The Broken Kingdom

Chapter 11

"Chuck this is a bad idea! Bandits aren't going to hold back against us you know, and if dad finds out he'll be so angry!" A voice whisper yelled.

Connor looked towards the bushes that they'd came from, a boy and girl were holding cheap iron swords and trampling through the woods towards the trail Connor was taking.

"Come one Chance, when in the world will we get a chance like this to practice our skills? We'll be better than the rest of our class and dad can be proud! Besides don't you think its about time we test ourselves against a challenge?"

"No! I-I'm going back home Chuck, this is a bad idea. You should come too, or else you might get hurt."

"You're so boring! Come on, just this once."

"F-Fine, but only this once, never again!"

Connor met eyes with the boy, who just noticed him. They held a stare for a few moments, than the girl saw him too. Connor shoved his hand in his pocket, making circles against his blade, wondering if he should take his dagger out. The boy had his hand firmly pressed against his blade, and flashed it at Connor. Connor supressed a laugh, the boy must've thought it was intimidating because he held a completely straight face. Connor shook his head and chuckled, looking back at the trail in front of him.

"This is Cornfiel land, get off our property now or be slain!" The boy yelled, in his deepest tone.

"Just passing through here kids, no need to get all worked up," Connor awkwardly stated.

"We're only like a year younger than you, and crossing property ain't allowed! Leave NOW."

"Kid, I don't know if you're smart enough to realize this, but this is one of the most used roads to get to Gandar, and your father lets the public use it so you can just leave," Connor yawned, he was eager to leave the pair.

"What! You can't fool me, now if you don't leave in 5 seconds I'm going to slice you into two!"

Connor sighed and looked to the trail. He began to walk, and heard the boy counting from 5 behind him. Then footsteps, Connor turned around, and as he suspected the boy was chasing after him with and angry look plastered on his face, with the girl looking a scared and nervous behind him, yelling protests. Connor took out his dagger and raised it.

"Not that way fool!" The boy barked.

"Look kid, it was nice playing with you but I've got to get to Gandar by sundown. So if you leave within the next 10 seconds I'll let you go unscarred," Connor was bluffing, he'd never hurt a boy his own age that wasn't a bandit or some beast trying to end him.

"As if!" The boy yelled, leaping towards Connor.

He tried to swing his cheap blade, but Connor was prepared and met steel with his much smaller dagger. Than after removing the force and speed of the child's swing, slashed at his thigh, making a small flesh wound that wouldn't even scar. The child whimpered and stumbled back, Connor stood up straight from his slouched stance and sheathed his dagger. The boy had recovered and had his sword in a blocking stance. Connor's right hand was attached to his dagger, he tensely waited for his opponent's next move, whether it be to fight or sheath his weapon. The boy had a look of fear mixed with anger on his face, and put his sword down.

"What the hell! You actually hit me," He whined.

"Look kid this isn't training, this is a real fight. Lucky I went easy, some out here would've killed you, now scram because I'm wasting time and should be making my way to Gandar," Connor impatiently sighed.

"MOOOOOOOOOOOM!!!" Chuck screeched.

"CHUCK I'M FUCKING BUSY MAKING YOUR BROTHER'S DIRTY BED WHAT IN THE NAME OF GARFIELD DO YOU WANT!!!" A raging voice of an older woman raged back.

"THERE'S AN INTRUDER AND HE'S ATTACKING ME!! HE CUT MY THIGH!" Chuck yelled.

Connor held his breath, the boy was an absolute idiot, and apparently his sister knew it because she yelled, "IT'S OKAY MA' CHUCK'S JUST BEING AN IDIOT, HE'S JUST A TRAVELER THAT CHUCK WAS GIVIN TROUBLE!"

"WHAT!! CHUCK IF A DAMNED TRAVELER CUT YOU THAN IT MUST'VE BEEN OUT OF SELF DEFENCE, I'M COMING OVER THERE NOW!! Ralpher come here boy, go find Chuck and Chance," The woman replied.

Connor stared at the pair, he was eager to get back to the road, but knew if he left the farmers might get angry, and living in isolation like this really does something to your head, insanity, and he didn't want to risk it. Connor heard someone stumbling through the bushes, he guessed it was their mother, and it was. She was a hard worked looking woman, with little patience, but soft baby blue eyes.

"I am SOOO sorry about Chuck, he's a little bit slow at times," She apologized, cutting a glance at Chuck, "We could repay it, how about a meal, some boiled eggs would due."

"N-No ma'am it's okay, I've got to make it to Gandar by sundown."

"What! Oh, well we can help with that too. It's only around a 3 hour journey walking right? We wanted to send a caravan to Gandar to for a few days now, so for punishment Chuck and Chance'll go to Gandar and you can hitch a ride in the back of the carriage. It'll only take around an hour then."

"Are you sure? I mean sending an unknown traveler in a caravan with younger children could go pretty bad, I mean hell I could take the caravan full of stuff you bought!" Connor gasped, astounded by the generosity of the farmer.

"Haha with the two of them, trained may I say, they'll make it. Besides I can tell you're a good man, now come over to the farm and we'll get you going."

Connor followed the pleasant lady back to her farm, it was one of the biggest farms Connor had ever seen. The crop fields had leather covers placed over top for when it snowed, but removed when the sun was out. Though most of the crops had died from the coldness, it was worth a try. They had a fenced field full to the brim with cows and horses, and a coop full of chickens. Connor's favorite was the pig pen, the mud had grown hard so the pigs were standing and laying on ice mud. There were at least 5 pigs concealed within. She led him to a few poles, with a caravan on one, and a carriage made for looks hitched on the other. By the sights of the farm Connor knew they weren't your average farmers, richer, a middle class. She placed a leather seat onto the back of the carriage and sat Chuck in the front. She hitched a chestnut horse with white socks and a white strip across it's face to the front; and placed a bag of coin in Chance's hand, than yelled at Chuck to get a move on. At first it was bumpy, but the road smoothed a little later on. Connor sat in an awkward silence forced to face the year younger than him girl across the carriage. It wasn't very big, with a seat on either side and a little space to put bags between the seats and Chuck. Though time flew by, the awkwardness stayed and lingered over Connor.