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| Shards of a Broken Heart | |||||||||||||||||
| By Richard LeBlanc | |||||||||||||||||
| Chapter Three: uninvited guests | |||||||||||||||||
| Bethany slowly slinked her way to the far corner of the room as Nathan stood ready to turn the intruders away. Before she could even think of saying something - the fight had begun. One man armed with an axe tried to cleave Nathan in two - but with a speed unbefitting of a man his size - Nathan evaded. | |||||||||||||||||
| "You are only delaying the inevitable! Within a matter of minutes - the rest of our band will be here," the other taunted. Nathan blocked the man's sword swing with his blade and impaled him with his free weapon. | |||||||||||||||||
| "They won't be able to get here in time to save you," Nathan hissed as he kicked the man back. He looked over at his friend. A powerful jerk freed his mighty axe from the floor. "Want to play hero? Try me," he taunted. The enraged man growled as he swung his weapon at the man that had felled his comrade. Nathan spun around. His sword cleaved through the handle of the axe. The attacker fell forward - off balance. Nathan dropped his dagger and held his bound wound - but kept his sword firmly in his iron grip. | |||||||||||||||||
| "Looks painful," the man taunted - slowly getting up. He drew his sword and dagger. "Maybe you should just step aside - might increase your life expectancy," he added with a smug look. Nathan smirked. He stabbed his sword into the floor. "You're smarter than you look," the man added. | |||||||||||||||||
| "Not really," Nathan remarked. In one fluid action - he kicked the knife he dropped up. He caught it - spun it around and then threw it at the unprepared intruder. Bethany winced at the sickening thud the knife made when it impaled into the man's chest. For a few seconds the man looked down in disbelief - as if trying to convince himself that the knife wasn't there. But then he collapsed. Nathan sighed and shook his head. | |||||||||||||||||
| "That was close," Bethany muttered. Nathan hurried over to the door and looked out at the night storm that was still raging. "What - what are you looking for?" she hesitantly asked. | |||||||||||||||||
| "We have to go," he muttered. He hurried over to where his weapons were. He looked over at Bethany who was still clearly in shock. He sighed and shook his head. "These two people here - they aren't just rogues passing by. By their markings - they are part of a larger group - a group that is most likely in this area still," he explained. | |||||||||||||||||
| "But - if we go out in that storm at night - we could get lost or worse," she pointed out. | |||||||||||||||||
| "If we stay here - the rest of their friends might find us. To be honest - I would much rather take my chances in the storm. Besides - the village isn't too far from here," he pointed out. | |||||||||||||||||
| "If so - couldn't they find that place as well?" she asked. | |||||||||||||||||
| "True - but do you really want to take that kind of gamble? Something big is going on here - I don't know all of it. But - I fear that the rumors are not just rumors. The northern province has probably fallen," he muttered - shaking his head. | |||||||||||||||||
| "If so - why would they be here?" she asked hesitantly. | |||||||||||||||||
| "I don't know. If these people are part of the army that took the northern province down - they must be scouts - or spies," he stated. He shook his head. "In any event - we should go - now," he reiterated. He quickly got his coat and cape on. He looked over and saw that Bethany - was still curled up by the corner. | |||||||||||||||||
| "Is there no other way? I don't - uhm - when I was younger - I wandered out into a storm - I almost died," she admitted.. Nathan sighed and shook his head. | |||||||||||||||||
| "If there was another way - I would wait it out. Don't worry too much about it - stay close and I will make sure that nothing happens to you - okay?" he reassured. Although she seemed somewhat calmed - she was still far from eager. | |||||||||||||||||
| "Uhm - I - can't go out," she added. | |||||||||||||||||
| "Why is that?" he asked. She hiked up the blanket - exposing her bare feet. He sighed - that could be a problem. He walked over to where she was and knelt down beside her. She felt his hands sliding under the blankets she was on top of. | |||||||||||||||||
| "What are you doing?" she asked. In one motion he lifted her up. | |||||||||||||||||
| "You might want to cover up - the winds can get pretty harsh out here," he warned. She quickly cocooned herself within the blankets and furs. He then carried her out into the storm. True to what he said - the winds were harsh - but with all the covering she had - it barely affected her. She fought to remain conscious - but the darkness began to creep in around her. | |||||||||||||||||
| Some time later - she woke up. She was in another room - by the window Nathan was subtly keeping watch. He looked over and saw that she was awake. | |||||||||||||||||
| "Sorry I fell asleep," she yawned. | |||||||||||||||||
| "Not an issue," he replied - returning his attention to the window. | |||||||||||||||||
| "How long was I out?" she asked tiredly. He smiled and shook his head. | |||||||||||||||||
| "Not long enough. You should get some rest. We'll get you some proper clothes tomorrow. Hopefully - whoever attacked us - will still be lurking around the cabin," he stated calmly. | |||||||||||||||||
| "Are - they after me?" she asked. | |||||||||||||||||
| "I doubt it. I mean - unless they had spies in your castle that would have known you were on the lake," he stated. "But then they would have had to have seen me fishing you out of the lake - and I didn't see anyone," he added. | |||||||||||||||||
| "But - what if someone did?" she asked. | |||||||||||||||||
| "Hmm?" he muttered. | |||||||||||||||||
| "What if someone saw you getting me out of the water? All of what is happening to you is my fault," she added. He shook his head. | |||||||||||||||||
| "Look - we'll discuss this in the morning ok?" he suggested. She nodded and curled up on the bed. Nathan smiled and returned his attention to the window. | |||||||||||||||||
| Later - the next morning - she slowly woke up. | |||||||||||||||||
| "Good morning," she said with a yawn. It was then that she became aware. She realized that she wasn't at home and that everything she remembered was not just a horrific dream. "Wasn't a dream," she muttered. She looked around the room - it was empty. "Nathan?" she hesitantly called out. The door to the room opened. He peeked in. | |||||||||||||||||
| "Everything ok?" he asked. By the look in her eyes he could tell that the answer was no. "Look - I'm going to do everything in my power to get you home. But before I can - we have to get you some clothes. Don't get me wrong - I think you look great," he added with a humorous wink. She smirked. | |||||||||||||||||
| "No doubt," she remarked. | |||||||||||||||||
| "Shall we get you something a touch more appropriate to wear - then grab a bite of something to eat? Sound like a plan?" he asked curiously. She smiled and nodded. "ready to go?" he asked. | |||||||||||||||||
| "As ready as I can be I guess," she replied. He walked over and carefully lifted her up. "Doesn't that hurt your arm?" she asked curiously. | |||||||||||||||||
| "Only when I think about it - so let's not talk about that," he replied. He carried her out from the room - down the stairs of the inn. His attention was on the woman he was carrying and the pain he was trying to block out. As he left the inn - he failed to notice the suspicious looking character that was watching him closely. | |||||||||||||||||
| "The rumor was true - she did live. The master will be pleased to hear about this," the man muttered as he hurried out the back door of the inn. | |||||||||||||||||
| To be continued... | |||||||||||||||||