Untitled

Some Luck

Chapter Fifteen

Some luck

Falven

A shiver of excitement passed through me. We were about to deal some of Grandor's justice! Another chance for me to kill some humans and right the scales just a little. So far Merry's plan had gone soundlessly. We had crossed unhindered through the forest and countryside. Braga and I able to pass as humans at a distance and Merry as a child.

We were hiding in a perfect spot, obscured by thick trees and brush and elevated above the road. They had cut through a small hill to ensure the road remained flat, so that now small cliffs protruded from each side. The plan was that with Grandor's grace I will first shoot a fireball at them, then when they're disoriented and burnt, the other three will jump down and finish them off. "Something is wrong" I whispered.

I could see Mr. Prike entourage, but there were twenty swordsmen, not seven. Although their armour could definitely use a visit to a smithy, they seemed acquainted to a skirmish. They surrounded Mr. Prike's carriage and a wagon which held a black metal cage. Camellia caught her breath as she saw her father trapped inside it, he looked pitiful, his head caked with blood and desperation in his eyes. We had a problem, I couldn't blast them all, they were spread too far apart.

"Braga, I've got something for you to drink" whispered Merry as he rummaged around in his pack. Before he could procure anything,

Braga interrupted by growling: "women warriors".

"What? What are you talking about? They're men", but then I realized where he was pointing.

We had all been so focused looking east towards Mr. Prike that we hadn't noticed a group of fifteen "Women Warriors" coming from the other side. It was an accurate description for them. It was a beautiful thing to behold, they were very feminine and fierce all at once, long haired and dressed in a light blue and green uniform. With a pang I thought of Liarna. They seemed to be an elite force, they carried spears and swords and had assorted gleaming, bronze coloured, plate armour. They jogged at a perfect synced pace, maintaining fixed distances from one another.

"Abort" announced Merry quietly. Even Camellia couldn't argue with this decision, we had no chance of succeeding against such odds. "Perhaps they're enemies" she said wistfully. We soon found out, for the two groups met exactly blow us, and I could make out their conversation.

The lead female warrior approached the head swordsman. They both stood out from their group, for the swordsman had a helm and new chainmail, while the warrior had her hair in a tightly wound bun and wore a fiercer expression. She commanded him haughtily, "step aside if you know what's good for you.

He gave a hearty laugh and a mocking bow "of course my lady". Another shiver ran though me as the tall swordsman spoke, he sounded very familiar, yet it couldn't be.. his face was obscured from view, only visible was his gray hair. Shirtless, Mr. Prike peered out of his carriage to investigate, and the female warrior then addressed him directly:

"The mistress sent us to ensure that you arrive on time".

Mr. Prike leaned forward and seemed hurt by this news "I don't need a babysitter, Simone; she should know that". As he leaned forward, a fabulous golden neckless glinted in the sunlight. On it was a luminous red letter 'N', composed of dazzling rubies. The female warrior seemed quite unfazed:

"that's nice, you can tell her that when we reach the city in time for the fair, now move it!"

The silence was rather depressing after that encounter. I agreed that there was nothing for us to do but to continue to travel towards Redwood. Perhaps at night they'll be a chance for a rescue attempt. I'll admit, despite our situation I was very excited about seeing Redwood Forest, some of the greatest trees in Spalnia! I told my companions of its history and different legends. How some say a great battle of dragons took place, the fallen watering the ground with magical blood which gave birth to the enormous red trees. My knowledge was falling on deaf ears until I mentioned dragons. Braga looked at me excitedly, yet when I mentioned they were all dead eons ago he was decidedly even more dejected.

"There's one!" I spurred Snow forward right towards a massive tree. It was bigger than I'd imagined, it's trunk much thicker than the entire length of Snow. The top invisible for it was blocked by branches. That's when I saw another one, and then another one double the size! I didn't care that the others were calling me back, for what did it matter next to these huge pillars of life? Testament of the unconquerable power of nature in all its glory?

"Boom!" the ground shook, and Snow fell to the ground. Despite my shock, I managed to jump off in time. I glanced back and saw Braga was not as quick, his leg was trapped underneath Night and he was attempting to lift his horse off it.

"What do think that was?" Merry asked me seriously, "do your stories speak of some kind of earth-shaking monster?".

Tugging his leg free Braga looked at me smugly "and you said they were all dead".

Just then a horrible steady screeching noise pierced through the forest, as if an animal was being tortured. Just as suddenly as it started, it stopped.

"I guess we should check out what it is" Camellia suggested bravely.

"Ladies first then" Merry smiled and signalled for her to move ahead.