Warrior Priest of Dmon-Li - Brian Pratt [57]
Early the next morning as they are getting ready to continue on their way, James looks to the east and sees a band of horsemen coming through a gap in the ridge. “Jiron!” he exclaims, pointing over to them.
“Let’s move!” Jiron hollers as they quickly run to the west, hoping to avoid detection. But that hope is short lived when they hear a horn, blaring. They glance back toward the horsemen and see them moving quickly in their direction, one of the riders is pointing to them.
Running through the trees as best they can, James tries to find a place to defend as he knows escape is no longer an option. They come to a steep side of the cliff where they can put their backs to as they face the oncoming horsemen.
The horn blares again and the riders come into view as they make their way through the trees before them. These horsemen aren’t part of the Empire’s forces, they wear leathers and most have short curved bows. Several of the bowmen have arrows knocked and aimed as they use their knees to steer their steeds.
“James!” Miko cries out. “What are you waiting for?”
The horsemen, though targeting them with bows, don’t feel necessarily evil or dangerous. So he holds back and waits to see what they’ll do.
At the horsemen’s approach, Jiron draws his knives and Miko brings up his crossbow. James puts his hand on the crossbow and lowers it back down. He steps forward, holds his hand up and says, “Greetings.”
Two of the horsemen exchange looks and one of them replies, “You are trespassing in Windrider territory.”
“Our apologies,” James says with sincerity. “We did not know that this area belonged to anyone.”
“None are allowed here,” the rider explains. “You must turn around and go back!”
“James!” Miko exclaims.
“Shut up!” he says to him. Turning his attention back to the rider he says, “There must be some way that we could be allowed to continue.”
“There is none,” the rider asserts. He nods over to the ridge to the north and says, “Had you crossed over, your lives would’ve been forfeit. But you have not yet crossed the sacred boundary, so I will let you live.” He pauses for a moment and then adds, “If you leave, now.”
Suddenly, he feels Jiron’s hand on his arm as he whispers, “James, look at their tunics.”
“What about them?” he whispers back.
“The beadwork,” he explains. “It’s the same as on that necklace Lyria gave you.”
James looks closer and he slowly nods his head as he sees the same pattern of shapes and colors as is on the necklace.
He begins to reach into his pouch for it when the archers begin to draw back their arrows at his movement. He stops and says, “I have something I wish to show you, if I may?”
Nodding, the rider holds up his hand and the archers relax somewhat but still have their bows at the ready.
He reaches in and pulls out the necklace, holding it out to the rider.
The rider gasps and takes it from him as several of the others gather around to examine it, the archers lower their bows a little bit more. After several moments of exchanging words in their language, the rider turns to James and asks, “Where did you get this?”
“It was given to us some time ago by a lady,” he explains.
“What lady?” he asks, an odd expression forming on his face.
“She called herself Lyria and she lived on an island in the middle of a lake,” he replies. “The lake sits at the southern edge of these mountains.”
His explanation generates more intense discussion among the assembled riders. The bowmen continue to keep their bows ready, but are no longer aiming them at James and the others.
When the conversation ends, the rider turns back to them and says, “We will take you to our camp.” Then he says something to the bowmen who put their bows away. They put the unused arrow in a quiver slung across their backs and then sling the bow alongside it.
The rider turns his attention back to James and says, “My name is Therin, sub-chief of the Windrider Clan.”
“I’m James,” he replies. Motioning to his companions, he continues, “And this is Jiron and Miko.”
“So we will be allowed to travel in your territory?” Miko blurts out.