The Raven's Blade

The Journey

[just a warning: there is a description of a character dying so if you don't like that I'd suggest skipping this chapter]

As the sun began to rise, Ilsa and Adamo made the tedious track back through the forest on the outskirts of the kingdom to find Kalma's cottage. Spurred on by the constant threat of bandits and the growls of who-knows-what in the distance, they made it to their destination in record time. Ilsa wiped sweat off her brow for what seemed the third time, she'd almost gotten used to the sound of Adamo's satchel bumping against his hip as he walked but was pleased to find that they'd reached Kalma's cottage. She knocked tentatively on the door, hoping that Kalma had found something. The door flung open to reveal the witch who looked mildly disgruntled, which Ilsa took to mean that Kalma was in a good mood.

Kalma sighed, "come in I guess."

She promptly spun around and marched back into her home. Adamo looked at Ilsa and shrugged, and the two of them followed Kalma through the doorway. The first impression that Ilsa got of Kalma's house was that it was weirdly homely. It didn't have the extensive array of kitchen knives near the entrance like her last house nor was it near any wasp nests like before. The two of them kept walking through where Kalma had sprawled elegantly across an armchair in a way that almost reminded Ilsa of a cat. This room was littered with small plants in little bowls that gave off a strange aura that Ilsa couldn't exactly place. She supposed being a witch-for-hire paid well. Ilsa and Adamo took a couple of chairs opposite Kalma. How many visitors Kalma got to rationalise this number of chairs for someone who lives in a forest — who knew.

"What have you found?" Ilsa started.

"Really?" Kalma raised an eyebrow. "No, 'hi how are you Kalma? Thanks for helping us Kalma after we threatened you'. None of that?"

After a full minute of silence, the witch relented and pulled out a scroll that she rolled out to reveal a map, she pointed to a dot on the border of Saevalon and Ouzatis that was moving ever so slightly.

"That's Keir?" Adamo asked, leaning in to peer at the dot.

Kalma nodded in confirmation.

"He moves fast," Ilsa noted, "thats almost two days of riding he's done. I can't believe he's taken Rosina that far."

"We have to catch him," Adamo took the map from Kalma and stood up.

Kalma stood as well, pretty much herding them towards the door. "You should leave now to catch your brother."

"Cousin."

"Whatever." The witch hustled the two of them out and shut the door quickly behind them with a half-hearted, "bye!"

The duo stood there for a moment, outside.

"As much as we want to run off after Keir, we need to go back to the citadel and grab supplies." Ilsa stated.

Adamo rolled up the map carefully and tucked it in his satchel, he turned away from the door and took a deep breath in, and began the trek back, Ilsa right behind him.

The guards at the gates smiled at Ilsa as they walked back through the gates to the citadel, she returned the gesture with a friendly wave and led the way up the winding streets towards the main castle entrance. Adamo and Ilsa had agreed to quickly pack some basic supplies and weapons before sneaking out the gates again to track down Rosina. Ilsa figured the two of them wouldn't draw much attention and as long as they stayed wary of bandits the two of them should make good time. Without telling her too much, Ilsa had gotten her friend, Inja, to cover for her while she was gone. Theodore had also agreed to make up some story so no one would worry after Ilsa and Adamo but also had said that he'd start a search party if they weren't back in five days.

It was almost midday as Ilsa left the gates of the citadel and found Adamo and Theodore with two horses, supplies loaded in the horse's saddles. Adamo looked ready to leave, his satchel slung over his shoulder as he took the horse's reins from Theodore. He gave Ilsa a resolute nod and promptly mounted the horse.

"If you don't come back I'm taking all your books." Announced Theodore, handing over the reins to Ilsa, who let out a very dignified snort.

"I'll haunt you forever."

"Sure you will." Theodore smiled and waved. Ilsa mounted the horse and they set off on their journey.

It had been two hours and Ilsa was exhausted. After a while of riding they'd grown tired of conversation which had left Ilsa to her own thoughts. After thinking of all the dusting she'd have to do when they got back, her mind had turned to worry. Worry about the threat of bandits, worry about what to do about Keir and mostly worry about Rosina. What-ifs plagued her mind as they rode onwards and by the look of Adamo's expression pressed into a concentrated frown, he'd been having similar thoughts.

Ilsa stopped suddenly and listened. Adamo turned around to give her a curious look and opened his mouth probably to chastise her but she pressed a finger to her lips to signal him to be quiet. She swear she had heard something slightly off the track, maybe it was just an animal but on the off-chance it wasn't...she listened even more intently. There! She heard it again. A quiet crunching of leaves and twigs like someone trying to be quiet. Ilsa saw a glint in the bushes and before she knew what she was doing she rolled off her horse and ducked, as a crossbow bolt thudded into a tree right where her head had been a second before. Adamo immediately dismounted and grabbed his lance just as a lanky, short man rushed from the trees, waving a broad sword. A click as the cross-bow loaded and Ilsa twisted around to duck behind a tree as another bolt thudded into another tree. So there was two of them. A quick glance told Ilsa that Adamo seemed to be handling himself against the other man but only just. She crept around trees until she saw the other assailant, crossbow loaded, eyes focussed on Adamo. Ilsa drew a dagger from her belt and taking a second to aim - threw it at the crossbow man's hand. He yelled in pain, the dagger lodging into his hand. Ilsa dashed foward and wrestled the crossbow from his grip and tossed it aside. The man, fury in his eyes lunged towards her, but Ilsa managed to roll aside and grabbing another knife from her boot stabbed upwards and lodged it in his neck. The man looked at her, enraged his hands grasped feebly at his throat. He let out a strangled, choked gasp and fell to the ground.

She took a second to internally thank her parents for having her learn some sort of defence but then was confronted by the fact that she'd just killed a man. Oh shit. Ilsa bent forward and took back her knives. Her lunch suddenly came back up her throat and she turned aside and threw up into the bushes. Straightening up, she wiped her mouth and turned away, unable to face the man's glassy eyes and the sheer amount of blood that there was.

Ilsa stumbled back over to the horses, where Adamo had knocked out and tied up the other man. He looked over to her, relief in his eyes but he looked down at the blood stained on her clothes.

"Not mine." Ilsa said, then walked over to the horses, mounting her ride. Adamo pursed his lips but followed suit. After a few minutes of riding he spoke up,

"I think we should ride for a little longer and find a clearing to make camp."

Ilsa nodded, she was done for the day and certainly didn't feel like talking. The gasp of the bandit remained in her mind, playing on repeat and every time she remembered it she felt more and more sick.

They rode for what felt like half an hour until they came across a small clearing. They couldn't make a fire without telling bandits and robbers where they were so Ilsa cut up some bread and cheese and they ate that for dinner. When they'd set up camp Adamo announced he'd take the first watch and gave her a worried look but Ilsa was too tired to care. So when she lay down she fell asleep immediately, dreaming of nothing.

[this chapter had me stuck for quite a while yikes, anyway if anyone has any opinion if they'd like to see any chapters from another character's pov please leave a comment. thanks ]