Bow and Sparrow

CH 41

"No visitors."

A figure moved to block my path as I approached the gate. He wore the dark green uniform of a guard but his face was that of a stranger and his hand fumbled on the hilt of his sword attached to his hip. He must have been new.

"I'm no visitor."

I meant to brush past him but he sidestepped me.The quiet schnick of his sword being drawn grated against my ears. He didn't unsheath it completely, just enough for the sun to glint off the silver metal, just enough to send a message. One that I intended on ignoring.

I shouldered past him and even managed to get one hand on the gate before the guard grabbed my wrist in a tight grip that caused a gasp to slip past my lips.

"Unhand me." Impatience curled my fists as I twisted out of his grip, avoiding his lunge and slipping through the gate before he could catch me.

Just as I heard the scrape of the guard's sword leaving its sheath, the front doors opened and out stepped a shadow, a dark silhouette against the bright doorway.

"What's going on out here?" I didn't need to see the face to know the voice that spoke. The guard responded but his words fell away as the figure stepped into the daylight.

Davin lumbered down the front steps with a limp that he didn't have before. Shock, confusion and denial crossed his face when he saw me frozen in the middle of the cobblestone path. His steps faltered as he leaned on a cane for support, his face white as a ghost, before he staggered towards me, nearly tripping over his own feet. I rushed to him, meeting him halfway with tears streaming down my face. His cane clattered to the ground as he wrapped his arms around me.

"I can't believe it." Davin muttered in my ear, over and over again. He pulled back only far enough to look me in the eye. "Your father..."

"Where is he? Is he here?" I looked up at the house, the windows, as if I could see any trace of my father in there.

"Yes, he's-"

"Noreena?"

Over Davin's shoulder, I saw him. He seemed to have aged ten years in the span of a couple months. There were new lines etched into his face and gray peppered his russet hair that had grown long around the ears and neck. He held a bottle limply in one hand while he rubbed the haze from his red eyes with his other hand.

Father staggered down the steps to where Davin and I were, stopping just an arm's length away. He reached towards me with his empty hand, his fingertips lightly brushing against my shoulder. His eyes met mine with a newfound clarity and his grip on my shoulder tightened before he pulled me into a breathtaking hug. The bottle in his hand crashed to the ground and the glass splintered into a million pieces, the amber liquid soaking into the ground.

"Where were you? What happened?" I buried my face in his shoulder, listening to my father's ragged breathing as he held me tight, afraid that I might slip away again.

"It's a long story."

A loud commotion behind us broke us apart and we turned towards the gate.

They were a sorry lot, after having trekked through the forest for over a week. Their clothes were dirty, torn in some places, and they looked like they could sleep for several days. The guard was refusing to let them in.

"Who's this?" My father asked, standing close behind me.

"They're friends." I replied, then striding over to the guard, who smartly stepped aside, I addressed the others. "I told you to wait."

Anders jabbed his thumb at Rylan, who luckily didn't see it. It had been his idea and that didn't surprise me.

"You look familiar." My father stepped beside me, studying Rylan with furrowed brows. Rylan glanced nervously between me and my father as realization struck him. "You're Fields' son, aren't you? Yes, you're his spitting image."

"Father, it's okay. He's not-"

"What, are you here to spy on us?" Father took a step forward, advancing on Rylan while ignoring my protests.

"Father, wait-"

"To think, my daughter called you a friend." A brief pause and my father's face turned murderous, eyes narrowed into slits. "Have you-"

"Father, that's ENOUGH!" I rushed into the small space that remained between my father and Rylan, pushing my father back with the palm of my hand. He went silent, his eyes turning to me in confusion.

"They are not the enemy." I pleaded. I could feel my father's rapid heart beating beneath my palm. "They helped me escape. If you would only just listen-"

"Fine." Father gritted through clenched teeth. "Let's take this inside."

He turned without another word and stormed up the front steps to the house. He left the doors wide open for us to follow through but didn't wait. I wondered how much of his personality had been altered by the bottle of whiskey he had been clutching earlier.

I heard the click of a cane behind me and turned to see Davin approaching us. At least he didn't have a thunderous expression on him. Skeptical, maybe. But he wouldn't be going on a rampage.

"You helped my niece?" Even when leaning on a cane, Davin still looked stern and imposing.

"Yes, sir."

Davin thrust his hand out to which a surprised Rylan returned the gesture. Their hands clasped onto the others forearms, and Davin leaned forward, speaking softly, "Thank you."

He looked to the others: the twins, Anders, Knox waiting anxiously behind Rylan, nodded once then turned towards the house.

Davin took me by the shoulder and steered me towards the house and its open doors, dreading the conversation that was sure to follow as soon as we stepped foot inside. I sent Rylan what I hoped to be a comforting look over my shoulder, praying that this all hadn't been a mistake.