said another man with a lantern, stomping towards them.
‘Viden, we found a creature.’ said Biorn.
‘We or me?’ Steinn said.
Viden shone his lantern in Natalia’s face.
‘Open your eyes.’ he said to her. She did. He examined them and checked her teeth. ‘She looks mortal.’ Natalia sighed in relief. He added, ‘But we can’t be sure. Tie her up.’
She tried to protest but they bound her hands, took her sword and her bag and led her to the fireplace. They sat her down against a log of wood. She glared at them but studied them. Viden looked much older than the other two. His dark hair was white at the temples but he looked fit and was dressed in the same military robes as the others. She suspected they were Naphdaelian guards. Viden stood before her in an authoritative air, arms akimbo and his feet wide apart. He said to her, ‘What is your name?’
She hesitated for a few moments, measuring him with her eyes, and said, ‘Sinerra.’
‘Where did you come from?’
‘From the village of Ashten.’
‘Never heard of it.’ Steinn said, helping himself to the leftover food in her bag.
‘There are many things you haven’t heard of, Steinn. I would suggest you don’t exhibit your hard-earned ignorance in the presence of our guest.’ Viden said, turning his attention back to her. ‘You look nice for a village girl. I bet we can make a large profit off you from the market.’
She didn’t answer. Her eyes were on Biorn and Steinn as one examined her sword while the other tore large chunks off a half-eaten loaf from her bag. A look of recognition passed through Biorn’s face as he handled her sword. Natalia felt her stomach swirl. She watched Biorn rise up and walk to Viden, interrupting his monologue about how terrible it is for a young girl alone in the forest. He whispered something in his ears. They went aside and discussed in low tones, casting glances at her and at the sword in Biorn’s hand. Natalia tested her bonds. She had to escape .
Viden took the sword from Biorn and walked back to her. ‘Sinerra, I and Biorn were admiring your sword. It was crafted in the most exquisite way, made for an heir—the heir to the kingdom of Helmford as we can see by the crest.’ He added, swerving her sword, ‘However, it intrigues us how it got into the hands of a village girl from Ashten. Ashten is in the opposite direction from where you’re coming from, which means you don’t know Naphdael well or you’re lying.’ He placed the sword at her throat. ‘So tell us, Sinerra--if that is truly your name--who are you? We may decide to spare you.’
Despite her racing heart, Natalia kept her defiant air. She looked into his eyes and said, ‘You don’t intimidate me.’
Viden removed the blade from her neck and walked around the flames, maneuvering the sword. The fire cackled, filling the silence. Steinn busied himself searching her bag for more food while he chewed on her last morsel of bread. Biorn nudged him to keep still. He stopped and scratched his head, looking blankly around. Viden broke the silence, ‘I remember a long time ago when I was a young soldier in the army, a bearer of a blade such as this one plunged his sword into my chest and almost killed me. That war left scars that will never heal--’
‘If you fear scars then you shouldn’t be a soldier--’
‘I’m not finished.’ he said. ‘Men who carried these swords, men of Helmford, killed my two brothers on that same day. My ailing father died that night upon hearing the news. I lost everything. I wished death had claimed my life as well.’ His voice broke as he gazed into a distance, the pain visible on his face like a dark mask. His men were quiet, observing him.
Natalia tested her bonds again. She had a growing awareness of the danger she was in. She took a deep breath and said, ‘I’m sorry for your loss but you shouldn’t judge an entire people for the actions of a few--’
Viden seized her neck and placed the blade
‘Viden, we found a creature.’ said Biorn.
‘We or me?’ Steinn said.
Viden shone his lantern in Natalia’s face.
‘Open your eyes.’ he said to her. She did. He examined them and checked her teeth. ‘She looks mortal.’ Natalia sighed in relief. He added, ‘But we can’t be sure. Tie her up.’
She tried to protest but they bound her hands, took her sword and her bag and led her to the fireplace. They sat her down against a log of wood. She glared at them but studied them. Viden looked much older than the other two. His dark hair was white at the temples but he looked fit and was dressed in the same military robes as the others. She suspected they were Naphdaelian guards. Viden stood before her in an authoritative air, arms akimbo and his feet wide apart. He said to her, ‘What is your name?’
She hesitated for a few moments, measuring him with her eyes, and said, ‘Sinerra.’
‘Where did you come from?’
‘From the village of Ashten.’
‘Never heard of it.’ Steinn said, helping himself to the leftover food in her bag.
‘There are many things you haven’t heard of, Steinn. I would suggest you don’t exhibit your hard-earned ignorance in the presence of our guest.’ Viden said, turning his attention back to her. ‘You look nice for a village girl. I bet we can make a large profit off you from the market.’
She didn’t answer. Her eyes were on Biorn and Steinn as one examined her sword while the other tore large chunks off a half-eaten loaf from her bag. A look of recognition passed through Biorn’s face as he handled her sword. Natalia felt her stomach swirl. She watched Biorn rise up and walk to Viden, interrupting his monologue about how terrible it is for a young girl alone in the forest. He whispered something in his ears. They went aside and discussed in low tones, casting glances at her and at the sword in Biorn’s hand. Natalia tested her bonds. She had to escape .
Viden took the sword from Biorn and walked back to her. ‘Sinerra, I and Biorn were admiring your sword. It was crafted in the most exquisite way, made for an heir—the heir to the kingdom of Helmford as we can see by the crest.’ He added, swerving her sword, ‘However, it intrigues us how it got into the hands of a village girl from Ashten. Ashten is in the opposite direction from where you’re coming from, which means you don’t know Naphdael well or you’re lying.’ He placed the sword at her throat. ‘So tell us, Sinerra--if that is truly your name--who are you? We may decide to spare you.’
Despite her racing heart, Natalia kept her defiant air. She looked into his eyes and said, ‘You don’t intimidate me.’
Viden removed the blade from her neck and walked around the flames, maneuvering the sword. The fire cackled, filling the silence. Steinn busied himself searching her bag for more food while he chewed on her last morsel of bread. Biorn nudged him to keep still. He stopped and scratched his head, looking blankly around. Viden broke the silence, ‘I remember a long time ago when I was a young soldier in the army, a bearer of a blade such as this one plunged his sword into my chest and almost killed me. That war left scars that will never heal--’
‘If you fear scars then you shouldn’t be a soldier--’
‘I’m not finished.’ he said. ‘Men who carried these swords, men of Helmford, killed my two brothers on that same day. My ailing father died that night upon hearing the news. I lost everything. I wished death had claimed my life as well.’ His voice broke as he gazed into a distance, the pain visible on his face like a dark mask. His men were quiet, observing him.
Natalia tested her bonds again. She had a growing awareness of the danger she was in. She took a deep breath and said, ‘I’m sorry for your loss but you shouldn’t judge an entire people for the actions of a few--’
Viden seized her neck and placed the blade
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