Sorry for the late chapter. Works overloaded with college kids and I've spent most of my nights dealing with them. However finally got a few chapters sent to my Beta so expect regular updates for the next few weeks.
Not to mention Beats Antique new album came out AND going to their show Saturday, sure to inspire some more chapters! Give them a listen!
Thanks for all the reviews, I hope the following chapters clear up some confusion and unveil a few things.
Chapter Nine
The village of Southfall was a tiny place tucked into the mountain range to the east. The forests along the way steadily grew more dense and dark as they rode. There was something nearly unsettling and eerie about the lands there, like the forests were ment to hide some deep dark secret from the world.
Winter had been hard for Kel, despite the Maidens stating it was a light one. She had never seen so much snow at one time. During one training session in a valley they were thrown into soft fresh snow up to their shoulders. The maidens had claimed trudging through it would help their stamina. So all week they did that, and now the mere thought of it made Kel's joint's ache. But Southfall was different. The snows seemed barely a foot or two at places, perhaps it was the dense forest around them that kept it from getting so.
"You do not seem excited to go visit your home." Kel spoke as they drew near enough to see the thin lines of smoke from the village.
"My family and I do not see eye to eye." Ashely let out a heavy sigh as she looked toward the smoke. "If it were not for my grandfather I would have passed the privilege to another."
"Miss him?"
"Very much so." She looked down at her mount. "I feel like I abandoned him…" She muttered as the village came into view. A wooden guard wall standing about twenty feet or so surrounded the village. The gate was slowly being pulled open as Kel shifted in her seat. There was no reason to fear these people with the three maidens and guards at her back, but if anyone dared ruin it for Ashely, she feared her temper may lash out. Lately she had been letting it have the better of her, and she didn't know why. Maybe it was the fact that she had gradually laid down her Yamani mask, she may have to change that soon.
The inside of the village however was rather unimpressive. Basic wooden homes and store fronts lined the main entry way. Many people watched from the doorways as they road in; Peachblossom's head held high as Onna just looked the people over.
"Greetings Maidens, to what do we owe such an honor?" A man spoke as he rushed out of a house. He was dressed rather lavishly and appeared to be the village's chief, though the house itself should have been a telltale sign though the lush velvets, furs, and gold signet necklace the man wore sealed his image. The building was twice the size of the others with heavy clay plastered against the wooden planks to keep the chill out.
"Greetings Alexander Darkstorm!" One of the maidens called out as she reined her mount in. "We've come to escort your niece, Ashely, to visit her kin." At her name the man's expression turned sour.
"I take it she has failed the first test then." He looked to Ashely and Kel saw the anger flash across his face. Kel moved to position herself between the two as Onna let out a very low snarl.
"Quite the opposite, she won the first challenge and was granted two weeks leave to visit her family as a prize." The woman continued as her eye surveyed the situation. Her body was ready to spring into action despite the pleasantries in her voice.
"Well then, she knows where to settle in. Come, you must be famished and tired after your travels." The maidens dismounted and followed after him as a couple stable hands took the horses and wandered off. Kel looked to Ashely who was visibly shaking.
"Come, let's get these boys settled and visit your grandfather." Kel said gently before following the stable hands. The girl just nodded, some of the tension in her body slipping away as they walked away from the main house.
"Ashely! My little snow flower!" An elderly man crooked from bed the moment Ashely closed the door behind them. Onna didn't waste a second as she bound up the stairs to the man who laid in a bed covered with heavy furs. Ashely quickly followed after and joined Onna on the bed to hug her grandfather. The wolf nuzzling into the man's hands for comfort, Kel perked a brow, having never seen the wolf act in such a manner.
"I take it you are her guardian." The man sat up a bit as he looked Kel over and smiled before patting the bed. "Come sit, I want to thank you for training my flower, she is very special."
Sitting down, Kel smiled as she scratched Onna's belly.
"I'm not special, Grandpapa, you're only saying that because you don't like the others." She giggled as the man snorted.
"And with good reason!" He retorted before looking to Kel. "My daughter rushed off and married some pretty boy from the south. Twit of a man, thinking women are better suited for the house then the shield. Our family has always given our strongest daughter to the order." He smiled looking to Ashely. "But this one.. .she's special."
He laughed as Ashely made a face. "Get me some tea dear, my throat." He barely finished talking before she leapt off the bed. The man nodded as Onna raced after her. When the door closed the man sighed and sunk back into the bed.
"You know more then you let on, Darkstorm." Kel's tone was low but the weight of her words lingered in the air long after.
"Aye, I do not lie when I say Ashely is different. Special. If no one alters her path she will be a great warrior, and do great things for the land." He managed before taking Kel's hand. "You two were meant to cross paths. You must keep her pure of mind, if she has doubt…" He let out a heavy sigh as Kel gave his hand a squeeze.
"I will keep her safe, and train her as I was trained." He just smiled up at her as Ashely rushed back in with a bucket of water. Minutes later she came up the stairs with three cups of tea and puffed pastry filled with a type of minced meat. The man ate before yawning.
"Mind your idiot of a father dear, I should nap." With that he rolled over and snuggled into his pillow. The girl just leaned over to kiss his forehead before starting toward the door. She looked back once before joining the village.
The village wasn't much. From what Kel gathered, they were mostly carpenters and lumber men. The beautiful pieces she saw laying in shops were shipped to more wealthy towns and cities . A few women came out to exchange greetings, hugging or kissing Ashely's forehead. Kel noticed most of them were older; none of the people around her age or a handful of years above her so much as even looked in her direction.
"My father, when mother passed…." She began before shaking her head. "His new wife gave him the son he wanted and I was forgotten about so it's fine." She tried to smile but Kel saw through the mask and draped an arm across the girl's shoulders.
"Soon we'll leave here. Perhaps the king could even bring your grandfather someplace warmer and watch over him."
"Really!" The girl gasped as Kel nodded.
"I'll ask. I promise." With that the two ventured to her home for supper.
"You'll wake early enough to make breakfast for the house tomorrow." The father spoke over dinner. Ashely didn't dare look at him, focusing on her bread instead
"I've training at dawn."
"No you do not; you are in my house and therefore my rules. You will…"
"Jessica is a far better cook, she can…" she started before the man raised a hand and leaned over. Onna was up in a second, hackles raised as Kel glared at the man. He paused and slipped back into his seat.
"Ashely is a daughter of the Shield Maidens, remember that Darkstorm. To touch her is to face me in the arena." Kel spoke quietly, her rage and anger had turned to a silent storm; cold, deadly and looming. "Her visit does not grant her leniency from her normal training. However I am sure even a man like you knows how to boil an egg!"
"You dare…while in my household!" He started to turn a brilliant shade of reddish purple as he glared at Kel.
"In fact, I do. Do you care to do something about it?" Kel was nearly taken about by her own reaction to the man. Doing her best to keep her mask she clenched her fists, hoping the pain of her nails digging into her palm were enough to distract her as she stared the man down.
"I fear you've over extended my hospitality." He suddenly declared. Kel wasted no time as she rose from her chair. Ashely followed suit, her silverware clinking against the plates as she tossed them down in disgust. The man lunged out grabbing at the girl as she managed to side step and slip out of reach, his hands only able to clamp onto fabric as the rip of it echoed the room. Fed up with his antics Kel grabbed his wrist and twisted, the bones creaking in protest. The man snarled and lashed out with his free hand. Kel didn't bother to block the blow, twisting her head so it grazed her cheek.
"Challenge accepted. I will see you in an hour's time." She snapped and shoved the man back into his seat. She didn't wait to see his reaction but escorted Ashely out of the household and toward her grandfather's.
After having walked around the village twice over Ashely coaxed Kel into her grandfathers home, hoping the man would settle the young woman's temper and man rolled over to see them enter and smiled.
"Flower, what brings you here at this..." He started to say before seeing the girl quake in the fire's light. Sitting up he moved to get out of bed before she rushed up the stairs and into his arms for a hug. Kel could hear the girl weeping despite her efforts to stifle her sobs.
"... and, and, and now she has to fight him in the ring. Papa, she's not even a full maiden yet. What if… what if..." Kel sat beside the two before prying Ashley's face away to look up at her.
"I'm a knight, it's my job to protect and defend people, Ashely. If I did not then I would be forsaking my own vows." She purred as the girl regained some composure but looked a bit confused. "You see, where I am from we have Knights. They are warriors trained for years, but must uphold the law and protect the people of the land. I am the first true female knight in over a hundred years Ashely, and my job right now is to protect you and the injustice being done to the people here."
Darkstorm said little as he held and comforted the crying girl, her sobs and tears having been reduced to mere gasps for air now. When she sat up and away from him Kel took her hands in her own and gave a squeeze.
"One day all I ask is that you do the same. Protect those weaker and in need of help, regardless who they are or come from. Can you do that for me Ashely?" Kel's question lingered for a moment when Ashely finally nodded yes and her grandfather piped in.
"So mote it be."
I know a short chapter, I'm sorry and hopefully will make it up in the following chapters. Please review! Let me know your not mad at me .