The Night Everything Changed
Chapter Three
That night, after Ilian had pilfered a small amount of food from the market in the village and had settled down in the stick hut, she fell straight off to sleep. Her dreams were of the life she had led before. Strolling the streets looking for better opportunities, bumming cigarettes off of anyone who would give them to her, and fending for herself. Her before life lacked adventure. It lacked everything that she had here. Here, her father was a lord and people were after her for going against what was said.
Waking the next morning, Ilian walked through the thickest parts of the forest, looking for a stream or creek in which she could bathe. Her underclothes were filthy and her dress wasn’t in the best shape. With her sword at her side, she sidestepped what she knew to be snake holes and bear traps. Her instincts telling her all she needed to know about this realm.
The warm morning sun filtered in through the canopy, warming Ilian’s cheeks as she made her way through thickets of bushes and branches of thick oak, maple, and fir trees. The sound of water trickling down rocks had her come to a complete stop. The stream, or so it seemed, was only just around the bend. Walking with renewed purpose, Ilian smiled to herself. The thought of being clean, or at least partly so, made her happier than anything.
Brushing a branch out of her face, Ilian stepped out from behind a thick oak tree, only to quickly hide behind it once more. A group of men sat around a small fire nearest the stream, blocking her from bathing like she had hoped for. Huffing out a breath of air, Ilian stood still and listened to the babbling of the stream and the murmurs coming from the group of men.
“Didja hear? The King’s comin’ today. Sposedly, he’s gonna be hanging Aenerth himself.” One of the men said. Ilian leaned slightly around the tree, she was blocked from their sight by the branches of the tree, that was her only saving grace.
Leaning around the tree, Ilian saw the men, there were five of them all sitting around the fire. The one that had been speaking previously wore tattered breeches and a ratty brown tunic covered in holes. The others wore similar clothing, mud covered Locksley boots, green and brown tunics, and torn leather breeches.
The man that had spoken seemed familiar to Ilian, but why, she could not fathom. So, leaning against the tree, Ilian watched the group of men.
“Yeah, but Tomas is gonna be doin' the actual hanging. Not the trodding King." One of the men replied, a look of disdain coloring his features. It was this that had Ilian on edge. Even she knew that to talk of the king in such a manner could mean death.
"Keep yar voice down, Jonas. He has spies everwhere." The man that seemed familiar to Ilian said, his head swiveling about in slight paranoia. He was right, and Ilian knew that. The king did indeed have spies everywhere and that was why it was important that she figure out whether or not she was wanted for anything before they found her out.
"Ya know I'm right, Thadius. Don't even try ta say I'm wrong. Tha' man is a disgrace and should have never been crowned king." The look of disdain furthered on the man's face the longer he spoke of the king.
Ilian leaned just a bit closer, the branches of the tree moving with her, causing the branches to sway. Cursing under her breath as the men became fully alert, Ilian pulled herself back behind the oak tree before she could be spotted.
"Wat was tha', do ya think?" One of the more silent of the group whispered. They had all of them gotten up slowly and had pulled small weapons out and had them pointed in front of them.
"Dunno, the wind, perhaps?" Another questioned.
"Don't be stupid, Bartemius."Jonas said to the shortest of the men.
"It's not the wind, you daft dimbo. It's me, Ilian." Ilian said with a roll of her eyes, suddenly remembering these idiotic men.
The men all dropped their guards as soon as Ilian made her way out from behind the great oak. Jonas sighed and immediately went up to the girl and gave her a hug.
"And where've ya been 'Lian? It's been nearly a month since we last saw ya. Thought tha king had gotten ya fer sure." He asked her, pushing her arms length away so he could get a good look at the girl.
Her face was covered in dirt, not too bad, you could still see her attractive features. Her hair was wind blown and tangled and her dress was tattered and torn, not unlike the men before her.
"It's a bit of a long story, gents. One that I'll gladly tell over super." She replied whilst breaking away from Jonas' strong grip on her.
"You heard the lady. Get that fire goin', we gots a story ta listen ta."
And with that the men snapped to attention, causing a slight ruckus for Thadius, who unbeknownst to Ilian, was planning on taking the aforementioned girl into the forest so he could have a word with her alone. He couldn't have his niece tangled up in this mess with the king. It would cause great unrest in the kingdom if they were to find out just exactly what the girl was getting up to without her father's presence.
Waking the next morning, Ilian walked through the thickest parts of the forest, looking for a stream or creek in which she could bathe. Her underclothes were filthy and her dress wasn’t in the best shape. With her sword at her side, she sidestepped what she knew to be snake holes and bear traps. Her instincts telling her all she needed to know about this realm.
The warm morning sun filtered in through the canopy, warming Ilian’s cheeks as she made her way through thickets of bushes and branches of thick oak, maple, and fir trees. The sound of water trickling down rocks had her come to a complete stop. The stream, or so it seemed, was only just around the bend. Walking with renewed purpose, Ilian smiled to herself. The thought of being clean, or at least partly so, made her happier than anything.
Brushing a branch out of her face, Ilian stepped out from behind a thick oak tree, only to quickly hide behind it once more. A group of men sat around a small fire nearest the stream, blocking her from bathing like she had hoped for. Huffing out a breath of air, Ilian stood still and listened to the babbling of the stream and the murmurs coming from the group of men.
“Didja hear? The King’s comin’ today. Sposedly, he’s gonna be hanging Aenerth himself.” One of the men said. Ilian leaned slightly around the tree, she was blocked from their sight by the branches of the tree, that was her only saving grace.
Leaning around the tree, Ilian saw the men, there were five of them all sitting around the fire. The one that had been speaking previously wore tattered breeches and a ratty brown tunic covered in holes. The others wore similar clothing, mud covered Locksley boots, green and brown tunics, and torn leather breeches.
The man that had spoken seemed familiar to Ilian, but why, she could not fathom. So, leaning against the tree, Ilian watched the group of men.
“Yeah, but Tomas is gonna be doin' the actual hanging. Not the trodding King." One of the men replied, a look of disdain coloring his features. It was this that had Ilian on edge. Even she knew that to talk of the king in such a manner could mean death.
"Keep yar voice down, Jonas. He has spies everwhere." The man that seemed familiar to Ilian said, his head swiveling about in slight paranoia. He was right, and Ilian knew that. The king did indeed have spies everywhere and that was why it was important that she figure out whether or not she was wanted for anything before they found her out.
"Ya know I'm right, Thadius. Don't even try ta say I'm wrong. Tha' man is a disgrace and should have never been crowned king." The look of disdain furthered on the man's face the longer he spoke of the king.
Ilian leaned just a bit closer, the branches of the tree moving with her, causing the branches to sway. Cursing under her breath as the men became fully alert, Ilian pulled herself back behind the oak tree before she could be spotted.
"Wat was tha', do ya think?" One of the more silent of the group whispered. They had all of them gotten up slowly and had pulled small weapons out and had them pointed in front of them.
"Dunno, the wind, perhaps?" Another questioned.
"Don't be stupid, Bartemius."Jonas said to the shortest of the men.
"It's not the wind, you daft dimbo. It's me, Ilian." Ilian said with a roll of her eyes, suddenly remembering these idiotic men.
The men all dropped their guards as soon as Ilian made her way out from behind the great oak. Jonas sighed and immediately went up to the girl and gave her a hug.
"And where've ya been 'Lian? It's been nearly a month since we last saw ya. Thought tha king had gotten ya fer sure." He asked her, pushing her arms length away so he could get a good look at the girl.
Her face was covered in dirt, not too bad, you could still see her attractive features. Her hair was wind blown and tangled and her dress was tattered and torn, not unlike the men before her.
"It's a bit of a long story, gents. One that I'll gladly tell over super." She replied whilst breaking away from Jonas' strong grip on her.
"You heard the lady. Get that fire goin', we gots a story ta listen ta."
And with that the men snapped to attention, causing a slight ruckus for Thadius, who unbeknownst to Ilian, was planning on taking the aforementioned girl into the forest so he could have a word with her alone. He couldn't have his niece tangled up in this mess with the king. It would cause great unrest in the kingdom if they were to find out just exactly what the girl was getting up to without her father's presence.