Inktober Day 19: Plump

 Chapter 16

They rode across the bridge as fast as the horse would carry them. But it was only a few seconds before they heard the sounds of pursuit following behind them. Magda turned around to see Kanda and two of the men riding after them. Magda remembered how Kandra displayed her power when they were captured and was fearful of what she might do. She just gripped tighter to Wendell and hoped they would make it out of this. But where would they go?

They were gaining now and the bridge was nearly half a mile long. Magda heard Wendell cry out and saw that one of the men behind them had loosed an arrow into his thigh. But Wendell rode on, spurring the horse to go faster, harder.

Magda gripped the dagger that was still in her hand and looked back again. She could see Kandra’s face clearly now. What if Kandra could cause this whole bridge to collapse under them? She gripped the dagger tighter and felt a warmth spread from it to her circlet.

Kandra and her men continued to catch up to them until Kandra could nearly reach them. She had a mind to grab Magda’s cloak as it billowed behind her, but Magda slashed blindly with the dagger to scare her away. Only, when she did it, Kandra did not merely flinch back, but was knocked totally off her horse.

They were nearly to the end of the bridge now, and Magda looked down to the dagger in her hand. In a desperate plea to whatever power lay in her circlet and perhaps in this dagger, she slashed behind her again and all three of their pursuers flew back over the side of the bridge, and into the water.

After moving away from the keep where they had escaped the hideous toad beast, Magda and Sir Wendell made their way south, back from where they had come. Magda was not sure what Wendell was planning; he was holding it together well, but she knew he was too hurt to travel far or protect them if need be.

Magda rode in the front of the horse, gripping the saddle to keep steady, but at some point they must have slowed because Magda was able to relax and start to nod off. She felt a nudge at her side.

“I would not keep you from sleep, my lady,” Wendell said. He sounded so tired. “Except that these are not times to let one’s guard down and I do not want to drop you.” She nodded, but found it incredibly hard to stay awake. The steady rhythm of the horse’s trot was soothing, now that they had slowed down.

She strayed in and out of sleep, Wendell occasionally nudging her awake. She could not remember being so tired in her life. Wendell’s nudges became weaker and weaker however, and she realized his strength must be falling away as they rode. Amid the fatigue, Magda felt a sense of dread. What would they do now? Even if she were injured or faint, Wendell would always protect her, but with both of them in such a state, Magda was not sure what they would do.

It would be so lovely to just stop and rest. Nothing else seemed to matter so much as sleep at that moment. Surely, they could just stop for a few minutes and sleep. Magda closed her eyes and thought about her bed at home. She thought about those days in the winter, when her rooms got very cold and she huddled under her blankets, and nothing seemed so satisfying as that in all the world. No book, no food, no adventure could compare to a good rest in her comfortable bed at home. Before she knew it, as it always is, she was asleep. What she did not realize was that Wendell was too.

When she awoke, it was to the smell of food. Meat and potatoes perhaps? There was a buttery scent as well, and Magda could feel her mouth watering as her stomach gave a loud growl.

“My, we had better get you fed!” She did not recognize this voice, but was too groggy to be alarmed by a stranger in the room. Room? Yes, she was in a room. She opened her eyes fully and looked around. She was in a large bed, and beside her lay Wendell, still unconscious. She looked up to see a kindly looking woman, her head covered in a white shawl, her dress blue and somewhat shabby. “Hello, little one.”

The woman smiled and Magda felt a warmth coming from her brow. Immediately her hand dashed to her circlet and she was relieved that it was still there. It was an obvious gesture and one Magda would have thought better of in better circumstances, but it did not seem to matter. The woman laughed lightly.

“It’s alright dear,” she said. “You’re safe here.” This woman seemed good. Magda decided she could likely trust this woman, but she was not a fool. She began nudging Wendell awake.

As he stirred, the door of the room opened and a man entered, carrying a tray. Wendell sat up suddenly.

“Who are you?” he demanded. He had no weapon to brandish, but Magda was sure he would have if he did. The woman did not seem surprised, but her manner became more guarded. She rose from her seat and put her hands up.

“Hush now sir,” she said. “It’s alright.” The man who had just entered set his tray down and came over, standing in front of the woman. He too put his hands up in a calming gesture.

“You can trust us, son,” he said. “We’re not going to harm you.” Wendell did not back down, but looked between them and around the room. “We found you. You’d fallen off your horse and it was getting a might chilly. I was bringing me flock in when I saw you. Good horse you have though. Stayed right by your side and even gave me a little scare when I tried to approach.” The man chuckled and Wendell seemed to relax a bit.

“Who are you?” He asked again, but less panicked.

“My name is Jon,” the man said. “And this is me wife Tabitha.”

“We’re sheepfolk sir,” Tabitha said. “We don’t have nothing to threaten you for.”

After a moment, Wendell leaned back heavily. Magda did not know whether he decided they were trustworthy or he was just too tired to care anymore.

“Come now,” Tabitha said, turning and walking toward the table. She picked up the tray Jon had brought and carried it to where Magda and Wendell were sitting. On it were a handful of juicy, plump meat pies.

Magda and Wendell did not have to be convinced to dive headfirst into the plate of food. Magda did not think she had ever had such delicious food. There was meat, carrots, some potatoes, and thick gravy pouring out of the flaky pastry shell. She was sure her mother would have balked at her manners as she devoured the savory treats, but she did not care. She had not eaten so well in weeks.

Once they were full, Tabitha took the tray back and set it on the table. Only after, did Magda realize how they really ought not to have eaten in the bed, but Jon and Tabitha did not seem to mind. She brushed some crumbs off of her face and closed her eyes, resting against the pillows behind her when she heard someone’s throat clear. It was Wendell. Jon and Tabitha looked at him expectantly.

“What do you know about that demon up there in the king’s keep?”