The Castle on the Hill

Chapter #6 At The First Sign Of Trouble

                     Thomas stirred as he felt a gentle shaking on his shoulder. He turned slightly and saw Celyn's face slowly looking around the cave. "Wake up, Thomas." As soon as she saw his eyes flutter open she stood and walked away.

                    Thomas watched her walk over to a fire that had a slight smell coming from it. It smelt like warmed up bread with the slightest sniff of sausage.

                   He stood and stretched.... "Ahh." The fire in his back quickly reminded him of the beating he had taken at the hand of the general a few days before.

                   "Careful. We need you to be in decent shape, the journey is long enough without some invalid along." Her cool voice cut through him. He had yet to figure out this girl. Some moments like last night she seemed almost caring but other like now she seemed almost dead inside.

                   "We don't have much, and won't until we get to Dublin, but this should hold you over most of the day." She handed him a plate that held a generous portion of bread covered in bits of sausage and egg.

                  "Thank you! It is more than enough."

                  "I should hope so. We won't have eggs again until Dublin. Those were the last few from Claudia's farm." Zavier appeared in the entry to the cave.

                  "Good morning, sis." He took the plate that she held out and sat next to the fire. "We got farther than I thought we had. We will still make good progress as long as keep moving."

                  "Even with coffee beans he will need rest every night. We need horses if you want to make good time." Celyn sat down with her own food across the fire from her brother.

                   "Celyn, horses are beyond difficult to get. Besides that we will have no tack for them." Zavier seemed to be trying to talk her out of something with his eyes. Though the fire burned between them, neither broke eye contact.

                   "I can do it. Three horses. Unbranded, large land owners property. I saw them when we first came this way. Tack is easy. There are twelve barns on that property." Her eyes danced as Thomas realized she was planning on steal horses from someone.

                   "And what if you are caught this time, Celyn? People depend on you." Zavier continued to stare at his sister.

                   "I am not a child. I haven't been caught in years and when I was caught I handled myself just fine." She seemed rather proud of her thieving history. Thomas began to wonder what exactly he had gotten himself into.

                  "Fine. Be back two hours after sunset, or we leave without you. I can't afford for us all to be caught and killed because you insist on this." Zavier sighed as she jumped up.

                 "Just wait. I'll take care of it." Celyn disappeared deeper into the cave and returned wearing a simple servant style dress and bonnet instead of her usual warrior trousers and vest. her daggers no longer hung from her hips but he was sure she had hid them somewhere.

                 After Celyn left Thomas helped Zavier break down camp. "Come on, we will need some food for the journey."  Zavier picked up Celyn's bow and quiver, "Don't break these or she'll kill you."

                "So are we just looking for game?"

                "Nah, we will harvest whatever fruits and nuts we can find, but it is a little late in the season for that. It is nearing winter." Zavier was silently creeping through the forest with Thomas following close behind.

                "You are pretty quiet for being raised a blacksmith." Zavier had climbed a tree and was inspecting the apples that were left near the top. Occasionally he would throw one down and Thomas would catch it and put it in the bag.

                 "Not nearly as quiet as you a Celyn."

                "Yes, but we were raised hiding from Royal Generals and Guards." He swung from the tree, "You see, we are highly wanted in all major cities, if we have been spotted nearby then whatever towns, villages, communities, etc. are near us are put on red alert. " He stared off into space.

                  "What did ya'll do?"

                 "Honestly, nothing bad enough to be criminals." Zavier turned and began to walk again. Thomas might not have know them long but he knew when one of them turned away that conversation was done.

                 Later that day they were sitting in the cave again. The sun had set about 30 minutes prior and Thomas could see Zavier was on edge.

                 "Where is she." He was pacing frantically in the entry way.

                  "I thought you said two hours after sunset?"

                 "I did, but she always finishes with impeccable time. She never takes all the time I give her." He continued pacing like a mad man.

                 Suddenly they heard the unmistakable sound of horses hooves. Upon further listening they realized it was way more than three.

               "Quick! Deeper into the cave!" Zavier shoved Thomas as he ran towards the back.

              "Zavier! Help! They are close and I need to get these horses all hidden." Celyn's voice came calmly from nearby.

                Thomas poked his head out to see her standing in the entryway. He could see the horses standing nearby in the woods. Zavier darted out the cave and approached on of the horses. As soon as the horse was okay he grabbed the reins and lead him into the cave. Celyn had another one. Thomas approached the last one. His heart was beating quicker and quicker as the sound of the horses came closer and closer. He pulled his horse into the cave.

             A few minutes later they heard the horses round the corner. "I know I saw her head this way." A loud man voice echoes from out side the cave. Zavier was slowly piling up rocks to make a barrier. Thomas began to help while Celyn quietly soothed the horses.

            "It is possible they took shelter in this cave, Sir." Another male voice.

           "Let's check it out." Three guys at least.

          Zavier pushed them farther back into the cave after he heard the other horses enter the cave. He tried to time the horses to the others.

           "Dead end boss." A fourth voice had reached the wall.

          "Don't look like it to me. That is only half the height of the cave." The First man spoke again.

           "No horse could walk across that and there isn't enough room for them to jump over it. They didn't take shelter in the cave." Man number 4 seemed completely certain of this. Eventually the boss relented.  

              "Face it, boss you wont find them tonight." Man number 2 seemed kind of downtrodden about this.

             "At Sunrise we will continue searching. They wont be able to go far. Not at night. There isn't even a moon." They remained in the tunnel until they could no longer hear the sound of horses. Then they slowly took down the barrier wall.

           "What the Hell, Celyn! I said don't get caught!" Zavier was furious.

           "How was I supposed to know that the Lord of the property did nightly ride around with his sons?" She shrugged her shoulders, " A little mistake honestly."

             Zavier opened his mouth to retaliate when Celyn held up her hand, "Yell at me in Dublin. Right now we have to get out of this area. Unless you want to be found and captured tomorrow."