Chapter 2: A Fight

Chapter 2: A Fight

Torches illuminate the dark meadow. The sheep are safe inside, and I’m outside, waiting for the beast to arrive. I hear growling in front of me, about 30 meters away. The beast stands up, and the silhouette of a huge werewolf is visible in the moonlight. It notices my presence, and charges straight at me. I pull on the piece of rope that rests in my hand and in the distance a trap slams into the face of the monster. It stumbles backwards and falls over. I run forward, unsheathing my silver sword as I go. The creature slowly starts to get up. I run around him in a wide circle, knowing how dangerous a wounded animal can be. When I’m right behind him, I leap forward and cut his Achilles tendon. It tries to stand, but falls back down again after releasing a bone-shaking howl. It sits down on his knees, looking at the moon, knowing about its impending doom. I leap forward farther and cut the back of its neck. It falls forward and I deliver the final blow to its back. The sword cuts through its heart and lung, killing it almost instantly. At this point I’m breathing heavily, the sword feels like a weight has been chained to my arm. I sit down next to the monster, saying a silent prayer. I’m not religious, but whoever this werewolf used to be might have been.

‘What are you doing?’ the old man asks as I start cutting away at the skin of the beast.

‘I’m making the best out of a bad situation, werewolf pelt is very valuable’.

‘But, but, but that used to be a man, right?’.

‘Indeed, but that doesn’t make it any less valuable’ I say as I rip its teeth from its jaw.

‘I think I’m going to throw up’ the man says, shaking a little.

‘Don’t stand near me when you do’.

I load the loot onto my horse, then I turn to face the farmer.

‘You said you’d pay me as best you could, get on with it’.

He reveals a small pouch from underneath his coat and hands it to me with shivering hands. I quickly look through it and decide it’s not enough.

‘This isn’t enough’ I say grimly.

‘It’s, it’s all I’ve got, I swear’ the man says, pure fear fills the old man’s eyes.

‘Do you think I work for free?’ I ask, as I put a knife to his throat.

‘I can get more!’ he says with a shivering voice.

To my right I hear a voice shouting, ‘Get away from my father!’.

A young boy, no older than 17, is standing a few meters from my right. He’s holding a shepherd’s staff, and from the looks of it, he knows how to wield one in battle.

‘Step away from my father’ he says again, more determined this time.

‘I’ll let him go when he’s paid me for my services’.

‘We don’t have any money, now let him go’, he aims his staff at me in a futile attempt at impressing me. I push the man to the ground and face the boy.

‘I won’t hurt him, as long as he doesn’t give me a reason to’.

‘Leave my son alone!’ the old man begs, looking at me, then back at the boy.

‘Worry not, father. I shall defeat him with ease’ the boy says.

He swings at me, a simple sidestep is all I need to evade his attack. He jabs in my direction repeatedly, still not achieving anything. What he lacks in fighting skills, he makes up for in range. I can’t get close without getting hit. Toric walks up to the boy and neighs, distracting him. He looks back, looking for the source of the noise. I take advantage of this moment and sprint forward. He hears my steps approaching and swings at me again. I quickly sit down and his staff flies over my head. I run farther and knee him in his side a couple of times. I take his staff and place it right in front of his face. I stand there for a while, towering above him. There’s a small pouch attached to his trousers, hopefully money.

‘Give it to me’ I order him as I point the stick at the small pouch. He reluctantly hands it to me. The sound it gives off when I shake it indicates it’s indeed gold. I smile, then I walk away. I throw the stick back at the boy and I ride away.

‘Took you long enough’ Elizabeth says as I walk through the front door.

‘There were some complications’.

She smiles again and sits down on the bed. I sit down beside her and hold her hand.

‘How are we going to do this?’ she sighs.

‘Do what?’.

‘The baby, how will we take care of it? I’m afraid that…. That someday we’ll lose you’ her voice starts to shiver slightly.

I open my mouth to say something, but realize I have no idea what to say.

‘If you want, I can quit this job. I’ll find something else’.

‘I don’t know what I want, that’s the problem’, she lets out a frustrated sigh.

‘Perhaps I can become the king’s bodyguard. We’ll work up a fortune and before we know it we can stop working’ I look at her, ‘We’ll live a proper life, together with our child’.

She rests her head on my shoulder and falls asleep.