Chapter 237

Anjs: I have never seen you in this overjoyed avatar!! You were so excited by the turn of the chapter that you hounded the Thread, waiting and shadowing every one's comment!! I almost imagined you sitting restless by the door, anxiously waiting for someone to walk through the door of the Inn...

Chapter 318: Following their Trail

His hand traced the pattern of the carriage wheels on the sand, agreeably speeding by the looks of it.

Squinting up at the morning sun, Lord Arnav's penetrating gaze followed the progress of the tracks into the disappearing distance.

"I don't think we could be far from them," mused the First Lord aloud, feeling his horse's concerned nudge on his shoulder, "The tracks seem imprinted by an hour or two. We should be able to catch up with them easily."

Slowly, he stood to his height and scanned the prospect behind him, the familiar lands he'd crossed with one night's restless riding.

His stomach growled from hunger but he ignored it.

The last meal he had eaten was last day's lunch. He was determined that the next meal he'd have would be with his wife. Returned safe and at the Castle.

Until then, he would risk starving.

He got on Shadow and they resumed their canter across the vast arid land that stretched out forever to the South of Arhasia. He was certain that the ones in the carriage, being the visitors of the Industry from last day, were intending to make for the ship in time.

He calculated that it would take nearly three days for them to reach where their ship was marooned, be it on carriage or horseback.

He could easily overcome them when the afternoon sun was up which time they would pause to let their horses rest. Shadow would not rest, he had decided; he would keep him riding through the day when the others would be respiting and he could corner them easily.

As his scheming mounted to a crescendo, he chose to recall the profile of the man who had visited him and was certain he could overcome him with one blow. That man wasn't youthful enough to defeat his heated-strength. And then there was that servant. By description, a balding, short man, he seemed to have a disposition that could be easily scared by a snarl from him.

Those two men were nothing to him, Lord Arnav was convinced. Once he was done with them, he could easily return home with his wife and the children.

He was contemplating thus as he rode on Shadow when his scrutinizing eyes noticed something on the ground. He pulled at the reins and halted his dark horse.

Alighting hastily, he bend to the ground and frowned at the tracks. They were not going across the land but had diverted to the West into the clamp of trees and the muddle of hills that loomed in the distance.

By the looks of the tracks that lay this way, it was certain that the tracks had been made a few minutes ago.

They were certainly close by.

But Lord Arnav was confused. Why would they take that way? Did they not want to make it to the ship as soon as they could?

Suspicious of the diversion, he decided he had to investigate into the change of plans.

Wisely deciding to investigate on foot, he signalled Shadow to stay where he was while he went and explored the area.

A few minutes of trudging stealthily through the forest and Lord Arnav had come upon the tracks of horse hoofs and carriage wheels again. He was convinced they had headed into the forest but the purpose of it was indiscernible.

Nonetheless, he kept going, taking care to be soundless in his steps and even maintaining his breaths under its usual volume.

He had barely crossed the expanse into the depth of the forest when he heard sounds from the distance.

It sounded like a man talking to someone. Or more correctly, by the tone, giving orders to someone.

Lord Arnav strained to hear more clearly.

He frowned on realizing he couldn't recognize the voice. It was neither the General nor the long-haired man who had visited him. Who can it be?

Slowly, cautiously, he took further steps deeper into the forest, in the direction of the voice. This time his hearing picked another voice. Another man's. But, again, not one he recognized.

Things were starting to get really frustrating.

Lord Arnav stole closer to the fringe of trees that stood at the brink of an expanse of darkness that surrounded a cave.

Leaning against one tree, he looked over his shoulder and peered in the direction of the cave.

His mouth fell open.

It was not a cave. In truth, it was a huge Castle of Stone standing in ruins. Its walls half-broken, its windows huge gaping mouths like the cracks on an ancient pot.

The grey bastion stood towering like a forgotten heritage and Lord Arnav felt an eerie shudder run down his spine, imagining the ghosts of the bygone era floating within the dark, shambled stone hallways of the citadel. It reminded him of the Castle he'd made his home, in a time before renovations had turned the mausoleum into a habitable mansion.

There had always been a mystery to the beauty of the land, he had acknowledged this from the moment he'd first stepped onto Arhasian soil. But it overcame him like a power of the unknown, every time he crossed paths with an antiquated piece of Arhasia's shrouded past, reeking of its faded Greek glory and its mysterious power to endure even while its people perished into dusty history.

Taking in a deep breath, he scanned the area for signs of patrolling men.

Finding none, he slid to his knees and crawled across the forest floor, towards the stony, grey Fortress.

Inching himself as close as he could get to the huge, ugly hole of the Fortress wall, Lord Arnav propped himself on his elbows, leaned his back against the crumbled wall and inclined his ear to listen closely.

The voices he had heard earlier were nearer now, and the words more audible to be made sense of.

"What do you mean it's not done!" enquired someone indignantly, "Two weeks wasn't enough for the lot o' ya!"

"We worked day in an' day out!" explained another, in an odd accent, "There's nearly ten of em. How much more would a need!"

"Twice that number and more, if the Master says so!" replied the first man with finality.

"I say!" said another, "What's the purpose in all this? Why must there be any number when only one is needed?"

There was a loud snapping sound and someone, presumably the first man, must have been slapped on the head for his senseless query.

"Your work is not to find answers," replied the first man coldly, "Yours is to make more!"

And then there was the sound of retreating feet. Understandably, the first man had left, for the rest of the men, who stood unmoving in their spot, began to speak amongst themselves.

"I came here for war, not to be a labourer!" one of them proclaimed.

Lord Arnav frowned. War?

"That's not what's on ma mind," began another in a hushed tone, almost as though he were revealing a secret, "We came here for the land and the money. What's the Master doing bringin a lass and her kiddies to mess up our plans?"

Lord Arnav sat up. Kushi!

"What the Master does is not important!" dismissed another, "He can get as many lassies and kiddies to keep him company as he wishes."

This comment earned a round of rough laughter from that gathering of unruly men.

Lord Arnav's fists hardened till they were white, his eyes shut in a fierce imagination of smashing the speaker's face into the wall.

"All we need to keep an eye out for is that we make a run for it before the whole thing keels over!"

"Do you think it will be huge?" asked someone.

"Sure, it will be!" exclaimed one confidently, "Didn't you see how many there are?!"

What were they talking about? Lord Arnav edged along the wall and tried to peer from the corner of the broken wall to catch a glimpse of what was ensuing there.

He was so immersed in trying to get a look that he didn't hear him approach. Even his acutely vigilant beastly senses had failed to pick his scent.

From where he was standing, scanning the area for juicy grass, Shadow looked up in agitation. He could sense, even from that distance, that something was not right.

Beside the oblivious First Lord, a cold familiar voice rang out, "And what do we have here..."