| General Fiction posted September 3, 2018 | Chapters: |
...22 23 -24- 25... 
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Hamish is taken prisoner by the Horde
A chapter in the book GULBRANDR- God's Sword
Hamish in Trouble Again
by Roxanna Andrews
| Background A child is born to an outcast who will be a champion for her people. |
The council came together with Joshua the guest of honor. Augdon was there as well as Joshua's uncles.
They sat in rapt attention as Joshua told them all he had done the past two years. From the day Augdon met him while on his quest, to the day of the bear attack.
"Why could you not tell us where you had gone?" asked Goran.
Augdon answered. "We had come to the men of Wahaland many times asking you to join us. Your answer was always, no. We feared if you knew we had Joshua, you would try to take him by force. We had no wish to fight you, we saw no reason to shed innocent blood. Many of your men could have died. They are no match for my warriors."
Joshua nodded in agreement. "At the beginning it was difficult for me. I worried you would think me dead, I had no wish to cause my family pain. But if I had told you, I know Uncle Drake and Eric would have come for me. It is true, you would have been no match for the mountain men."
The council agreed grudgingly, not liking being called inferior. "But we are reasonable men. We could have come to an agreement," said Goran.
Joshua smiled at this. "You are not reasonable men. Besides, Hamish would have convinced you to come for me and like the coward he is, he would have stayed back and let many die. No, it was for the best that no one knew. As it was Hamish came for me, thinking himself a hero."
The men could not help but laugh at Hamish's expense. "He is off again. Who knows where he has gone this time."
He is a foolish man," said Augdon.
*****************************
Hamish hung limp from the claws of the great dragon, but his mind was going at a rapid pace. Was he to be the beasts dinner, perhaps food for it's young? His sword was in his belt, if he could but reach it, he tried again, but it was no use. He would have to wait until the beast put him down, hoping it would not drop him from a great height.
He looked up to check the sun, it seemed they had flown for hours. How far was this monster's nest? Looking up he saw a blue face peering down at him. His heart seized and felt as if it would stop. So it was true. The horde was near and now he was their prisoner. He wondered briefly if they ate other humans.
Though it was winter and it should have been bitter cold, Hamish was warm in the beast claws, almost uncomfortably so. He woke with a start, to see a village below him. It seemed impossible, but after so many nights without proper sleep, he had dozed off and must have been asleep for hours. The sun was low in the sky, telling him it was close to evening. The dragon descended and dropped Hamish about ten feet from the ground. He landed having the wind knocked out of him, so he lay still a moment. When he tried to get up he saw feet and felt something press against his neck.
Hands reached out and grabbed him by each arm hauling him to his feet. He looked at the fierce looking men, blue streaking their faces in varying patterns. Their hair was short and stood on end, also streaked through with blue. The were wrapped in curde fur garments against the cold.
Hamish opened and closed his mouth, but no sound came out. Fear had taken his voice. He again cursed himself for his rash decision to leave the clan and travel alone.
The men half dragged, half carried him to a tent set up in the middle of the village. They pushed through the opening and shoved Hamish forward. He fell to his hands and knees and heard a laugh. Rage mounted inside him at being humiliated. He saw booted feet in front of him and took a deep breath, ready to unleash a tirade of angry words.
"Hello, Hamish."
He looked up in surprise that any of these savages would know his name. He found himself looking into eyes much like his own. Recognition dawned as he stared wide-eyed at his captor.
"But, how..?" he stammered, unable to believe what he was seeing. He felt an other worldly feeling, thinking he must be hallucinating.
They sat in rapt attention as Joshua told them all he had done the past two years. From the day Augdon met him while on his quest, to the day of the bear attack.
"Why could you not tell us where you had gone?" asked Goran.
Augdon answered. "We had come to the men of Wahaland many times asking you to join us. Your answer was always, no. We feared if you knew we had Joshua, you would try to take him by force. We had no wish to fight you, we saw no reason to shed innocent blood. Many of your men could have died. They are no match for my warriors."
Joshua nodded in agreement. "At the beginning it was difficult for me. I worried you would think me dead, I had no wish to cause my family pain. But if I had told you, I know Uncle Drake and Eric would have come for me. It is true, you would have been no match for the mountain men."
The council agreed grudgingly, not liking being called inferior. "But we are reasonable men. We could have come to an agreement," said Goran.
Joshua smiled at this. "You are not reasonable men. Besides, Hamish would have convinced you to come for me and like the coward he is, he would have stayed back and let many die. No, it was for the best that no one knew. As it was Hamish came for me, thinking himself a hero."
The men could not help but laugh at Hamish's expense. "He is off again. Who knows where he has gone this time."
He is a foolish man," said Augdon.
*****************************
Hamish hung limp from the claws of the great dragon, but his mind was going at a rapid pace. Was he to be the beasts dinner, perhaps food for it's young? His sword was in his belt, if he could but reach it, he tried again, but it was no use. He would have to wait until the beast put him down, hoping it would not drop him from a great height.
He looked up to check the sun, it seemed they had flown for hours. How far was this monster's nest? Looking up he saw a blue face peering down at him. His heart seized and felt as if it would stop. So it was true. The horde was near and now he was their prisoner. He wondered briefly if they ate other humans.
Though it was winter and it should have been bitter cold, Hamish was warm in the beast claws, almost uncomfortably so. He woke with a start, to see a village below him. It seemed impossible, but after so many nights without proper sleep, he had dozed off and must have been asleep for hours. The sun was low in the sky, telling him it was close to evening. The dragon descended and dropped Hamish about ten feet from the ground. He landed having the wind knocked out of him, so he lay still a moment. When he tried to get up he saw feet and felt something press against his neck.
Hands reached out and grabbed him by each arm hauling him to his feet. He looked at the fierce looking men, blue streaking their faces in varying patterns. Their hair was short and stood on end, also streaked through with blue. The were wrapped in curde fur garments against the cold.
Hamish opened and closed his mouth, but no sound came out. Fear had taken his voice. He again cursed himself for his rash decision to leave the clan and travel alone.
The men half dragged, half carried him to a tent set up in the middle of the village. They pushed through the opening and shoved Hamish forward. He fell to his hands and knees and heard a laugh. Rage mounted inside him at being humiliated. He saw booted feet in front of him and took a deep breath, ready to unleash a tirade of angry words.
"Hello, Hamish."
He looked up in surprise that any of these savages would know his name. He found himself looking into eyes much like his own. Recognition dawned as he stared wide-eyed at his captor.
"But, how..?" he stammered, unable to believe what he was seeing. He felt an other worldly feeling, thinking he must be hallucinating.
Picture from Google
Joshua-Champion for his people
Lyse- Joshua girlfriend and Augdon's daughter
Augdon-Captain of the Guardians
Nyla-Joshua's mother
Dyster-blue dragon
Hamish-vain spiritual adviser
Goran-Joshua's grandfather, Nyla's father
Drake & Erik-Joshua's uncles Nyla's brothers
Pays
one point
and 2 member cents. Joshua-Champion for his people
Lyse- Joshua girlfriend and Augdon's daughter
Augdon-Captain of the Guardians
Nyla-Joshua's mother
Dyster-blue dragon
Hamish-vain spiritual adviser
Goran-Joshua's grandfather, Nyla's father
Drake & Erik-Joshua's uncles Nyla's brothers
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