The Fall of Arnon

Chapter 26

Lerendo slid into the priest's house with all the dexterity of a large Dofonine. He hit a table, knocking a small wooden bowl to the floor. It exploded in a cacophony of sounds.

Behind him, he heard a shuffling and turned around his hands ready to take on the offender in hand to hand combat. There, standing in front of him, looking tired but happy were the two travelers returned.

Lerendo felt a leap of joy in his heart seeing his friend still in one piece. He rushed into the other boy's arms and lifted him up in a bone-crushing hug. He held him out, looking him up and down like a mother hen does a returned chick.

"Welcome back," he grinned. "I can't believe you came back in one piece."

"Thank you for the faith, Master Lerendo," Sir Ryan said in a humored tone.

"Oh, and it's very good to have you back as well, Sir," said Lerendo turning to the knight.

Sir Ryan's eyes softened and let out a quiet chuckle. "Thank you, Your Majesty. It's good to be back."

"Yes, it is," came a voice from behind all three, and they turned to see Father Thomas coming their way. Lerendo looked at the old knight and saw his face light up as if a candle had been placed beneath it.

"Thomas!" he cried, stepping forward and throwing his arms around his friend. "It's good to see you old friend."

"You would think it has been two weeks, not two days," the priest said, laughing.

"I will never take you for granted again, my brother," Sir Ryan said, slapping Father Thomas on the back sending the priest forward a few steps.

"So, where did you go? What happened? Did you find something to help?" Lerendo asked eagerly. At that, the two looked at each other, more suspiciously than Lerendo would have liked. "What is it? What did you see?"

"We should sit down, and I'll tell you everything," said Sir Ryan and all four sat around the table.

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"Get in there, you slime," the squint-eyed, hunchbacked man squeaked. The prison door shut with a loud clang and the man within turned to face his captor.

"You will never win," he spat out.

"Look around, sir, we've already won." He smiled, revealing two rows of rotten teeth. His breath blew into the other man's face, and the man pulled his tattered cloak over his nose.

The smirking man walked off, leaving the other man alone. He stared after the retreating form of the man, then with a sigh of defeat, he fell to the floor. Across from him, a mouse skittered over the scattered straw that had long ago lost its golden color. His head fell into his folded arms.

"Why now?" He questioned. He thought of his wife and his two little baby girls and a tear slipped down his dirty cheek, causing a dark streak to appear. "Why now?"

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Sir Ryan dug his heels deep into the horse's sides. It snorted and lengthened its stride. Sir Ryan's imagination had been soaring into the dark and dismal since the moment he had heard the news. With barely a fight, the king and all those that stood with him had been overthrown.

He threw his horse's head toward the crack in the wall he knew would be there. Through the wall, they flew as one. Immediately, Sir Ryan could see the damage had been done. Everywhere, cracked pottery, old rotten vegetables, and occasionally, a person wandering around the streets looking more than lost were everywhere. He felt a swell of emotion well up inside of him. Never before had something so drastic happened to the old knight. Never before had he felt so powerless.