Chapter 5
January 30, 2009 at 12:57 PM (Fantasy Stories, Guinivere)
Danger in the forest
I’m gonna enjoy killing you
Mal watched as Guin retreated into the woods. He knew she wouldn’t stay there but he had to concentrate on the task at hand. Nors was advancing at a rapid pace. Mal swallowed the lump in his throat and drew his own sword. Nors smiled at him as he lashed out with his sword. Mal stumbled back with the force of the blow. He was not an expert swordsman but he was sure going to give it his all. “You won’t get to her if I can help it!” He growled, planting his feet firmly into the ground.
Nors just smiled. “I am going to enjoy killing you, Mit-filth.”
Mal lashed out in fury at the Dark Elf. Nors blocked the attack and laughed, a cold cruel chuckle that ripped from his throat. Mal struck time and again but was easily blocked by Nors, sneering and teasing him, egging him on. Suddenly Nors struck out with such ferociousness and strength that Mal was forced backward a few feet. Mal ducked as Nors swung at him but was caught in the arm as the blade swept back toward him.
Nors laughed again as Mal let out a gasp of pain. Nors struck out with the flat of his sword and pulled Mal’s feet out from under him. Mal hit the ground with a thump. The wind knocked out of him. Nors grinned and raised his sword for the final blow.
Mal closed his eyes, waiting for the blow that would end his shame and his people’s hope for peace. It never came. Instead he heard the sound of metal on metal and looked up into the blazing fire of Guin’s sword. Nors looked just as surprised as he felt and stumbled backward under the force of Guin’s blows. Her sword lit up with a fierce light and there came the sound of metal breaking.
Nors looked stupidly at the bladeless sword-handle in his hands and up at the face of the elf in front of him. The hatred shone bright in her eyes. “Kill me.” He muttered. “Kill me now before he can.”
Mal stumbled to his feet, grabbing Guin’s arm. “Let’s go. Let his master deal with him.”
Guin did not take her eyes off of Nors as Mal started to lead her deeper into the woods. They had barely taken one step however when Nors cried out. “The prisoner is escaping!”
The cry rang through the camp and soldiers leapt from their tents with their swords drawn and ready for battle. Guin turned, ready to fight but Mal kept tugging her in the direction of the woods. “Don’t be a fool!” he gasped, struggling to pull her on. “There are too many of them. Besides, it’s his word against ours!”
The two wolves leapt at Nors, knocking him to the ground. As the soldiers drew nearer Guin snapped to her senses and started running. Mal ran full out beside her, his sword drawn and at the ready. They traveled like this for a while, the sounds of their pursuers edging them on. They ran long into the night before daring to stop. Guin started the fire and their supper while Mal tended to his wounds. “We should buy horses at the next village,” she suggested, stirring the fire to life. “It would make our journey much easier.”
Mal shook his head. “I’ll walk, thanks.”
Guin looked up at him in surprise. “We could travel further and faster with horses. I don’t care what you believe. You aren’t as fast as a horse.”
Mal shook his head stubbornly. “I am much more comfortable on the ground.”
Guin raised her eyebrows, realization dawning on her. “You don’t know how to ride!”
“It wasn’t in our training.” Mal told her curtly. “Unless your Familiar was a horse you had no need to learn to ride.”
:I could carry him on my back,: Brighteyes said indignantly, :but he won’t ride unless absolutely necessary. Rith’s are much like rabbits. They prefer hiding to fleeing.:
Guin laughed slightly. Well, if he wasn’t going to learn to ride a horse, Guin would have to learn how to ride a wolf. Mal smiled nervously as he took some food from Guin. Many thoughts were playing behind her eyes and for some strange reason this terrified him more than a thousand Dark Elves ever would.
~Ψ~ ~Ψ~ ~Ψ~ ~Ψ~
Galdin watched the fleeing shape of his sister through the Snake-eye’s mist. With a great yell he thrust his hand through the vision, breaking the sorcerers hold on the scrying mists. His anger rose, he had not even stepped foot out of the castle to claim his sister yet when the report came that she had slipped away yet again. “I want the one responsible for this.” He shouted at the old sage. “Now!”
He scowled as he thought of all the things he would do to the incompetent fool when he caught him. He lashed out at a passing servant. Causing him to spill wine on the hall floor. “You idiot slave!” he snarled. “You will be punished for that!” he growled.
Turning to another servant standing nearby he yelled at them to hurry and get the mess cleaned up. When the poor soul hesitated he lashed out with his booted foot, catching the servant in the stomach. “Now!” he snapped.
The unfortunate servant quickly did as she was bid, bowed at her waist and vanished. The other servants followed suit until the lord could find no one to torture. He paced the wizard’s tower, awaiting his wizard’s return with the soldier responsible for his sister’s escape. His fingers traced a scar on his right wrist. The scar was in the shape of an M. He had paid in blood to get this far and he wasn’t about to let some poor excuse for a soldier ruin his chances.
Not long after he received word the soldier had arrived. He stormed through the hall to the grand chamber. His boots reverberated on the stone floor and servants scrambled hastily to get out of his way. Galdin’s temper was legendary around the castle and all avoided him when he was angry. “Where is she?” he roared with rage, sending a jar to the ground with a shatter.
The ill-fated Nors kneeling on the cold stone floor in front of the old throne winced slightly. “I tried to stop her my Lord but she was too strong. She wields a magic too strong for me. She and that Mit-Rith hold a power I’ve never seen before. I-”
“You mean to tell me you, an advanced soldier and spy in the most elite force in the universe, got beaten by a young girl and a Rith? Incompetent fool!” Galdin snapped, his hand straying to the whip coiled in wait at his side.
The soldier visibly flinched this time. “My Lord. I beg forgiveness. I will hunt her down until she dies. I will not fail you again!”
Galdin scowled, “And why would I believe that? You have failed me many times now and I still wait for you to succeed.” The soldier went to open his mouth but Galdin cut him off abruptly, “Enough of your lame excuses! What is your name?”
“Nors.” He replied shakily.
“Nors?” Galdin raised an eyebrow expectantly.
“My Lord.” Nors corrected himself quickly.
Galdin nodded briskly. “Tell me, Nors. Why should I spare your miserable little life?”
Nors whimpered, falling face first in front of his lord. Galdin scowled down at him. “Get up you miserable lump of elf-flesh. You taint my nice clean floors with your useless hide. ”
Nors stood up to face the Dark-Elf Lord with fright. Galdin scowled contemptuously at him. “Tell me, which way did she go?”
“I know not my Lord. She ran into the woods, and she took the Mit-Rith with her.” Nors replied shakily.
Galdin frowned, “Get out of my sight.”
Nors walked as quickly as he dared toward the exit of the chamber. As he passed through the great doors he broke into a run. Galdin watched the fleeing shape for a few minutes before saying softly to a dark shape next to his chair, “Kill him.”
The dark-clothed assassin moved swiftly and silently past him, slinking in and out of the shadows like a black ghost, following the fleeing soldier. Galdin smiled as the sound of fleeing feet came to an abrupt halt. His justice was carried out. He just couldn’t stand failure. It was a sign of weakness and he was not weak. He was definitely not weak.
~Ψ~ ~Ψ~ ~Ψ~ ~Ψ~
Mal was surprised when he awoke the next morning to find Guin attaching both their bags to Garnets saddle. She grinned at him evilly. Looking around he noticed Brighteyes grinning also. :Finally, we can play!:
Guin was surprised by the strength of the wolves. Having a human on their backs didn’t hinder that much at all. They bounded through the woods with the spirit of wild wolves enjoying wolfish games. Brighteyes nipped at Wolf’s paws, begging him to chase her, and chase her he did. They jumped and yipped and nipped at each other.
They caused so great a din that Guin was sure they would be found. “Relax.” Mal told her after several minutes of tense listening. “They are looking for people, not wolves.”
Mal and Brighteyes led them in a zigzag pattern through the woods, sometimes doubling back and heading in a different direction to throw off any pursuit. One night as they settled down to eat by a carefully placed fire, Guin voiced something that had been bothering her for some time. “We should really find a town or something,” she stated, taking a bite of roasted venison. “We are getting low on provisions and I really should try to find out which direction my father is in… if he’s still alive. I’d welcome a real bed for a change too. I’m not used to sleeping in the dirt.”
“And you don’t trust me.” Mal muttered under his breath.
Guin heard him anyway. She looked at him sharply. “I want to trust you. I really do. It’s just that something inside me tells me not to.”
“It’s your blood arguing with your heart.” Mal assured her. “The elf in you doesn’t want to trust a Rith but your conscience and your heart tell you that it is okay.”
Guin looked at him with a puzzled expression and waited for him to explain more but he merely shrugged. “Finding a town would be a good idea but I wouldn’t try it until we get closer to Tamberon.”
“Is that why you’ve been avoiding the towns? Do you think they’re overrun with dark elves or something?” She asked.
“Yes. That is exactly why. You should get some sleep. I’ll wake you up in the morning.”
Guin was too tired to argue, pulling off her boots and lying down she rolled herself up in her blankets and fell asleep. Mal watched her sleeping form for a moment lost in thought. She had a good grasp of life in this world for one who lived on the other side of the Void. It was very impressive.
He felt a growing bond with her and this worried him. He didn’t know which was the reason for this feeling of dread. Whether it was the Rith vow of detachment to others or the Elf-Rith Relations or if it was something else entirely… some outside force influencing his mind. This last thought scared him most. He pushed this thought out of his mind. It was stupid of him to think like that. He was just helping to get the Elf to her people. End of story. He could not afford to get involved with her life anymore than necessary.
He put out the cooking fire and strung the left over meat up a tree far enough away that it wouldn’t attract animals. Looking about the camp they had made he couldn’t help but applaud the girl for the almost invisible traces she had made. It would make their job a whole lot easier when they got up in the morning. He packed up the gear and things that they would not need in the morning and returned to his bedroll. Finally, the exhaustion of the day’s flight descended on him and he fell into a deep and troubled sleep.
Guin’s dreams were also troubled. Disturbing, realistic visions swam before her eyes. Hands pushed through the underbrush. There were hushed voices and eyes staring out at her. She heard the sound of a sword being drawn. Looking up, she saw a blade swing up above her neck and start to fall…
