The Winter Queen of Havenshire

Chapter 17: THE LONGHOUSE

Ash River left his horse tied to a tree. He crept through the woods on foot. His hands remained free. There was to be no killing this time.

Darkness fell quickly. The Hammer's Fist rushed to get away. Something bad must have happened. They had not even taken time to cover their trail.

Ash focused on the trail. He moved faster. That was his first mistake.

Crow leapt from a branch and landed in front of Ash. Ash stepped back. He looked up to see the Iroquois warrior.

"I thought I was the last one," Crow said. He could not hide the surprise in seeing one of his own. He thought Lord Fonce massacred all or sent them to die in the arena. His hand moved to touch his face but he pulled back.

"There are more of us than you know, Crow. They will live until my master says otherwise."

"Why do you hunt your own people?"

"I do what I must. They call me Ash River. I am the ash of death that flows along the river."

"That is ridiculous. You dishonor our people."

"I only follow the path our shaman set me upon for the benefit of this world."

Crow felt old and alone. He needed to find hope in this young warrior. He needed to reach him.

"Ash, my father taught me that the shamans often smoke bad leaf and see things that are never true. Choose a different path. Take a wife and have many children. Leave this life of death and ruin."

Ash shook his head. "I trust him. That should be enough. I must obey the ruler of the North until the Breaker of Storm comes. Then I must follow him and save him from the Dragon, he who would plunge the world into greater darkness."

"How will you know who this Breaker of Storm is?"

"He will wield the Sword of the Sun."

Crow wrote this off in his mind as foolishness. He had seen the sword. He did not believe in coincidence.

"Lord Fonce would kill such a man."

"Have you seen him, Crow?"

"I know the wielder of this sword, but he is no breaker of storm, at least not yet."

"Do you intend to kill me?" Ash asked. His right hand moved behind his back to grab a knife.

"Lord Fonce has caused the death of too many of our people. I will not be his hand in slaying another. Join me. Turn your back on Lord Fonce."

"I will serve the ruler of the North. That is my only path."

"I will not fight you this day. Go. For next time we meet, we meet as enemies."

"Only if the Ruler of the North commands it to be so."

Crow turned and walked away into the forest. His head bent down and his shoulders sagged. Ash was a disappointment, but what else could he offer him but a dying people.

Ash looked on with confusion. They both served Lord Fonce in their own way, yet the older Iroquois looked at him as the traitor. He knew his mission. He knew what he needed to do. He did not have to like it.

The trail would be false. Crow was too good to let him easily follow him to the others, not unless he truly thought he would join him.

Ash shook his head. Their sins were both too great. Both were beyond redemption.

Ash watched Crow disappear into the darkness. He did that so easily. Maybe he should do the same.

Chapter 17: THE LONGHOUSE

Days passed. The warriors found themselves quickly in a routine. Hammer found himself by a pile of wood chopping it down for future firewood. Fantine could always be found pestering him after she had finished her own chores.

Crow spent hours a day with Jeffrey deep in the woods. They searched for different herbs and plants. They shared their knowledge of healing and trapping.

The twins found themselves working with most of the other children in the kitchen under the charge of Carina, Jeffrey's wife. Jay took a shine to the second oldest daughter, Belda, but the oldest brother, Eliot made sure nothing came of it.

Corban and Ferine found themselves working inside the stables alongside Elise. The work was hard but honest. No killing was involved. Ferine seemed to take the most pleasure in that along with spending time with Corban.

"Mother would kill me for asking, but I got to know are you two courting?" Elise asked Ferine quietly.

"What's that?"

"When a boy likes a girl and girl likes a boy, they search for reasons to spend time with each other to see if it might be something more."

"What do you mean by something more?" Ferine was curios. She really did not know. Rojier might but she ignored him, well mostly ignored him when he talked.

"Love."

Ferine blushed. "I am not type of girl a man would want to marry or could. I did a lot of bad things to a lot of people in order to survive. Corban could never love me."

"Papa always says that love isn't about deserving. It about choosing to even when you don't deserve it. I think Corban likes you."

"Do you really?"

"I do."

Corban walked the away. The girls were whispering and giggling talking girl stuff. It was not his business. He hoped they were not talking about him. He made his way toward Thrushbeard.

General Thrushbeard had found a library. He spent the days studying maps and books. He was old. He deserved a break from hard labor.

Corban entered the library.

"I found it."

"What did you find?" Corban asked.

"The place the barkeep told you to go."

"The Knob. What is it?"

"It's a small fort to the north east of here much like the Roughs started as. It's the last post where Lord Fonce has any influence. Further north is the frozen Tundra and to the east are free lands not ruled by any lord. That would be where the Winter Queen should build her army. It's where I would if I was starting a rebellion against Lord Fonce."

"How far is the Knob away from here?"

"It's less than a week's ride from here."

"Good," Corban said. "Maybe we could leave Rojier and be back to pick him up."

"That will not be a good idea. We get Ambrosia. We won't have time. The Winter Queen will probably hunt us until we get to Lord Fonce."

Corban doubted that General Thrushbeard had any intention of returning Ambrosia to Lord Fonce. This he would keep to himself until he knew for sure. "How long before you think Rojier will be ready?""

"According to Jeffrey, another day or two, and he should be able to ride safely."

"Then we best make preparations to leave."

"This was good for us," General Thrushbeard said. "We got a chance to rest and to get our bearings."

"Maybe, but our time is running out."

"We just need another day or two. No problems. No dangers."

"No!" Elise cried from the edge of the woods. "Help me!"

"You had to say something."

Both grabbed their weapons.