Chapter 54

I wake with a burning pain in my chest, my cough making it worse. My feet feel like they were roasted over an open pit, the soles throbbing with an intense blinding pain.

Opening my eyes I see a small hut, barely big enough for me. There was a table with two chairs, a small fire place with a pot boiling and one tiny window. The thicketed roof was leaking and the dirt floor damp but it looked lived in.

The bed I was lying in was nowhere near large enough for my huge frame; my feet hung over the end. I try to get up finding I am completely naked. Covering myself back up, I am well aware someone saved me from the burning lodge.

The creaky wooden door opens as an elder woman walks in. Her dress and thin gray hair were soaked, a basket full of fruits and berries over her arm.

"Ye be awake. I thought ye dead fer sure. It has been a day since we found ye." She sits on the stool next to the fireplace stirring the pot. "Are ye hungry, got some stew on."

The door creaks open again, a strapping young man comes in. He has an axe over his shoulder and his brown hair was clinging wet to his head. "Grandmother, do you need more wood. I got a pile chopped fer ye. I see he's awake."

"Hello, the names Eric, what's yours?" The young man grins at me, his hand feels hard and calloused.

"Brent and this is my grandmother Abigail. We saw the smoke over the hill and got to ye just in time. Ye were at the door and I pulled ye out. I tried to get the other man out but the fire took him. Was he yer friend?" Brent brings me a bowl of stew, helping me sit up.

"Other man, I was alone. Are you sure?" I take a spoon full of stew, Brent nodding his head.

"Yes. He was big like ye and wore fancy clothes." Abigail brings a small bowl over to me, kneeling at my feet. She slathers on a white ointment, my burns beginning to cool.

Brent looks at his grandmother, one eyebrow raised. Abigail looks up at me, her wrinkled face beaming. "That be the king's lodge and you must be his guard."

"What makes you say that?" Brent points to my clothes on the corner.

"Ye don't wear clothes of the royals but the other one did. The crest of Tabor was on a bag we found by ye." They keep speaking of the other man and my curiosity is peaked.

"I'm sorry but I am King Eric, Queen Snow's husband. I was at the hunting lodge alone; I brought no one with me." Brent and Abigail bow to me and I wave for them to get up.

"Ye be the huntsman king that I have heard so much about. It be an honor to have ye in our home." Brent rises, helping his grandmother up.

"How bad are my feet Abigail?" She takes some strips of white linen from a shelf and hands them to Brent.

"Bad sire. You won't be walking fer a while." Brent wraps each foot loosely, the pain like hot embers.

"I need to know who that man was and why he was dressing in royal clothes." Brent bows to me before leaving.

Abigail gives me a flagon of water and more stew. It wasn't as tasty as Goody's but not bad.

I had to get word to the castle that I was alive; I didn't want to cause Snow any undue worry.

After my meal I ask Abigail for my clothes and she leaves me so I can get dressed.

Abigail comes back in as I try to stand, my feet so badly damaged I can't. She helps be back down to the bed, propping my feet up in a chair.

"King, you should rest." I take the old woman's hand, making her smile.

"Please, call me Eric." Her smile covers her wrinkled face, causing me to smile back at her.

She goes about her duties, sweeping the dirt floor, mending a shirt and mixing more ointment for my feet.

Brent comes back by midafternoon, his eyes going straight to me. "King, I have some grave news. The man in yer lodge was a Lord visitin from Darton. He was stayin there fer the night. He was on his way to bring the Queen a gift from Queen Margaret."

That does explain the other man but why didn't I know he was there. He must have been upstairs and fast asleep when the fire started. Why didn't I see his horse, there was still much to uncover.

"Brent, did you find my horse?" I was determined to find out the truth.

"There be two horses in the woods. I found the first one tied to a tree at the back of ye lodge, the other horse was tied in front." Brent heads for the door, handing his grandmother a sack.

"Thank you Brent, make the horses are taken care of." He nods, slowly opening the rickety door.

Abigail takes two rabbits out of the sack, holding them up to me. "I'll be outside if ye need anything, just give me a holler."

What I needed was my horse; I wanted to ride to the castle and to my Snow. Not sure how I was going to manage this but I begin to go over the possibilities in my head.

If Brent could go with me I might be able to get on my horse, leaving my feet dangling. I would endure any pain to see my Snow again, to hold her in my arms.

A thousand things flash through my mind. What if the castle knows the lodge burnt, what if Snow is out there looking for me even now? I must get to her, no matter what pain or anguish I have to go through.

Brent comes back in, his face flushed. "Sire, there was a rider from the castle at the edge of the woods. He told me all of Tabor was to come to the castle, fer the King's funeral. They think ye be dead. They must have found the Lord's body and think it be yers."

I can feel the burnt skin on my feet crack and bleed, the pain coursing through my body. Taking one laborious step after the other I make it to Brent. Looking behind me I see a trail of bloody foot prints. "Did you tell the rider I was alive, did you tell him I was here?"

"No Sire, he shouted at me as he was riding away." Clutching Brent's shoulder I take a deep breath.

"Take me to the castle. I don't care how but you have to get me there." Brent puts his arms under me, helping me to a chair.

"Right away my King. I'll have grandmother wrap yer feet and I'll ready yer horse." Brent hurries off sending Abigail back in.

"I cannot thank you or Brent enough for taking care of me. You will be greatly rewarded once we reach the castle." Abigail goes about caring for my feet, her old hands working magic with my burns.

Brent helps me to my horse, the linen around my feet turning crimson. Once I was mounted, I watch Brent take the reins. "Grandmother and I will walk with ye sire."

"No, you will take the other horse. Its master is dead and you are now its new master." Brent's face lights up, running back to the hut.

Once we are both mounted on our steeds, we ride for the castle. Abigail looks uncomfortable on the back of the horse, her hands gripping Brent tight.

We make for the hills and then for the beaches of Tabor, I had to end my Snow's suffering.