Chapter 140

Air had touch of saltiness in Winstrova during the evening. Braden had been surrounded with fragrances in the palace so he didn’t know what the rest of Winstrova smelled like. He sure knew it was cold at evening despite of the scorching sun at day time. He rubbed his arms, trying to warm himself.

He watched birds fly over his head as the sun started to settle in the sky painted with golden clouds. Braden watched a particular patch of cloud. For a while it was a boar, then a beggar and nothing at last.

Braden held a crack on the tree trunk, on which he was leaning, and pulled himself up. Pain was gone. For a moment he thought it was numbness so he shook his head, kicked the air and jumped few inches high.

The pain had left for real.

He started feeling the recovery meant nothing when he considered how big Winstrova was. And he could not tell where he was in the massive kingdom.

Ser Calajhan will find me

. Braden have his mind a rest. The botched teleportation gave him plenty of time to contemplate. At least Rikilda wasn’t getting married to anyone.

Braden couldn’t help himself from smiling. His smile died when he realized he was happy at someone's wedding being called off. The smirk came again. On this occasion, he had some ambitions and the blackening horizon to picture it on.

Excitement did not last for long. Insecurities overtook it. The insecurity was not about Rikilda or his next marriage but was about himself. Nortze still hadn’t come there to pick him after the botched teleportation. With the mind filled with doubts, there weren’t plenty of things to be interpreted from darkness.

An hour later, he saw the moon. It meant many things, unlike darkness. Symbol of love, light, life and many things. The play master from Pryeg could have written a dozen of sonnets if he was seeing it.

Your sky….your land….

Braden also went to think of a song but howling wolves did not let him stay in peace. He knew the sound was coming from distance. Still he desired to make use of his feet since he did not even want to be close enough to the wolves where he could hear them.

Imagining canines of those predators in his body propelled him to more speed. Fatigue came in his way without any warning and he found himself breathing hard by putting his hand on thighs. Braden could no longer hear those howling.

Instead he heard a sniff.

He feared he had walked straight to a pack of wolves. He avoided creating any sound and hoped his sweat would not be sufficient for their snouts to locate him.

This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.

Braden gawked around only to discover that the sound was coming from a single direction. His dismay intensified despite of the better news.

One wolf or a pack, result was going to be the same.

A set of glowing eyes peeked out of bushes. Braden picked the pointiest piece of wood he could find as the small pebbles scattered around him were not heavy to hurt a rabbit.

Braden waved the branch, poking nothing but air after seeing those eyes rising upwards. He stopped swinging the branch once those eyes elevated to the point where a wolf standing on its hind-limbs would also not reach.

The man, dark as monsoon clouds, walked through the thorny bushes with his eyes disappearing whenever he blinked. Braden noticed his grin when he approached closer.

"Gold." The thin man said.

"I thought you were a wolf."

The person kept sniffing and stood infront of Braden. He smelled him from shoulder then stopped at his finger.

He took a deep breath, "Pure gold."

Braden stepped backwards till the man held his hand.

"Pardon me." Braden pulled his hand.

Stranger smirked at him, tightening his clutch. The man began pulling the ring with force. Braden's finger cracked as a result. He could feel his finger about to leave its joint.

"Give it to me." Man roared.

"Calm. I will." Braden pushed the ring towards top of his finger. Only then he realized it was stuck.

"Aren't you giving it to me?"

The delay was creating anxiety to Braden more than him.

"Yes, I am. Wait."

The man looked sideways in impatience whereas Braden hoped the ring would slip downwards due to sweat. He looked down from the stranger's face and concentrated on getting the ring off.

Doing so, he saw another metal in his hand. It was not shiny but was sharp.

In no time, the man caught Braden's ring finger and stretched it. His rusty dagger was over his head, ready for descend.

"Stop." someone yelled.

Braden saw an arrow come through the man's chest. Droplets of blood dripped down the arrow tip. Then he left the dagger. Braden had to unknot his finger to keep his ring finger in his possession.

"What was it?" Braden asked the horseman loading his bow.

"A gold thief." Archer notched the arrow, "Where is your family?"

"I fail to understand what you mean."

"King Lacroix ordered gold thieves deployed to trace you all. One of them got you."

Some more people on horses came with their flaming torches. The horses galloped around Braden, forming a circle. One of those horsemen was Maester Rudolph.

Maester moved his finger and Braden had a seizure.