Arrows of an Evergreen

Chapter Two

Chapter Two

The afternoon sun beat down on my back as I strode confidently down the road. I left the seamstress with the promise of collecting my dresses in two days. People passing by would give me small smiles in greeting, and I would generously return the favour.

It really has been a while since I've been here, I thought as I turned off onto a narrow bricked path. In the distance, a big shed materialized and I picked up my pace as I grew impatient with anticipation.

Finally, I reached the wide archway at the entrance of the shed, and was hit by a wave of heat that swept my hair away from my face. I peered around the dim room, but no one was in sight. There was a blazing fire in a corner, with metal tongs poking out the side, and a metal bench near it with still glowing embers sitting on top, and a few unidentifiable objects sitting beside the white hot coal. It seemed like someone had just left the room.

I sat down quietly on a wooden stool and studied the objects on the bench. I was quite surprised to find that they were golden arrows, finely crafted, with the feathers being a lush green colour. I leaned forward, squinting my eyes to read the small words engraved into the shaft of the arrow. Lee Flynn, it said in an elegant, cursive style.

Me? These must be the arrows Lance wanted me to have. I picked up one of them, admiring the smooth gold and silky feathers beneath my fingers, and wondering how on earth he got the money for these.

"Do ya like 'em?" I jumped, startled at the sudden sound. The arrow fell from my hand and I frowned as I bent to retrieve it off the ground, wiping a smudge of soot off the shiny surface.

I looked up, my eyes meeting Lance's. Leaning against the small doorway I had failed to notice on my way in, he was the epitome of cool. I grinned at him, nodding, and casually twirled the arrow around my finger before setting it back on the bench alongside the others.

"They're for you, Lee." His voice was gentle. "They were made from some ruined arrows that I found a little while back."

"Thanks, old man." I said cheekily.

He scowled, narrowing his amber eyes, and stood up straight. "I'm not that old." Scratching the short, stiff black hair on his head, he marched over to where I sat and scooped up the arrows in his calloused hand, slipping them into an olive green and brown quiver.He turned back to me and asked a question that I really didn't want to answer.

"Have you spoken to the others?" I hesitated and slowly shook my head.

Nodding curtly, he grabbed the quiver and held it out to me.

"Take these, and go find the others. They need your help Lil, the village is falling apart with all the trouble the king's men cause. They should be somewhere in the forest by now,"

"I was planning to head there anyway," My mouth opened of its own accord. His eyes widened slightly, and he nodded cautiously.

I wasn't sure if he knew of the raids or not. A tense silence fell over the room, and Lance stood there, still awkwardly holding out the quiver filled with the golden arrows.

"You know about the raids, right?" His voice was barely above a whisper, and I sighed with relief before nodding. I was glad Lance knew about the raids, since he was one of my few confidants who knew about my true identity.

"Yeah. Who lead them while I was gone?"

"Keith." Keith? I voiced my question and he looked around nervously before he leant down to whisper in my ear.

"Keith Essex. He's sort of our inside guy on the castle,"

How did they manage to find someone like that?