Greenwood Knight

Chapter 10

"Garth showed me how to hide our steps when last we hunted...right before..." he shrugged.

"I am proud of you." She whispered, but we really must go, and quickly."

Moving through the woods in the night was not an easy thing. If Gwyndolyn had not grown up here, she would not have been able to keep her way without a trail. But a forest changes as it grows and she tripped almost as much as she moved forward. Their progress was slow, and instead of a hideaway, they climbed a tree to nap in its upper branches as morning neared.

Gwyndolyn was exhausted, but too frightened to sleep. Her mind raced. How best to keep Rob safe? How best to make it to Brecken Moors Hall? Lord Brecken would grant them safe haven. It was his duty as Baron.

...but first they had to get there.

Twice this day she was reminded of the things her brother, Garth, taught her as a child following him about. Something else he said when they were hunting: The wood is alive. If you listen it will tell you when someone is near. If you are silent, the wood will accept you and the animals will move about and the birds will chirp. But if you tromp around, they will be silent.

That must be what had awakened her.

The wood had gone quiet. It was not until the crickets started up again that she realized it and knew it was safe to leave the hideaway. She did not want to repeat last night, for she was aching and bruised and afraid of more serious injury the further they went.

Listen, she reminded herself as she woke Robin while the first bits of the morning light filtered through the wood.

"Come." She whispered. "If we move quietly, we can hear the animals and they will tell us when we need to hide. We can travel in the light and maybe find some berry bush or nuts along the way."

With a nod, Robin grabbed her hand and followed behind. He never complained, though she set a tiring pace. She wanted to get as far from their farm as she could. Suddenly the forest went quiet and she stilled, listening. She heard not sound, but remembered they must be nearing the trail where the road from the pass wound through the wood.

Frowning that she had nearly stumbled upon it, she looked about and pointed. Quickly they climbed a tree to settle in until dark. They would cross the road in the darkness and get safely on the other side somewhere before they would hide again to wait until morning to continue their journey. It was a long and round-about way to get to the castle, but it was the safest, for them.

---

As they made their camp, Erec and his three lieutenants shared a fire. It was no surprise that Drew gossiped to John and Thomas. Nor was it a surprise that they had more than one laugh at Erec's expense. Erec took it all in good nature, as he ignored them, turning his thoughts to Gwyndolyn.

He knew her to be stronger than she looked. Which was actually quite remarkable, since she was so small. The top of her head only came the under pit of his arm. She was also very brave, and observant. She was very smart. He liked her way of speaking so freely with him on all manner of subjects. He would not have marked her as the shy blushing type, until Drew entered.

"What do you laugh at, milord?" Drew teased, "As if I need to ask."

"I laugh at a private thought, you knave."

"Fair enough" Drew chuckled "John and Thomas have gone to make rounds."

"Good. Good."

"And they will put on the skirts and dance for us."