Vaehandre: Where The Stars Fall [Under Revision]

Chapter 29: Signs of Rogues

Given the urgency of their journey, Aiden and Henry determined their rest time of a few hours by the movement of the moon. The two travelers were walking at midnight. They had been on a steady path moving downhill when Aiden suggested they'd stop and rest.

"I think you forget, Lord Aiden, that hybrids or even vampires, in general, do not need rest," Henry said to Aiden as they watched the moon rise on the horizon.

"Oh, so you're going to start calling me lord now, eh?"

"Would you prefer my liege?" The hybrid smirked.

Aiden smiled lightly. "Can we hold off the title calling till we reach Rathorn?

Raising his brows, Henry stared at Aiden. "Now you have regrets?"

The young lord slowed his pace. "I'm just not used to it." He glanced back at Henry. "I'd rather just be Aiden for now. Before all the lordly duties."

"The weight of nobility finally dawning on you?"

"The thought of it always comes and goes." Aiden looked sideways and gripped his pack, where his coronet laid. He paced forward. "Sometimes, I don't mind the duties and responsibilities." Twisting backwards to Henry, the White Knight took in Henry's serious expression.

The hybrid's forehead was wrinkled, and he hung on to every word Aiden said.

"But other times," Aiden continued. "I want to be selfish and think for myself. My freedom. Alas, I cannot afford to think like that." He crooked his lips and gazed at the forest.

Henry let out a sigh. "You know, Aiden, when you found me in the Mundane world, I was being selfish."

Aiden shot a sharp, attentive glance at Henry, and the pair had stopped walking.

"I was there to be free." Henry glanced at his arm, where many mundane drugs had been injected, then to his side at Aiden's Elite Knight mark. "Then I saw that shield on your arm. It reminded me of all that nobility, all that heroism, and suddenly, I was a hopeful young boy again. You brought me back here to serve a greater purpose. I don't think I ever thanked you for that."

The White Knight dropped his gaze. "Perhaps it was fate's desire."

"Indeed."

"And I'm glad I have you with me, Henry."

Henry chuckled. "I'm happy to be here."

Aiden breathed out. "Shall we trudge on?"

"Oh, certainly."

The pair had walked in the moonlight for two hours before they decided to finally take rest. Dry leaves greeted their bedrolls near the edge of the cliff. Looking up, they could see the stars.

With a tilt of his head, Aiden could see the brightest one, the North star. He lingered in thought, but when all they could hear was the sound of critters hidden in the darkness, the peaceful symphony of insects lulled him to sleep, putting to rest any troubles that burdened his mind.

The sky had turned pink, then orange when they continued their journey again.

Aiden put the Sword of Light over his head and fastened it around his torso. He brought out a long hunter's knife and attached it to his belt.

"Lead the way," Henry said as he pulled his pack over his shoulders.

Following the rune down a slope, they moved away from the cliffs they rested on. At the base of the hill, the trees were grouped together. The forest was more alive, and they heard bees and the sound of running water. They were drawing near a shallow creek.

Aiden knelt down to refill his leather costrel. He placed the cap back on, making sure the water wouldn't leak. While he was wiping away water dripping on the side, Henry tapped him on the shoulder.

"What is it?" Aiden asked.

"The smell of burnt wood," Henry replied, still sniffing the air.

A great unease took over Aiden. He glanced at the woods behind them and gripped the blade that hung on his side. "How far?"

"Not too far from here." The hybrid swung his head from side to side. He paused and glanced across the creak. Narrowing his eyes on the trees, he gauged a glint of sunlight.

A bolt whizzed through the air, aimed at his heart. Henry caught it before it could touch him.

Aiden turned to a rustle from his side, raising his knife to meet his assailant's blade. He deflected the hooded man's blow and slashed at his neck. Hearing a thud, he twisted backwards to see the crossbowman lying still across the creak with a knife embedded on his head. The young lord braced himself for more assailants to greet him. Instead, he heard two more thuds and noticed Henry walking back to him with bloodied hands.

"Rogues?" Aiden asked.

"Dead rogues." Henry corrected while bending down by the creek to wash off the blood.

Approaching the twisted body of the rogue he just slew, Aiden wiped his bloodied hunter's knife on the dead man's clothes.

"You haven't even set foot in your palace yet, and there's already an attempt on your life?" Henry blurted out.

Aiden went near Henry. "I don't think they were here for me. You said you smelled a campfire nearby? I think we were the ones intruding on their territory."

"So then they decided to kill us on the spot. No greeting or anything like that?" Henry said as he panted.

"They were most likely assassins. I heard about them from reports before. They like being a secret, so they'd kill any threat to that, I guess."

"You think they'd just come back from an assassination or?"

Shaking his head, Aiden replied. "No, they were most probably in hiding."

"Should we check their camp? We can take them." Henry said eagerly.

"No, let's leave no trace of us for them to track. They have been known to use dark magic." Aiden reached for his pocket. "Cursed fates! I've dropped the rune." He hastily held the scroll. "Ruh-ban-ghud."

The rune flew back to him with droplets of blood.

"Let's keep moving," he said to Henry, but when he turned to him, all he saw was a gust of wind scattering the nearby dry leaves.

Two of the dead bodies were gone. Aiden paced forward to investigate. He had gone three paces forward when another gust of wind caused him to shield his eyes. When he looked behind him, all the dead rouges were gone. He stepped backwards.

"I've hidden the bodies in the forest," Henry said.

Aiden had his knife raised, ready to strike. He heaved a heavy breath. "Do I have to get used to this running around?"

"Only occasionally." Henry grinned.

The travelers would climb one more mountain before they could see a glimpse of Rathorn.

Placing the rune and scroll back in the box, Aiden glanced sideways at Henry. "Now this ability of yours, is it nauseating for someone to travel with you?"

"You have traveled with me once before."

"Well, yes, but I was unconscious."

Henry crooked his mouth. "I'm still going to have to carry you over my shoulder."

After looking at the distance they'd have to travel, Aiden tilted his head and said, "I'm okay with that. The faster we get there, the better, and maybe, if we were followed, it will throw them off our tracks." Aiden secured his pack, the sword, and his knife. "Alright then, let's be off."

In one swift motion, Henry placed Aiden over his shoulders and left behind unsettled dust.