The Curse Conduit

Chapter 37

Uri had pushed Nightwish to his very limits, the horse sensing his master’s emotions and giving all that he had. Only in the heat of battle had the horse felt such a surge of adrenalin, it understood that what they were doing was very important.

Uri rode and rode until he could ride no longer. Dismounting he let the horse loose and just collapsed to the ground, kneeling with his head down. A first just breathing heavily as his mind danced from one painful memory to another. Elizabeth’s words had unlocked years of unreleased feelings, passion that he had kept buried and controlled for so long and now they willed to be free. Clawing their way up his throat and escaping in such a howl even Nightwish shuddered. Uri threw his head back, hands clenched, body ridged with sorrow and just howled until he had no breath left. Then he lowered his head and cried like he had never cried before. With his horse as the only witness he cried, tears streaking his face, shoulders rumbling under the weight of his despair, he cried.

As Nightwish nudged his master gently Uri had no idea how long he had been there but darkness had fallen. Standing he pulled in the horses reins, giving Nightwish a tender pat and resting his head on the horses shoulder for a moment before he climbed on his back. “Shall we go home old friend.”

Urian and Uriah had done much the same as Uri and ridden hard and fast in the beginning but did not get as far. If they had ridden only a short distance further they would have come upon the place where Uri had left the road. As it was they sat just off the road discussing their shared plight. Uriah had heard Elizabeth when she was talking to Derek. He was mortified that she knew of his love for her. He was grateful that he had Urian to talk to and likewise Urian was grateful that Uriah understood how he was feeling. As neither Danny nor Bethie had said anything he was not sure if his secret was still a secret.

Uriah gave him a weak smile. “I have a feeling none of our secrets will be hidden for much longer cousin.”

Urian frowned. “What makes you say that?”

“We have three females, one of which has some very serious information about the others. How long do you think it will be before she feels a need to tell her sisters? She will surely tell them about her own situation.”

Urian sighed. “I don’t suppose there is any way to keep them apart?”

Uriah just looked at him and shook his head. Both men realised the futility of such a quest.

Both men held their breath as they heard a twig snap off in the distance. Until then they had not realised it had become dark, the night only lit by a full moon. As another twig snapped, the men looked at each other. Urian stood. “Think it is time we headed back cousin.”

Uriah stood and was about to answer when both of them were shoved heavily to the ground. “You won’t be going anywhere tonight gentlemen until you empty your pockets.”

Urian and Uriah looked up to see two rather scruffy and mean looking men standing over them with swords pointed at their chests. Urian was the first to speak. “We don’t have anything.”

The two robbers looked at each other and laughed pulling Uriah and Urian roughly to their feet. “With horses like that I doubt that very much, show us what you have.”

As he went to empty his pockets Uriah spoke. “We don’t have anything of value, we are strangers here.”

Uriah became a little tenser as his hand touched his mobile phone. When they had changed clothes he had automatically put it in his pocket. He had no idea how these men would react when they saw it and did not want to show it to them but it was too late, the robbers had seen his hesitation. One of the robbers pushed Uriah around. “You have something don’t you?” Without warning he grabbed Uriah’s hand and pulled it from his pocket, the phone fell to the ground and beeped as it did. It was as if time had stopped. Both robbers looking to the strange object that had fallen. One of them pushing it with his sword, again it beeped. He bent down to pick it up, turning it over in his hands and looking at Uriah. “Curious object sir. What is its purposes?”

Uriah swallowed hard. “No purpose, it is broken.”

The robber continued to push buttons and the phone continued to beep until somehow he pushed the right combination and a female voice announced that Uriah had no new voice mail. This unnerved both robbers who immediately brought their swords closer to Urian and Uriah’s necks. “This is some witchery! You have stolen someone’s voice and imprisoned it in this little box!”

The robber dropped the phone and stepped back a little looking at Uriah then at Urian. “You have no belongings as you have no cause to need them, you conjure anything you require.” He looked over at their horses. “Are those real horses or a conjuring of your doing?”

Urian could see they were in much more trouble. “I assure you they are very real.”

Both Urian and Uriah saw the change in the robbers, if they had any chance of getting out of the situation alive it had just gone.

“I don’t care for the conjuring of witches, tricks the mind.” With those words the robber lifted his sword to take a swing at Uriah meaning to run him through. Urian shouted unable to help as the other robber still had his sword against his stomach. Uriah reeled back shouting but then the robber stopped, just stopped, his eyes staring at Uriah. His partner looking to see why he had not killed Uriah. They all understood when his head fell from his shoulders and his body crumpled and dropped to the ground. His partner swung around just in time to come face to face with Uri before he dispatched with his head in one single, silent sweep with his blade.

Uriah and Urian stood stunned as Uri stepped over the bodies of the decapitated robbers. “These roads are dangerous for strangers. I think it best if we went back.”

Uri turned to go back to his horse as Uriah and Urian followed staring at the bodies as they went past. Uriah swallowed hard feeling the bile raise up in his throat. “He’s just going to leave them here…. Like that?”

Urian shrugged his shoulders. “I guess.”

The men rode back to the castle in silence all lost in thought. The visions of the two decapitated robbers would be with Urian and Uriah for a long time. Uri finally found his voice. “I do not understand why Declan did not come in search of me, why did they send you?”

Uriah and Urian looked at each other before Uriah answered for them both. “He didn’t, we did not come for you Uri, we left.” Uriah paused looking Uri straight in the eye. “As you did my friend.”

Uri was not sure what to say, they each knew of each other’s love, they each knew how the other felt but he wondered if his new friends really understood just how much the arrival of Elizabeth and Bethie had affected him. “I may not bleed but I fear I have been dealt a mortal wound. I fear I shall not be able to keep to my own counsel if Beth-Elena should learn of my affection for her.” He saw the silent exchange between Uriah and Urian. “Something has happened.”

Urian took a breath. “Uriah heard Elizabeth talking to Derek, she told him about Uriah’s love for her. He knows now Uri, Elizabeth knows, I don’t think it will be long before they put the whole story together.” He let his words sink in before he continued. “Derek spoke to her.”

Uri was surprised at this news. “Your friend has his voice back?” He looked to Uriah. “And Lady Elizabeth stands at his side?”

Uriah just nodded confirming Uri’s thoughts.

Uri looked to Urian. “Your friend Danny, he knows of your love for Lady Beth?”

Urian again looked at Uriah. “I have no idea but as with most females I am sure that it will not be long before she is aware of my feelings.”

Uri locked him with a strong look. “And what will you do Master Urian?”

No one spoke, they didn’t have to.