It's pretty amateur so don't judge it to harshly.
Uktar, Year 1481, Feast of the Moon
Standing in front of the window, his eyes searched every flit and every shadow dancing across the courtyard. From several lit torches, he could see the servants below loading the waiting carriage with supplies necessary for the journey.
"Sire, perhaps the Lady and yourself should proceed ahead?", said a voice from behind him.
He turned, letting the curtain fall back in front of the window, "No, Geoff, we cannot. The child is already on its way and I would not risk the birth within the moving carriage, midwife or no."
"But Sire, surely the carriage would be a better place than risking..."
"I said no, Geoff, do not ask me again. We will wait and then proceed once the child has arrived."
As if in answer, a shrill cry from the adjoining room turned their heads. A brief smile lit the nobleman’s face then quickly faded as a somber grimace took its place. He strode across the room and through the door. The midwife stood at the side of the bed, a small bundle of wrapped cloth in her arms with a strong cry from the newborn babe resounding in the room.
"A girl", said the woman from the bed, "a strong, healthy, girl has graced our family.” she said smiling up at her husband. He moved to stand beside her, holding her hand as the midwife brought the bundle low, placing it in his other arm. He knelt beside the bed, placing the babe between them; never had he been so torn between both joy and sorrow.
The woman in the bed leaned close and gently placed a kiss on the newborn's forehead while at the same time lovingly caressing her soft, pink cheek. "She has to go now, Jherron, she must be away from here swiftly, less we risk all."
He nodded in agreement, his eyes mirroring the same inner turmoil that she was holding back. He stood from beside the bed and turned towards the others in the room.
"Sire, all is ready, the carriage and handmaiden are waiting below; she will be well protected. Five of our best knights will accompany her; all will be well." said Geoff through a sharp smile that did not reflect his true thoughts.
"Very well then, let us get on with it.", he said making his way into the hallway, his servant following behind.
As they neared the stairs, a scream erupted from the landing below. A look of dark recognition crossed Jherron's face as he exchanged looks with the man beside him. "They are here; we must hurry, now, to the carriage!"
The two men raced down the stairs as more screams broke from below, the sounds of scuffling and fighting pouring through the entryway to the kitchen and servant's quarters.
"SIRE!”, came a shout from the large doors at the front of the foyer. Standing inside the door was a large man wearing a suit of linked chain and carrying a sword and shield held easily within powerful hands. The man ran forward in an attempt to place himself between his lord and whatever lurked further back within the keep. “Go sire, take the child to the carriage, the handmaiden and men are waiting to leave. I will stay and hold back these dogs long enough to give them a start."
Bramm was Jherron's closest friend and trusted sergeant to his knights. The two had fought alongside one another more times than he could count over many, many years. With a look of knowing and a slight nod, Jherron and Geoff raced past the armored knight and out through the front doors into the courtyard.
The carriage sat surrounded by torchlight and a ring of mounted knights. A young girl, no more than twenty winters sat just inside the door, a look of fright upon her face. Jherron stopped just short of her, holding the crying infant against his cheek one last time before whispering a prayer to the gods. Quickly passing her to the handmaiden he shut the door, a last look of faith, hope and luck passed between them.
"Off with you, now. Go! Spare not a moment, for the beasts are upon us.” Jherron yelled to the driver.
The man seated behind the horses, slapped down the reins, spurring them into a fast pace that quickly became a gallop; the five knights following behind. With the carriage off and out through the outer gate, Jherron turned once more back towards the foyer of the keep.
"Geoff, spare your life and go hide until morn, you can do no more here.” The servant simply nodded before moving off towards the stables.
The sound of fighting, yelling, screaming and something else poured from the open doors. With a renewed anger, Jherron turned, striding back towards the open doorway. Whatever happens now, they had done their part. Fate was no longer in their hands; it was up to luck and the will of the gods to determine what the future holds. This, however, was his home and his family, he would be damned if he let everything fall without taking some of them with him.
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The night was getting long and the shadows growing deep. Tonight was the night, a night for change, a night when the scales of balance could tip. It was this night that the beasts set in motion to bring upon the world their vision, what would be their world. The men weren't far ahead, their scent was still strong, the scent of their horses stronger. They would wait, however. They would allow their prey to become relaxed and comfortable, then, when the prey was least expecting, they would change the course of fate.
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The carriage sped down the darkened road, the hanging lanterns and the light of the full moon above providing just enough to see. As the keep fell from sight behind them, the driver slowed the horses to a more manageable pace allowing the knights to take up protective positions on all sides. Ever wary, the knights kept vigilance as the carriage and its passengers crept their way along the road.
It was the agitation of the horses that gave them the first indication that they weren't alone. The horses stamped and began pulling from side to side as the scent of their pursuers assaulted them from both sides. The driver barely had time to shout a warning before the wolves burst from the darkened tree line.
The first of the pack, two monstrous black wolves charged towards the horses, snapping and biting at their legs in an attempt to drive them onward. The horses, in a panic, did just that and sprinted forward pulling the carriage swiftly down the road. The knights were taken by surprise as more of the beasts broke from the shadows and began attacking the legs of their own horses. Pulling weapons and spurring their mounts, they attempted to catch up to the runaway coach. They began closing the distance, bearing down on the carriage which the driver was trying desperately to slow down.
Then came an animal cry and a shout from the driver as something large, something...else, came bursting onto the roadway. It tore from the underbrush ahead of the carriage and sat there waiting as the speeding carriage approached. The wolves around the coach fled back into the woods just as the horses rode down on the beast in the road. It leapt a great height, up and forward into the air before landing atop one of the horses. The driver screamed, dropping the reins in a fit of hysterics and fear. The beast which look like a wolf and yet more than just a wolf, bared is fangs, then slash down into leathers and straps holding the horses, severing with each swipe of its clawed hands. The horses broke free, causing the carriage to swerve uncontrollable into the wood, crashing through brush and bramble before coming to an abrupt halt against the base of a dead tree. The driver was thrown from the seat onto the hard ground and did not move.
The knights, having finally reached the coach, dismounted while drawing their weapons. They made their way to the passengers waiting inside. The door was flung open as the handmaiden stepped out, holding the crying, swaddled infant tight against her chest.
The lanterns that had been hung alongside the carriage were now broken and dark, only the light of the full moon above shown down, bathing the darkened wood in pale dim light.
Shadows danced around the small group; there was no sound and no warning when the wolves attacked, it was as if they had been part of the night the entire time. The first two knights were taken by surprise as large black beasts knocked them to the ground, ripping and tearing at limbs and throat. The remaining three knights backed up to the carriage, a protective circle around the girl and infant. What they did not see were the two figures crouched atop the carriage roof. With inhuman strength and speed the two wolf-like creatures dove down onto two of the remaining knights, tearing and rending through armor and flesh alike. The third knight drove its sword down into the closest beast, sinking in and through. The beast howled and snarled, spinning on the single remaining knight. Grabbing him under the chin, it lifted him up off the ground before
slinging him back into a tree; the sound of breaking bones was unmistakable. Reaching down, it pulled out the protruding sword. Before her eyes, the handmaiden watched as the wound of the beast closed, healing with an unnatural ability. The two creatures turned towards the maiden and she leaned into the coach, laying the child down inside before turning back around, a dagger in her hand.
The beasts stepped forward, taunting their prey, a claw along the arm, a slash along the thigh. The girl was no match and they knew this. Moments later, tired of this game one of the creatures chose to move in for the kill.
The girl dropped back cringing against the carriage as the beast moved towards her, jaws open. At the last second, before the beast's jaws sank into her neck, she dropped low, shifting her feet, throwing her torso out to one side. With a practiced move she spun the dagger in hand, reversing the grip and drove it home, directly through the beast's heart. There was a cry of surprise, something of a yelp as the beast realized too late that it was no longer the hunter, but the hunted. It felt the wound, it felt its last living beat as the silvered blade pierced its heart and now the hunt was over.
She retracted the blade, pushing the creature as she stepped into a fighting stance. The other creature, seeing now that its companion was not getting up, howled in a mixture of rage, fear, and confusion. There was something of a bark from the creature and the wolves, looking up from their feeding, turned towards the girl.
As the wolves closed together in front, her arms began moving in precise motions, tracing lines in the air before her. Words flowed from her lips as the air began to warm. With a culmination of motion and sound, waves of heat burst forth into the air forming a glowing sphere of fire. Flicking her wrist the ball of fire drove forward into the center of the pack where it exploded. Two of the wolves catching the full blast, dropped dead where they stood; the others fled into the woods, the smell of singed fur and flesh filling the cool night air.
The wolf-like creature realized that the chance was over; this night was over. There would be no change, not tonight. The girl seeing the confusion on the creature's face smiled, beckoning it forward. With not even so much as a glance, the creature turned and fled into the forest. After a few moments, assured that the creature was gone and would not return, the girl placed the dagger through her belt, then reached back into the wrecked carriage and picked up the crying infant. She rocked it gently, while humming a soothing tune, then reached back inside pulling out a small pack. When all was ready, she turned back towards the road.
The journey to the abbey was hours long, but at least for tonight, things would not change, that much she could be sure.
