THE HIDDEN KEY

A Man from the Past

Gilford grasped the reins, turned towards Edmund, and stared while he rode alongside him. "Did you use to be a hunter?"

"No. Why do you ask?" Edmund turned towards him and arched his eyebrows.

"There was a bow on the wall above your fireplace." Gilford turned away and gazed around the field while the breeze brushed through his hair.

"It belonged to my brother before..." Edmund turned away and let out a hard sigh as he closed his eyes for a moment.

"Before what?" Gilford glanced across at Edmund. There was a pained expression on his face and his eyes were closed. "Did...did something happen to him?"

Edmund nodded.

"I'm sorry for your loss." Gilford slowly turned and gazed around the field again. His knuckles turned white from grasping the reins too tight. What happened to his brother?

His gaze shifted across the field towards a small woodland close to some low-lying hills in the distance.

Edmund slowly opened his eyes and turned to Gilford. "My brother disappeared a couple of years ago while hunting in Pinewood Forest."

"Do you know what happened to him?" Gilford glanced across at him.

"No." Edmund turned away. "His body was never found."

"What was your brother's name?" Gilford stared at him.

"Javal." Edmund slowly turned away again and gazed around the field.

Gilford turned away. "How much further is it?"

"Not much further now." Edmund went off ahead and slowly waded through the shallow stream.

"What was your brother doing in Pinewood Forest?" Gilford turned back towards Edmund and followed him through across the stream. The clear water burbled in his ears and a crisp, cool breeze swept through his hair as rode up the grassy bank.

"Scouting." Edmund glanced across his shoulder at him.

Gilford stared at Edmund. "Scouting...scouting for what?"

Edmund turned away. "I don't know, he never told me."

"How far away is the lodge now?" Gilford turned away. His gaze shifted around the verdant fields while he searched for the hunting lodge.

"We're here." Edmund slowly pointed towards a large wooden lodge amongst the thicket and trees. "I'll wait here."

"That's fine. "Gilford swiftly galloped off across the field towards the cabin. That must be the forest where Edmund's brother mysteriously disappeared.

He pulled back on the leather reins, bringing Eponie to a halt while he gazed at the large rustic hunting lodge that stood in front of the dense forest. His gaze shifted across from the mud-chinked rough log wall that was overgrown with tall grass and wildflowers to the warped doorway at the top of some half-rotten steps. Strange...why does this place seem familiar?

Gilford climbed off his horse and pulled his hood up as he made his way towards the trees where the lodge was, the leaves rattled in the wind. He paused at the bottom of the steps for a moment, gazing at the dusty windows at the front of the cabin and as he made his way up the steps...the rotten boards creaked as he approached the doorway and peered into the dingy hallway. His pulse drummed in his ears as he slowly stepped through the doorway. Why did the place seem familiar to him? Did it have something to do with his past? No...how could it, he's never been here before.