The Assassin's Redemption

Chapter 1

Wheat field and path-art found on Pintrest at Devianart.com. 

Grassy plains and wheat fields spanned either side of a busy dirt road.  Many travellers, and merchants pass each other, guiding their buggies and carts on their way from and to the city. Among them was a young man, in a white hooded cloak. Stopped on the side of the road, the man  lowered himself to the path from a tanned horse. Leading his horse, they walked some strides, a pace slightly quicker than most of those around him. Suddenly he bent forward and clutched his midsection. Instinctively, his gloved leather hand gripped the reigns of his horse, preventing him from falling over. He let out a struggled grunt,  trying in vain to hide the agonizing fire of his abdominal area.

The horse whined, sensing a change in its master's health condition. He patted her neck, "It's okay Lady, it's just another pain spell. Will take a short break in a few minutes." he assured her.

Lady tossed her black mane and allowed her master to continue to move forward. The young man take now slower steps. With each footstep, he tried to focus his mind on the chatter of the people around him. The hooves of the surrounding animals and the glaring sun of the afternoon only made his head swim. He could feel his strength leaving him quickly. Before he could stop himself, he collapsed to the ground.

I can't stay in the middle of the road like this. Someone might trample me. I got to move-were the young man's last thoughts before blackness overtook him.

Observing all of this, was a middle age man with his mule and peddler's cart. He had watched the white cloaked man slow down and drop to the ground. Judging by the way the man had touched his abdomen, he knew there was some type of internal pain. Now he watched as the travellers and merchants ignored and sidestepped past him. One wheel almost run over the man's arm. His buck skinned horse whined in distress over her master.

The stranger is going to get hurt by a buggy or animal hoof. I must help him. Guiding his mule to the side of one of the wheatfeilds, the man took out a worn satchel from his cart. "Stay here, Beth girl. I'll be back." he told his mule. The mule, as if understanding the situation, let out a short snort in response. 

The man managed to push his way through the crowd and got to the stranger and his horse. "Try to ease that horse down! It's causing a disturbance." a trader foamed as several other men tried grabbing the horse's reigns. Stomping a black hoof, the horse nickered and bite at anyone who came near it and it's master. Observing this, the man knew to approach the horse cautiously first before aiding the stranger.

"Shh, it's alright, girl. I'm here to help your master." came the gentle voice of the man. It breathed rapidly in and out. The other traders who were trying to control the horse, parted away. He held some pieces of grain for her. The horse then focused large distress brown eyes at the soft-spoken stranger. "There's nothing to fear here." Choosing to trust him, Lady sniffed the grain before gingerly taking some from his hand.

The man stroke the horse, "That's it. Good girl.", the powerful muscles relaxed as the man continued to coax it. Seeing that the horse was calm, the man shifted down to his knees.He could see that the stranger wore a piece of grey cloth over his mouth, making it hard to guess how old he was. Sweat plastered his pale face, indicating something internal was making him feel ill. Placing two fingers along the neck of the stranger, he could feel a pulse. "Praise the Maker, you're still alive! Let's take you out of this crowd." he said and carried the shorter man to his mule and cart. The horse followed after him.

He settled the stranger on a blanket, placing a soft straw pillow underneath his head.  Glancing up, he could see that it becoming late afternoon. He reason that it as more important to nurse this man's health right now then try to continue his journey home. Stretched in front of him were no trees in sight. Only miles of fields and hills met his gaze. Taking the reign of the horse and unhooking his mule, he took two pegs out of his cart and pounded it to the ground. He tied the animals to the pegs.

Looking at the setting sun, he then took out some kindling and proceeded to make a fire. He used three long poles of wood to hang a small pot of water. The stranger moaned in pain, and he dubbed a cool cloth over his forehead. "Rest easy, Sir. You are in good hands now."