Swords with Souls
A Medieval Fantasy Fiction Story
By Dan Watt
(Author of BARD series)
(Author of the Plagueborn series)
– Adult content –
The Talk
Sir Oisin knows Sir Ganbold too well; he understands that he can never bring him in alive. And he has no intention of killing his friend. As Ronnin steps cautiously through the dense forest Sir Oisin scowls at the thin branches whipping his face. By going through this part of the Black Forest, he can get ahead or at least catch up to Sir Ganbold and his family. He’ll have to check Ronnin and himself for the spiky burdock seeds later. He sees an opening and makes a quiet clicking sound. Ronnin halts. Through the opening he sees Sir Ganbold sitting by a small fire pit made of soil covered stones. Sir Ganbold’s and another horse graze freely nearby. The fire inside is just large enough to give off some heat. Sir Ganbold’s hand lopping sword is beside him. He’s drinking from a clay cup talking to his wife. His wife, Sarnai, sits across from her husband with a short bow and sheath of arrows at the ready. As she lifts her head to speak, she sees him and Ronnin. This is a dangerous woman. He holds up his hands and signals Ronnin to walk into the opening by squeezing his knees. Sir Ganbold grabs his sword and takes a step left so as not to block his wife’s aim.
“Sir Oisin, Lady Sarnai,” he says with a smile. Even though his hands are still up in the air, he believes he can draw his sword and block any of Lady Sarnai’s arrows. But not if she aims for Ronnin’s chest, which is guarded by a boiled leather flap. However, she is so close, he doubts it will hinder an arrow from piercing through. He sees Sir Ganbold put his free hand behind his back. Without taking her eyes off of him Lady Sarnai suddenly runs up to a mare and leaps onto the dun coloured back of the Takhi horse. Immediately, she has an arrow pointed at him. Sir Ganbold sheaths his sword and leaps onto the back of his own Takhi stallion’s back.
“How did you get so close without us knowing, Sir Oisin?” Sir Ganbold asks him.
Sir Oisin notices movement in the forest on the other side of the clearing. He can hear the patter of horse hooves moving away. “There’s a patrol looking for you,” he says, ignoring the question. As he does, he slowly places his hands on Ronnin’s cantle. “They believe you took the road to the sea. But I could tell you were purposely sweeping to hide the hoof prints. I found signs that you entered the forest instead.”
“Some of our people did go that route,” Lady Sarnai says as her expression turns to worry.
That’s bad news. “I’m sorry,” he says, and his voice tells them he means it.
“So, you come alone?”
“I do. And I wish to discuss a treaty, or, more preferably, an alliance.”
Sir Ganbold and Lady Sarnai glance at each other. “With who?” Sir Ganbold asks.
“With my people,” he replies.
“Can you save our people heading on the road to the sea?” Lady Sarnai asks as she lowers the bow slightly.
“I will try,” he replies with a bow of his head. Without little hope he can save those traveling the road to the sea he gently nudges Ronnin to take them back into the woods.
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