Creative Writing - A collaborative novelette | Part 7

Part 7 of the adventures of Ziona of Asgoroth

Part 1: https://steemit.com/novelette1/@themagus/creative-writing-a-collaborative-novelette

Part 2: https://steemit.com/writing/@mrprofessor/creative-writing-a-collaborative-novelette-or-part-2

Part 3: https://steemit.com/novelette1/@krabgat/creative-writing-a-collaborative-novelette-or-part-3

Part 4: https://steemit.com/writing/@twolittlebirds/creative-writing-a-collaborative-novelette-or-part-4

Part 5: https://steemit.com/novelette1/@krabgat/creative-writing-a-collaborative-novelette-or-part-5

Part 6: https://steemit.com/novelette1/@krabgat/creative-writing-a-collaborative-novelette-or-part-6

They came late that night. Aidan was waiting for them. The door opened slowly as if they want to catch him in his sleep. He counted them as they entered his cell. Five. There were five of them. Hooded with hidden faces. They moved quietly over the stone floor in the direction of his bed. He waited. He estimated there distance from the bed and waited for the right time to move. All five are now in his cell and they approach his bed from different angles. He can see how they prepared themselves for the attack. The attack was executed in unison as they moved as one person to grabbed him in his bed….

But the bed was empty. The blanket was placed to look like someone was sleeping in it. The darkness was also his friend. Aidan slipped out from behind the door where he was hiding. The guard he shouldered out of the way and pulled the door closed behind him. Grabbing the guard's sword from his hand, Aidan killed him while taking the key out of his hand. He quickly locked the door of the cell with the hooded five inside it. By now they were not so quiet anymore.

As fast as he could Aidan changed in the guard’s clothes and walked down the corridor to his freedom. It was not too troublesome to convince the other guards to let him through into the courtyard of the castle. By now the shouting of the five has died down as the long corridor and stone walls suppressed the sound.

As he now hides in the courtyard behind some bag, he waits for the daylight which will open the large gate of the castle. Dawn was not too far off as the morning star is already looking down on them. As the dark sky turns to grey he notices the movement of people in the courtyard increases. He has already found a horse in the stables and filled his bag with whatever food he could find. The heavy ropes which kept the bright over the moat up, start to crack and he can hear how the gates are open on tight hinges. Slowly he starts to walk while leading the horse in the direction of the gate. Arriving at the gate he becomes part of a larger group of people who are waiting to start their day’s labour outside the castle.

As he leads his horse over the wooden bridge, Aidan starts to orientate himself. He notices that the castle is built in the middle of a large open field which again is surrounded by a thick forest. Between the castle and the forest, he can see the cultivated lands and farms houses where smoke is lazily coming from the chimneys.

He follows the path leading away from the castle to the forest. It snakes through the farmlands and he can see where it disappears in the darkness of the forest. As he gained on the forest he notices that his fellow travels grow fewer as they depart on the side roads to their destinations. By the time he reaches the forest, he is alone on the path. His instinct is shouting this is the hiding place for bandits and others rejected from civilisation. This is not going to be an easy journey.

By now the guard in the castle has realised that he is missing and the five in his cell is not supposed to be the prisoners. The distance blow of a horn warns him that it is time to enter the forest and face whatever is waiting for him. He prods his horse into a comfortable gallop with his one hand on the hilt of his sword.

As he follows the path deeper into the unknown of the forest a deep silence settle over him as if even the birds are holding their breath. After about an hour on the path through the forest, the hoove fall of horses on the soft forest floor reaches his ears. They are catching up. Aidan prods his horse on past a gallop into a run on a winding forest road.

Aidan can hear that he is not losing on his persuaders. As a matter of fact, it sounds more like they are gaining on him. By now his horse is tired and the saltpetre lay white on the horse’s neck. He cannot get much more out of it. Still, he prods his horse for more speed, but the reaction is far from desirable. As he turns a bend in the road his horse stumbles. The might of the momentum take him forward past the falling horse. He hid the ground on the side of the road. As he tried to get up still with the idea to get back on the horse, a pain in his upper body holds him back. His inspecting hand hid an arrow shaft sticking out of his shoulder.