Not Gonna Die (A Skybrine Fanfic)

|Chapter 5| When Adam helps

This book only has five chapters and it's already arguing with me when I try to write it. This is a new record. 

Also, when I was just about to start writing this book, I thought this would be the end of chapter 2 or the beginning of chapter 3. But nope!

             It took eight days of travelling at an easy pace and setting off soon after dawn for the warriors and the rescued village people to reach the base of the peaceful army at midday. The guards standing atop the wall looked quite impressive with their burnished armour and spears pointing straight into the sky but they seemed more welcoming than threatening, and one left their post when the group were within a half-hour's ride of the gate.

             Almost as soon as they were inside the walls, the people were led away by some doctors and were offered food and water while they were quickly checked over for injuries. Some of them had cuts from when their village had been attacked and although the wounds had been cleaned and bandaged, the doctors re-checked them. Adam and Quentin, after being sure that the people were in good hands (and they always were), lead their horses to the stables where they unsaddled them and rubbed them down, making sure they were comfortable before walking together to the centre of the base. The training grounds to their right were full of people, some wearing mock armour and carrying shields, others simply wielding wooden weapons, sparring against each other to the encouraging calls of Commanders. The regular ting ting of blacksmith hammers on hot steel echoed amidst the chatter and to their distant left, people moved through the fields, picking the food that was ready and keeping back the persistent weeds. In the middle, a fairytale-like castle watched over it all. Built by Mitch's grandfather, the castle had still been in relatively good condition when they had first arrived years ago and since it would be more of a hassle to knock it down, they rebuilt it to nearly its former glory. They were still working on parts, however, such as the far west wing and some storage rooms.

            The doors of the castle were propped open like always, allowing people to move in and out at will. Adam and Quentin walked together down the large passages to the repaired stone staircase leading to the east wing. The simple wooden door at the top of the sweeping staircase was unlocked and the two walked through. Quentin tossed his backpack into the corner of the carpeted room beyond and peeled off his jacket with a sigh, casting it with the backpack.

           "I've been riding for too long," he muttered.

           Adam chuckled. "Don't leave the jacket lying around, you know how Jerome gets."

           "Ugh, don't remind me. I thought my brother had been bad enough."

           While Quentin picked up his belongings, Adam strode through the modest hallways and went up a few stairs to the next landing before he reached his bedroom and went inside, locking the door behind him. His room was simple, with thin curtains over the window, a bed pushed up into the corner, wooden floors and a mat that had multiple shades of brown on it, like caribou skin. It was just dyed sheep wool, but it reminded Adam of home. He took off his warm jacket and hung it up in his wardrobe before going into the private bathroom that all of the rooms had.

           In less than 10 minutes he was heading back down the sweeping staircase, hair still damp from the shower, wearing long grey pants that had blue-grey patches on the knees since he kept ripping them and a black shirt with grey going across his arms. Around his neck, he wore a small golden circle that surrounded the purple gem his father had given him so many years ago. Ian had made it for him earlier that year when he had been working on his metalworking skills.

            Adam strolled to the building about halfway down the main street, between the gate and the castle. The building didn't seem very impressive on the outside, it was just made of a dark wood with sturdy beams that gave the impression that the single-story building was crouched contently. There were two windows on either side of the door that had the curtain drawn back and Adam took a quick glance inside before opening the door and going through.