2.5.1 – Devil’s Choice
In one instant, the mood of our journey had changed. I felt the unfamiliar and unwelcome weight of command settle on my shoulders like a stone.
Tag: Dermot Slate
2.5.0 – Hunting Party
Our first day of travel seemed to pass in the blink of an eye. We marched in comfortable silence. The newest additions to our number seemed to wrap themselves into our quick-forged companionship without so much as a ripple of dissent. Even the formerly-dour Miles Fenson seemed more at ease; I even saw him once […]
2.4.5 – Stolen Youth
Hunted by the Church in the heart of a briar hedge, we had no torches nor lanterns to hold back the night. The falling snow grew thinner with the departure of day, and in the wake of the storm came bitter cold, so cold that trees creaked and groaned in the forest and each breath […]
2.4.3 – Hope Broken
It was like drowning. Without realizing it, without being aware, the fifteen of us had pulled ourselves from the encampment, had covered new ground, faced a challenge we could foresee and overcome. The everpresent, clutching dread of starvation had been overthrown, however briefly, by the fear of a sudden and violent demise. But to return […]
2.2.4 – Hunter Dawn
Sleep clung like boiled tar after three days and nights of walking. I knew before opening my eyes that the night had not been dreamless, though nothing of those unwaking visitations now remained beyond a vague sense of disquiet. Our tent was barely wide enough to lie side by side, only a simple piece […]
2.2.3 – News Broken
Winter night was drawing around us like the walls of a witchwagon, dark and impenetrable. Larix had followed through on her threat; when our conference disbanded, we found Sedec in the process of excavating a second fire-pit, at the westernmost corner of our central tent. Some of the younger children had discerned that the process […]
2.2.1 – Druid Fort
The briar-ringed hill Berel had discovered was hollow. A semi-circular berm past the height of my shoulder ran around its circumference. On the northern edge, this berm was broken in two places, one shallow, the other so wide that two men could slip through the overgrown branches, if they minded their heads to dodge the […]
2.1.3 – Broken Day
Dawn brought grey clouds, and a light, ethereal shower of snowflakes. They sifted slowly from on high, speckled the hollows and upper boughs of the trees, and sparked in all of us a silent, wary dread. For now, the snow held off. That was a blessing. We had enough struggles. The strength of the children […]
2.0.2 – Broken Skin
“By now, I think we’re well into Alsteadshire.” I knelt on the ground, and found to my surprise that the bed of pine needles across the floor of our makeshift infirmary was thick enough to stave off cold seeping up from below. I found myself adopting a somewhat demure posture out of habit alone, legs […]
2.0.1 – Pine and Barley
To approach with poise and dignity was difficult. My belt threatened to slip off with each stride, and I settled for holding it in place with one hand, endeavoring to pass the gesture off as casual. The labors of my tutors had not been in vain; I managed not to struggle overmuch in keeping my […]
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