by MJ Schutte
Brac was happy with this solution.
Liam cleared his throat.
Brac looked at him and said, ‘Yes?’
‘What about Richard? Isn’t he a Supreme?’
Brighton answered, ‘He is the last Supreme. I will deal with him.’
They spoke for a while longer until Lilian called them for breakfast. Nelson seemed glad.
‘I was just starting to get hungry,’ he commented.
‘You’re always hungry,’ Liam teased but then added, ‘Actually I’m also getting hungry.’
Brac agreed. He too was starting to feel the hunger pains.
‘That’s good,’ Brighton said. ‘It means I gave you just enough energy to get here.’
He wasn’t hungry yet but ate anyway.
After breakfast Brighton insisted that everybody rest for as long as possible. Brac suggested that they rotate guard duty but Brighton told him it was unnecessary.
‘I’m using my sense constantly. I will know if anyone approaches long before they get here,’ he explained.
The three hunters were asleep quickly.
Just after midday Brighton sensed someone approaching. When he told Lilian she wanted to wake Brac.
‘No need. It’s a young girl, maybe thirteen or so. She is not talented. We should go meet her, so Brac and his men can sleep a bit longer,’ Brighton replied.
‘You’re joking with me,’ Lilian accused.
Brighton looked at her quizzically.
‘Why do you say that?’ he asked.
‘How do you know it’s a young girl?’ she replied.
‘I can feel it,’ he said shrugging his shoulders.
Lilian’s mouth hung open.
‘Really?’ she stammered.
‘Yes. You know I can feel whether a person is talented or not. Lately I’ve also been able to distinguish between male and female and make an accurate guess as to the person’s age,’ Brighton answered.
‘Incredible!’ Lilian gasped.
Brighton took Lilian’s hand and started walking.
‘Why do you want to go meet this girl? Maybe she is just travelling to Brasten or Zedonia?’ Lilian asked.
‘She’s too young to travel alone. I’m guessing Richard sent her to us with a message,’ Brighton answered.
They reached the road and Brighton decided to wait there for the girl.
‘Have you ever wondered why there are roads here?’ he asked Lilian as they sat down.
‘That’s an odd question. Roads are used to travel between cities and towns,’ she smiled.
Brighton got up and paced from one side of the road to the other.
‘I know that but why are the roads wide enough for at least eight people to walk side by side? And why does the road follow the contour of the country side?’ Brighton asked pointing at a section where the road curved around a small hill.
‘I don’t know,’ Lilian answered.
Brighton scratched his chin.
‘It doesn’t make sense. Someone built these roads for a purpose. If everybody travelled on foot, the roads would be much narrower and straighter. If we had to travel to Avarya from this spot, we would go over that hill, not around it. It seems that the roads were built for something larger,’ he muttered.
‘Like what?’ Lilian asked.
She still didn’t understand why Brighton would be so interested in the roads. Brighton didn’t answer. He looked towards Avarya.
‘She is close, let’s go meet her,’ he said.
Lilian got up and put her hand in Brighton’s.
They were almost at the curve in the road just as the young girl came around it.
‘Hello traveller,’ Brighton greeted as they stopped.
He didn’t see any weapons but was ready to defend himself and Lilian if need be. The girl stopped about ten paces from them.
‘Um…hello,’ she stammered.
‘Where are you travelling to?’ Brighton asked.
‘Nowhere,’ she replied. ‘I’m looking for someone.’
It was as Brighton thought; Richard had sent this young girl to him with a message.
‘Who? Maybe we’ve seen them?’ Brighton prodded.
‘His name is “Brighton, the White Demon”,’ the girl answered in a small voice.
She looked to be very close to tears.
Lilian stifled a giggle.
‘The White Demon?’ she asked.
The girl nodded fearfully.
‘Are you him?’ she asked Brighton.
‘Well, my name is Brighton but I’m not a demon,’ he replied with a smile.
The girl relaxed a little.
‘Then it’s not you I’m supposed to find,’ she answered. ‘Please excuse me, I have to find the White Demon.’
She started walking again.
‘Who sent you to find this demon?’ Brighton asked.
She stopped and answered, ‘Supreme Richard. Do you know where the White Demon is?’
‘There is no demon. I’m the one you’re looking for,’ Brighton answered in a calm soothing voice.
For a moment it looked like the young girl would turn and run but then she fell to her knees and started pleading, ‘Please don’t kill me.’
Brighton stepped closer and put a hand on her shoulder. Before he could speak she jumped up and tried to run. Brighton reacted without thinking and caught her arm. She fought as if her life depended on getting out of his grip, screaming, kicking and hitting Brighton everywhere. Fortunately, she was not very strong and couldn’t do much damage.
‘Wait, I won’t hurt you,’ Brighton tried but she didn’t hear him above her screams.
He let her go realizing that she would never calm down while he had her in his grip. She ran almost ten paces down the road but Brac stepped out from the woods in front of her. Trying to stop she lost her footing and fell face first onto the hard ground. She didn’t move, she just lay in the dirt, whimpering. Brighton started walking towards her but Lilian put a hand on his arm.
‘You scare the wits out of her. Let me go,’ she said softly.
She walked closer and squatted next to the girl.
‘We won’t hurt you,’ she said softly.
‘Please don’t kill me,’ the girl replied through her tears.
‘We would never do that,’ Lilian assured her.
‘But you’re a witch and he is a demon,’ the girl squeaked out.
Brighton couldn’t hide a chuckle. Lilian shot him a dark look but he just kept on grinning.
Holding out her water skin she asked, ‘Are you thirsty?’
The girl sat up and nodded but did not take the water.
Lilian took a few sips from it.
‘See, there is nothing wrong with the water,’ she said.
Gratefully the girl grabbed the water skin and started drinking. Her nose, hands and knees were bloody from the fall she took. Lilian tore a small piece of cloth from the bottom of her dress and held it out to the girl.
‘Wet it and clean your wounds,’ she suggested.
The girl carefully took the cloth and started cleaning the blood off her hands.
‘What is your name?’ Lilian asked gently.
‘Claire,’ came the soft reply.
‘Why do you think I’m a witch?’ Lilian asked.
That brought some more giggles from Brighton and Brac and another dark look from Lilian.
‘Supreme Richard said so,’ Claire replied.
‘Don’t witches have dark hair?’ Lilian asked.
‘Yes, I suppose so,’ Claire muttered.
Lilian pulled her long blond curls over her shoulder.
‘Look, I don’t have black hair. I cannot be a witch,’ she told Claire.
She felt one of the tiny pink bows in her hair and got an idea.
‘Would you like a pink bow for your hair?’ she asked Claire.
Claire nodded eagerly. The little pink bows in the blond curls were the most beautiful thing she had seen in her life.
Lilian took one out of h
er hair and asked, ‘Can I put it in your hair for you?’
‘Yes please,’ Claire said excitedly.
She was relaxing more and more.
Lilian certainly didn’t look like the witch Richard described her to be.
When the ribbon was secure in Claire’s hair Lilian pulled out a small piece of polished steel from her pocket. She held it up so Claire could see herself. The young girl didn’t even notice her bloody nose. All she could see was the pink bow in her short brown hair.
‘Thank you,’ she squeaked and gave Lilian a tight hug.
‘It’s my pleasure,’ Lilian said gently hugging her back.
‘Now tell me, why are you looking for Brighton?’ she pressed on.
‘Supreme Richard sent me with a message.’
‘I see. Would you like to deliver your message?’ Lilian asked still using a soft soothing voice.
Claire looked at Brighton with intense fear in her eyes.
‘I’m only supposed to give it to him,’ she answered.
Brighton knew Claire would run again if he moved towards her. Instead, he sat down on a rock next to the road.
‘I’ll sit here and you can deliver your message from there,’ he suggested with a smile.
Claire nodded and got up still clutching the bloody cloth in her hands.
‘Supreme Richard said he will meet you at the centre of the town market at midday tomorrow. He only wants to talk so no weapons are allowed.’
She seemed relieved that the message was finally delivered.
‘Well done, you’re very brave,’ Lilian praised her.
Claire smiled a little.
She didn’t feel brave.
‘Can I go now?’ she asked looking into Lilian’s blue eyes.
‘You may go at anytime you wish, we will not stop you,’ Lilian replied. ‘But wouldn’t you like something to eat first? Maybe we can also clean those wounds better at the river.’
Claire nodded, she was starving. Lilian took her hand and gestured for Brighton to keep back. She led Claire to the river with Brighton and Brac following a few paces behind. Claire looked over her shoulder often to make sure the men didn’t come closer.
Brac spoke softly to Brighton, ‘Why didn’t you wake us?’
‘There was no need,’ Brighton replied. ‘But I’m glad you showed up when you did. I really didn’t feel like running after her.’
‘What do you make of the message?’ Brac asked.
‘It’s a trap. Richard would not be interested in talking. He knows I’m coming to kill him and his only way out is to kill me first,’ Brighton replied.
‘What are we going to do now?’ Brac asked.
‘First we try to get more information out of young Claire and then you and your men will get me into the city unnoticed,’ Brighton said.
‘Do you think she has anymore useful information,’ Brac asked.
‘I don’t know but it’s worth a try,’ Brighton sighed.
They reached the river and sat down next to it in a small clearing. The men still kept a good distance away from Lilian and Claire. Brighton asked Brac to fetch Adri from the campsite. He knew Liam and Nelson were in the bushes not far from them.
‘Tell her to pack up the camp please, we won’t be going back there.’ he told Brac.
Brac disappeared into the bushes. Brighton was anxious to talk to Claire, but he also didn’t want to scare her away. He decided to let Lilian continue what she was doing and hopefully they will get some more information from the young girl that way.
Lilian was sitting next to the water helping Claire clean all the blood off her arms, legs and face.
‘Would you mind if Brighton comes closer? He may be able to help with these wounds,’ Lilian tried.
Claire looked at him fearfully.
‘Won’t he hurt me?’ she asked in a small voice.
‘No, he is the kindest person I know,’ Lilian reassured her.
Claire nodded. She held on to Lilian’s hand while Brighton slowly stepped closer.
‘Hello Claire. I’m sorry I scared you earlier,’ he said softly.
Claire nodded again. She bit down on her fist to keep from crying. Brighton sat down next to Lilian keeping her between him and Claire.
‘May I look at your hands please?’ he asked.
Claire held out her one hand for him to see. The scrapes were minor but Brighton made a show of looking horrified.
‘That looks very sore,’ he said pulling a face. ‘I can help you with that if I may touch your hand.’
Claire looked at Lilian who smiled and said, ‘He can really make it better.’
The young girl nodded at Brighton.
He took her small hand gently in his and let some healing energy flow. When he opened his hand the scrapes were all gone. Claire looked at her hand in amazement.
‘How did you do that?’ she asked, her fear forgotten.
‘I can heal other people’s wounds. It’s a gift I have,’ he replied. ‘Would you like me to heal your other wounds? I don’t think a pretty girl like you should have all those cuts on her nose.’
Claire blushed and answered, ‘Yes please.’
He shifted closer to her and started healing all the scrapes.
Claire sat very still until he finished.
‘There, all done,’ Brighton said as he moved away a little.
Claire felt her nose and looked at her hands and knees.
‘Thank you,’ she whispered.
‘It’s my pleasure,’ Brighton replied.
‘You’re not really a demon, are you?’ Claire asked feeling a lot more confident.
‘No, I’m not. But Lilian is a witch,’ he said with a wink.
Lilian slapped him on the shoulder.
‘No I’m not!’ she snapped, worried that Claire might get scared again.
The young girl didn’t, instead she was laughing so much she could hardly breathe.
When she caught her breath she said, ‘Lilian is the prettiest woman I’ve ever seen. She can’t be a witch.’
‘You’re right about that! She is the prettiest woman in the whole wide world,’ Brighton agreed.
Lilian smiled and gave Brighton a quick kiss. Claire looked at them with understanding in her eyes.
‘You love each other,’ she stated.
‘Yes, very much,’ Lilian confirmed.
‘Claire, would you mind if I ask you about Richard?’ Brighton asked carefully.
Fear returned to the young girl’s eyes but she bravely nodded.
‘Thank you for delivering the message to me. Did Richard say anything else to you?’ he started gently.
‘Not to me but he spoke to a few other people while I was in the room,’ Claire answered.
‘Did you hear any of it?’ Brighton continued.
‘Yes. Richard said to the other people they must let everyone know the White Demon is coming to town tomorrow. He also said that they must make sure you’re killed before you get to town.’
‘So it is a trap,’ Brighton mused to himself. ‘Going to Avarya tomorrow is not an option.’
Claire spoke again, ‘He said to one man he didn’t think you would come and that will be perfect for him. That way they can tell everybody that you’re not interested in talking but instead just want to kill people.’
Lilian frowned.
‘What could be the purpose in that?’ she asked.
‘He’s trying to convince the people of Avarya that I’m evil. If I go tomorrow the archers will kill me and claim that I attacked them first. If I don’t go he will do as Claire said, spread rumours that I don’t want to talk and that I’m only interested in killing.’
‘So what are we going to do?’ Lilian asked
Brighton got up and walked away a few paces.
Lilian and Claire followed him.
He turned and said, ‘There is something we’re not seeing here. Claire, are you or your parents loyal to Richard?’
Claire quickly snapped, ‘NO! He kill
ed my parents and made me watch. He said that I would get the same treatment if I don’t deliver the message.’
‘Why did he do that?’ Brighton asked.
‘My parents were part of a group that wants Richard out of Avarya. He found out and killed them. My punishment was to come here,’ Claire said with tears in her eyes.
Lilian put her arm around the young girl’s shoulders.
Brighton didn’t want to upset Claire further but he thought he knew what Richard had planned.
‘Claire, how come you overheard what Richard said to the others? Why didn’t you leave after he gave you the message?’ he asked.
‘I tried but two men were blocking the door. I stood in a corner until they moved, then I ran out and came here,’ she replied.
‘I see,’ Brighton said in understanding.
He knew exactly what Richard was planning.
Lilian looked at him with questioning eyes.
‘Richard wanted Claire to hear the plans. He was hoping that she would share the information with me,’ Brighton started explaining.
‘But why?’ Lilian asked.
‘I thought his archers would kill me if I try to enter the city but that’s not true. He knows I will sneak in and try to make contact with the resistance. If his people can follow me they can then root out the rest of the people who oppose Richard. He will gain a stronghold in the city,’ Brighton said.
‘But what if Claire only delivered the message and did not give you the rest of the information?’ Lilian asked.
‘It still puts me in a bad situation. Richard knows I will not let him live and he’s not coming out, that means I will have to go to him. Even if I don’t make contact with the resistance he will have me trapped. If, for some reason I don’t try to get into the city his following will still increase as people will believe his lies.’
‘This really is a bad situation,’ Lilian said worriedly. ‘What do we do now?’
‘There are two options. I can simply get close to Avarya and kill Richard with my talent or we can play his game and do exactly what he wants,’ Brighton replied.
‘Neither of those options seems good to me,’ Lilian complained.
Brighton smiled.
‘Killing Richard is the first priority. If he is out of the equation, things will get easier for us. However, if I kill him myself it might have the opposite effect, the Dark Ones will gain more followers. It would be best to let the people decide his fate,’ he said thoughtfully.
