Brian Pratt - The unsuspecting mage

Pointing to the opposite shore, James replies, “Over there.” He then grabs the side of the boat and pushes it out into the river, jumping in once the bottom is free of the sandy shore. Taking the oars, he rows hard and attempts to reach the shore not too far down from where the unconscious man lies.

When the boat grounds onto the opposite shore, he says to Miko, “See if he’s alive and if so, tie him up. Also, make sure the horse doesn’t get away, we’ll need it.”

“What are you going to do?” asks Miko.

“I’m going to hide our trail,” he replies and begins unloading their boat.

Miko goes over to the man and discovers that he’s not dead, just unconscious. Finding rope on the horse, he binds the man at the ankles and wrists. By the time he’s finished, James has unloaded their things from the boat and is standing motionless at the water’s edge. About to ask a question, he stops when he realizes James is staring at the boat and in the process of casting a spell. Taking the reins of the horse, Miko walks quietly over to see what he’s doing.

As he approaches he’s startled when the boat suddenly rocks on the beach. Then, even more shocking, the boat begins moving off the shore and into the water on its own. Being quiet so as not to break James’ concentration, he continues watching in wonder as the boat floats across the river toward the opposite shore. Inexplicably moving against the current, it finally beaches itself on the other side and continues moving up the beach until it’s far enough away from the water that the river won’t pull it back in. When the boat comes to a stop, James stops the spell and abruptly sits down.

“You okay?” Miko asks as he comes closer to his new found friend.

James looks up sees the concern on his face. Smiling to reassure the boy, he says, “Magic isn’t easy you know, it takes a lot out of you. I’ll be fine, just need to rest a bit.” Nodding over to the man, he asks, “How’s our friend over there doing?”

“You knocked him out with that apple and he’ll probably have a big bruise on his temple for a while, but I think he’ll make it.” Taking a water bottle off the horse, he hands it over to James, “Thirsty?”

“Yeah,” James says, taking the bottle and having a long drink. When he’s drunk his fill, he hands it back. “Fill it up again, we need to get going.”

Miko takes the bottle over to the river and refills it. Finished, he returns and gestures to their captive. “What shall we do with him?” he asks. “Kill him?”

“Good heavens no,” James exclaims. “I don’t kill people unless my life depends on it. We’ll have to take him with us for a ways then let him go.”

“Why do we have to take him with us?” he asks as he secures the bottle to the saddle.

“We can’t leave him here to tell his friends we’re on this side of the river,” explains James. “When they return and find the boat still on the other side, I’m hoping they will believe that we are still on that side, perhaps trying to escape cross country.”

Hearing a groan from their captive, James goes over to the man and squats down next to him.

The captive opens his eyes and takes in James and Miko squatting next to him. He flashes Miko an ugly look and tries to move but finds that his arms and legs have been tied. Testing his bonds, he soon realizes he can’t get free so settles back down on the ground, all the while keeping an eye on his captors.

“Not sure what to do with you,” James tells the man.

“Not sure where to dump my body you mean,” the captive says with scorn.

“You’re not going to die today,” James reassures the man, “at least not by my hand.” The man doesn’t look convinced that he’ll be permitted to live.

“We know that Lord Colerain hired you and your friends to catch me, perhaps even kill me,” James informs him. Seeing no change in their captive’s expression, he continues, “Just what were you going to do to me if you would have caught me?”

“Why should I tell you anything?” their captive retorts.

“Your cooperation could mean the difference from being left where someone can easily find you, and being put somewhere…,” James pauses for effect before saying, “remote.”

“Come on Torin,” Miko says, “what difference could it make now? We know you’re after us and who hired you, so you might as well tell.”

Turning his attention to Miko his face turns grim. “I always knew you to be a squealer Miko, ever since you ratted out Harry’s bunch.”

Turning indignant, Miko replies, “I never ratted him out! I didn’t even know what was going down until the news hit the streets.”

“Yeah, yeah, you’ve been singing that tune just so Harry wouldn’t kill ya,” Torin says derisively.

Breaking in, James says, “It doesn’t matter anyway. Miko, secure our equipment on his horse and let’s get out of here before trouble comes back.”

Miko gets up and begins the process of securing their baggage onto the horse.

James takes out his knife and leans closer to Torin. Torin’s eyes widen in expectation of being stabbed or cut. James grabs the rope binding Torin’s legs, cuts the rope in two and then throws the pieces over to Miko who puts them in a bag on the horse.

“You’re going to have to walk,” James explains to Torin. When he makes no move to rise, James adds, “Unless you would rather to be dragged behind the horse? Your choice.” Torin nods and James helps him to his feet.

Removing another long rope from the saddle, James secures one end around the rope binding Torin’s wrists and the other end to the saddle. Miko takes up position behind Torin with the knife, just in case. Grabbing the reins, James leads the horse over to the road and they make their way south.

They don’t travel far before a small grove of trees appears off the road a ways to the east. Deciding this might be a good secluded place to leave Torin, he leaves the road and heads over to the grove. There he unties Torin from the horse and has him sit with his back to one of the trees, using the long rope to secure him to it. He tears off a strip of cloth from Torin’s shirt and uses it for a gag, securing it with another piece of rope.

Once Torin is secured to the tree, James tells him, “Don’t worry, I plan to let someone know that you are here, but not until nightfall, tomorrow at the latest. If I were you, I would hope your friends don’t ‘delay’ me. You should be free sometime tomorrow.”

Getting up, he says to Miko, “Let’s go.” James takes the reins again and leads the horse back to the road.

A little over an hour later, several buildings begin to appear over by the river. As they come closer they see where a thick rope spans the water where it ends at another set of buildings on the far side. In the middle of the river they see a flat ferry with four men and three horses. One man is pulling on the rope, slowly moving the ferry to their side of the river.

“James,” Miko says, “that’s Torin’s buddies. Your trick with the boat must not have fooled them, they’re coming back.”

Waiting near the cluster of buildings on the other side are the rest of their pursuers, awaiting their turn to cross. Sure that the men on the ferry have not yet seen them, James leads the horse off the road to the east. Once out of sight of the ferry upon the water, he reaches down a hand and helps Miko up behind him. Getting the horse up to a fast run they cut cross country, quickly leaving the ferry behind.

Cutting eastward through an open field, James continues for a little over a mile before turning the horse more to the south. Pretty sure that they have moved beyond the ferry and have put distance between themselves and the men hunting them, he slows their pace. So as not to tire their horse, they dismount and James once again takes the reins, leading the horse at a walk.