As soon as Lerris and his cousin rode out of the waystation, they sped towards the Avery Road and followed it eastward, first keeping their pace at a canter for at least half an hour, before slowing down to a trot for another hour, before slowing down to a walk. By his estimate, they must have covered over 22 kilometers, or half the distance between the waystation and the bend where the road turns north, and cuts through the wide gap between the Elron woods to the west and the great Graven Forest to the east, before it links with Garon's path about 16 kilometers from the bend.
As soon as they slow down, Lydia immediately rode beside him and gave him the pack horse reins, and pulls out her bow, and started to angle circle wide around him, keeping a close eye on the ground for any movement.
Lerris on the other hand draw his musket out as he kept an eye of their surrounding and at the same time, keeping a close tab on what Lydia was doing. She may be her apprentice, but if something would happen to her, he knows her aunt would skin him alive.
For a couple of hours, Lerris watch her cousin rode around him, sometimes abruptly stopping and letting loose of her arrow only to frown over something and ride to where she had shot it, dropping on the ground to pick up her arrow then climbing back again on her horse before moving to the other side of the road. Only when she was able to bag a couple of rabbits did she joined him, tossing her catch inside the empty wicker basket of their pack horse.
The sun was already at its zenith when they came within view of the walled compound just ahead of them. Even from afar he could see that the walls were nothing but wooden palisade with some section missing, and there is a single watchtower with a missing roof still standing at the southern edge of the wall. But what concerns him the most was the sight of a smoke rising from inside it.
"Lydia, draw out your musket and be ready for anything," Lerris instructed as he pulls the hammer of his musket into a full cock.
"Bandits?" Lydia asked as she rides up beside him as she sheaths her bow and draws her musket out.
"I don't know," Lerris said as he watches the road ahead, searching.
"You think it's safe?" Lydia asked.
Lerris just gave her a shrug as he rides on, while Lydia simply slowed down and took the rear.
As they rode to the walled compound, Lerris noticed that most of the gaps along the walls had been plugged up, mostly by makeshift barricades, enough to keep out the denizens outside the walls. He even saw a kid standing at the watch tower and watching them intently as they get closer to the compound.
And as they ride right in front of the gate, several young boys and an old man quickly took position near the gate, the boys were armed with makeshift spears while the old man has a bow in hand with an arrow knocked into it.
Lerris slowed down his horse to a halt and looked straight through the gate where he could see the remains of a large wooden structure which could be the lodge itself, and several makeshift houses.
"We don't want trouble stranger," the old man said aloud as he gave them a determined look.
"Nor do we," Lerris said casually. "May I ask, is this the old Timber Wolf Lodge?" He asked, as he remembers the name of the old hunting lodge that once stood here.
"That lodge was long gone, stranger, and this place is our home." The old man declared as he glared at Lerris.
"We mean no harm, good sir, we just like a place to rest for a while." Lerris said calmly.
"We don't like strangers here!" One of the young boys yelled at him and step forward, spear at the ready.
The old man quickly turns his head at the young boy, and the young boy step back, "strangers are not welcome here," the old man said as soon as he turns to Lerris.
YOU ARE READING
A New Life in a Parallel World
FantasyA man in his late forties suddenly found himself in a body of a young boy, in a parallel world. To survive he has to adapt to his new surroundings. (This is my first novel, fantasy genre, which I wrote out for fun)
