After Wilson and Aella collected their mounts, they hit the road in a hurry. Certain that pursuit would soon follow, they moved at a swift canter to get as much distance between them and the Duke's men as possible. After several hours of hard riding, they slowed to allow the horses to get their breath.

"Do you think they are far behind?" asked Aella.

Wilson chewed on some dried beef strips he had pulled from his saddlebags. He shook his head. "I don't think it will take them long to figure out which way we went. We had two choices, head back to the military camp or go to the capital to speak with the King. Both ways follow this road for another five leagues. After that, the two roads split. I think they at least know which way we've gone for now. We'll try and confuse them where the road splits."

Aella smiled. "Give me some of that dried beef, will you?"

Wilson reached back into the saddle bag and pulled out two strips. He reached over and handed them to her. She began to chew as well.

"Pretty good dried beef," she said.

"Best there is in all of Firsall," he smiled. "Devon makes it in his spare time."

Aella looked over at Wilson. "You glad he's courting your sister?"

Wilson nodded. "It's a bit strange. He and I have always been as close as brothers. But my sister seems happy, which means I'm happy."

They rode for a few moments in silence.

"I just hope they can make things work."

As he said this, they cantered up to the fork in the road. There, they stopped and dismounted. Aella looked around. Seeing what she was looking for, she walked over to a pine tree and chopped off two large, thin branches that had plenty of needles at the end. Wilson nodded as she did this.

"Head north and drag it behind so it looks like we are trying to cover our tracks?" he asked.

"I think so. It won't confuse them for long, but it's the best we can do."

"We'd better hurry then."

They mounted and turned their horses north towards their army. Riding slow, they dragged the pine branches behind. It was enough that a proper tracker would think them novices clumsily trying to hide their tracks. After a pair of leagues, they brought their horses off the main track and into the thick woods. From there, they began to backtrack to the original intersection. They passed it and moved on beside the road. About mid-afternoon, they heard several horses coming hard from the direction of the capital. Without a word, they both pressed deeper into the trees and stopped to wait.

The hooves sounded louder as they approached. Aella lifted up her hand and showed four fingers. Wilson nodded in silence.

A moment later, four riders passed at a fast trot. All of them were garbed in the Grand Duke's colors. They paid no attention to anything other than the road. This was considered well enough behind the battle lines that it was safe.

After they passed, Wilson and Aella moved their horses onto the path. "That is good luck, then," said Wilson.

"They'll cover our clumsy tracks?"

"Hopefully."

With that short exchange, they began to ride hard toward the King and the capital. With luck, they would be there before the Duke's men. With even more luck, Wilson would be able to convince the King to give his sister what she wanted. Wilson figured the King owed his father something, he just wasn't sure if it was something good or something bad.

The Black Oak Sword

Chapter 1: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3
Chapter 2: Part 1 , Part 2
Chapter 3: Part 1 , Part 2,Part 3
Chapter 4:Part 1,Part 2
Chapter 5: Part 1
Chapter 6: Part 1, Part 2
Chapter 7: Part 1, Part 2
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14:Part 1
Chapter 14:Part 2
Chapter 15:Part 1
Chapter 15:Part 2
Chapter 16:Part 1
Chapter 16:Part 2
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19:Part 1
Chapter 19:Part 2
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22:Part 1
Chapter 22:Part 2
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26

© 2017, Stone Golem Publishing, All rights reserved--no part of this may be used without express written consent.

**All pictures used are labeled for reuse. They come from Pixabay

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