Chapter 10
Peter splashed around in a small, hidden pool of water filled by an equally small waterfall. Him and Hana had been in the middle of their journey when the small dog ran, causing Peter to dart after it and stumble upon this secluded area. All around trees and vines wrapped the scene creating a barrier that cloaked it from anyone who didn't know what to look for. Peter found this to be a great area to collect water and fish, but when the small dog jumped in and began splashing around, he forgot all about his quest for food and jumped in as well.
After about an hour, she decided that she'd had her fun and jumped out so clean she could have passed for a different dog. Peter dragged himself out as well, mimicking Hana as she shook herself dry, and got dressed again.
Not quite sure what way they'd come from, Peter decided that the best choice was to climb the small sloping hill from which the waterfall fell; however, just as he was gripping one of the loose vines he heard a small yip below him. Looking down, found Hana stomping her paws at him as she stared at the cliff.
"Oh! You can't climb this can you? Well that's okay! I'll put you in my pack. How does that sound?"
The small dog stared at him then back to the hill, as if considering it, and, once again, yipped, jumping at Peter and pawing at his legs to show that she approved.
He set down his pack and readjusted things to make room, then picked her up and put her in, making sure she wasn't going to fall out, and began climbing the steep bit of earth. He had almost reached the top when he heard hooves pounding against the moist ground and the soft hum of distant voices approaching.
"How did it go for you?"
"It went well, I didn't catch as much as I'd expected to, but we have enough food back at the camp, so it doesn't really matter."
"Have you seen Ivan? He said he would come hunting as well, and I swear I heard his horse, but I didn't see him while I was hunting."
"No, I don't think I saw him either."
"Alright, well let's just head back then."
Peter pressed himself closer to the soggy earth, caking his clothes and face with the damp soil. He breathed in the dank air through shallow breaths waiting for the sound of the horses to fade. Hana peeked her head out from the pack and began growling. Peter's breath hitched, he slowly turned his head and shushed her, instructing her to remain quiet in a hushed, rapid speech. The small dog let out another short growl before ducking her head back in.
It was a little longer until he finally heard as the horses' footsteps faded into the distance, but he remained still and held his breath, making sure that not even the sound of the wind's tussling of the leaves could be heard.
Peter dragged himself up the rest of the way and was about to stand, when he saw something glimmer in the dirt. He crawled over the crunching leaves and snapping twigs to find that it was a small dagger. It had detailed engravings along its bloody and dirt-coated blade.
As he inspected the blade, he found that the blood was still a little wet. He ran his small, and relatively hands over the grooves and ridges of the knife, admiring the trinket. His father had one with a similar design; It was the one Peter had brought with him. Lost in thought, he continued to admire the dagger until he realized hooves could be heard again, accompanied by the same voices he had heard only moments ago.
"Raivis, are you sure you didn't just misplace it?"
"No, of course not! I'm sure I had it in my sheath, but it's not there so maybe it fell out."
Peter quickly stuffed the dagger deep into his pack to keep from injuring Hana, and looked around desperately for any place he could hide, but found that the nearest tree was too far.
He yanked out his bow and an arrow and aimed it in the direction of the voices.
"Well we can't look around the whole forest for it! C'mon let's just head back."
"Hold on. Just let me look a little long-" he let out a pained gasp as a searing pain shot through his side. His horse, realizing the danger, panicked and threw the young boy against the earth. He landed with a soundless scream of pain, contorting his body in agony.
Peter stood before them, new arrow loaded and pointed at the boy that lay before him who had his eyes screwed shut and was drawing ragged breaths.
He had curly blond hair and a scared, pained look in his aqua blue eyes. He appeared to be only a few years older than Peter and only a bit taller.
"W-wait! What are you doing? Who are you?" One of the other men asked as he dismounted his horse and slowly approached Peter, hands raised in front of him in a show of surrender. He had brown hair that reached his shoulders and brilliantly green eyes. He wasn't very impressive in stature or appearance, although he wasn't short or completely unimpressive. He appeared to be young and the stressful war had also taken its toll on his features as his tired eyes were adorned with dark, heavy bags.
"That's far enough!" Peter commanded, stopping the man in his tracks.
"I'm Peter Kirkland, heir to the Swedes," he declared. He wasn't sure how true the statement was, but he knew it'd have more of an impact than 'Peter Kirkland, runaway.'
"I-I'm Toris Laurinaitis, third prince to the Lithuanian throne. P-please put down your arrow we really d-don't mean you any harm."
"Then you're a Slavic! " Peter exclaimed, changing the direction of his arrow so that its sharp spade tip was now aimed at Toris, while securing Raivis against the earth with his foot, causing the boy to gasp in pain.
Toris looked to the man, still mounted on his horse for help, he had straight blond hair that draped lifelessly on his forehead and a very average face with blue eyes, although a darker shade than the boy Peter had pinned under his foot. He seemed just as tired than the other, although his glasses did a good job at hiding it. The man looked just as unsure of what to do as the brunette and simply stared back with a bewildered expression.
Toris was about to speak again, when they heard the distant sound of hooves approaching. The two men looked to each other in fear.
"Is that? "
"Ivan."
"Wait, but what do we do about him? We don't know what'll happen to him if Ivan learns that he's the Swedish leader's son!"
"Then we won't tell him!"
Toris rushed over to Peter, who had been too shocked by the man's carelessly bold advance to shoot, and gently grabbed his arm.
"Listen, I need you to put that away. You know that your country is at war, right?" Peter nodded slowly in confirmation. "Well then I'm sure you know that Ivan is the leader of the army your dad is fighting. He's coming this way." Peter attempted to pull away from the man's grip and climb back or even jump back down the small cliff, but was held tight by Toris. "Don't run! It'll look suspicious. When he asks, you're lost. You're not from around here. You live just south of here in Poland. You can keep your name as you don't have your father's family name, but as of now you have no affiliation to the Swedes, okay?"
Peter was about to protest, when he saw the look of fear and desperation in the other man's eyes. He decided it best to clamp his mouth shut and simply nod.
Peter heard the sound of hooves get louder and louder behind him, but not once did he look back, scared of what he might find.
Matthias had always told him that the Russian ruler was a very cruel man and that his son was even worse. He was heartless and sadistic, slaughtering and torturing. Peter didn't know which one this "Ivan" was, and he was too scared to let his curiosity win over.
He heard a horse stop directly behind him and turned slowly.
"Oh? Who's this?"
He wasn't as intimidating as Peter thought him to be. He was rather tall and sturdily built, but his face showed no sign of malicious intent, in fact, he looked rather kind with a gentle smile and a prominent nose in the center of his round face. His bright purple eyes shone as they watched him.
"T-this is Peter. He appears to be lost."
"Oh? And where are you from Peter? "
"P-poland," Peter stuttered out.
"How did you end up here then?"
" I-I was hunting with my father and I lost him. I haven't seen him in two days and I'm not too sure how to get home."
"Well then I am surprised you are alive."
"O-oh, um... I'm a good hunter. I've been hunting with him plenty of times and I've learned to survive."
"That is good to hear... Did you think little Raivis was an animal too?"
Peter stared at the man, confused, before realizing he was still standing over the boy in question.
He quickly backed away as Toris approached him and tried to help him up.
"I-I'm sorry," he looked down at the ground, fearing the consequences for hurting the boy.
"It is not your fault, Raivis should have been more careful." He turned to Raivis, sending the boy a reproachful look that caused him to squeak in surprise.
"Would you like to come with us, little one?"
"W-well I-"
" Let's go then." He urged his horse forward to proceed, but stopped when he heard Toris call out to him.
"U-um... Ivan?"
"Yes? what is it?"
"W-well, um, Raivis fell kind of hard and I'm not sure he will be able to ride his horse, especially because all the movement might make him bleed out."
The man released an exasperated sigh, jumping down from his own horse.
"I will carry him, then. Little one, do you know how to ride a horse? " He asked turning to Peter as he gathered Raivis in his arms. Peter watched as Raivis flinched when Ivan picked him up with an overwhelming amount of guilt.
"Y-yes."
"Good!" Ivan shot him a quick smile, "You may ride it, then. Toris, help him up."
Toris, who had been fretting over the other boy, rushed over to Peter and linked his hands as a makeshift step for the young boy. He turned to Ivan, who seemed to be waiting on him, and took that as his cue to get on his own horse and go.
HAHA! I DID IT! Did I post as much as I would have liked to? ... No. Will I post as much as I would have liked to? Probably not. BUT I UPDATED AND I'M PRETTY SURE I'LL HAVE TWO MORE CHAPTERS BEFORE THE WEEK IS OVER! I'M ALREADY WORKING ON CHAPTER 11. Oh.. but I didn't exactly proofread these too well... ANYWAY! WOO! YEAH! THANKSGIVING BREAK! THANKS FOR READING!