FOREVER KNIGHTS: #12 Primal Intent

Battling

MARDICHI

“Are we doing what I think we are?” Norris asked tentatively.

Yes.

“We’re going to find her.”

The Raven.

“Finally.” Norris sighed.

Mardichi’s silence wasn’t reassuring. They’d been moving through the woods for several hours. Mardichi knelt now and again. Letting dirt sift through his fingers or fondling a leaf on a shrub.

Tracking.

“She was here. We’re closing in.” Mardichi strode back to his horse.

I can smell her.

“Why do you think she decided to join thieves when it was thieves that killed her brother? That seems nonsensical to me.” Norris remarked.

“She’s trying to discover which of them killed her brother.” Mardichi supplied off-handedly as he shuffled underbrush aside with his boot to view tracks.

“That’s quite an assumption.”

Mardichi held his silence. Moving aside another branch, he focused on the signs in the woods. Fat shrub leaves were still dusted in dew. Slicking the tunics of both men.

They wove through trees, leading their mounts until they could hear the bandit encampment.

We’re getting close.

Tying the horses, they went further in, until glimpsing the darkly clad men clamoring around a fire. Imbibing in drink and laughing. Amongst the robust figures was a petite shape sitting to the side. Black cloth covering the bottom half of her face and tied in back.

“We need to separate them.”

Isolate her.

Norris groaned. “What am I doing?” He asked, resigned.

Bait. Always.

“Go back by where we saw the weeping willow. But stay well away from the horses. Call for help.”

“You want me to seem lost?”

“Wealthy and lost.”

You’re good at jingling that bag of coin. It’ll work perfectly.

“Delightful.” Norris murmured as he walked way shaking his head. His feet dragging.

In less than ten minutes Norris was in place. Weakly calling for help. As Mardichi anticipated, the biggest of the troupe leapt to confront the threat.

Leaving only a handful behind with the woman. Who stared intently over the fire in the direction the others vanished.

She’s tempted to go. He willed her not to move.

Working carefully to stay in the darkest part of the trees he wound around the encampment until able to see the outline of her narrow shoulders.

She was within arm’s reach and there was no doubt the group would be robbing the two coin, Norris had baited himself with.

Mardichi tested the weight of a rock and found it hefty enough to catch attention. He rose and forcefully tossed it on the opposite side of the clearing.

There was a thud than the sound of bark crunching.

Everyone remaining turned to look.

Mardichi took the opportunity to leap forward and catch her over her mouth and around her waist. Pinning her arms to her sides.

She went ramrod stiff in his grip.

He ducked down to whisper in her ear. “I’ll crush ye if ye make a sound.” He tightened his arms around her to emphasize his point.

She panted for air as her lungs were restricted.

“Do ye understand?”

She gave a slight nod and he released the pressure. Letting her draw a long breath. She obeyed and didn’t scream so he set her on her feet.

When he spun her around to face him and caught her biceps, meeting bright green eyes. Wide with shock. Catching the bottom of the cloth covering her face he gave it a rough tug and pulled it to her neck. Exposing her impossibly full lips parted in surprise.

I know that face.