Park Ranger Park by Tom Kiesche

Author:Tom Kiesche [Kiesche, Tom]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Big Quiche Creative
Published: 2017-02-10T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 47

Brief

Tall, twisted evergreens lined the thin, well-traveled, dusty road, where Park and Catherine, who was now dressed in local attire, rode horses with OA'Dornt, inside a battle-tested, armed escort. Uneasiness and discomfort was clear on OA's face, apprehension and worry on Catherine's, and something just short of besotted was written all over Park's.

Catherine: "We should go back. We shouldn't have left the Palace. We'd be safer there."

Park: "We need everyone together. We can trust MaaToo. We can't trust everyone inside of Edendale."

Catherine: "I don't know that."

Park looked to OA' for help explaining the situation, but OA' wasn't too happy with him either. He remained faced forward and edged his mount ahead.

Park: "Not you too."

Catherine: "We're not safe out here."

OA' nodded in agreement, for even though they were surrounded by the city guards, besides the environment they were traveling through, there was also a damp feeling of mistrust in the air, which had steadily increased the further from the Edendale they traveled. The gloved hand wasn't too happy either, for while it wasn't completely vying for attention, it was relaying its uneasiness.

Park kept his eyes on his surroundings, and the behavior of certain city guards attempting to shield Catherine from his concerns. "You'll be safe at MaaToo's." He increased his volume, to make sure all the guardsmen heard him. "It was the Princess's idea. She wants us safe. For there are those in Edendale that would try to harm us. Not only those on Lougee's payroll, but xenophobes."

He looked for expressions to change upon any of the faces, all remained unchanged except the patrol captain's.

Patrol Captain: "If you're looking to attract attention, by all means, continue, speak. I just hope you can back it up."

Catherine gave Park another stern look.

Park continued, at a much lower volume. "It's safer to keep our circle smaller. In a place no one uninvited can enter."

Seeing he couldn't win both of them over at the same time, he turned his attention to OA. "The less time we're in-between the better. Horses give us an advantage of speed and size. You want to touch me so bad right now and give me a mind full, don't you?"

OA' started to laugh silently.

"He probably told his horse to kick you later," Catherine remarked. "Tell it to kick him once for me."

The unexpected humor from Catherine surprised both Park and OA'.

When OA' touched the end of his snout, Catherine started to giggle; it was a moment of levity that the three of them shared. A positive sign she was moving in the right direction toward recovery.

Park attempted to keep the levity going, "I mean come on, riding through woods, surrounded by knights—."

The patrol captain sternly correct him, "We are of the city guard, none of us knights. Here, because we've been commanded to be here. Escorting outsiders out."

The declaration came out in such a manner that it made the hair stand up on Park's neck.

Park smiled and played it off, even though the gloved hand on his duty belt had really started to twitch.

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