Captain of the Guard: Ro

Whisper frowned before turning to the men and issuing orders.

Cedric was anxious to get to Ro, but he didn’t want to tire the horses to the point that they would be unable to respond when speed was truly needed. He watched the forest uneasily for signs of the others.

“What’s changed, Captain?” Alstone rode up next to the Captain.

“You don’t know?” Cedric said.

Alstone smiled, “Ro is close, but there are others too that are perhaps hostile to Ro and by extension us.”

Cedric glanced at Alstone. “Then why did you ask?”

“So I’m correct?”

“I’m not in the mood for games.”

Alstone’s expression hardened for a moment before becoming beguilingly happy and simple. “It’s always a game, Captain, always.” The charlatan paused for a moment. “Ro is just ahead.” He pointed to where the road cut through two hills and sloped downward.

“Al . . .”

The faker pointed up at the sky. There were birds whirling in the sky.

Cedric cursed and put the spurs to his horse. He galloped up to the hound and pulled the reins in tights to keep his steed from running. “Come with me.”

He raced ahead, the hound padding swiftly and silently behind him. The road went down steeply between the two hills. Trees hemmed the road in from all sides. There was the sound of water rushing just ahead of him.

The smell was the first thing that he noticed. It was unmistakable and repellant. Someone was dead up ahead. Not an animal, Cedric knew the smell of a dead person. It was unique.

He slowed down. The sound of flies was the next thing he heard. Lots of flies. The road ran down to a narrow bridge across a stream that cut through the landscape and had carved a narrow gorge through the area. There were hills over looking the entire area. It was the perfect place for an ambush.

On the bridge were the remains of Ro. A couple arrows were lodged into the wood of the bridge near his remains, but so many were in his body, he did not touch the ground. Combined with the purple color of his flesh he looked like a strange sea animal that Cedric remembered seeing at the port towns that the Lunarians would eat.

If it wasn’t for the king’s medal hanging from Ro’s chest, it would have been hard to identify the remains. He looked at the medal. Arrows ringed it. It had made a perfect target to shoot at.

Cedric cursed.

The princess was going to be very wroth.

He gave careful consideration to permanently leaving the kingdom.