Delivering Wine

Old woods, it was what he thought of them. Dalen has these all about, and he wondered if it was something magic made possible. Old woods, thick knotted trees that looked like groups of people twisted together in pain and anguish. He looked to one as they passed, the tree was thick and the bark dark and rough, he could almost perfectly see the bodies all wrapped and twisted. Kline reconsidered, it could be pleasure and sin rather than pain. He had to admit, there was a thin difference between them.

He had chosen to ride with the wagons full of wine because he had few enough men as it was. Taxes needed to be paid and he needed to sell wine, and this would mean he would need to take it to the city to be sold, and so he was. Four other men, from his days as a soldier, they had come with him. They were cheap, working mostly for free wine and half what he might have to pay real mercenaries. He knew them and knew they were good fighters, though it was half as many men as he would have liked for the trip.

Two wagons full, one with casks, barrels big enough to hide two men comfortably, three on the wagon stood tall and proud sloshing against the wood as the wagon rolled over the road. The casks were made from a dark oak, banded with black iron, the driver sitting on the head of the front most cask, driving the team of four horses.

The second wagon loaded with bottles, lined from front to back on the wagon and packed in cotton. The wagon was covered and more of a box with wheels then a wagon, it opened up at the sides to bring the bottles out. The green glass for the bottles was not cheap, but it was the sort of thing nobles and fine inns would want to put in front of the guest, so he was told. A few of them had been opened last night as they camped, three bottles would not be missed, and it was a bit of a celebration as they had a safe uninterrupted trip.

Kline was on his horse, in his light armor, a leather jerkin and heavy leather pants. He carried a long spear with him, and a shield, just in case he needed to make use of his horse. He had a crossbow on the side of the horse, and carried silver tipped bolts, just in case. He knew Dalen, he had seen what creatures like werewolves could do on a battlefield, or what vampires could do at night. Magic seemed averse to silver, and being a human, and with no real magic ability, having little things like that around seemed helpful.

The wagons rolled under the limbs of the trees that seemed to make a tunnel over the road. Kline looked at the other men who protected the wagons. The looks of nervousness and caution was clear with them as well, they were spreading out and taking positions to better protect the shipment.

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