Let Honey Lead the Way
The title, I don't even.
For legendland
Don't ask questions, lol. I completely forgot about this challenge and had to work on it in 30 minutes, I sort of fail!
Words: 1127
Kahlan frowned as she processed the news that had just been given to her. She’d been out in the village all more taking confessions from the villagers, her duty as a Confessor never to cease. Out of all the stories she’d heard, this one called for the utmost attention - so much so she fled her post with the man and woman in toe, leading them into the tent she were currently sharing with the Seeker of Truth.
“Tell me again, what happened? When did you first notice your son was missing?” she questioned, her brows furrowing in the deepest of concerns.
“He isn’t missing! He was kidnapped!” the mother cried, forcing the husband to console her.
Kahlan inhaled a deep breath, nodding. “How do you know he was kidnapped? Did you see who took him? Were you there to witness it?” As much as she knew the mother more than likely wasn’t - why hadn’t she stopped it, then? - it was a question that need be asked.
The woman sniffled, shaking her head into her husbands chest.
“Look at me, and tell me, why do you think he was kidnapped?” Kahlan reasserted, the tone she took not one to be trifled with. Aside from it being atrociously humid, her patience when it came to a child and a mother who could not meet the eye of a Confessor, severely tested her tolerance.
Finally, the woman withdrew from her husband, “Because I found this.” Reaching into the pocket flap of her ragged dress, she pulled out a yellow sheet of paper, handing it over with a trembling hand.
Kahlan unfolded it quickly, reading it’s contents aloud. “I have your son-” she paused then, her eyes narrowing as they turned up towards the couple standing before her. “That’s it? Where’s the rest of it?”
The woman shrugged her shoulders, tears already beginning to free fall once more.
It was the husband who answered. “We don’t know. It was torn when we found it lying near our front door.”
While Kahlan repeated the steps with them, having them take her to their small cottage near the edge of the village, Richard was returning from his lesson. Kahlan gave a tight lipped smile towards him, and he curiously diverted his path towards her.
“Something wrong, Kahlan?” he inquired, worried by the look on her face.
In the matter of a few minutes, she filled him in on the case of this missing child, who had apparently been kidnapped judging by the very vague letter the parents had found. Richard took the note, running his finger along the bottom of it where it had been torn.
“It was stapled to the door, the wind must have ripped it off.” he concluded, tapping the ragged edge in the middle which had a much deeper tear than the rest. “Look for the other half, Kahlan and I will try to find out what we can. We’ll find your boy.”
The reassurance of the Seeker was comforting, Kahlan noted. Even she could feel the confidence.
They spent the better part of the morning searching the village. The air dry and hot, it was difficult to question others without one party becoming too aggravated. Their recent stop, however, left them with some leads.
“A boy?” the woman looked at them. “Why, yes. I saw a boy here early this morning with a young man. He bought a jar of honey, but I’m afraid he didn’t say where they were headed.” She sighed, continuing to sweep the front step of her shop.
Richard shared a look with Kahlan.
“Do you at least know which direction they were headed?” Kahlan asked, stepping forward.
“We think the boy may have been taken by this young man.” Richard added, “Can you give us a description of him? Have you seen him around here before?”
With the information they needed gathered, Seeker and Confessor took to a trail in the woods. It wasn’t long before Richard stopped them both, kneeling by a larger fern.
“Kahlan, look.” he motioned to the ground where a good portion of honey lay splattered on the leaves. Kahlan’s blue eyes panned further, and she too ran to a spot, kneeling.
“It’s over here, too!” she exclaimed, and together they followed this trail of honey.
“Do you think he left it for us to find?” She questioned, peeling her eyes for another drip. It lead them off the trail, unfortunately, which concerned her even more.
“How would he have known we would come to look for him? But he might have. And if he did, well, smart kid.” Richard replied, “Over here.”
They emerged through the trees to find a lake of sorts. Richard and Kahlan stood stock still, searching with their eyes for anything.
“There, Richard!” As Kahlan grabbed his arm, Richard was quick to respond, seeing a boy and a man standing beside the lake. A jar of honey sat on a rock next to them. Drawing the Sword of Truth, Richard charged in first.
“Let the boy go.” He demanded, and both man and child turned with fearful expressions.
“Go? I don’t understand.” the man said, hiding the boy behind his leg.
Kahlan interjected. “You took him from his home, kidnapping is a very high offense in Aydindril.” Daggers pointed towards him, her blue eyes bore into his soul.
“I wasn’t kidnapped!” The boy shouted, moving from behind the man’s leg. Confusion set in for the Seeker and Confessor who shared a look of puzzlement. “It was hot today and my mum and my dad never pay attention to me. I wanted to come to the lake, so my friend took me. He left them a note.”
“You mean, this note?” Richard reached into his shirt and pulled it out, handing it to the young man. “It’s not a very well written note.” Sheathing the sword of truth, he sighed. “What’s with the jar of honey?”
“There’s a fish here who likes honey. I like to feed it.” the boy stammered.
With the situation cleared, Richard and Kahlan watched them both walk back to the village.
Kahlan turned to Richard with a coy smirk. “You know, it is rather hot today.” she began, starting on the laces of her dress.
Richard arched a brow. “I think it may be the hottest day yet.” And if the sweat dampening his shirt and shimmering on the visible portion of his chest and along his face, as well as the locks clinging to the back of his neck were any indication.
“I think I might go for a swim.” Kahlan chirped, dropping her Confessor’s gown. Richard praised the summer air, and quickly stripped to his last articles of clothing before diving in with his Confessor.
For legendland
Don't ask questions, lol. I completely forgot about this challenge and had to work on it in 30 minutes, I sort of fail!
Words: 1127
Kahlan frowned as she processed the news that had just been given to her. She’d been out in the village all more taking confessions from the villagers, her duty as a Confessor never to cease. Out of all the stories she’d heard, this one called for the utmost attention - so much so she fled her post with the man and woman in toe, leading them into the tent she were currently sharing with the Seeker of Truth.
“Tell me again, what happened? When did you first notice your son was missing?” she questioned, her brows furrowing in the deepest of concerns.
“He isn’t missing! He was kidnapped!” the mother cried, forcing the husband to console her.
Kahlan inhaled a deep breath, nodding. “How do you know he was kidnapped? Did you see who took him? Were you there to witness it?” As much as she knew the mother more than likely wasn’t - why hadn’t she stopped it, then? - it was a question that need be asked.
The woman sniffled, shaking her head into her husbands chest.
“Look at me, and tell me, why do you think he was kidnapped?” Kahlan reasserted, the tone she took not one to be trifled with. Aside from it being atrociously humid, her patience when it came to a child and a mother who could not meet the eye of a Confessor, severely tested her tolerance.
Finally, the woman withdrew from her husband, “Because I found this.” Reaching into the pocket flap of her ragged dress, she pulled out a yellow sheet of paper, handing it over with a trembling hand.
Kahlan unfolded it quickly, reading it’s contents aloud. “I have your son-” she paused then, her eyes narrowing as they turned up towards the couple standing before her. “That’s it? Where’s the rest of it?”
The woman shrugged her shoulders, tears already beginning to free fall once more.
It was the husband who answered. “We don’t know. It was torn when we found it lying near our front door.”
While Kahlan repeated the steps with them, having them take her to their small cottage near the edge of the village, Richard was returning from his lesson. Kahlan gave a tight lipped smile towards him, and he curiously diverted his path towards her.
“Something wrong, Kahlan?” he inquired, worried by the look on her face.
In the matter of a few minutes, she filled him in on the case of this missing child, who had apparently been kidnapped judging by the very vague letter the parents had found. Richard took the note, running his finger along the bottom of it where it had been torn.
“It was stapled to the door, the wind must have ripped it off.” he concluded, tapping the ragged edge in the middle which had a much deeper tear than the rest. “Look for the other half, Kahlan and I will try to find out what we can. We’ll find your boy.”
The reassurance of the Seeker was comforting, Kahlan noted. Even she could feel the confidence.
They spent the better part of the morning searching the village. The air dry and hot, it was difficult to question others without one party becoming too aggravated. Their recent stop, however, left them with some leads.
“A boy?” the woman looked at them. “Why, yes. I saw a boy here early this morning with a young man. He bought a jar of honey, but I’m afraid he didn’t say where they were headed.” She sighed, continuing to sweep the front step of her shop.
Richard shared a look with Kahlan.
“Do you at least know which direction they were headed?” Kahlan asked, stepping forward.
“We think the boy may have been taken by this young man.” Richard added, “Can you give us a description of him? Have you seen him around here before?”
With the information they needed gathered, Seeker and Confessor took to a trail in the woods. It wasn’t long before Richard stopped them both, kneeling by a larger fern.
“Kahlan, look.” he motioned to the ground where a good portion of honey lay splattered on the leaves. Kahlan’s blue eyes panned further, and she too ran to a spot, kneeling.
“It’s over here, too!” she exclaimed, and together they followed this trail of honey.
“Do you think he left it for us to find?” She questioned, peeling her eyes for another drip. It lead them off the trail, unfortunately, which concerned her even more.
“How would he have known we would come to look for him? But he might have. And if he did, well, smart kid.” Richard replied, “Over here.”
They emerged through the trees to find a lake of sorts. Richard and Kahlan stood stock still, searching with their eyes for anything.
“There, Richard!” As Kahlan grabbed his arm, Richard was quick to respond, seeing a boy and a man standing beside the lake. A jar of honey sat on a rock next to them. Drawing the Sword of Truth, Richard charged in first.
“Let the boy go.” He demanded, and both man and child turned with fearful expressions.
“Go? I don’t understand.” the man said, hiding the boy behind his leg.
Kahlan interjected. “You took him from his home, kidnapping is a very high offense in Aydindril.” Daggers pointed towards him, her blue eyes bore into his soul.
“I wasn’t kidnapped!” The boy shouted, moving from behind the man’s leg. Confusion set in for the Seeker and Confessor who shared a look of puzzlement. “It was hot today and my mum and my dad never pay attention to me. I wanted to come to the lake, so my friend took me. He left them a note.”
“You mean, this note?” Richard reached into his shirt and pulled it out, handing it to the young man. “It’s not a very well written note.” Sheathing the sword of truth, he sighed. “What’s with the jar of honey?”
“There’s a fish here who likes honey. I like to feed it.” the boy stammered.
With the situation cleared, Richard and Kahlan watched them both walk back to the village.
Kahlan turned to Richard with a coy smirk. “You know, it is rather hot today.” she began, starting on the laces of her dress.
Richard arched a brow. “I think it may be the hottest day yet.” And if the sweat dampening his shirt and shimmering on the visible portion of his chest and along his face, as well as the locks clinging to the back of his neck were any indication.
“I think I might go for a swim.” Kahlan chirped, dropping her Confessor’s gown. Richard praised the summer air, and quickly stripped to his last articles of clothing before diving in with his Confessor.