The Quest for the Amulet of Destiny

Here it is, the first section of the second chapter. I'd really appreciate your feedback, especially if you think it is horrible. I am so new at Fantasy that I need all the help I can get. Thanks!

Captain Kato of the Kaysheek Army stared broodingly into the dancing campfire. Along with him was Lieutenant Besnik, six other soldiers, and the half-elf Miccah. Kato felt an intense dislike for the guard. Every time he attempted to connect with Miccah’s thoughts Kato found himself up against a mental block. How could a mere half-breed elude his remarkable telepathic skills? Kato listened to the mindless chatter and noise their camp was creating. How had he ended up on such a irrational mission with such lousy underlings? The one worthy of his admiration was Besnik and only because of the elf’s extreme loyalty to Kato.

Just as Kato thought of his friend, Besnik appeared at his side handing him a tin bowl. Kato stared at it’s contents not even able to classify the watery mush as actual food. The only thing that looked discernable was a single orange carrot floating on top of the brown substance. Frustrated he sipped at the bland meal wondering how he had managed to be in such a deplorable situation. He was the greatest warrior in the whole kingdom of Kaysheek. Kato hadn’t just killed thousands upon thousands he had completely eradicated them from existence. Yet here he sat in the middle of the Tarasova Forest waiting for a package to be delivered from a measly human.

“Oh yeah, I have fought in quite a few battles,” Miccah’s irritating voice spoke from the other side of the fire. Kato looked up from his stew to see a young Elvin soldier looking up at Miccah with unabashed adoration.

“Could you tell me about one of them?” The elf requested like a little child. Miccah puffed out his chest, preening like a proud peacock. Kato took another sip of his soup in order to keep himself from laughing. Miccah was egocentric and he had hardly ever been outside the castle gates of Kaysheek. He thought he was so special because he controlled who could come in and out of the castle. Kato scoffed, the idiot was proud that he could pull a simple lever. Kato doubted he had ever actually fought in a real battle, why Miccah was probably still a boy when the Dark Elves had last attempted to overtake Kaysheek.

“Tell me Miccah,” Kato interrupted before the man could start his blasphemy, “Since you are such a great guard, how was it possible for the Princess to be kidnapped?”

Miccah sputtered. “Well I, well we all know that she was outside the castle walls. I really had no way of knowing.”

“Hmm,” Kato nodded pensively. The young elf no longer looked at Miccah and Kato felt satisfied at that. For the remainder of the meal he ignored the glares that Miccah sent him over the dancing flames.

“You seem annoyed tonight,” Besnik observed as Kato made his way through the makeshift camp to his tent.

Kato held back the flap of canvas as he entered into his temporary home. “All of this is just ridiculous.” Kato used a match to light a kerosene lantern sitting on top of an overturned crate. “I feel like I’ve been sent out into the middle of the woods to baby sit a bunch of imbeciles.”

Besnik crossed his arms over his broad chest. “The package is just as important as the Princess.”

“I don’t agree. Whatever this package is can’t possibly equal in importance as a being’s life. Especially the Princess’s.” Perturbed he threw off his evergreen cloak, tossing it onto the moss covered ground.

“I think you are letting your emotions cloud your logic,” Besnik had a soft, soothing voice that could speak the blatant truth and still sound like he was saying exactly what you wanted to hear.

However, his voice did not soothe his friend. Kato shot him a dangerous look. “What exactly is that supposed to mean?” He demanded.

“I wasn’t implying anything?” Besnik held up his hands in defense. Kato made direct eye contact with the elf, his violet-colored eyes drilling into Besnik’s thoughts. You love her. Foolish Kato, you love her.

Disgusted with himself he turned his back on his friend. “Leave me,” he growled unbuckling the sword around his waist.

“I’ll be right outside if you need anything,” Besnik said and then he was gone.

Aggravated, he threw himself on the hard ground, wrapping his bearskin blanket around his muscular frame. Using his arms as a pillow Kato stared up at the ceiling of his tent. Why had he allowed such a silly emotion like love interfere? Besnik was right, it was warping his judgement. Furthermore, he didn’t even know if Princess Moriah even reciprocated these feelings. If she didn’t then he would have to convince himself it was a silly infatuation and move on with his life. The thing that scared Kato was that he didn’t think he could do that.