The Bearer of the amulet

Chapter 9: Eyes from above

Two hours before I met with Alfred in the woods

I sat on the ground nearby as I noticed the protectors parking the carriage on the side part of the road. Afterwards, everyone of 'em went to work while yawns were fleeting their exhausted bodies. They readied some sheets, each had its own, and rounded them around the carriage forming a circle around it. They kept exchanging info about the rations and supplies, making triple sure that nothing was missing as preparation for our first camp in the wild.

But as the group were busy. The sole figure of Richard with two other sets of sheets. One must belonged to his brother and the other was for me.

He approached me with a tired face extending my sheet to me. As I received it, I gave him a small smile as a graceful thanks. "Aren't you going to wait for him to return?". I asked

His blank face led his talking. "It's not his first time in the woods, let him bear the consequences of his actions"

"Aren't you at least worried about him?"

"No, I am terrified but I am really REALLY tired of shoving some sense into him and his actions. So I am letting the nature take my part for tonight". He said as he turned around to spread the sheet of his brother on the ground.

I stood up to try to imitate what the Protector was doing

"Excuse me, what are you doing?" He exclaimed.

I blinked in confusion. "Well...Making my bed...I guess?"

"Oh no, you won't. You are sleeping in the cart"

"Wait, really!". I exploded with corny relief. I was already not comfortable with sleeping in the wild as it is, without a roof to cover my head not to mention lying my head on a harsh and unpolished floor of a forest.

"Of course, who else is going to protect and guard the supplies?". He raised an eyebrow accompanied by a chilling grin.

"Says the protector". I answered back, backfiring his teasing with an owned smirk as I rolled the sheet back around my arms.

"What? even we need some eyes from above to watch for us", He shrugged as he waved a goodnight to me.

I waved back as I muttered under my breath. "We all do, mister Richard. We all do..."

I headed towards the cart. It was fully stocked. But even so, I managed to squeeze myself between the stash while using my hands as a pillow.

Last thing I heard was some murmurs of the protectors before joining me in sleep.

However...no matter how many times I tried, and how many I turn over during my continuous failing attempts. The sleep never reached me. It was like my brain was still in that church, rewinding everything over and over and over again.

 And there was something else that kept me awake.

Death. He is probably pissed off to its core. Like it or not I have to face him. I have to wear that amulet again sooner or later. I don't want to face his wrath once more, at least that what great priestess would advice me.

I sat at edge of the cart while examining the men. They were all unconsciously synchronizing a symphony of snoring. I kept admiring them. 4 men protecting one woman who just committed two blood bathes and attacked Alfred twice. If anyone else was entrusted to this mission of protecting me, they would have killed the host and purified the world from the touch of Death within a mortal.

I kept twitching my eyes and blinking aimlessly at the sleeping figures of the protectors, studying their features as a method to kill my boredom.

But while that was happening, a shadow just flickered upon me. Naturally my eyes darted at the vast sky above. I couldn't ignore its presence for too long. It was flying in circles like a homing eagle. But it wasn't acting like an eagle.