The Bane of the Empire

Chapter 17

That wasn't the case.

Once they were out of the city and in the forest, Duke broke out into a gallop and despite her many attempts to slow him down he did not relent his speed. Luke was left behind, his mount refusing to chase after her stallion and more than happy to hang back.

"Duke!" Dawn screamed when he jumped over a fallen tree. "Stop this at once!" She pulled on the reins and he neighed, standing on his hind legs. She struggled to hold on and once Duke realized his attempts to throw her off would not work he dropped down and stood in place. She panted and held the reins firmly in her hands.

"That was unacceptable, Duke! You could've hurt yourself! The speed you were going at, if you had fallen you would have seriously injured me and yourself." She leaned down and ran her hands on his neck. She had lost a mount before, she was not going to lose another. Duke must have understood because he lowered his head, his sign of apology.

"Oh, don't do that," she consoled. "I love speed as much as you. And that jump you were able to make was impressive. But you need to learn to listen to me, okay?"

He stomped the ground and taking that as answer enough, she steered him back. And he listen to her this time, staying in the gentle trot the whole way back to where Luke and his mount were waiting.

"I know I ask you if you were ready to show me your skills, but you didn't have to tame the wildest mount in the stables to prove a point." Luke jested.

They tied their mounts to a nearby tree, Luke's stallion standing as far from Duke as possible. They noticed this and chuckled, but continued to keep an eye on Duke in case he decided to play dirty.

"How was your ride?" She asked. Unfortunately she would not be riding for a while, her backside and legs hurt beyond belief.

He noticed this and helped her down on a soft patch of grass. "Much better than your's, I assume."

She smiled and relaxed against the grass. The sun was shining and the sky was clear. There was a cool breeze, indicating the approaching winter, but other than that it was a fine day.

"Did you test out your newly strung bow?" She asked.

Luke made a sound and stood up, going to his mount to retrieve the bow and a few arrows. He walked back, smiling the entire way, a hope in his step.

"I almost forgot, with all that excitement between you and Duke."

He nocked an arrow and pulled back the string. "Choose the target."

Dawn raised a brow and looked ahead. There were a few trees and some low hanging fruit. Picking an easier target she pointed at the nearest tree, "the trunk."

Luke adjusted his aim and let the arrow fly. It struck with a thud, exactly where she pointed.

"Nicely done," she praised.

He nocked another arrow and said, "Choose a harder target."

Point to one of the branches she said, "the branch, two-thirds away from the trunk."

Luke let the arrow fly and true to her words the arrow embedding itself two-thirds away on the branch she indicated.

"Very nicely done," she praised, impressed by his aim.

He picked up another arrow and smirked at her, "Last one, make it count."

Looking out she pointed to the low hanging apple. "If you can get that, then I will be truly impressed."

He nocked the arrow and took longer to find his mark. Drawing in a breath he let the arrow fly when he exhaled. The arrow spun as it arched in the air and came down toward the apple. Dawn watched, breath caught in her throat as the arrow neared. It was too high. The thought had her clenching her fists in anticipation.

But it was indeed too high and the arrow zipped above the apple. Her shoulders fell and her she released the breath she was holding.

"You missed." She said, crestfallen.

"Look again." Luke chimed and just as she turned, the fruit fell, plucked by a phantom hand.

"You nicked the stem." Her voice was low with amazement.

He chuckled and put his bow down. "Now that is a reaction I don't get often when working in the kitchens."

Dawn turned to him. "Why do you work in the kitchens? And who taught you how to work a bow like that?"

He pushed his hair back from his forehead and lounged on his elbow. He brought one leg up and bent it at his knee so he could turn his body partially toward her. He looked relaxed and Dawn found herself turning toward him too. The fabric of his vest gaped open and from her angle she could see the smooth expanse of skin beneath his clothes.

She clenched her teeth, steering her thoughts away from their inevitable direction.

"My father was an archer in the King's army. He taught me everything I know." A far away look appeared in his eyes and Dawn listening quietly as he told his story. "When he passed, my mother sent me to live with my father's brother, to my aunt and uncle who run the Homestead. I soon found a job at the castle and moved in there. I've been here ever since."

"Your father was an archer in King Arnoldus's army?" Dawn asked.

He grunted in response.

"Do you speak to your mother?"

He turned away from her and laid down on his back, his arms folded under his head. "She died a few years ago."

She gasped. "I'm sorry."

He grunted, his eyes closed and the sunbeam on his face. Dawn pulled her knees up and hugged them. She didn't realize when the thought formed or when she voiced it but she found herself telling him about her family.

"My parents are both dead. My younger sister and my betrothed as well."

She heard him sit up. But she kept her eyes ahead, looking out toward the trees and the arrows lodged in their bark.

"The Guild ransacked my village and beheaded my family. All I could do was watch. I never even gave them a proper burial, their bodies lay there to this day—exposed to the weather and defiled by animals."

Luke was silent beside her.

"I fled like a coward."

He didn't offer her empty words of consolation. And she was grateful for that, the last thing she wanted to hear was someone telling her she had done the best she could in that situation.

"When I found out my mother had passed, I did not attend the burial. My uncle went but I refused. We had not parted on the best terms and so I felt I was finally getting my revenge on her, abandoning her when she needed me." Luke looked out at the trees, sitting shoulder to shoulder with her. "I later found out she had never asked for me, even on her deathbed. While I sat in Ilaburn, thinking I had finally exacted my revenge, the woman never thought to bring up her only son. Even in death she won."

A moment of silence passed between the pair. Each grieving in their own way.

"I finally laid her memory to rest this past year. Now both I and my mother's soul are free."

He abruptly stood up, their horses huffed in anticipation. Offering her his hand he pulled her up and led her down the hill. He walked through the forest until he stopped near an ancient oak tree.

"This tree has been here for years and will continue to stand tall for years to come. It bore witness to the day I laid my mother's memory to rest." He pointed down and a cluster of rocks covered in moss and dirt stood at the base of the tree. "Although I do not know where my mother lays, this is the grave I gave her. My memories, my anger, my love, and my pain all lie here."

He crouched down and brushed some of the dirt away from the top stone. A small arrow was engraved on the surface. The only mark that this was a deliberate formation of rocks. He turned to her, "It may not be enough or even the same. But I believe you can lay your family to rest in this forest."

Dawn felt tears well in her eyes. And when Luke stood up to brush the tears that had escaped from her eyes, she knew that he had somehow found his way into her heart.

"It will be enough."