As You Wish
Chapter Fourteen
For a second Joseph was certain the arrow had merely grown from the tree, but Lance was struggling to hold onto the reins as his suddenly nervy horse began whinnying and dancing and his hand yanked his sword from it's holder as his eyes searched wildly from where the object had come.
Josephs mind engaged and he clapped his heels into his horses sides wheeling it back and forth to present as small a target as he could as Justin joined his side following the same pattern as another arrow whizzed between the two of them missing either one by half an inch.
"You damned fool." Justin shouted, pulling a knife from his boot and holding the point to the side of the neck of the man who rode with him. "You led us straight into danger and you will die for your trickiness."
"STOP!" Joshua shouted, as the pint pierced the skin, drawing blood to the surface and making the Lark flinch from the pain inflicted on him.
"Do not kill him Justin. He shall die only when the others have been returned to us."
Another arrow was shot, only this time being aimed at Joshua, and Galahad moved quickly to his side holding up his shield to block the two of them from the blow. The six men positioned themselves in circle, each facing out, and waited for the next arrow being aimed in their direction. When none was fired, Lance placed his sword back into it's holder and reached pulling free the arrow still pierced in Galahad's shield.
"It is not the Larks whom fire upon us. It is the Woads."
Justin turned his horse allowing him to see Lance better and replaced his own knife into his boot questioning him with a menace.
"Woad? Those people do not even exist. They are just a fairy tale. How do you know it is not Larks waiting for us to let our guards down?"
"Pardon me to disrupt your perfect knowledge...." Joseph smirked, turning his horse as the others to join in conversation. "....but Woads do exist, for I have encountered them before on my journeys."
With a frustrated sigh and a roll of his eyes Justin focused his anger on Joseph for taking Lance's side.
"You never spoke of Woads before Sir Joseph, so why suddenly do you now have secret encounters of them?"
"Not secret." Joseph laughed. "But wit you around telling your tall tales and running away with your mouth as you do, how would any of the rest of us get a word in inch wise......Sir Justin?"
Lance shook his head taking it upon himself to end the feud this time, and held up the arrow pointing out the detail of it to the rest of the men.
"A Lark takes no pride in any but that of death they cause to others. Woads on the other hand, take pride in all their duties. This arrow is a fine example. The shaft is made from the lightest wood found in the forest and it's feathers perfect so that it travels much farther than what others use. The point of it's head is sharper and longer so that when striking it's object it drives deeper into the flesh, causing more damage than ones ill made such as we use. The leather that binds it's pieces together is that of the toughest hide and only a Woad know the knowledge of putting together a perfect weapon such as this."
He smiled, watching as Justin yanked the arrow from his hand to inspect it himself and folded his hands together, resting them on the nape of his mare.
"Had your attack come from Larks you would be facing them in battle at this moment. A Woad wants only to protect their territory and will remain hidden unless it is absolutely necessary to be seen. We are on their territory and this is only their warning."
"Lancelot is correct." Tristam spoke, taking the arrow from Justins hands and examining it himself before sticking it into the small opening of his saddle bag.
"I have met but a few of the Woads and their fearless leader Merlin. They are merely asking that we leave with no further trouble and I believe we should grant them and move forward. The day may have just begun, but clouds are settling above us and here in Samarian the weather can be as unpredictable as a battle."
Justin was the first to move forward, keeping his eyes on the forest that laid around them and followed the directions of the Lark traveling horseback with him feeling comfortable with the silence that fell amongst the group of men.
**********
Joshua had traveled the rout before and knew well of the path they were taking, but held his tongue in silence as they approached the large gates, stopping at the iron entrance that blocked them. The castle was different from what he had remembered when playing there as a small child. The owner was a dear friend of his fathers and the two of them would visit often when traveling on journeys, stopping to stay a night until daylight arrived for them to continue on.
A man, unfamiliar to Joshua dressed in monks attire, approached the gate and Joshua moved his horse forward taking the lead of his men as the frail man questioned their wanting.
"Is this not the home of Lord Andrew?" Joshua questioned, scanning the land beyond the gates with his eyes for any signs of recognition.
"Yes Sir. This is the home of Lord Andrew. Are you to be expected?"
His yes landed on the fidgeting man once again and he shook his head giving the monk a smile to deter him from any suspicion he was gaining.
"No, we are not to be expected, but quite welcomed I am sure once he learns we are here. Please send word that Joshua and his Knights stand awaiting and do so quickly if you don't mind, for my men and I have been on a long journey and we are tired and in much need of a meal."
The monk did not move, but instead stood motionless keeping a watchful eye on the Knights as another man, ragged in looks, appeared from behind the stone wall and nodded to the men before walking away to the castle.
They sat in silence, each one giving the other a look of question and held their hands close to their weapons should any wrong movement be made beyond the gates in front of them. Moments passed before the tired ragged man appeared from no where again followed by a man dressed in a faded red royal robe and the monk stepped aside allowing the commoner to open the gates for their entry.
"Ahhh, Joshua. It has been many a years since you last walked my land as just a small boy. Please, come inside with your Knights."
The group of Sarmations moved forward into the gates enough to allow the commoner to close them and secure them tightly behind them once again.
"I received word of your wedding. So do tell why you stand here in front a tired old man instead of home with your future bride?"
Joshua dismounted his horse, handing the reins over to Joseph, and embraced the Lord in a hug, leaving one arm draped across his shoulders as they began their walk toward the castle.
"My men and I are returning home from our journeys and we stumbled upon your home finding ourselves tired and hungry. I do hope you would allow us a nights stay so that we may rest and fill ourselves before day light again."
Confusion over Joshuas knowledge of the Nobleman and why the Lark had led them there spread amongst the Knights as they rode their horses behind the two men, following them to the castle passing shrugging glances to one another and wanting nothing more than to continue on with the journey of finding the two captured ladies.
"We can not have the future king tired and hungry when meeting his betrothed for the first time."
Lord Andrew answered, turning to the monk and ragged man, pointing toward a gated field in the distance instructing the two men to take the Knights horses there to rest as the men jumped free from their creatures leaving their belongings for the men to bring to them later, and fell into step behind Joshua and Andrew.
Lance fell behind the group unnoticed as he stopped to watch the group harvesting in a field in the distance and noticed the brick wall standing oddly against a hillside. Never before had he seen such and his curiosity drew him closer, forgetting about the group whom had stopped to watch him.
"What is it Sir Lancelot?" Tristam called out, bringing Lance as well as Joshua and Lord Andrew to a halt as the Nobleman became unnerved trying to draw Lance back to the group.
"Come young knight. The hired hands are at work and once their duties are done for the day I will have one of my men show you around should you wish to view the grounds."
Ignoring the man, Lance began walking again, quickening his pace till he reached the odd wall, finding himself standing with a sword pointing to his throat by a man dressed in royal armour.
"Lord Andrew gave to you an order." The guard hissed, stepping closer to Lance and changing the angel of his sword so the length of the blade ran along Lances throat.
"Knight or not, I suggest you follow that order."
"Drop your sword NOW and do not lay another threat upon any of my men or you will die before any harm will be brought to my Knights." Joshua threatened, surprising everyone as he pulled his sword free and pointed the tip just above the metal vest worn on the guards chest prepared to take him down if so much as a drop of Lances blood sprang free.
"Joshua." Lord Andrew laughed, trying to cover his nervousness and glared at his royal guard silently ordering him to back away.
"Let us not get ourselves out of hand. My men are only doing their job. Come, let us go inside and enjoy a glass of fine wine."
"What bothers you Sir Lancelot?" Joshua questioned, ignoring the request of the elder Lord.
"The wall. It's purpose odd don't you think?" Lance questioned, turning his attention to Joshua as him and the guard lowered their swords into their holders. "Why would one build a wall short in width in front of a hillside unless one would be hiding something."
"Hide?" Lord Andrew laughed again. "We aren't hiding anything. It's merely....."
"YOU.....OVER THERE.....COME HERE." Joshua yelled to a hired hand whom had stopped to watch the commotion going on between the noblemen, but quickly returned to working as Joshua called out to him pretending not to hear the man. With a roll of his eyes, Gawain sighed, moving across the land to the field, and grabbed the young boy by his shirt pulling him across the grounds to where Joshua and Lance stood.
"Tell me." Joshua questioned. "What is behind that wall?"
The teenage boy held his silence watching Lord Andrew, fearful and shrugged, afraid of the punishment coming to him should he answer the Princes question.
"He will not harm you boy." Joshua stated, drawing the boys eyes to him and placed his hand on the lads shoulder nodding his head toward Gawain to let him go.
"Now I ask you again and you shall answer without fear. To what does this odd wall cover?"
"It covers those deemed for hell." An old man yelled, making his way across the grounds from the field to where Joshua and Lance stood questioning the teenaged boy. "That wall cannot be broken for Satan shall spill in the air and his demons cast away inside the hole will be free to roam the lands and do their evil deeds to those who go near."
"Crazy much?" Joseph stated, pushing the man away as he became dangerously close to Joshua as Joseph was concerned and pulled his sword holding it in front of him as a threat to older gentleman.
"Who are you, and what demons is it that you speak of?" said Joshua moving closer to man waving off Josephs threat.
"YOU!" the crazed man answered. "You are one of those demons. You are the one they warned us of." He continued, moving closer to Joshua and spitting upon his boots.
Again Gawain sighed, wrapping his arms tightly around the mans throat, and pulled him away from the Prince and shaking his head to his leader.
"Must we deal with these crazies? Lad, speak now, what is on the other side of the wall?"
"Some defied Lord Andrew, others brought here by capture. But they were wrong doing and deserved the punishment laid upon them."
"Says whom?" Said Joshua, as Justin pulled his sword moving to stand in front of Lord Andrew arching his brow and silently inviting him to battle as the man parted his lips to speak then fell silent again upon Justins threat.
"Says Lord Andrew." The boy finished, bowing his head, waiting for his punishment to come.
"Joseph......the wall."
With a nod, Joseph pulled his sword and began slashing at the stone, the group watching as each piece shattered, falling to the ground to reveal the hidden entrance.
@2005HarmonyProduction/lancesharmony
