Troubadours 11

Darien watched as a dozen men prepared to leave to find Serena and the brothers before Jared De Wolfton found them. He glanced at Andrew and Malcolm before ordering a page to ready their mounts.

"I want to find them myself and make sure they're okay," he said simply avoiding his friend's knowing stares.

Malcolm and Andrew almost laughed though they knew it wasn't a funny situation, Jared De Wolfton was after the troubadours for some reason and they had a feeling it wasn't a good one.

"Let's ride out," Darien yelled as he swung up onto the back of his black destrier

Malcolm and Andrew followed suit and the three men lead a small unit of riders into the dense woods hoping that the fact that they knew the land better would work to their advantage. However no one noticed when a smaller cloaked figure joined the line, the hood of their cloak pulled low to hide their face.

The party of riders traveled as fast as the terrain would allow stopping briefly to water their mounts, soon though they came upon the location of the troubadour's wagon. Darien dismounted followed by Malcolm and Andrew and searched the road around the wagon.

"I have a bad feeling about this," Darien said to his friends as he knelt in the road listening.

Malcolm and Andrew just watched silently, they didn't have to state the fact that something bad was going on for the troupe of minstrels to abandon their belongings.

"Have half the men stay with the wagon pull it off the road into the woods and wait for our return, the rest of us will continue forward." Darien said moving back to his mount and swinging up while spurring the animal forward in one motion.

Malcolm gave the order then followed Darien a feeling of dread settling in his stomach.

Nathaniel road like the hounds of hell were chasing after he left Serena and Artemis on the side of the road, he was being chased by his own feelings of guilt for treating Serena in such a manner. But he was worried that they had endangered the residents of Dunewald castle and for some reason the pale face of Lita de Wald, the young girl that had bested him in an archery tournament and almost gotten him killed by her brother. They had only exchanged as many words as polite society dictated by Nathaniel felt like the girl had become very important to him.

Suddenly a feeling of intense dread and guilt swamped him he pulled hard on his destier's reins and wheeled the animal about before spurring him back the way they had come. The closer he got to where he had left Serena and Artemis the harder the knot in his stomach wound tight. There was something wrong he just knew it.

Serena stood stiffly her hand buried in the fur on Sach's neck as she listened to the sound of her sister's horse draw closer. A cold sweat broke out on her body and the pulse beat rapidly in her neck, she was absolutely terrified. She was face to face with one of her father's murderer's after so many years.

"What do you want Rayeline?" Serena said in a steady voice that didn't betray the trembling of her knees.

Rayeline de Wolfton stared down at the blonde in concern, though that particular emotion didn't show on her face. In an action that surprised the two blondes on the road she dismounted and walked over to Serena.

"My brother is naught but a few miles from our current location, we must leave the main road." She said stopping in front of Serena.

Serena flinched and tilted her head to the side angling it down toward Sach, as if conversing with the animal. Which in truth she was though no one was aware of it, "Sach… why is she warning us?" How many men does she have?"

The wolf stared around at the group of humans then licked Serena's hand, "She has six men… to answer the other question I don't know. We can't trust her."

Serena nodded and turned her head towards Rayeline again, "Why do you warn us Raye? There is no lost love between the two of us."

Rayeline de Wolfton frowned her violet eyes narrowing in thought on how to explain her next comment; she opened her mouth to answer when the pounding of horses made her pause. Her eyes widened in fear as she felt the familiar pull of her twins' presence. "There's no time to explain right now, Serena." She said then looked at Artemis. "Get her on her horse, and follow us if you want to avoid Jared." She said turning and running back to her own mount and swinging astride.

Artemis raised a blonde brow and shrugged helping Serena onto her horse, "don't worry we can always get away if needed. Though she doesn't seem to be a threat to us… at the moment at least." He whispered then leaned down patting Sach, "stick close to her Sach." He whispered before turning and mounting his own horse. Rayeline's men closed ranks around Artemis and Serena and the party spurred their mounts into a gallop heading toward the tree line. Serena sent a prayer heavenward that they weren't riding into a trap and held on to her reins.

I hope you enjoyed this chapter, and I apologize if the line breaks don't stay is odd and removes them half the time.