- The Peach Tree -
- By Amanda Postey -
2. A short while later, she felt a hand on her shoulder. She gasped and tried to scramble away, but the hand held her still.
"Rowan." Said a voice.
"K-kanrik?" She stuttered
"Are you alright?"
She nodded slowly, sitting up and wiping tears from her face.
"Are you sure?"
She felt a warm weight on her shoulders, and she turned to bury her face in his shoulder.
"Strieker killed that man." She whispered.
Kanrik shook his head. "He's not dead."
Rowan pulled away from him. "N-not dead? But look at him!"
Kanrik helped her to stand. "Well I suppose he wont be able to get up..."
Rowan made a disgusted face and stepped away from the outlaw, careful not to look at he black horse or the dying boy.
Kanrik walked over to the boy, poking Strieker rather hard in the neck so the black deamon horse moved away. He bent over the boy and touched his shoulder. When the boy didn't move, kanrik took him by the shoulders and shook him gently. Rowan watched half heartedly as the boy fluttered his eyes open and groaned.
"Don't move or ye'll hurt yerself even more." Kanrik muttered, squatting infront of the boy. "So... What happened?"
The boy gave Kanrik a horrified look and moved his hand to a wound near his shoulder. "The horse... It... It..."
"It attacked ye dear boy? Sprouted wings an a horn an pinned ye against a tree?" Kanrik joked. "I just don' see that happening..."
The boy just stared, not saying anything. Somehow Rowan secretly belived that the black horse was capable of growing wings.
"I meant, what happened ter the lovely young lady standing over there." Kanrik nodded towards Rowan.
"My father is sick... I have to raise money somehow..."
"So ye go around killing women? What a pathetic waste of life." Kanrik snickered.
"You watch your mouth!" The boy spat angrily, cluthing his stomach, and gasping as a bit of blood trickled out of his mouth.
"Dear boy..." Kanrik held out his left hand, showing the boy the cross on the back of his hand. "I will kill ye and laugh about it later if ye make my angry. Of course I would probably do the same anyways..."
The boy made a futile attempt to scoot backwards, but dissolved into a choking fit, streaming blood down his chin and neck.
"But I could do ye a favour by killing ye now, so ye won't have to be in pain fer much longer."
The boy seemed to pause and consider his options. After a while he nodded.
"Give me yer name first."
"It's David."
"Well david," Kanrik leaned forwards and whispered something in the boy's ear so that Rowan couldn't hear. "I must say yer actually taking in what happened quite well."
The boy gave Kanrik a strange look, but closed his eyes. Kanrik stood up and and pulled a small dagger from his belt and walked closer to the boy and held it against his neck. Rowan could see the boy tenseing, scrunching up his face in fear. Rowan looked away as Kanrik let the blade slide across David's neck. She stumbled over to a tree and was violently sick as she heard the sound of the knife and blood splattering onto the leaves on the ground.
Night was falling quickley, bringing a freezing air and rain. It was only around mid-fall, but it was still colder than normal. There was a pefect disk of a moon burning high above their heads with misty clouds floating around it, giving off a very erie effect. Only Rowan had brought a bed roll to sleep on, but it was worth nothing when it came to staying dry. Kanrik had convinently produced a large, thick wollen blanket from a quarter hour excursion into the city. They had propped the blanked over then like a tent, using their knees to hold it up, and laying on Rowan's bedroll.
"Do you always sleep with your shirt off?" Rowan grumbled as Kanrik rolled into her, the stitches on his chest scraping against her arm.
"It's not possible ter sleep with it on..." He retorted.
"Well you don't see me sleeping in only half my cloths." She sniffed. Her nose was cold and running slightly.
"Thats because yer weird." He joked, rolling over.
A few minutes later, she could hear Kanrik's breath slow down and take on a deep, asleep sound. Rowan eventually fell asleep, listening to the endless drone of the rain and thinking about her dead parents.
She dreamed about the sea. The calm, clear sea, which somehow turned into a giant cat that chased her into the forest. Once there, she felt warm and safe. The cat vanished, only to be replaced by a black roman cross, looming before her face.
She awoke suddenly, drenched in cold sweat. The sky was still black, and the rain was still drilling aginst the blanket. There was something heavy and warm across her stomach, and she realized with a jolt that it was Kanrik's arm.
Rowan woke up sometimes later to the sound of chirping birds and a crackling fire. She rolled to her side and a whole lot of water cascaded onto her head. There was laughter from outside the blanket tent, which was yanked off her head the next moment. It was a warm, clear, sunny, fall day.
"G'morning milady." Said Kanrik, standing overtop of her.
"Morning." She yawned.
She was itching to talk to him. She wanted to tell him that she found him attractive and kind, but she didn't know how she would phrase it. She could see it in his eyes that he wanted to say more as well, but was to speak.
"So, what's fer breakfast?" He asked her with a smirk.
"You expect me to know that?"
"Yea..."
"Well I'm not eating anysort of animal, no matter how good it's cooked. And I have no money to buy anything from the town."
"Oh... Alright then... We could always go ter the town..." He Pulled out a small bag from the fold of his boots.
Rowan loved his boots. It was one of those things that were hard to get over, how amazing his boots were. They were made of a dull brownish black leather or hide, and came halfway up his calfs. It was the rim that really amazed her. The boots looked French, but the rims were like a whole other piece of boot about three inches wide, folded downwards. They were feakishly amazing!
"Kanrik, I know you probably don't want to talk, but please tell me about the outlaws" Rowan said.
Kanrik looked long and hard at her. "What do ye want ter know?"
"I guess the story on why there are outlaws."
Kanrik sat down beside her and put an arm around her shoulder. "Ye really must know?"
"I was hoping to find out."
"It's a rather long story..."
"We have lots of time."
"I don't know that much about it..."
"Tell me what you know."
"Ohh... Alright then, I'll try." He said slowly. "The whole outlaw thing started when Cardinal Bayern was still in power, I think. I'm new ter the whole outlaw thing, so forgive me if I can't tell ye the whole story."
Rowan nodded.
"I think there was something bout a man despising the cardinal. He was an evil man who liked the whole murdurous rampage business. He tried ter kill Bayern several times, but never actually managed to kill him. On the third time he was arrested and tourtured. He was left barely alive when they where through with him. They gave him the crosses then, starting the whole line of outlaws. It's a black cross because it's opposite ter the traditional white cross of Sabruer. Bayern made it so the people would fear anyone with the black crosses, because an 'outlaw' was a deamon sent by Lythali come ter murder people fer the fun of it. I think thats how it goes. I don't really know the specific details." He said, speaking rather quietly.
"Crosses?"
Kanrik paused for a few seconds, then pulled back his hair so she could see his neck. Just behind and somewhat below his right ear was a small black roman cross. Before she had a chance to look closer, he had shook his hair back into place. He streached out his left hand so Rowan had a good view, wiggling his fingers.
"They chop of yer index finger an put the cross on yer hand as well."
And indeed he was right. His index finger was missing and a black roman cross was tattoed onto the back of his hand.
"So, cardinal employs a group of people ter find and kill anyone who wears the crosses. Nasty bunch of crooks if ye ask me. They call themselves the scotch guards. Personally, I think they drink the scotch and are guards only because the cardinal says so."
"So they let that man go...?"
"Yes... Only fer the sport of finding and killing them again. I think the cardinal put it so it was mandatory that the outlaws were set free... In hopes that they might have changed their ways. Thats what I would like ter belive, at least."
"Oh..." Rowan had always respected the Scotch Guards, even thought of becoming one when she was a bit older. But now that she heard the story of an outlaw, they seemed...
"Cruel and heartless." Kanrik cut off her thought. "The guards are payed five gold pieces fer every outlaw they bring ter the cardinal."
"So what happens to outlaws who are caught?"
"Some of the guards kill them on the spot, but most of them will bring the outlaw ter the cardinal alive, so they can have they're moment of pride when the outlaw is hanged."
"S-so, If i were to bring you to the Cardinal, he would pay me five gold coins and hang you?"
"Thats right... Ye wouldn't do that though... Would ye?" He asked rather uncertainly.
"No... But only if you anger me." Rowan said with a smirk.
Kanrik grinned and looked long and hard into her eyes. Rowan stared back at him, feeling lost in the presence of his mysterious silvery grey eyes.
Rowan felt Kanrik twitch, and she jumped slightly as he scrambled to his feet and gazed through the trees, seeming to be listening intently.
"There's three of them." He muttered, more to himself than anything.
"Three of what?" She asked.
"Three horses... Three people." He responded, drawing a sword from the sheath at his side and handing it to Rowan.
"You expect me to fight?" She asked, giving him a cold look.
"No, I would prefer if ye could defend yerself If I am overpowered." He grinned, drawing a second sword from the sheath on his back.
A minut of waiting in tense silence brought three burly men into the clearing. They rode up to Kanrik and Rowan. One of them dismounted and walked up to Kanrik, so their faces were only a foot apart.
"Dark, sir..." Said the burly man.
"How do ye know my name?" Kanrik spat.
"A lot of people know that name. They know you as an outlaw and wish you dead."
"So yer here ter kill me?" Kanrik asked, a grin playing across his face.
"I can't see you coming with us quietly, so yes. Though I would rather get paid that extra coin."
"Extra coin?"
"You didn't hear? The Cardinal raised the price to six coins for any outlaw brought in alive." Sneered the man. "My name is Terraille, by the way."
"Brillian..." Muttered Kanrik.
Terraille nodded towards one of the men still on his horse, who dismounted and drew a sword.
"Lady, for your sake, I suggest you leave us." Said Terraille, grinning.
Rowan looked over to Kanrik, who nodded slowly. She didn't want to leave, but she didn't exactly want to stay and watch someone get killed.
She backed slowly away untill she was what seemed like a safe distance from the men. From here she had a good view, concealed in the trees, though she was screaming at herself to look away. She stepped backwards and tripped over a small rock. Thankfully the ground was soft and covered in moss. She stood up to see the two horsemen lying on the ground and Kanrik and Terraille locked in a furious battle. Kanrik seemed to have more skill, but Terraille was by far much stronger. Kanrik was thrown to the ground and hastily made to get back to his feet, but not before Terraille hastily picked up a broken tree branch and and swung it at Kanrik, hitting him in the back of the head with enough force to knock anyone unconsious. Kanrik rolled onto his stomach and lay still.
Rowan sank weakly to her knees, using a tree for support. Had Terraille killed the man she could have loved? What would happen now? She didn't have the strength to stand, so she sat there with tears buring her face as she watched Terraille easily swing Kanrik across the cack of a horse and tie him there.
when she had enough strength, she would fowwow and help Kanrik. But her legs were made of jelly. She felt dizzy and sick and she wanted to throw up.
Rowan was only somewhat aware of being in the city. Everything was blury and hazy. There was shouting and cheering from hundreds of people. A mob of them were milling around her, all looking in the same diretion. A raised platform loomed before her. A frame was built across the platform and from the middle of it hung a noose.
So that was it, the people were gathering for a hanging. Rowan wondered who the poor sould would be. Where was Kanrik?
The shouts got louder, and three men led a fourth onto the platform. The man was young and handsome, mabye in his early twenties. He was also very tan... And covered in blood. Blood had spilled and dried on his face from numerous cuts. He had no shirt on and still there was more blood still seeping from gashes across his sides, chest and back. He had maby scars, some old, and some not so old, but they were almost completlely covered by the blood. The scar that was the most visible was one that reached from his shoulder, across his chest to his lower ribs. Somehow that scar seemed familiar. Rowan looked up at the man's face. God! it was Kanrik! She abruptly came back to her sences with a jolt. She had to help him! She stood there numb with schock. Someone behind her put a hand on her shoulder and pushed her to the ground, so they were both crouching against the throng of people.
"You know Kanrik, do you not?" Asked the person.
Rowan weakly nodded, her eyes blind with tears.
"My name is Valentine, I will help you get him free of this mess."
Rowan looked up into her face, blinking warm tears away. She wore a thick black cloak, and had the hood pulled up over her face. She wore a cloth over her nose and mouth, showing only her eyes.
"You know Kanrik?" Rowan asked.
"I'm his sister..." Valentine held out her left hand. "I'm not an outlaw, so i live in the city. But here is no place for Kanrik.
Rowan nodded again.
"Well, let's go then." Valentine helped Rowan to her feet, and together they pushed their way up to the platform.
"I'll get the guards golding Kanrik, you hold off the rest of them with that sword." Valentine whispered, touching the hilt of the sword that Rowan held tightly in her hand.
Rowan looked up at the platform and the eight or so guards, excluding the three around Kanrik. I would be impossible for her to even fight one of them, let alone eight... She gulped and nodded.
Valentine pulled a thick carved branch from the folds of her cloak and thrust it towards the guards, who froze, caught up in a binding spell. Rowan jumped onto the platform and got shakily to her feet. A sword came swinging at her face and she only had time to dive out of the way, as the sword crashed into part of the frame on the platform. Another sword came flying towards her, and this time she wildly swung her sword into it. The shock hurt her arms so much that she cried out and almost dropped the sword. There was a flash of silver, and a sword came at her face. She knew she wouldn't be able to duck of block it fast enough. She was going to die! She shut her eyes and waited for the blow that never came. She slowly opened her eyes to see the sword hovering an inch from her nose, hanging in midair. Its owner scrambling backwards. What had just happened?
Someone grabbed the sleeve of her shirt, and pulled her across the platform. Valentine shook her gently, and pointed to a bright blue wall of flame that circled them. Valentine tore off her cloak and threw it over Kanrik, who grunted in surprise. Suddenly, he wasn't there, neither was his sister. Rowan looked down at herself, only to gasp in horror as the was the platform and a frozen guard where her body should have been. It was like she was a floating pair of eyes. Someone grabbed her hand and pulled her down the stairs of the platform and into the crowd.
"Hold onto my belt and don't let go." Valentine's voice said.
Rowan felt down her invisible arm and back, and wrapped her hand into her belt.
Somehow, and very slowly, they made their way through the crowd, the people looking around in fright to see what was pushing them out of the way, but with no sucess. The threesome slowly made their way out of the city and up the hill that overlooked the beatifull sea-side city and into the forest. Once they where a good way into the trees, they suddenly became visible again.
Valentine collapsed onto the ground, panting with exaustion from seemingly having dragged Kanrik the whole way. Kanrik stood for a second, wobbling dangerously before he to collapsed on the ground. He rolled over and grinned up at Rowan.
Rowan could imagine the guards back in the city, storming around and searching every nook and cranny. The outlaw wasn't even in the city.
"God Kanrik, you should have ran." Choked Valenine.
"There was nowhere ter run ter." He whispered back, struggling with his words.
"And the Scotch? How bad was it?" Valentine asked.
Kanrik stayed silent for a second. "Something I never want ter go back ter..."
"Trevor won't help, will he?"
"No... We need Loki, so the best place is back ter D'or." He muttered, sluring his words badly.
"Is he going to be alright?" Rowan asked.
"Not unless you have a quick way to draw poison out and heal him... He's lost alot of blood." Valentine said slowly, checking his pulse.
"We have to get him to a healer then." Rowan said.
"Your stating the obvious... And the only healer who will help him is Loki, he lives near D'or..."
"But that's a five day ride from here!" She exclaimed.
"With a horse, yes. But..." Valentine looked around through the trees and whistled a short note.
A second later there was a rustling sound in the trees, and a thin black creature trotted towards them.
"Streiker!" Rowan exclaimed.
Kanrik looked over at the black horse and glared.
"Ride fast, you'll be there by morning if you trust the horse." Valentine said, giving Rowan a cold look, touching Kanrik on the cheek and walking back towards the city.
Rowan crawled over beside Kanrik and looked at him.
"There is your example. Seems ironic, doesn't it?" He muttered.
"What?"
"We were talking bout the consequences of being an outlaw... Perfect example fer ye." He reached up and took her hand.
His hand was cold and he was shaking ever so slightly. He had deep scars down his arm and everywhere else. His hand was sticky with blood.
"What did they do to you?" She asked with concern
"Does it not speak fer itself?" He murmered.
"I'm sorry..." She said quietly.
"Fer what?"
"For not being able to do more. I should have helped you when Terraille beat you, and your sister did all the work getting you away from the city... I'm sorry." And indeed she was. She felt horrible that Kanrik was like this, it was completly her fault.
Kanrik pulled her closer and put his face against hers. "Listen. It's not yer fault. There was nothing ye could have done. And I beg that ye will not think about this again. It wasn't yer fault." He said sternly.
Rowan almost burst into tears, but hugged him instead.
"K-Kanrik..." She whipered.
"Yes?"
"I... I think I love you..."
Oh no, she had let it slip. She was going to save telling him that for later, but somehow it just came out of her.
She felt him touch her face, but her eyes were shut tight, she didn't want him to see the tears that were welling up inside her.
"I love ye to." Came his answer, so quiet it was almost lost with the wind in the trees.
Rowan couldn't help it, and she watched the tears splash down her face and she burried her face in his shoulder as he pulled her closer.
For a long while they sat there, holding each other tight untill Rowan could no longer think lightly of him shaking so much.
"Lets go." She whispered, and helped him too his feet.
She helped him climb onto Strieker's back, and jumped up behind him, wrapping Valentine's cloak around his shoulders.
"Ye don't need ter do much now... Just keep my on the horse." He said quietly.
Rowan nodded, surprized to feel Streiker already trotting in the direction of D'or, though she didn't know what direction that was.
Kanrik clung weakly to the horse's mane, rocking gently back and forth to the horse's galloping stride. He seemed to be getting weaker as each hour passed. Rowan desperatly hoped that he would be alright. His body was cold, but his face was a contrasting burning warmth. He obviously had a severe fever... Was it from blood poisoning? Infection? Or something else? He spoke very little, but when he did, his words were slured so much it was difficult to understand him.
There was no use saying that Streiker was not the fastest horse she had ever ridden, but it was getting dark, and she feared that he would fall and hurt himself on something they couldn't see.
"Keep going..." Kanrik muttered. "Trust the horse, he can see much better than people."
"Alright." Rowan didn't exactly trust the black horse, infact she was almost afraid of it. But she trusted Kanrik, and that was all that mattered now.
As dawn approached, Rowan could see the outline of the massive stone city. They rode into the forest silently. Kanrik was barely consious. Gwen was one of the first to see them.
"Loki! Come quick!" Gwen shouted, running up to them.
The short bald Loki scrambled our of a tent and waddled over.
"Vot happened?" He asked, putting a hand on Kanrik's knee, who grinned down at him, drooling.
"Scotch guards..." Rowan muttered, sliding off Streiker's back and rubbing the inside of her knees.
Together she and Loki helped Kanrik off the horse.
"Ve bring him to ze river." Loki rumbled.
They half carried him to the river.
"I don't feel like getting vet, Help him to ze middle and keep him standing."
"For how long?" She asked.
"Till I come back." He said, turning away and treading softly away.
Rowan obeyed. She kicked off her boots and pulled Kanrik into the water. It was cool, but not cold. The water flowed around her in a soft and silky way. In the middle of the river, the water came up to a point near her armpits. It was pleasent standing there holding Kanrik. He was thin and didn't weigh much, but the water seemed to make him feather light. The only unpleasent part of it was watching the red water wash downstream. The water that wasn't quite as red was a deep crystal blue in the middle, but completley transparent along the banks. Green fronds hund grom bushes and trees, their leaves skimming over the water. The forest around the river seemed magical. The vibrant colors splashed in every which way. THe sound of the rushing water was peacefull and calming. It had an almost musical tone that seemed to add more color to the river and trees. A few birds trilled out their songs, making Rowan feel even more at peace... And sleepy. The warm smell of baking bread mixed in with the smell of the trees.
A squirell scampered up to the bank of the river and sat there looking at Rowan, who stared back at it. The squirell jumped into the water and swam on it's back in circles around Rowan. There was a large splash to her right and a fish jumped out of the water and swallowed the squirell whole. Rowan looked again in horror, not quite taking in what she had just seen. The fish poked it's head out of the water and laughed at Rowan.
"Rowan... Rowan..." It called to her. "Rowan."
She caught her balance just in time to avoid falling over. Loki stood on the bank calling her name. She grinned sheepishly and pulled Kanrik onto the bank of the river. He seemed to be unconscious, but he was still breathing. The water had washed away all of the blood and he was left with only the deep cuts.
"I can make most of zem dissapear, but some vill stay." Said Loki.
They carried Kanrik to Loki's tent and layed him on a cot. He was looking paler than normal and was still cold.
"It's best you leave, miss." He said. "Boy here isn't going to be avake for ze vhile. I promise to call you vhen he vakes up."
Rowan thanked him and walked outside, only to be amushed by Gwen.
"is he alright? Is he going to make it?" She asked with amazing speed.
"I don't know, He'ssleeping now... I think..." Rowan answered, sitting down on a log and putting her face in her hands.
Gwen hesitated a moment, then sat down beside Rwoan.
"He was a good friend, Kanrik." Said Gwen slowly.
"The best of friends. I hope he will be alright..." She said, wiping a tear from her face.
"Don't worry, Loki has his own tricks of the trade."
"Yes, but still..."
"Hey, do you like bourek?" Gwen asked, seeming to be putting quite a bit of effort into changing the subject.
"What is it? Asked Rowan, sounding confused.
It's a pasty bread filled with apples and cherries. Really quite good. But there is only one place to get it. Do you fancy a trip to the city?" She asked, sounding quite excited.
"What about Kanrik?"
He won't be waking for a while, I'm sure we can bring him back a piece though."
"Alright, lets go."
They found Shadow wandering around a clearing in the forest and both rode bareback twoards D'or.
D'or was much bigger than Rimmington, but it wasn't as pretty. While Rimmington was beautifully decorated, D'or was made out of stone, carved into intricate patterns. It must have taken hundreds of years to finish everything in this city, Rowan always thought when she took a look at her beautiful city.
They rode up to a small shop, tied Shadow outside and walked in. Rowan was immediatly surprized by the warmth and wonderfull smell. Gwen walked to the back of the room and poked a short plump woman in the arm, who turned around and kissed Gwen on the cheek. The woman walked into what seemed to be the kitchen and busied herself with something in the oven. Gwen walked back to Rowan and led her to a table near the kitchen. It was pleasantly warm and smelled delicious. The sop was small and dimly lit, but it was very cozy and comforting.
"Mothers..." Gwen smirked. "She said she wouldn't give us any it Kanrik was here."
Before Rowan could say anything the plump woman came back carrying a steaming pie shaped bread. It was dicided into five pieces.
"Thank you." Grinned Rowan, the warmth of the bread reflecting off her face.
"No charge dear." Smiled the woman, turning away.
The bread was wonderfull. It was some of the best tasting food Towan had ever ate. There was a thick sauce inside made up of warm apples, cherries, and some spices. It was delicious and warmed her insides. The bourek was finished quickly, sace for one piece which they wrapped in a cloth to take back to Kanrik.