The Dragon Stone

Chapter 9

                       The next morning was cool and a fog hung over the party as they started out for the Red Keep. It was going to be a four day ride to the coast then they would need to find a boat to cross the channel. Prince Darion, as always led the party with Pyria riding to his right. Kalin and Kaston rode second and Elmar and Orist were third with guards guarding their backs.

Kalin looked over at Kaston, who was searching ahead for danger like he always did. She felt safe being at Kaston's side and he seemed to be there are her side. Even when she was alone she could feel his being near. She had found him staring at her a couple times and she did not know what to make of it. Sometimes she thinks he is just protecting her but other times she thinks she sees desire in his eyes. Or maybe she is feeling that desire in here own.

"Kaston, how did you sleep last night?" Kalin asked.

"My lady, it was restful." He said keeping his eyes looking ahead. "And how was yours?"

"Good, no dreams that I remember" She replied.

"Well, that is good. Dreams can wake you and interrupt your rest." He said.

"Yes, suppose they can." She said still looking over at him. "Did you have a dream last night?"

"Not that I recall. I do not dream much." He said finally looking over at her.

"How about 'the dream', did you have it like the others?" Kalin asked with a smile.

"I did, it was a strange dream" he said.

"Who did you dreamt saved you" Kalin asked.

"You, Kalin. You saved me in my dream." He said simply as if it was nothing but there was a deeper meaning in his voice.

"Me. I saved you?" Kalin said almost laughing.

"Are you laughing at me?" He asked with a false hurt look.

"I doubt I could ever save you," she said. "I cannot ever imagine you with your guard down and anyone having an advantage over you."

He smirked and looked at her then looked back in-front of them and said quickly "Well, my love for you does cloud my vision some times."

Her horse slowed and his horse continued a head and she thought she saw a smirk. She was blown away. Had she heard him correctly? "His love for her"? No way, could not have been that. He has given her no indication of his feelings. Sure he rarely talked to anyone and seemed to be opening up to her but "love", no way.

"Kalin, what do you think?" Orist asked.

She hadn't realized Orist and Elmar were now riding next to her. "Hmm, sorry. What did you ask?"

"Elmar and I were discussing the stone and wondering how it works with you. We wondering if it only works for you or someone else in your family could use it or are you the only one?" they both looked at her as if she knew the answer. But she is clueless.

"I really have no idea." She replied quickly. "Maybe it has to do with...."

Woosh, one arrow hit Elma right in the middle of his chest, then the air glowed with a blue light. Another arrow stalled in midair right in front of Kalin's chest. It hovered there and then dropped to the ground when the blue light faded. Elma stared down at his chest it for a moment then fell off his horse. "Ride!!" yelled Kalin and spurred her stallion into a run. She saw Kaston turn his horse to the right. He probably saw the shooter and was pursuing him. He quickly pulled two arrows from and let the first one fly into a bush. Then the next arrow flew just seconds after the first.

Pyria and Prince Darion galloped after Kaston towards the tree line. Kalin turned her horse to follow them and she pulled out her knife and the flames shot out to the right side of the horse. As they reached the tree line. They all jumped from their horses and ran into the undergrowth.

Kaston was knelling over two bodies, and with bow drawn looking around at the forest for additional danger.

Kalin could tell the two people lying there were dead. One was shot thru the heart and the other thru his face.

Pyria was standing in front of Prince Dorian to block any additional shots that might come their way. "Kaston, any danger??" She asked quickly.

"I do not see any, I will take the knights and scan the forest." He said and looked at Kalin. It appeared he was checking her wellbeing. He ran towards the north side of the forest.

Pyria looked down at the crest on the two bodies and says. "Blue wolf on Red background. Mercenaries from Sipco."

"Mercenaries? Who would want us dead? Are you sure they are not bandit's, trying to steal from us?" Kalin asked Pyria.

"Bandits do not wear crests and rarely come from such a faraway place as Sipco." Prince Dorian said while pointing his spear at the crests on both of their armors. "Sipco has some of the best assassins money can buy. So the real question is "Who wants us to die and who knows where we are traveling?"

"We should check on Orist, he stayed back with Elmar" said Pyria.

They all rode their horses back to the spot where Elmar had been shot and where Kalin almost died herself. Orist was hovering over Elmer's body and said sadly "He is dead".

The others gathered around Elmar's body looking down at Elmar's body with the arrow sticking out of his chest. "He was my best friend. I will bury him." Orist said.

"We will all help you. He was a friend to all of us." Kalin said and everyone agreed.