Into The Storm

4

Edmund stood at a window in his chambers, looking outside at the kingdom. He turned around, hearing a door open and saw Elspeth walk up to him. She stood in front of him.

"You sent Rosalis out to prevent Wolfgrimm from starting a war?" She asked.

"Yes, I did. She is my herald and custodian after all." He pointed out.

"What do you see in her?"

"She knows how to do her job."

"Why did you hire her anyway?"

"You know why." He told her testily, his patience being challenged.

"It would be better to send a man to complete the task."

"You do not know her like I do."

"I warn you, Rosalis will be the death of this city." Without saying anything else, she spun round and strode out in anger. Edmund sighed and rubbed his forehead, looked back towards the kingdom.

Rosalis journeyed through the forest, only the light from the moon guiding her way. She was now beyond the point of no return. But even then, she was not one to simply give up and go home. Rosalis walked across the grass, there being no path to lead her towards her enemy. She moved forward, not diverting her feet from her straight course. She looked around the forest and saw what looked like old cottages, broken, battered, rotting. There was one cottage without a door which had long since rotted into the ground and there was another cottage with a window shutter squeaking as it slowly flapped in the breeze. A third cottage had vines and branches growing all over it, mother nature taking back what was rightfully hers. Slowing her pace, Rosalis scanned her surroundings. Suddenly, a twig broke, the snapping sound catching the knight's ears. Reacting, she drew her sword out and looked around at the ghost town. Surely she was only hearing things? Then, she heard the grass rustling under someone's feet, footsteps being heard. There was someone with her. She turned round and saw a monk in front of her, dressed in simple brown robes, his hood up. He carried a long, wooden staff in one of his hands like a walking stick. "Who are you?" Rosalis asked him. "Speak!"

"My name is Benedictus Fitzalan." The young monk replied calmly. "And who are you?"

Rosalis looked at Benedictus and did not say anything, the sword still in her hand. He sighed.

"Okay, maybe we got off on the wrong foot, I should not have snuck up on you, it was disrespectful of me. How about, you put the sword away, and we could have a small talk? How does that sound?"

Seeing that the monk was not going to be of any trouble to her, Rosalis sheathed her sword. Suddenly, the monk took his staff and spun it in his hand. There was a sharpened tip at the bottom of it which he held at her neck. He looked at her with a slight anger. "Who are you?" Benedictus asked her. "Why are you here?"

"My name is Rosalis Ventris." She said, being careful with her words. "I am on my way to Wolfholde."

Benedictus frowned. "Wolfholde? What business do you have there?"

"My business is my own."

"But surely you must know what you are heading into?"

"I beg your pardon?"

Seeing that Rosalis was going to be of no threat to him, Benedictus lowered his staff and took his hood down. His head was bald, not one length of hair on his scalp. The only hair visible was his shaved beard which was replaced by an even patch of dark stubble. "Wolfholde is a dangerous place, my lady. People have gone in and have never come out."

"The king of Frinnor seems to think that Wolfgrimm wants to burn the kingdom to the ground. I need to stop him."

"Try and you will fail."