Alorne ✔️

Chapter 7

I nudge Beorn hard in his side and he jolts awake. "What now?" He hisses and he massages his sore side.

"We're under attack. Get up," I order him. He mutters some incoherent words under his breath but gets up anyways. "How come you know? I don't see a thing," he asks me whilst getting his axe.

"The deer told me. I couldn't sleep," I explain but I never tear my eyes off the forest edge. We chose our camping spot poorly. The deer all face in the same direction but that means the attackers will have a higher position than we do. Literally. We were stupid enough to choose a spot in a valley. 

"Great," Beorn yawns. I shoot him a glare. Not that he can see it. All of a sudden the sound of a warhorn cuts through the once peaceful forest. Around a dozen figures emerge from the edge and I suddenly realise I haven't got anything to defend myself with. If I can't put distance between me and the figures my bow is useless. I pick up the nearest branch I can find and hold it in my trembling hands.

The figures are hard to see. The shapes can be vaguely seen by the moonlight bouncing off their armour. It isn't much. It almost seems like their armour doesn't shine but is instead matte. One figure steps forward. He has broad shoulders, spikes on his underarm armour and a helmet on his head with on either side a gigantic curled horn. You would almost look past him if it wasn't for the stench. The moment they emerged I can't help but smell a rotten stench. It nearly makes me gag.

"Hand the princess over and no-one has to die today," his voice booms through the air. I wouldn't be surprised if someone meters away would be able to hear what he says. He stands up tall after making his announcement with a huge mace in his hands. Beorn looks over to me and I stare back with fear in my eyes. My whole body is shaking and right now I wish that I had snuck off more to watch the guards practice fighting. I know I have a bow and arrows but I can't possibly use them right now. I have a pretty decent shot, during the day.

Beorn straightens his back, "no," he states. A cynical laugh is all his answer gets as a response.

"Very well then," the soldier laughs, "I will make sure you die slow and painful then." His voice drops at the end and I can almost picture him smiling underneath his helmet.

"Beorn, what did you do?" I hiss at him. It was supposed to sound angry but the tremble in my voice gives away that I am, in fact, scared to death.

"There is no way we can defeat them. If you are counting on the deer, then you made a mistake. They're gone."

During our little banter, the soldiers have now come incredibly close. "Arwyn, you mentioned you met the Galdor," Kizaras voice rings through my head and I've felt more relieved. "Don't answer out loud, if he gave you something to deliver elsewhere then hit the soldier left of you."

Before I can rise my branch to hit the soldier Beorn slips a little dagger in my boot. I step back so my back hits his. "Now," I whisper and hit the soldier on my left. Within seconds the deer jump out of the forest attacking the soldiers from behind. Some are taken by surprise and end up between the ground and the hooves of the gentle giants.

The broad-shouldered soldier lunges himself at me his mace high above his head. I have just enough time to spin around and his mace barely misses me.

"You just signed your own death," he grumbles and he lifts his mace again. I jump out of the way again and his mace hits the trunk of the tree behind me with such force it's stuck. I sprint away and grab my bow and a handful of arrows.

If I'm going to die then at least I'll die fighting. I jump up to the nearest branch and swing my legs over it. After positioning myself between the safety of the leaves I try to calm myself down just a notch. Just enough so I can focus. The attackers are now on the clearing so I am able to see enough. Besides the one that just attacked me, they don't wear helmets. I can at least try and shoot them.