Around the table sat Mathew, Daniel and... I couldn't believe my eyes... Ren! They sat there talking quietly and studied a map. I stopped in the doorway and felt Leon come up next to me to put an arm around my waist and rests a hand on my hip. He winked at me before he cleared his throat, and with a teasing tone he raised his voice.
"Are you looking for someone?"
Everyone around the table looked surprised at us. Daniel moved so quickly the chair fell to the floor with a bang.
"You're alive!"
"I told you they'd make it." Mathew smiled warmly at me and cast a proud look at Leon, who bowed slightly as thank you.
"We live but have a bunch of snakes after us .."
We walked to the table and Daniel hugged me tight.
"Im fine big brother."
I let go of him and turn to Ren. He was studying us in silence ever since we entered the room.
"Ren came to warn us." It was Daniel who broke the silence.
With his calm, dark voice, Ren began to describe what happened after we had left the village, and he was looking me straight in the eyes a he spoke.
"It took almost half a day after you left before they arrived. Men in thick coats with a snake tattooed on the forehead. The same men who attacked you in the forest?" He looked at me with questioning eyes and I nodded for answers. "They killed Mr. Grumbs when he resisted, eventually the town folk let them be and they searched every house." He paused "Until I killed them."
I wasn't surprised, Ren had trained with Daniel and his work had made him incredibly strong. I had no doubt that he succeeded in killing the men. But why did he come after us? I waited with the questions until he was done.
"But more came, they wanted to know where you were going. But the villagers had moved out to the forest and I decided to follow you and warn you. Eve, it's a whole army after you."
"We ran into each other as we were looking for you two and decided to ride to the nearest village and wait for you here." Mathew looked at Leon who began to tell them our side of the story, how we hid in a tree and saw all the camp fires.
"They are truly an entire army. They were probably fifty men out there."
Ren leaned back in the chair and listened with his arms crossed over his chest. I glanced at him and then at Daniel who met my gaze and leaned closer to whisper something in my ear.
"Mathew has offered him to come with us."
I nodded in response before sitting down at the table and started eating the leftovers of Daniel's dinner from his plate.
Ren chuckled and handed me a basket of bread and I gratefully took two buns out of it which I put on the plate.
"Did you leave your manners in the forest Eve?"
I ignored my brother and instead cast a glance at Leon, he looked completely unmoved by the situation. He and Mathew sat quietly discussing the locations on the map where we were attacked.
"Where are the others?" I looked around the room.
"Patric's upstairs resting, he was injured in the shoulder."
"Is it serious?" Leon looked worriedly at Daniel who shook his head.
"He'll be fine."
Then a sigh was heard from Mathew. "But Byron's gone."
"Missing?"
"He left." Daniel's voice was full of anger.
"We don't know for sure, we tried to find him but found no clues at all. And our main mission is to get you home safely Evelyn, so that's what we'll do. We'll ride tomorrow at dawn."
Daniel went to fetch a beer for everyone and food for Leon, we settled down at a larger table closer to the fireplace.
When I had finished eating I looked around and saw Leons mantle, I took it and wrapped myself in it and sat close to the fire sipping on my hot spiced beer.
I listened to what they said with half an ear as I glanced at the men around the table.
Mathew, who was like a father to us all, sat mostly listening to what the others were talking about. I realized that he had changed, he was more comfortable around me and it seemed like he enjoyed our company now. It struck me that I had missed him.
Daniel sat opposite to him, his hair was long and coloured like wheat, he kept it in a ponytail and lately he'd started to grow a beard. My handsome brother, I thought and I looked at him with loving eyes, and as if he felt my gaze he turned to me and grinned
"A princess don't sit on the floor Eve."
I laughed " a Princesse do as she please."
"At least our princess." Leon laughed and I took another sip clearly enjoying the moment.
Ren watched us quietly and I had a hard time discerning his feelings.
"Come with me Leon, I'm sure Patric wants to hear what you've been through." Daniel got out of the chair and Leon followed him with three large mugs of beer in his hands.
I started to feel drowsy from the heat and the alcohol and with the mantle tightly around me I went outside to get some fresh air. From the inside, I hears Mathew ask Ren to follow me. And I could hear a chair being pushed out and steps approaching.
I had found a large stone to sit on next to the house, where I could lean against the wall and it was surprisingly comfortable.
"Do you want company, Princess?"
I laughed at his serious tone.
"Eve .. you can still call me Eve." I paused and thought of it for a moment "I'll always be your Eve, Ren."
His eyes narrowed as he sat down next to me, leaning against the wall. His hands resting against his belt and looking up into the night sky.
"So you are the daughter of the king .. I would never have guessed."
I slapped his upper arm with my fist. "Stop it!"
He laughed at my reaction.
"You can handle anything Eve, you always have."
"It feels better now that you're here."
"I'm just a blacksmith .."
"You are my best friend." I smiled.
He nodded at me and stroked a string of hair off my face. His gaze caught on Leon's mantle and I looked away. I didn't know what to say, but I think he already understood.
"I'll be around until you tell me to leave, I'm happy if you're happy."
He had the biggest heart, I thought and I loved him. But right then I knew it was a different kind of love, almost like I love Daniel, as a family member. I got up to give him a hug. He hesitated before taking me in his arms holding me tight for a while and leaned down to kiss my forehead. Then he left me and walked toward the stable.
I stood there for a while, and didn't notice when Leon sneaked up behind me, it wasn't long before I felt his hand on my shoulder. When I turned around I looked into his eyes and I noticed how he studied me and he there was a hint of hesitation in his voice.
"Is everything okay?"
I smiled at him and nodded.
He kissed my cheek.
"Good."
I took his hand as we walked inside, but I couldn't help but notice how Leon was glancing towards the stables.
We stayed at the inn for a couple of days until
Patric's wounds had healed enough for us to leave.
I enjoyed the warm bed and proper meals but most of all we got to know each other even better.
Leon and Daniel had been exploring the forest around the village and it seemed as if the Snakes had left, but none of us could relax.
Daniel had shared a room with me as usual and it felt good to have him close to me. He hadn't asked anything this time, it was obvious to everyone that Leon and I had become closer.
The horses were packed and we were ready to leave, I smiled at Patric who stepped out of the door and raised his arm to protect his eyes from the bright light.
"Nice to see you up again Patric."
He came and hugged me with his healthy arm.
"You made us worry princess."
Leon laughed "and I don't think it's the last time we worry about her." He ruffled my hair lovingly before heading off to his horse and jumped up in saddle.
"This is not the last time, I guarantee it!" Daniel called after him and everyone laughed to themselves as they left to prepare for the journey.
"Dan!" I sighed and glared at him.
"What? You haven't changed much since you were a little girl, you've always been in trouble. You spent the nights in the woods, how often did I find you in the cave by the creek? He looked at me and then looked at Ren with a wide grin on his lips.
"That's unfair Dan, we were kids. It's not the same!"
"No? Ren seems to have matured a bit," he paused theatrically "don't know if I can say the same about you."
I glared at my brother but Daniel laughed as he walked to his horse.
"Laugh as much as you want, but if I were you I'd sleep with one eye open."
I sat up on my horse and rode out of the village and soon we were out on the roads again. But now I enjoyed spending time with my friends and my family. I didn't care about the heat or Mathews detours anymore. I understood why he made the decisions he made and I realized that there was a thought behind everything.
Everyone was in a good mood and we chatted along the way. We were full of travel dust but nothing seemed to ruin our mood.
We camped under the starry sky and rode off as soon as the sun's rose. It was tiring but we wanted to arrive as soon as possible.
The days went by fast, we talked and laughed a lot. Even Ren had become a close part of our group. Although I knew he and Leon would never be close friends, I knew Ren had accepted that Leon and I were a couple.
The forest closed in around us and it smelled fresh of spruce and pine as we rode on a trampled path that swirled through the vegetation. Birds chirped and it crackled with branches and dry leaves under the horses' hooves.
We had been riding for a few hours when the weather suddenly changed, it got cold and humid and a fog started to tighten.
"Be on your guard"
Mathew's voice echoed through the fog but I could barely distinguish his back in front of me.
The horses started to get anxious and they stomped the ground, I bent forward and patted her neck soothingly, scratching her behind the ear. The sound of hoofs approached and I nodded to Daniel who rode up beside me, he grabbed my arm and leaned close.
"Stay calm now, but I think someone's following us" his whisper was so low that I had to concentrate to hear I and look at him seriously before he headed off to Mathew to warn him as well.
My heart started to beat faster as I hear another horse riding up behind me, but I knew Ren had ridden behind us and I assumed it was him.
Now the fog was so thick that Mathew's back disappeared out of sight, all I saw were the ears and mane of my own horse. I trusted her to follow the other horses and let go of the reins so she could walk freely. But my heart pounded and I became more and more nervous, who was following us? I listened to the smallest sound, but I heard nothing unusual. When I thought about it, nothing was heard at all, just the hoof tramp from my own horse! Where were the others? I looked around but the fog was too thick and it felt hard to breathe in the humid air.
I was just about to turn around when someone grabbed me and before I could react I was dragged of the saddle and pulled to the ground, another hand covered my mouth and I had no way of shouting for help. The horse rose in fear and before anyone could catch her, she ran off. I kicked at my enemy, tried to pull myself out of his grip and bite his hand but nothing helped, his grip on me hardened and I was pushed against his body.
Someone else came forward and took my weapons, I heard them being thrown away.
No one said anything and my heart pounded hard in my chest, how could I defend myself without weapons. What would happen to me? Who were they and would the others to find me?
Thoughts run through my head as the men suddenly began to walk. I was still stuck in his grip and could do nothing but to follow were they where going.
The mist disappeared and we arrived at an old fallen house and I got a glimpse of a third man who met us. I recognized his clothes, he looked just like the others who attacked me, the Snakes.
The man stared at me, his eyes made the blood freeze in my veins, he pulled out a gag, but when the hand left my mouth I took my chance, the first thing I came to think of was the name of the man I love.
"LEEEON ..!"
I would scream again when I felt a terrible pain in the back of my head and everything turned black around me.