Bow to the King

Chapter Twenty-One

Tristan met Samuel in the stables. Samuel was already mounted on his horse, his back straight and eyes alert. Tristan walked over to Tocker and checked the saddlebags. Someone, probably a servant, had already packed supplies. Dried fruit, nuts, bread, and water were crammed safely into the bag. Samuel had a bow with him so they could hunt for meat when their supplies ran out. Hopefully, with any luck, Tristan would have Rose back with him within a day and there would be no need to spend time hunting. Eliad did not have a huge lead; if they pressed hard they could catch him quickly. Tristan mounted and settled into the saddle. He exchanged a nod with Samuel.

"Are you ready?" Tristan asked.

"Aye. Gadiel knows his instructions and I have all my equipment."

"Then let us go."

But go where? The woods were immense. How could they know where to enter the forest? Tristan forced himself to block out thoughts of Rose and think strategically.

Eliad would have been in a hurry to put distance between himself and the castle once he had Rose. He could not have travelled along a road with a kidnapped woman without being spotted and raising suspicion. The main paths had been busy all night with the Royal Ball celebrations occurring. He would have needed a quick and hidden exit... Tristan frowned. It seemed likeliest that Eliad would have entered the closest and nearest point of the forest, rather than taking the time to enter a specific area.

"We will go back to where Rose was taken and enter the nearest point of the woods from there," Tristan decided aloud. Samuel nodded and gestured for Tristan to lead. Tristan urged Tocker forward and sped around the castle walls until he reached the point where they had found Elijah. Tristan looked out to the west where the tips of the trees brushed the sky.

"There are no tracks," Samuel commented as he observed the ground.

"No. Eliad obviously wanted to mask any evidence of which direction they went," Tristan agreed, scowling. "We will enter there," he told Samuel, pointing to the forest.

"And then what?"

"Then we hope to God that we can find tracks or figure out which way they went."

They drove their horses into a gallop as they sped toward the border of the woods. The forest seemed to turn a deadly silence as they approached. They entered the woods at a slow pace, as the trees changed from sparsely spread out to densely packed together. Tristan subconsciously rested his hand on the hilt of his sword as he looked around warily.

The dangers of the forest were untamed and unchecked. Rose's wolf attack had been enough to prove that there were large predators that would hunt humans. Samuel had been right; it would not have been safe for him to enter the woods alone. They would need to take watches throughout the nights and be on their guard to ensure their safety.

They paused a few meters in from the forest. Tristan searched the ground desperately, but he was quickly disappointed. Eliad's tracks could not be found. How could they find Eliad? How did they even know if they had entered the right section of the forest? This is impossible, God! How am I meant to save Rose if I can never find her?

North.

Tristan blinked. Had that just been his own thoughts? The word had sounded clear and strong. Tristan pondered the direction. The forest was deepest in the northern direction. Too far west and they would reach the ocean. They could not be south, as that was where the castle was, and the forest stopped there. To the east the forest was thinned out by civilization – homes and farms. But to the north the forest was mostly uncharted. No one was completely sure just how far it spread as it was so huge. Their best option was to go north, possibly north-west, and hope that they found signs of Rose, Eliad, or of the rebel group.