Rise of the Darekian's, The by Andrew Wood Read Free Book Online

care for him.

Chapter 4.
    Levin was tired and hungry; having been riding for what he thought must have been a week or more. His only food had been fruit and dry bread, which he had stolen from an unoccupied farmhouse kitchen; the day after his town had been attacked. He had rested his horse regularly as his father had always taught him, leaving it to graze and drink whenever possible. He had tasked himself to get to Hamalin, and then he would see the king and tell him of what had happened. The king would then send the army north, and he would ride with them, to slay all those raiders that had killed his father and friends. It had been this point of focus that had kept him going over the past several days.
    He felt a slight relief when he first spotted the walls of the capital, after not being entirely sure he was going the right way. He had remembered the only time he had travelled there before, a few years back with his father. On that occasion, they had travelled by horse and cart, to transport the iron goods his father had made to sell. He recalled they had spent three days there, staying in an inn near the cities market square. They had sold the entire load; his father had purchased some new tools, and had enough spare coin to treat Levin to a set of new clothes and a treacle apple to savour before the trip back.
    The guards at the eastern gate paid little attention to the slumped boy riding under the archway, and onto the street in to the city. He had remembered that as long as he stayed on the main road, he would be able to find the way to the palace gates. The street was busy, and inevitably, he bumped his horse into a few people as he rode, but he ignored any insults that were sent his direction when he did.
    As he reached his destination, and tried to continue past the palace gates, he was brought to a halt by a pair of uniformed guardsmen. "What do you think you are doing fool, turn that mangy beast around and get out of 'ere, before you find yourself in trouble boy," one of them said. Levin looked up at the speaker, "I need to see the king, I have important news for him." The two guards laughed, "I'm sure you do boy, he's probably sitting waiting for you with the kettle on," grabbing the horse line and turning the creature around, "now get out of here." Levin felt angry and frustrated, though he let them turn his horse and watch as he rode some twenty paces back the way he had come.
    When he thought they had given up watching him, he turned the tired horse back around, "come on, give me one last run" he whispered rubbing the horses neck. Kicking his heels and holding on as best he could, with the last of his energy, the horse did as asked and quickly accelerated. The noise of the shoes on the cobbled stone caused the guardsmen to take a defensive stance, but before they were able to draw swords, he had already butted them to the floor. Had Levin realised how quickly others would come to their aid, he may have reconsidered his plan. He had barely made it across the yard before at least thirty or more armed men started appearing, making a line in front of him.
    He quickly glanced around at the crossbows being raised and pointed in his direction, and did not even see the man grab him and pull him down to the floor. He hit the ground hard, crying out in pain, as he was rolled onto his back to see a dagger point in his face. The man holding the weapon looked a bit old to even be a soldier, "now what would a silly boy be doing trying to storm the palace gates? Another few seconds and you would have been riddled with crossbow bolts." Whether it was the fear on his young dirt covered face or the old man just feeling sorry for him, he did not know, but the dagger was moved away and a strong hand helped him up to his feet.
    The old soldier signalled to the others in the yard, and they started dispersing, returning to whatever they had been up to before Levin had tried his one-man charge. With a firm grip on his shoulder he