Fate Has A Plan Of It's Own
Notes:
I don't own BeastMaster; never did and never will. (I was getting sick of the long Author's Notes).
Yep, a week late. I know. You guys get two chapters today though.
Chapter 6
Battle and Questions
Suddenly, outside, running feet and hurried orders could be heard. Arina pushed the drapes aside to see what was happening, but let them go just as quickly.
"Zad and Voden are coming!" Cath swung her shoulder bag onto her shoulder and helped Tao to get Dar onto his feet, his arms around their shoulders so he was supported in the middle. Arina held the drapes to one side for them then watched until they were out of sight, following the villages women and children, before strapping her scabbard to her waist and walking outside to gather with the men, ready to defend the village.
After fifteen minutes of walking at a brisk pace with very few stops, even for the sick or injured, they reached a series of caves. The wife of the chief assigned caves to people, and when Dar, Tao and Cath reached theirs, it was found to be a roomy cave with plenty of space for them all.
Tao and Cath helped Dar sit down before Cath went to ask the chief's wife if they could have some furs from the stock the village kept at the caves for times like this. When she returned with enough furs for them all, Tao had a smile fire burning using some wood he had found stacked at the back of the cave. Cath wrapped a fur around Dar before leaving the cave and running back towards the village.
With a clash, Arina's sword connected with the sword of one of one of Zad's army before she cut into his arm. The sword fell as the man dropped to the ground in pain, clutching the bleeding limb.
As Arina hurried to fight another, she caught a glimpse Cath dashing into the village and getting into a fight almost immediately. Picking her fights carefully, Arina was able to get as close to the moving swords as she dared. Arina turned to identify a noise, after seeing Cath defeat her enemy with a blow to the face, to find some of the huts alight. The crackling competed with the sounds of the battle still being fought.
Arina grabbed Cath's arm and gestured towards the fire. Getting the message, Cath ran into the forest but away from the caves, her sword still in her hand. The men of the village were doing the same, helping their wounded along. There was nothing that could be done now.
A shout rang out over the noise of the burning huts.
"Do not follow!" The army turned to Zad in confusion. King Zad, who liked to fight bloody battles and capture or kill every one of his enemies, did not want to follow the escaping villagers?
"They are of no use to us right now," Zad continued, "but there are things still here that will make it hard for them to warn to survive, and so make it easier for us to capture them later." Confusion was still present until Zad and Voden walked to a patch of ground that was covered with rugs outside one of the huts. They kicked the rugs and aside and then reached down. Grasping some invisible object, they pulled up a trapdoor. Voden turned to the army, whose minds were working overtime, thoughts of gold and jewels floating through their heads.
"This village has been known for its underground library, which contains scrolls telling of supposed prophecies for many years, but now the village will be known for it no longer." Some of the army were ordered to go down and bring up the scrolls, which were burnt in the fire in the centre of the village. The shelves were also burnt, and then four soldiers were sent down to use their swords to break up the roof, thus making the library collapse on itself. When that was accomplished, the rest of the huts were set alight, wood from the fire used to help them burn.
After making sure that Zad and Voden, nor any of their army were following them, the men, Arina, and Cath changed their direction and made for the caves. Arina and Cath went straight to their cave; Cath turning down the village healer's help for her bleeding and sore knees after one of the enemy had tripped her up.
They arrived to find Dar asleep, the escape having sapped his strength, and Tao sorting the herbs that he had got from Cath's bag.
"How did it go?" Tao asked, looking up as they entered the cave. Catching the sombre looks on their faces, he motioned for Cath to sit down while he prepared a poultice for her knees.
"Not well," Arina sighed. "We fought the best that we could, but once they set fire to the huts, we knew that we couldn't do anymore."
"We ran into the forest, not making for the caves until we were sure that they weren't following us," Cath said, wincing as Tao put the poultice on her knees. "For some reason though, they didn't follow us at all."
"How long has Dar been asleep?" Arina asked, cleaning her sword and Cath's with a cloth and a bucket of water.
"Ever since Cath left for the village," Tao replied.
For the rest of the day, everyone rested. A group of scouts were sent out to find suitable sites for a new village. Dar awoke several times and had to have some watery stew and cups of tea Tao made to help the fever, though he protested against the taste. His fever pitched that night, and Arina and Catherine were kept busy keeping him cool with wet cloths, giving Tao a chance to rest, which they had to force him to take.
In the morning Dar's fever had gone. Though he was sick of lying down, Tao wouldn't let him move much. It was after lunch when Dar was allowed to move around, and news was brought that a new site had been decided on.
The gathering of materials started almost as soon as the new site was found and agreed upon. Arina and Cath were helping to clear the site by moving rocks and tree branches. Dar and Tao were helping at the tree-cutting site. Dar didn't feel up to helping cut down the trees, so he and Tao were carrying the wood back to the caves so it could be kept dry. A break was taken for dinner, and then everyone worked again, even the children, until it started to get dark. The healer's hut was built first, and then the others in order of importance.
The days were filled with gathering, sorting, laying out, and building, with breaks in between. No one shirked and everyone pulled their weight. The children could be seen where ever they were needed, feeling important because they were helping to rebuild the village. It took fifteen days to build the village, and by the end of it, Dar, Tao, Arina, and Cath were more than ready to be travelling again.
Upon hearing that they were soon going to be leaving, the village went into a frenzy. The chief presented Tao with a book about healing, Arina and Cath with knives and their sharpened swords, and a new bag to Dar for Kodo and Podo. The old one was getting worn; the inside of the bag was almost scratched to bits by the ferret's claws, and the strap was starting to thin. They thanked the village for their hospitality and gifts, and as Tao put the book in his bag he spotted something. Pulling it out, he presented it to the chief.
"Here is a scroll from the library. I borrowed it to read, and when the village was warned of the attack, I put it into my bag without thinking." The chief took it from Tao with a big smile on his face.
"Thank you Tao for giving this back to us. King Zad and King Voden have burnt the others but this scroll they did not, and it will be the start of the new library."
With final goodbyes said, they left the village. They didn't know where they were going, but they did know they wanted to get as far away from Zad and Voden as possible.
The night was cool, the fires warmth welcoming, and a comfortable silence had settle over the group. Each was lost in their own thoughts, the noises of the night providing quiet background music.
"Are there any ritual sites around here?" Tao asked, checking the contents of his bag. Arina was going to answer when someone appeared by the fire, causing everyone to look up.
"New Sorceress," Dar said, standing.
"BeastMaster," the New Sorceress replied. "I am pleased to finally meet you, Catherine," she said, smiling at Cath.
"And I am pleased to meet you," Cath answered.
"Now, Tao," the New Sorceress said, turning to him. "There is a ritual site a day's walk from here. Keep going in the same direction."
"Why should we trust you?" Arina asked.
"There is danger in trying to turn the hand of fate." After the New Sorceress had disappeared, Tao turned excitedly to Dar.
"It could be a ritual site that everyone has forgotten. I've never heard of one nearby."
"But isn't she not allowed to meddle in human affairs?" Cath asked.
"Yes, but her telling us sounds like she is helping the hand of fate, like she said. It will be good to go and see the site," Tao answered. "We might be the first ones to see it for many years!"
This is the second last chapter. Almost finished!
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