The Forge Of Kings

Chapter 11: Home

  
     I walked through the forest near Rostov's camp. The Cub followed not far behind, lifting his paws in a goofy little walk, I let out a giggle, and continued towards my snares, the last few had no game, but I'm hoping at least a rabbit or two. The cub maybe smaller than most but he's always famished. I entered a small clearing in the forest and noticed I had in fact caught a fairly large rabbit and a small squirrel. I started to untie my cotton tail as the cub marched to the squirrel and began to eat. I giggled and patted him on the head, "I'm gonna have to give you a name little one." He growled as he ripped apart his squirrel. I reset the snare and put the rabbit in my pack, I pulled out a piece of cloth, and wrapped up the remaining meat of the squirrel and placed it in my pack, I clicked my tongue and headed towards the house with the cub following.

     After just a couple days he seemed to be getting bigger, it might be all the food, I've been giving him entire animals and trying to ensure he's fed with as close to living prey as I can provide without endangering him to something that can overpower him. I headed up the walk to the house and opened the door, I found Drake sitting at a table reading an old book. I headed to the makeshift fire pit we made in the fireplace. I set up a rack, and lit a flame, it began to grow, I pulled out the rabbit and headed to the kitchen counter. I began to clean it up. After a couple of minutes I had fresh meat ready to go on the fire. Drake looked up from his book and inhaled deeply, "That smells delicious" he claimed as I put the meat on the rack. The cub mewled softly and lied down in my lap as I sat by the fire. I petted him and listened to the crackling flame.

     I looked to Drake as I placed the cooked meat into my pack, "What about Atlas?" I asked, Drake looked up with a confused face. "I'm sorry?" He asked, I turned my gaze to the tiger cub sleeping near the fire. Drake smiled and nodded, "One that suffers or endures." He said as he turned back to his book. I sat down next to the cub, "Atlas, it fits you." I whispered, Atlas stretched and let out a little yawn and drifted into sleep. I smiled and petted Atlas as he slept, as I looked down at the furry little life in my lap I thought about how he felt, Safe, Loved, protected. Home. I thought of my village, My mother, and my friends before the raid. The happiest people left in the deepest despair.

     I woke up Atlas and stood up, I grabbed my gear and picked up Atlas, "Where are you going?" Drake asked. I turned and said "Home." I replied, Drake grabbed his pack and staff and grabbed his knife I used off the counter. "Ew, you left rabbit goo on my blade." He said as he wiped it off on his pants, we headed outside and I headed towards the Castle of Zodan, Rostov's old Castle. He abandoned it not long after he took up his hunting. Atlas wiggled as I walked, I put him down and he walked in front of me. As we walked the forest began to recede and we reached a steep hill and the castle in the clearing below, huts built and scattered around the castle, People wandered and populated the land. They didn't look like military so we can most likely pass through without hassle. I picked up Atlas and slid down the hillside cautiously, I reached the bottom and pulled out Atlas, he mewled softly as I put him in my pack. It was tight, but it wasn't for long, Drake and I walked towards the castle and watched the people walk and talk and laugh, they were living in small huts outside a giant castle and they were enjoying it. They live a truly simple life. We walked past the village and continued towards Khofte, we were walking along the edge of the steep walls of Eîthor, and approaching the path up the mountainous kingdom of Khofte. Dragons flew above, their priests training them in the matter of flight.

     We passed through three villages and I stopped at the last one and sat at the cliff side and watched the ocean. Drake came up behind me and sat down beside me, he looks around at the castle behind us and the village. "Is this your home?" He asked softly. I shook my head, I reached in my pack and pulled out Atlas and his squirrel meat and set them down beside me, he ate happily. I pointed to the ocean below close to the shore, as the sun set it glinted below the water, the windows, the stained glass of the church, my home, the houses stood as dark wavy figures below the waves. Drake's eyes opened wide, he turned to me to speak but he stopped himself. We sat on the cliffside and watched the sunset.

    The next thing I remember was I woke up to Atlas curling up on my chest, I looked around before I got up, I got up off the cot and sat at the edge of it, I wiped my eyes and ran my fingers through my hair to untangle it, Drake snored from the cot nearby, I stood up, grabbed a chunk of bread off a nearby plate and threw it at his face, "I'M UP!" he shouted, I walked over and grabbed my pack and sword and saw that Count Dendrin had left a few slices of meat for Atlas. I left the plate near the cub and he began to devour it. I wrapped my scarf around my neck and covered my mouth and nose, Drake began to rise from his cot and I grabbed Atlas and headed outside. I approached Dendrin, who had let us sleep in his guest home, I smiled "Thank you for your generosity, we appreciate it." Dendrin gleamed, "you're very welcome Akira, I'm always happy to help if you need, it is god's will." He said with a bow, I bowed back.

     "You should return more often, I know it's hard for you to return because of what happened to your mother, but those of us that are left mourn the loss of your presence, you could even sleep in the castle with my family and I." Dendrin said, Drake approached us, his hair was sticking up and he had a slab of meat on his face, but he was geared up and half asleep. I let out a giggle and smiled to Dendrin. "No, Thank you, you're guest house is more than enough, and you've been more than generous being here for me since the raid." I thanked him and gave him a bow, Dendrin turned and headed towards the center of the village, "I have to get to Morning Mass, but it was nice to see you." He gave me a smile, wrapped me in a hug and headed to church, not long after he left my view, The clock tower above the church began to toll. 12 times. It was noon.

     Drake looked at me with one eye closed, and peeled off the meat on his face, Atlas jumped up and scarfed it down in one gulp. "Ew... Now, Who was that guy?" He asked in a low tired voice. I smiled and gave Atlas a pat on the head, he gave a little growl, "That's Count Dendrin, He is the lord of the kingdom, After the raid on my village, the other children and I were taken by imperials, and we're being trained to be child soldiers, but only a few of us survived the trials..." I took a moment, and continued to explain, "Dendrin led the search for us, He freed us from captivity. After that he settled down, now he is a cleric, he works in the church. Anyway, he took care of me for a while until I was ready to go out on my own, He's my family now."

     We made it back to Zodan and back up the hill, we came close to Rostov's camp but were able to get passed without drawing attention. "HALT!" A man shouted from behind. Drake and I turned, Drake readied his staff, a man stood in a blue cloak over his chainmail and armour. He held a sword at the ready. He had a group of paladins, clerics, knights and various mystics, there were eight of them total. The man had a light beard and a scar under his right eye, he held a dark scowl on his face and talked in a deep powerful tone. "Drop your weapons. I won't say it again." He ordered. Drake held his staff higher, I pulled out my sword. "No."