"Yes Mel, we've got it," Jaz hissed, her hood was up shielding her face.
"Okay, you guys be careful," Mel smiled.
Everyone mounted their horses.
"You take care of yourself," K smiled. She was wearing light armor so that she would be protected, while they traveled, should they have an encounter.
The group had decided Jaz would ride with the guys to the border and help find Rocky. Jaz was easily hidden, where K wasn't so easily concealed.
"This is bad," Rocky, Mel's son, shook the crudely made wooden cage that held him.
"Settle down my boy. Three escapes is enough," Duke Byron laughed.
"It wasn't three escapes, I wouldn't be here had they been completed. It was three attempted escapes," Rocky frowned, his big brown eyes searching for another way to break free. The boy was very cleaver, "I won't die like my father."
"You will if you continue to attempt to break free," Sir Thurston told Rocky.
"I see. So I am to be a coward as all of you are and I am to sit here quietly waiting for either death or for them to change their minds and decided to set us free?"
Gaul laughed as he approached the cage, "This boy shows a degree of bravery and courage none of you ever could. But even young fearless boys must learn when to hold their tongues."
"You do not frighten me," Rocky said defiantly.
"What a shame. I was wrong not to kill your father in front of you. I will not make the same mistake twice," Gaul studied the people as if choosing which he wished to kill next, "You." He said pointing to the Duke Byron, "You will come with me."
The duke stepped from the cage fearing for his life, but still holding his head high. Once out of earshot Gaul turned to the Duke and said, "you shall not die tonight, but know.you have very persuasive friends."
The duke wrinkled his brow in confusion. Before he could ask any questions his 'persuasive friend' appeared.
"Leave us," she told Gaul.
Once she was sure the two of them were alone she turned to Byron and removed her hood that shielded her face.
Duke Byron dropped to his knee, "Advisor Amanda."
She scowled at him distastefully, "You embarrass me you simple minded fool. A simple task.one simple thing I ask of you and you can't even do that."
"I'm sorry my lady." Byron cowered.
"My daughter, my niece and that sniveling ruler had they any idea your intentions when you left?"
"No my lady," Byron continued to bow deeply, "Besides you daughter, Jaz, is the only who may pose a threat."
The woman laughed, "That runt of a girl scares you?"
Byron not knowing how he should respond changed the subject, "The king was killed."
Amanda smirked in annoyance, "You do you think I'm here?"
Byron knew they had failed and fearing for his own life began to grovel, "It was bad timing my lady. We were captured mere days from the mountain entrance. Let me live and I swear I will not fail you again."
"Stand up," she hissed as she turned and walked across the clearing, "I hate those who beg. I will not kill you. But now that there is no sniveling king you will gain his share of power once this is over. Gaul will set the others free. I planned it this way."
"But."
"Shut up! Listen to me you fool. They will run back to Mel cowering in fear under the impression that you gave your life for theirs. They are of no concern to me. You continue on alone. Get to the mountains and steal the orb. Bring it to me. I am camped just beyond the foreign border. Here, take this" She held out a small burlap pouch, "Remember, don't touch the orb.it will eat your soul. The dark elves are nasty, vicious vermin, so be wary of them. They guard the orb well. Gaul's men will lead you to the cave, you will be on your own from there."
"How?"
Amanda snickered, "I have my ways."
~*~*~
Tum tum yelled over to Jaz, "Can we take a break?"
"We stopped less than two hours ago," Jaz said.
Tum tum shouted back, "I know. But there things aren't like the horses we started out on and well I kinds don't feel really great."
Jaz, while highly annoyed, could not refuse Tum tum's request.
They were all glad to climb from the dragons' backs, and stretch their legs. They had been traveling for nearly two days, and were quickly approaching the border.
~*~*~
"Move faster," Sir Thurston pushed.
"I don't get it," Rocky said, "why did they set us free?"
"Isn't it evident boy?" For all the praise you get for being intelligent our pretty dumb."
Rocky frowned, "If you are implying that I was to believe that they set us free because they killed the Duke you are sadly mistaken. That would make no sense, Gaul said himself that he would kill in front of me to instill fear and he would have set us free if all he wanted to do was kill once my father had been murdered." A familiar sound mad the boy instantly change subjects, "Did you guys hear Copperclaw?"
The men all exchanged looks as Rocky dashed off into the woods.
"The boy's got a point," Sir Christopher told Sir Thurston.
Rocky broke through the trees just in time to see Jaz and 3 mean dismounting the dragons.
"Okay, you guys be careful," Mel smiled.
Everyone mounted their horses.
"You take care of yourself," K smiled. She was wearing light armor so that she would be protected, while they traveled, should they have an encounter.
The group had decided Jaz would ride with the guys to the border and help find Rocky. Jaz was easily hidden, where K wasn't so easily concealed.
"This is bad," Rocky, Mel's son, shook the crudely made wooden cage that held him.
"Settle down my boy. Three escapes is enough," Duke Byron laughed.
"It wasn't three escapes, I wouldn't be here had they been completed. It was three attempted escapes," Rocky frowned, his big brown eyes searching for another way to break free. The boy was very cleaver, "I won't die like my father."
"You will if you continue to attempt to break free," Sir Thurston told Rocky.
"I see. So I am to be a coward as all of you are and I am to sit here quietly waiting for either death or for them to change their minds and decided to set us free?"
Gaul laughed as he approached the cage, "This boy shows a degree of bravery and courage none of you ever could. But even young fearless boys must learn when to hold their tongues."
"You do not frighten me," Rocky said defiantly.
"What a shame. I was wrong not to kill your father in front of you. I will not make the same mistake twice," Gaul studied the people as if choosing which he wished to kill next, "You." He said pointing to the Duke Byron, "You will come with me."
The duke stepped from the cage fearing for his life, but still holding his head high. Once out of earshot Gaul turned to the Duke and said, "you shall not die tonight, but know.you have very persuasive friends."
The duke wrinkled his brow in confusion. Before he could ask any questions his 'persuasive friend' appeared.
"Leave us," she told Gaul.
Once she was sure the two of them were alone she turned to Byron and removed her hood that shielded her face.
Duke Byron dropped to his knee, "Advisor Amanda."
She scowled at him distastefully, "You embarrass me you simple minded fool. A simple task.one simple thing I ask of you and you can't even do that."
"I'm sorry my lady." Byron cowered.
"My daughter, my niece and that sniveling ruler had they any idea your intentions when you left?"
"No my lady," Byron continued to bow deeply, "Besides you daughter, Jaz, is the only who may pose a threat."
The woman laughed, "That runt of a girl scares you?"
Byron not knowing how he should respond changed the subject, "The king was killed."
Amanda smirked in annoyance, "You do you think I'm here?"
Byron knew they had failed and fearing for his own life began to grovel, "It was bad timing my lady. We were captured mere days from the mountain entrance. Let me live and I swear I will not fail you again."
"Stand up," she hissed as she turned and walked across the clearing, "I hate those who beg. I will not kill you. But now that there is no sniveling king you will gain his share of power once this is over. Gaul will set the others free. I planned it this way."
"But."
"Shut up! Listen to me you fool. They will run back to Mel cowering in fear under the impression that you gave your life for theirs. They are of no concern to me. You continue on alone. Get to the mountains and steal the orb. Bring it to me. I am camped just beyond the foreign border. Here, take this" She held out a small burlap pouch, "Remember, don't touch the orb.it will eat your soul. The dark elves are nasty, vicious vermin, so be wary of them. They guard the orb well. Gaul's men will lead you to the cave, you will be on your own from there."
"How?"
Amanda snickered, "I have my ways."
~*~*~
Tum tum yelled over to Jaz, "Can we take a break?"
"We stopped less than two hours ago," Jaz said.
Tum tum shouted back, "I know. But there things aren't like the horses we started out on and well I kinds don't feel really great."
Jaz, while highly annoyed, could not refuse Tum tum's request.
They were all glad to climb from the dragons' backs, and stretch their legs. They had been traveling for nearly two days, and were quickly approaching the border.
~*~*~
"Move faster," Sir Thurston pushed.
"I don't get it," Rocky said, "why did they set us free?"
"Isn't it evident boy?" For all the praise you get for being intelligent our pretty dumb."
Rocky frowned, "If you are implying that I was to believe that they set us free because they killed the Duke you are sadly mistaken. That would make no sense, Gaul said himself that he would kill in front of me to instill fear and he would have set us free if all he wanted to do was kill once my father had been murdered." A familiar sound mad the boy instantly change subjects, "Did you guys hear Copperclaw?"
The men all exchanged looks as Rocky dashed off into the woods.
"The boy's got a point," Sir Christopher told Sir Thurston.
Rocky broke through the trees just in time to see Jaz and 3 mean dismounting the dragons.