Chapter 8: Side-tracking

The sun was setting behind the mountains and nighttime was beginning to settle in, but enough light lingered so that they travl to the next town, albeit, it would be dark by the time they got there but not too late into the night. All three were injured in some way, but Price and Simon rejected any help from Salte. They patched up their wounds, which were not severe, and hurried to catch up with Trotes. After much quick walking the Outcastes and Valiants caught up with Trotes, who walked straight with absolute steadfastness. All were curious as to why Trotes did not want to continue, besides the fact that all of the soldiers were dead. The Outcastes knew that they could have caught the rest and did them in. Why does Trotes want to go back?
"Why aren't we following them?" Simon asked Trotes from behind. He just had to know after all of the effort and anger he put into it.
"We're done," Trotes replied, "It fell through. You kept your word and cooperated, and I'm keeping mine this time."
"So we're going to get to Love in time?" Price asked.
"She's in Calton," Trotes replied.
"Calton!?" Faith and the Outcastes replied. Trotes smiled to himself.
"There was no meeting point or no schedule," Trotes said, "I made it all up." They all turned a little red with anger now.
Simon gritted his teeth, "You..."
"You can kill me if you choose," Trotes said, "It's not like I can stop you, or want to." Faith walked over to Simon and calmed him. Trotes put his hands to his mouth and wistled loudly.
"You lied to us?" Price asked.
"It worked," Trotes said, "You cooperated didn't you? And you were much more intent on getting this thing over with to my satisfaction. You fought much more intensely. Between the three of you, you must have downed fourty of his remaining men.
Simon shook his head.
"Just out of curiosity," Price said, "How did you plan on taking on that many men. You couldn't have know we could take down that many ourselves." Trotes chuckled.
"I didn't plan on taking on all those men," he said, "We were going to ambush them. Those soldiers can do more than they let on. But even if they didn't, I just planned on keeping Alastor's men distracted long enough to get a shot at Alastor. If they hadn't defected, it could have worked and some of them would still be alive. And you would be back to see Love at least one last time." Trotes shook his head and, to himself more than to anyone, he said, "Osis had more pull with the men than I thought he would."
"You were going to sacrifice your men?" Price exlaimed. Trotes wistled loudly again.
"Please," Trotes said, "I sent the soldiers who were worth anything with the Princess to make sure she made it safe and sound. The ones sacrificed today weren't worth the steel that cut them down, as you could tell, so don't get too self-righteous."
"I thought you said Surel wouldn't kill us," Salte said.
"As you can see," Trotes said, "I've been wrong before."
"Great," Price responded.
"You can take off with the Valiants if you want," Trotes told them, "It's not like I can stop you."
"We're going back," Faith said, "I want to see my husband and Love. And you saved Charity despite yourself. Thankyou."
The girls listened to the conversation and finally Charity spoke.
"Mister," She said, "thank you for saving me."
Trotes did not answer.
"She's thanking you," Price said.
"It's okay," Faith said to him.
"I'm sorry I did it," Trotes said.
"Strap," Price replied. After a moment some horses came running toward them. Simon, Salte and Price were wondering why Trotes was wistling, but that was the least of their wonders.
Faith took a deep breath and called to Trotes who was slowly beginning to break away to the horses.
"Trotes, I'm sorry for what happened," she said. Trotes continued toward the horses without answering. Soon they were all mounted with a horse, even Price and they headed for Calton slowly because Salte had to stay with Delos.