Secrets at the Keep (Kingdom of Denall Book 2) (5 page)

“This leg of our annual journey is my favorite part,” Angela told Farin as they marched in full armor, keeping pace with the caravan.

“Why do you say that?” he asked. The time spent traveling with Algernon’s Caravan for three months, then camping outside Lexingar for the tournaments, had all pretty much seemed the same to Farin, who had grown up on a farm; traveling, setting up camp, selling wares. It was a routine that he enjoyed, but he didn’t see how one part was different from another.

“Just look around you. The stream is constantly flowing, creating that calming sound. You can see the rolling hills continuing all the way to the horizon. There is no hustle of the city. It's just calm and peaceful; it's perfect.”

Farin loved the way she looked when she was excited about something. While it was usually excitement about sword fighting, it was always great to see Angela happy. “Wow, it sounds beautiful when you talk. When I see this road ahead, I focus on the openness and how it might be filled with bandits. There aren’t any patrolling soldiers, or guards. When I don't see anyone for miles I think of how far we are from people who could help when those bandits strike. I guess I’ve just been traumatized by so many bad experiences back in Omer’s realm, drams attacking us on the road, being abducted by bandits, followed by thieves, and having my brother killed, a lot of bad things have happened while I’ve been traveling. I love that you find the beauty in life. I wish I could see things the way you do.”

“You will. When we get around the north end of Lake Gulpa we can see the snow-peaked mountains and the small villages are so welcoming and kind. I'm sure you'll love it. I always pictured myself settling down in this part of Denall.” Then Angela casually slipped her hand into his. “I've just always pictured myself settling alone until now.” She turned to look up at Farin, clearly expecting a response. She was biting her lower lip as she often did when she was nervous.

“I've never really thought much about settling down; all I've ever thought about was getting out of Dungan.” Farin answered honestly. Angela let go of his hand and her nervous look turned to annoyance. “That is until I met you, of course,” Farin quickly added.

“Nice try,” Angela said with a shove. “It's a good thing you're pretty because your way with words is not going to impress anyone.”

“Well I guess it's good I get to practice my words with you. All I've had before is other stubborn animals.”

“What do you mean
other
stubborn animals?” Angela was getting very irritated with Farin and she was terrible at hiding her feelings.

“That's not what I meant. I was just trying to agree with you.” Farin answered quickly, raising his hands up defensively.

“You were agreeing with me by saying that you didn't think of a future together, and then you compared me to farm animals? I think I need some space.” Before he could answer, Angela broke into a jog and moved to the front of the caravan where she resumed her walking pace. Farin knew better than to try to apologize to her now. She was in a bad mood and he would probably end up getting tongue tied again and undoubtedly find another way to offend her.

The next two days were spent in an awkward truce between Angela and Farin. They walked at different parts of the caravan and then practiced separately until Blade insisted that they have some practice matches, which were very intense, aggressive and always completely silent save for the sound of clashing swords. Farin hated when Angela was mad. He had come to rely on her as his only friend, and despite knowing that it was temporary, losing her companionship was difficult.

Although he hadn’t said it to her directly, he did see her in his future. That was why, after the tournament in Lexingar, he had chosen to stay with the caravan. He enjoyed traveling, training, and he was not scared of hard work, but when he was being completely honest, he knew that she was the reason he stayed. As the day wore on, Farin was getting up the nerve to go up to the front of the caravan to apologize to Angela when Odon brought the caravan to an unexpected stop by a fallen tree that was blocking the road. Before anyone could return to their wagons for weapons, or prepare for an attack, Farin heard a slight rumbling to their left.

“Landslide!” he screamed.

Farin ran toward the front of the caravan, shouting for people to take cover. Most people, knowing of his enhanced hearing, listened and found their way to their wagons. He continued running, trying to make his way to Angela. When he was still several wagons away from her, the rocks and dirt smashed to the ground next to the road, half burying Odon’s wagon and throwing up a cloud of dark dust. Farin closed his eyes and ran into the thick cloud as he called out for Angela.

“I’m here by Odon,” she called back. “He’s hurt. Odon, stay with me. Can you hear me? Please, say something Odon,” Farin could hear her coaxing as Odon answered sluggishly. Farin arrived just as Odon’s wife ran to his side.

“What’s going on?” she asked as she knelt down and cradled her husband’s bloody head.

“People are coming,” Farin whispered. “I can hear them over there, and there.” He pointed to several places around them, but he was sure she could barely see him through the thick cloud of debris.

Odon groaned in pain and moved to roll over as he came to consciousness. “Ohh,” he moaned. “What happened?”

“It’s an ambush,” Farin explained. “They’re circling around us, probably waiting for some of the dust to settle before they move in.”

“Can you stop them?” Odon’s wife asked.

Farin grabbed Angela’s hand. “Absolutely.” He pulled her up to standing and they moved through the now thinning cloud toward the closest person. Farin picked up a rock and handed it to Angela. He pointed out to his right, and she hauled back and threw it in that direction. They heard a man scream out in pain and fall to the ground. “I think you broke his arm,” Farin said with a grin.

“Where are the rest of them?”

Farin focused for a moment on the sounds all around them, listening for the breathing and shuffling that was different from the now familiar voices of the caravan members. “There are a few in the ditches, but most are waiting on the far side of the fallen tree,” he responded.

“Then let’s do this!” Angela responded with a grin. “You take the right, I’ll take the left, and we’ll meet on the other side of the tree.” Without waiting for a response, she began moving over the rocks and dirt around the left side of the tree.

The bandits were strong, wild fighters who relied on brute strength and fear to get them what they wanted. Farin and Angela moved quickly through the band of men, dispatching them with little effort. Farin used his enhanced hearing to know when a bandit was hiding in a bush, or coming up from behind, and then he quickly disabled them with a slap of the flat edge of his sword, or by delivering a fierce jab of the pommel of his sword.

When he rounded the side of the tree, he looked to his left and saw that Angela was also making quick work of getting rid of the bandit threat. Angela dodged a club that was wildly swung at her head, and countered by driving her sword into the attacker's right leg. She then moved flawlessly into a spin that gave her momentum to backhand the assailant with added force. She continued to use her super human strength to deliver strong blows to anyone who raised a club or fist to attack her, leaving them wounded and incapacitated. She slammed into an approaching bandit, throwing him backward several yards.

Farin continued to use evasive movements and the warnings he was given by his hearing to avoid the wild swings of the attackers as he moved forward around the tree. With the dust finally settling, the bandits were moving in with a more serious determination. Three men with clubs were closing in on Farin. He fearlessly advanced, bringing his long sword down on the first bandit's club, jarring it from his hand. Before the man had time to react, the flat of Farin's sword had struck the bandit's head.

The next two assailants attacked together. Farin deflected one attack with his long sword while unexpectedly moving close to the second bandit, smashing his shield into the man's face. The bandit fell to the ground, grasping at a broken nose; his eyes filled with tears. Farin heard the shifting of clothing behind him and ducked under a wild swing from his rear. He spun around and punched into his attacker’s shin with his sword’s cross guard. The bandit dropped his club and fell to the ground, holding his injured leg.

Farin stood then and faced his final attacker. Eyeing his fallen comrades, the bandit shifted uncomfortably from one leg to the other, and Farin could hear a slight clicking in his left leg. Knowing that the man would favor his right side, Farin faked right and twisted to land a solid blow on the man’s left side. The attacker crumpled to the ground, groaning in pain. When down, Farin drove a sharp kick to the man's head that ensured he would not be getting back up for some time.

With half their number incapacitated, and seeing a group of armed men from the caravan approaching, the remaining bandits fled, leaving their wounded behind. One of the fleeing thieves turned and shot an arrow back at his pursuers. Farin raised his shield just in time to deflect the arrow and then looked over to Angela, who had just knocked out a lone robber who had either not noticed that his friends had run in the other direction, or was too prideful to run from a girl half his size.

Farin and Angela made eye contact and Angela ran the short distance into Farin's open embrace. Shaking, she dropped her sword as she squeezed into Farin's strong chest. He angled his head down toward her ear and softly asked, “Is everything okay?” After the words escaped, he realized what he had said. “Sorry, of course everything's not okay, but are you all right?” When Angela did not answer, Farin decided to just silently hold her in his protective arms.

Shortly after her shaking stopped she answered his question in a completely unexpected way. “I’ve only ever fought in a practice ring, but this was very different. When the land slide hit and I was surrounded in darkness, I was scared, really scared, and you came for me. I was terrible to you, but you still came for me.”

“Of course I came; I'll always come for you. You're my best friend.” Farin realized how true the words were after he spoke them. He had finally found someone whom he cared about more than himself. He had thrown himself in danger for Angela.

Still locked in the embrace, Farin began to grow uncomfortable as a group of adults, including Angela's father, began to congregate. Not knowing what to do, Farin subtly tried to release himself from Angela, but her iron grip around him was not yielding. Afraid of what he would see in Blade's eyes, Farin tilted his head down and simply stood, holding Angela, waiting for the worst. After another moment, he sensed Blade's presence and curiosity overcame him. He looked up into his trainers' eyes and was surprised at what he saw. Blade looked almost like he approved of what was happening, and Farin thought for a fraction of a second that he saw a hint of a smile, but it vanished as quickly as it appeared.

“Let's go back to the cart.” Blade turned around and began to walk.

Farin moved his feet awkwardly, but noticing the motion, Angela nestled herself under his shield arm and held him tightly as they slowly followed Blade. Back at the cart, the three sat down.

“So what was your mistake?” This question was directed at Farin.

Farin was surprised by the question, but responded quickly. “I used a backhanded attack on the fourth assailant, leaving me open to attack. If the fifth had been closer, he might have been fast enough to score a hit.”

Nodding, Blade turned to Angela. “And you, young lady, what was your mistake?”

“I don't know. It was all happening so fast I can't remember.” Angela was still visibly shaken by the situation and did not seem in the mood for questions right then.

Blade leaned down, and with his index finger he lifted up Angela's chin so that she was looking right in his eyes. “You scared your dad. That was what you did wrong.” With that his face broke into a rare smile and he pulled her close. “Don't do that again.”

For the next hour, as some men worked to move the log, and others secured the unconscious bandits, the three sat and talked. In time Angela relaxed, her shaking stopped, but her grip on Farin's hand never slackened. As a strongarm she was making quite an impression on his hand until he whispered to her that he wasn't going anywhere.

“Let’s go check on Odon,” Blade said when Angela was calmed down.

Outside Razor’s wagon, he worked skillfully with a needle to stitch up a cut on a bandit’s arm. “You got him pretty good,” the healer said to Farin as he approached. “Next time try to keep it clean.”

Farin patted Razor on the back and jokingly responded, “Sorry you had to fix him up. I know the rules, dead or bruised. I promise it won’t happen again.” The bandit paled and Farin winked at the healer.

“Where is Odon?” Angela asked.

Razor pointed up to the front of the caravan line. “He had quite a hit to the head. After the landslide, one of the bandits threw a rock that hit him in the head. He was delirious for a bit, but after a little water, and rest, he will be fine. He’s back up there with his wife. He actually said we’d get going as soon as we clear the trees, so he’ll be leading out shortly.”

“Thanks!” Blade said. “We’ll go back to our wagon. We can talk with him more when we stop for the night.” After making sure everything was in order, the caravan continued its trek for the day. For the first time, Farin was allowed to ride in a wagon. The caravan stopped just before dinnertime in an open field at the mouth of the Gulpa River.