[Fantasy] The Unburnt Ranger - Part 4

Cover designed by @bex-dk with pictures from pixabay.com.

Cedric had asked the same thing several times in the last two hours. "What does it mean to be The Unburnt?”

And to that, he’d gotten only one reply, “The time will come when you learn what you are. Be patient. For now, we have to ride far away from Ascot.”

Cedric grunted and gazed forward at the forest path. They’d left the main road. He had assumed it was to avoid his followers, but he still had no clue who or what was after him. What if Wilson is not who he says he is? Cedric felt an urge to keep him in sight at all times. Still, he couldn’t completely suppress his excitement. He’d always longed for an adventure.

The lights of a village shone through the trees. Wilson got off his horse and crept through the bushes towards the main road. Cedric stayed on his horse and tried to see him, but Wilson was completely hidden.

A short while later, he returned to Cedric and got on his horse again. “There’s an inn.”

They turned back to the main road and entered the village. Everything was very quiet and the only sound was the faint muffle coming from the inn. They dismounted and left their horses at the hitching post.

Cedric finished tying up his horse and noticed Wilson had only laid the lead over the post. “Aren’t you going to tie him up?”

Wilson laughed. “Have you already forgotten Khal is an Aldimiri horse? And so is Pike.” He went over to Cedric’s horse and untied him. “You put them in danger by doing this.”

Cedric frowned. “Sorry.”

Everyone stopped what they were doing and peered at the two strangers who had just entered. A moment passed and the villagers quickly got back to drinking, singing and cheering to the troubadour playing his lute.

Wilson sat down facing the door at the table farthest away and signaled Cedric to sit on the other side. “Better be on your guard, Cedric. We might meet someone we’d rather avoid.”

He looked with raised eyebrows at Wilson, who still hadn’t removed his hood. “Why are we here then?”

“This is the place they would least suspect.”

He tilted his head to the side. “And who are they?”

Wilson leaned forward. “A gang of mercenaries. Tavoks they call themselves. I don’t know who hired them, but they’re after you.” He straightened his back and turned his head to the fireplace. “For reasons I don’t know.”

Cedric shrugged and shook his head. “I don’t believe you.”

Wilson pinched his lips and started blinking faster. “What?”

“I said I don’t believe you. You’re not telling me everything.”

Wilson turned his head towards Cedric, looking into his eyes. “The Tavoks demanded us, the Shadow Watchers, to hand you over. They were going to attack with even more men than usual and we would be outnumbered. The only thing we could do was to agree to do as they said. But… I just couldn’t…”

More than usual? What was that supposed to mean? There haven’t been any attacks on Ascot as long as Cedric could remember. He frowned.

Wilson sighed and continued. “The truth is, I need you. I’m taking you to a remote place--far away from danger. But the time will come when you will have to come out from hiding. Northbury’s future lies in your hands.”

Cedric scratched the back of his head. He wanted to understand. He started to realize he might actually be important, but how could---.

The door flew open. The room fell silent again as the villagers stared at the newcomer. Wilson turned his head towards the entrance, cursing under his breath.

“Whatever you do, Cedric, do not turn around. Act natural.” He talked slowly and quietly, making sure he was understood. The villagers stopped glaring at the stranger and were in full swing again.

Cedric’s heart pounded. The possibility of danger lurked behind him. He clenched his eyes shut, but he couldn’t resist. Pulse racing, he leaned back and tilted his head, just enough to see who had entered.

The person was wearing a cloak. A dark cloak with a shade of green---just like Wilson’s.

A Shadow Watcher.

Cedric spun back around, but Wilson was gone. Instead, a small piece of folded paper rested on the table in front of him. A note. He slid it towards him while looking around for Wilson. He opened the note and read. Meet me south of the village. Walk out normally, he doesn’t recognize you.

He carefully rose and walked towards the door. The Shadow Watcher sat down with a group of villagers and he didn’t appear to pay any attention to him.

Cedric gripped the door handle and pushed. He slunk out and walked to the hitching post to get his horse.

***

“Why are you running from your own kind?” He shouted, even though Wilson was riding right next to him.

“Have you already forgotten what I told you at the inn? I betrayed my people to save you. Shadow Watchers have been protecting Ascot for years from mercenaries. Until recently we didn’t understand their motives, but now we do. All this time, it was your head they were after. We had a choice. Either we handed you over or they would...”

“Or they would what?”

Wilson looked down and scratched his forehead. “I should not have told you that.”

Heat rose in Cedric’s cheeks. Why could he never get any real answers? He pulled his horse to a stop and shouted with all his might. “Or they would what?”

Wilson stared down at his horse. “They would bring three times as many men, more than we can handle...” He spoke with a low voice. “And burn down the village.”

Cedric lost his grip on the reins and fell off his horse.

Ren.

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