Locked Secrets

         A precession moves along the path slowly, this was caused by a large carriage that was in the center. Inside was a young man leaning out of the window, watching the trees slowly pass by. Another young man rode up beside the carriage on a large horse. He was clad in armor that was light for the travel. He wore a tunic over chainmail, and had hardened leather guards on his legs. He was very young, hardly a man yet, but yet he was here with a sword that looked almost too big for him hanging at his side. The youth spoke in a shaky voice, “Young lord please sit back. This part of the forest is not safe.”



         Pulling his head back into the carriage the boy let out a long sigh letting it be known to the lad on the horse that he was not very happy with the idea, he snapped the curtains shut. Leaning back with his eyes half closed. He allowed his body to rock in motion with the movement of the carriage. His hand instinctively went up to the chain that was hanging around his neck pulling out a key and turning it in his hands. Soon his eyes shut all the way and he slipped into a troubled sleep.



         

         A scream and clashing of metal. Colin jerked awake, the carriage had stopped and the sounds that were coming from the outside were not ones that you would expect from a calm forest. There were clashes and sickening thuds, followed by short cries of pain. Colin did not want to imagine what was hit, that would cause someone to cry out like that. Suddenly there was a loud slam, and the carriage shook with the impact. Colin shrank back from the side, wondering who it was, or what, had just been slammed in to it, but afraid to look.  It sounded like most of the fighting was on one side of him, the same side that was crashed into so he cautiously opened that door on the other side, and the first thing that he sees is a body.



         

         Suppressing a cry, Colin jerks back in fear and surprise. He tries to get around the mass that lay unmoving on the ground in front of him without looking at the cold eyes. He almost made it around when he gave a small glance, then froze in shock.



         The body that lay lifeless on the ground was the one of the young lad that had talked to him right before he had went to sleep. He had not known that lad but Colin still felt tears sting his eyes as he looked at him. He couldn’t move, all he could think of was that the lad, who was not even as old as him, had died trying to keep harm from him.



         The realization got Colin to move again, he needed to stay alive so all that had died for his sake would not have done so in vain. Starting for the forest running away from the sounds of fighting that were coming from the other side of the carriage. He almost made it into the forest, but then one of the men that had attacked their precession, spotted him and gave a shout of warning.  Having been discovered Colin sprinted trying to make it to the cover of the trees before he was caught. 



         He had almost made it the men that were by the carriage were too far to reach him, but then out from behind a tree an arm shot out as he passed by.  Grabbing his shoulder causing him to spin around and fall to the ground. The chain that was around his neck caught on a branch and flung into the brush, going unnoticed by the boy and the man that came out from behind the tree to stand over Colin.







         The key suddenly was falling down to the ground, crashing through the leaves and branches. Landing on a spider web, but the weight of the key caused the fine strings of the web snap. Again the key was falling, and came to a stop on a patch of moss making a small thud. The loud crash of a person landing on the ground sounded off to the side, and then a man stepped over it with without noticing the small gold key on the ground. Some commotion went on above the small object, but soon the voices died away and soon the forest got quiet again. Soon the shadows grew longer and night sounds started drowning out the noises of the day.



         

         Creatures the only roam at night came out and started to wonder what the strange object was that had appeared. One mouse came and sniffed at it looking curiously at it. All of the sudden it snatched it up and started off, darting in and around leaves and branches. Quickly bringing the prize that he had found back to his home, to make sure that it was safe.



         

         An owl quietly glides through the branches looking for his next meal. Soon he spots a mouse scurrying down below. Folding his wings to dive, wind silencing the sounds of the forest as it rushed past the owl, as he came closer and closer to the ground. At the last moment the owl opened his wings and stretched out his talons and grabbed the mouse, and the key with it.

         



         Flying off with his meal the owl heads back to his hollowed tree. Back up into the night sky. The farther up he ascended, the harder the wind blows around him.  Soon the key starts to wiggle loose, inching its self from the owl’s grasp. Now it is just hanging from one long talon. The wind finally worked the key out of the owl’s grip. The key started pummeling to the ground again. This time falling right for a stream that was running swiftly down below. Landing with a plop, sinking down to the bottom leaving a trail of bubbles behind it. Now the key was finally still just waiting for the next thing to pick if up and bring it somewhere new. It was still waiting when the sun started shining in the water, sending little rays of light around the key.

         

         

         Colin slammed to the ground. He winced, and then looked up at the man that came out to stand above him with a grin like a fox that had caught its prey. The rest of his face matched the grin; his small beady eyes glinted with triumph, as he looked down at the boy. He was tall and wiry, his long thin limbs looked like they had no strength but he moved nimbly.

         



         Before Colin could get up and try to run again, the man quickly bent down and grabbed Colin’s arm, twisting it behind his back so he was unable to move. Colin cried out in pain, which only made the man holding him laugh wickedly, and twisted his arm farther back. This time Colin just grunted and ground his teeth together, not giving the man the satisfaction of hearing him cry out.

         



         Colin felt the rough fibers of rope rap around his wrists and he was shoved forward. Losing his footing he fell to the ground again, but without his hands to help break his fall, he twisted and landed on his right shoulder and his head slammed on a rock knocking him out.