A Ward's Tale

Chapter 20

"She's nearby." Peter states. Even though her presence is still diminished he can still tell she hasn't moved far from the last point.

"Are you sure? There is nothing out here exc-" Reynolds was cut off by Arthur shushing him. They slow the horses.

Arthur puts a hand up silencing the other two. "There is a carriage up ahead. It looks heavily armed. I see at least two men close to it and saw at least one man on horse in the trees." He whispers. They stop their horses. Arthur takes them into the cover of the trees and dismounts.

"What is the plan, Arthur?" Reynolds asks as he dismounts.

"We need to find out who the carriage belongs to. Then work from there." Arthur says,  a plan formulating in his head.

Peter closes his eyes and reaches out harder for Clarissa. He can just touch her magic. This was beyond frustrating. It was as if she was right within his grasp but you couldn't hold on. "We may not need to check out the carriage, Clarissa isn't that way. She's this way." Peter says turning away from the carriage and walking further into the forest. They walk a few minutes then come to the village ruins.

"Is Rissa alright!?" Arthur exclaims thinking that she could have been caught in the crossfire.

Reaching down, Peter rubs some of the ash between his fingers. "These are months old." Peter says. "She's further this way."

There is a feeling Peter cannot shake by being in this burnt village. A connection he is not remembering. A familiarity.

They continue to walk and come to a grove of trees.

"This is why I wasn't able to feel her as strongly. There is a magical barrier hiding something behind these trees." Peter states.

"Okay can you get us through?" Reynolds asks.

Peter walks up to the trees and places a hand on the nearest one and closes his eyes. After a moment he shakes his head.

"What does that mean?" Reynolds asks annoyedly.

"It means that if you do not have magic you may not enter. I have a feeling that the village we saw was a mage village that was ravaged by a nomag village nearby. The people who survived rebuilt behind this barrier. The barrier is to protect them. And it is strong. Stronger than most barriers I have come across. You two will have to wait as I go check for Clarissa."

Reynold crosses his arms. "How do we know you are not just using this as an escape route? How can we trust you to return?" The look he gives Peter is full of distrust and jealousy. Peter can tell there is more to Reynold's anger than just his distrust of mages and wonders if there is a troubled past he keeps hidden.

"My friend means, how can we trust you to return with Clarissa? I have no doubt that we have caught up with her but how are we to be certain you will not just get her and run away?" Arthur states putting a reassuring hand on Reynold's shoulder.

"You will just have to trust me to return. I want peace and returning Clarissa to the King will help bring about a new era of peace." Peter says. A tingling feeling runs up his spine. Malicious magic-users. "Also, you two need to hide, now! There are men with magic approaching. No doubt men from the Seekers."

Arthur and Reynolds give each other a look then Arthur nods to Peter. "Good luck, and return quickly."

Peter nods back and steps through the trees. Arthur and Reynolds duck behind nearby bushes just in time not to be seen by three approaching men.

Peter closes his eyes and soaks up the magical energy that is radiating in the air. It feels like home. Again there is the familiar feeling. He opens his eyes and starts walking, the hairpin glowing stronger now.

He avoids the village for fear of being caught by the people who took Clarissa. The barrier was so strong that he figures they don't get many visitors. His presence would alarm those you took her. Clarissa isn't in the village anyways. With the energy of free flowing magic, he can sense her walking in a meadow with three girls. He quickly makes his way to the meadow.

As he gets to the edge of the meadow he stops and watches. Clarissa is sitting in the grass surrounded by the three girls. One of the girls is braiding flowers into Clarissa's hair. Her laugh echoes through the air. She is free and happy. She has found a way to a mage village, to where she dreamed of going ever since she found out about her magic. Peter is so impressed and amazed at how adaptable Clarissa seems to be. She fits right in with these people. He never expected someone of her stature to blend in so well. Of course, she's surprised him many times in their training exercises on how witty and adaptable she can be.

Is this where she has been this whole time? This is not where he imagined she would be, she must have escaped the Seekers somehow. As much as he wants to go to her and find out everything, he doesn't want to interrupt her. She deserves to be with people like her. He can go back to Arthur and Reynold and tell them he couldn't find her. He could lead them on trail away for as long as he could keep the façade. Whatever happens when they find he led them astray, he will deal with. Clarissa deserves to be with people like her.

Before he can turn away, she turns and looks directly at him. No leading Arthur astray now.