The paladin spent much of that time brooding about the fate of the stallion. Would he be okay alone? Granted, the horse was a formidable animal and was well able to take care of himself, but surely there were other packs of carnivores roaming the plains, not to mention rogue monsters. It was easy enough to tell herself that she had done all that she could do for him, but still she was nagged by doubt.
“Do you think that I should have asked the stallion if he wanted to come back with us?” she said to Grom at one point.
The wolf looked at her blankly and she chuckled.
“Good answer,” she told him. “I don't know either. I don't even know if he would have understood the question. He is a creature of the wild, after all. I doubt that he would be happy unless he had the open plains to roam in.”
She had briefly wondered what it would be like to ride such a magnificent creature, but put the thought out of her mind immediately. It would be thrilling and so much better to ride than to walk everywhere, but that horse was no one's servant. He was his own master, obviously, and the fantasy of riding him was just that; a fantasy.
They reached the edge of the forest near midnight and Liliana made camp under the shelter of a tall oak tree. Her timing couldn't have been better, as the skies opened up and rain poured down for the first time in almost a week.
Wrapped up in her cloak under the thick leaves of the old oak, the paladin watched the deluge in relative comfort, listening to the rain as she drifted off to sleep.
Heading home, she thought sleepily. Heading home.
A sudden blow wrenched Liliana awake as she rolled over and over, getting tangled up in her cloak.
She managed to struggle out of the wrapping and looked around in a daze. What was happening?
Vicious growling and yapping assaulted her ears in the pre-dawn light and she squinted into the shadows, trying to work out what was going on.
Grom's heavy body was hard to see in the darkness, but she could make out the lighter forms of the attackers. With a curse, she pushed herself to her feet and drew her sword.
The hyenas had returned, and they had brought friends.
It was impossible to count the number of attackers, but there were at least six. They were swarming over the wolf like leeches and Liliana watched in frustration, afraid to attack in case she struck Grom.
I need some sort of light, she thought furiously. I can't start swinging blindly, damn it.
And then, without warning, her sword blazed with silvery radiance.
The paladin gasped in surprise. It had been years since she had been able to summon the pure light of the gods. But there was no time to think about it. She could see well enough to attack now.
Without taking the time to grab her shield or put on her gauntlets, Liliana waded into the attackers, her sword's light dancing and raising shadows as she struck at the slavering hyenas.
Screams and twisted laughter rang out as she swung and stabbed at the animals, trying to get them off of Grom. The wolf was twisting and writhing, snapping at the attackers as they tore at him with their vicious fangs. Liliana's attack caught the creatures off-guard and several of them jumped away from Grom to face this new foe.
With fewer hyenas assaulting him, the wolf was able to get to his feet and whip around to stand with the tree trunk behind him, protecting his rear. Then he stood firm, his head low and teeth bared, waiting for the next attack.
Liliana rushed forward to stand next to him, the song of battle once more rising within her. She faced the ring of hyenas and, like Grom, waited for them to make the next move.
The pack backed away, slavering and barking, their eyes wild with rage in the silver light of the sword. Two of them were bleeding heavily and Liliana knew that they would present little threat now, but the other four were either barely wounded or unhurt and the entire group seemed to be trying to work each other up into a frenzy before they surged forward again.
The paladin risked a quick glance at Grom and saw that he was spotted with blood from several bites. But none of them appeared to be too severe and the wolf still looked eager for battle.
“Come on, you cowards,” Liliana shouted at the pack, hoping to goad them into a premature attack. “Come on if you have the nerve.”
The pack was still hesitating when fresh cries from beyond the circle of light rang out. The paladin cursed under her breath. More hyenas.
Three more of the brutes trotted into the light and glared at Liliana and Grom. The trio was even larger than their mates, standing almost as tall as the wolf. They joined the others, pushing aside the wounded pair, and crouched down, preparing to attack.
The sound of Grom's growling increased in volume, as if he was daring the mangy creatures to charge. The low rumble was even more intimidating than the pack's bizarre laughing cry.
Liliana smiled coldly at the hyenas.
“We're still waiting,” she said mockingly.
For all of her eagerness, the paladin was under no illusions about the impending fight. Seven healthy predators, plus the two that were wounded, against herself and Grom were not good odds. But if she was going to fall, she intended to take as many of them with her as she could.
The hyenas were yapping and screeching at each other, saliva spraying from their gaping mouths. All of them were shaking with eagerness and their eyes were locked on their prey.
Any time now, Liliana thought as she tightened her grip on her sword hilt. They'll attack us any second now.
There was a moment of total stillness on both sides, when all of their future actions seemed to be balanced on a knife's edge. And then, as the largest of the hyenas lowered its head and prepared to charge straight at them, a shattering bellow tore through the still air and a massive body leaped past Liliana and Grom to slam into the pack.
The screams of agony and fear from the hyenas made the paladin's ears ache as their bodies were flung in all directions. Steaming blood splashed everywhere and Liliana was frozen in shock as she watched the pack being torn to pieces.
It was the stallion. In close quarters, the huge horse was fearsome. He stomped and kicked and bit at the hyenas like a mad thing, his eyes red with rage. She had never seen any creature so filled with blood-lust, and she had battled dragons.
Grom stopped growling and both he and Liliana moved back to avoid being accidentally struck by the rampaging horse. The hyenas did not have that option. In less than a minute, the surprise attack had left all of them either dead or dying. A few tried to limp away, but the horse's fury, perhaps fueled by a lust for vengeance, would not be satisfied until all of them were dead.
As the last hyena quivered and died, the stallion stood with his head held high, glaring around as if seeking more targets. Finally, apparently satisfied that all of his enemies were dead, he snorted and shook himself, the rattle of his mane spikes loud in the quiet aftermath of the battle.
Liliana waited a moment, letting him calm down. As a veteran of many a skirmish, she knew that it took a few minutes for the hot blood of rage to cool.
Grom kept a wary eye on the horse as well as he licked his wounds. The paladin took a look at them, but they seemed little more than scratches and she knew that the wolf would prefer to attend to them himself.
The horse sniffed at the bodies as if he was assuring himself that his enemies were actually dead. When he was done, he snorted again and turned toward Liliana. He stared at her blankly for a moment, his hooves red with blood, and she wondered what he was thinking. Surely he hadn't forgotten her already?
Lifting his feet carefully, the stallion stepped over the dead and approached the paladin, still watching her with those wide, brown eyes. The sun was above the horizon now and the grisly scene looked even worse in the light of day. The hyenas were already beginning to stink and Liliana wrinkled her nose at the stench even as she waited for the horse to approach.
When the stallion reached the paladin, he stopped and leaned toward her. She cautiously touched his soft nose with her fre
e hand and he sighed and closed his eyes. He quivered under her hand and Liliana realized that the great horse was exhausted. Had he been following her all this time? Or had he been trailing the pack of hyenas, planning his revenge for the loss of his herd? Either way, their deaths seemed to have allowed him to let go of his anger and now he was feeling the effects of the battle.
“You did well,” the paladin whispered as she rubbed his cheek and then ran her hand up to stroke the flat spot between his eyes. “You did very well, my friend. You have avenged your people valiantly.”
The horse opened his eyes and lifted his head to nibble delicately at her fingers. He still had some drops of blood on the sides of his mouth from where he had ripped at the hyenas, but she ignored it.
“So what now?” Liliana asked him. “I don't know whether you came after us or were chasing the pack, but what do you want to do going forward?”
The stallion blinked and turned away. He walked to the edge of the clearing and began rubbing his head in the tall grass, apparently wiping the blood from his face.
She watched him for a moment, shrugged and glanced at Grom.
“He'll decide what he wants to do, I suppose,” she told him.
The wolf paused as he licked his wounds and whuffed softly as if agreeing.
Liliana walked over to her pack, grabbed a handful of grass and wiped down her sword. Then she sheathed it, took out her water bottle and drank deeply. She would have to refill it at the next stream.
She pulled out a piece of dried fruit and began chewing thoughtfully as she watched the horse. It would be thrilling to have such a companion on her journey home, but it was his choice. In the meantime, she would continue on as usual and whatever happened, happened.
After she'd eaten, Liliana packed up her things, slipped her shield across her back and her pack over her shoulder and prepared to set off again.
The stallion had been watching her. He was grazing hungrily, ignoring the carnage on the other side of the clearing, but stopped as the paladin walked over to him.
“I have to go, my friend,” she told him. “My home lies to the south and I have to get back. You're welcome to come along if you want to, but if not, then please accept my thanks for your help.”
The horse bobbed his head as if acknowledging her gratitude and went back to grazing.
She smiled a bit sadly. Apparently, with his thirst for vengeance satisfied, the stallion was content and would stay living on the plains. She couldn't blame him really; after all, who was she to him? A temporary ally at best.
“Farewell then,” she said with a wave.
Grom stood up, barked once at the horse and then turned and set off into the forest, heading south. Liliana settled her pack more comfortably across her shoulders and followed him, the thought of home beckoning her on.
The sky cleared as the morning went on and the spicy scent of the forest made the paladin breathe deeply as she walked. It was good to be under the trees again. Not only did she enjoy the sights, sounds and smells of the thick woods, but the sun couldn't bake her inside of her armor while she was sheltered by the branches and leaves over her head. That was a huge relief and made traveling much easier.
An hour after they had left the horse and the remains of the battle, Liliana and Grom came across a narrow stream. They slaked their thirst and the paladin refilled her water bottle. She also dunked her head and washed her hands, removing any lingering dirt and blood left over from the fight.
Refreshed, they set off again, making good time.
It was early afternoon when Liliana realized that they were being followed. Grom had been looking back along their trail for some time and she finally stopped and turned around, wondering if they were being stalked by something. The forest might be beautiful, but it was also home to dangerous creatures and, occasionally, a solitary monster stalking the deep woods.
It was hard to see for any distance in the midst of the thick trees and she put a hand on her sword, watching Grom to see his reaction.
The wolf looked alert but calm. Apparently whatever was on their trail wasn't an immediate threat.
“Should we wait or move on?” she asked quietly.
Grom flicked an ear in her direction but he didn't move; instead he continued to stare back the way they had come.
“Very well,” she told him. “We'll wait.”
She had barely spoken when a distant call resounded through the trees. Liliana listened and then laughed with delight. It was the sound of a horse whinnying.
“He actually decided to follow us,” she exclaimed in surprise. “I was sure that we'd seen the last of him.”
They soon heard the clip-clopping sound of a horse's hooves and a moment later the stallion appeared through the trees, his proud head held high.
When he saw Liliana and Grom, he whinnied once more and the paladin waved at him.
“Hello again! “ she called out. “It's good to see you.”
The horse trotted lightly toward them and stopped several feet away from Liliana. He looked down at Grom, who wagged his tail twice, and then stared directly at the paladin.
She extended her hand and he touched it briefly with his nose. Then he bobbed his head a few times and watched her expectantly.
“Does that mean we should go?” she asked, smiling broadly.
The stallion snorted in obvious disgust and she chuckled.
“Very well then. Let's go home.”
Chapter 6
It took two days to get back to Liliana's cottage. She made a wide circle around Nottinghill Castle again, not wanting to answer any questions about the horse and where it came from, at least for the moment. She and the stallion were still getting to know each other and she was afraid that the presence of other people would be too stressful for him. He was, after all, still a wild animal.
An odd bond seemed to form between the horse and Grom as they traveled together; two animals that should have been natural enemies. They would greet each other each time the wolf returned from a hunt and occasionally make noises at each other that, to Liliana at least, made it sound like they were talking. It reinforced her belief that the many creatures that had Changed were much more intelligent than they had once been.
It was late afternoon by the time the palisade around the cottage came into view and the paladin felt an enormous sense of relief at the sight. Home had never looked so good.
With Grom leading the way and the horse following along behind Liliana, the trio circled the fence to reach the back gate. She examined the area to make sure that nothing and no one had attempted to break in, but everything looked untouched. Then she used the hidden opening to unlock the door and she shoved it open.
The wolf slipped through immediately, but the stallion stepped back and eyed the open gate suspiciously. Liliana waited patiently while speaking to him calmly.
“It's okay,” she said evenly. “You're safe. This is where I live. And I hope that you like it enough to stay here too. It's not a trap and you won't be forced to remain inside if you don't want to, I promise.”
He looked at her somewhat nervously and she smiled.
“You're so big, you could easily smash through this fence if you wanted to anyway.”
The stallion stepped down into the ditch, easily avoiding the sharpened stakes and snuffled at the rough vertical logs of the fence. He looked at Liliana again and then brushed past her and walked through the gate.
She followed him, leaving the door open. Hopefully it would help set him at his ease if he saw that he could exit the area at any time.
The horse stopped just inside and Liliana watched him looking around the yard. Instead of pressuring him, she moved past and made her way around the cottage to the front door. She went inside and dropped her pack on the floor with some relief.
Home again, she thought. Let's see if I can stay for a while this time.
She set her shield against the wall and began removing her armor.
It's going to need a g
ood cleaning, she thought with some distaste as she unbuckled her breastplate. But the first thing I want to do is bathe in the river.
She finished getting out of the armor, took off her linen underclothing and threw it into her laundry basket. Then she slipped on a loose tunic that was long enough to fall to her knees and grabbed a towel and a bar of soap. She felt as light as a feather after getting rid of the weight of her armor and stopped to slowly stretch, groaning with pleasure.
A loud snort made Liliana spin around and she laughed at the sight of the stallion's immense head poking through the door.
“Well, hello there,” she said with a grin. “Welcome to my little home.”
She walked over to him and the horse sniffed her up and down, wide-eyed. The paladin realized that this was the first time he had seen her out of her armor and she stood still to allow him to examine her.
He pulled back after a moment and she caught his eye.
“Do I pass muster?” she asked him.
The stallion whickered and withdrew his head. She grabbed her sword belt and followed him out.
“I'll take that as a yes,” she said as she walked over to the well.
Liliana had scavenged several metal pails from the closest town and kept them stacked next to the well. She brought up some water, filled one to the brim and set it out for the stallion.
He sniffed at it and then began to drink, loudly sucking up the water.
She had to refilled the bucket twice for the horse and then, after he was done, she drank her fill. After that, she filled up a second bucket and set it aside for Grom, just in case the wolf was thirsty later.
“I'm heading down to the river to bathe,” she told the stallion. “Feel free to come along if you'd like. I'll leave the back gate open during the day so that you can come and go as you please.”
She walked off, eager to get cleaned up, and left the horse to his own devices.
The river water was cool and refreshing and being able to get clean from head to foot was an immense relief. The soap stung as it cleaned out several small cuts, but she ignored the pain and took the time to wash her hair twice. It felt marvelous.
The First Paladin (The New Earth Chronicles Book 1) Page 8