Free The Outlaw King: The Line of Kings Trilogy Book One by Craig Saunders Page B

around into the trees. He
could see nothing, but noticed since the roar that there were no other night
sounds. Then he heard a snuffling in the bushes just ahead. He stopped in his
tracks, fear etched on his face.          ‘What was that?’
                ‘Probably
just a fox, or something,’ said Asthar, who knew little of the woodlands that
surrounded the Wherry, although on occasion he had gone hunting with his father
for deer, and once killed a fox with a sling. His father would not let him take
a bow into the woods unsupervised.
                ‘Right,
let’s get this over with. I’ll get him back.’
                Not
for the first time, Asthar said, ‘Perhaps you should just give him a thump the
next time you see him.’
                Gothar
wouldn’t admit that he was afraid of the boy, for in truth Gothar was ruled by
fear. Instead he said, ‘Come on. I told you what we’re going to do. Don’t back
out now.’
                Asthar
sighed. ‘Alright…’ He never got a chance to finish speaking. Ahead, on the
trail, a giant boar stood, the exact same as that which appeared on the Thane
of Naeth's crest, and before that, the crest of the Kings of Sturma, the king's
protector.
                Its
hide was purest black. The light glinted off tusks which were like two curved
blades.
                Asthar
didn’t waste any time. He ran. Gothar stood, rooted in fear. The boar charged
and the spell broke. He too ran for his life.
                Sometimes
boys have to face fear to become men. Gothar knew fear in that moment, and he
ran. In some ways, he would run for the rest of his life.
                One
thing was certain. He would never go into the woods again.
     
    *

Chapter Nineteen
     
    Hurth
eased his aching back, rearranging the cushion at the base of his spine. The
fresh air did him good, though he hated it.
                Merilith,
the Thane’s strange advisor, entered the courtyard from the southern door. He
padded to where the Thane waited. The Thane bade him speak as he neared. The
bustle of the city outside was muffled by the great walls of the castle, but
Merilith was still forced to speak more loudly than he liked.
                ‘My
lord, I have bad news.’
                Hurth
sighed. There had been indications of dissent from some of the outlying
Thanedoms, and he did not yet have the forces necessary to commit on more than
three fronts. He could guess at the news.
                ‘Tell
me.’
                ‘The
Thane of Spar refuses to pay the tithe, my lord. He is verging on claiming
independence. If we do not send a message now, matters will get worse.’
                It
was expected, but still rankled. ‘The Thane of Spar has a larger standing army
than most. It is there that the brunt of Draymar incursions is felt most
keenly. We cannot challenge him directly.’
                ‘But
we must send a message. If one Thanedom falls, others will follow suit.’
                ‘I
am aware of the politics, Merilith.’
                ‘Of
course, my lord.’
                ‘He
has a son, does he not?’
                ‘Yes.’
                ‘Then
bring the boy here. We will hold him ransom. See to it. You have my orders. How
you carry them out is up to you.’
                Merilith
bowed low and backed away two steps from Hurth before turning. He did this not
out of respect, but out of healthy caution. More than one of the Thane’s close
advisors had suffered the inconvenience of a dagger in the back.
                Merilith
thought of a way to capture the Thane of Spar’s son, and as he entered the
castle’s lower halls decided on who should carry out the task. He would ensure
that the Thane retained his position. Constantly, Merilith was reminded