Catching the Wind

Respect

After making sure she was covered and warm, he stood and headed out of the tent. A handful of soldiers were hovered together looking over in the direction of the Nikolas's tent.

They were talking about the woman who just popped out of the smoke. One soldier was using his hands to describe her figure and the men laughed and nodded in agreement. 

  

"Now that the knights have no King, have thee become ruffians? Bandits? Tasteless thieves who pillage and rape!?" Nikolas said this with distaste when he walked over and scuffed the nearest soldier on the back of the head.  

"Keep yer words and thoughts to yer self. We are yet unsure who she be and what she be about. Until then, avoid looking at her till I say differently! Hear me?" His thunderous tone could be heard echoing for miles. He didn't take kind to disrespecting women he didn't know, but once he crossed that line, he knew what kind of animal he could be as well. 

  

A sudden ruckus could be heard coming through the trees towards the stream. It was Caspian, though in dragon form. He shifted back as he ran towards the group. Nikolas could see blood on Caspian, across his shirt, dampening his hair. Unsure of who's blood it was, he caught Caspian just as he stumbled. 

  

"Caspian, in God's name what happened boy!? Are ye well? Tell me, let me look at ye!" Grabbing Caspian and turning him like a father would inspecting his son for injuries, Caspian coughed and nodded. 

  

"I..I'm fine Captian, but ..but..I killed them!" With that last part Caspian lost all his strength and fell to his knees sobbing hard into his bloody hands. 

 All the men gathered around Caspian, including the wizard. The wizard Vermanius watched as the boy's body shook. The Wizard knew all too well the feeling. Unable to let Caspian go through this any longer, the Wizard reached out and laid his hand on Caspian's blood soaked hair and murmured a few words. After what seemed like only a moment, Caspian stopped crying, and passed out. Drawing his sword swiftly, Nikolas pointed it at the wizard's neck. 

  

"What have ye done old man, SPEAK!" The words rang out waking Hagthoria who had fallen asleep earlier leaning on a stump, and was snoring louder than a dragon's roar. 

  

"Sir, I merely put him in a comfortable sleep. The poor boy was in such a fit over what had happened, I fear he not stop crying until his death. I was able to see what happened as well when I laid my hand upon him. Please remove yer metal from my neck and I will be happy to tell." The wizard was a bit offended by the Nikolas’s actions, but sided with not blaming him. 

  

"Alright. Someone, take Caspian to rest, and check on Barreth as well. Wizard, explain what ye have seen." Telling the wizard this he gestured towards where the Witch was once snoring but now awake and downing her first cup of ale for the day. No one had slept through the night's events, so all were one edge. 

Sitting on the damp moss covered stump and straightening his robes, the wizard spoke. 

  "The poor lad, he had found the bilberry bush as ye had instructed, but he had been set upon by scouts from the King. They had plans to kill Caspian from what I could tell, as they thought him to be just a page. Little aware, they would be facing a scared dragon. I don't think the lad intended them harm, but to just flee. Unfortunately, sir, he was forced into it. I could see that the scouts attacked him with their swords but unable to land a blow. Caspian simply turned to run as a dragon, too fast and got them with his wings and tail. It is fortunate but a sad happening as I could tell the poor boy had never shed another's blood." The wizard finished explaining with a sorrowful look in the direction where Caspian was taken to rest. 

  

"Aye, tis be a sad story, but ye be fools and at the fault! Sendin a beast that'd be the last one of his kind, on top of he be'n jist a boy, an out alone! Fools I say, FOOLS!" She reached up and smacked the back of the wizard's head, causing his pointy felt hat to fall. Coving the bald spot framed by snow white hair on top of his he'd let a curse out as he stood and bent to gather his hat. 

  

"What has gotten into ye old woman? Crotchety old ..oomph..toad of a shebeast!" Trying to continue with his verbal harassing, the witch kneed him hard. 

  

"Ye should be knowin best then any, how important tha lad bee!" Turning to Nikolas and ignoring the beaten wizard, she spoke her mind further. 

  

"Ne'er again shuld he be left alone, or by sum Goddess I will turn ye Nikolas into a rock!" Her tirade ended with one eye cocked at him and hands on the girth of her hips. 

  

"My apologies Hagthoria, it was a mistaken foresight that I did not send someone with em. I forget he is just a lad sometimes." Shaking his head, Nikolas felt guilty, he knew better, but in a bit of chaos over the newcomer, he had forgotten his purpose. 

  

Turning away, Nikolas headed for the main tent, leaving the squabbling witch and wizard to occupy themselves. Entering it, he seen that Barreth was finally propped up on an elbow on top of the pallet of furs, being handed a cup of water. 

  

"How ye feelin?" He asked Barreth as he sat down on a fresh cut stump. Nikolas let out a heavy breath from weight of the day, he'd been holding. 

  

"Suppose I should be asking ye that Cap’n, but if ye honestly want to know, am alive, and important limbs are still attached." Chuckling at himself softly, Nikolas chuckled as well. 

  

"Heard what was said earlier, about the lad. Don't be too hard on yer self Cap’n. He is of age to be fightin. It's right time we should finally teach him." Barreth said this as more of a question then a claim. Nikolas nodded in acknowledgement, he agreed, but for the moment, they had a different issue to address. 

  

Standing up, Nikolas remembered Barreth didn't know about the newcomer. 

  

"While ye were knocked on yer arse, we acquired a guest. Apparently, the witches' drunk mumblings failed in sending Caspian to somewhere safe." Relaying it, Nikolas could tell Barreth was not surprised. 

  

"Ah, yes, I realized it once I overheard what had happened to the lad. What kind of guest? Tis a woman?" Barreth rushed to get up.