Dragon Tamer - Book 1

Chapter 32

The woman stared at him, her eyes flitted over Basti and Jin, then landed on his sword and didn't move, her body tensed.

Aldren felt Basti and Jin move into position behind him, Basti trying to shift further around the target, block off her escape routes.

The woman began to creep backwards, low to the ground, knees bent, the snow crunched softly under her boots. 

The unseen creature shrieked again, sounding closer this time and more urgent, the hunter winced slightly, she drew in a deep breath and let it out,

"You aren't traders" she spoke to Aldren but she glanced at Basti and shifted slightly so she could keep a better eye on his progress, causing him to pause,

"No Lady" said Jin, speaking up from Aldren's side

Aldren frowned at him, but Jin kept his focus on the woman, who was forced to look at him, Basti continued his path around her, something made less than subtly by the crunching of the snow under his feet and the shifting of his thick cloaks.

"We are travellers lady" Jin continued, his voice soft, containing a hint of the same charm he used to co-urse uninterested virgins into his bed,

"We are seeking the forgotten village, and have" he shrugged, a small smile feinting embarrassment, "become somewhat lost in our way"

"Very lost it seems" she remarked, "The nearest trading route is leagues away"

She shifted, uncomfortable in her crouch, "What you want at the forgotten village"

"We merely wish to gaze upon the legendary wonders and sights that have been rumoured to render one breathless at the merest glance" Jin stated, clearly pulling out all the stops in trying to win the woman over, he also smiled serenely as he said it.

The woman blinked rapidly, and Aldren thought they had her.

Then she raised her left eyebrow inquisitively,

"You a queer?" she asked Jin

Who opened his mouth and then closed it again, rendered, temporarily speechless.

Sebastian made a sound, half way between a cough and a snort, before schooling his features into a serious mask once more.

"I beg your pardon!" Jin managed to splutter,

"You talk all flowery and whatnot" she said, "Like you tryin to compose a song or talk to a king or something"

Jin glanced quickly at Aldren, then away, so Aldren stepped in,

"There are many tales of the forgotten village and we had set about uncovering which of them are true, we had a guide, a trader, and he was taking us to it" he explained, in what was, he hoped, a humble and non threatening way, for all his sword remained in his hands, eager for blood.

He shoved aside the impulse and sheathed his blade.

This was certainly the correct move, and the woman rose slowly from her crouch loosening the string of her bow, she held it at the ready still but the immediate danger had seemingly passed.

The woman considered him,

"Your trader couldn't have been very good, if he led you so far astray" she remarked, "Where is he?"

"Dragged off by wolves weeks ago" spoke Sebastian for the first time, causing the woman to look to him, "He had not walked the trails in some twenty summers, but our path was sure until several months ago"

She nodded, "Trading routes change all the time, the forest retakes them during the winter months and new ones need to be forged out", she glanced at them all, no doubt seeing the bones of their faces that spoke of much travelling and not enough food, and the shabbiness of their cloaks,