"Well if they aren't safe here, why don't they come with us to Everknight?" Rhoe thought it was a simple thing to say, but judging by the look she had on her face you would think he just invented the wheel.
She couldn't believe that she didn't think of it. This boy, who led a simple carefree life, could see things that she couldn't. No not simple. He was raised a monk and his training was probably just as extensive as hers. No not simple, but rather, uncomplicated. "Rhoe that is an outstanding idea, but how are we going to know who is innocent and who is trying to kill us?" She just didn't know who to trust anymore.
"Oh, well, I don't know." He hadn't thought of that. He hoped that they had found the one behind it all and that the rest would.... Would what? Run into the night with their tails between their legs? He felt stupid. He didn't know how to rule over people and make decisions like this. She was raised in the castle and probably made decisions like this every day. "Well on the bright side, they would be right there with us so they couldn't plan to ambush us later."
"He continued to surprise her with every thought. Karsis said he was special, and Gods above he was right. "Rhoe, that is an excellent plan. You." She pointed to the oldest healer there, hoping she had some authority. "Gather supplies and get everyone together in the courtyard, we are evacuating to the castle." She looked down at the young boy and smiled, "And you. Go make sure everyone is told that they have to leave. Take two healers with you just in case you find any bad people." She felt a bit guilty asking him to do this, but if he had hid that good when they were attacked, then he maybe he knew his way around this hold better than anyone else. She turned to a surprised Rhoe and smiled at his confused expression. "Let's go see Graf and tell him that were going to have company on the road." She grabbed some packs from the other young boy and led the monk out of the hold into the courtyard.
A little later, everyone was assembled in the courtyard and two wagons were hitched with teams of horses. All in all there were twenty people including poor Renferd. He was being consoled by the poor boy who was Allissana's new friend, and it wasn't helping at all. If any of these people were still trying to kill her or her friends, then they would have a harder time at getting to them being watched all the time.
"I still think this is a bad idea Liss." Graf tried to keep his voice down, but he wasn't used to doing that so it came out louder than he wanted. He could be silent as death, or loud. There was no middle ground.
"You're uncomfortable around people, I know Graf." She could see his face and how twitchy he got with all these people around. He kept licking his finger and putting it up checking for the wind he was so anxious. "Hey I know. Would you scout out ahead for us? It's a couple hours to the bridge and if they were going to strike it would be along this route."
Graf looked at her with suspicion. He would sooner believe that Ogrann bathe before he would believe that line, but he would be the best to spot an ambush. "Fine, but keep them moving." He started to walk away but turned back and looked at her again. "You know, the assassin's that were here at the hold might have left before you. Just an observation." He turned back and loped off ahead, moving gracefully for one so tall.
She frowned at his statement. That hadn't occurred to her either. Damn it all to the Hells, why did father make this look so easy? She looked at all the people that were counting on her to get them to safety and the weight on her shoulders seemed to press down a little more.
"I heard Graf. You know if we leave them they might not be safe either." Rhoe put his arm around her and pulled her in close. They had been on the move for so long that moments like these were precious, never mind rare.
"Thanks Rhoe, as long as you're here I feel like it all might not fall into flames." That probably didn't come out right, but she was just babbling. She looked up and saw that everyone was ready. "Let's go it's still two days to Everknight, and a lot can happen in two days." She desperately needed sleep, but it was only a couple hours to the bridge, and there they could camp for the rest of the night. They pulled out of the abandoned hold, well past sunset, and made their slow way down the dark road towards Everknight
An hour after he had left the hold, Graf was moving quickly through the grass on the side of the road. More of a shadow right now than a man, he was almost invisible to anyone that might be looking. He had seen at least three other black figures around the walls of the hold when they were attacked, and those figures weren't with the wagons. He stepped around a dark rock and came to a halt, his long hair falling into his face because he had stopped so fast. He had heard something, and that something wasn't familiar.
He scanned the dark road with the fleeting moonlight that was trying to pierce the clouds, but saw nothing. His instinct was to stay put for a moment longer before running on, and it paid off. Graf saw a large shape on the other side of the road lumber into the moonlight and sniff the air. Crap, It's a troll. and the thing uses smell. I'm in trouble. His thoughts were racing as he looked around for another vantage point. He couldn't attack until he had a perfect shot. These things didn't go down easy.
Trolls were ugly things, standing roughly seven feet tall, with long scrawny arms that ended in vicious claws. They had skin that was hard, like petrified wood, and sharp teeth that bunched up in a mouth that was too small for them all. They had long scraggly hair and if not killed outright in the first couple of blows, they healed any wound within moments. He would've rather fought an Ogrann barehanded. He had to be almost at the bridge, and that's where he was expecting the men in black to be waiting. It was then he had a very foolish idea. It wasn't the worst idea he had ever had, there was that time he jumped off that high tower by Whiteleaf Lake and missed the water, but it may hurt just as bad. He leapt out of the shadows and ran over to the troll, who looked at him like he had seven heads, and kicked it right in the shin. The blow did absolutely nothing but enrage the beast, but that was the plan, or at least part of it. The thing howled and swung it's arms at him, but he was already away and running down the road. It howled again and lumbered off after him at a colossal speed.
Merchant's Bridge, Eastern Lythinall
Barand hated waiting. They had been here for hours and all they had heard was a distant howl split the night, but it had sounded far enough away that they weren't worried about it. Probably just a wolf anyway. He thought, as he tried to get comfortable yet again. He would rather be sitting in a warm Inn and listening to some bard play something trivial while he drank a good stout ale. He looked around at the bridge and the other assassin's that were waiting for the Princess to arrive and scoffed quietly. They probably didn't even need him. There were seven of them, and all trained in the art of stealth and weapons. The Princess and her body guards were no match for them in their element, even though they had taken out Verice. The moon was hiding behind the clouds, and couldn't find enough breaks in the sky to illuminate anything. Then he heard a whistle.
He sat upright and drew his blade in anticipation. That was the signal. Someone was coming down the road right into their trap. He heard something right next to him, under the right hand side of the bridge, and turned expecting to see one of his comrades.
"Here hold my cloak." Graf said, throwing the rotting, filthy cloak over the man's head and kicking him into the road. Graf then tumbled down towards the river and splashed quietly into the water, which would help wash the stink off of him, but not all of it. He would watch and wait for his moment. That and pray to whatever God wanted to listen that this plan worked without getting himself killed.
Barand jumped up, throwing off the cloak, but it was too late. The troll came into view and howled as it followed the scent of the thing it was chasing. The dark fighter rolled to the side, slashing the things hamstring, trying to drop it, but it turned and slammed two arms straight down into Barand. He felt himself lifted up then, and the last thing he saw, as he screamed his sanity away, was that mess of teeth coming for his face.
The other six men all jumped to the attack, slashing and hack
ing at the great monster, but their knives only scratched it, bouncing off of its hardened skin. The troll swung the body of Barand like a weapon, flailing at the men one by one. One went down, then another, as it clawed and slammed the men around like children's blocks. It started stomping on the bodies lying on the ground, and soon there were only two men left. Neither of the men could get away, lest the troll claw them from behind, so they circled the beast, looking for another way out of this. The troll had dropped the body by now, and was turning as the men stalked it.
They looked at one another and both lunged at the same time, but only one blade hit home. The blade that hit sunk in to the hilt in the thing's armpit, coming dangerously close to the beasts heart, but it wasn't long enough. The other blade never made it. Graf's blade came sliding into the man's back, just right, so that he never made another sound ever again. When the troll turned to the other man and gutted him, Graf threw the body aside and sank his own thin blade straight under the trolls chin and up into its brain in a quick thrust. Both the troll and the other man hit the ground hard in a heap, and Graf rolled clear laughing at the exhilaration of it all. He stood slowly, wiping his blade clean on the coat of one of the men. and looked around as the moon finally broke free of the dark clouds. Bodies lay everywhere and blood splashed the bridge and road. I may just be the biggest fool there ever was, but it worked. He thought. He should be going back to warn the Princess, but he decided that seeing her face when she saw all this would be even better. He searched the bodies and then got comfy on the bridge, feeling pretty good about himself.
Liss guided her horse over to the wagon once more, answering another question about what they were going to do once at the castle. The people were nervous, understandably so, but she was getting tired of repeating herself. They had been on the road for well over an hour, and were almost at the bridge. Graf hadn't been back yet, but he probably hadn't had anything to report anyway. They had all heard a distant howl or two, but it hadn't gotten any closer so they relaxed a bit. It was slow going this late at night, but the guards had torches in front of the horses so they could keep going. Once they were at the bridge, she knew there was a merchants circle they could camp at, so she was pushing them through the night to get there.
She sighed once again. She was pushing more than just the people, she was pushing herself as well. She was trying to not nod off and fall face first in the road. Wouldn't that impress the people, their Princess face down in the dirt. She shook her head and slapped her thigh to wake herself up.
"Almost there Liss." Rhoe said quietly. He had brought his horse right next to hers and had seen her troubled look. He knew that she was tired, but she wouldn't ride in the wagons. He was also worried about that howl as well, and had flashbacks of the Wolvren. He had sent his Sight out ahead, but it was too dark to see anything without the moon to guide him. Once it had fallen silent, he had breathed a sigh of relief.
"I know, but I dislike traveling at night with the wagons." She smiled at Rhoe then kicked her horse forward a bit and took the lead near the torches. She just wanted to crawl in the back of one of the wagons with him and sleep, but she had to lead them. I am going to apologize so much to my father when I see him again. She thought, as she felt the weight of everything on her shoulders once more.
"Bridge!" One of the guards in front called as he held up the torch to signal the rear. She came up next to him as they came over the last hill and then she saw the carnage. Deathsong cleared her sheath in a heartbeat, but was eerily quiet upon being freed.
"Arms!" Called the guard again, and a symphony of swords clanged in the night. There weren't many guards but the sound startled the rest of the people and they started to crowd together in the wagons.
Liss saw Graf then, sitting on the bridge looking awfully full of himself. He was smiling and kicking his feet like a three year old in an oversized chair. Bodies of at least seven men lay all over the road, some of them without arms. "Swords away men!" She called back. She saw the monster on the ground and couldn't help but be impressed. She had never seen anything like it. "Is that an Ogrann?" She asked, dismounting near the edge of the bridge.
"No, doesn't look like an Ogrann." Rhoe said as he slid off of his mount and walked over to it. He was scanning the bridge for any other surprises, but with Graf here he assumed it was clear.
"And how would you know what an Ogrann looked like?" Graf asked, genuinely intrigued at the young monk.
"I killed one on the Northern Run road with Karsis, and they were much bigger than this." He winced at the memory of accidently killing that beast. He had more control now, but he still had so much to learn. He ran his fingers over the things skin and his eyes went wide. It felt like stone.
"So what is it then?" The Princess started pointing to the guards and then at the bodies of the men in the road. They started to drag them off of the road and piling them together. She would burn them after they were all set up for the night.
Graf giggled a little then hopped down and sauntered over to the gathering near the body. This is a troll, and I hope there are no more of these around. Killing this one was tough. He spun then as there was a shout from the wagons. Someone had screamed and he was off like a shot, fearful that another troll had come around. Rhoe was right there with him as they grabbed the side of the wagon and vaulted over the side. They landed as Karsis rolled over and grabbed Caerlyn, gently shaking her. The people nearest them were white as ghosts and had all but jumped out of the wagon.
"Come on Caer, you can beat him." Karsis said quietly. He had come awake in a rush, getting thrown out of her mind like that was painful, but his worry for her overrode that pain. At least for now. He faintly felt Rhoe behind him, and smelled Graf with him. That man really needed to wash more often. "Come on......come on....YES!" He yelled as she coughed violently, turning to the side and throwing up a black liquid all over the wagon floor. People were actually filing out of the wagon now, frantic not to touch whatever that stuff was. He held her as she tried to clear the taint of evil from her body. The demon may have left, but his residue was still in there.
She coughed a couple more times, then finally cleared her throat and stopped. She had rid her body of the vile liquid. Caerlyn turned and smiled at all of them. "Let's not do that ever again all right?" She tried to laugh but she hurt too much. She was helped to her feet and off of the wagon where Liss was waiting for her, tears in her eyes. "Oh Liss no tears, I was in capable hands. Karsis was there with me to help."
"Why do you think I was worried?" Liss said, wiping her tears and smiling at them all. She couldn't wait to hear this tale.
Karsis made a shocked sound and tried his best to look hurt. In truth, he was just as worried at how they were going to do in there. He leapt down from the wagon, and almost lost his footing as his knee decided to argue with him at the last moment. He had forgotten all about his crash trying to reach Caerlyn on the Dry bridge. "So where are we anyway?" He looked around and his face grew serious. "We went past Caerlyn Hold.....that can't be good. By the look at those bodies over there we have also been attacked more than once as well." He smiled at them and straightened his long coat, wiping away imaginary dirt like he was some haughty noble. "I say a tall tale is in order all around. Someone get me a campfire and hurry!"
"Yeah Karsis, it's been interesting to say the least." Graf held up his finger and tested the breeze once more. He had been checking ever since he had slain the troll and so far nothing. If it stayed that way for a couple days that would be great, but he doubted it. "I'll go lead the horse and wagons to that circle up ahead." He started to walk away and the people that had abandoned the wagon in fear started to follow him. That made him walk even faster.
It also made Liss burst out laughing. "Guards, help Graf with the wagons and the people." She turned to Karsis and Caerlyn, then noticed Renferd waiting patiently. "Caerlyn I think there is someone waiting to see you."
Caerlyn turned and saw the chamberlain and smiled. He started towards her
then burst into tears. She walked the rest of the way and embraced him, hushing him and stroking his head like a small child. "There there, it's all right. I can feel your regret and sadness, and I absolve you of your guilt." A glow surrounded her and Renferd, and he stopped crying slowly, his eyes wide.
"Karsis, she should know what he did." Rhoe looked around and saw that even the people that knew what the chamberlain had done were smiling. "It was really bad, and I had to free his mind."
"You had to what now?" He turned abruptly, shock passing across his usually calm facade. "No, not here. First, Caerlyn is a healer and she instinctively knows when someone needs healing, even their mind. She is one of the best and she can tell how deep that hurt goes once in contact with them. Don't worry Rhoe, I know it had to be bad, and so does she, but everyone deserves peace once in a while." He started walking towards the bridge and noticed the troll. "Ooh, bet that was a nasty fight, Did you use magic?"
"No, Graf killed it before we got here." Rhoe saw Karsis pause slightly and chuckled. "I know, there is something about that guy that is starting to bother me too."
"Well that's good, a healthy dose of paranoia is good for the digestion. Let's set up and talk, I want to hear all about everything." Karsis was itching to hear about Rhoe breaking the chamberlain free of a spell, this boy was astounding.
They walked to the merchants circle as the guards helped get the wagons over and the bodies picked up. In a couple of minutes, with the moon high in the cloudy sky, the friends were sitting around a campfire while the people of Caerlyn Hold got ready for some sleep. Liss was out cold in Rhoe's lap, but the rest had slept too much to be tired right now. Suddenly Rhoe's mind snapped awake and his memories came flooding back. "Karsis!" He shispered, trying not to startle the Princess on his lap. "I remembered my Trance. The Incarnation was fighting a dragon." He was relieved that he didn't forget that, or the questions he had for his mentor.
The Darkness Within (A Lythinall Novel) (Book 2) Page 11