Dreisterne

CHAPTER 18

The late afternoon sun cast long shadows across the fields of Uschtenheim. Nathan and Keith were crouched low in the tall wheat stalks, their eyes fixed on a group of armoured men near the Miles' cow farm. There was a cold, suffocating tension in the air as the troops gathered around two horse-drawn cage carriages, standing at ready as if expecting an ambush at any time.

"Ugh, this lot again," Keith muttered under his breath. "These von Hentzau tossers must be bored outta their skulls to keep making trouble like this."

Nathan frowned at the sight of the carriages. "I don't like the looks of this at all..."

As if on cue, the son of Count von Hentzau strode into view, his polished boots kicking up dust as he crossed the yard. The men around him straightened as he approached. Nathan was no longer a stranger to this young nobleman at this point, and he still found von Hentzau's air of arrogance and forced sense of authority to be just as contemptible as the first time they met, and what he did to Norvinter at Unicorn's Horn certainly didn't help his case.

"Are the preparations for tonight complete?" the noble asked, his voice smooth and practised.

"Yes, my lord," one of his subordinates answered. "The adults have been gathered at the village hall, and our men there make sure they behave themselves."

The noble gave a pleased nod, then gestured toward a large caged carriage parked near the barn. "Good. Have the children brought there by sunset, and make sure they're unscathed. Surely we don't want their parents to worry before they see them off, no?"

Nathan's jaw tightened, his hands curled into fists at the mention of the children.

Keith tapped Nathan's shoulder, whispering, "What now, Nate?"

"It's already late afternoon. Finding the children on our own might take too much time at this point," Nathan stated, worry clearly etched upon his face. "Right now, I'm more than tempted to just sneak on top of that carriage somehow and let them carry me to the children."

Keith made a face as he scratched his cheek, his tone doubtful. "Yeah, that's not happening. If the tin men here don't catch you first, the rest of them patrolling the village will notice you trying hard to be invisible up there."

"I'm open to suggestions right now," said Nathan.

Keith took a moment to consider before he responded, "Change of plans. We're going to free the villagers."

Nathan asked with one eyebrow raised, "Do you know where the village hall is?"

"Shouldn't be hard to find if we followed the main road," said Keith nonchalantly. "Besides, those prats are going to bring the kids there anyway, so let's save ourselves the trouble and help their elders first."

Reluctantly, Nathan followed, the two of them carefully retracing their steps along the worn dirt path. They kept their movements slow and steady, when-

Snap.

A dried twig cracked under Nathan's boot, and the duo could feel their blood freeze when the chatter at the farm went silent. Nathan stilled, his pulse hammering in his ears. Keith tensed beside him, every muscle coiled like a spring.

"Who's there?" one of the soldiers barked.

Von Hentzau turned toward their position, eyes narrowing. "Check it out," he ordered. Two men broke away, their boots crunching over the dry earth as they advanced. Nathan and Keith could only clench their jaws as they anticipated their eventual discovery, their hands held taut on the hilts of their swords.

Suddenly, a blur of reddish-brown shot out from the underbrush. A fox, startled by their presence, bolted across the clearing. The guards stopped short as they watched the creature speed away. One muttered a curse, while the other exhaled in relief. "Arthur's balls, it's just an animal..." said the foul-mouthed one.