Blades of Wolfsbane - episode sixteen
A story in the Ravenglass Universe.
Stepping into the night, Ragnar ran past the men and boys arming themselves with bows, swords, and shields, the air filled with barking orders and tramping feet.
He glanced up at the sky as a wyvern’s form passed the moon. Was this what the creature had been scouting for?
“This way.” He kept close to the walls with Maja at his side.
A group of men raced past carrying shields and spears, heading towards the town.
He squinted at the sight of buildings near the harbour glowing with flames, and pulled Maja close to him as they raced across the courtyard and entered the castle.
Passing an armoury, he grabbed a dagger and shortsword, and led Maja to his father’s chamber, bolting the door behind them. He lit a pair of candles.
“Why are we in here?”
“Father said you can sleep here tonight.”
“I can’t, with all the noise.”
“I know. Just hide under the furs.”
“What are we hiding from?”
Ragnar stepped to the window and peered through the shutters. “From the bad men.” He wished he could take back the words as soon as they left his mouth.
“What bad men?”
“Just bad men. But Father will deal with them.” He turned to her and forced a smile. “And I’ll never let anyone hurt you.”
He gazed over Meerand town, helpless as flames engulfed a dozen or so waterfront buildings.
Warriors fought back the raiders while women drew buckets from the sea, passing them along to extinguish the fires.
Ragnar wanted to join the fray, to prove himself a warrior, but he had to stay with his sister.
He wondered how Kest fared. Would he and the others earn their first kill bands, while he cowered with his sister behind castle walls?
He could just make out the dark outline of two large ships at anchor in the harbour as smaller boats transported his people from the shore, no doubt as slaves.
Closer to the castle, men formed a shield wall across streets to bar the raiders’ advance. Archers peppered the attackers with arrows, their flaming tips arcing through the night.
What choice was slaughter or slavery? His fingers gripped the weapons, useless in his hands.
His friends and warriors were out there, and all he could do was watch. Maybe his father had it right. Maybe he was pathetic.
Something tugged at his sleeve.
He spun and stopped as Maja stared up at him with teary eyes, her lips trembling.
“It’ll be fine.” He sheathed his dagger and wrapped an arm around her. “We’ll be fine.”
“What about Father?”
“He’s down there right now, stopping the bad men from coming here.”
“Will he win?”
Ragnar stroked her hair. “He’s a warrior, proud and true. Nothing will defeat him. He’ll live.”
“That’s what they said about Mam. But she died.”
Finding nothing to say, Ragnar held his sister close. “I’ll be here for you, no matter what.”