Protector's Curse

by Keith Walsh

  Within moments, Callis could see several men on horseback through the trees. “Hello,” he called. “Hello there,” came the reply and Callis recognised it as Cormac, the young man he had sent back to the village the previous day to fetch Matias. Upon hearing the voice, Gallant eased his mount to a halt and turned it slightly to be ready to bolt if needed. He had no fear of combat but the battle with the bear had caused him to lose sight of Princess before and so he would not go immediately into combat this time if it could be helped. If spotted, flee. If cornered, fight, he thought. Remembering Dallious’ wise words to him. Usually Gallant preferred to fight but now it was not just about him.

  Callis’ eyes widened as Cormac and the other riders came into view, surprised to see that Jasper rode with them. If Gallant remembered the man he might assume this group was a threat and put his promised plan of slaughter into action, as he had so elegantly put it. How could the elders not have imprisoned Jasper for his actions? Cormac saw the surprise in Callis’ face and guessing at the cause he spoke. “Don’t worry Callis. Jasper is here to offer an apology, not to cause any further trouble. You can see he is unarmed.”

  Callis expression relaxed but his body still felt tense. He had no idea how the giant would react but he knew the man’s patience was not one of his strong points. He glanced back and saw Gallant’s mount stopped and angled slightly away. He held his hand up to signal the giant to stay put for the moment. Gallant nodded in response while controlling his restless horse. The animal obviously sensed or heard the other’s approach and felt ill at ease.

  Callis noted Matias, Jasper, Patrick and Michael had accompanied Cormac. Matias, wearing his usual dark green robes, was alongside him. Callis approached them. As he eased to a halt in front of both men, he could see Patrick and Michael moving to flank Jasper’s horse. Everyone except Matias wore leather leggings and a leather jerkin with a mail shirt beneath it. And all except Matias and Jasper bore a short-sword about their waists. Matias had his dagger.

  “I was about to suggest that the giant was dead,” said Matias to Callis. “But I can see he is alive and well,” he added, straining to see past the younger man. “Yes he is alive but not best pleased with our people,” replied Callis. “Not something that is likely to be helped by you bringing Jasper,” he added, fixing Matias and Cormac with an intense stare. “Did Cormac exaggerate the man’s condition then?” asked Matias, ignoring Callis’ cold demeanour, his own expression one of arrogance. “No… it’s complicated,” said Callis.

  “I see,” replied Matias, nonchalantly stroking his beard into a point. “It was my understanding the man’s life hung at the tip of the reaper’s scythe. So you can understand my surprise to find you here, a good half day’s ride sooner than expected,” he said.

  “As I said. It’s complicated,” repeated Callis with some irritation. “And given your dislike for riding these days, it’s possibly something you should be grateful for.” Matias shrugged. “I suppose,” he said while angling his horse around Callis’ to get a better look at the girl seated in front of the giant. As soon as his eyes rested upon her she stared back at him. He felt shivers run down his spine and an energy surge throughout his body at her gaze. She was the most beautiful child he had ever laid eyes on but it wasn’t her beauty that caused such strong emotions within him. Power emanated from her in waves, and he guessed that in the present company he was the only one who could feel it.

  Gallant saw the way the man he guessed to be Matias looked at Amber and he didn’t like it one bit. He stared at her like a man possessed, like nothing else in this world mattered. “I must meet her,” said Matias aloud and to no one in particular while urging his horse to life. “Wait a second!” said Callis, taken aback by his teacher’s sudden transfixion and desperate not to have Gallant riled, but Matias was already moving.

  Gallant’s eyes narrowed as the older man approached, his attention still completely fixed on the child. Almost as though she could feel his unease Amber touched Gallant’s arm and he looked down at her. She smiled up at him but he didn’t return it. “It’s okay Mr Giant,” she said, still gently holding his arm. “I want to meet the nice man,” she added, pointing to Matias before smiling at Gallant again. His left hand still on the reins Gallant’s right hand twitched nervously over the handle of his axe, but seeing Amber’s demeanour he moved it away, his eyes switching back to Matias.

  The giant’s expression remained dark and Callis noted it, and tension flowed over him. He thought about trying to stop Matias but figured to do so at this point would require urgency that would only come across as panic and cause more uncertainty in the giant. The situation was bad enough without such action and so he decided to remain still and do his best to feign calmness.

  “Just relax, it will be fine,” said Cormac out of the blue, giving evidence to the fact Callis failed at his intended ruse. He looked at the young man with a concerned expression. Patrick and Michael continued to keep a watchful eye on Jasper, all three sitting in silence astride their horses.

  “How do you do Sir?” said Matias, arriving next to Gallant’s mount and forcing his eyes off the girl long enough to ask Gallant the question. “I am Matias,” he added, extending his hand. Gallant eyed the man for a moment and Matias smiled at him, keeping his hand held out in greeting. “Gallant,” came the reply at last, and the offered hand was shook.

  “A pleasure I’m sure,” said Matias switching his gaze back to Amber as the handshake ended. “And who is this delightful little girl you have with you?” Amber beamed at hearing the description and Matias felt his heart melt. “I’m Princess,” she said cheerily before Gallant could respond, and she too offered her hand. Matias could barely contain his excitement. If just being in the presence of this girl made the energy within him feel so powerful he could only imagine what touching her would feel like. He reached out quickly to take her hand but Gallant’s right hand snaked out to stop him.

  “Her name is Amber,” said Gallant, gripping Matias’ hand strongly. “And I would prefer it if you did not touch her,” he added, squeezing enough to cause a whimper from the older man. “Of course,” said Matias, pulling away from the painful grip and instantly rubbing his injured hand. “I do not intend her any harm,” he added with an apologetic expression. Gallant ignored it. He did not yet trust this man.

  “Mr Giant!” said Amber, rounding on him with an angry look. “That wasn’t very nice. You hurt him.” Gallant felt his anger rise. He did not take kindly to being berated but no sooner did he lock eyes with Amber then he dismissed it. “I’m sorry,” he said, smiling at her. Amber continued to frown for a moment but eventually she said “That’s okay,” before smiling back.

  “I think there is someone you should talk to,” said Matias to Gallant before turning in his saddle and beckoning to Patrick, Jasper and Michael. He was eager to take the giant’s attention away from his protection of the girl. He simply had to touch her. The power he could feel radiating from her threatened to overwhelm his restraint with every passing moment but the lingering pain in his hand helped him stay focussed on resisting his emotion just enough.

  Callis pulled on the reins of his horse, turning it towards the giant. He was eager to stay ahead of Patrick, Jasper and Michael. Cormac followed him. Gallant eyed Callis as he approached. The young man’s horse was shielding the giant’s view of Jasper, for now. “He’s unarmed Gallant,” Callis said quietly, arriving by the giant’s horse and angling his own mount alongside so the man had clear vision of who he was talking about.

  Gallant’s eyes followed Callis for a moment, confusion etched on his face before they finally switched to the three approaching riders. He didn’t recognise two of them but the one in the middle he remembered all too well and his expression darkened.

  Immediately his right hand snaked down to the handle of his axe and gripped it so tightly it caused pain in his knuckles. They crackled under the pressure. “Easy now Gallant,” Callis said, noting the giant’s movement and tense body la
nguage. The man’s eyes burned from under his heavy brow and his breathing intensified. His fingers began twitching on the handle of his axe. “What is that whoreson doing here?” Gallant asked, loudly enough for all to hear and eying the man known as Jasper with a look that could kill.

  Jasper squirmed in his saddle. He had hoped the giant would be dead by now but seeing him not only alive but in seemingly perfect health unnerved him. Added to that, the fact that Jasper was unarmed didn’t help matters. He decided that dismounting might help his chances of not being instantly struck down. Patrick and Michael followed suit, quickly moving to the respective sides of their companion. Jasper cast a nervous look at both of them as they took their positions. Originally he hated the fact they were there to keep him subdued but now he was grateful to have them by his side.

  Seeing the three men dismount, Gallant handed his reins to Callis who accepted them but the giant didn’t release them right away. “Keep Amber away from him,” he instructed, nodding towards Matias. Callis nodded in response and felt the reins go slack. No sooner had Gallant dismounted then Callis eased the giant’s horse, Amber still atop, behind his own to shield her from everyone. He felt some relief that the giant had also chosen to leave his axe.

  Matias eyed Callis with a malevolent look. He wanted to get hold of that child. He hadn’t expected the giant to hand over the girl to one of Matias’ people but it was obvious that however short their time together, some level of trust had formed between the giant and the young man. Gallant edged passed Matias’ mount, gently shooing the beast’s snout away as he did so. There he stood, face to face with the man known as Jasper and his two guardians. He eyed the men up and down, assessing their general demeanour. They both looked relaxed enough, considering the circumstances and Gallant felt confident they were in control of their emotions.

  His gaze shifted to Jasper who failed to hold eye contact. The man was nervous and swallowed loudly before mustering up the courage to say what he had obviously been brought here for. “I’m sorry,” he said, risking a glance at the giant man standing so ominously in front of him. Gallant said nothing but lowered his head ever so slightly, increasing the intensity in his eyes. A clear indication he expected more. “For the way I, treated you and your… daughter,” added Jasper understanding the look. “And for the way I acted towards you Callis,” he shouted over to the young man. Callis didn’t respond, too busy watching over Amber.

  With lightning speed for a man of his size, Gallant lashed out with a right hook that caught the apologetic Jasper clean on the chin. The man instantly collapsed like a sack of stones to the forest floor taking everyone except Gallant by surprise. “Apology accepted,” said Gallant, turning on his heel and heading back to his horse and Amber. He was clearly not concerned with any consequences his actions might have. For a moment Patrick considered drawing his sword, but he caught a look from Callis that suggested doing so would not be prudent and so he knelt to check on the downed Jasper instead. Michael stood with a grin on his face. Matias continued to stare at Amber and Cormac sat upon his horse chuckling to himself.

  “That was a little harsh,” said Callis as he handed back the reins of the giant’s horse. “I believe I held back enough to avoid breaking his jaw,” replied Gallant in a matter of fact tone, accepting the offered reins and climbing back into the saddle. Once there he noted Amber looking sheepishly up at him. “It’s okay Princess,” he said, his expression soft. “I’m not angry with you, and that man deserved a whole lot worse then what he got,” he added before smiling. Amber cast him a look that suggested she wasn’t convinced but said nothing and so Gallant switched his attention back to Callis.

  “So what now?” he asked. Callis shrugged at first but eventually said, “You could come back to our village with us if you want? Or go your own way—” Matias interrupted him. “No!” he shouted. Both Gallant and Callis looked at the man with surprise. “You need to come with us,” Matias added. “I can’t explain why but I know it is important that you follow us.” Amber piped up. “The nice man is right Mr Giant.” Gallant frowned at her. That’s the second time you’ve called him a ‘nice man’ Princess. What makes you so sure he is?” he said, tilting his head slightly so he could meet her eyes.

  “He is,” she replied, bouncing excitedly in the saddle, as if that explained everything. From the moment she had seen the old man she felt a warm fuzzy feeling in her belly and although she didn’t understand it she liked the sensation. Matias smiled at her and she beamed back. Gallant frowned again. Matias could feel the giant’s eyes burning into him but he resisted the temptation to stare back. Instead he continued to smile at the girl, some invisible force passing between them. I need to touch her, he thought.

  Just as the urge to reach out and grab a hold of her became too unbearable Jasper broke the tension as he came round and Matias managed, barely, to pull his attention away. “What happened?” Jasper asked, accepting the supporting grasp of Patrick who helped him to his feet. “Some disorientation is normal after being knocked unconscious,” said Matias before anyone else could reply. He was eager to try to keep his eyes from the girl, least he do something foolish and find himself becoming the one with a similar disorientation. Jasper’s health provided such a distraction.

  Matias dismounted momentarily to check on the man, running his fingers along the jawline to check for any fracture despite some brief protests from Jasper. The cheek was already starting to discolour but he could find no evidence of any breaks. “You’ll be fine,” said Matias at last. Satisfied with his inspection he climbed back into his saddle. “No serious damage then?” asked Gallant. Matias eyed the giant for a moment, shook his head and looked away. Gallant had held the look but once his answer had been received and confirmed what he already knew he looked to Callis. “Told you,” he said, with an air of confidence and a half-grin.

  Callis smiled and shook his head but the smile didn’t last long as he saw Gallant’s expression change. He stared quizzically at the giant, wondering what he had done to upset him to the point he now received such a fierce look. “Not you,” said Gallant, noting the expression on Callis’ face, “look,” he added, nodding his head to indicate something behind the young man. A shiver ran through Callis’ body and his heartbeat quickened. He thought briefly about not turning to see whatever the giant had spotted but his sense of curiosity proved too much and he looked. What he saw actually caused him huge relief and he let out a loud sigh.

  “Gods Gallant! You scared the devil out of me,” he said turning back to the giant. “You don’t think a pack of wolves following us is a cause for concern?” said Gallant, frowning with his lips pursed, not taking his eyes from the six furry beasts that stood impassively staring back. Each of them took turns to sniff the air and the ground but as of yet none showed signs of aggression. “They didn’t attack us when we were only three,” said Callis. “Now we are eight.” He spoke the words with confidence but his movement betrayed his apparent disinterest as he moved his horse gently passed Gallant’s and turned it to face away from the wolves. Perfectly positioned to bolt, thought Gallant.

  “Most unusual behaviour,” said Matias, reining in alongside Gallant’s mount. “I’ve never known wild predators to act so calmly,” replied Gallant. “Especially when in a pack.” Matias nodded. “Indeed,” he said. “But it is not only the wolves that act strangely,” he added, his eyes glancing between Gallant, the wolves and his mount. “You mean our horses,” said Gallant, following Matias’ line of sight, understanding passing between them. “Yes. They are completely calm.”

  Gallant looked to the leaves of the trees and noted which way they swayed in the breeze. “We are down wind. Our mounts would not have caught scent of the beasts from here.” Matias looked to him and nodded. “But that doesn’t explain why they are so calm now – they can clearly see them.” The wolves continued to act non-aggressively and kept their distance but they also didn’t seem eager to leave. “The very same thing happened this morning,” said
Gallant, looking at Matias. “We awoke to find the six of them sleeping—” He stopped himself, wondering whether it was a good idea to explain that they had been around Amber or not. Considering how the man had been so transfixed by her earlier he decided to keep quiet. “The girl,” said Matias, with a wild look in his eyes.

  “How did you kno—”Callis said, but Gallant silenced him with a wave of his hand. He locked his eyes on Matias and the man squirmed in his saddle. Suddenly six wolves seemed the less likely party to attack him. The giant’s stare could kill if such power existed, thought Matias, looking away. “I didn’t do anything,” said Amber, sparked into life by the mention of the word ‘girl’ and her little voice melted the incredibly icy atmosphere between Gallant and Matias. “I know you didn’t,” said Gallant, looking down at her and smiling. You may have, thought Matias but he chose to keep his suspicion to himself, smiling warmly instead.

  Amber smiled back, seemingly content with her protested innocence being accepted so easily. “I think it best if we get moving,” said Cormac out of nowhere. Gallant had forgotten about the others, his mind so focussed on Matias’ reaction to Amber and then further distracted by the appearance of the wolves. He looked now to see Jasper back on his horse, nursing his bruised cheek and jaw, with Patrick and Michael by his side. Cormac sat staring at him expectantly. None of them seemed in any way concerned with the behaviour of the wolves or their mounts.