King's Exile: Book 1Teaser Preview

Chap. 3, Part 1 In the Forest

Chapter 3

By late afternoon, Dax devoutly wished he would have thought harder about finding a horse to ride. The hot sun beat down, the pack weighed on his back, and his feet hurt. He removed his floppy hat and wiped his brow one more time. Thank goodness Ma-Cookie had reminded him to bring water. He trudged along the river road trying to maintain a purposeful stride. His aching stomach muscles no longer hurt, and he had not felt any more bowel cramps all day. However, his feet dragged, and he could tell Mathilde’s potion and his late night preparations had sapped his energy.

Originally he had thought he would stay off the river road and walk through the forest out of sight. That did not work. The edge of the forest along the route cleared for the road was infested with tarry-berry bushes. Their long stems, covered with small, scratchy thorns interlocked in a most determined way making it almost impossible to push through them. He had tried walking farther back under the  shade of the forest canopy where the bushes thinned out. Walking was easier, but the road was no longer visible. Finally Dax pulled his hat low and opted for the side of the road. He wanted to get as far from the city as possible.

The path along the berm was dusty and rutted in places, but fortunately, the road was not busy this day. Dax had only seen two wagons headed towards Tazzelton and one other solitary rider headed away from the city. Both teamsters had given him a casual wave as they passed, but the well dressed rider had trotted past with fine indifference.

Getting out of Tazzelton had not been difficult. The outer wall, really just a steep earthen berm, was not meant to be a serious barrier. Low gates, closed at night, kept out most wild animals. He remembered his father talking about the wall with Herne joking that the wall was there mainly to keep the merchants at home. West Landly had been at peace for so long a time, walls were hardly needed, but kings had to know about such things. If Tazzelton was ever attacked, the outer wall would be defended only long enough for people who lived or worked in the outer city to flee behind the mighty walls of the old city. Once the stout oak gates of the city were closed, any attacking army would face a daunting obstacle.

The walk from the Castle’s hidden exit around the shoreline of Adok into Tazzelton had been a challenge. There were long stretches of sandy or stony beach, but in two places rock outcrops extended out into the water. One was low enough to climb over, but the other had forced him out into the water. Fortunately, he had not had to swim, and he had managed to keep his pack out of the water. However, it had taken some time to get dry again.

Dax was pleased with the coat transaction. He knew the boy would think the coat stolen and keep it out of sight. The coat might surface in a day or so in the market, but its connection to Dax would be uncertain.  The longer they thought he was still inside the castle, the longer it would be before they searched the city. The longer it took for them to realize he was in the city, the longer it would be before they began to search the roads outside the city. The back of his neck prickled with the thought, and he glanced back at the empty road leading to Tazzelton. Whatever the result, Dax now owned a stained but sturdy, oiled-canvas coat. Although it had the fishy smell of the mud flats, it was bulky and heavy enough to keep him warm and dry…and inconspicuous.

That morning the old fishing docks had been a crowded warren of people, fish traps, drying nets, and other equipment. Dax had never walked through the jumble of the docks and their associated businesses, and he was fascinated by a whole world of work he knew nothing about. But, he did not linger. By he nightfall he wanted to be as far outside of city as possible. To get around Little Adok, a large rock at the east end of the fishing docks, he had had to enter Old Town itself. Since he came from the fishing docks and looked (as well as smelled) like he belonged, the bored guards at the gate never questioned him. At the eastern gate on his way out of the city, no one had noticed him either. Finally, outside the outer wall, the knot of tension inside had melted away, and his spirits had lifted. He had gotten away. His aunt and uncle would help him. They would at least protect him from Mathilde.