Read The Sword and The Seven Stones: Diamond Page 11

  Chapter 9

  Gavin awakened and looked around. The fires were still going and Harry was sitting by himself, leaning against the rock he left him at about an hour before. He was making something of the wood in his hand. Jordon and Alman were walking the perimeter. Gavin punched Nelvil in the shoulder to get him up. Nelvil opened his eyes then stretched. He had been in the field many times to protect the Kingdom. To get an hour in was a great accomplishment. He got up and got his bow on his back and checked to see how many arrows he had left. When he ran out, he would still have his sword but he preferred things of this nature to be as far away from him as possible. Jordon and Alman made their way back to the fire. Gavin stood there talking to Nelvil when a piercing scream went through the night air. It was only dusk so they knew that they were going to have company soon. Jordon had already prepared his sword while the other two had slept. The blade was so sharp that it could slice a fine piece of hair in half. Harry stood up and walked over to the fire. He wasn’t going to sit by himself close to the perimeter fire. He was determined to stay close to the middle one if he could. He didn’t know how much more he would be able to take. Right now as he looked beyond the fires, he wished he was sitting in the village square, still whispering sweet words into the ear of the sweet ling that met him at the fountain every other day. As he whittled with the knife he now had in his front belt, he thought about what had transpired so far. Was this a test that they were supposed to conquer? He thought about the days past just the week before. He and Alman had a private party in his suites at the palace which lasted for days. Being out here for five days now, he realized now how spoiled they were. His best friend would be King and he knew that he would be standing beside him. They had talked about it before. They hadn’t learned a thing and doing this quest was not his preferred way of learning. The night settled in and as soon as the last light of day disappeared, the cats were there. The cat with the piercing scream kept taunting them as he walked along the side of the perimeter. Two others walked around in different directions, always trying to make sure one of them was along the path should they try to run. The horses were getting agitated and Harry turned in that direction to see one paw hook itself from the cliff’s edge. Harry ran over there and swung his sword down upon the paw, slicing it off. The cat flailed in the air then dropped. Jordon ran over there and swung his sword to get the next one that tried the same thing. Both cats fell to their deaths upon the rocks that jutted up from the earth below. Jordon turned to see one of the three jump over the fire. Nelvil took him down with an arrow through the heart. Gavin stood back to back with the Prince. Alman watched as the lead cat watched him through the fire. Gavin saw the other run into the night, only to return as it soared through the air over the fire. The cats were determined to kill them this night. Gavin swung his sword and the cat swung his lethal claws through the air. Gavin hit the claws and the steel against them rang as if he just hit metal bars. The cat snarled at him and then reared up on his back paws to pounce down on his victim. Just as the monster rose up to over ten feet, it let out a scream that would deafen anyone. As the cat slumped to the ground, Gavin looked to see Harry standing behind the cat.

  The one that kept his eyes on Alman as he walked back and forth didn’t seem as the others. He watched Alman closely. Every step he took, the way the sword moved, his eyes moved with it. Nelvil hollered out as another tried to come over the cliff where the horses were. As Nelvil looked over the side, he noticed that the claws of the cats penetrated the rock on the side of the cliff as if they were climbing a tree. He couldn’t believe how sharp those claws really were until he watched as they sank into the rock as if they were going into soft mud. He took aim and carefully waited for the cat to turn and look at him and shot the cat through the skull. He knew he would run out of arrows soon. Alman watched as the big cat watched him and moved in the same motion he did. He wanted Alman and as the fires started to die down, he had a feeling that would be when this big cat would make his move. The cat’s large muscles moved with fluid motion as he sized up what he wanted to do with his prey. This cat watched as each of the others made an attempt to kill them. “I think my friend in front of us is the ring leader,” Alman said to Gavin, who was still at his back. Gavin looked over a couple of times and had seen how intently the cat was watching the Prince. He knew that Alman had made a very wise observation. He stationed himself at Alman’s back, protecting him from any that dared to jump the fire but Jordon and Nelvil seemed to be able to keep them at a distance. Alman looked into the cat’s eyes. He had seen those eyes before, but where. As Nelvil and Jordon took care of the ones that kept trying to reach the top of the cliff, Harry stood back in shock. Alman turned to look at his friend and in that instance, the cat took flight and soared through the air. Alman turned back in time to see the black cat jump the flames. Alman’s sword grew as bright as day. The cat walked around him, its fangs dripping and Alman could feel the evil radiate from the cat. The eyes shone back Alman’s reflection and the growl that it maintained would make any man run but Alman didn’t have a choice. It was kill or be killed. The cat took a swing at him and Alman avoided it and when the cat leaped at him, he slid underneath the giant beast. He plunged upward with his sword right into the beast’s heart. While he held the hilt of his sword, he felt a pulsing energy go through him. The hilt got warmer and the diamond grew even brighter until a flash shattered through the darkness. As fast as it happened, it was over. He took the sword out of the cat and then watched as the cat dissolved in front of him.

  Nicholis sat in the grand hall of the palace. The villagers had been coming all day with requests. They needed to go to the north forest to get wood to build again. He assigned ten guards to go with them so they could have the protection from the wildlife and any stranglers that may have gotten through. The rain hadn’t let up and the villagers were losing their crops. He watched as a young boy came into the hall with firewood piled in his small arms and tossed it into the fireplace. Nicholis turned back to the man in front of him. He knew things were going to get worse if the rain didn’t stop. Gesturing to the guard to the side of him, the guard came over and bent down so the king could whisper something in his ear. The guard turned and picked up the cage that the woman before had given him. In it was three laying hens. The small boy turned in time to see his father thank the King. He waited with a smile as he watched Nicholis give the hens to him. He knew his mother would be very happy. Nicholis looked at the boy and when William looked in the King’s direction, his smile faded and he stood straighter. “Sir, is that your young boy?” he asked the man in front of him. The father bowed and told him it was. “Yes sire, this is William. He is my youngest.” Nicholis waved the boy over. William swallowed hard and walked over to stand in front of his king. “William, why would you bring wood for my fire when at home you have little?” William looked at his father and then at the king. He stood up a little taller and spoke clear. “Sire, I chopped that down with my axe and when I brought it home, my father asked me where I got it.” Nicholis could see the sweat start to form on the small boy’s forehead. William swallowed fast, hopping not to get sick in front of his king. His belly was so nervous. “When my father asked me where I got it, I told him from the south forest. He told me that it was the king’s wood and that I must bring it to you. That was the first load.” As he pointed to the wood that was in the fireplace, crackling from the heat and flames. “There is about ten more I am to bring. Sire, I only cut one tree because we have none. Our trees were swept away when the river expanded.” The father looked alarmed, holding the hens that the king had just given him. He looked down at his son and told him to have respect for his king. Nicholis admired the honesty of this young boy. “How old are you, William?” William looked his king straight in the eyes. “I am thirteen, sir.” Nicholis was very impressed with this child. He turned his attention to the father. “Sir, what is your name?” The father of the boy looked worried but in a low voice told the king his
name was Edwin. “Edwin, would you do me the honour of allowing your son to become my personal page. As you know sir, it is a grand honor to have this placement.” William looked up at his dad to only see worry in his eyes. He turned back to the King. “Sir, I would be honored to be your page if you help my family. I am the only boy so if I were to move here, then my father would need help on the farm and my three sisters would need a place at court to have the chance at a good match.” He stood there as a bead of sweat ran down the side of his face. Nicholis sat back and drummed his fingers along the armrest of his chair. The father looked in shock to have his son demand something from his King. Nicholis only ever knew one other person besides this boy who stood in front of him and demanded something and that was Gavin. Everyone in the hall heard what this small boy had dared to say to their king. Nicholis rose out of his chair and pulled his sword from the sheath. A hush came over the crowd as they waited to see what their king was going to do next. “Kneel, William so I may anoint you with my sword.” William dropped to his knees in relief. When he saw the sword come out of the sheath, he thought for sure that his head would be the next to go. As he felt the sword grace the top of his head, he heard the words that made him one of the most important people in the Kingdom. He could breathe easier. Once the King was done, he told William to go home and say good bye to his mother and bring his sisters back to the palace. His father stood there with shock and pride for his son. He had gotten a position at the palace and helped his sisters also. He would never have to worry that the girls would make a good match with someone who could take care of them.

  William stood up and bowed to his king and Nicholis saw for just a moment a look in the boys’ eyes that told him that he picked well. He watched as William helped his father leave the grand hall.