Kings Game

Chapter 32 - The Lower Crags

(1)

Darkness. The world was a cold empty void. Roran couldn't feel his body. For a time there had been the sensation of falling but now there was nothing. Slowly, Roran's body began to feel warm.

"Stay with me!"

Roran's eyes flickered open. Sarah was leaning over him, her face a pale mask in the darkness. She kept shaking him over and over again.

"Come on, it's going to be okay. Don't fall asleep!"

Despite Sarah's words, Roran's eyes were heavy. Sarah moved over top of him, pressing her body against his and holding him. Roran tried to stay awake but it was futile. He was swallowed by the darkness again.

"Wake up! Wake up dammit! They're coming!"

Roran couldn't move. He couldn't see and he couldn't remember where he was. Sarah's voice was quiet despite her yelling. He was warm and comfortably numb. All Roran had to do was lie there and slip away.

His body jerked. Suddenly there was a pinprick of light above him and two shadowy figures standing nearby. Sarah was standing over Roran, shaking him again.

"Move damn you! Prove you're not dead or they're going to leave you here."

One of the figures moved closer. It was shorter than the other and covered in thick coats. A torch burned in its hand, the greasy flame flickering in the wind.

"Oh fine!" Sarah stood up, facing the two figures. "Help him."

Both of the figures jumped, looking around for the source of the sound.

Louder, Sarah shouted, "He's alive. Help him!"

Hesitantly, the short figure moved closer to Roran. It put a hand on his chest and pushed down hard. Roran coughed and groaned. The figure looked back at the taller one and nodded its head. Moving slowly, the taller figure came over and knelt next to Roran. Finally, they began to dig him out of the snow.

Beside them, Sarah slumped and then vanished. Darkness once more swallowed Roran.

There was a sense of time passing and then Roran was no longer warm and comfortable. He was cold and his body hurt. He kept getting jostled and his muscles were cramping. He tried to move but found that he was tied down. A violent wave of shivers ran through his body and he was once more unconscious.

More time passed and the discomfort faded. He still hurt everywhere, but he was no longer being jostled. Though his movements were hampered, he could move freely again. He shifted and rolled onto his side. Forcing his eyes open, Roran saw that he was in a bed. Beside him was a small hearth with a fire burning inside. Tending to the hearth was a boy.

"Perth?" Opening his eyes wider, Roran tried to sit up. "Perth!"

The boy startled backwards, away from Roran. He was the same size and age as Perth had been but that was where the similarities ended. Where Perth had light colored hair, this boy's was dark and long. Where Perth had pale skin, this boy was tanned. Where Perth had been scrawny and emaciated, this boy was hard, with scars dotting his hands and wrists.

"You scared me, mister," said the boy.

"Sorry, I thought you were someone else."

"You sit right there, I'll go fetch Pa."

The boy disappeared, leaving Roran alone in a small room. Despite the blankets and the fire he was still freezing, so he wrapped himself back up and curled into a ball. Huddling on the edge of the bed, Roran said, "Sarah?"

No response.

"Sarah, are you there?"

Nothing.

The boy came back, followed by a large man. He had the same dark hair and tanned skin as the boy. A thick beard covered his face and dark eyes settled on Roran like a glacier settling into a ravine. The man moved slowly, one of his legs stiff and bound up with bits of metal. He sat down on a stool, his gaze still on Roran.