Amidst The Storm

Chapter 7

Will looked over at Sahra. She was writhing around in her bed roll screaming. Then he heard something come out of her mouth he never would if expected.

"WILL!!!" she screamed. Then she fell dead silent.

"Sahra! Sahra!" Will yelled running over to her side. "What's wrong?"

She didn't answer, Will grabbed her by the shoulder and shook her. Suddenly she sat up straight, missing Wills face by inches.

"Sahra, whats wrong." He asked worriedly.

"Nothing... It was nothing, just a bad dream." She said out of breath.

Her face had turned a dark shade of scarlet, almost cancelling out the color in her lips. Will realized he was staring and turned his attention to the horses.

"We should probably be going," he said.

"Kay," said Sahra shortly.

She got up, wincing as the cut on her shoulder opened up a bit again. She wiped away the blood with the palm of her hand, smearing the blood everywhere.

Will looked back. He saw the cut on Sahra's shoulder. "You should get a bandage on that" he said calmly. "Yeah, might be a good idea" she replied smoothly.

Will went over to the horse and started shuffling through the saddle bags. "What are you doing?" Sahra asked from behind him. "Looking for the medicinal kit" he replied. "You know" Sahra said. " I think that most people call it either a Med Kit or a First Aid kit" "Whatever" Will said, as he pulled it out of the bag.

He set it on the ground and opened it. Sahra looked in it "um this is a med kit?" She said. In the kit was a simple roll of gauze and some healing salve.

"Yes" replied Will. "It's more useful than you think."

He took the gauze and rubbed some of the salve into it. Sahra watched him, his hands moving methodically along the length of gauze. When he was done he took some sap from a tree and used it to apply the bandage to the cut on Sahra's shoulder.

"Thanks" she said.

Will held out his hand to her. She took it and he helped her up. They packed up their things into the saddle bags and mounted the horses. Blaze whinnied at Will when he mounted. "Sorry buddy" Will whispered "But some things are more important than a short run" Blaze huffed, yeah right,  he seemed to say.

Will ruffled Blaze's red and black mane. "Off we go!" Will said, and they set off down the trail.

Will listened to the sounds of the forest. The swish if the wind blowing through the trees, the clop of the horses hooves on the packed dirt trail.

"What were you screaming about in your dream?" He asked Sahra.

"Nothing" she responded quickly. "Just a bad dream."

They continued to ride in silence. Eventually they came to a small town in the forest. Will slowed Blaze down to a walk and allowed Sahra to catch up.

"Well, i guess we should find an inn for the night" he said rhetorically. They rode up the main street to the market place. They reined in their horses and tied them to a nearby hitching post.

The inn was smaller, only one floor. But the area it covered made up for that. They walked up to the door. Everything that made up the frame of the inn was aged cedar.

"Looks cozy" Sahra said, a twinge of disappointment on her face. "Well" said Will "It's better than nothing"

As soon as they walked through the doors heat washed over them like a wave. Will and Sahra walked over to the counter.

At first, the bartender was wary of serving the two strangers. However, after seeing  the other queer folk he had served, he decided they couldn't be that bad.

Will observed the bartender as he walked over. He was a plump man of about forty, a few inches shorter than Will, and a scar down the side of his face.

"Two rooms please." Will said shortly.

"That will be two Bronze Shickles and three Gold Crowns," The bartender said.

Will pulled out the coins from under his cloak and threw them on the counter. The clinking amplified by the metal coating.

"Allow me to show you to your rooms," said the bartender.

They walked down a hall to the left of the bar. Their rooms were at the end, by a window. Will opened the door to his room and was greeted by a warm crackling fire and a bed fit for a king.

Sahra did the same, however, she was greeted by dust and grime all over.

"That's odd," Will remarked. He picked up a piece of paper, on the paper was inscribed
"Sleep tight, don't let the dagger's blade bite" Will put it down on the bed. Then proceeded to make a dummy out of pillows, And put it under the covers.

After he was done, and had made sure Sahra's door was locked and barricaded. He slipped under the bed and slept.

"Ow! Watch where you are going!" A voice whispered.
"I'm sorry! Would you like to light a lamp and wake him up?" Said another voice.
"We wont need a lamp if you two keep up that noise level!" Hissed a third.

Will stayed silent. From under the bed he could see the feet of the three intruders. He reached down for his luminarc. Slowly he reached out from under the bed letting his hand drop softly beside the feet of the intruders.

Then he lit his bow so the string was around their feet and pulled. They all fell on their backs. Will heard the crunch of a head cracking open. He crawled out from under the bed and knocked the other two out.

He ran out of the room and busted down the door to Sahra's room.

"Sahra! Get up, we're leaving!" She sat up groggily.

"What'd you say?" She asked.
"No time!" Will said "We have to leave!"

He ran over to her and scooped her up in his arms. He ran out of the door with her and ran down the hall.

He ran with her to the horses and helped her up. "RIDE!" he yelled.