Read Online Blood Ties (Noble of Blood Series Book 2) by A L Wright - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: A L Wright
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sighed. “Just go 'n help them, please? I be needin' ta get up. I have some tack ta fix for them.” Tynen stared at her for another few seconds, then turned and walked away. She sighed again and fell back against her blanket. At least he had his bow with him. She hoped he would play nice.
Chapter 15
The y had stayed all that night, at Friesa's insistence. Nikka was only okay with that because she knew that her father wouldn't be looking for them, yet. He wasn't scheduled to return to the Keep for a couple more days.
She and Tynen had helped to catch some small game that night. She flushed out several pheasants, which Tynen deftly took down with his bow. Then they trapped about a dozen hare, and several geese, and a few more pheasants which they kept alive to take back to the village.
The hunters were grateful, especially old William. He said they risked their necks too often out here. They had lost a couple young men to the goblins. With the abundance of game they were taking back this time, they wouldn't have to come back out for another month or so.
Friesa suggested to him that they build some pens back in the village and keep the geese and pheasants for eggs. Maybe let some of the eggs hatch and make some stock out of the growing flock. Esther seemed to like the idea.
The hunters offered them all a ride in the back of one of the wagons, since they had stayed awake hunting all night. They were headed to Noble's Rest as well, and said since they had to travel slowly with all the goods they were bringing back they wouldn't reach the village until after nightfall.
Friesa, who had gotten a nap in while Nikka and Tynen were hunting, rode alongside the wagon for the first couple of hours. When Tynen and Nikka awoke, Friesa was there in the wagon, snuggled into Tynen with his arm slung over her waist. Nikka raised a brow at him, and he managed to look guilty, but only for a moment. Then he stretched and crawled catlike out of the front of the rolling wagon.
Pulling the flap at the back of the wagon aside, Nikka saw it had just fallen dark and the skyline was still pink. The wagon settled to a stop and she jumped out the back to see Tynen leading her horse around to her. She mounted up while he went back for his own and then they were off again.
Nikka could see the watchtower lights of the village in the distance. She was excited to see it, as she had only seen Friesa’s small village of Northill a couple of times. And the one they were approaching was much, much larger.
“You know, I lived in Noble’s Rest for many years until I became a ranger.” Tynen wasn’t usually talkative, so it surprised Nikka when he spoke up.
“I did not know that. No one really speaks of this village. My father avoids the subject of it like a plague. And a couple of times that the place has come up, Victor has gotten up and walked away from us.” Nikka thought to herself for a moment. “Did something bad happen here, Tynen?”
“Well I was off in the Eastern Reaches when it all happened so I do not have a first-hand account of it by any means. But it was a devastating blow when your mother died. Your father was out of the palace as she went into labor with you, and arrived back just as she died.”
Nikka was shocked. “But why was he gone? What took him away from her when she was so close to her time?”
“I do not know. But maybe when we reach the palace, you can ask your grandfather.”
They rode along in silence for a time after that, Nikka trying to understand why that story had never been spoken of to her before. When Friesa woke up and rode up beside them, Nikka let her horse fall just a bit behind so she could watch her friends. The two were still a bit tense towards each other. That would probably never change, unless Friesa were turned.
One more thing to talk to her grandfather about. She was beginning to feel pretty intimidated about meeting the man. The impression she always got about the man was of
Chapter 15
The y had stayed all that night, at Friesa's insistence. Nikka was only okay with that because she knew that her father wouldn't be looking for them, yet. He wasn't scheduled to return to the Keep for a couple more days.
She and Tynen had helped to catch some small game that night. She flushed out several pheasants, which Tynen deftly took down with his bow. Then they trapped about a dozen hare, and several geese, and a few more pheasants which they kept alive to take back to the village.
The hunters were grateful, especially old William. He said they risked their necks too often out here. They had lost a couple young men to the goblins. With the abundance of game they were taking back this time, they wouldn't have to come back out for another month or so.
Friesa suggested to him that they build some pens back in the village and keep the geese and pheasants for eggs. Maybe let some of the eggs hatch and make some stock out of the growing flock. Esther seemed to like the idea.
The hunters offered them all a ride in the back of one of the wagons, since they had stayed awake hunting all night. They were headed to Noble's Rest as well, and said since they had to travel slowly with all the goods they were bringing back they wouldn't reach the village until after nightfall.
Friesa, who had gotten a nap in while Nikka and Tynen were hunting, rode alongside the wagon for the first couple of hours. When Tynen and Nikka awoke, Friesa was there in the wagon, snuggled into Tynen with his arm slung over her waist. Nikka raised a brow at him, and he managed to look guilty, but only for a moment. Then he stretched and crawled catlike out of the front of the rolling wagon.
Pulling the flap at the back of the wagon aside, Nikka saw it had just fallen dark and the skyline was still pink. The wagon settled to a stop and she jumped out the back to see Tynen leading her horse around to her. She mounted up while he went back for his own and then they were off again.
Nikka could see the watchtower lights of the village in the distance. She was excited to see it, as she had only seen Friesa’s small village of Northill a couple of times. And the one they were approaching was much, much larger.
“You know, I lived in Noble’s Rest for many years until I became a ranger.” Tynen wasn’t usually talkative, so it surprised Nikka when he spoke up.
“I did not know that. No one really speaks of this village. My father avoids the subject of it like a plague. And a couple of times that the place has come up, Victor has gotten up and walked away from us.” Nikka thought to herself for a moment. “Did something bad happen here, Tynen?”
“Well I was off in the Eastern Reaches when it all happened so I do not have a first-hand account of it by any means. But it was a devastating blow when your mother died. Your father was out of the palace as she went into labor with you, and arrived back just as she died.”
Nikka was shocked. “But why was he gone? What took him away from her when she was so close to her time?”
“I do not know. But maybe when we reach the palace, you can ask your grandfather.”
They rode along in silence for a time after that, Nikka trying to understand why that story had never been spoken of to her before. When Friesa woke up and rode up beside them, Nikka let her horse fall just a bit behind so she could watch her friends. The two were still a bit tense towards each other. That would probably never change, unless Friesa were turned.
One more thing to talk to her grandfather about. She was beginning to feel pretty intimidated about meeting the man. The impression she always got about the man was of
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