Alkanos slowly opened his eyes. After doing a damage assessment, he slowly sat up. He could remember getting separated from Cordelia. He also remembered the rapids and seeing Cordelia with a fishtail plunging after him.
A fishtail? he thought, gingerly touching his head. He had a good-sized lump on the back of his head. I must have hit my head. I really hope Cordelia made it out of the rapids alright.
Alkanos got to his feet. He had lost his cloak and wallet in the rapids, but, he still had the knife Cordelia had given him.
"I am Alkanos, and I've been separated from my friend Cordelia." Alkanos said to the air. Yeah, that's right. I'm also the heir to the throne of Eldoria. Cordelia is my bodyguard. He thought, glad to know he still remembered. I'm going to the ice cave that's sacred to the Dragons. To try to pull the sword.
"Then I had better get going." Alkanos said, walking up the smooth rocked embankment up to the thin tree line, and to the forest road.
Alkanos looked up and down the road, scratching his head. "I wonder how far I came from the ford?" he said, remembering the pain from being bounced around and crashing into rocks like seeds in a rattle. Luckily the pain had eased off since leaving the river.
Licking his dry chapped lips, he gauged the location of the sun. By his calculations, it was early to mid-morning. He chose to go to the left, heading west.
***
It didn't take him long to reach a small village, that comprised of about two dozen buildings. The buildings were made of wood and straw. There were a few stores, that Alkanos guessed, carried the essentials to sustain a town of this size. The village was set up in a tight circle with the village square in the center of the village. In the village square was a well for drawing water. The roads throughout the village were , regularly used dirt roads. Villagers were out and about.
Missing the familiar weight of his coin purse, Alkanos decided to check the town notice board, looking for a quick job, and hopefully, quick money. On the notice board were notices of a lost item, a sell happening at the local bakery, and three new edicts issued from King Martin. Even though he was looking for help wanted notices, Alkanos read the three edicts.
The first edict was raising taxes through the proverbial roof. That didn't surprise Alkanos, taxes are how governments get money to keep the country running, but still, the general populace did have a threshold for how many taxes they could endure.
The second edict was all men and women of fighting age, were to register by Samhain, so a count of the kingdom's fighting force could be taken. There was nothing odd about that edict. All Eldorian Kings or Queens have had at least one in the past.
The third edict was a wanted poster of him and Cordelia. Both of them were wanted dead or alive. Alkanos ripped the wanted posters off the notice board.
Alkanos's mouth gaped open. "No way." he breathed. The charges listed for both of them were: Horse thieving, failure to answer a royal summons, aiding and abetting a fugitive, and charges of sedition and treason. The sketches for the posters were decent. The gold price for him was significantly higher than Cordelia's. That as to be expected since Cordelia had just gotten involved, he was the heir, and a threat to the Crown.
Alkanos tore the wanted posters into shreds, then slid them into his belt pouch. Seeing nothing else on the notice board, he turned around, only to see a girl in a red cloak go by with a basket of food. He couldn't help but see her, since the basket hit him.
"OW!" he exclaimed, "Watch where you're -"
"I'm sorry mister. I didn't see you there." the girl cut him off, she had green eyes.
"It's fine." Alkanos said, gritting his teeth. The basket had smacked him in an already sore hip. He could smell the baked goods in her basket, even with the cloth covering them.
"Haven't seen you around here mister. Have you moved here or just passing through?" the girl asked, speaking quickly.
Alkanos had to blink, to process fully, what she had said. "I'm just passing through."
"Well have a fun journey. I'm taking this food to my Granny's," the girl chattered on, "She lives on the other side of the forest."
"Are your parents going with you?" Alkanos asked, looking around the square. He crossed his arms, seeing nobody coming for the girl.
"No," she chirped, "Mommie says this is a growing opportunity for me."
"Would you like for me to accompany you?" Alkanos asked.
"No. I'm not supposed to talk with strangers or go anywhere with strangers," the girl said, "Have a nice journey." then she skipped to the forest path that branched off from the road, and deeper into the forest.
Alkanos felt like smacking his head against the village notice board. "Then why did you tell me all I needed to know about her?" he growled.
Something felt wrong about the girl's whole story. Why would her parents allow her to go into a forest to deliver food, when clearly, she will talk to strangers? Alkanos decided to follow the girl to her Granny's house. If anything to make sure she made it there alright, then he would make his way back to the village then be on his way.
***
Alkanos followed the girl staying always behind a tree, but always keeping her in his field of vision. The walk was uneventful, the birds were singing, the bees buzzing. The smell of the food lingering with the earthy smells of flowers, herbs, mushrooms, and the smell of loamy soil. Even without any creatures of any sort, Alkanos kept having an underlying feeling of unease. The feeling began to manifest as the beginnings of heartburn.
Then the problems started. The scent of an approaching predatory animal was the first tip-off. Alkanos crouched behind a tree, letting the undergrowth of green-leafed ferns hide him with their leaves. He anxiously gripped the knife handle.
The second tip-off was the wolf wearing a fitted jerkin and walking on hind legs. Alkanos bit his lip from gasping. That's not something you see every day. he thought in awe, blinking to make sure he was seeing what he was seeing.
The Wolf talking to the girl in the red cloak. Seeing that, made Alkanos grip a tree root, with his free hand, to stop himself from interfering. Let's see what's happening first. Then act. he thought, admonishing himself for wanting to fly into the situation, knife drawn and teeth bared. So instead, the Prince used his acute Draconic hearing and listened.
"And, where would a young girl, like you be going on a day like this?" The Wolf asked, his voice was like fine oil, words sliding off his canine tongue in a cultured sounding voice.
"I'm going to my Granny's," the girl chirped, "She has been sick."
The Wolf sniffed the air, eyeing the basket, or was it the girl holding it, he was eyeing? Alkanos from his point of view couldn't tell. "That food smells simply divine. May I have a taste?" the wolf asked.
"I'm sorry you can't Mister. The food is for my Granny, and she would be most upset if I didn't bring all the food to her." the girl said.
"Where does your Granny live, little one?" the wolf asked, his tongue flicking over his canines.
"On the other side of the forest," the girl said, "And she has been all alone. That's why I'm bringing her this yummy food."
"Of course my dear. What is family for?" The wolf asked, "Wouldn't your Granny want some fresh flowers?" he gestured to the flowers growing away from the forest path.
"She would love those!" the girl exclaimed, "Thank you. It was so nice talking to you."
"Have fun bringing the food for your Granny. And, don't forget, don't talk to strangers. You never know who you'll meet." the Wolf said, disappearing into the forest.
Alkanos resheathed his knife when he saw the Wolf leave.
The girl began picking the wildflowers, she bent to pick a flower near Alaknos; seeing only his luminous blue eyes, she screamed.
The next thing Alkanos knew, he was clutching his nose, blinking back tears. "Please clam down! I mean you no harm." he said, but the girl continued to scream.
"Pervert! Creep! Advantage taker!" she screeched at the top of her lungs.
With his acute hearing, Alkanos swore he was going to have hearing loss from the girl screeching if she kept going. "I'm sorry," Alkanos said, "I thought you were needing a guard so I- OW!" he yelped again, as the girl kicked him solidly in the side of the knee. She then turned and ran like a frightened rabbit up the forest path, to her Granny's.
Alkanos swore in a growl, as he watched the red cloak disappear. He took his hands away from his nose, luckily it wasn't broken. Chances were good, he would have a bruise for his efforts. He gingerly touched his knee, it stung a little, but he would be fine.
Then he said to himself out loud, "Let me guess, She'll need me to rescue her from the wolf?" he paused and said "Thought so. Now I can use the road instead of darting behind trees." And with that he ran at a jog, to find the girl, before the Wolf did.
***
When Alkanos found the girl, she was going into her Granny's house. Alkanos entered the garden, letting the fence door swing shut behind him. The door to the house shut behind the girl. The house was a one-story house with a wood-shingled roof, and windows with diamond-shaped panes. The garden path from the fence to the front step was stone.
"Something feels off. I'll meet her grandmother, and if all is right, then I'll just go on my way." Alkanos said, walking up to the door. His hand touched the door handle, that was when the smell hit him.
The same predatory, wild smell that smelled like some kind of dog. The Wolf! Alkanos thought, his other hand going for his knife. Alkanos got a bad feeling in the pit of his stomach. What if he had to fight the wolf? The other times he had fought, it was always in training with Cordelia. Was he ready to possibly kill the Wolf?
Alkanos's heart pounded, his mouth became dry. Suddenly, he got the urge to turn and run like blazes back to the road, putting as much distance between him and this house.
Then he heard the scream. It sounded, well like a girl was about to get eaten alive by a wolf. Right then, all the fear that had been growing had fled. Alkanos shoved the door open, his knife drawn, and a severe feeling of heartburn building in his throat.
The girl was against the far wall, making herself as small a target as she could. The Wolf was crawling over the foot of the bed, teeth bared in a foaming at the mouth snarl.
Alkanos, shot like a loosed arrow, skidding to a stop between the girl and the Wolf. He assumed a ready position Cordelia had taught him, the balanced weight, the knife pointed at the Wolf. The Wolf remained unfazed and continued to step onto the bed railing, its muscles tightened, ready to pounce.
The girl whimpered, her hands covering her head and neck.
I've gotta do something. Alkanos thought, Maybe I can reason with it. I mean it's capable of human speech. He gripped his knife with resolve, "I would suggest you back off. I'm low on sleep and high on heartburn."
The Wolf growled a laugh, "Pathetic hatchling, can't even breathe fire. Why don't you be a good boy and go back to your Mommie?"
The heartburn was creeping up the back of his throat. Alkanos swallowed nervously, but to no avail. "I'm warning you, back off, leave the girl alone." he said, fighting to keep his voice even, in spite of his trembling knees.
"I'll enjoy your bones last." the wolf laughed and leapt at Alkanos.
Alkanos swiped his knife at the Wolf's gaping maw, with a scream. With that scream, came a stream of fire that met the Wolf head-on. The fire's sudden appearance made Alkanos keep screaming, this time in pure shock. The Wolf howled in surprise, as the foul smell of burning fur filled the room. The Wolf hit the wooden floor and rolled around in vain.
Without thinking any more about it, Alkanos knelt, plunging the knife into the wolf's heart.
The wolf died instantly.
Alkanos fell to his side, landing on his free hand, panting heavily, his mind abuzz with surging adrenaline.
"He ate her. He ate Granny." Was all the girl could manage, between the gasping and weeping. Again, without thinking, Alkanos cut open the Wolf, freeing the girl's grandmother.
The Wolf had neglected to chew before he swallowed, so the girl's grandmother was in one piece and very much alive. The girl's grandmother was just in need of a pint of the strongest alcohol she could find.
How Alaknos felt right then, he would happily join the grandmother for a drink. After what the girl and her grandmother had gone through, they reunited after a near-death experience.
Alkanos cleaned the knife on the hem of his tunic. I'll probably never get the blood out, but it's better than getting eaten. Alkanos thought.
His heartburn had subsided, then the dizziness and nausea set in. The room danced in front of him, his knife clattered to the floor, he fell over onto all fours. His stomach lurched to what he felt like was the back of his throat, causing him to make a rasping coughing sound.
Then he felt a hand on his back, it was the girl's Granny. "Just breath young man, just breath." she said, patting his back. Her hands felt thin, like a bird's bones, with round swollen knuckles. Alkanos gasped, the back of his throat still raw feeling.
"Are you alright?" she asked.
"I'm- fine- just- fine." he panted, blinking as the room righted itself. "First time I've - ever- killed a wolf." he wiped his mouth with his shirt sleeve. Nothing was different about me. I hadn't gotten sick, hadn't passed out, or ran and hidden in fear. So why is it affecting me like this? Alkanos pondered this but decided to push it to the back of his mind for later.
"Well, you did a right fine job." Granny said, helping him to his feet, and into a chair at the kitchen table.
Alkanos leaned over, his head in his hands, elbows on the table. A groan escaped his lips. How am I supposed to take the throne, if I nearly puke after killing a wolf? he thought.
The girl set Alkanos's knife on the table with a soft clink. Alkanos raised up and saw the girl also set the basket of food on the table. The smells of the food waffling out when she removed the cloth covering. Alkano's stomach gave a low growl, reminding him just how long it had been since his last meal.
Alkanos took and resheathed his knife.
Granny poured some wine, from a bottle that was in a high cabinet, into two wooden goblets. She handed Alkanos a goblet and begun to prepare a cup of tea for the girl.
Unfortunately, the hearth was cold, there wasn't any hot water for tea. "I hate to ask you to breathe fire again, but could you please? For some hot water?" Granny asked him, showing him the cold tea kettle.
Alkanos got up and went to the fireplace, which also served as the main cooking area. The hearth and surrounding stonework were made of irregularly round stones, held together with mortar.
Alkanos knelt down so he would be level with the grate. He inhaled deeply and forcefully exhaled through his mouth.
Nothing happened, well, some ashes got moved, but that was all. Alkanos tried breathing fire again, but still to no avail.
So he tried again, this time, he held his breath for a moment, and when he exhaled through his mouth, he pursed his lips. This time a thin stream of fire came, striking the wood shavings and pine straw.
"Aw right!" Alkanos exclaimed, his arms raised in triumph. Then using the fireplace poker, he worked the fire, maintaining it, until the fire was hot enough to boil the water for tea.
Alkanos relaxed in his chair at the table, the girl had settled down for a nap. Alkanos and Granny were making nice headway through the bottle of wine. The wine was made from peaches and it felt good on his throat. The food in the basket had been, an apple cake that was still warm and moist, seven seeded muffins, and a loaf of fresh-baked bread. The food had been enjoyed by all.
As for the Wolf, Alkanos insisted the girl go the village, and others come with her and take the Wolf away from the house. He insisted the most fervently, to leave the house and be on the road, by the time the girl made it to the village. Granny, being more than a little tipsy, agreed, but only if, he took some food with him.
***
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The only thing I can really say is I didn't have much fun writing the little girl. Though I must admit that this does tie in with the rest of the whole story.
Anyway, don't forget to comment or like it!
'Til Next Time!
2997 Word Count
~ Laura-the-bard