CHALLENGE #46 - IN SEARCH OF VALOR - CAPTIVE AT KNAVESMIRE!
Tagged by: leithalia
Title: In Search Of Valor
Chapter: Thirteen - Captive At Knavesmire
Prompt: Charge - Marc Steitenfeld
Media: Original Fiction, Round Robin
Rating: M for violence and mature situations
Notes/Warnings: None other than I went way over on the words. Oh, and I thought you might like this new banner so we could put some visual effects on how Shallia might look.
Tagging: muses_circle
Chapter Thirteen
Captive At Knavesmire
The ride was long and hard. We pushed our horses and ourselves beyond the limit and within a day and a half we had reached the Knavesmire Settlement, about twenty miles shy of Cordik lands. But we were not prepared, despite Ulric’s warning for what awaited us there.
The sun had begun to creep low on the horizon, due to a stop we had made some miles back for water and a brief rest. I did not like approaching unfamiliar territory so near dark, but we had no other choice than to attempt to make contact and reason with the people of Knavesmire to ask for their aid in the upcoming battle to save our King.
Raising my hand, I signaled for the others to stop and I pushed forward, venturing just beyond the shadows of the line of trees that sheltered the fortress walls protecting Knavesmire. I walked carefully, gaging my steps one at a time, not knowing if there might be traps or snares nearby. But with each step, I knew I was being watched and the hair stood up on the back of my neck.
I took a few more steps toward a thick grove of trees and was suddenly surrounded. Bodies clambered around me closing in, but someone stood just a few feet away from me. I reached out in instinct, grabbing them and with my sword drawn I lay it against the neck of my captive. I did not want to hurt anyone, especially anyone in this settlement, but I had to protect myself and the men and Shallia.
Things were happening fast, the bodies stopped and no one moved any closer, but they crouched as if ready to spring upon me for the purpose of defeat. That is when I realized the person I was holding was a young woman, a very young woman barely of age-they were all young women.
"I do not wish to harm you. I am Darian, son of Sir Borin, protector of King Sadon of Arundel. I have come seeking your help!" I shouted, but there was no reply.
I was being backed into the grove of trees, slowly the mob moved in, closer and closer until my back was against a massive oak tree and I must have loosened my grip on the young woman I had captured for in the next moment she had turned herself and was facing me. Her eyes sparkled in the dim light and had a wild look about them.
The others were pressing toward us and began to chant in a low and menacing tone, words I had never heard before, an ancient language perhaps. I did not want to hurt them, I only needed their aid, but before I could say anything else, the young woman had wrenched free of my grasp and using the tree as a climbing surface and managed to get her legs around my waist, throwing her weight against my side and causing us both to fall to the ground.
Now her sword was against my throat and my chest was heaving with the uncertainty of what would happen next. I had fought against many foes and been victorious each time, but now I was being taken down by this young girl-barely a woman.
She smiled down at me with a feverish grin and leaned down close to my chest, pressing the sword against my throat and her breast. It was easy to see that she liked danger and was not averse to a challenge. But as she let her tongue rake up my neck, over my chin, and onto my lips, I thought for moment that she must be mad.
"Mmm, you taste divine. And look at that face and this magnificent body. I can think of many things I could do with this one," she said in a voice of an aged and worldly woman, not a girl by any means.
The sound of boastful laughter rang out from the crowd of females that had encircled us both. And for a moment I thought I might not make it out of this situation unscathed, or maybe without even being abused, by the look in the eyes of those who had overpowered me. I was utterly speechless.
"What be the meaning of this?" I heard a loud voice call out from just inside the line of trees.
I threw my head backward, trying to see who had spoken and caught a glimpse of Rowan, although upside down to me, standing with his hands on his hips looking rather vexed at my situation. Then the others moved into position around him causing the young women to become guarded and nervous. But it was the one atop me that spoke.
"Stand down women. Look. He has the stone. They are not our enemy," she said, as she sprang to her feet dismounting me and offering me her hand.
I looked from her to the others as I took her hand and began pulling myself up from the ground. Then I met the eyes of Shallia who had been watching from behind Rowan at this strange spectacle and predicament I was in.
I felt my face go flush and knew I would have some explaining to do, but for now we had to get to the bottom of whom these women were and what had caused them to stop their advancement upon me.
"Who are you and what is the meaning of this?" Rowan said, and I knew his voice was unlike I had ever heard it before. He demanded an answer.
The young woman left me and went to stand before Rowan. She bowed low and offered him her sword as a sign of surrender.
"I am Ayleth, leader of the women of Knavesmire. We mean you no harm."
Rowan just looked at her in awe and then at me. He did not understand their sudden change in demeanor, nor did I.
"You may get up. We have come here seeking an alliance with the people of Knavesmire for the purpose of saving King Sadon of Arundel whose life is in danger from the Cordiks who seek to assassinate him," Rowan stated as she rose to her feet, when he touched her shoulder.
I walked closer to her and noticed that she was staring at the stone which hung around Rowan’s neck and so were the others.
"Does that stone mean something to you?" I asked, moving beside Rowan.
"It must have been given to you by one of our sisters. And if she trusted you, then will also trust you."
"Yes, it was given to me by someone very special in Stonegate, a day and a half ride from here. Her name was Helena."
"She was wise to give you the stone to ensure your safe passage through our lands. Come, I will take you to Lord Crewe and we shall talk of your needs."
She turned and led us through the maze of trees, until we reached a small stone door in the fortress wall. She waved her hand over a minute hole in the wall and it opened as if being pushed from the other side.
Just before we entered through the door, someone grabbed my hand and pulled me aside. I was surprised to see it was Shallia. She looked determined and even a bit bolder than usual, but her eyes spoke to me. She was concerned, not for the reasons I had first thought, but this moment with her I would not trade for a thousand years. It was as if she opened her heart to me right then and there in the stillness of the grove.
Her hands came up to my face and she stood upon her tiptoes to reach me, as she kissed me forcefully at first, then it became softer. I pulled her into my arms and returned the gesture like this was our last day in the world and we needed to share the moment with each other.
"I just felt the need to stake my claim that is all," she whispered breathlessly.
"You do not think.....I did not.....what you saw......Shallia," was all I could say before she kissed me again then turned and walked through the open door.
I was not sure what had just happened, but I think it had something to do with Shallia seeing another woman straddling me in such a possessive manner. I smiled as I watched her duck under the wall and walk toward the center of the fortress. She did like me and this was all the more reason for me to win this battle and put it all behind us, so that I could pursue this courageous and intriguing woman that I was now following.
Title: In Search Of Valor
Chapter: Thirteen - Captive At Knavesmire
Prompt: Charge - Marc Steitenfeld
Media: Original Fiction, Round Robin
Rating: M for violence and mature situations
Notes/Warnings: None other than I went way over on the words. Oh, and I thought you might like this new banner so we could put some visual effects on how Shallia might look.
Tagging: muses_circle
Chapter Thirteen
Captive At Knavesmire
The ride was long and hard. We pushed our horses and ourselves beyond the limit and within a day and a half we had reached the Knavesmire Settlement, about twenty miles shy of Cordik lands. But we were not prepared, despite Ulric’s warning for what awaited us there.
The sun had begun to creep low on the horizon, due to a stop we had made some miles back for water and a brief rest. I did not like approaching unfamiliar territory so near dark, but we had no other choice than to attempt to make contact and reason with the people of Knavesmire to ask for their aid in the upcoming battle to save our King.
Raising my hand, I signaled for the others to stop and I pushed forward, venturing just beyond the shadows of the line of trees that sheltered the fortress walls protecting Knavesmire. I walked carefully, gaging my steps one at a time, not knowing if there might be traps or snares nearby. But with each step, I knew I was being watched and the hair stood up on the back of my neck.
I took a few more steps toward a thick grove of trees and was suddenly surrounded. Bodies clambered around me closing in, but someone stood just a few feet away from me. I reached out in instinct, grabbing them and with my sword drawn I lay it against the neck of my captive. I did not want to hurt anyone, especially anyone in this settlement, but I had to protect myself and the men and Shallia.
Things were happening fast, the bodies stopped and no one moved any closer, but they crouched as if ready to spring upon me for the purpose of defeat. That is when I realized the person I was holding was a young woman, a very young woman barely of age-they were all young women.
"I do not wish to harm you. I am Darian, son of Sir Borin, protector of King Sadon of Arundel. I have come seeking your help!" I shouted, but there was no reply.
I was being backed into the grove of trees, slowly the mob moved in, closer and closer until my back was against a massive oak tree and I must have loosened my grip on the young woman I had captured for in the next moment she had turned herself and was facing me. Her eyes sparkled in the dim light and had a wild look about them.
The others were pressing toward us and began to chant in a low and menacing tone, words I had never heard before, an ancient language perhaps. I did not want to hurt them, I only needed their aid, but before I could say anything else, the young woman had wrenched free of my grasp and using the tree as a climbing surface and managed to get her legs around my waist, throwing her weight against my side and causing us both to fall to the ground.
Now her sword was against my throat and my chest was heaving with the uncertainty of what would happen next. I had fought against many foes and been victorious each time, but now I was being taken down by this young girl-barely a woman.
She smiled down at me with a feverish grin and leaned down close to my chest, pressing the sword against my throat and her breast. It was easy to see that she liked danger and was not averse to a challenge. But as she let her tongue rake up my neck, over my chin, and onto my lips, I thought for moment that she must be mad.
"Mmm, you taste divine. And look at that face and this magnificent body. I can think of many things I could do with this one," she said in a voice of an aged and worldly woman, not a girl by any means.
The sound of boastful laughter rang out from the crowd of females that had encircled us both. And for a moment I thought I might not make it out of this situation unscathed, or maybe without even being abused, by the look in the eyes of those who had overpowered me. I was utterly speechless.
"What be the meaning of this?" I heard a loud voice call out from just inside the line of trees.
I threw my head backward, trying to see who had spoken and caught a glimpse of Rowan, although upside down to me, standing with his hands on his hips looking rather vexed at my situation. Then the others moved into position around him causing the young women to become guarded and nervous. But it was the one atop me that spoke.
"Stand down women. Look. He has the stone. They are not our enemy," she said, as she sprang to her feet dismounting me and offering me her hand.
I looked from her to the others as I took her hand and began pulling myself up from the ground. Then I met the eyes of Shallia who had been watching from behind Rowan at this strange spectacle and predicament I was in.
I felt my face go flush and knew I would have some explaining to do, but for now we had to get to the bottom of whom these women were and what had caused them to stop their advancement upon me.
"Who are you and what is the meaning of this?" Rowan said, and I knew his voice was unlike I had ever heard it before. He demanded an answer.
The young woman left me and went to stand before Rowan. She bowed low and offered him her sword as a sign of surrender.
"I am Ayleth, leader of the women of Knavesmire. We mean you no harm."
Rowan just looked at her in awe and then at me. He did not understand their sudden change in demeanor, nor did I.
"You may get up. We have come here seeking an alliance with the people of Knavesmire for the purpose of saving King Sadon of Arundel whose life is in danger from the Cordiks who seek to assassinate him," Rowan stated as she rose to her feet, when he touched her shoulder.
I walked closer to her and noticed that she was staring at the stone which hung around Rowan’s neck and so were the others.
"Does that stone mean something to you?" I asked, moving beside Rowan.
"It must have been given to you by one of our sisters. And if she trusted you, then will also trust you."
"Yes, it was given to me by someone very special in Stonegate, a day and a half ride from here. Her name was Helena."
"She was wise to give you the stone to ensure your safe passage through our lands. Come, I will take you to Lord Crewe and we shall talk of your needs."
She turned and led us through the maze of trees, until we reached a small stone door in the fortress wall. She waved her hand over a minute hole in the wall and it opened as if being pushed from the other side.
Just before we entered through the door, someone grabbed my hand and pulled me aside. I was surprised to see it was Shallia. She looked determined and even a bit bolder than usual, but her eyes spoke to me. She was concerned, not for the reasons I had first thought, but this moment with her I would not trade for a thousand years. It was as if she opened her heart to me right then and there in the stillness of the grove.
Her hands came up to my face and she stood upon her tiptoes to reach me, as she kissed me forcefully at first, then it became softer. I pulled her into my arms and returned the gesture like this was our last day in the world and we needed to share the moment with each other.
"I just felt the need to stake my claim that is all," she whispered breathlessly.
"You do not think.....I did not.....what you saw......Shallia," was all I could say before she kissed me again then turned and walked through the open door.
I was not sure what had just happened, but I think it had something to do with Shallia seeing another woman straddling me in such a possessive manner. I smiled as I watched her duck under the wall and walk toward the center of the fortress. She did like me and this was all the more reason for me to win this battle and put it all behind us, so that I could pursue this courageous and intriguing woman that I was now following.