Gotz swung the door
open, catching it before it slammed against the wall. The action
caused the two shadows cowering behind him to yelp.
“Hush now!” he
scolded with a whisper.
“S-sorry, father”
came the sobbed response.
Just a moment before
he had heard a shrill cry, like that of a woman's. The noise had come
from just down the hill. He strained his ears, keeping his head
inside the door frame. His mind had concocted dark things, fiends
that even now lay siege to his home, crawling along the rafters and
rooftop, lairing in at his family through thin windows. He shook his
head clear of such thoughts. They were reserved for the weak and
young. He was Gotz Hartmann, Captain of the 23rd Stirland
Swords, or at least he had been. Confident that all was well, he
closed the door and turned to his wife and daughter.
“It's all okay” he
insisted gently, “must have been a fox or some such anim-”.
He was interrupted by
the definite sound of a woman crying in fear, only this time it was
much closer. Without looking back at the closed door, he made for
the fireplace, ushering his family toward the back of the room. He
pulled a well polished sword from above the mantle, tested its weight
in his hand and made for the door. This time he opened it sharply,
walked out onto the doorstep and into the night air.
It was cold outside,
the first leaves of the season had started to fall, covering the
little laneway before his home in shiny amber and dark brown hues.
The trees that surrounded the little house seemed to sing in the wind
and the leaves danced to their tune, pirouetting in and out of the
clawing branches that reached for his home threateningly like pallid
Banshees in the moonlight. A third cry brought Gotz to a standstill
at the end of the little path that wound down from his open door. The
sword in his hand felt familiar but heavy. It had been a long time
since he had last lifted it and he found himself wishing he had kept
his practice in check. Whatever foul business was afoot this night,
he meant to face it. He had witnessed so many things, most of which a
man would do better not to and all of which he would make sure his
family would never have to.
* * * *
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