The Tale Teller

Ch 30

 The news came as the winter ended. A cold night, a peaceful sleep, broken by the knocks of a boy at the front door. He called out to Vaun and clothes were thrown on with a speed Vaun didn't know he processed. The embers were glowing in the fire, most of the warmth left them. What did it matter though, when the boys cries called for the stepping out into the clearing snow, ready for the battle he knew was coming.

Vaun had only arrived back from Clearwater the evening past, spending much of the dark hours banking up his fireplace and warming his toes. The villagers there had spoken of feelings in their guts, of troubles to come and blood to be shed. They had sent him back to Brinevalleybell with a warning to keep an eye open as he slept, the last words he needed to hear when he had only just grown accustomed to closing them both at night.

Stepping outside of the cottage, it was to find the boy gone. The stones scattered down the path from his retreating feet, noise sounding from the main street as the neighbours entered the night.

Vaun tossed his cloak around his shoulders, fastening it beneath his chin in vain hopes of keeping the wind out. It blew at full force here in the mountains, unrelenting, and merciless, much how the approaching guards would be.

Turning to the side of his cottage, Vaun looked across the land beyond it and below. The moon was concealed behind clouds, and without light, the lake was a black pit. If he stared long enough, Vaun told himself he could make out the boats he knew were there, though what if the merchant's guards had approached from the east, from the valley between here and Craigbarrow? It was the longest way, with the tougher terrain, a doubtful route, but now Vaun couldn't be sure. He spun on his heel, back pressing against the stone wall as he searched the night for the enemy.

A shout, loud, commanding. A call for all to assemble. With a shaky breath, Vaun ran.

The main street was quickly filling by the time Vaun reached it. Women stood with pails in hand, the contents obvious by the smell. Some were filled with animal blood and guts, others were raw sewage, both animal and human. A few children rushed around gathering stones, making haste for Vaun's own stony path. Baskets of rocks had been gathering for days now by both entrances to the village, but these children were as determined as their parents when to came to being prepared. Once again the sense of born-warriors filled the air. There was a calmness in these people, even if it barely covered the bubbling adrenaline beneath. They were raised from babes to fight, and for many, this was their time.

The elder men stood with pointing fingers, whilst the boys just grown rushed around in a frenzy. It didn't take long for Vaun to spot Branoff, marching down the street with Maren by his side. She looked furious, with a pail in one hand and a hunting dagger in the other. Branoff had his axe strapped to his back, with a belt around his waist sporting more pockets than Vaun thought possible. The closer he got Vaun could see the handles of more blades and daggers looped into the pockets, as well as handheld catapults and hanging cloth pouches for goodness knows what. It was impressive, but Vaun had no time to investigate it further before a quiver full of arrows was thrust into his hands. Where it had come from, Vaun didn't know, but he hadn't time to find out before a bow joined it.

"Ye haven't the strength to toss stones, so ye might as well shoot some arrows." Vaun couldn't hold back the cocking of his brow, for from what he had heard, shooting a bow and arrow wasn't as simple as Branoff made it out to be.

"I'll do my best." If it wasn't for his practice as a boy in the woods, he would have given the bow right back to Branoff. Vaun may be rusty but he'd still try his best, even if stone throwing would, in fact, be much easier than this.

"Have you heard yet where they're coming from?" Maren looked around, as though expecting to see the merchant's guards jump out from behind a cottage or figure standing nearby. Vaun shook his head, turning to look as much as she did.