Bound to Survive (The Magic Within Book 1) (14 page)

Gradually life changed and the people of the town began to accept the soldiers. They became part of their lives. They’d little choice in the matter.

Christopher woke early. He lay in his bed and thought about what had happened at the quarry last night. It was dangerous to meet as they did and with the new members that had attended, Christopher wasn’t so sure they should congregate again. Sunday he and his friends would meet up at Jimmy’s barn and try to discover what the elder men of the village were up to. But today he and Albert had swords to make. No doubt Kovak Turr would stop by to inspect his merchandise.

Christopher finally left his bed, and after he’d dressed he ventured into the kitchen. He found his aunt busy as she prepared the meal for the day.

‘Good morning, Aunt Rose,’ Christopher said as he helped himself to a cup of tea from the pot on the table.

‘Morning, Christopher. Did you get in late last night?’

‘No, not late.’ Christopher helped himself to the bread and jam. ‘Peter and I caught up with some of the other lads from the village.’

‘Well your uncle’s already outback in the workshop. I’ll make another pot of tea and you can take it out with you when you’re ready.’

Christopher finished his breakfast and poured himself another cup of the hot brew. He liked to spend time in the morning and watch her as she worked in the kitchen. It reminded him of when he’d first arrived here at their house. He was only four back then, but he remembered how his aunt had fussed over him. Rose had always wanted Christopher beside her back then and they’d spent many a morning in the kitchen and in the garden. Together they’d baked and preserved food from the garden for the winter months. Christopher had a love of the outdoors and always helped out where he could. He’d also spent time with his uncle in the workshop, but not until he grew older would he spend most of his time in there. It was dangerous for a small boy to be left to his own devices near the heavy steel and hot forges.

Christopher also remembered the day of the invaders. The family always went into the village on a Saturday morning. It had been market day and he and his aunt had walked in ahead of Albert while Albert went to load up his order of steel. It’d been a cold morning so they’d rugged up to keep warm. After they’d delivered preserves to the local inn, Rose and Christopher had walked around the market stalls and Christopher had played with the other children while they waited for Albert to arrive.

As Christopher had run around the market with the other children, a horn had blared in the distance. The children had been oblivious to its significance and their parents had panicked as they searched for them. The Dale had planned for this event. The people had known eventually the invaders would come their way. They’d chosen not to raise arms and fight as many other towns and villages had. Instead they’d decided to surrender to avoid any bloodshed. Stories had been told by those who’d escaped the horde’s invasion of the slaughter, rape and devastation they’d seen. Their villages had been stripped bare and they’d been told those who’d fought the army were killed. The elders knew the end result would be the same here. The army would take what it wanted no matter what. The people couldn’t fight this enemy and so together they’d decided on another plan of action. Their plans had been set in motion and all in the village had known what they were to do. Previously they’d taken the most important items they wished to keep and had buried them in their gardens, but they left enough to satisfy the army when it arrived. Once the people knew the army was headed towards their village, the women and children were to gather in the local church and leave the men to surrender to the Lord and they hoped they’d be able to make a deal to spare the lives of all who lived there.

The town’s people had rushed around frantic as they’d gathered their children and headed for the church. Christopher had had no understanding of what the commotion was about and he’d lost sight of his aunt. He’d tried to look for her, but the sudden flood of people around him had made it impossible for him to see where she was. He’d been caught up in the rush and Christopher began to cry. A man had grabbed him by the arm and pulled him along in the crowd. Christopher had fought against the man’s grip, but the man was too strong. He’d been jostled around as they moved through the market and the toe of Christopher’s boot had clipped a cobblestone. Christopher had fallen and the sudden movement of his body had caused the man to lose his grip. He’d plummeted forward and landed heavily, but his hands and knees had borne the brunt of the impact.

The crowd had rushed forward and had failed to notice a small boy as he fell to the ground. The man who’d held onto Christopher lost sight of him and continued on to the church with his own family. Christopher had stood up and stumbled his way along in the mass. Frantically he’d searched for his aunt. He’d come to the edge of the crowd near the inn, recognised where he was and headed for the stairs that led to the porch.

Christopher was near the bottom of the stairs when he’d heard the thunder of horses’ hooves as the invaders had ridden into the market. Christopher had looked behind him and seen Arnak as he’d ridden in on his monstrous steed. The Lord had pulled his stallion to a halt in front of the men of the village as they’d gathered at the far end of the market and Christopher had huddled next the bushes to stay out of sight. He’d searched for any sign of his aunt or uncle and then he’d seen them as they stood near the wall of the bakery, across the other side of the market.

Albert had just entered the market after he’d left his horse and wagon at the livery. Panic had risen up within him when he’d heard the horn bellow, but he’d calmed himself and had searched for Rose and Christopher. Albert had passed the crowd as they’d headed for the church, then he’d spotted Rose. When she’d seen him she’d hurried in his direction and Albert had grabbed her.

‘Where’s Christopher?’

‘Albert, I can’t find him,’ Rose had said as tears ran down her face. They’d both stood and frantically looked for any sign of the boy. As the crowd cleared the market they’d seen Christopher over by the inn. At the same time the army had ridden in and blocked their path. Rose had moved forward towards Christopher, but Albert had grabbed her and held her back. They’d been too late—the army now stood between them and the boy.

‘Hush, Rose. Don’t draw attention to Christopher. They haven’t seen him yet.’

The men of the village had gathered before the army.

‘Who speaks for this village?’ Arnak had said as he sat upon his steed.

‘I do!’ Avery Black said as he’d stepped forward. He’d been chosen to speak on behalf of the town.

‘Why aren’t you armed?’

‘My Lord, we don’t wish to fight,’ Avery had said. ‘We are simple people and want peace. We’d heard that life would be just and fair under your rule and thought you would take our surrender without any bloodshed. Whatever we have is yours. We just want our people to be safe.’

Arnak had stared at the men gathered and assessed their worth. ‘Do you all agree to bow down before me and embrace me as your Lord if I spare the people of your village?’

‘We will, so long as no harm comes to those who live here,’ Avery had said.

Arnak shifted in his saddle. ‘I’ve come to find a boy from the Keep. Have you seen a man travel through here with a boy?’

‘No, my Lord. The only boys here are the ones who live with their families.’

‘We’ll see how good your word is. Bring all the boys of the village here to stand before the Sorceress Athena and she’ll tell me the truth of your words.’

As requested the men of the village had gone and collected the boys from the church. Their mothers had pleaded with them not to take their children but the men had convinced them to let them go. They’d assured them of their safety and told the women to come to the market, to prove that there was nothing to fear.

As they’d entered the market the soldiers took control of the boys. They’d walked them past the inn in order to line them up for the Sorceress to inspect. As they’d neared the stairs, one of the soldiers had seen Christopher huddled near a bush and Christopher had shrunk back when he’d seen the soldier approach. The soldier had grabbed Christopher by the arm and dragged him into line and they’d continued on to stand before the Sorceress.

Christopher had waited in line with the other boys and Athena had walked along and inspected them. Each boy in turn had been forced to look upon her face as she stared into his eyes. As she’d moved along, Athena had stopped and pulled a young boy out of the line who was only five. His face had been smeared with dirt, his hair was filthy and his clothes torn. Tears had run down his face and left muddy streaks on his tender skin. Christopher had stood not far from the boy and he’d watched terrified as Athena pulled the child forward and grabbed his chin. Athena had looked at this boy within her grasp and she’d spat with vengeance. ‘You’re nothing but filthy vermin,’ she’d said as she’d gripped his chin tightly and her fingers had dug into the child’s soft flesh. Terror had risen up within him and his breath had come faster as she’d held his mouth closed and he’d been forced to breathe through his nose.

Tears had streamed down his face and mucus had bubbled from his nostrils as she’d pulled his chin higher and stared in disgust into his eyes. Finally she let go of him and had pushed him back into line before she moved along. When Athena had come to Christopher she’d pulled him forward as she’d done with the others and had held his chin up and stared into his eyes. Christopher had looked back into this tall woman’s piercing blue eyes and saw sadness deep within her soul. It had lessened his fear of her and Athena had seen this reflected back at her and it bit into her like a small spark. Instantly she’d let go of him and continued on with her task.

Christopher had watched as Athena walked over to her brother. ‘The boy isn’t here!’

‘So you speak the truth. Your surrender is accepted. The people of your village will remain unharmed,’ Arnak had said.

Arnak then had ordered his men to usher the people of The Dale out into a field just outside of the village. Families had gathered their sons from the line up. Rose and Albert had collected Christopher and when he was safely back with them, Rose had held him close. Christopher had been fearful and he’d clung to Rose as she’d carried him out into the field.

Surrounded by the army the people had waited. Some sat in the shade under trees while others stood around and had wondered what would happen after the Lord left.

The smell of smoke had drifted on the wind as the soldiers set fire to the village. The people rushed forward to see what had happened but the army blocked their passage and held them in the field. The people had been forced to wait anxiously as thick black smoke had poured from the village up into the sky.

The Lord and his army had ridden towards them and their wagons had been loaded with the valuables they’d collected.

‘As we agreed, your people have been left unharmed,’ Arnak had said and he’d ridden off with his army to leave the people of the village to save what little they could.

As they’d returned to the village they’d set to work. The majority of the town had been set ablaze, and although their lives had been spared their town had been decimated.

Christopher would remember the smell of the fires as they roared through the village and jumped from one building to the next. That was the first day the Lord had ruled their lives and from that day forward Arnak had ensconced a party of his men in the town to keep the people in line and govern the village. Over the next few months the people would have to work hard to provide shelter and food for everyone. Those who didn’t live in the village provided a safe haven for the homeless and so the village pulled together. After many years they’d managed to repair the village to a reasonable state but many of the buildings still bore the scars of that day.

Christopher shook away his memories of the past and collected the pot of tea his aunt had made. He headed out the back to begin his work for the day. Albert had already lit the forges and Christopher noticed their heat as he entered the workshop. His uncle had selected the steel for Kovak’s swords and Christopher placed the pot of tea over on the small table where his uncle’s cup stood.

Albert looked up and nodded to him. ‘Morning, Christopher. I want you to get started on these swords. Kovak Turr will no doubt be around this morning and question when they’ll be ready.’

Several pieces of steel had been placed on the bench where Christopher worked. Christopher inspected the steel which wasn’t of the highest grade that they’d normally use. Yes, the finished product would look the same, but the strength of the sword—although for a time would be fine—would contain faults and allow the metal to weaken and break easily.

‘Uncle this steel…’

‘It’s fine for Kovak Turr, Christopher. He doesn’t part easily with his coin and that is what his money buys,’ Albert said and then walked off and helped himself to a hot cup of tea.

This was a dangerous line his uncle was about to cross and Christopher couldn’t be sure why he’d chosen this point in time to put his foot down. He looked over to where his uncle usually worked and he saw two pieces of fine steel laid out on the bench. Christopher was sure they were both to work on the swords today, but maybe something else had been ordered. He didn’t want to question his uncle again and so began his own work. Christopher gathered his tools and checked the forge. He plunged the steel into its interior then he waited until the metal glowed a golden yellow before he lifted it out. He placed the hot piece on the anvil and used his hammer to draw the steel into shape.