Rise of the Citadel (The Search for the Brights Book 2) by Aaron Thomas Page A

breath from being thrown around from the wind. When no answer came he hung
his head low and began to walk toward the rock wall again. He immediately was
lifted and slammed back to the ground by a gust of wind. This time he landed
flat on his back and watched the fog come from all sides of his vision. Kilen
sat up and watched figures approach in the fog from every direction.
    A voice broke
through the fog like a wise grandfather, “There, was that so hard? All you had
to do was ask.”
    Kilen finally understood Alexander’s hint. He should have
just been polite all along.

Chapter 5 - Businessman's Blight
     
     
      The ferry
proved to be a frustrating experience as it took so long to get everything
loaded and unloaded for each trip across the river. Bowie’s men had made great
time getting to the river, but lost their lead while waiting for the ferry.
They were so fast that Bowie had arrived there only a few hours after the sun
had set. The ferrymen were already done for the day, so his troop had to wait
till morning. Unfortunately that meant his men hadn’t been able to set up a
permanent camp. They were, at least, able to bed down for the night and get a
good night's sleep after pushing so hard.
      Finally having
crossed the river, Bowie had found a campsite outside the town walls and near
the trees. He ordered Tyler to the task of getting the permanent site set up
for a week’s stay in the area. He hoped to get into town soon and acquire
enough supplies to get the men started on outfitting the army with bows and
arrows.
    Bowie watched as
yet another completed trip pulled into the dock,the burly ferrymen pulling
their way along the ropes. Being the businessman he was, Bowie knew they could
have charged more. Auburn and some of her fletchers had come across in the
second trip, and now Ria with the rest of the fletchers. One more trip and
Bowie’s small advance party would be across. Bowie went ahead and paid the
ferryman for the rest of his men for when Curtain and the rest caught up. With
the ferrying costs taken care of,he would be able to spend freely to get the
most supplies possible.
      Ria’s wagon
pulled off the docks and up the bank. Bowie held up a hand to the driver to
stop. He paused to take a deep breath then gently knocked on the back door of
the wagon. A muffled,”Who is it,” came from the inside in Ria’s voice.
      “Bowie,
m’lady,” he carefully answered back.
      The door to
the wagon slowly came open to show Wizard Ria, again in a plain brown dress
with dirt covered fingers. Bowie pulled the hat from his head and bowed deeply
as if bowing to a queen.
    “Trying to court
me, are you archer? I stopped being a lady a long time ago, I am a ma’am now.
Stand up, you look ridiculous.”
    Bowie stiffened
at the thought of him courting her, and she looked him over for a moment with
his hat in his hand. His jaw stiffened at the wizard now trying to rile him up.
    “Well, at least
you're trying to remember your manners. When this is over I'll have to have a
chat with your mother about that.”
      Bowie, still
holding his hat said, “My mother is past, she died from a fever when I was
three. It is just me and my dad now. He runs the butcher shop and wasn’t much
for teaching me manners.”
      The wizard’s
eyes narrowed. “Still, one of the town ladies ought to have taught you
something. Very well, what is it you need, Master Crescent?” She said, the last
part with a particular disgust on her tongue.
    Bowie wondered
what it would take to make this woman happy, or at least tolerant of his
behavior.
      “I was just
going see how you were doing from the ride, and see if there was anything you might
need. I am about to go into the town for supplies.”
      Ria backed
away from the door, leaving it open, and yelled out from inside, “Tell the
driver to move to the camp and you come inside. I want to talk to you, Master
Crescent.”
    Bowie did as he
was told and closed the door behind him. Ria