Shadow Kingdoms | Book 1 ✔ (REWRITTEN AS 'THE EXILED KING')

Chapter 10 - King's Guard

Robert crouched in the undergrowth. Ryhon had been very generous to him and he would never forget that. He was the boy that Ryhon had gifted the hunting garb and longbow. Unfortunately, his friend had stolen his longbow and arrows. His friend was nowhere to be seen. Damn. That deer was supposed to be shared. He stood on a rock outcrop and yelled out to his friend.

"Myrk! Myrk, dammit, that deer was for both of us!"

Robert ran through the undergrowth, his long brown hair flying, to where he thought that he had seen Myrk. Myrk had curly red hair that stuck out anywhere in a forest. A flash of red. Myrk! Robert turned and sped towards that spot of red. He slowed and hid. There was a deer, grazing, then there was Myrk, aiming an arrow at it. A flash of sunlight was reflected from the point and the deer went down. Myrk went out into the open to check on his kill. Robert jumped up and grabbed his longbow from the startled Myrk's hands. Then he squatted and slowly pulled the arrow out of the deer, careful not to damage the hide.

"He's mine!" Myrk protested.

"Nothing's yours. That's my bow and you just killed the king's deer!" Robert growled and picked up the deer, balancing it on his shoulders. Then he took off, Myrk following.

"The king won't mind! He's got plenty of deer, the king has." Myrk said while watching the deer's dead head bouncing up and down on Robert's shoulders. His oversized rags threatened to trip him, "Won't miss one."

He splashed through a small stream, making a lot of noise. Robert glared at him, "Well I would miss it, because half of that deer was my supper."

"I was hungry."

Robert turned and looked at him. Myrk was a few years younger than him, but he acted downright childish sometimes.

"Well, you certainly can't tell the king that!" Robert growled.

Myrk looked genuinly confused.

"He would give you this speech about not poaching his deer and then he'll let you go. Only he'll lop off one of your hands so you'd remember what he'd said." Robert said grimly. Myrk paled and they continued to walk in silence. Then Robert stopped. His head flew up and he looked wildly about, eyes darting here and there. A man rode out on a horse. He had the chain mail of a soldier and wore a light blue cape. However, his chain mail was of better quality and he appeared to be a leader, of sorts. He had a sword by his side and wore a cone helmet, with some of his short blond hair showing.

"Guards!" Robert shouted and took off running, as fast as he possibly could. Myrk stumbled after him but it seemed that luck was not in their favor. Six more men, similarly dressed rode out and attempted to corner them. A soldier rode out right in front of him and Robert skidded to a stop, before running in the other direction. It was a futile attempt, however, and they were soon cornered. Robert dropped the deer carcass to the ground and he and Myrk had bolted, only to be blocked and herded into a blockade of soldiers.

"What's your name, serf?" The captain rode over to Robert and glowered.

"I'm not a serf. I'm a free man." Robert protested. The captain frowned, angry, and slapped Robert. Hard, on the cheek and Robert tasted blood in his mouth.

"If I say you're a serf, then you're a serf!" He growls. Robert glared at him rebelliously with his arm held up to his lip to staunch the bleeding.

"Now, serf, you are in trouble." The captain said, his face

"Why?" Robert, ever the rebel, said defiantly.

"Must I spell it out for you? No one but one of the king's foresters may carry a bow in the forest. No one may hunt, maim or kill the king's beasts. The penalty is a hand less."