Daxton - Episode 40
The 5th Compass | Tales of Stonehaven [1,767 words]
Daxton is the first book in the 6-book series, The 5th Compass, which takes place in Stonehaven. Released in serial form, two episodes each week on Tuesdays and Thursdays. The audio version is coming in the future for paid subscribers only. Visit the table of contents for a list of previously published and upcoming episodes.
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“Are you sure this will work?” Wendynn asked.
All four of them managed to escape through a tunnel underneath The Garden which led to a lake in the center of Reapers Walk. They all cursed loudly at having to trudge through water which smelled like it had been eternally soaked in death and disease.
They spent the rest of the night disposing of their clothing and stealing what they could from villagers who made the mistake of hanging their clothes out to dry. Once they were fully dressed, they camped just beyond the blacksmith’s residence and waited till they heard him leave in the morning before deciding to implement Daxton’s plan.
“If it doesn’t, the stench we are carrying will surely kill her before she’d even think of attacking you.”
Daxton rolled his eyes at his friend and with the sword in hand he emerged from the bushes they were all hidden in and marched towards the house. He stopped just a few feet away as the door opened and he was face-to-face with Adelaide.
“What are you doing back here? Suppose my father sees you?” She looked around Daxton, probably for his friend, but saw no one.
“I brought you this.” Daxton holds out the sword to her, making sure the hilt would be visible to her. Upon seeing it tears well up in her eyes and she falls to her knees crying. “So, you do recognize it?”
She looked up at him with tears still streaming down her face. “Of course, I recognize it. Where did you find it?”
“You first, does it belong to you? Or did you perhaps steal it—.”
Her eyes became cold and distant. “How dare you suggest I stole it. My name is carved on it because it once belonged to my father, one of the best swordsmen in the royal army.” Daxton cocked his head to the side in confusion.
“He may not look like he was a member of the royal army, but he once was, a long time ago. I miss him terribly.” She grew quiet as she contemplated distant memories of the father she nearly forgot. “Now you, where did you find her?”
Adelaide reached out for the sword, but Daxton pulled it back away from her. “It was left with me when I was born.”
“Left with you? But who are you? Give me my father’s sword!” She lunged for it again and again he stepped back as she rose to her feet to get better leverage.
“I’ll make a trade with you, this sword for the compass.”
A smile appeared on Adelaide’s face as she knew she had him right where she wanted him. “It is not just the compass you seek. If that were true you could’ve stolen it at any time during the night while my father and I slept here, far away from his shop. What you seek is the answer as to how we came to have it. I am afraid you will not like my answer.”
Daxton’s heart sank before she spoke any more words. He’d grown accustomed to disappointment in his life and had already prepared himself for whatever she was about to say.
“Well, out with it! Tell me where you got it.”
“I found it.” Daxton searched her eyes to see if there was a sign that perhaps she was lying to him, but he did not know her well enough, yet.
“What do you mean you found it? Found it where? When?”
“I was just a child then. Once my father and I arrived here he forbade me to go near the docks. I missed…the water, you see…and so I went down to the docks one day and saw it there in the sand.”
Nelle, who’d been listening closely in the distance knew she was lying as did Wendynn but they both chose not to intervene with the truth. What matter was Daxton was getting an answer to his question and whether he believed it or not, their escape was more important.
“I do not believe you. Your father never questioned you when you came home with it? How does he happen to have it hanging in his workshop?”
“I gave it to him. It was a present I gave him for good luck. I was a child then, he never questioned where I got it and I figured if someone came looking for it, they wouldn’t dare question him about it as scary as he was to everyone in the village. I completely forgot he had it or how I came to own it till you asked me. Why is it so important to you?”
Before Daxton could answer her question, Nelle jumped out of the bushes. “I am afraid we must be going now.”
“Who are you?” Adelaide asked, backing away towards the doorway of her house. She reached inside and brought forth a sword which she wielded. “You look familiar, have I seen you someplace before?”
“Perhaps. I have visited this village many times.”
“No, that is not it. It was when I was a child. I know you…” Adelaide put her sword down and approached Nelle, who stepped back away from her, trying to avert her eyes which she knew must’ve been what she recognized. She may have the body of Krieger, but her eyes would give her away every time.
“Here, take the sword,” Daxton said, forcing it into Adelaide’s hands. She dropped the one she held and hugged her sword to her tightly. “Now, will you help us steal the compass from your father’s workshop and show us where exactly along the docks you found it?”
Barton came out from hiding as well, leaving Wendynn behind. “What makes you think she’d remember a place she visited many moons ago?”
Daxton grew tired of his friend constantly questioning every effort he made in trying to uncover the truth about who his mother was, and wanted to tell him so, if not for Adelaide’s interruption. “I’ll help you get the compass and I’ll show you where I found it,” she said. She never took her eyes off her sword, cradled in her arms.
She led them all, except Wendynn who opted to remain behind and hidden in case something should go wrong, to her father’s workshop.
“Stay here, I will distract my father by showing him this. When his back is turned then you must make your move but do not dawdle. He will not remain fooled for long and might sense your presence within.” Daxton felt a more secure plan was needed but chose not to voice his opinion, letting her square her shoulders and walk into her father’s workshop unaided.
“One of us should probably follow her, just in case her father should strike her.”
Elated at the opportunity to prove his mettle, Barton quickly volunteered. “I’ll go. I doubt her father would hit her.” He shrugged his shoulders and entered the darkened shop.
Daxton looked upon Nelle with grave concern as her countenance was far too relaxed for his liking. “I do not like any part of this plan. I am surprised you have remained silent this entire time. I expected protests from you back at The Garden.” At the mention of The Garden, she stared with anger at him, as part of her wanted to express disappointment in his being there and the other wanted to kill him.
Wait, kill him? She thought to herself. Krieger was becoming stronger in his own body. It has already been far longer than she’d ever spent inside another’s body and at any moment she could be lost forever. If this was the end for her, she wanted to make sure Daxton retrieved this compass. She could not tell him who she really was or what would happen to him on this journey of discovery, it was not her place to mess with destiny. All she could manage was to play her part, and it seemed her last act would be retrieving the compass.
“At some point, I must trust you boys to do what is right. You should not always rely on my assistance. I won’t always be around to tell you if the path you choose it the best one.”
Daxton furrowed his eyebrows as he felt like she was telling him goodbye. How could she possibly leave him now when he needed her even more? His argument rested upon his tongue, about to burst forth, when she pointed behind him. He turned to see Traix had his back turned to face his daughter who was showing him the sword.
The morning sun cast such a strong beam of light into the shop that it gave enough sight to the distraction and the compass itself, still hanging. Daxton cursed under his breath at the terrible timing but quickly crept low towards the counter then traversed it as quietly as he could. He could feel Nelle followed close behind and was glad for the company of someone who was just as stealthy as himself. They reached the stool, put back exactly where it was found the previous night. This time, however, with Nelle’s help it was placed just below the compass.
Daxton stepped one foot upon it and again was forced to stop before he could rise to reach the compass, by Nelle’s grip. He looked down at her to see what the trouble was but knew it instantly as the voices of both Adelaide and Traix could be heard, fast approaching their positions.
“Be still, daughter. I only seek to determine if this is in fact the missing sword that once belonged to your father. You know I cannot wield it properly in the shop. I must take it outside.”
Traix moved quickly and Adelaide could barely keep up. Daxton was frozen in fear, staring at the back of his head. “But Papa, would it not be safer to do out back? What if you are discovered to be a great swordsman? It might give us away.” Adelaide glanced briefly over her father’s shoulder to see Daxton not wait to be discovered. He continued to step up onto the stool, his fingers now wrapped firmly around the compass.
“Perhaps you are correct, daughter. Tell me, where did you find this again?”
Daxton lifted the chain the compass dangled from and it came free from its nail with ease. Without signaling Nelle or Barton, he tucked the compass into an empty pocket and ran like the dickens out of the blacksmith’s shop, right into the morning rush of patrons.