“Can’t you see she’s too far above us?” Kaja joked.
Aloisia elbowed her, snapping back to herself, and headed to the storehouse. She returned with the deer across a shoulder, which she then slung atop her horse. Mounting her mare, she led her to the front where Mavka and Dhara awaited her.
“I’ll see you peasants later, then,” she called back to them.
Inari shook his head, a smirk playing on his lips. She felt somewhat bad abandoning him with Kaja, but she was also proud to have been asked to ride at the head of the column. As one of the younger huntresses, her place would be at the back until such a time as newer huntresses joined them. Though she did not wish for new colleagues yet. It was rare for huntresses to retire.
Mavka gave a warm smile as Aloisia guided her mare to the space beside Dhara. “Ready?”
Aloisia nodded.
The lead huntresses regarded the rest of the column, checking everyone was in their place.
“Move out,” Mavka called, pushing her horse into a trot.
It was strange being in the middle of it all. Normally, Aloisia and Kaja would keep their own pace at the back. As long as they were close enough to the group, it went unnoticed. But here at the front, she had to keep up with Mavka and Dhara.
“I dislike that the shaman is going before the judiciaries alone,” Dhara said, never one to mince her words. “It is not something we can control, of course. At least when it was you, we could send Mavka in too.”
“I’m going to go with him,” Aloisia said. “Though, of course, they likely won’t let me in.”
“Precisely.”
“Why are you so wary of the magistrate?”
Dhara barked a laugh. “It is not just him I am wary of. You will find, in time, none of the guilds work well together. Too much power, spread too far apart. Too many leaders in too many different spheres of influence. Some for the Crown, some for the people. It is all far too political for me.”
“You never were one for politics.” Mavka chuckled.
“It’s a good job we have you,” Dhara said. “I am too blunt for the subtlety of such things.”
“To put it plainly,” Mavka said, “there are those in service to the Crown, like the priests and the magistrates. Then there are those who serve the people like the huntresses and warriors. A fine balance must be kept between them. Neither side will like the other to have too much influence. Huntresses are to provide food for the poor, and nothing more, is what they would have you believe. But there are reasons for such ancient traditions as the one you invoked, Aloisia. Huntresses command the respect of the people because we serve them. They look to us for guidance.”
“Therefore,” Dhara interjected, “you will be a target. Know that and use it against them.”
Dread threatened to choke Aloisia. She knew the power the judiciaries wielded, and what it could mean for her if she crossed them. Regardless, she would not allow injustice.
The dirt tracks turned to cobbled streets as they traversed the outskirts of Littlewatch. Mavka pushed her mare into a gallop, and they all followed suit. The townsfolk stood at their doorsteps, applauding them as they thundered through the streets. Pride filled her chest, knowing the importance of their duty and the support they had from the people because of it.
Such support would be the downfall of the other guilds. With the huntresses involved in the trial, they could not skirt away from what she would bring forth. And, if the Divines were good, Inari would be able to find some evidence to counter their case. She had to believe as much. For Fynn’s sake, if nothing else.
Soon enough, they came upon Temple Green. Aloisia glanced back, trying to glimpse Inari’s reaction. Then again, she knew little of where he came from. Perhaps it was all the same to him.
Mavka slowed their speed as they neared the Temple. Aloisia drew her mare to a halt and dismounted, lifting the deer over her shoulder once again. She passed the deer onto two priests who shared its weight between them, and she accepted their blessing, stepping back towards her mare. Tristan’s absence, after so many years of him greeting her at these doors, made her chest pang with a dull ache.
With the blessing over, she guided her horse to where Inari stood.
“That was a little anticlimactic,” Inari said. “I thought there would be some flare to the ritual.”
“I’m glad there’s not.” She breathed a laugh. “It would be exhausting to do a whole ritual every time. There is a reason I’m not a priestess.”
“Right enough. You would make a poor priestess.”
“It is not a life which would suit me.”
“I can think of plenty reasons why such a life would not suit you.” The shaman gave a fiendish grin.
Aloisia raised a brow. “Is that so? You shall have to elaborate for me some time.” A glance at the clock tower told her they were cutting it fine to get to Magistrate Vester’s estate. “We should get going. They’ll be expecting you.”
