The Wizard's Misery The Chronicles of the Midlands Book One

Chapter Fourteen

The street was bustling with activity as Brandon and Celine made their way through the city, heading northwest towards the Royal Pine Forest. Behind them the boats on White Water Bay were being tossed to and fro by white capped waves that left a trail of froth on the shoreline. Gulls were screeching above and occasionally diving down to scavenge the scraps which the fishermen dumped as they were cleaning their catch and the smell from the waterfront permeated the air as a light breeze was blowing carrying the scent from the docks all over the city.

Street vendors lined the road calling out their wares as oblivious customers strolled by and the unmistakable spicy scent of exotic cuisine tickled their noses as Celine and Brandon passed nearby. Occasionally they had to walk around milling crowds that were gathered by the busier stalls, avoiding foot traffic headed in the opposite direction. Finally they made their way out of the shopping district and entered into the less crowded area where houses lined the street in neat, orderly rows and in the distance the forest loomed, getting ever closer as they continued on their way.

Soon they were out of the city and walking down the King's Road which was almost deserted except for the occasional rider trotting by on his way to the city. They walked in silence for a while, enjoying the morning and soon they could see the bridge that crossed Conjurer's Creek off in the distance. A little beyond the bridge was a path which led through the forest and Celine figured that they would probably enter the woods somewhere between them.

"Are you sure that the soldiers won't be patrolling the road up ahead near the entrance to the path?" Celine asked as she walked beside Brandon.

"I don't think so. I think they'll be more concerned with the paths inside where they're more likely to catch people poaching," he said giving her a smile. Then turning back to the road he said, "I think the best way for us to go is down Conjurer's Creek and through the swamp. It'll be easier than trying to make our way through the underbrush."

"Are we going to start from the bridge?" she asked and Brandon nodded his head. "Won't we be drawing attention to ourselves if someone rides by?"

"I've got two fishing lines and some hooks in my pack so we'll climb down and act like we're fishing and slowly make our way up the creek," he explained. "That won't look suspicious since people fish there all the time."

"It sounds like you've got this pretty well thought out," she remarked, giving him a smile. "You're a pretty good planner, aren't you?" she asked teasingly.

"I like to think so," he said with a laugh. Then looking serious he added, "But, sometimes I don't think of everything. Like you swallowing the stone."

"Sorry about that," she said, giving him an apologetic look. They walked a little farther and then she asked, "Have you ever walked up the creek to the swamp before?" she asked, looking at him enquiringly.

"I've followed it a few times," he answered looking thoughtful. "The creek is wider here where it runs into the bay. As you head north, the creek thins and spreads out until it becomes a part of the swamp."

Celine nodded. "I'm glad that you know where we're going. It'll make it easier for us to get away from the soldiers without getting lost if they chase us."

"Don't worry. I think we'll be pretty safe for a while. The tricky part is going to be when we get near the King's Port path where it runs closer to the creek. If we aren't careful around there, the dogs may hear us if they're close by," Brandon explained as he looked thoughtful for a moment. "Crossing the main path will be the hardest part as they're sure to be patrolling there."

"That's true," she agreed somberly. "It was shortly after I crossed the footbridge when they started chasing me," she warned.

"Well, I figure that if we can't go under the footbridge, then we may have to circle around it. It's all going to depend on where the soldiers are. They can't patrol all the paths at once so we may get lucky and miss them," he explained looking hopeful.