IL SIGNUM

A Life for a Life

  Chapter 6,

      A Life for a Life:

            There was little time for the duo to get to know each other due to the fact that the sudden sound of barking and shouts was coming closer. Dante jumped off the tree that was providing him protection from a very edgy Maximus.

“We must leave now before it is too late” Maximus helped Dante onto Arbus with a slight grunt, he had no other choice. He either trusted Dante and escaped together or left him to fend for himself while Maximus would be lost in the deep forests.

“I know a settlement about a day’s ride from here, we will have to lose the search party though.” Dante managed to state through the bumpy galloping rhythm of Arbus. Maximus frowned at this, the odds were against them, being two boys riding one horse against an armed party. After Arbus managed to clear a log hidden by some deep foliage Maximus replied “How do you suggest we lose them?”

Dante pondered over his question while being thrown around by a very tired horse. The forest was starting to thicken and they found them in a heavily coniferous forest with little foliage scattered on the damp ground. Pushing on through the forest Dante managed to draw a conclusion “we need to go through the lake to the east of this area; the water will scatter our scent and make it hard for the hounds to track our path.”

Maximus nodded in agreement and then steered the reigns eastward towards the lake. Slowly the density of the forest began to decrease until a final clearing came into view. The clearing seemed to have once been a field of wheat but the rain had killed it all.

The rhythm of Arbus’s hoofs beating upon the ground suddenly changed to a sludgy sucking rhythm when the wet field was reached. Sadly the flat wheat was no cover for them as they rode into the clearing there was no cover from any pursuers. Maximus spurred on eager to outrun the party. The lake began coming into view after a brief few minuits of rash speed, the glint of blue was blinding in the light now cracking through the clouds. Any other time Maximus would have dismounted and soaked in the beauty but unfortunately now was not that time.

Small cottages banked the river peppered with peasants watching with awe as the two young men rode through their fields. They must have been utterly shocked for Dante managed to glimpse one of the women drop her basket with worry. Finally they reached the wide river and dismounted. To their luck they found a shallow region of the water without too many sharp rocks.

Slowly they swam through the water while Maximus guided Arbus with one hand. Dante seemed to be struggling a bit through his little grunts of effort and watched as his friend reach the other bank. Maximus, once reaching stable ground turned to see his friend suddenly disappear. “Dante!” the currents were very strong and were pulling him under. Maximus dived into the lake and swam towards his struggling companion.

Using all the force he coud muster Maximus pulled Dante from the under current and was thankful to hear him gasp with life. “I… can’t... Breathe!” he screamed through Maximus’s strong grip. Arms aching and legs buckling with pain he managed to pull Dante upon the muddy bank and dropped upon his face with exhaustion.

“Are you alright?” He muttered through his mud coated mouth. Dante sat up out of his own accord and began to vomit all of the dirty water and coughed up any left in his lungs. He turned with a shaking smile and replied “I owe you my life friend, than..,” With this comment he broke out in another hurl of vomit until his stomach was empty of the disgusting fluid. “I shall repay you in the only way a warrior can, through my life.”

Maximus gave him a pat on the back and helped him up. “I’m sure you would have done the same for me Dante, now we must ride to the settlement of which you told me of.” The two young men collected any of their fallen equipment and remounted Arbus. With one click of the tongue they were off, through the bare fields unaware of the prying eyes of a small group of mounted bandits getting ready to pounce upon their prey.

Sorry it took so long for this chapter to come out but i am trying to tackle my writers wall and itching for some new ideas to make this book more appealing to you. leave some ideas if you can. Thank you.