Calanthe

Chapter XV

Calanthe

Calanthe didn't know how to proceed. Where would the girl go? She couldn't make her way back by herself, otherwise she may fall in again and no one would be able to help her. But if she came with her group she might also be dragged along as a 'slave'. Calanthe wasn't sure of the purpose of being dragged along with them. She could only guess what may await her once the group had set into the rhythm of life or arrive at their home.

Working together to save the girl had put Ranvir into perspective for Calanthe. She was reminded of the way he called her name after she ran towards the screams. He sounded almost angry running after her. The way he immediately went to help pull the girl form the mud was in such contrast. Who was this leader? Why was she thinking about him? She shook her head to rid herself of these thoughts and wondered what to do about the girl.

Both the girls were soaked through their clothes. Calanthe looked at Ranvir's broad back facing them and made a decision.

She turned to the girl, "You will travel with us. You have no business travelling by yourself in this wilderness." Then her voice dropped down to a whisper, "I know you must've been following us anyway." The brunette looked at her with panic in her eyes. Calanthe reassured her with a smile. 

She directed her voice towards the lone man, "We are ready to leave."

Ranvir spun around to look at the two of them, both dripping with a couple missed smears of mud and hair a wet mess. He chuckled to himself at the sight.

"Follow me." He commanded in a soft tone.

The trio set off.

...

Calanthe learned the girl's name was Hilda. By the time they caught up with Even everyone except Ranvir had the shivers. Even was shocked to see Hilda, he tried and failed to hide his surprise from Ranvir.

Ranvir watched the reaction between Hilda and Even with bemusement. The recognition between them was obvious. He felt that he recognised the girl once the mud had been washed off her, but he couldn't put his finger on where from.

The four of them made their way slowly out of the swamp and to the other side. It was now the afternoon and the group waited for them on the outskirts of a forest that bordered the swamp.

Calanthe didn't like the look of the forest. She recognised it from passing by with her father when going to town. This was an unfamiliar part of the forest to her. Edric and her usually came a different way that avoided the swamp altogether. She recognised it because of the density and darkness of the trees. This forest was evil.

Zetta could sense it too. She didn't like the forest at all but she knew that it was the only way to their goal. Once they rested for an hour and had some food, it was time to make their path through the dark forest.

Ranvir

The day was going too slow. They took too long going through the swamp and now everyone was dragging their feet through the forest as well. He predicted that they needed to make it to a settlement before the end of the next day or else his group would run out of supplies.

After a time the group stopped, out of habit they went as if to make camp.

Ranvir looked around in annoyance, "I never said we would make camp here? Push on." The group of vikings internally groaned. They kept moving. When the moon came out, they kept moving. When they were all cold and tired, they kept moving.

After hours of walking, they were deep in the forest. Ranvir signaled to make camp. Bjorn and Frode made a fire. Everyone else lay on the ground, immediately falling asleep. No blankets, only their clothes, weapons by their sides.

One of the twins took first watch. So tired from the extra distance they had to make, he could only keep his eyes open for an hour before his dreams whisked him away.

It was too bad that he fell asleep on watch. He would never wake again. For, in the night, his throat was slit.

Eric sensed something was wrong. He opened his bleary eyes to see his brother's neck oozing a crimson river.

He regained his senses.

"We are under attack!" he screamed. Grabbing his sword he rushed at the dark figure beside his twin.

In a moment the clearing turned into chaos. The whole group awoke and gathered arms before battling the bandits around them. Calanthe crouched with Hilda and Zetta. They were all terrified. Even was immediately standing beside them, his left arm lay limply at his side, his right clasping a small dagger.

The sound of metal on metal and screams of anger and pain bounced around them. Calanthe looked up to see Eric cut down by presumably the same thug who slit his brother's throat.

"Eric!" screamed Caridad. She rushed his killer. He looked her straight in the eyes and smiled. He bent down and grabbed Eric's sword before slipping into darkness. Caridad let out a wild scream and chased after him. Without a word Frode grabbed his axe out of a fallen man's back and chased after her.

Herlief and Onara were fighting two bandits back to back. They were more advanced in the skills of battle than their opponents. They had the upper hand in overcoming them.

Bjorn was fighting against three men at once. His size gave him a strength that was unrivaled.

Out of nowhere two men approached the group crouched on the ground. Even saw them first. He tightened his grip on his dagger nervously and glanced around. Everyone else was engaged in battle.

All three of the girl's knew they were powerless to fight, they had neither weapon nor the strength.

It was Zetta who spoke first. "If we run then they won't be able to get us all." Hilda looked at her, not understanding."Even won't be able to fight them alone." Calanthe rushed out, the bandits raised their weapons, there was a cold look in their eyes. Hilda looked at Calanthe, recognising Even's name.

The willowy girl sighed, "Don't argue. It's the only choice we have otherwise we all die." With that, Zetta scrambled to her feet and sprinted into the forest. Calanthe only had seconds to make a decision.

"Run Hilda, don't look back." she said in the girl's language. "After her Even, give me your dagger, I can speak their language and hold them off, make sure Zetta and Hilda are okay."

Survival overcame Even. It didn't take a genius to know that he couldn't possibly win this fight. It was fight or flee and he knew that he wouldn't survive if he fought. As he was about to turn and flee, courage overtook him.

Even took a deep breath, "A viking does not run away from his challenges." With all his might he threw the dagger at the first thug.

Calanthe shouted, "Even!"The dagger missed it's mark. The man rushed him, his sword swinging. As he was about to meet the mark that was Even's head, a stone struck him square square in the forehead. He crumpled to the ground. The second man looked wildly in the direction the stone was thrown. Calanthe turned and spotted Hilda, half hidden behind a tree, her arm raised.

The man let out an angry roar and shouted profanity at Hilda. She returned the favour, asking about his questionable parentage. Even stood between the two completely bewildered by the language barrier. That was until the man went for a throwing knife.

A knife hurtled past Even, grazing his arm. Hilda screamed and ducked as another knife hurtled centimetres above her, where her head used to be. Even ran to her. Calanthe could hear him ask if she was alright, while she asked the same thing in her own language.

The thug went after them, grabbing his partner's sword.

Thinking quick, Calanthe stood in his path. "Why bother killing them?" She shouted, the urgency causing her voice to be louder than it needed to.

"Go away pretty girl or I'll cut you down the same." he grunted, making his way around her. She jumped into his path again.

"If you turn and leave now, you will live."

"I've had enough of this." He raised the sword and swung down. Calanthe saw it move in slow motion. The metal glinted in the firelight. Strength rippled through the man's muscles. Calanthe's arms reflexively moved to meet the powerful swing, trying to protect her head and face.

This is how it ends, she thought.