THE RISING SONS - Hour Six
As he rode the sounds of battle faded behind him. Summertime's steps were all that echoed in his ears, but in his brain the voices of a thousand Kings cried out. It was a strange sense that overcame him as the two moved just on the outskirts of Antony's realm. Mac still wasn't sure where he was going, but he knew that he must protect the symbols of the Broughcut Kingdom. Mac's greatest fear was that in the confusion of battle they would be lost, or even stolen, but lost nonetheless. Wherever there is a war, there are vultures. This war was no different. The horse stopped when they reached a fork in the road. It was here that a choice must be made. To the left was the land of the Vurki. To the right the port city of Anson. Summer began to tap her foot nervously, then turned toward her rider as if to say,"Well?" Mac reached down and patted her neck, then gently nudged her to the right. They continued down the road as the sun broke through the shadow of the trees above them. It was such a nice day and for the first time since he pulled his gun out of the foxhole, Mac felt far from danger and full of purpose. Hiding in bushes, two young soldiers watched as the rider moved closer to them. One of the boys slowly raised his gun to his shoulder as the rider passed right in front of him, and eagerly pulled the trigger. The force of the blast knocked the old man from the saddle. The horse reared and galloped off. "You got 'em!" His cohort shouted. The two soldiers moved from the bushes. One wore the woodland garb of Antony's Army...the other wore the uniform of Toddanson, both of their guns pointed down at the man in the dirt. "Dang! I think he might be one of yours!"
The two stared at the man on the ground, neither moving a muscle. "Let's get!" Receiving no response, the soldier in red shoved the stunned young man harshly and repeated, "I said let's get!"
The two turned and raced off into the forest leaving the motionless body on the road. * * * * * Until his dieing day, Law Bos never did figure out how he knew. But he just knew. It hit him right after he sent TF back to his ship. It was an overwhelming sense of dread. So together he and Boowie set off to find Mac. The night McGregor delivered Shawlee, Boowie had marked one of Miss Summertime's front shoes. Boowie could easily follow that mark through anything, and they did. It was much easier tracking Mac than Law Bos had predicted. The two men turned right at the fork in the road and soon found Summer standing over something. Law Bos knew immediately what she was guarding. The pair moved slowly toward the horse, not wanting to spook her. Law Bos spoke softly as they neared. Summer's ears were bent down flat to her head, her hooves struck the ground beside her fallen master. "Easy now lass, Easy," Law Bos spoke calmly and evenly to the animal. Boowie silently moved up and took the dangling reins while Law Bos bent down to examine his old friend. Law Bos carefully turned the Keeper of Broughcut over, his body not long dead. He kneeled beside his old friend and shook his head slowly. "This not be part of the plan, Mac. Not part of the plan at all. What brings ye to this end?" It was then that Boowie handed him a package, the first of three found in Summer's saddlebags. Law Bos opened one end of the paper and peered inside. It was the King's crown. "Aye..." Law Bos O' Neal stood slowly and turned to Boowie. "I be taking Mac home to rest. Ye be charged to hide these three bundles. Once the deed be done, you be a free man, Boowie, and bound to me no more. This be my last order, Boowie. Ye must hide 'em well." Boowie silently removed the saddlebags from Summer's back and carefully repacked the precious cargo. He slung the loaded bags over his shoulder and said, "Consider it done."
Law Bos' eyes widened with surprise at the sound of Boowie's voice. He had known him almost half his life and had never heard him utter a sound, let alone a sentence. Then a smile quickly spread across his face, "You son-of-a-gun...I always suspected ye could speak. Why now? Why as we part?" Boowie explained, "The Vurki life bond from which you just released me has freed my voice. Until we were equals, it was forbidden for me to speak." "But I asked ye questions - I even ordered ye to answer 'em... early on ..." his voice faded off, almost sadly. "I could not speak to you or to anyone until I was a free man and only you could release me from that bond," the Vurki replied. He then gestured at the saddlebags, "I will hide these well, as you have ordered, and I will join up with you soon." "Ye no longer be bound," Law Bos said as he lifted Mac from the ground and secured his lifeless body across Summer's saddle. "Besides, what makes ye think you can find me?" "I'll find you," said the Vurki. He turned around and disappeared into the woods. Law Bos led Miss Summertime by the reins and headed in the direction of Castle Broughcut. He would bury Mac next to his father."Not part of the plan at all." The last McGregor was going home. * * * * * * * * |
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