The Fate of a Kingdom; Chapter 2

I awoke to the sound of humming. I was slowly coming round and recognised the humming as that of a woman’s. I opened my eyes and was greeted with a straw thatched roof. I moved my head and took in my surroundings. I was clearly in some house that I knew was not my own. I sat up on the hay bed and looked down at my arm. I was topless and there was a piece of cloth wrapped around my arm as well as wrapped around my chest.

The memory came back to me of why these would be there. The memory was blurry but the visions of my dead parents flooded my head. I closed my eyes and tried to compose myself. There would be time for grief but I had to find my sister. I had to save her.

I managed to get myself to my feet and groaned loudly as I made my way passed a wooden wall and supported myself against it as I looked out into the rest of the house. It was small and by a fire pit a blonde woman stood stirring a pot and humming.

“Where am I?” I spoke out.

“Oh you’re awake, you startled me!” The woman spoke as she turned to me. She must have only been a few years older than me by her looks. Her blonde hair was tied behind her head. Her hazel eyes peered back at me. She wore a long tatty dress that hid her figure well but not her ample chest. “How are you feeling?” She softly spoke as she approached me.

“I’m fine, but how?” I was confused. How did I get here and what happened. Who even was this woman.

“Here come sit!” She offered a chair at her small table and helped me sit. She scurried back over to the pot and spooned some stew into a bowl and brought it over to me. “Here eat this!”

“What’s going on?” I needed answers.

“Eat and I’ll tell!” She gestured to the steaming bowl in front of me.

I was hesitant at first but took a spoonful. It was pleasant and nice although a little hot.

“Who are you?” I asked.

“My name is Cari.” She smiled “Do you know your name!”

I paused and had to think “Ragnar!”

“Well Ragnar, can you remember what happened?” Her face turning more serious.

Again I had to think about what actually happened “my village was attacked by men bearing white wolves. One with a wolves fur cloak killed my father and possibly was the one that killed my mother also. They have my sister and I need to save her. I tried to attack the man but only managed to wound his face.”

“That man was likely Remus, Lord Romulos’ son and leader of the ‘Great White Wolves’. This is Lord Romulos’ elite warriors and do all his dirty work for him. Your sister is most likely alive but what fate awaits her is unknown!”

“I have to save her!”

“And you will but not yet!” Her hand reached out and grabbed mine. “You can’t do this alone and you need to heal.”

“My arm.” I questioned looking down at it. A stinging pain omitting from it and my back.

“Yes and your back!” She squeezed my hand tighter. “You are healing well!”

“How long has it been?”

“Five days!”

“FIVE days? How?” I was more confused.

“I am well versed in the art of healing of others and have been tending to you!”

“But how did I get here?” The dots in my head were not matching up.

“I was traveling with some traders and we saw the smoke coming from your village. We searched for any living and only found you.