Chapter 2

The Own and I spent a good six months on the road fighting spidrens, hurrocks, and killer centaurs while helping villagers and immortals alike. We were a great distance from Corus when we got called back to a village near the city; apparently they had a spidren problem that they hadn't thought to mention to us when we rode through the village six months earlier.

It was raining when we reached the village. We couldn't track the spidrens in this weather, so my lord Raoul said we'd do it the next day when it was supposed to be sunny. After being told firmly by Raoul that he would care for his own horses and that I should care for my own, I stayed in the stables to brush mine down. He knew I would have argued had it not been wet and cold, as well as miserable. I shook my head ruefully at how well my knight master had gotten to know me in such a short time.

Within minutes, I had my horses brushed and dried off from the rain and my tack and equipment cared for. I headed inside as quickly as I could to rest and prepare for the next day. The moment I entered my room, I headed for the hot bath that was waiting, stripping quickly before climbing into the water.

Ah, that's nice. I leaned my head back on the edge of the tub and stayed in the water until it began to cool. Scrubbing thoroughly, I got all six months-worth of grime off my body before getting out and drying off. I slipped into my loincloth and breeches before climbing into bed, curling up happily.

It was rare that I dreamed while I slept, but this time I had one of my strangest dreams yet. It was of the day I fell off the boat and nearly drowned. The little merchant girl I'd met oddly resembled page Keladry of Mindelan.

Within moments I was sitting up in bed wide eyed, sweating, and chest heaving. I didn't like remembering the day I'd nearly drowned, and having it come back in a dream made my life worse by far. I groaned and plopped back on the bed and closed my eyes. Trying to go back to sleep for me is nearly impossible, but this time I think my mind gave me a break, because sleep found me quickly.

The next morning found me in an irritable mood and no one could get me to come out of it, not even the Own's joker, Domitan of Masbolle. I picked at the breakfast of thin porridge that was ladled out and spoke very little, if at all.

Now, as we followed a local trapper in pursuit of the spidrens, I could hear voices in the distance as well as the sound of hooves.

"My lord, there are people up ahead." I said to Raoul.

"You're right, Wyldon. I can hear them, too." he replied.

It was at that moment that I heard the palace training master's voice up ahead. I sighed with relief that it wasn't an enemy, as I was still too exhausted from last night. Fighting first thing in the morning was not something I could handle, especially after waking up half way through the night and then being woken again hours later by my knight commander dumping water on me.

I remained silent as we rounded the bend, and I swear in Mithros name that my breath was nearly punched out of my chest the moment I caught sight of page Keladry.

I wasn't surprised to see her with the pages, though I was surprised to see her riding the meanest of all the horses in the palace stables.

In my moment of astonishment, Dom took it upon himself to snap me out of it. I felt his grip on my stirrup and I pulled my boot free in time for him to lift it and hit him in the chest with it sharply. Dom toppled from his saddle and half the pages started snickering. I could already tell that this was going to be a bad day.

"Wyldon, why'd you do that to poor Dom?" Raoul inquired, truly curious.

"He tried to knock me from my saddle, my lord." I replied.

There was laughter from one of the pages. When Raoul and I turned to look at the page, I had to take a second look at Dom, then back at the page. Other than the eye color and the widow's peak, they looked alike, and I mentally groaned. I don't need another Dom in my life at the moment…

I was about to ask the page to stop laughing when I nearly choked on my own laughter. Page Keladry's destrier bit the pages pant leg, with a good bit of his leg as well. The page let out a yelp and Keladry had to convince the horse to let him go.

The training master and Lord Raoul were talking a short distance away, and when they returned, I nearly dropped dead with the words that left my knight masters lips.

"All right lads, listen up: the pages will be coming with us on this hunt. The more eyes we have, the easier this search will be."