Enchantment of the Bow

Chapter Eleven

Kaladin's POV

The cool night breeze stirs debris across the stone street and rises my black cloak from my neck. I listen to the sounds of the night as thoughts race through my mind.

I had told Jed and Syl that I was going to retire for the night about twenty minutes ago, and I headed to my room.  Once alone in my lodgings, I opened the wide window, and climbed back down to the first floor.

As a boy, not quite a young man, I was briefly trained as an assassin, so scaling a wall with no rope or tools is not a difficult task for me.

I knew that I couldn't sleep with these questions running through my mind, so I decided to walk a while, until I was tired.

I stalk the shadow, dressed as one of them as I think about Navani . I wonder about him. About how his timing was so convenient, just as the Princess of Nordic went missing, along with one of the King's famous  Vann Hest . About how he seems so small for a young lad, so soft faced. How his voice sounds. About how he rides that pitch Vann Hest so well. Only a Rider can ride a Water Horse with such grace and ease.

There is the possibility that he had caught it down by the beach and trained it himself. But, we had just come from Nordic the day before we ran into the boy, fleeing into the woods.

I am positive that among the hustle of the beautiful cobble streets, I saw the rump of the very black  Vann Hest. He had a slender, beautiful young woman upon him, but she never saw me, as she was heading away from us.  I do recall, however, that the townsfolk moved out of her way, dipping their heads at her importance. If she hadn't had such control over her mount, I would have guessed that some man had caught it and given it to the noblewoman as some sort of gift.

If Nordic wasn't home of the horse lords, and I hadn't  trespassed into the royal stable, then I wouldn't know that there was only one black Vann Hest  out of the lot of them. Only one.

-- Lyra's POV --

The streets are bustling with Saturday markets and children playing between buildings and alleyways. Women pass carrying baskets for their future buying, skirts dusting the stone with smiles on their faces.

We set out on our way to the shops, pushing through people with Kaladin in front. He hardly has to shove anyone with his deadly glare, which I assume is set upon him so that no one will ask questions about us. It seems to be working.

Kaladin stops us along side one of the buildings. "Navani, go buy yourself some clothes. You've got money haven't you?"

I nod.

"I'll take Adolin to help me get some food, so we won't have to hunt for a few days. The way were headed, it's against the law to kill any creature in the woods."

Adolin had his eyes squinted, his head probably pounding with a hangover from last night.

"Not that it matters to us." Syl mumbles, barely audible, but it makes Jed smile. Of course it doesn't matter to them, but maybe they are worried I will turn them in. Or maybe that we will run into Lance and that prince again. Sounds likely enough for me.

I half smile as Kaladin continues. "Syl. You'll go with Navani then."

"What? Why?!" She complains. "Clothes are no fun, why can't I go buy another sword or something?"

Kaladin gives her a patient look. "Because no one goes by himself, you know that. You never know what kind of people you'll find in a passer-by town, and we don't need any trouble."

I fold my arms and glance at Syl. " We can go afterword, it won't take me that long."

She sighs. "Fine. See ya guys." She says as she turns around, starting to walk away. I follow her, leaving Kaladin and her brother behind.

As we walk away, I can hear Adolin throw up his breakfast and Kaladin yells, probably jumping away from him to avoid getting any on himself.

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We eventually come to a shop with a sign hanging above the door, the words 'Molly's Garments' are scrawled along it in roughly beautiful writing.

I sigh, and push the door open, letting the warm air accompanied with the smell of stale cloth invite us in.

A heavy set woman with a kind face and brown eyes greets us, walking over from were she was congregating with a few other wenches. "Can I help ya?" She asks, eyes darting from Syl to me.

I gesture to the blood stains on my shirt. "Anything to replace this?"

She leans her wait on one leg and taps her chin, thinking as she gazes at Jed, who looks at me. She gives a look that sagest that she finds this strange. "Yeah, I got somethin'"

We follow her across the room, passing several young woman who look at mine and Jed's butts and giggle. I glance over at Jed who stretches his arm behind his head and smiles over at them, making them blush.

I roll my eyes as we stop as the woman rummages through a heavy looking trunk.

Jed casts me a glance and a shrug that says he did nothing wrong, and I stare at him a moment before looking back the the lady, who pulls out a light weight men's shirt, not unlike mine, but in a dark shade of black.

She wrinkles her face up and closes one eye, holding it out to look at it. "This should fit ya well enough." She decides, handing it over to me.

I rub my thumb and forefinger over the cloth, only to find that the material is thin and scratchy compared to my father's, but it will work. I would rather have this than a part of him still being carried around with me.

Nodding, I dig into my pocket for my sack of coins, and hand her one. "It will do."

"That be it?" She asks, biting on the coin before smiling and putting it in her bodice, satisfied that it is good quality.

I nod, stuffing the shirt into my bag. "That'll be all." I say before leading the way back out, ignoring the women from before on our way, but because they giggle again I know that Jed made some motion of interest.

We make our way to the blacksmith's, people moving out of our way while ignoring us all at ones, as if they are all too afraid to look at us, but too much of us to stay in our way.

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A/N

A picture of Kaladin (with Brown eyes instead of blue)!