"Give us your money," the man said. "And we will let you live."
"I will be making the demands." Aldis nodded at the knife he held.
The man smiled and looked behind Aldis. An alarm sounded off in his head and the hairs on the back of his neck raised a warning. In that moment he felt a blade at his own throat. Aldis rose slowly and turned to face his new attacker.
"Give me your money rich man. It is the least you can do after threatening my men," said the young woman at the hilt of the sword.
"You're a girl," Aldis said, taking a step back.
ReplyDeleteShe stepped with him. "I didn't wait in the woods for hours to hear you state the obvious. Give me your money."
Aldis smiled. "I don't think so."
ReplyDeleteThe girl frowned. "Are you sure that's your final choice?"
Aldis grinned. "Yes."
The girl looked behind her. "Why are you grinning? Don't you know what this could do to you?" She brandished the knife.
Aldis laughed. "Yes, I do. And do you know what?"
A look of fear passed over the girls face momentarily. "What?"
"I have something better." Aldis jumped to the side and spread his arm, revealing......
Christina said:
ReplyDelete...a small golden orb that pulsed brighter and brighter.
Immediately there was a scrambling in the woods and the man Aldis had pinned scrambled down the path, but the girl remained.
"Your little tricks don't scare me," she said, although the look in her eyes did not agree. "And it won't save you from my blade."
Aldis moved the orb so it was between them and he took small steps in a wide circle around her.
"There is only one thing that can keep me from completing my quest."
"And what is that?" the girl asked.
Aldis laughed, quick and loud. "I'm not going--"
Just then the girl lunged at him.
Aldis smiled and moved the orb in front of him.
ReplyDeleteThe girl slammed into an invisible wall and stepped back, frowning. She glared at him.
Aldis began to circle her once more. "So, where were we? Ah yes.... my mission."
The girl stood defiantly before him.
Aldis chuckled. "As I was saying, only one thing will stop my mission, and it isn't you."
The girl eyed the orb nervously and ducked to the left to try to get at him.
The orb simply moved with her, preventing any harm to come to Aldis.
"I won't tell you what that one thign is that will stop me, btu I can tell you what my mission in." Aldis said.
"Which is?" The girl asked.
"My mission," Aldis began. "Is to......
"...find the true king of English and restore him to the throne. I have the power of the elders," Aldis raised the orb. "And the approval of the Duke. Now you can either join me or step aside."
ReplyDelete"The King of English?" the girl asked. "There hasn't been one of those in centuries. What makes you think you can find him? If he even exists."
"I have my ways. Now what is your decision?"
The girl eyed him and the orb for a second. The wind in the trees filled the silence. "I will....
*Ah!!! Now what???? Arrgh!!! Think, think, think....*
ReplyDelete"I will..." The girl never finished her sentence *ha!*, because just then something snatched Aldis off the ground.
Aldis smiled, pocketed the orb, and flipped up onto the back of the huge, menacing blue dragon that had lifted him in its mouth.
The girl stared up at him as she got smaller, and Aldis chuckled. He would still complete his mission. Nothing would stop.
Or so he thought.
Meanwhile on the forest floor, Harmony stared up as the dragon disappeared over the treetops. This was not good. She had been hired to rob that man and not only did she not succeed, but now her men had disappeared into the forest leaving her alone. Not that she minded being alone, she could defend herself against anything natural in these woods.
ReplyDeleteThat orb the man carried was a magic she had never countered before, but she knew enough to know what it was. The orb could incinerate any living thing in a ten foot radius. She had seen it just in time to stop herself from leaping at him.
There was nothing more to be done. She would have to go back to the inn and explain to her employer why she could not complete the job. And then she would fire her men for their cowardly actions. Harmony smiled at the thought.
After a three days journey through the woods, Harmony was tired and hungry. She had pushed herself at a fast pace and had been unable to find any small prey for the last two days. The forest seemed unnaturally quiet the closer she got to the edge. And as the trees thinned out she saw why. In the clearing straight ahead she saw a blue dragon sleeping in the field. The scent of cooked meat brought Harmony's attention to the small fire with a man resting beside it, his eyes closed and body relaxed.
Perhaps she could complete her mission after all....
So Harmony crept up to the sleeping man. She looked around for the orb--but didn't see it. She frowned and closed her eyes... She realized he would most likely protect it with a spell while he slept.
ReplyDeleteAll of the sudden, she felt a spasm of pain, originating from her head. She felt blackness coming over her.
Aldis landed on his feet behind the girl who had crumpled to the ground. He had knocked her out with a full roundabout kick. The girl lay near his fire, still.
He sighed, irritated, but he had known what troubles would come from bearing the orb. He pulled a piece of rope from his pack and began to tie up the girl....