over-exaggerating what really happened.”
“Perhaps,” Jaslen responded, a faint smile still on her lips. “But Ean did say he could get us close enough to watch the Hero fight the beast. Isn’t that right, Ean?”
Ean simply looked at her and scowled. He had said that the TWO of them could get close enough to watch. Ean hadn’t meant for it to be an opportunity for Bran and Jaslen to spend even more time together while he became the odd man out. They both were staring at Ean now, which made him realize he had no way out of it now.
With a sigh, he finally nodded. “Yes, I can get us close if we cut around the bog. Like I told Jaslen, if anything goes wrong, we can escape into the bog. I know the more solid areas, and a creature as large as the beast would have a hard time following.”
“Excellent! The Hero is set to go after the monster right after my father serves him dinner, so we can sneak down there now and find a good spot.” Bran was grinning as he spoke, his left hand moving involuntarily to the pommel of his sword. “Maybe I could even go and help if the Hero needs it!”
“NO!” Ean and Jaslen yelled out in unison. They both looked at each other for a moment, and then Ean took the lead. “If we’re going to do this, you can only watch, I don’t want you running in and bringing the beast down on all of us.” Shooting another glance at Jaslen, he continued on. “Plus, you really wouldn’t want to put her in any extra danger, would you?”
Bran’s frown and downturned eyes made it clear that Ean had hit a nerve. “You’re right, of course,” Bran said, running a hand through his hair, “I wasn’t really thinking. Best to just watch, and see what happens. At the very least, I’ll get to see how a Hero from outside the village handles a blade and how dangerous the creature really is.”
Both Ean and Jaslen nodded, this time Jaslen being the first to speak. “That is a very wise decision, I think. If the creature is strong enough to kill this Hero, then I don’t feel that you would be able to aid him anyway.” She nodded matter-of-factly, then pulled him closer and placed a kiss on his cheek. Ean cringed. “Someday though, you could be one of these Heroes, and creatures like the one terrorizing our village will all run in fear.”
The two stood there, staring longingly into each other’s eyes, while Ean stood forgotten next to them. Ean stomached the situation as long as he could, then let out a loud cough. “We should probably get going if we want to see the fight. If we get caught up in the crowd as the Hero leaves, we’ll never be able to sneak past everyone and get to the bog.” The other two nodded, but made no sign of moving. With a grunt, Ean turned around and started walking without them.
“I’m not waiting for you!” he yelled over his shoulder as he marched back out onto the main street. Eventually the two caught up to him, and they walked back towards Ean’s house and the bog in silence.
Chapter 4
UNWANTED ATTENTION
By the time Jaslen, Bran and Ean had made it to the edge of the bog, the sun touched the tips of the mountains to the west. They continued on in silence until they reached an area within view of the stone mine. Ean raised his hand to signal them to stop and then crouched down behind a large patch of reeds. The other two followed suit, and they all huddled together.
“Alright, this should be a good spot,” Ean whispered. “We’re close enough to be able to see what’s happening, and far enough away to be able to escape through the bog if the creature manages to see us.”
“Can’t we get a little closer?” Bran said, an eager look in his eyes as he scanned the area in front of the mine. “If the thing is as big as you say, it’s not going to be able to sneak up on us.” His one hand had drifted to his sword again, and he looked like a man ready to attack, not flee. Ean turned to Jaslen with a silent plea for help. Their eyes met
“Perhaps,” Jaslen responded, a faint smile still on her lips. “But Ean did say he could get us close enough to watch the Hero fight the beast. Isn’t that right, Ean?”
Ean simply looked at her and scowled. He had said that the TWO of them could get close enough to watch. Ean hadn’t meant for it to be an opportunity for Bran and Jaslen to spend even more time together while he became the odd man out. They both were staring at Ean now, which made him realize he had no way out of it now.
With a sigh, he finally nodded. “Yes, I can get us close if we cut around the bog. Like I told Jaslen, if anything goes wrong, we can escape into the bog. I know the more solid areas, and a creature as large as the beast would have a hard time following.”
“Excellent! The Hero is set to go after the monster right after my father serves him dinner, so we can sneak down there now and find a good spot.” Bran was grinning as he spoke, his left hand moving involuntarily to the pommel of his sword. “Maybe I could even go and help if the Hero needs it!”
“NO!” Ean and Jaslen yelled out in unison. They both looked at each other for a moment, and then Ean took the lead. “If we’re going to do this, you can only watch, I don’t want you running in and bringing the beast down on all of us.” Shooting another glance at Jaslen, he continued on. “Plus, you really wouldn’t want to put her in any extra danger, would you?”
Bran’s frown and downturned eyes made it clear that Ean had hit a nerve. “You’re right, of course,” Bran said, running a hand through his hair, “I wasn’t really thinking. Best to just watch, and see what happens. At the very least, I’ll get to see how a Hero from outside the village handles a blade and how dangerous the creature really is.”
Both Ean and Jaslen nodded, this time Jaslen being the first to speak. “That is a very wise decision, I think. If the creature is strong enough to kill this Hero, then I don’t feel that you would be able to aid him anyway.” She nodded matter-of-factly, then pulled him closer and placed a kiss on his cheek. Ean cringed. “Someday though, you could be one of these Heroes, and creatures like the one terrorizing our village will all run in fear.”
The two stood there, staring longingly into each other’s eyes, while Ean stood forgotten next to them. Ean stomached the situation as long as he could, then let out a loud cough. “We should probably get going if we want to see the fight. If we get caught up in the crowd as the Hero leaves, we’ll never be able to sneak past everyone and get to the bog.” The other two nodded, but made no sign of moving. With a grunt, Ean turned around and started walking without them.
“I’m not waiting for you!” he yelled over his shoulder as he marched back out onto the main street. Eventually the two caught up to him, and they walked back towards Ean’s house and the bog in silence.
Chapter 4
UNWANTED ATTENTION
By the time Jaslen, Bran and Ean had made it to the edge of the bog, the sun touched the tips of the mountains to the west. They continued on in silence until they reached an area within view of the stone mine. Ean raised his hand to signal them to stop and then crouched down behind a large patch of reeds. The other two followed suit, and they all huddled together.
“Alright, this should be a good spot,” Ean whispered. “We’re close enough to be able to see what’s happening, and far enough away to be able to escape through the bog if the creature manages to see us.”
“Can’t we get a little closer?” Bran said, an eager look in his eyes as he scanned the area in front of the mine. “If the thing is as big as you say, it’s not going to be able to sneak up on us.” His one hand had drifted to his sword again, and he looked like a man ready to attack, not flee. Ean turned to Jaslen with a silent plea for help. Their eyes met
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