The Knight's Eyes

7: THE WHITE RIVER

>>>Warning! Rough language and mature readers advised for this chapter<<<

At an easy pace the fourteen survivors continued west where the sun was going in the opposite direction. He wished he could join it and return home. The thought ached his soul and the realization of how dangerous the journey back would be made the pain quick and sharp.

Alsin held firm to Rome's saddle, filling his head with his song of comfort. Hope slowly refilled his weary soul, however the pain in his body heightened. With great caution he kept his body steady to the constant rocking of his horse's wide steps.

The men around him laughed or chuckled. Krontos' laugh was loud and boisterous enough to attract any unwanted attention, but surprisingly Alsin held no strength to acknowledge it. He kept his dazed eyes on their surroundings, spotting even the smallest of insects as they climbed trees or scuffled into brush. As long as the creatures ignored the rowdy group, he kept his thoughts and concerns to himself.

"When I'm finish with ya, is what I said," said Krontos scratching his yellow beard, suppressing another laugh.

Those listening openly laughed for him, probably thankful for the moment of relief in their dangerous quest.

"So I kept bashin' him, tryin' to get 'im to talk. He started laughin' right. I took a step back and wanted to kill'im there. Oh he had me pissed. Then he said, ey I gotta tell ya somethin'. Somethin' that could get you a seat at the king's table. And I said what? What do you have to say that's worth the arse you are? He said this," he choked on a laugh and slapped another armsman's shoulder, "I've seen dragons before."

This broke everyone into a good laugh. Even Alsin inwardly chuckled, shaking his head at their jovial storyteller.

"A fool," Demetri said from the front of the group.

"I know. Poor bastard. I should've given him mercy then - of his own sanity," Krontos snickered, "I laughed so hard, I had a headache for weeks. Couldn't even give me girl love, that's how bad I was."

The forest so silent in its eeriness lit up with laugher. Krontos did a nasty laugh that sounded as if he needed to cough up mucus. He collapsed onto a tree to catch his balance.

"Dragons. Only halfwits and drunks make stories like that. Ah he had a long tale too. One dragon had scales as white as Iceborn hair and the other redder hair as Lhys. Ha! Had me on me knees. Poor bastard."

Alsin shot back his head and crackled a laugh at that point, "So what'd you do to him, Krontos?"

"Ha! I left 'im there to rot on his own feces." The heavy-set man said, face red from his own comedy. He then waved at him, "Hey, Alsindad, I want to know. Have your father seen dragons too?"

Instantly, what humor he had deflated. He could feel the trees and the short grass tremble from the explosion of laughter. Alsin scolded, heat rising in his chest. He gripped the saddle harder and bounced his Adam's Apple.

"Very funny," he forced himself to say, his aching arms stiffening for a good swing at all of them.

"I'm serious though, sir knight of the lunatic," the bastard continued. "He's probably seen a lot down there in the dungeons eh."

He flexed his jaw from side to side and sharply inhaled from the pain sprouting the right side of his body.

"Yaknow, I don't know. Maybe you should ask your mum. I think I saw her last down there fuckin' one of the guards."

"Oh!" shouted the men in unison, urging, taunting, and anticipating a fight to complete their moment of comical relief.

Krontos' smiling bearded face converged into a monstrous scold. He growled, "What'cha say 'bout my mother, you arse!" He took to a sprint towards him slouched on Rome, but most of the men abruptly stopped him.