Brotherhood

Chapter 7

As he forged horseshoes the next day, Geric's thoughts revolved around Amy so much that he had to remind himself more than once that she was betrothed to someone else. And more than likely the king and queen wouldn't approve of him, even if they knew the truth. Wrong. He shook his head wryly at the thought, especially if they knew the truth. He paused for a moment to wipe an arm across his brow, wondering who in their right mind would order two hundred horseshoes at once.

"Enough stalling, boy," the blacksmith grumbled from the corner where he had passed out in a drunken stupor the night before. "I pay you too much to have you standing around all day."

Geric rolled his eyes as the lazy clod went back to sleep, wondering how the old man could sleep through all the noise Geric was making hammering out horseshoes. He didn't even try to be quiet, disturbing his boss's ale induced stupor was all the fun he'd be having until tomorrow. Suddenly realizing that his thoughts had turned to Amy again, he pounded the shoe he was working on just a little bit harder. She was betrothed to that idiot prince from the neighboring kingdom and there wasn't anything he could do about it.

The clip clop of hooves on the stones outside barely registered in his consciousness until he heard someone call excitedly, "Look, it's the princess!"

Wiping his forehead again on his grimy arm, Geric made his way to the front of the shop, carefully sticking to the shadows of the doorway as he looked out. The last thing he needed was an overeager member of the princess's guard feeling threatened by his mere presence. Folding his arms over his leather apron, he watched Amy pass on a black horse that certainly wasn't the one she had been riding the other day. He followed her progress with his eyes, realizing that even though this was an undoubtedly fine animal, Amy didn't love it the way she had loved her previous horse. There was no connection between horse and rider like he had seen on the day she had been attacked.

Her eyes turned toward him and she slowed her horse ever so slightly as she passed, throwing him a small, secretive smile. He acknowledged it with a nod, the ghost of a grin flickering across his face before he disappeared into the shop again. Part of him wondered if she had taken her ride that way on purpose, but he shrugged the idea off as nonsense and busyied himself with his work once more.

When he arrived back at the inn that night, he immediately went to his room and practically fell on the bed. He didn't tire at the same rate as humans did, but even so, two nights spent with the princess had taken their toll. Besides, he had to sleep if he wanted to win their little contest tomorrow morning.

Pulling his bow out from under his bed, he fingered the string, remembering the last time he had shot it. It had been a long time but he still remembered Warrick's maddened expression, the release of the bow string as the silver arrow plunged straight into his heart. He supposed that was why many of the other wolves feared him and it was one of the secrets he kept from everyone else. Even if they knew the truth about who he really was, it wouldn't make a difference. It hadn't before.

Propping his bow and quiver of arrows against the end of the bed, Geric rolled onto his back and laced his fingers behind his head, staring up at the moon through the open window. He wondered sleepily if Amy was looking at the same moon he was right now but promptly tried to put the thought out of his mind. She was the crown princess and he was not who he had once been anymore.

Still, his last thought was of her bright smile and the joyous laughter that had bubbled up from somewhere inside of her as he had teased her at the pond. He liked that smile and wanted to see it more often.

. . . . . . .

Geric was up before the dawn, walking through the empty streets toward the forest with his bow and quiver of arrows at his back. He liked the city at this time of day, mostly because he could enjoy it without anyone staring nervously at him as though he were about to attack at any moment.