morgan; beginning

Chapter 11

They had been riding for an hour along the road that led around the lake and Arans back and legs already felt stiff, not to mention the soreness of his bum. The sunlight that bounced off the lakes murky surface did nothing to reduce the chill in the air. Aran arched his back in a vain effort to relieve the ache that was slowly spreading up his spine as he waited for his guide. Blowing into his cupped hands he waited for Treyla to finish her search of the area. They had come across a fork in the road and Treyla had dismounted to check for tracks of the Brotherhood along the roadside as Aran waited on horseback, they hadn't spoken since they had started riding, the strong sense of urgency pushing them both onward.

'Is there any sign of her?' Aran stopped trying to warm his hands to call quickly down to Treyla.

'There are many different tracks going through this way and if they have her on horseback or in a cart it will be nearly imposible for me to tell the difference.' Treyla explained as she scouted the ground ahead. The cold air didn't seem to phase Treyla at all, if it did she definately hid it well.

She carefully studied the ground as she explained rubbing her finger across different hoof marks and grooves., 'There are tracks of four horses and a cart heading east round the forest, I think that will be the Brotherhood. They will be taking her back to the Keep.'

Aran shuddered at the thought of the Keep. 'How far behind them do you think we are?'

'I would say two hours at the most, we should catch up to them soon but we will have to leave the horses tethered before closing in on their camp in case they alert them to our presence.'

Trela walked slowly back over to Aran and took back the reins of her horse. Following her lead, Aran followed her along the road that skirted around the forest. It didn't surprise Aran that the Brotherhood returned to the Keep, like a loyal hound returning with its bone. It would be quicker to travel on horseback and a cart would draw less attention than struggling to hold her and keep Morgan quiet if they came upon anyone else on the road.

Aran looked at where the forest enveloped the road that stretched out before them. He felt safer knowing that the trees would be around him soon and that they would be there to help if he called upon them.

'What do you think they will do to her?' Aran asked.

Treyla slowed her horse to keep pace beside Arans.

'I do not want to imagine what they do to people in that place.' Treyla shuddered. 'I have heard of them slowly torturing people until they told them things that they didn't know to begin with. The Brotherhood at the Keep are only pawns though. They serve a 'higher' calling although the level of that calling runs in the opposite direction.'

Aran tried to shake the nightmarish images of Morgan that flooded his mind. 'So who do the Brotherhood serve then?'

Treyla paused as she fidgeted with her reins, when she finally spoke it was as if speaking the name out loud caused her difficulty.

'They say he has many names, Daemon, The Fallen. To my tribe he is known as the Omatai, the Unnameable. We know that he is made from darkness and that he endeavours to turn this world into darkness and chaos. Where things like him rule over all of us and destroy everything around us. Your sister is the one who will deliver us from the nightmare .'

Aran felt like he had been dealt another blow to his stomach. 'How does my sister fit into this? She doesn't even have magick!'

Treyla spoke the words of prophecy she had listened to for all of her life,' It has been foretold by my tribe, that when all hope balances on the edge of a knife she will overcome all that has been lost and return the world from the darkness.'

'Great!' Aran laughed. ' You can tell me that the fate of the world lies in my all powerful sisters hands, but what you can't tell me is what magical power she possesses.'

Treyla joined in with Arans laughter as the horses carried them along the road into the forest.