Sentria: The Age of Adventure (Book 2)

Chapter Ten: Marauders

When we returned to the manse, we dressed in our clean clothes and we left back down Colress Road. Eldwyn had to act as the carriageman to keep up the facade until we were a safe distance away and he returned inside the carriage. 

"Well, that was tragic," said Prince Lucas, looking out of the window behind him as if Aunt Kudrow would come running after us. "She kept asking us questions as we were leaving."

"It wasn't so bad," said Eldwyn. "It was an experience."

"Experience?" Prince Lucas whipped back around to address Eldwyn. "Were you not holed up in your Prince's room like I was? That place was creepy."

Eldwyn's smile grew wider and he said, "Just because something is scary doesn't mean that it's not worthwhile."

"I can't talk to him anymore," said Prince Lucas, crossing his arms and legs and looking out the window.

"Quiet you two," I said, writing down my letter to my kingdom. "Don't make me separate the two of you." I sent the dove off with the letter and watched it fly further south. 

Before we reached Loria, we had to pass through the Knotting Hills. They weren't very high, but they seemed to go on and on, rolling into the deep distance. The grass had yellowed and blew like waves in the wind and I had a flashback of our time in the sky. That cloud wave was one of the many times that I thought that I'd die, but Eldwyn got us through it as we had many times before. He was always there for me after the waves came crashing down upon me.

"Would you like to hear a song?" asked Eldwyn over the creaking of the carriage along the bumpy track.

"I'd rather listen to the silence, thank you," said Lucas between a nap.

"Silence can be good too." Eldwyn closed his eyes. "In the Village of the Wind, I—"

A dull thok! hit the back of our carriage and we all looked at each other. Then two more hit the carriage and I knew danger was coming. I peered my head outside of the carriage and saw ten men on black stallions covered in flowing black fabric from head to toe riding after us.

"Marauders!" I said, coming back into the carriage. I closed my eyes and focused and the horses pulling the carriage sped up.

I opened my eyes and saw Eldwyn spring into action. He grabbed onto the top of the window opening and threw himself onto the top of the carriage.

"What is he doing?!" asked Prince Lucas, pressing himself against his corner.

"Stay down," I told Prince Lucas and he leaned forward and covered his head.

I heard the wind whip around us and I knew that it was  Eldwyn working his magic. A marauder rode up alongside us and slashed the carriage, stabbing inside the window recklessly. Prince Lucas closed his eyes tight and pressed himself even harder against the corner away from the attacker. I grabbed the Stargonian blade by my feet and hit the marauders' sword out of our carriage. I opened the door and leaned out holding onto the frame and slashed at him. Our swords clanged back and forth as the marauder kept pace with the carriage until I kicked him off his stallion and he rolled in a trail of dust.

I leapt out of the carriage and landed on the saddle of the black beast. The stallion stood on its back legs, kicked, and neighed and I leaned forward to speak into its ear. 

"Shh, I am your friend and master now," I said, and when the beast landed I was in control. I looked up at Eldwyn atop of the carriage, firing ice blasts at the three marauders that were left. "Hyaah!" I yelled and turned the horse around, taking off towards the marauders. There were five left and all of them were firing their arrows at Eldwyn. 

"What are you doing?!" asked Prince Lucas, peering outside of the carriage.

I ignored him and glared at the marauders. Then, before my very eyes, a flock of blackbirds swooped down and took out two marauders.

I thanked the birds under my breath and set my sights on one of the marauders and came right for him. He whirled his sword above his head in circles as he approached and I kept mine straight like a joust to steady my aim. When I was in reach, I pulled my arm back and cut his gut, just as an ice blast knocked out another marauder. I turned the horse around and saw the last remaining marauder shoot his arrow off before Eldwyn could stop him and it cut his arm. I snarled at him and kicked the sides of my new stallion, picking up speed to catch up to him. I slashed his back, as I came up behind him, then cut his chest I passed him and he let out a guttural yell.

With the battle over, we continued riding down the road until we could no longer see any signs of the marauders. We stopped at the side of the road to re-group and to assess our situation. I thanked the stallion and told him that he was free and to go on his way. His eyes stared at me with appreciation, for I knew that his previous owners didn't treat him well.

"This is splendid," said Prince Lucas, circling the carriage. "Our carriage is damaged."

"It can still ride," said Eldwyn, crouching down and playing with the grass. "Not as good, but maybe it can bring us to a nearby town for fixing."

"The nearest town is Juniper and we wouldn't make it halfway there." Prince Lucas started pulling the arrows out of the carriage.

"Eldwyn's right," I said, putting my hands on my hips. "We can take the horses if we have to and find a mechanic to fix it up."

"Perhaps there's a tailor there too," said Prince Lucas, holding the front of his golden blouse with a tear in it. "And what was that?"

"What was what?" I asked.

Prince Lucas let go of the fabric and looked up at me. "The birds. I peeked my head out of the carriage and saw a flock of blackbirds attack one of the marauders. I had never seen such a sight before."

Eldwyn stood up and walked to Lucas, "I've seen many fantastical things in my days. Animals are fantastical in their own way."

"I know there are fantastical things in nature," said Prince Lucas, redirection his attention to Eldwyn. "I've never known blackbirds to attack someone unprovoked."

"Prince Lucas—" I said, but a voice stopped me from continuing.

"Hey, ho!" said the voice and we all turned around to face the short and thin man in brown loose-fitting clothing and a thick brown beard.

"Who goes there?!" I said, walking towards him with my sword in hand.

"I mean you no harm!" said the man. He pressed his hand to his chest and smiled with big eyes. "I'm Soren!"

"Are you some kind of...magical man?" asked Prince Lucas.

"No!" He said, waving both of his hands. "Well...not exactly. I am an energist. I deal in mathematics, the sciences, and energy. They're all the same thing anyway!"

"...He's a madman," said Prince Lucas.

I stopped, realizing that he wasn't a threat. "What do you want?"

"I have a tower nearby, on the Cliffs of Renmar. You can come and rest and I can fix up your carriage nice and good. I can even fix that pretty blouse of yours!"

"We cannot waste any more time," I said. "We have an important date."

"You've got all the time in the world!" he exclaimed, raising his hands. "Trust me, please. Stay an hour and then you can leave. I can make your journey easier."

I turned around and looked at my team. There was no getting around that we were worse for wear, and if the old man tried anything he wouldn't be hard to overcome, but you could never be too sure about situations like these.