Druids Rise

Chapter 25~ The note

 I wake up in my bed after a nightmare, thunder crashes outside my window with the light patter of rain and bright flashing light that streams across the skies the monsoon season had begun the rivers starting to fill their banks after the long dry season of the summer months water splashing and racing through the banks the people preparing for the flood from the rivers that overstep their banks.

"My lord are you alright? I heard you call out for Joseline" said my loyal Cydian rushing into my chamber.

 "yes...yes I am alright twas just a nightmare" I said softly as I regained my composure.

 "I see perhaps you should go to her" Cydian said as he sat on the edge of my bed.

 "Not at this hour Cydian I am not to leave the castle" I said as I looked at him.

"Come now Trystan you should ask for her" I put up a hand to silence him.

 "I can not have Joseline for she is not of royal blood the people....my father would have my head in seconds before I even said her name" I said laying back down.

 "Then why can't you remove her from your mind, call out for her out night in your dreams" Cydian said getting up.

"perhaps you are not a king yet but love is love no matter what the laws" Cydian shrugged then left the chamber leaving me to think maybe he was right after all I should go to her when the sun rises and ask for her hand under the willow, vow my love to her but it would all be in vain...or would it. I thought back and forth upon the subject for hours the sun rising bringing a clearing in the storms.

I finally got up and dressed in my best without showing I was dressing up then I got my horse geared and mounted riding to Joseline's house and dismounting. I knock on her door and am suprised when it opens on its own swinging all the way open as I continued to push it open Joseline's house a mess of objects the tables over turned a great struggle having been fought here in her home someone was going to pay for this when I found them.

walking through Joseline's house I found a note nailed into a post with a horse shoe nail the note read 'To find the maiden from this house run across the field to the north then cross the grand river that floods in the south there you will find your death' shoving the note into my pocket I ran out mounting my horse and going to the castle calling a squadrent of guards to arms including Cydian and we rode off Darius and Matildia joining.

We rode for many days making camps when night fell and riding for long distances heading north as fast as we dared the road rough with many dips and small areas where the ground fell away from the path. we got to the mountains and started to find the horses fought against the reins trying to back up or take another path when the road split.

We should have listened to the steeds and followed their intentions for we ended up in trouble as the road became to narrow for their hoofs causing them to slip and winnie in fear and protesting each move until we got to the next part where the road widened the horses huffing as their hoofs reached flat ground where they could straighen out their steps.

"lets rest here the horses need it the mountains are more ragged than I rememered them to be and the rain isn't helping" I said dismounting and walking into a cave that was a little ways down the sloping path the horses following their riders willingly the cave giving some protection from the storm.

"Do we have any dry wood Cydian?" I asked as we started to water the horses and give them some feed that we had gathered before the long trip through the relentless baren rock. 

"not much but enough for the night the rain soaked the rest" he said putting together a fire the thought of camp strong though it would be another night on a rock made bed with a thin bed roll between our backs and the cold stones.