The Sha's Sword

Chapter 19: A Lengthy Debacle

XIX

Although Seth as fair warned me about the people at Yorkenshire, I can't help but be in high spirits. The others have joined our plight wholeheartedly; eagerly. I can't feel disheartened at all from the results of our endless days of trekking through the King's lands. When we do come across the King's guards, they don't even spare us a glance as we pretend to sell them our merchant wares, relying on Gwen and Andrie's fine acting skills, and a little part of their infuriating insistence to keep the King well away from us, and out plans secret.

Seth continues to coach me in sword fighting, the nights are alighted with the sounds of our swords clashing together. My arms build in strength and my legs find footing in new places almost automatically, matching the sweeps of his swords, and every new hit becoming gradually easier.

He still infuriates me with his perpetual sense of arrogance and air of importance, and I can't help myself from wondering what part of him sees me as the rebel's leader, and not himself. Whether it was the unlikely circumstance that he actually sees me as a leader, or simply the thought of too much pressure of leading an army, I will never know.

As I look around our unlikely bunch of traveling companions, I can't help feeling a laugh threatening to take over. No wonder the King will never see us coming, we are certainly an odd sort of traveling bunch. Gwen and Andrie are giggling over some joke, Avoca is brushing her long hair, staring absentmindedly into the fire. Olvis is sharpening his sword, the rock gleaming as he strokes the sharp edge. Seth warms his hands by the fire, preparing to take the first watch for the night. I have no idea where Arrafrey is, but my guess is that he is either hunting or deep in the meadow somewhere exploring. He never seems to enjoy sitting still for long, although I know without a doubt that he will be back to take his turn as our watchman. I watch the fire flicking its embers towards the sky, and the comforting crackle of logs burning finds peace in my ears, and for the first time in a long while I feel peaceful. This is not home, but it certainly feels very close to it.

***

I think it's morning when I feel something touch my shoulder, although I'm not usually one for sleeping in. I open my eyes slowly and wait for the bright sun to sting my eyes. Instead I'm confronted by a wall of darkness, and Seth hitting my shoulder once more.

"What is it?" I sit up, rubbing sleep from my eyes and peering up at him in confusion.

"We're not alone." He says in a voice of foreboding and points into the distance. At first, my eyes can't see anything, save a wall of black, and then I glimpse something shining faintly in the distance.

"Arrafrey spotted it earlier, and it was at least another few moments before I could see anything. It appears to be a torch – or a few torches, at least; possibly a small group of guards."

"Guards?" I'm awake now, watching the miniature dancing speck in the distance. "What do we do?"

"It may not be the King's guards. It's possibly a band of men from Yorkenshire, we're nearing their gates. It could also be merchants, but they rarely travel in the night."

"Shall we move on?" I question, glancing at our sleeping party, blissfully unaware. "We could continue on towards Yorkenshire and hope that they are not following the same path."

"I believe we're going to meet one way or another." Arrafrey's low voice startles me from behind. He regards me with his glowing eyes. "And the best position to be in would be one that was seemingly ignorant of their presence."