Dark Fate The Gathering: Book one

Chapter one

Attempting to get to his feet Kinsey slammed back down to the ground as if yanked by some great force. Looking beneath him he found that one of the many tree roots running along the moss covered ground had gotten tangled in his chain mail shirt.

Kinsey shook his head and muttered, “Unbelievable.”

“Are you deliberately trying to be discovered, or are you letting your dwarven half roll around in the mud?” said a familiar voice.

Kinsey rolled away from the direction of the voice, tearing himself free of the entangling root, to come up on all fours facing his long time friend and mentor.

“You looked less like a turtle and more like a badger that time,” Erik said, a broad smile on his face as if enjoying some jester’s performance. He had perched himself soundlessly on a large, moss covered root just outside the treeline, one hand holding his bow casually in front of him, the other rubbing his chin.

Kinsey’s cheeks flushed in humiliation and he got to his feet with as much dignity as he could muster. “Some of us were not blessed with an elf’s pair of feet.” Kinsey replied. The damned elf had done it to him again, sneaking up unawares, some day Kinsey was going to take a club to Erik’s feet and then see how quiet he could sneak about.

Dusting himself off Kinsey snorted softly. “One of these days you’re going to have to show me how to do that.”

“Been trying for the past sixty years. I’ve heard of slow learners, but really... there comes a point when you just have to let go of lost causes,” Erik replied with a grin. He came off the tree root with a little hop and made his way to Kinsey. The elf was tall, lean and moved with an irritating grace that all his kind seemed to possess. Long, dark hair held back by many braids allowed Erik’s ears to show, which the lower portions appeared like that of a humans’ but changed dramatically toward the top with sharp points stretching halfway up the sides of his head. The faded browns and greens of his leather armor made him almost impossible to see in these woods.

“What did you find?” Kinsey asked.

“Yes, what did you find?” Chancellor Tomelen repeated. He tumbled from the thicket, cursing as he came to an abrupt halt, on his backside, between Erik and Kinsey. The finery on the man’s clothes spoke volumes of his inexperience with long, road travel and dealing with the dangerous encounters that accompanied such a journey. In these woods Kesh stuck out like a roster in a hen house. Any bandit would jump at the chance to strip him naked and take him for ransom. In spite of his foolishness, the chancellor scrambled to his feet with dignity and brushed himself off with a look of disdain on his face. His voice hissed out through clenched teeth. “I will not be left out of this conversation... you two were sent to help guard me on my journey to Stone Mountain; make no mistake who is in charge here! I will make the decisions that need to be made, and you,” his eyes swept across the pair, “will respect and follow my lead.”

Kinsey could feel the heat rise around his neck and on his cheeks. The confrontation with Lord Banlor Graves had started in such a manner. It was as if the two men were kin, Kesh mimicked Banlor perfectly in his unfaltering arrogance. The gall of the two men, expecting him, and everyone else, to heed their every beck and call. It put Kinsey on edge; he wasn’t some dog on a leash that could be set to heel.

He balled up a fist as his temper rose to the boiling point. He was going to lay Kesh low, just as he had done to Lord Graves, and most likely lose all standing in the process, but at that moment he didn’t care. Kinsey had heard enough garbage spew from this man’s mouth.

He felt Erik’s hand upon his shoulder, “Of course chancellor, but this particular situation is martial in nature. Kinsey and I are well versed and prepared to handle the matter. You needn’t burden yourself with such a mean task.” Erik stated, as he came to stand beside Kinsey.