From the air, Penny wheeled and spiraled down in front of the group, feeling her wings stretch and warp into arms. The ambassador's retinue came to an abrupt stop, glancing between her and the ominous ridge ahead.
"Now listen well. That ridge ahead of us marks the start of the Witch's Cradle. The road runs south of the southern ridge. It should be at a safe distance, but there is a slight risk that one or two will be outside the nest. I was hoping to pass this earlier in the day, when they tend to be less active, but that was not a success." She took a deep breath to calm herself. She had never attempted to bring an entire party of ordinary people with her past the Witch's Cradle before; it was a daunting task. "So we will need to move quickly and quietly. The Witch's Cradle has a strong smell to it, which you have already noticed; this means they cannot smell us. However, they can hear us, so you have to remove any armor, bells, or bits of metal that might jingle."
Some of the guards shifted uncomfortably in their saddles. One shook his head. "How can we do our jobs without armor? Do we have to ride with our swords drawn?"
Penny froze for a split second. She hadn't considered the swords. If one of them was attacked and drew blood with a common sword... she didn't dare consider how much of Avalon could be destroyed.
"Any of you who draws a sword will be immediately disarmed. No blood from anything can be allowed to touch the ground. Anyone who causes blood to hit the ground near the Witch's Cradle will be treated as a hostile soldier. Is that clear?" Penny saw the eyes of the party widen. "The Witch's Cradle is not a joke, and it is not a legend. The Champion and the Champion's Hands are experienced with it, but you are not, so listen to me and do exactly what I say without hesitation. Is that clear?"
Eventually, the ambassador nodded, looking frightened. That was probably for the best, she decided; he was less likely to do something stupid.
"We'll wrap the horses' hooves to keep them from making too much noise, but if a horse bolts, it will be too loud. If that happens, your only option is to throw yourself from the horse and lay perfectly still. No matter what happens at that point, no one moves until you hear my voice telling you it is safe to do so. No matter what, is that clear?"
Finally they nodded and began to remove their armor and wrap the hooves of their horses. Penny breathed a sigh of relief; if they listened to her, they would probably make it.
After a short time, Penny inspected the horses, removing a few small metal pieces that would clink against each other. They had done a surprisingly thorough job, and she couldn't help but be impressed. Leaving out what's in the Cradle worked... surprisingly well. It was odd to think that they might have been less careful had she told them the name of the danger, used as she was to her Hands who already knew the risk before leaving on a journey.
"Good. Now remember, if your horse bolts, fall immediately and do. not. move." Penny unbound the blades from under her skirt and pulled them out, still amazed by their beauty and deadly edge. The Queen might scold me for bringing out blades in front of an ambassador... even though we're passing the Cradle. But with her two blades in her hands, she could forget the Queen for a moment. Every time she held the pair of crescent knives, shaped beautifully like falcon's wings, she remembered what it meant to be Champion of Avalon, and all thoughts of the Queen faded.
For a few minutes she scanned the ridge, watching for the movement of anything large through the trees. For a moment, a few trees near the top of the ridge swayed wildly, but the motion crossed the edge into the Cradle and disappeared. "It's clear. Move." She ran along with the horses' trot, matching her pace to theirs. It required a small amount of magic use, but it was better than passing the Cradle at a walking pace or risking the time to transform from a falcon.
YOU ARE READING
Tales of Avalon: The Maid and the Falcon
FantasyPeregrine has put her life on the line for years to please her mother. Even when she lost her position as heir to her younger sister, Lily, she endured it. But when a legendary victory leads to a shocking discovery, Peregrine takes the spoils of v...
