"Is the story true?"
I barely heard him. I was still in shock.
"Pitre? Is the story true? Did you kill a wolf nearly twice your size?"
"Huh? Oh, yes I did. You say that her name was Elandra?"
"Yes, that is the name she told us."
"I don't know an Elandra. Did she say anything more?"
"She talked of her village in the mountains. She was always talking about old scrolls as well. It was her favorite thing to talk about."
"What did she say about them?"
"She would tell us that she had read scrolls that told of many wonders, and that she could control some energy. We all thought it was tales that she told to scare us off. She liked to spend her time alone and her stories kept most people away."
It was about that time that Sir Paljin began to stir. He began moaning and trying to get words out.
"Water, I need water." He croaked. I quickly brought him a water skin. I had to pull it away from him so that he wouldn't drink to fast.
"You need to slow down. You'll drown yourself before you get a chance to live again."
He took the water skin back and drank sips instead of gulps.
"Pitre, how did you find me?"
"I didn't, your horse found us." I pointed to Rolf at the end of the bed standing near the door.
"Is he a Raider?"
"It's ok Sir Paljin. I told him prisoner at The Crossing, but he has earned his way to standing alongside of me as a friend."
"How can this be?"
"He had a chance to run when I brought you back into the village with you horse, but he chose to stay and help you. He isn't fond of the Raiders himself and wants to find a new path."
"If you speak for him, I will trust your judgment."
"What happened to you after you left The Crossing?"
"I returned to the caravan as you asked. I caught them before they were more than half way to The Crossing. Sir Jacob decided to turn around and take another route to the Crystal Palace. There is a road about 10 miles in the other direction that will take us there, but it would add at least a day to the ride. He wanted to get to that trail before he sent a scout to return to The Crossing and give you word of our plans. We were almost there when we were ambushed by archers hiding in the tree line. Arrows came from both sides of the trail and the wounded in the carts were the first ones hit. It was as if they targeted them first. Sir Jacob ordered the Knights to dismount and protect the carts. Everyman climbed from their horses and grabbed their shields to protect the weakest of those in the caravan. Some of the villagers bravely tried to advance to the tree line to attack our attackers, but they were all shot down. Sir Jacob ordered me to get back on my horse and ride for you to warn you of the danger. I handed my shield to a villager and got on my horse as quickly as I could. I rode off as fast as I could but an arrow still caught me as I left. I turned back to see the archers leaving the safety of the trees and advance on those that remained. They must have run out of arrows and decided to take the rest in combat."
"When was this Sir Paljin?"
"When did you find my Pitre, sorry, Sir Pitre. I have forgotten myself."
"We heard you coming up the trial before dawn."
"It was late in the afternoon when we were attacked. I can remember watching the sun fall before I blacked out. Was my horse unharmed?"
"There wasn't a mark on him. He is fine and resting in the stable with our other horses. Rolf saw to feeding and watering him."
"Thank you Rolf. That horse saved me and led me to here."
"Do you think that Sir Jacob and the rest of the Knights could have turned the archers back in combat?"
"They surely could, but they would have been distracted protecting the wounded. I can remember counting 20 archers that had left the trees, but that doesn't mean that that was all of them."
"Are you up for riding yet?"
"I'm amazed that I'm even able to speak to you now."
"Your wound is fully healed."
I saw Sir Paljin turn to Rolf as he said this, and had a look of pure astonishment on his face.
"Did you heal my wound? It can not be."
"He healed you, or watched you heal yourself. Neither of us can really figure out what happened, but your wound is healed."
"Pitre, there truly isn't anything that you can't do. I would say that you are a surprise every time I see you."
"I don't know what happened either. I had taken the arrow out of your back and was holding pressure on it until Rolf could get back with scraps of cloth. I simply watched your wound knit itself back together. I did nothing more than that."
"I have no ability to heal myself, so it must have been you, but how?"
"Neither of us know. What I do know, is that we have to get to the caravan as soon as we can. You should eat something before we leave. Even though your wound is healed, your body is surely weak from exertion and blood loss."
"A small bit wouldn't hurt me. I don't feel weakened. I was only thirsty. Whatever you did to my wound healed my whole body as well."
"If that is how you feel, then I will get you some food and then we will be on our way. We have to get the caravan and help if we can."
"If they did hold off the archers and get away, then Sir Jacob would have kept moving to avoid anyone coming to pick off the rest of them. I know the trail they were heading to, so I can get us that far, but we will have to track them the rest of the way."
"So be it, we will ride within the hour. Rolf, you don't have to remain with us. You have told me everything you know, and you can leave and try and build a new life for yourself."
"Aye, but where would I go? It seems that I would be better off sticking as close to you as I can. Besides I heard him call you Sir Pitre. I would be in the company of two Targen Knights would I not? I can't think of a safer place to be."
"Maybe some place far from here and all this fighting."
"Fair enough, but if the tale of the twice sized wolf is the start, and you healing a man is the middle, I want to know what tale comes next. Maybe I'll be in it myself. I could stand for people telling tales about Sir Pitre and his good friend the Raider turnabout Rolf."
I couldn't help but laugh at this, and it seems that it tickled Sir Paljin as well.
"Very well, we leave within the hour. I think you should get a little something to eat as well Rolf. You don't want them calling you the waif thin Raider turnabout do you?"
"Not one bit. I'll get a meal prepared for all of us."
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