Masked

Chapter 4

Do they know each other?

The new comer noticed the two of them staring.

Arya was looking at him curiously while William was flat out goggling. He made that choking sound again.

"What are YOU doing here?!" William barked.
Arya nudged him. He was being plain mean!

"I'm sorry, but do I know you?" The guy asked furrowing his brow in confusion.

Will choked again. ( what was wrong with him?!)

"Do I- the nerve! Don't you remember me? The archery competition? Your utter failure and humiliation? Oh that's right, that's not something I would want to remember either." He retorted.

"I'm sorry, but-" he stopped in mid sentence as something dawned on him. "Ohh..." he smiled, "you must have mistaken me for my elder brother, James."

He held out his hand "I'm Derik by the way"

"Elder brother, my a-" Arya stomped his foot.

"Oww!"

"Mind your language!" She snapped. She turned to Derik. "I'm sorry don't mind him."

She cupped her mouth and whispered, "He's mentally unstable"

"I heard that!"

Arya rolled her eyes. "I'm Arya" she offered her hand to Derik.

"Nice to meet you" He shook her hand and smiled.

Someone cleared their throat. "If you'll excuse me" William pushed them apart and stormed to the back of the store.

Derik shook his head. "Who stole his cookie?"

Arya laughed. "I haven't seen you here before, are you new?"

"You could say that... I actually came to help out with the ....you know what."

What, another person?

"Oh"

"So, you came here to get weapons?"

"Yeah, not for me though." She sighed.  "I don't know how to fight" she said dejectedly.

Derik smiled. "You want to learn? Wow, it's not everyday you get to meet a girl who wants to fight! I can teach you if you want.... not to boast and all but, I'm a pretty good swordsman..."

"Yes! That would be great! Hey, do you want to accompany us around town, we can show you all the places."

"Sure! That'd be fun!"

They turned to the sound of footsteps.

"I'm done shopping. Let's go back home! " William returned. He briefly glared at Derik.

"What, but we just started! " Arya protested.

"I thought you were dreading this?" He narrowed his eyes.

Arya blushed. "Well, Derik said he'll accompany us..."

"No! I mean ,no....let's go home, I'm tired..." He sagged his shoulders.

Arya snorted "No you're not."

"I'm going. Come if you want." With that he took off.

Arya sighed.

"See you around?" Derik asked.

"Yeah..."
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Arya was lying on her bed, staring at the ceiling. 
Her thoughts ran amok.

What do we do about the missing? So many lives are lost  but for what?!..... Father is doing the best he can but...

The problem at hand was one which has been going on for years together....

Select people go missing, a search for them starts and it ends with the discovery of their mangled bodies. But the past year saw a huge increase in the number of such happenings.

Arya's father, Sir Dalhousie led a group which sought to put an end to it. They were intent on finding the ones behind this and giving them the most gruesome death possible.

I wonder what father is doing now...I hope he returns safely.... does the incident at the forest have anything to do with the occurrences?  Who was that man with the mask? Are there more like him?

With questions running in her mind, she slowly drifted off to sleep.

-----------

The door creaked open. "Arya?" A voice timidly called out.  She opened her eyes.

"John? What happened? "

John came running and climbed onto bed next to her. "I can't sleep...I keep getting bad dreams about....that day."

His lips trembled as he tried to hold back his tears.

Oh poor boy! What have I done!

Arya silently took an oath never to bring harm to her brother again.

She kissed his forehead. "Don't worry, big sis is here for you. I won't let anything happen to you."

"William is there for me too!" His face lit up as he thought back to the rescue.

Not you too!  Way to insult me!.....What is it with people and their obsession with William!

"Yeah..."

"Hmm" his eyes started drooping. He let out a huge yawn. "Arya?"

"Yes John? "

"I love you"

"I love you too." But he was already asleep, snoring softly......