man nearly two meters in height with long black hair in a tight braid garbed in a blue soldier’s uniform putting a claymore to use in thinning the pack. His sword work was impressive as he had not actually inflicted a lethal blow, instead working to disorient and confuse the pack of wolves. The first wolf to die actually did as a result of an arrow to the base of the skull fired from some distance off. Scattering from the shock of the unseen attack the wolves made to retreat but Melody traced back the path of the arrow to a plain maid with short dark hair dressed in an identical uniform to the man and carrying a bow with a quiver full of arrows dangling from her hip beside her sword.

“Huh? Isn’t that your bow Link?”

“It is but I let Mail use it since I took on both lookout duty and keeping an eye on Wherks here while I left you in Elliot’s care.”

“Huh? Is that so… Well she’s pretty good with it~♪”

“I guess that means we have breakfast then.”

“That we do Chainmaid. Varen is even now signaling us as he collects the bounty of his and Lady Mail’s hunt.”

“In that case we should avail ourselves to the meeting point so we might eat and discuss our plans going forward. Also Melody, I hope to hear of the Hero you claim to be behind the assassins.”

The joy brought about by the thought of breakfast was lost for Melody no sooner than Elliot made mention of the Hero who the harpy knew to be behind the assassins that had attacked Elliot while they were still in the city the night before. A look of apprehension fell upon Melody’s face as she watched Elliot turn his back and make to descend from the grass covered spire of rock. Her expression went unnoticed by the Hero and Wherks as the Rattama set off after Elliot. Chain did not miss Melody’s trepidation and offered her a comforting word.

“Come on Melody, no point worrying about something you can’t control. Besides, between breakfast and what you know of this Hero we should be able to make sure they don’t catch up with us if they’re even aware that we left Highroot.”

Copyright © 2018 Joshua D Tarwater