A Father of Gundarak

[PrimetheGrime]

A Father of Gundarak

Chapter one:

A Hunters Life

The Stag was close now. Trotting ever closer to the lure, it sensed no danger. Curiosity had gotten the better of it. The bow was already strung, ready for use and hanging by his side. All he would need to do, was draw. The bow rose from the ground, coming into line with the nearby nharov oak trees. Wetting his lips, the hunter spied his prey, it's head dipped low to study the strange object that had garnered it's attention. The shaft of the arrow slid into the nock of the bow with such practised smoothness that there was barely a sound that escaped the movement.

A breath in, eyes opening, pinned to the target. He drew the string back, the fletching touching the bottom of his lip. An exhale, and the arrow shot from the string, arcing through the air to plant itself into the hind of the deer. It jerked it's head back violently in shock, staggering to the ground by the impact alone. Not soon after, the hunter was upon it, knife in hand. A quick slice of the throat and the bucking of the stag began to slow, it's lifesblood pouring from the red smile it had recieved. The hunter waited now for the legs movement to stop, before approaching once more. He had staggered back in time to avoid the flailing hooves, but with the creature now certainly dead, it was safe again to approach. Gabor drew back his hood, shuffling the ends of the cloak out of his way as he began the tedious process of skinning the beast. Knife dug into the soft flesh with little resistance, the blade gliding through the surface of the muscle. It was the flanks that he'd wanted the most.

Winter was fast approaching, and despite the encampment remaining deep in the forests, the cold winds would slip through the trees and freeze the very ground he trod on. The settlement needed to stock food, and fast. The fur secured, he laid it on the forest floor, carefully piling the carcass onto it like a fur-covered dinner plate. The cleaver slid from his belt, hacking into the muscled flesh of the deer, quartering it with quick efficiency. It was hard work, blood stained his hands, coating it in a thick ruddy complexion. With the carcass butchered, he hefted the still bleeding sack over his back, marching through the underbrush back the way he'd came.

The Ducal Woods were like a piece of time that had never changed. Thick, oak trees soared to towering heights, covering the woods in a near perpetual shade, weeds and brambles littered the forest floors, gnarled roots spreading forth in every direction to cover the ground in a toughened layer of plant life. Cold winds drifted through from the north, forcing the hunters hairs to stand on end as he adjusted his woolen cloak around himself once more. Despite the rough and often overgrown paths, Gabor loved the woods. They were a serene place where one could find a peaceful solitude when required. It's branches were so thick that few but those that lived amongst it's trees could navigate safely through it, even then, the odd hunter had been found clawed to death by the forests many predators.

 Gabor smiled to himself. He'd survived these woods for decades. If they were ever foreign to him, he never claimed it. They had trouble stemming from the mercenaries under the employ of Malocchio Aderre. He knew there was a small enclave in the woods who did not support his rule, yet the thick trees hid them from his watchers eyes, and his men often perished in their attempts to chase down any Gundarakite they saw within. Not all of them had died to the forests natural predators either. Gabor himself had learnt the hunters tools from his grandfather, just as many of the men in the camp had. They were more than capable of defending their home from the small forces sent after them. Trudging through the woods, he spied the rose-tinted rays that struck through the odd gap in the treeline. He'd left the camp hours before dawn, and the trip had proven worthwhile. He adjusted his grip on the sack, feeling a kink in his back, causing his bushy brows to lower. He'd been finding many kinks in his back these days. Whilst not an old man yet, he could already feel the passage of time starting to wear down his once spry if stocky body.

 As another gust of cold winds hit him, he thanked the gods that he'd argued so strongly against shaving his beard with Maja. She was a flower in his life, but a prickly and thorny one when it came to his grooming. Gabor's smile crept into a wide grin. He'd known that from the beginning, that's why he'd sought for her hand so strongly all those years ago. Strong-willed, determined and never one to shy from telling you what she thought, Maja was a fiery woman. No wonder his mother had liked her so. Pushing aside the thick ferns in his way, he spied the dwindled amber glows of campfires, signifying the camp nearby.

 He passed Gergely, offering a nod and gesturing to his pack, earning a grin from the elder before he continued through the camp. It was a sizeable camp, dug into a pocket of the Ducal Woods decades prior by Gabors Grandfather alongside the rest of the men. He remembered the wizened old Gundarakites tales of the times before the annexation. He even faintly remembered the black smoke he had seen with his own eyes coming from the nearby town surrounding castle Hunadora. His mother had carried him from their hamlet into the thick underbrush of the Ducal Woods. A long time ago now.

He shook his head from the thoughts as he neared the foundation of oak and thatch that marked his home. He could smell the hearty scents of goulash from the open windows and his stomach grumbled in hunger. He pressed his cold hands against the oak door he'd fashioned himself not three months ago, noting with a frown that it harboured a long scratch into the wood. He sighed, rubbing his face. He'd need to scold the boy. Set him straight. "Papa!" His contracted brows and stern visage melted like ice exposed to the noonday sun as the delighted young boy ran towards him, his body leaning a little too far to the right. Varady. His son.

Gabor's lips spread into a wide and unabashed grin, his knee pressing into the floor and his arms outstretched beckoning the child forth.

"Come here, boy! You little scamp!" The boy charged into Gabor's chest with more force than the man had expected for one so young, guffawing as he enclosed his thick arms around Varady. "You put another scratch in my door you know. You keep that up and your mother will hang me." He replied with some feeling, his eye flicking to the woman watching the two of them from the doorway to the kitchen, hand on her hip and her brow raised at him.

"Don't tempt me Gabor. Did you bring back something to work with?" He rose from the ground, noting with a grunt of surprise that his knee clicked, holding the sack up triumphantly.

"One stag. I'll get him made up for dinner." Maja approached her husband, embracing him.

"Good. You've earned breakfast then." Her lips parted to kiss his bearded cheek , grinning lightly at him as she abruptly let go, taking the excitable youngster with her back into the kitchen with a sway of her hips. "Don't forget to wash your hands either." She called, as Gabor set himself to the bucket sitting outside the cabin.

He shook his head ruefully. "Never forgets to tell me." He muttered. Despite his words, he smiled fondly. His was a good life.

[PrimetheGrime]

Chapter two:

Trials of the Woods

Winter crept over the Ducal woods with swift, frosty fingers, clutching at the nharov oaks that clung to the muddied soil below. Coal-black eyes surveyed the frost covered tree with interest as the softened sound of boots clomped closer. Gabor turned his attention from the tree to the two small shapes covered in furs and thick woolen clothing that struggled to reach him in the crested position he knelt at. The man suppressed a grin as the children approached, panting and spluttering. "Keep it down, you'll lure predators to us."

The boys gaze dropped to the snowy forest floor, crestfallen. "Sorry papa".

Gabor grunted in reply, turning to hide his expression. "You remember what you are doing here, I trust? I wouldn't want to have to tell you twice over."

Varady frowned, rubbing his forehead "I am uhhh, supposed to watch Lucia.. Lucia's back!"

Gabor nodded once. "Good, that's one part of your job, but what is it you both are to be doing?" He inquired, his coal-black eyes flicking between the two.

The dark brown haired girl hurried closer to him, her chubby cheeks tinged with red flush from the weather. "Of course Papa! We're helping you collect sprigs for uhm, for.." The girl trailed off, her already flushed face turning crimson.

"For medicine." Gabor finished for her with a nod. "Your little arms will make the job easier, and as a plus for your mother, she gets you two troublemakers out of the house." The children giggled, wandering around the clearing at the gestured behest of their father as he kept watch from the rocky cliff-face, bow in hand. The man's lips thinned as he watched the children play, scurrying around to look for sprigs as instructed. Maja had told him not long before the rising of the sun that Lucia's condition had worsened. Coughs in the small hours of the morning was one thing, but blood now too? The hunters brows creased with worry as his eyes searched after the little girl happily reaching under a bush to collect a sprig she had seen. She had such an effect on the settlement which at times were dour and serious. The joy she brought was shared not just by Gabor's own family. But he had not the heart to tell the others, nor Lucia herself. How could he?

His thoughts were interrupted by a muffled curse as Varady had stubbed his toe on one of the protruding rocks near a collection of bushes, prompting the hunter to chuckle quietly to himself. The initial shock of the pain over, the boy wandered over to help his sister retrieve the sprig she'd been tangling with. Gabor smiled watching the pair. Varady had grown into the role of elder brother far better than he could have hoped. Mikos and his wife had often told him how painful it was to deal with their little ones sibling rivalry, yet with his two he had seen none of that. Perhaps Lucia held a need to prove herself to her elder brother, but Varady seemed to naturally fall into the role of supporter of his little sisters efforts, often accepting defeat when they play fought together.

The snapping of twigs behind the children first alerted him to the danger, his smile replaced by a grim expression, eyes widening at the rustling from the thicket. His fingers curling around his bow, raising it into a draw position even as he heard the panicked cry of Varady. "Papa!" The boy had grabbed his sister and pulled her back from the thicket, panting at the excersion, Lucia shouting at her brother to let her go, her heels digging into the snow. The low and guttural growl from the thickett silenced her indignant protests, giving way to a look of fear as yellow, lupine eyes stared back at her. Gabor's arrow was already sailing through the air as the matted grey body of the wolf began to emerge, landing in the creatures hind leg, the wolf letting out a whine of pain, the guttural growl returning as it set it's eyes on the cause of it's injury; the hunter nestled on the crest across from the clearing. Gabor's second arrow landed right in the middle of the wolf's head, the beast's snarl cut short as it collapsed to the ground, dead. Varady shouted back to Gabor once more, panic stricken "Papa! There's more, there's more!"

"I see them boy! Get your sister to me, go!" Gabor barked, drawing his bow again to shoot into the thicket as two more furry forms launched out. The first was stopped by the arrow that plunged into it's side. But as the second began to close in on the retreating children, Gabor's eyes widened. He dropped the bow and leapt off of the plateau, sprinting for the wolf, his faded brown hair whipping in the wind. Gabor's heart lept into his chest as a shout of terror came from Varady as the wolf closed it's maw around his fur covered arm.

In moments the hunter was upon the wolf, knife in hand as he wrenched the beasts jaws off of his son's forearm, driving his knife into the beasts side. The wolf howled in pain as it lept onto him with beastial fury, determined to kill the one who dared to harm it. Locked in battle with the wolf, Gabor drew the beasts jaws to his well wrapped arm, locking it in place so that he could continue to bury his blade into the beast again and again, his whole body surging with adrenaline. The wolf's bite began to lessen, the blood loss finally weakening it's onslaught as Gabor let go of the knife, gripping the wolf's top and bottom jaw and in one violent motion, broke them by pulling them to opposite ends with a sickening 'crunch'.

Gabor hurled the beast off of himself with a grunt of pain as his children rushed to him "Papa, papa!" Lucia eyed her fathers wound, horrified"

"It's alright, little one.." Gabor brought her close to his chest as the little girl sobbed against his jerkin. "It's not too deep. Varady, bandages." He pointed to the pack laying by the crest which the boy scooped up and brought to his father, watching as Gabor began to wrap the linen around his arm, wincing in pain. "Does it hurt?" The boy nodded, his face creased in pain. "You did good, lifting your arm to protect your body. We'll give this a proper patch up when we're back in the settlement, but this will do for now." He tied off the bandages with a nod.

Varady pointed to the trickle of warm blood working it's way down Gabor's arm. "What about you Papa?"

"I'll be fine. I'll wrap it on the way." He seized Varady's shoulder to bring him close as well. "Good work keeping your sister safe. I'm proud of you." The boy's cheeks flushed at the praise, his attention returning to Gabor at the familiar instructive finger raised to him. "Remember this boy. Never go hunting alone. You cannot watch your back, so have someone else do it."

The boy nodded, swallowing. "I will Papa."

"Good. Did you get the sprigs?" The two children lifted up their sacks, earning an appreciative nod from Gabor. "Then let's go home."

[PrimetheGrime]

Chapter three:

Innocence lost

She was screaming again. Four nights. Four long, long nights of listening to the wails of his precious little girl, and yet not one healer could cure her. Veins popped out from Gabor's overworked hands as he clutched the head of the dining chair so tightly his knuckles were white. Maja hurried into the room, a look of anguish etched on her face, the khol she wore stained around her eyes and streaked out in freakish pattern. She was tired, Gabor could see it. They all were. He spied the thin form of Varady clutching his mothers leg tightly, his bottom lip trembled with fear.

"What's going on Mama? Why is Lucia still screaming?"

Maja's already weary face scrunched up and she began to sob, her hands shook uncontrollably as Gabor moved to her side, clutching her clammy wrists in his meaty paws.

"Boy, go get Simeun. Be quick about it. Go!" He urged the boy, gripping Maja tightly from behind, willing his strength into her frail form.

"I can't, I can't do this Gabor, I can't do this anymore, I-I just.." She turned to face her husband, burying her face in his chest. "She's my little girl! And I can't help her! Why can't I help her!!" Gabor grunts as Maja began hammering her fists against his chest. "Why did you let her go outside!? You knew she was ill, you knew her condition! You risked her life, for what?? A hunting trip!?" She screamed at him in anguish.

Gabor's brows came down like thunderclouds "What!? And this is my fault!?" He roared back, tired and angered by her insinuations. "She deserved time to play with her Brother Woman! You would take that from her!? Would you!?" He challenged, Maja's weary face grew scarlet as she shouted obscenities at him as her hands shot out behind her as if to build up power for each word she spat to him.

"You brainless, prideful man! Do you know what you have done!? You've killed her! You've killed our daughter with your reckless antics! And now you won't accept your faults!? COWARD!"

Gabor's eyes widened in an uncontrolled fury, the back of his palm striking her cheek with enough force that her head snapped to the side. He was breathing heavily, his reddening knuckles resting at his side as he stared back at the woman who'd since been stunned to silence. The moment dragged on, Gabor snapping out of the furious stupor he had fallen into, his eyes locking onto the rapidly growing red mark on his wifes cheek. He stared at the mark with a feeling of disgust. He had never hit Maja before, and yet he just now did in a fit of anger. He knew her anger wasn't truly directed at him. She felt helpless, unable to do anything for Lucia, the same as he. Where at first he was the picture of an angry bear, now he felt himself a small man. He stepped back from her, sliding down the wall, his head sunk low with remorse. He tried to part his lips to say something, anything but it was as if his mouth were filled with sand. Time seemed to stand still as Maja slowly lowered herself down into the chair and an ugly silence between them remained, broken only once Varady and the healer had arrived. Wordlessly, Gabor gestured the man into the room where the screaming had died down to mere rasps. Maja did not follow as Gabor opened the door, stepping inside to lay eyes on his daughter, squirming and struggling beneath the covers of her cot.

"We..we have not been able to stop her, Simeun." Gabor murmored, wringing a wet cloth in his hands, placing the damp linen atop Lucia's forehead. As the healer examined his daughter, Gabor brought his head into his palm, dragging it down to his chin in a slow pained movement. Four days. It had been four days since Lucia first started screaming and ever since he was like that of a caged bear, having been leashed yet finally had lashed out and at the worst person imaginable. "Can you do anything for her? Medicine? I have herbs, I have coin, you can have whatever you damn well need Simeun, just see that my daughter is alright! ..Please, please let her be alright."

The healer offered a solemn nod, gesturing him towards the doorway. Gabor turned from him, wiping the fresh tears that had begun to trickle down his cheeks as he shambled to the seat beside Maja, reaching out impulsively to clutch her hand. Maja's weary and solemn gaze made his heart sink. He engulfed her hand in his, clutching it tightly, earning a faint but sad twitch of her lips. The two looked back towards the door as the healer began to close it. Gabor looked about the simple cabin he lived within, from the bookshelves to the workbench he had carved himself, feeling seconds turn into minutes. Sweat trickled down his face as minutes became hours, and then the screaming began again.