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    The Savage Lands 3
    The Savage Lands 3
    The Savage Lands 3
    Ebook384 pages6 hours

    The Savage Lands 3

    By Raymond Towers

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    About this ebook

    From humble origins rise the greatest heroes. Sir Hoppe, cursed to live among criminals, yearning above all else to become a knight. Herri, Brun, Cerny, escaping their poor village for adventure, taking a path that will lead to the emergence of the Red Lady. Here are their beginnings, trials and tribulations. Soon, the evil of the Savage Lands will shatter their lives! Rating: HIGH controversy.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherRaymond Towers
    Release dateFeb 15, 2019
    ISBN9780463987469
    The Savage Lands 3
    Author

    Raymond Towers

    Raymond Towers is an author of fantasy, horror and science fiction that strays away from the mainstream, plus a little in the way of true paranormal and other genres. He has written and independently published over forty titles, most of them full-length novels and collections, with several more on the way. The author has been a lifelong resident of warm and sunny southern California, a location that pops up frequently in his writing. At the moment, the author is looking for ways to reach new readers all over the world, in addition to pursuing his great love of writing and taking it to the next level.

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      Book preview

      The Savage Lands 3 - Raymond Towers

      Similar Titles And Series:

      The Savage Lands Series

      When the gods bicker, the world of Grond trembles. More and more, the barriers of this world are shaken, affecting reality, time and space. In this cosmic battlefield, gods will seek to walk the earth, while their rivals will seek to prevent it. Throughout the ages, this great war will persist. Only the greatest heroes of this world, and those drawn from other worlds, can hope to bring order out of chaos.

      The Savage Lands 1

      A land tainted by ancient sorcery, full of corruption and evil that spreads and infects whatever it grasps. What can be done when the very trees watch with sinister eyes, when all is not it seems? A sorcerer will cast his spells, while a scoundrel hunts for treasure and a knight holds his head high with honor. The greatest test of all is here, here in the Savage Lands. Rating: HIGH controversy.

      The Savage Lands 2

      Dobrynia the Valkyrie, hurled into an ancient and mysterious world, struggles to find her companions, who are trapped in a land of evil magic that shifts its reality without warning. Follow Dobrynia’s daring steps, and those of her friends, as they venture into this hostile land that refuses to give up its dark secrets. The greatest test of all is only beginning. Rating: HIGH controversy.

      Dobrynia’s Path 1

      Her name is Dobrynia. She is one of Odin’s Chosen, a beautiful Valkyrie sent to claim the souls of great warriors for Valhalla. Her world, however, has grown stagnant and dull. And so, Dobrynia has risked all she knows to enter the mysterious portal that has appeared, leading into the unknown. She steps into our modern world, and in many ways enters the mouth of Hell. Rating: EXTREME controversy.

      Dobrynia’s Path 2

      This is a story of adventure and glory, of great battles and wars, of triumphs and defeats taking place on the Nine Worlds of Viking lore. Ragnarok has come, and as a result, an entire universe is starting to collapse in on itself. The warrior Dobrynia must rally her fellow Valkyrie, perhaps to defy even the gods as she struggles to save her world from destruction. Rating: HIGH controversy.

      The Savage Lands 3

      Raymond Towers

      Copyright 2019 Raymond Towers

      Smashwords Edition, License Notes: This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to your favorite ebook retailer and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

      Content Rating: All of the characters in this e-book are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual persons, whether living or dead, is purely coincidental. All characters depicted in sexual acts in this work of fiction are 18 years of age or older. This e-book contains a HIGH amount of controversial subject matter.

      About the cover: The image was produced by Hans Splinter. It is titled Medieval Knight. This image was acquired through Flickr and is being used under a Creative Commons BY - ND License.

      About this title: From humble origins rise the greatest heroes. Sir Hoppe, cursed to live among criminals, yearning above all else to become a knight. Herri, Brun, Cerny, escaping their poor village for adventure, taking a path that will lead to the emergence of the Red Lady. Here are their beginnings, trials and tribulations. Soon, the evil of the Savage Lands will shatter their lives! Rating: HIGH controversy.

      #####

      Table Of Contents

      Book One – Sir Hoppe, Rogue Knight

      Chapter 1

      Chapter 2

      Chapter 3

      Chapter 4

      Chapter 5

      Chapter 6

      Chapter 7

      Chapter 8

      Book Two – The Three Travelers

      Chapter 9

      Chapter 10

      Chapter 11

      Chapter 12

      Chapter 13

      Chapter 14

      Chapter 15

      Chapter 16

      About The Author

      #####

      Book One – Sir Hoppe, Rogue Knight

      1

      Hazel eyes cast their gaze heavenward,

      Soft lips never again say another word,

      Behind the alder, there she does lie,

      This lovely maiden who will not rise,

      Her last whispers have been heard.

      First, Hop, you must gain their trust. Old Krem said, his voice coming across as a ragged whisper in the fading light. You’ve seen me walking about as if I had a limp on me. It disarms the marks. It makes them lean toward giving me sympathy. And these old, torn clothes I wear, they draw pity out as well. One look at me, and they’ll think, now there is the poorest bastard the sun ever warmed the back of. The first impression, Hop, is the most important. It will set the stage for what comes after.

      Hoppe had heard those same words before, many a time. Krem tended to repeat his dirty lessons when it was nearing time for him to act, as if they reinforced his mind for the violence he was near to committing. The fifteen year-old Hoppe, or simply Hop for short, knew better than to speak when Krem was in this agitated state. The old man nearly pulled his ear off the last time.

      What happens, boy, once you have their trust?

      The two were hidden behind a thicket, set close to the road leading to Kirwick. From their spot, they could see down the road a ways. They were keeping their eyes open for any travelers in a hurry to reach the city before nightfall.

      I asked a question, boy. You’d best answer me, or I’ll make you my woman again tonight! What happens when you have their trust?

      Strike fast and deep. Hop replied.

      Good, good. Krem nodded, his head barely seen in the rising shadows. There, can you smell him? It is a man, alone, walking at a brisk pace. Either he carries little in his purse or he has bound it up so his coins won’t shake.

      Despite the horror nearing to happen, it always intrigued Hop that his mentor could be so accurate. Risking a blow across the face, he asked Only one man, Krem? How do you know this?

      The sound carries across the road. I can hear the man’s breaths, his strides that are fast and the rustle of his clothes. You must learn to decipher the clues if you are to get good at this. Keep your silence now. He is close.

      Hop wondered if Krem had a second set of ears that he used in these situations. When the young man saw the old bastard round the thicket and step onto the road, he sat as still and as quiet as a stone.

      Who goes there? A new voice called out.

      It is only I, good sir. Krem replied in a croak. Undoubtedly, the old man was out there limping already. I’m a pilgrim come to the great house of worship in Kirwick, but I’ve twisted my ankle on these infernal wagon ruts. I do hope to make the main gate before it has shut for the night.

      You will never make it at your pace.

      I beg of thee, good sir. Will you lend an arm to a fellow in need? I can make it to the gate with your help.

      I have no time for you. The man replied brusquely.

      Hop had heard this before as well. Most travelers were wary of coming across strangers on the open road, even crusty old bastards such as Krem. He could imagine the old man now, keeping quiet and letting the mark pass him by. In a moment, Krem’s voice would sound desperate, as he called after the mark...

      Lend me your arm, good sir, and I will be sure to put your name into my prayers, once I stand before the altar of God.

      That was another notable skill of Krem’s. The old man only had a few seconds to gauge his mark and deliver his fishing lure, and he always knew the right thing to say to get the mark to pause. Some marks waited for Krem to catch up to them, but most would walk back grumbling as they reached out to pull the old man along with them.

      Hop listened very closely. This next part came and went rapidly. Sometimes he could hear Krem’s dagger striking the victim, but tonight’s mark was one of the louder ones. The unsuspecting man had probably just raised his arm over Krem’s shoulders, leaving his front open. The young man heard the man’s gasp as the blade cut into him, and the staggering coughs that followed. Krem was always precise in his killing; he struck through the ribs and into the lungs, preventing his prey from sucking in enough air to cry out an alarm.

      Get to it, Hop! Krem was heard hissing through the air.

      The old man could be strong when he wanted to, but Hop was much taller and full of youthful vigor. While Krem used a leafy branch to wipe away their tracks and conceal the murder, Hop dragged the body around the thicket and further into the woods, where they had found a good place to dispose of it.

      Take him by the arms. Krem whispered. Be careful with the cloak. It is worth a good five Pigeons.

      Hop dragged the corpse away, knowing it was wrong in the eyes of God to kill men this way, but also knowing that God did not always see what went on in the dark. He pulled the dead man along at a good pace, hoping he had enough of the cloak in his grip that it would not drag on the rough ground and tear. In his haste, Hop tripped and fell, bringing the dead man’s arms onto his sturdy frame. Krem would whip him if he knew that Hop had fallen, so the youth quickly stood up and went to hauling the corpse again. Things had not always been this way.

      Hop remembered a time when he had a father and mother, parents so poor they had sold him away once his manly stature and strength became evident. After this, he’d been traded from one owner to the next, until he ended up as the property of a ditch digger in Carden. Those ditches were backbreaking work to dig out, and once done they would become filled with water that irrigated fields. Bandits had come to kill the ditch digger and took the man’s half dozen slaves as spoils, Hop among them.

      This last time, Hop ended up at Turnsby. He and the other captures were to be sold by a guild of thieves, but once, twice, the deal had not gone through and he’d remained their prisoner. That is where Krem came in. He and another old thief had taken a liking to the young boys, and in a moment of action, the thieves had taken Hop and another slave with them. On the road, Krem and the other man had a falling out and gone their separate ways. That’s how Hop had ended up under the old man’s care, a one-sided partnership that had lasted a good five months by then.

      Have you got him in place, Hop? Krem was heard striding to him.

      Yes, I have.

      The body was rolled down a short slope, where its stink would not reach the road. At the bottom of this slope, Krem and Hop stripped the clothing and other items off. It was too dark to see exactly what they had gained, but at this point that was secondary. The important matter was to take the dead man’s belongings deeper into the woods.

      Do you have the purse? Krem demanded. Give it to me!

      Here.

      Hop held it out. Krem snatched it away, before lashing out a backhand that struck the young man across the face.

      Don’t you ever think that you can hide anything from me. Krem threatened. If I catch you doing it, I will kill you!

      Hop tasted blood on his lips, from where the old man had hit him. When Krem trudged off, he quietly followed behind.

      If too many travelers went missing, the sheriffs would send out their deputies to clear the roads of bandits. This was not too concerning in the smaller villages and towns, as the lawmen always had other work to keep them occupied for most of the day. Bigger places such as Kirwick could afford dedicated lawmen. When Krem spotted several men on horseback the next morning, he became spooked enough to travel south.

      Hitchin was two days’ walk from Kirwick, but luckily someone had thought to build a trading post and inn at half the distance. Krem and Hop would walk the road if they saw no other persons on it, or hide in the trees if they did. They wore several sets of clothes on their bodies, taken from their victims, and several pairs of hats, shoes and other items bundled up into small sacks they carried. It took them a day and a half to reach the trading post. Hop was hungry after having eaten only a meager portion of bread and cheese for all that time.

      This here is Mule Tavern. Krem motioned to the establishment. You keep your mouth shut unless I tell you to speak.

      A few times, Hop had considered running away from the old man. He didn’t think Krem could chase him down, as his young legs were certainly stronger and his body more agile. Hop hadn’t done it yet, mostly because he had no idea of how he would survive on his own. When Krem shoved him toward the door, and despite that Hop was so much taller, the youth simply bowed his head and went inside.

      In a place like this one, it seemed that Krem was drawn automatically to other men like him. There were three, seated on two benches in a corner of the tavern, all of them with rough faces but much younger than Krem. On the table between the men sat several bowls of some sort of stew, but Hop was so hungry he didn’t care what was in it as long as he could eat.

      Is this a table where a traveler can talk business? Krem asked the men.

      What kind of business? One man asked, leaning closer.

      My boy and me, we’re traveling with too many clothes. Krem elaborated. It might make matters easier for us if we could trade what we have for a different set.

      There is a trading stall that sells clothes across the road. The man motioned. We can talk openly once we’re there.

      Two men led them over to the stall. It was large enough for them to walk past the merchandise and seller, and to the back where Krem and Hop took off everything they had on. They set their hats, belts and shoes on a table, where the two traders inspected each piece and came up with a price for it.

      Five Pigeons for the entire lot. The main trader said at the end.

      Krem usually haggled over the prices when he felt he was being cheated, but this time he was hungry enough to bicker only slightly. Ten Pigeons.

      Six.

      Six is too low. Eight.

      Seven.

      Krem huffed, but that was his sign that he agreed with the price. Seven, but you will let us choose new clothes from the merchandise you have here.

      Six and you can choose what you want from this side of the stall. None of the expensive items from the other side.

      Done. Krem nodded.

      The second man hadn’t spoken much, until that moment. His eyes were lingering on Hop’s strong chest and arms. One Pigeon for a tumble with the boy.

      Three.

      I can find two boys for three Pigeons.

      Two skinny runts, perhaps. Nothing like my boy here. Two Pigeons and a pitcher of ale for us.

      That will still cost me three Pigeons.

      Three Pigeons and you can have a tumble with me, too.

      The traders laughed at the offer, but that’s exactly what Krem wanted. The second man agreed to pay two Pigeons and the ale. As the coins and clothes exchanged hands, the second man took Hop out into the trees, behind the trading post.

      What good is a woman? Krem asked, when they were on the road once again. He’d told the traders they would keep going south to Hitchin, but that had been a lie. They were really headed east to Cockermouth.

      Hop was big and sturdy, but he was unaccustomed to drinking strong ale. He was inebriated as they trudged along down the road.

      Krem reached out and slapped him on the shoulder. I asked you a question!

      Hop winced from the blow. What question? What do you want?

      I asked, what good is a woman?

      They are no good at all.

      You’ve almost got it right. Krem chuckled. Women are only good for one thing, and that is whoring. They always nag a man and make a man spend his money on them. You can never trust a woman, boy. Always remember that.

      After having been to so many places and having seen so many faces, Hop could barely recall what his father looked like. That man had always been working out in the fields, it seemed, and when he was home, he would often be too tired to pay any attention to him. His mother’s face, on the other hand, he could remember very well. She was the one that had insisted on selling him away.

      Hop wondered why Krem had asked him that question, only then becoming aware that a young couple was approaching them. The man had his hat, tunic and trousers, while the woman had a headscarf and kirtle. How did you know a woman was coming?

      I can smell the soap she used to bathe. It isn’t the usual lye, boy, but something else made from flower oils.

      Hop tried smelling the air for the scent, but he was too drunk to register anything. He thought the woman was pretty as the couple came closer to them. Krem raised his hand in greeting and started talking in a friendly voice. The woman’s husband waved back. The woman even grinned at Hop. Really, she was very pretty.

      Krem could move very fast when he wanted to. The husband had a dagger in his stomach and was shoved to the ground. The wife was in complete bewilderment, so much that she stood still until the old man rained down fists on her and felled her as well.

      Drag him into the trees, boy, while I drag her!

      Hop was almost too intoxicated to think, but his body was used to lugging dead people around in a hurry. In a moment, he assessed that the husband’s shirt was bloody and ruined, prompting him to drag from the legs so the trousers would be saved. Since this was all done in the spur of the moment, he followed Krem off the road. The woman screamed once, but she stopped when Krem hit her and rendered her unconscious.

      They had captured a woman once before. Krem had said he would bring the whore out of her before letting her go. Hop assumed the same thing would happen this time, so that when the old man told him to clear their tracks, he simply released the legs of the dead husband and strode off. When he returned, Krem told him to undress the corpse except for the stained shirt, while he took the woman further away and brought the whore out of her.

      Hop did as he was told, before he found a good place to hide the man’s body. He then walked back near the road to wait for Krem.

      Where is the woman? He asked, upon the old man’s reappearance.

      She played the whore for me. I let her go a distance back. Did you wipe our tracks clear?

      I did. Hop confirmed. One hundred paces back.

      Krem scanned the distance. We’ll walk through the brush for a distance, before we step back on the road. Did you clean my dagger?

      Hop handed the weapon over. What if the woman reaches the road and makes a report?

      She won’t do that.

      How do you know?

      I told her to walk off in another direction.

      Hop’s head was addled, but he still knew they were on the only road, and how far they were from any settlements. We should return to the trading post and take another road. If this woman tells anyone what we’ve done, they are sure to find us if we keep to this same road!

      I told you not to worry about that. She won’t say a thing to anybody. Krem insisted. I scared her through and through. This is what we have to worry about. If those two were part of a group, and they just happened to get ahead of the rest, then there might be others coming around soon. I think they were part of a bigger group.

      How can you tell that?

      Their clothes and shoes weren’t dusty enough for them to be walking about on their own. Besides, you didn’t see any food or water on them, did you?

      Hop replied that he had not.

      There you have it. Krem said. They must be coming with others. You and me, we’ll cross the road and find a hiding place. I don’t think it will be safe enough if we’re seen on the road today. Let’s wait until night comes before we head off.

      They found a hill high enough to give them a view of the road, only a short distance from their latest murder. Krem watched the road for nearly an hour, before he delegated the task to Hop and finished off the last of the ale. After this, the old man went to sleep. The youth understood that his mentor would be in slumber for a good while, so he kept a close watch on the road.

      Hop saw a wagon rolling through, with an older couple at the reins and a covered bed where children were heard singing. This worried him, as surely that pretty wife could hear the wagon’s noise or the voices drifting from the back of it. He was surprised when the wagon’s form grew smaller and smaller, and was finally lost in the distance, with no woman crying out to it.

      After making sure that Krem was still sleeping, Hop made his way to the edge of the road. Still, he neither saw nor heard any sign of the pretty wife. On impulse, he darted across the road to find her. He only wanted to tell her to head west, and hurriedly so she could catch up with the wagon. Normally, Hop wouldn’t have cared about that woman, but she had grinned at him, and that pleasant look had become stuck in his mind so much that he longed to see her again.

      Hop found the dead husband, in the same spot he’d left the man. Krem couldn’t have gone that much farther with the woman, he figured, so he went searching for her. Hop came to her body in a short time. It was covered over with branches and leaves, hidden behind a tree trunk. With a sick feeling in his gut, he uncovered the woman’s face to see it one last time. All the prettiness was now gone from it.

      That other woman they’d captured, Krem had probably killed her too. This is what Hop was thinking as he made his way back to the hill. Krem had whored with the woman and then taken her life. For some unknown reason, this bothered Hop more than when Krem killed men.

      Where did you go? Krem demanded, the moment Hop found him on the hill.

      I saw a wagon drive by. I went to the edge of the road to make sure it wouldn’t come back.

      When they returned to the road, Hop showed the wagon’s tracks to the old man. This prompted them to start moving east again. Often, Hop would look behind them as they walked.

      You’re spooked, aren’t you? Krem asked. Don’t worry so much. If I get the feeling that someone is coming, we’ll head into the brush again.

      Hop went along with that, but in truth he was upset that Krem had murdered that woman who had so innocently grinned at him.

      For the rest of that day, the dead woman’s face haunted his thoughts. Hop began seeing her in the forest, peering at him from behind the trees, or crouching next to a fat and leafy bush. She looked entirely real to him from the corner of his eyes, but when he turned to look at her directly, she would always disappear.

      What is the matter with you today? Krem lambasted him, once the evening drew late and they began searching for a place to sleep through the night. Earlier, you were looking over your shoulder with every other stride, and now you look as if you’ve seen a ghost.

      Are ghosts real, Krem?

      Some are and some aren’t. Men will pretend to be ghosts so they can put a good scare into someone, and if they succeed, that story will grow wings and carry out all over. Some ghosts are as real as they want to be, while others will slink behind you in a quiet way, so that you won’t know they are there. There’s one behind you now!

      Full of fear, Hop whirled around to gawk at the dark road behind them.

      Ha! Krem laughed, thinking he’d pulled a joke on Hop. When he saw the youth trembling, his eyes narrowed suspiciously. Something is eating away at you, boy. You had best spit it out before I beat it out of you. What’s your trouble? Did you find a thing of value on that man today? Are you keeping it away from me, because if you are, I’ve a good mind to give your head a thumping.

      That man you killed, Hop lied, not wanting to give away that he’d seen the dead woman. I think it must be his ghost following us. I keep seeing his face everywhere.

      What’s the ghost doing?

      Nothing, Krem. He only stands in a place for a single moment, and then he vanishes away into clear air. I’m not keeping a thing from you. You can search me if you don’t believe me.

      Some of Hop’s paranoia must have infected the old man, as pretty soon Krem was looking over his shoulder the same as Hop was.

      I thought you drank the last of the ale earlier. Hop mentioned, once they’d found a good spot a ways from the road.

      They’d investigated that spot for a good distance around, noting the best routes for a quick escape from any night-riding deputies. Once they returned to their temporary camp, they lit up a fire, and in its glow Hop had witnessed Krem pulling a full goat’s bladder out from his waist.

      There are things you need to know, and things you don’t. Krem sniggered.

      How many other hidden bladders of ale are you carrying?

      I am not sharing my ale with you! Krem shouted at him. The only way you’ll get a drink tonight, is if I piss it out and you catch it into a cup!

      The old man always laughed at his jokes. Sometimes Hop laughed with him, while other times he thought the jokes stupid. On this particular night, Hop wondered if he could take the ale, and get drunk enough so that he could forget about that dead woman’s face that had been haunting him all day.

      Krem noticed the defiance in the youth’s face, and he abhorred it. Are you a grown man now, is that it? Are you going to challenge me for my ale? Well, come on and try it! See if you don’t get a dagger in your belly for your effort! Come on, then!

      The old man always had a stick ready to beat Hop with. He picked it up and came over to the youth’s side of the fire waving it. In reflex, Hop brought his arms up to cover his face and felt the wood stinging against his flesh.

      No, Krem, stop hitting me! The youth cried out. I won’t take your ale, I promise! Leave me be, Krem!

      His pleading did not gain him any mercy, and in fact Krem went on to beat him even more harshly than usual. At the end of it, Hop was left in a sobbing crumple just out of range of the fire’s glare. Not only had Krem battered his arms, but his head and back as well.

      One day, boy! One day you’ll push me too far and then it will be you lying out there in the woods!

      No, Krem, I don’t want that! Hop begged. You keep your ale, and don’t you come after me!

      Krem mumbled and cursed at him for a while longer, until the ale got the better of him. After that, the man crept in close to the fire and fell asleep.

      Hop sat there listening to the old man snore. He wished he could run away from Krem, or that some strong man might come along and rescue him. After a time, he got cold enough to want to crawl over to the heat of the fire, but he had to make sure the old man was fully asleep first. Hop stood up and leaned and peered as Krem snored away.

      A realization came to dawn in the youth’s mind. He was taller than Krem by nearly a full head. He was also stronger than Krem, and he could walk a good while longer. Hop had wished for a strong man to rescue him, but perhaps he could be that strong man and save himself.

      God helps those who help themselves. Hop murmured. It was one of Krem’s favorite sayings. Krem sometimes used that saying as an excuse to kill and rob as he did, claiming that if God disapproved, surely he would give Krem a warning of some sort.

      Over by the tree Hop had been cowering next to, he’d seen a large rock. He went over to pick the rock up and bring it up next to where the old man slept.

      By God, it wasn’t right what you did to that woman today. Hop said, as he lifted that heavy stone above his head and smashed it down on Krem’s skull. She was only a young wife, and you killed her!

      A second time, he lifted that hard stone and brought it down. Krem had been drunk, and now that terrible man was dead. For a good duration, Hop stared at the gore he’d caused. This done with, he searched through the old man’s clothing, finding no more hidden skins of ale, but he did discover two coin purses instead of one. Later he would count whatever wealth was in there, Hop decided, but at that moment he only wanted to leave his dead mentor behind and put a great distance between them.

      The next morning, Hop ignored the wagons heading west, as he had no eagerness to revisit that place of the dreadful murders. When he saw a driver traveling east, however, he waved his arms about until the man slowed for him.

      Are you headed for Cockermouth? Hop called out. Will you take me there?

      Cockermouth is on my way. The driver replied. "What are you doing out here in the middle of no

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