The Tempest of Eerikki - Book One - THE PANACEA QUEST

Chapter 17

All were grateful to the Goddess for the return of Batair none more so than the King and Lady Corina. It had taken two weeks before Healer Coran had released him from his rooms and then several more weeks on the training fields before Batair was back to his full strength. With the Sword Master proclaiming him fit for full duty, only after taking great retribution for his stupidity in going after Chadd and his unholy horde alone.

"Elite Warriors never fight alone." William had drilled him over and over and in the end, Batair felt like a green neophyte and vowed to his Sword Master that he would never again be so reckless.

***

The King and his Captain found themselves walking the battlements watching the neophyte practice. Batair had the distinct impression that his King was also as vexed as the Sword Master over the whole incident.

They were keenly watching the training grounds where Tempie was practicing bow and saw firsthand when Dunkin had stepped forward to help correct her stance and how she had shrunk away from him.

"I see our Tempie is still fighting her own demons." Rhain sighed.

Batair nodded to his King as his throat had drawn tight.

***

Dunkin the Dark Archer was a deep well and did not show emotion to anyone. Many thought this stemmed from the fact he was an orphan. Said to have been cut from his mother's belly as she lay dying on a dirty river bank. The wise woman who had saved his life had raised him as her own and taught him the mystical ways of the deep forest. It was only as her death approached had she given him a missive to the King asking that the boy be trained to be an elite warrior. The King gratefully filled the request as his sire had owed the woman a great debt for saving his life. The old woman had also handed him a small ornate bracelet she said had belonged to his mother. The piece being so small that Dunkin always wore it on a leather thong around his neck over his heart.

He had been watching Tempie practice seeing she was dropping her arm, stepped forward to correct it. At his touch, she trembled and moved away. When her eyes met his, he saw something that should not be there it was fear. This stabbed at his heart and he prayed to the Goddess for a way he could help remove it.

Dunkin now found he could no longer stand to be so close to her pain, he stepped back turned and walked from the training field allowing Valiant, Albern and Raven to remain to watch over her.

***

It was late in the evening and an exhausted Tempie had collapsed fully clothed on her sleeping furs dirk blade in hand. As she lay her head down, she prayed to her mother for the strength to survive her dreams.

Tempie felt her body being moved around the dance floor as she had done with Batair on the first night of the Festival of Bounty. Felt the sensation of his heart beating, the warmth of his hand on her hip and then turned her face up to look into his beautiful intense eyes. Startled she found the face before her was not Batair's. It was the insidious sneer of Chadd.

"Scream for me," his breath rancid and the grip on her hip tighten causing great pain. "Scream for me."

Tempie awoke. Arawn cackled.