D C Ware [Ware - Overland Quest

OVERLAND QUEST

D.C. WARE

For those Of whom the world was not worthy. They wandered in deserts,

And in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.

Copyright 2015 D.C. WARE

All rights reserved.

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CHAPTER ONE

The King is Dead

Maverick never really liked coming to Foemans Cave. But as it was the only tavern in Milestill he came anyway, like just about every other man in the town. However, for some reason today he was particularly annoyed at being here. Brule the owner was in a bad mood and every time he brought Maverick an ale he kept reminding him that his tab was due at the end of this week . Maverick swore if Brule reminded him one more time Brule would have to add the cost of a broken mug to Maverick's tab for the one he intended to break across his face.

But really it was not Brule. He was always gruff, heck he had to be to run a tavern in this town. If anything, with all the chiding he was doing he was somewhat more talkative than usual tonight. The truth was Maverick was still upset about the argument he had with Lyla right before arriving. The two of them had spent the last week in Zafton haggling for various seafaring wares they could bring back to town and sell for a quick profit here in Milestill. The problem was now Lyla did not want to sell everything. Apparently, her father, who knew nothing about seafaring had told her that one of the compasses they had picked up was unusual or certainly unique. Something about him having heard of special compasses used by sailors in The Overland that could not only plot a ships direction but could warn a captain of bad weather approaching. Her father, who was a Merchant by trade, thought the compass they had found might be one of those. Now Lyla had it in her head that they could get more money for the compass selling it back in Zafton. Which, of course, was true if the compass was what her father said it was. Zafton being a port city would certainly bring a higher price for something like that than the hilly country of Milestill. The problem for Maverick was that he had not been one hundred percent truthful with Lyla about how he came by the compass in the first place. As far as she knew he exchanged it for an old dagger his mentor had given him. The truth was he had stolen it off a ship setting sail for the day right before the two of them left town.

The Crimson Oar was the name if he remembered correctly. And now Maverick was afraid that the captain or navigator would certainly have noticed the compass was missing by now and if it was that valuable they would certainly return to Zafton and start making inquiries about anyone trying to sell it. Inquiries that would lead them to Maverick and Lyla if they returned to sell it.

'Blessed be the One', he thought as he took another draft of his ale. He would not worry about that right now. He had just enough coins left from the items they had sold to buy two more ales and clear his tab at the end of the week. After that he would have to look for work in town again which probably meant going back to Old Lady Marlows storehouse and tying and baling hay. The work didnt pay that well but it wasnt all that hard and if Lady Marlow was away he could catch up on his sleep in the rafters before and after each shift.

But for the life of him Maverick never knew why they had to bale hay into 'squares'. Why not 'bag it' or 'bulk it' on a wagon?

Damn you boy, touch my elbow one more time and I'll kill ya!!"

The mans voice startled Maverick out of his reverie. Who was this clown? And who did he think he was yelling at? Maverick didnt even remember touching his elbow. Apparently he had been rocking back and forth in his stool and the rocking had caused his elbow to keep swiping up against the loud mouths elbow.

Maverick ignored him and sat up in his stool so the rocking would stop. After a short but intense stare the old grizzled patron went back to his drink and his friends.

Lads these days, have to teach them to respect their elders the man said. His friends grunted and groaned their approval of what he was about to say next before he even said it.

When I was that boys age, all we knew was war. One clan warring with another or the land being invaded from the Southlanders or those vile creatures from Glorn overrunning everything in hordes. It was the King I tell you that put an end to all of that. He and his knights rode up and down the length and breadth of this land bringing justice upon every transgressor that had afflicted his people. A right good man I tell you. A right good man. Nothing good will come of his passing. Do you hear me, nothing good!

Maverick was stunned. Did he just say that King Overlord had passed away? That King Overlord was dead? Rumors were all too common this far from the castle but rare indeed was the man who dared to spread a rumor of the Kings death if he had not received the news on the surest authority.

Brule! Brule come here. I wish to settle my tab! Maverick called Brule over to see what he had heard of this rumor.

Brule stood at the table wiping his hands on an apron tied to his waist.

Now dont be closing out your tab early if you are just going to be coming back tomorrow and the next day before the week ends. That messes my books up and I get one weeks tab mixed up with the next.

"You let me worry about that Brule." Here is your 30 silver pieces. Thats for last week and this.

Very well and thank you Young Maverick.

Hey, Brule what is this talk of the King being dead.

Well its more than talk son. A knight and three of his kind rode in here this morning looking for the mayor and bearing news of the kings death. As far as I can tell it is official.

CRAAAAAASH!!!!!!!

Mavericks empty mug hit the floor. A knight brought the news! He was stunned. Before Brule could react to Maverick dropping and breaking the mug. Maverick threw Brule three more silver pieces for the mug, grabbed his heavy coat and started out.

Stopping only to kick over the stool of the old clown that had threatened him earlier.

Boris you fat oaf you have never fought in a war in this life or any other; and if you ever threaten me again I will break your fat nose.

She didnt know why she always let him trick her. Lyla knew Maverick was not just going to Zafton to trade but she needed the money as much as he did. So she went along and pretended to believe his tale. And it had worked out well after he found the compass.

Up to that point the trinkets and ship nails they had bartered for would have scarcely earned them fifty gold pieces each back in Milestill. But as soon as she saw the compass she knew it was no ordinary compass.

Lylas father used to be a merchant and she saw the type of compass he had traded before and knew this one was nothing like them. For one thing the compass had two magnetic needles instead of one. One was silver and one was gold. The compass dial had four colored quadrants with labels that read fair, rain, storms, and winds. The silver needle seemed to point true north like most compasses but the gold needle pointed to one of the four color coded quadrants. The needles alone would command twenty gold pieces on the street in Milestill. But back in Zafton, a true shipping city, she believed the needles and compass would command five times that much. She had hoped to devise a ruse to get Maverick to return to Zafton with her where she would slip away and find a buyer but that was before her father went and told the stubborn oaf what the compass was worth. Now he absolutely refused to go back with her and worst yet he refused to try and sell it.

But that wouldnt do for Lyla. Her little brother, Tristan, had contracted an incurable illness some months back returning with their father from his last trading expedition to Wooddam. They had cut through the Swallowing Swamps and Tristan had come down with the illness then. Most people called it Swamp Fever but her friend Midas, a healer, told her it was not a fever. The only thing that kept it from getting worse were healing potions she had been buying from Midas. But at ten gold pieces each she could barely afford two potions if she sold the compass in town and Midas told her that she needed at least six for Tristan to fully recover.