Chapter 11: Watcher in the Woods

Back to: "Chapter 10: Escape" 

Watcher in the Woods

The clinging vines and shifting earth fell away as suddenly as they began and for several heartbeats the only sound was the heavy breathing of the men of the King's Guard.

The captain was far beyond anger. He felt humiliated, made to look a fool by a lone human woman and an elven boy. "Don't just stand there, you fools!" he shouted, "Go after them!" Behind him, one of the townsfolk snickered. "You, Jellar, Traeck, get these people moving. I want this camp packed up by the time I get back."

The two soldiers nodded, watching nervously as their red-faced captain stalked into the forest.

"Captain!"

Omar hurried his step, soon joining three of his men, a sobbing Drugan in their midst, frantically rubbing at eyes which ran with tears.

"Drugan! Come to your senses, man! What did you see?"

At the sound of his captain's voice, Drugan hastened to his feet, shaking off the helping hands of his fellows. He cleared his throat, blinking furiously in an attempt to stop the flow of tears.

"Well? Speak up!"

"I - I didn't see anything," Drugan answered slowly.

"You must have seen something! What happened?"

"The woman was over on the ground, casting some kind of spell. But she saw me as I came up and - did this."

"Well which way did she go?"

"I - I don't know, sir. I still can see nothing."

"She can't of rid you of all your senses! Think! Did you not hear her leave?"

Drugan shook his head wordlessly. "No, I - but I think she was alone."

Omar grunted, frowning at the ruin of his best tracker and woodsman. "Very well, take him back to camp. The rest of you fan out and find their trail."

The soldiers scattered, scanning the ground. So focused were they on their task that they failed to see the grinning halfling perched in a tree high above them. Alton, Priest of Azuth, followed them silently with his eyes. In those two tiny lights danced a mirth he was hard-pressed to contain. Indeed, he knew where the escaped prisoners were and he already knew what the soldiers were just now beginning to guess: Lin and Torin had help. He supposed he ought to catch up to them, but it was too much fun to watch. Besides, he knew that as soon as that forester had regained his sight, these men would quickly be on the heels of Lin and the others.

Alton was quite sure that he did not want to get in their way. Lin had been luckier than she knew to blind that one particular soldier. No, Alton decided it was far safer for him to remain where he was, despite the discomfort. It was a long way to the King's city. The soldiers had few friends out here along the southern border.


{c}"Chapter 12: Hunted"