Dragon Clan #1: Camilla's Story

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

Robin had moved through the forest until she was ahead of the army, slipping through the thick brush growing at the side of the road. Further, from the road would have been safer, but if she was found she’d tell a story about being scared of so many soldiers. It would suffice. The advantage was speed. Twice she saw men, and once heard nearby talking, but couldn’t make out the words. She crept up on their camp long enough to see nearly half the men lay on the ground while others tended to their injuries. Even those on their feet wore bandages. Not one of the fourteen in sight appeared to have escaped the dragon attack unharmed.

When she backed far enough into the depths of the vegetation she turned and moved fast, almost running when possible. Judging she had moved well passed them, she turned and walked to the road, again. Before stepping out onto it, she spent the time to ensure the forward sentries were not in sight.

The road held no footprints of Camilla or her escort. She glanced at the forest. They were either in there or behind her. If they were circling around the soldiers, they’d make their way back to the road at some point. But where?

With a shrug, she turned up the valley again and began running along the road. The thin air and rising road soon tired her, but after walking another hundred paces she ran again, the staff in her hand ready for instant use. She kept watch on the road ahead, as well as glancing down at the footprints. Another walk, another jog. She repeated the process several times, and also kept watch on a particular mountain peak. Below it lay a little-known pass.

Reaching the place where she needed to turn off the road to the other pass, she turned and ran into the underbrush, counting her steps. At three hundred paces she spun around and retraced her path to the road. After making sure Camilla was not on it, she ran three hundred steps on the other side and returned. She felt reasonably certain Camilla hadn’t passed her on either side. At the edge of the road, a granite boulder marked the location.

She positioned herself behind the boulder where she had a good view of the road in both directions, but could duck into the forest, if necessary. Camilla would avoid the soldiers. She had been at the location of the slaughter and wouldn’t want any part of it. Her natural tendencies would make her circle the soldier’s camp, but she’d move warily and slow. Then she would make her way back to the road.

The valley had narrowed. Steep hills lined one side of the road and cliffs on the other. There were only two choices of direction. Up valley or down. Robin couldn’t believe she would go back to Nettleton. The logical answer was that while Robin had slipped past the same soldiers, Camilla had circled around, or went around them on the other side of the road.

For the moment, Robin was safe but uneasy. The longer she waited, the more chance she miscalculated. A flash of color on the road pulled her mind back to reality. Entering the road from the underbrush on the other side of the road were two figures, but even from the distance, there was no mistaking Camilla.

Robin drew a breath of satisfaction. She carefully stood while remaining out of sight behind the boulder. Camilla’s companion walked in step with her, and appeared about the same size, so somehow, she had met up with the boy. When they passed the boulder, Robin would step onto the road and send the other youngster on his way.

As the pair came closer, Robin recognized the boy from Nettleton. He spun twine. Brix. A poor spinner from what the village gossip said, but a good boy. Well liked. She pulled further out of sight and started thinking of a story to tell, one that would not cause alarm in Nettleton, but would send him home.

She peeked around the edge of the boulder at them walking. Camilla carried her staff and didn’t limp anymore. Her movements were sure, and the staff was carried like it had been in her hand since birth. The boy also carried a staff. The wood looked green, the bark recently peeled. He carried his staff in a more awkward manner, but if the tales were true, he was an awkward sort of boy, and it explained the sapling cut down back at the edge of the stream. They broke into a sprint.

Robin stepped onto the road a dozen steps ahead of them. She had her legs spread wide, her staff at her side, her eyes watching for their reaction as they raced each other. Running, as Robin had told her to do.

Camilla instantly broke into a smile and ran to greet her.

The boy raised his staff in a defensive posture before lowering it and waiting.

Robin approved of both of their reactions. She took Camilla by her shoulders, turned her slightly so the boy couldn’t see her lips and whispered. “Does he know anything?”

“No.”

Robin turned. “You are Brix, son of Logoff, is that right?”

“You are the washerwoman.”

Robin approved. He probed for information instead of answering her. His defensive posture hadn’t changed.

“What are you doing here?” Camilla asked.

Robin kept her attention on Brix. “Why are the two of you traveling together?”

Brix remained silent while Camilla answered. “We met on the road. He is also going to help herd Arum’s animals. He has done it for three years.”

“Then he should be on with it.” Robin fixed her eyes on hers and pointed to the road. “You and I have other plans.”

Brix took a step forward. “Why do you have any say in what Cam does?”

Robin hesitated at the use of the shortened name, then realized what Camilla had done. She still let him think she was a boy. Smart. It said the boy didn’t know Cam was a girl, and he certainly didn’t know she was Dragon Clan. However, the road saw a lot of people, and Robin didn’t want to linger in the sight of whoever might pass. “I’ll tell your father that I saw you and that you are well. Now, you need to leave us.”

“Will Cam join me to help Arum?”

Robin considered lying, but the boy had done no harm. “I’m sorry, that plan has changed.” As the words spilled from her, she paused. Only a short time ago she had thought about the number of people on the road. Most kept to themselves and made camp in sight of the road where they kept track of who else traveled. Strangers are not friends until they are known. Most are wary of highwaymen, robbers, witches, and evil of all sorts. Gypsies constantly traveled, seeking a free meal or goat wandering too far from the rightful owner.

“How do you decide Cam’s plans?” He asked.

Robin cast a warning glance at Camilla to remain quiet. She looked back at Brix, “Have you met anyone else on this road?”

“You mean besides those toy soldiers who were trying to beat me when I was leaving Nettleton? Or the real ones fighting the dragon?” Brix took two more steps closer.

Robin saw his fingers whiten as he gripped his staff. The ends were sliced like a man whittled a stick. Not sharp, but ragged. His shoulders were wide and his chin set. He looked ready to fight. She snapped her staff above her head, spun it twice, and let the far end fall to chest level. She jabbed twice, the end falling short of him by the length of two steps. It twirled again and regained its former position.

Brix backed a step. “Was that a threat?”

“Yes. Now stand there and let me think.” The King’s two henchmen were searching for a boy about Brix’s age. Worse, he was seen in the company of the only local wildling. The Weapons Master and the Slave Master would not hesitate to torture Brix if they heard rumors he traveled with the boy they were seeking.

If Brix didn’t tell them what they wanted, it might cost him his life, despite the fact he didn’t know anything. Many innocents died because of the King’s search for information about dragons. More because the King’s men believed they concealed that information. Sending the boy back on the road alone could get him killed. What choice did she have? Sending him to Arum’s or to Nettleton made no difference. The King’s men would locate him and demand information he didn’t know because surely others had seen them together.

She raised her eyes to his. It was not true he knew nothing. He did know where Robin and Camilla left the road, and any tracker could follow them if they knew that. The King’s men would buy information and people with gold. The boy was a liability. He might not intend them harm, but he could cost Camilla and her their lives.

That left two courses of action. Take the boy with them or kill him and hide the body.

She knew and respected Logoff. He and his family were honest, good people and killing their son would be almost as hard on her as it was on them. Almost. Perhaps he could be returned to Nettleton after the hunt for the dragon-boy ended. Yes, she could quietly slip him into the edge of the village one night and have him enter his home. She could impress upon him the importance of silence.

Mind made up, Robin said, “Listen to me carefully. Our lives depend on our actions. Arum will make do without either of you. We’re all in danger.”

“Danger?” Brix asked, almost sounding excited.

Camilla simply nodded and waited.

“Evil men are after us. I’ll explain later. Right now, I want the two of you to run up the road as far as you can and turn off into the forest. Go to that side.” Robin pointed to the side opposite the boulder. “Then leave a lot of footprints heading up into those mountains. Make it look like you’re going there. Then, at a stream or a place where you leave no tracks, come back to this place and meet me here. Do it as fast as you would if your lives depend on it—which they do.”

Brix said, “I don’t understand.”

Camilla stepped closer to Robin. “They’re coming after me, aren’t they?”

Robin nodded.

Camilla tossed her staff to the side of the road and started to run. Brix stood still, thinking and wondering. He glanced at Camilla, already far ahead. “You’re sure you’re the same washerwoman?”

Robin smiled for the first time. “You’re not the first to ask me that. Catch Cam if you can. I’ll be waiting here. Then we’ll be off.”