Below the Peak (Sola)(27)
Nara stayed awake all night and knew her fellow warriors did too, lest the nykr returned.
***
Horses clopped at a steady rhythm on the bridge as they neared Vessener’s great iron doors. Set in the smooth green plains, great walls erected from the ground to up high and surrounded the large capital city. The evening sun enswathed Vessener’s towers with colors of dusk. Vessener located northeast in the kingdom was bordered by hills and Ruhig forest, a dense forest that stretched to the south of the nation and to the far east while to the far west laid beach swamps and Fisher Province.
Lucky nickered, whipping her tail back and forth.
“Me too. I’m glad to be home” Nara murmured, petting the horse silky black neck.
She tilted her head and watched Barra stretch his hand high, holding the black flag of Murisa with a gray wolf as an emblem. He waved it back and forth to signal the guards patrolling in the towers to open the gates. The great gates were opened during the day and closed at night except for trade day. Merchants from other cities and territories came to display their goods and trade. The doors were left open for five days and night during the event. A horn blew and the unyielding gates opened; they marched inside the heart of Murisa. Well-built townhouses, residences, and merchant shops stood tall and emitted a yellow glow of burning lamps through the opened large windows.
They slowly trotted into the capital. People went on about their business while a few men, women and children who were unoccupied stopped to welcome them as they usually did, waiting for one of them to speak anything of the trip. Nara could see inquisitiveness mirrored on their faces, hopefully waiting. It shriveled the little excitement she had of returning home. No reply came from the troop, rather, they kept their eyes straight ahead as they trotted toward the castle. Only if they knew bad news is what they brought with them this evening, they wouldn’t look so curious. News strong to shake the entire kingdom possibly send every beating heart into a state of fright panic. Nara was certain many would not be able to control themselves, and in the result, riots would outbreak and spread across the kingdom. Something she surely didn’t want to deal with when a greater enemy was knocking on their door. Hence, keeping their mouth shut behind their helmets was a good call. Reluctantly the horde that was forming behind them as they neared the king’s manor dispersed in murmurs and disappointment. The troop came to a halt at the courtyard. Giant sculpted marbled wolves guarded the stairways between leading inside the castle, their gemmed eyes reflecting the burning fire from the torches mounted on the pillars in the vicinity.
Three men stood before them. General Tatu, a bald huge middle-aged man with a thick red beard and dressed in boots and black trousers and green buttoned badges studded doublet with a sword hanging on his waist. The mage beside him wore a grey cloak that shadowed his face, and to his left stood lord Thani. Startled by her father’s presence, she watched him keenly as Barra approached the General. Both the lord and the General’s face remained unreadable as Barra reported the devastating news concerning Latrell.
“You may take your leave soldiers” the General ordered after his short discussion with Barra, his firm dark hawk like eyes landing briefly on them before quitting the night with the mage on his side. Her father remained behind. Warriors paid quick respect before him as they also took their leave.
Nara stayed and approached her father when everyone else dispersed.
“How are you?” her father implored holding her gaze the moment she got close to him. “Take off your helmet” he urged before she could reply.
“I’m fine. Let me return the horse to the stables, and I will speak with you father”, she said, wanting to avoid the inspection.
Her eyes narrowed with concern. “Father what’s troubling you?” He looked tired, circles under his eyes. With everything that has been happening lately, she was beginning to worry.
“Nothing is wrong, now show me your face,” he said again. Sighing Nara took off her helmet her plaited hair fell past the shoulder plates and hanged to her waist. She turned the less bruised cheek to him, hiding the other in the shadow. Her father wasn’t fooled, lifting her chin gently with his thumb, he turned both sides to the light his brows creasing when he saw her battered jaw. He clucked, unhappy. Her father hadn’t been pleased when she decided to join the army and had made his displeasure known to her many times. He tried countless times convincing her to leave the army, but his words failed to persuade her. Hence he settled to inspect for any visible wounds on her face or hands whenever she returned home. Nara always found it ridiculous and sometimes incredibly annoying. Goodness! She was twenty-four and not a child. Her profession didn’t come with bruise free and life guarantee. Nara would have objected like any other day yet today she perceived it was urgent, he looked unsettled more than he was when she had just joined the army hence she obliged.
“You have to stop this. No more of this”, Jae murmured sternly as a guard passed them while they began to walk toward their house. Lucky trotted behind them naturally. “Do not worry it’s just a simple bruise. It will heal.” she tried to brush it off with a smile but ended up wincing instead.
“You always come home wounded. I do not like this happening to you.” His concern was more than usual. This had her worrying even more.
“Tell me, what’s going on? Did anything happen? How are Ingrid and mother, are they alright?” she questioned.