Heroes to Hunted

By habit and a series of nightmares, I awoke at the crack of dawn. I tried to move, but the once-cold cot became a cozy entrapment to my body. For a few minutes, I sat in paralysis, internally battling with myself to leave the comfort of the cot.

Though it took mental effort, I willed myself out of bed and proceeded to the tent's entrance. When I stood up, a bout of dizziness assailed my mind. I stumbled and had to stabilize myself by placing an arm on the bed.

My mind pounded, and my stomach painfully squirmed with nausea. 'Damn alcohol,' I griped.

My stomach rumbled with hunger on my way out. The only thing I'd consumed the day prior were several servings of that gut-burning alcohol and some small bits of bread. If I wanted to be at all useful, I had to get something in my stomach.

In my pursuit of breakfast, I pushed the tent's flaps forward, revealing the warm embrace of the day's first light and the sight of two stationed guards.

'That's right...I'm under watch,' I sighed, remembering my conversation with Furuya. 'Well, I guess it's a chance to make a good impression.'

I stepped out between my two guards. Upon hearing me, they cocked their heads toward me and glared. Both were armed with shortswords and makeshift brown leather armor.

Their armor had clear differences, but the same couldn't be said for most of their physical features. They both had hair as golden as a meadow of wheat and green eyes that rivaled emeralds with their depth of color. Finally, their cheekbones and noses were symmetrically chiseled down to the last curve.

Their only differences; one sported long wavy hair and a beard, while the other was clean-shaven with short hair.

"Good morning," I nodded, trying to maintain some semblance of friendliness.

The two looked at each other, then nodded to me without saying a word.

Seeing their unfriendly response, I waved uneasily. "I'm just off to find some food," I motioned to my stomach and awkwardly chuckled.

At the mention of food, the bearded one broke his demeanor of seriousness. His eyes widened, and he let out a large grin. "Food?! Alright! I'm hungry too budd-"

Interrupting him was the other. He shot the bearded one a look of annoyance and growled. "Shut up, idiot! We're on duty!"

The bearded one slunk away and flashed me a twitchy smile. Finally, he cleared his throat and straightened his face. "That's fine," he said, trying to maintain a serious tone, "we'll show you there."

From there, they led me through the settlement. Probably due to the early hours, my path had little contact with others. I was grateful for it since it made my walk relatively peaceful.

That is until the bearded one spoke up again. "Hey! So if we're guarding you, we should get to know each other!"

I turned to match his gaze; he was childishly grinning beneath his beard.

"Idiot!" the short-haired one said. "Focus on guarding, not friending!"

The bearded one glanced at the other and stared for a moment. He, then returned his attention to me. "So anyway, my name's Alan and he's Joseph. We're brothers, born to the Traunt family!"

I was glad one of the two was talkative; it made it easier to read his intentions. "It's good to meet you, Alan. My name's-"

"Oh, General Furuya told us both already. You're some badass soldier from another world, right? That's so cool! Can you te-"

"ALAN!" Joseph snapped. "Just focus, would you?!"

Alan motioned his mouth to protest but was cut off by Joseph's pressuring glare.

"Okay, okay... I get it," Alan replied and held his tongue in silence.

After our conversation died down, I noticed a familiar rhythmic clanging. I'd heard it when we first arrived at the camp.

Over and over, it repeated, getting louder with every step I took. Eventually, the origin of the sound was revealed; it was the blacksmith, already hard at work.

Now that sunlight illuminated him, I could glean more details about his appearance.

Half his face was hidden beneath an unnaturally large, frayed gray beard. Like his hair, strands of his beard were twisted into a braid held by ornamental bands that snaked down his chest.

His most notable feature was his body's unique proportions. He was on the lower side of average height, and his chest was oddly bulky compared to his legs. Furthering the image of a "grizzled blacksmith," his burn-stained arms bulged with muscle. On one was a snaking pattern of tribal tattoos.

Alan raised a hand in greeting. "Hey, Barik! Working hard, I see!"

The blacksmith grunted back and projected a fierce look. He then returned to hammering away at the blade in front of him.

"Friendly as ever, I see," the bearded escort joked to the other.

But Joseph wasn't amused. "Would you act like a guard for once?" You're going to get us scolded by Hearth again."

Alan laughed and turned to Joseph. "It's fiiiiineee; you worry too much, bro."

As he scowled back, a visible crease in Joseph's forehead formed.

The two then bickered for the next several minutes.

Eventually, we arrived at our goal; a large, tented mess area fitted with makeshift tables, wooden log seating, and a cook's section.

Within the space for the cook was a large, dark gray cast iron cauldron suspended over an already roaring fire. It was surrounded by various wooden shelving and chopping tables. Completing the ensemble was a young man.

He sported a dirtied white apron over a pair of simple brown trousers secured with a rope belt. His tattered beige shirt added to his "peasant-like" appearance, while his deep brown eyes and hair complemented his natural look.

We stepped closer, and the man looked up from his task of smashing a slab of red meat. "Oh! If it isn't the Traunt brothers! Hello!" he lifted his hand and waved it, revealing the hammer he'd gripped for tenderizing meat.

"What's up, Johnny!" Alan cheerfully waved back, much to Joseph's displeasure. "What's there to eat?"

The question made the cook grimace as he solemnly looked at his cutting board. When we stopped next to him, I could see why.

Given this was an area for cooking and eating, I expected to see steaming vegetables, boiling meats, and simmering stews. But that wasn't the sight awaiting me when we arrived. Instead, it was pitifully bleak.

Barring a few stale loafs of bread and thin gruel, the shelves and tables were mostly barren. There were a few slabs of dried meats, but nothing that supported the idea of a long-time thriving settlement.

'Their food supply really is this bad?' Though I saw the ledger, I couldn't believe the settlement was in such dire straits.

Alan tried sneaking aside and picking off a chunk from one of the bread loaves. However, his hand was stopped when it was gripped by another's.

He looked up, and sheer terror sprawled across his face.

Joseph brought a hand to his forehead and mumbled the word "idiot." I could almost see his urge to disown Alan as a brother painted across his face.

Curious, I led my eyes up the arm attached to the hand, gripping Alan to place the face to whoever ambushed him.

Unlike the delicate hand grabbing him, its owner's expression was sadistic and evil. Within her silver eyes was the glint of murder.

"Try it, Alan... Try it and see how far you get," she squeezed down on his hand, causing him to wince in pain.

Alan nervously laughed and removed his hand away from hers. "Hearth! Very nice to see you! I was just...well," he sighed, knowing there was no way to explain away his actions, "I'll admit it. I'm super damn hungry!"

"We all are," she pulled her hands back and crossed them beneath her chest, "you need to deal with it, just like the rest of us."

"You're right! I'm very sorry!" Alan bowed. "We only came here because Sato said he was on death's door without food!"

'What the hell?' I was taken aback. Never had I said anything along those lines. Sure, I said I wanted some food, but I wasn't dramatic about it. Was this guy trying to throw me under the bus?

Hearth cast me a quizzical look. Seeing my own, she must've discovered what was truly happening. "Huhhhh," she shook her head, "I'm delighted you lied, Alan! The latrines needed to be cleaned. Seeing how I'll be taking charge of Mr. Sato now... I guess that makes the two of you free for the job!"

Alan whined, but not more so than his brother. "Goddammit, Joseph! I told you we'll get in trouble!" he threw up his arms in a fit of frustration.

"Off you go!" Hearth said with a deceivingly sweet voice. Seeing her depraved look of satisfaction at the brother's misery, I decided it'd be best not to get on this woman's bad side.

Once the two were out of sight and their very loud arguing became faint, she cast her gaze on me.

She tore off a chunk of bread from a loaf on the table and handed it to me. "General Furuya wants to see you. I'm only letting you have this because you'll need it. You ready to go?"

I knew I hadn't had a choice in the matter, especially if she sacrificed a chunk of their precious food for me.

I could now see why the two brothers feared Hearth so much; she was a mischievously cunning fox. Her every action seemed calculated to entrap those she interacted with.

So I smiled through clenched teeth and replied in agreement. "Absolutely!"