Page 1 of Lord of the Castle
Chapter One
The soundof a whip crackled through the air. Oxen bellowed in distress.
"Is that necessary?" I shouted at the man whipping the oxen. "They are stuck, perhaps gentler methods would help free them!”
I yanked my boot out of the mud, and it came loose with a soft sucking sound. I scowled. Marshy country and my unknown destination made me feel both grumpy and slightly ill. Everything I’d worked for in the kingdom had unraveled and now I was being escorted to the country town of Whispering Vine. A town rumored to be cursed to protect the exiled lord.
The tradesman scowled and his lip curled as he stared at me out of beady brown eyes. He'd been giving me lewd stares as soon as he realized I was a woman, dressed in the garb of a warrior. I was a shield-maiden stationed within the walls of the King’s city. At least that had been my post until now. Banishment to Whispering Vine was my punishment. I jutted my chin out and returned his gaze. The man wouldn't give me trouble, and yet he still had underhanded ways of getting under my skin.
The air was dense and warm, and the wagon kept getting stuck in the soft layers of mud that covered the countryside. Clouds of thick white mist covered the landscape. Sweat trickled down my spine, but I refused to remove my mail, gauntlets and boots. My sword and knives hung heavy on my belt. I'd taken my helmet off and carried it tucked under my arm. My scant bundle of necessities was stowed in the wagon, but at this rate, I'd get to Whispering Vine faster if I left the tradesman by himself. Only, I didn't know the way.
The tradesman licked his lips and raised his whip again. Oxen sweat dripped off it, but the animals, used to his cruelty, bellowed again and strained. The wagon came loose with a creak, and we were off again.
"See, Mistress Mariel?” He pointed the whip at me. "My methods are effective. I don't tell you how to fight, and you don't tell me how to tame my beasts."
I lifted my chin and turned away. Fair enough.
My journey had begun with a handful of peasants following the tradesman as we wove our way from the King’s city into the countryside. Some dropped off at the first town and more at the second. But it was I who continued onward, just the tradesman and I into the thick of the land toward the village that bordered the enchanted wildwood. I'd heard nightmarish tales about it, tales that turned a heart cold, but I assumed it was the way of countryfolk who were superstitious and kept unusual traditions. They believed the forest was alive, that animals could speak to them and magic was real. The villagers were plain folk, peasants and simple-minded, and yet, their hard labor helped the kingdom flourish, therefore it was important to protect them. The exiled lord I'd been called upon to protect would live until the danger passed. I was good at following orders. Well. Except for my last diversion.
I recalled the hiss of the commander as he’d taken me by the arm, spittle flying as fury rolled out of his mouth. “How dare you take matters into your own hands and act directly against the orders of a superior. As punishment, you are hereby stripped of your rank and sentenced to serve a minor lord in a village to the north. He and his family have been exiled for they refuse to give the crown the respect it deserves. Each year a guard is sent to protect him from the terrors crawling out of the wood, for he is lame, and each year, the guard never returns. Your task is to kill the lord and make it look like an accident. Because you are a woman, you will not be suspected. Once he is dead, return here and you will be restored to your rank. Do you understand?"
"Understood. Captain." I spoke evenly, all the while rage boiled inside of me.
A message was sent via hawk, and two days later, I'd packed my belongings and joined the tradesman, headed north.
The wagon jolted to a stop, and the tradesman curled the whip under his sweaty arm and pointed to a rotting post which sagged beside a winding trail. "There you are, the road to Whispering Vine.”
My fingers balled into fists of frustration. It was nothing more than a track leading uphill and then disappearing into a grove of trees. There was no sign of the village nor the castle I would stay at for my duration in the town. My predicament was hateful, and yet, I would do as asked to regain my position. I'd show the commander. He'd see that I could follow orders, and I'd return to the King’s city.
The tradesman simpered at the tight expression I wore. "Ye din have to go down there if ye don't want to. You could come on with me. It will be a long night, but I'll make it to the next town and a comfortable inn." He winked suggestively.
"In your dreams," I muttered and snatched my bag from the wagon. "You're lucky I don't run you through with my sword."
"I could run you through with something else," he leered. "It would be more pleasant than that…" he pointed at the road.
Unfortunately, he was probably right. I had no qualms sharing a bed with a man and the tradesman wasn't bad looking, just arrogant and cruel. Poor oxen. I considered being rash, stealing the oxen from the tradesman and driving them to Whispering Vine. Nay, not even there, but onward, far into the world where no one commanded me.
But my resolved faded, and my training surged back. I would do what needed to be done without thought for myself. Slinging my bag over my shoulder, I turned to the road and marched uphill, as though I were back in the city with my regime, marching toward war. Although I’d never marched to war. Regardless, I did not know what to expect on the other side of the wood.
The tradesman's snigger echoed in my mind as I followed the track uphill. The air was cooler, yet the stickiness remained, my clothing clinging to my damp skin. My chin-length, short black hair coiled around my face, and although I tucked loose strands behind one ear, it still stuck to my neck and made my skin itch.
Dark green trees arched overhead, tree trunks curved inward and branches stretched out to cover the track with shade. An odd welcome. I swallowed hard and eyed my surroundings. Did I walk through an enchanted glade? Was this the entrance to another realm? Stories whispered in my mind, impossible tales of those who'd found hidden portals and walked through them only to discover another land, another civilization, another species.
I had messed up. And given my commander a compelling reason to get rid of me. There weren’t many shield-maidens, and after I completed my training with the Sisters of the Sword, I’d been stationed in the King’s city with my ill-tempered commander. He was not pleased to have a woman join his ranks and soon grew weary of the jokes, the laughter, the bribes, the taunts - all things I also resented but had gotten used to. Aye, if he wanted to get rid of me, this far out country town was the place.
When I reached the top of the hill, the trees cleared, opening up to a green meadow with a thick wood on one side. The trail, instead of hugging the wood, descended into the meadow. Beyond it, up on a steep hill, perched an impressive black castle. My eyes went wide, and I paused to examine the thick trees on my left with vines and foliage so thick I could not see past them into what lay at the heart of the forest. Nor did I want to.
A rustling of bushes and snapping of twigs made me jump, and then the voice of a bird, chirping, whether in warning or greeting, made me shiver. Wildlife made me feel nervous. This was not the city. Would they have warm meals and hot beds? Was it too late to catch up with the tradesman?
But daylight was failing and the open meadow was reassuring, although the bulk of the castle was not. I'd assumed my commander was joking when he mentioned the castle and thought I'd be staying at a large home, much like the lords and ladies of the court. Not a fortress, strong and steady. There was no sign of a village where the rest of the people lived, and in the fading light, it was impossible to see whether the path continued down into open lands, for it was swallowed up by the wood again.
A sensation of entrapment made my pulse quicken. Doom hung over this place. I was sure I walked to my demise, where it would be impossible to slay a lord and return to the King’s city. Failure surely awaited me.
The wind blew suddenly, rustling the wood. Reluctantly, I dragged my feet onward, but as I moved, the sound of a thousand hushed whispers came to my ears.
Oh, look. A newcomer.
It's been a long time since anyone new has come here.
