Heed My Warnings and Survive (Second Draft)
Chapter Ten

Chapter Ten

I woke in the small room not particularly wanting to move out from under the warm covers, but I knew it needed to be, especially since Finley had been shaking me for the past two minutes. I groaned.

“Come on now. We have to return that sword,” He said cheerily. How is he so boisterous? I thought to myself, as I sat up. My clothes had been set out on a chair for me. I smiled, I had forgotten the barmaid said she’d wash them. “Come along get dressed, I’ll go get us some food,” Finley walked out of the room, whistling a merry tune to himself. I laughed, and shook my head.

“What a strange man,” I muttered.

After I dressed, I went to the tavern, and found the table Finley, and Kiara had claimed.

“Good morning,” Kiara said, her voice rough with sleep.

“Good morning Fair Lady,” I responded. She rolled her eyes. A small smile crept onto my face. I looked down at the warm porridge in front of me, hesitating a few moments before I ate it. I didn’t particularly like porridge, but it was more food than I’d gotten since I had been here last.

“So we’re visiting the blacksmith today?” Kiara asked. I nodded,

“Yeah, you’ll get your ring back, and you can continue traveling,” I said. Kiara glanced at Finley, and he nodded.

“Umm.. Finley, and I were talking, and if you aren’t against it, I’d like to continue to travel with you,” She said. I was a little surprised, but I wasn’t opposed to the idea. My chest grew warm at the thought.

“Of course, I’d love you to,” I said. Kiara smiled.

After finishing our meal we went to the blacksmith shop. As we approached, I noticed the blacksmith working outside in front of the shop.

“Hello,” I said, grabbing his attention. He looked up.

“Well Well, if it isn’t the little shrimp,” He said. “You look thinner then last time,”

“Well I’ve been traveling with almost no food for days, so I would say I most likely am,” I replied, an unamused look crossing my face. The blacksmith chuckled.

“Did you bring the sword?” he asked. I nodded, and handed it to him. He examined it carefully, as though it were the object he held most dear in this world.

“Thank you,” he said graciously. “You are free to take the ring off now, and I’ll take it back if you like,” he said. I shook my head.

“This belongs to her,” I said, gesturing towards Kiara.

“Eh? He stole it?” the man said. Kiara nodded. Then furrowed her eyebrows.

“You mean to tell me you did not steal it?” She asked. The man shook his head.

“No ma’am, I pride myself on being an honest man,” he said,

“Where did you get it then?” Kiara inquired.

“My son, ma’am, gifted it to me. Told me he bought it off a traveling merchant,”

“Perhaps if you’re such an honest man, you should teach your offspring to be. This ring was given to me by someone of great importance to me, and if I had lost it, my heart may have shattered,” Kiara’s voice sounded annoyed, and her face was getting a little red. I put my hand on her shoulder.

“It wasn’t his fault Kiara,” I tried to calm her, but I don’t believe it worked remotely.

“Why don’t you bring out that son of yours, so I may give him the talking to he deserves,” she said, still addressing the blacksmith, and ignoring my comment. For some reason the blacksmith complied with her request.

“Felix!” the blacksmith called. Out of the shop came a well built man, around my age, he was about a head shorter than me, but his height suited him well, he had blond messy hair, which he also managed to make look charming, and deep brown eyes. He looked nothing like the blacksmith.

“Yes father?” he asked, seemingly annoyed.

“This young woman wishes to speak with you,” The Blacksmith said. Felix looked over at Kiara. He smiled, and straightened up.

“Well hello. What’s a beautiful young woman like you doing at a Blacksmith’s shop?” He asked, his voice becoming silky, and alluring, as he took her hand, and kissed. She pulled her hand away sharpley, and slapped his face. I held in a laugh, and Finley snickered.

“Do not touch me,” She said venomisley. Felix looked surprised that his flirting didn’t work.

“You stole my ring,” Kiara said. Felix raised his eyebrows.

“Well I never would have stolen it, if I knew the beauty of the owner,” He said. I wanted to punch him this time, even if my fist wouldn’t do much, and he’d probably pound my head in. I clenched my fist, but Kiara seemed calm.

“You sir are not to be indulged, and if you do not stop flirting, I have a mind to shoot you with one of my arrows,” She said, talking to him as if she were a mother scolding a child. Felix however only looked entertained.

“Do you really think you can handle that bow?” he said, talking down to her. She looked him in the eye, drew her bow, and shot a nearby placered, hitting it right in the center.

“Do you?” She replied. A small spark of fear had lit behind his eyes, and I wanted to kindle it, and turn it into a roaring flame, but I knew Kiara wouldn’t appreciate my stepping in for her, so I only watched, as the argument continued. After a few moments I had neglected to listen to the conversation, and looking back I regretted it, because soon after Kiara walked over to the arrow in the placard, wrenched it out, and came back, pushing Felix against the wall, arrow to his throat.

“If you ever speak to me in such a manner again, I will silence you all together,” she spat, then stalked away, head held high.

“Well she is some woman,” Felix said. I gave him a look of disgust, before turning, and following Kiara.

A few months had passed since we returned to the village, and oddly, nothing had happened. I had even set up a shop, and bought a small farm property that was deep set in a valley, where not many would travel, so it suited us well. Now I didn’t know how to live on, or care for a farm, but Kiara enjoyed the work of it, and I could sew, and embroider while I was home. Home. Even though it hadn’t been that long since I was Home, the word sounded strange to me, especially when Kiara would say ‘Let’s go home’ now that sounded strange, but I would get used to it in time, I knew that.

It was late fall, and I was walking home, after closing up shop, as I was walking I passed many trees that had shaken away there leaves, but close to my home there was one with a few left, as I walked a light breeze blew, leaving only one leaf remaining on the tree, and the words of the witch that I seemed to have heard so long ago came back to me, ‘Beware the last autumn leaf on the tree’ that warning mixed with the dream I had a few nights earlier of Zander storming the village, was to coincidental for me to ignore. I ran back to the house.

“Kiara! Finley!,” I called urgently, both came out of there bed chambers quickly,

“What is it,” Finley asked,

“Pack anything you need with in reason, we need to leave,” I said, rushing to my chamber, the other two followed me,

“Why? what’s happened?” Kiara asked, as I began carelessly packing a bag.

“Zander knows where we are, and he’s coming,” I said. Finley furrowed his eyebrows,

“How did you replace this out?” He asked.

“I’ll explain later, right now there isn’t time,” I responded. “Meet me at the edge of the south woods, I’ll be there shortly.” I ran out, and to the inn we had stayed at for the first few days.

“Esma,” I said to the barmaid, a little breathlessly. She looked over,

“What is it laddie?” She asked, a concerned look on her face.

“If a tall blond man called Zander comes looking for me, I need you to tell him I’ve left, tell him he can search the town, but he needs to know I’m gone,” I said, talking faster than Finley. Esma looked confused, but I didn’t have time to explain, “and please, have someone look after the farm, and shop,” I called, as I ran out of the inn, meeting Kiara, and Finley at the edge of the woods where we plunged in, running from Zander once more.