Chapter 8

“Uncle I can’t find Sais anywhere. She was here, with her cousin Dacia.” Rylan whispered to his Uncle.

“If I know Sais, she has gone home. Very bull head, just like her father. Will tend to the rest of the guest, then you and I will go over to check on her.” Bren touched Rylan shoulder while walking away from him.

“I don’t understand, why a fire raiser would crash our beloved celebration for the harvest?” an older women asked her husband. Rylan couldn’t help over hearing her conversation with her husband.

“Excuse me, madam. I’m the nephew of Bren. I’m new here, but have you had any problems with fire raiser’s here before?” Rylan asked her kindly.

“Oh dear boy, not for a very long time. Not since the great wars before you were born. Fire raisers are known for their ruthlessness and hot temper. I’ve come across some in my early years. Luckily I’m an energy caster; I could hold my own with one.” She smiled. “Everyone thought that all the fire raiser were killed or went into hiding. Orders were sent out by all the kingdoms that any fire raiser would be killed or imprisoned. After that no fire raiser’s dare use their fire power.”

“Thank you. Please be safe on your way home” He escorted them to their carriage. He helped the remaining guest to their horses and carriages. After the last carriage leaving the mansion. Rylan returned to the courtyard where he met up with his Uncle. “What is it Uncle? Did you find something?”

“I don’t know yet. I thought that the fire raiser scorch marks would be on a downward angle, but see this” he pointed to the scorch going upward across the tables and along the cobblestone. “I thought that the fire raiser would be on higher ground, it never crossed my mind that the fire raiser would be in the crowd, posing as one of the guest.” He walked around the courtyard; “I find the point where the fire raiser shot the first fire ball” He looked up seeing pieces of the orange and red silk drapes across the courtyard. “Is all the guests gone?”

“Yes, I think we need to check on Sais? It’s rather late, but we need to make sure” Rylan started to walk to the stables, when he notice that his uncle was not following him. “Uncle?” He looked back at his uncle, who was stilling looking around the courtyard. “Uncle, are you all right?” he ask curiously.

“Can you recall who stood at this spot?” Bren looked Rylan in the eyes.

“No my back was turn, before the first fire ball hit? Do you think the fire raiser stood there when he attacked?” Rylan stop and turned completely around. “Uncle I think you are on to something. That spot there is the center of the courtyard, He could have killed all of us, but didn’t.”

“I know, but the question is why he didn’t?” Bren shook his head. “I’ve got word from a friend in the courts. He’s given me information on the Kings deed stating he is sending energy casters to Delius, also along the northern coast. There has been report along the northern coast of small attack on little villages. I fear that this is what Arian has fear for a long time.” He started heading to the stables.

             

 

 

            Sais was getting settled in her warm bed, when Arlo jump off the bed. “Arlo,” seeing how Arlo made no attempt to return to her bed. “Fine I will let you out.” She climbed out her bed and stated putting her boots on.  Her laced up her brown boots and stood up looking down at her teal silk undergarment and just laughed, if anyone saw me in this they would laugh alongside me. “Alright Arlo” hearing him whining in the hallway. As she made her way down the hallway and towards the stairs she started to smell wood burning. “I didn’t place any more firewood” she quickly and quietly made it down the stairs. No one was in the front room she moved down the hall to the kitchen and fresh logs burning in the fireplace. She felt Arlo against her legs, he wasn’t growling or alarm at all. The backdoor swung up, but no one entered. “Arlo!”

Arlo stood in front of her sniffing the air; he turned his back at her and gently barked. Arlo started trotting to the backdoor and waited for her to follow. Sais shook it off, the feeling that someone was here with her, but Arlo wasn’t on the defensive. “Alright Arlo” she grabbed a lantern and out into the night she walked to her barn and sat on the haystack waiting for Arlo to return from the woods. I guess this what I get for having a wolf, every full moon he need to run, hunt and kill his prey. Here I sit waiting for him. What I am going to do? I can’t hide forever, I can pass for an Energy caster, but they will know that my casting is way more powerful than normal. Ronan said that it wasn’t going to be easy for me to return home. All this power that I have will tempt me to use it unwisely. I know my own strength, I know myself. Breaking out of her thoughts she heard voices in front of her house. “Who might that be?” she couldn’t make out the voices. She quickly entered the barn and gently closed it and hurried to her hidden chamber underneath the barn she quickly return sword in hand and her father’s dark blue cloak. She made it to the barn doors and she peer between the doors and spotted someone walking out of her back door. The dark figure started to walk her way to the barn, with a sword in hand. She quickly fell back behind a couple of haystacks. The barn doors squeaked open as the dark figure push the barn doors up and slowly walked into the barn. She held her breath as the figure continued to walk further into the barn. The dark figure turned toward where she was hiding, and quickly moved towards her, raising his sword. Sais quickly jump up and swung her sword at the dark figure, the figure blocked the attack with the sword.

“AHHHHHH” the figure kicked at Sais, but missed her. Backing up from Sais, raising his sword at her, he took his stance. Sais matched his stance, standing across from him, she waited for his attack. Quickly he charged her, he launched a downward slash at her right side, and she countered with her sword, as they clashed against each other. He throw a punch at her face, she rolled her to the side as he punch missed it jawline. She did a quick side sweep with his right foot, causing him to lose balance. She used the butt of her sword to hit him in the ribs, he yelp in pain. Sais tried to get away from him, but he pulled at her cloak, causing it to slightly choke her at the neck where the ties were bound. She back against him, making him lose his sword from the impact. He rolled her over and pinned her against the cold hard ground of barn. He pulled his dagger from his back and placed it at her throat. Sais dark cloak covered her face. “Now, let me see who you are!” He used his other hand to try and lift the cloak from her face.

Sais took the chance and head butt him in the face he fell back on his back she rebound on top of him placing one foot on his arm and the other pinned down by her knee. “Oh now let me see who you are” Sais moved the dagger just above his heart with one hand. Using her other hand she gripped his face and leaned closer to the dark figure, she paused…. “Bren?”

“Sais!” Bren choked out.

Sais let go of his face and climb off of him. “Bren what are you doing here at my home this late?” She stood there in front of him. She wrapped herself in the cloak to cover her undergarments.

“Rylan and I came over to check on you. We didn’t see how you were doing after what happen at the celebration. Why did you leave? I guess I was worried about you. Sais you are like a daughter to me. Ever since your father’s death.” Bren stood and picked up his sword.

“Bren, I’m alright. I was just going to bed when my wolf Arlo need to go out and hunt.” Sais still holding the dagger in her hands. She walked over and handed it to Bren. “I think you will be needing that.”

“Sais you never told me that you knew how to handle a sword?” Bren took the dagger from her.

“My father was one of the best swordsmen; he taught me how to handle a sword, dagger, cross bow, and how to fight. I don’t like mention it.” She backed away to pick up her sword.

“Sais you never went to Bella Donna?” Bren eyed her closely. “You know how I know; I can see it how you carry yourself. How you move thru a crowd, so quickly. It’s alright. I figure it out after a few weeks of you staying at the farm. Never wanting any visitors at the farm, you always seem on edge. I don’t understand why you didn’t go?”

Sais stood there thinking of what to say to Bren. “I let my father died. If I was a better fighter, my father would still be alive. I wasn’t strong enough or skilled enough to save my father because I was weak. I didn’t want to ever feel like that again. I have a power now; I’m not that weak little girl anymore. I’m an energy caster, a very powerful one at that.”

“Uncle” Rylan called just outside the barn. Both Bren and Sais turned to look at Rylan who just walked in on them. Rylan looked at his Uncle then at Sais, who was still holding the sword in her hand. Looking confused he turned his attention back to his uncle. “Are you alright? I thought I heard a commotion” he looked back at Sais and walked over to her still looking at the sword in her hand. “I think I can take this off your hands” he started to reach for the sword.

Sais pulled it back, “I think I can handle it. I’ve been around blades all my life. I think I can put it back to its place.” She brushed pasted him and headed back inside.

“Uncle, what was that about!?” he roar a little. His harden eyes fix on his uncle, who stood across from him. “What happen?” He stood in front of his uncle.

Bren turned his eyes to the farm house, “I don’t think we need worry about Sais as much as I thought. She knows her way around a sword, among other things. Come I want to speak with her before we leave.” He headed off to follow Sais; leaving Rylan in the barn.

Rylan peered around the barn for a moment then followed after his uncle. Catching up alongside his uncle “Uncle, did you feel that in the barn?” he whispered.

Bren stopped and looked back at the barn, “Feel what, Rylan?”

“That we were being watched. I can’t shake the feeling. When you went into the house, you left me in the front. I heard a few branches snap just beyond the wooden post over there” he point towards pond. “That’s not all. I happen to see tracks coming from the pond along the side of the house and to the back porch. Then another set of tracks on the far side of the barn. I think someone is stalking Sais.” Rylan looked back at the barn. “Do we tell Sais?”

“No, not yet” Bren paused “Let’s find this stalker.”

Author's Note

Excuse all the grammar errors. Tell me what you think? Needs more work?

Reviews

[~Lizzy♬]

I think since this is just a rough draft, it's very well written. Only thing that could be changed is making a more suspenseful cliffhanger. The chapter was amazing besides that. :)

~Bookers~ (Lizzard)