by Amber Jaeger
Her friends hugged her as if she were leaving forever and even her own eyes were beginning to fill with tears. She rushed the goodbyes, grabbed her pack and went on her way.
Only one step out of the front door and Katiyana already felt freer. The sun filtered gently down through the trees and warmed her dark cloak. Birds were happy and cheerful, not pausing their singing as she passed by.
Katiyana thought back to her first solo trip through the forest and marveled at not only the differences but the similarities. She carried with her nearly the same items that she had back then but now she knew how and when to use them. That she had survived long enough to make it to the girls and the hut still filled her with wonder. That she had been able to catch a fish and cook it well enough over a fire she had made herself still amazed her.
Now she could do anything she wished or wanted. She knew every path and trail in the forest, she knew every creek and stream. She could catch a fish or a rabbit or a deer and dress them all. The edible plants growing wildly in the woods were widely known to her now. She could run without stopping and climb the tallest trees.
Her first day of travel was light and pleasant and when she bedded down for the night, she did so with a smile on her face.
The second day was just as pleasant. She ate what she passed by, sparing the items in her pack. A stream in the afternoon provided water and a place to cool her feet. The soft, supple boots sitting on the stream bank beside her made her smile. There had been no blisters since she had gotten them.
After her short rest, Katiyana followed the water further west well into the evening before settling in to fish and rest and sleep.
Through the lush trees she could barely see the stars overhead. She tried to think back to the last time she had clearly seen them and could not remember but knew that it had been in her old life. Over time she had come to classify the two separate lives it felt she had lived. Before and after. Old and new.
Faint memories, once painful but now as familiar as old friends, came flooding in as she thought of the time when her father had been alive and she had been a princess living in a castle.
The ache of grief had burned off over the years, although sometimes it was still hard. She had missed her home and father so fiercely the first few years it would take her breath at times, leaving her gasping on the floor, clutching at her chest. A hatred for Sula had festered but with help of her new friends, it never set in.
As she wandered the next day she noticed the underbrush seemed to shrink with each step. The trees grew further and further from each other and the dull light grew brighter as a hint of a horizon slowly came into focus.
Excited and giddy, she sprinted ahead through the thinning trees, suddenly bursting out into a wide, open field. Katiyana gasped as she took in the hugeness, her eyes tracing the curve of the earth from one end to the other. Even more breathtaking was the expanse of royal blue sky over head. Never had she seen so much of it at one time. Giant, fluffy puffs of white floated lazily overhead and she watched them in awe.
The ground beneath it all was just as new and fantastic. Tall reeds of red gold grass grew as far as she could see, each one rippling gently in the breeze. She stood, mesmerized by the sight, by the feeling of true freedom and nearly missed the hushed creak behind her.
Katiyana dove to the side, barely missing the armored arm that had swung around to grab her. She tucked and rolled, back on her feet before the soldier could find his balanced again. Whirling around, she kicked him in the knee, sending him down in the lovely grass.
Another man narrowed his eyes and sprang forward but she was able to dodge away. She tittered a little laugh. “How can you even move in such a ridiculous get up?”
“Easy enough,” a voice said behind her and she darted away but was instant too late. A third, unseen soldier caught her up by the arm and spun her around. She had to crane her neck up to take him in. His sleek height was topped with a shockingly red crown of hair. “Spying on the Sun King’s land for the evil Queen Sula?”
Katiyana sneered. “I have no hold with that woman, now let me go.”
“You are a stranger on the king’s land and you injured a soldier. You must be brought before His Majesty.” His grip was strong but not cruel and neither were his green eyes. She would not have been afraid even if they were. The mother bear she had stumbled upon two summers ago were much more frightening than these clumsy men.
The man she had kicked over slowly pulled himself from the ground and threw her a dirty look. Katiyana stuck her tongue at him and he lunged for her.
The soldier holding her moved between them and put a hand out to stop the other man. “Ando, reign in your anger. We will take her before the king, as we do with all intruders.”
“None of the other spy’s ever assaulted me, Bennet. Let her have her justice now!” His face was an angry red. Katiyana should have been very afraid, and indeed her heart was racing, but years of hiding and running and hunting had made her strong and fast.
The second soldier gave a sigh before speaking up. “Nothing is hurt save your pride. Now can we please get back to the horses? I would like to be at the palace before dark.”
Katiyana tried to jerk her arm away but the man, Bennet, she reminded herself, held fast.
“I was only one step out of the forest!” she protested. “Surely that is not a crime.”
“King Lian rules this land and everyone in it, even those only one step in. And he does not trust you people from the east.”
“And you assaulted me,” the aggrieved soldier bit out, handing a length of rope to the man holding Katiyana.
Fear rose in her mind and she pushed it back forcefully. It would not help her escape. Instead, she took a deep, calming breath before resigning herself to being bound. The soldier was kind and tied her wrists only tight enough to hold her and did not drag her along by the arm as they walked south along the edge of the woods.
She looked sadly into the shadowy safety of the trees but did not regret her little adventure.
Katiyana was forced to ride side saddle with the soldier that had captured her and she squirmed at his closeness almost as much as she squirmed at riding such a large, unpredictable animal. It was almost a relief when the place began to emerge and arise in the far distance. The long reeds gave way to farmland and farmland to a small town. It reminded her somewhat of the town that surrounded her father’s castle but it was brighter, wider and the homes and buildings lower.
Some curious farmers and villagers regarded her with obvious unease but she ignored their glances, instead intent on memorizing her way back to the forest after she could escape. They drew up inside an open courtyard and Katiyana looked up at the rich gold sand stone palace. Despite the heat from the sun, the stones seemed to exude a coolness and she was grateful for their shade.
She slid down from the horse and had her arm taken up again by the soldier as he marched her into the palace. They entered through an ornately carved entrance that peaked high overhead. Inside, Katiyana saw that even the interior of the palace had been fashioned with cool, tawny sandstone. It was several degrees cooler inside but sweat was beginning to prick her brow.
Fear fluttered at the edges but she pushed it back again. “What happens now?”
“Now you see the king,” Bennet said and she did not miss the hint of annoyance in his voice.
The turns and twists inside the looming palace were almost dizzying, but Katiyana marked each one with a clear mind and a tinge of sadness. It had been so many years since she had been inside a palace, and even though this looked nothing like her father’s castle, it brought forth memories of him and the short time she had with him.
Despite herself, she became lost in her thoughts until she was jerked to a stop in front a large ornate door. Katiyana shot the man a dirty look and he shrugged his shoulders. “I told you to stop,” Bennet said quietly. “Follow my instructions as you are brought before the king.”
His words were said in kindnes
s and Katiyana wondered what type of soldier was calm and kind to prisoners. It was here first time being so close to a man while not pretending to be one and she found it… uncomfortable.
After a nod at a soldier guarding the door, Katiyana and Bennet were ushered in. The room was tall and wide and bright. Sun filtered in through high, ornate windows that arched almost to the ceiling. The golden stones from the outside of the palace made the walls inside as well and everything was aglow with a soft, golden vibe.
At the center of the far room in front of the windows was a raised dais. But instead of a throne was a large table and at it several men sat arguing. One young woman flitted between them, taking and refilling cups, picking up papers that had been thrown to the ground and distributing small plates of food.
The largest man, the one in the middle, suddenly roared and slammed his fist to the table, causing cups to jump and topple over. A few of the men, and Katiyana herself, flinched. The guard holding her arm just sighed.
She could not clearly see him around the other men at the table but the low rumble of his voice made her shiver.
“This is a problem that should have been long solved,” the angry man growled. “We waste our time on things such as these when there are more pressing matters.”
“Water irrigation is of dire importance to our farms, My King,” one of the men said drily.
“That is the king?” Katiyana hissed. “I thought he was an old man.” She struggled to remember the many fractions of rumors she had heard over time and remembered, maybe, there was a new king on the Sun Throne.
Bennet frowned at her and led her forward. “My Liege,” he intoned.
The golden haired king stood from the table and Katiyana was finally able to take him in. Had anger not lined every one of his features, he would have been undoubtedly handsome. Then he raised his eyes to hers. Never had she seen such a dark blue and even the menacing way they pierced into her could not take away from their beauty. Rimmed in coal black lashes and set under tawny brows, they reminded her the way the summer sky would flash down through the forests dark foliage. His hair was surprisingly light, a deep gold with shades of yellow and auburn, and hung just past his hard, stubbly jaw.
She slapped herself mentally and snapped her jaw shut. Heat was creeping up her chest and onto her neck but thankfully the man was no longer looking.
“What is this?” he thundered, coming down the few stairs of the raised platform. As he stalked to them, his eyes thankfully not on her, she could see strength and tension in every step. He stopped only inches from his soldiers face and Katiyana tried to back away, intimidated almost as much by his height and wide shoulders as she was by the anger radiating off him. “Bennet,” he said, his voice a controlled growl, “you know I have need for you here and yet you go off patrolling like a common soldier.”
“My liege,” Bennet repeated with a weariness in his voice. “How can I expect my men to perform tasks which I am unwilling to do?” Clearly it was an old argument.
The king waved his question away. “Fine, you are here now, I need your opinion.” He turned back to the table and Bennet nudged Katiyana forward.
She reluctantly moved her feet. “This young woman was found at the border of the forest. Perhaps she—”
The king swung back around, knocking a chair a down with his huge, fisted hand. Katiyana’s heart was thrumming painfully in her chest and she began to regret her little adventure. The king of this land was clearly a madman.
“Perhaps she is what?” Lian snapped, ignoring the servant girl who swept by to right the chair. Katiyana held her breath as the girl touched the back of his fisted hand. But instead of striking her, he sighed and the tightness in his massive shoulders relaxed a bit. When he spoke again, his voice was even. “Perhaps she is what? A spy? No, more like a frightened child. Hold her in a cell until she can be questioned. My advisors inform me we have much important things to focus on than that evil queen and her machinations.” The anger and sarcasm twisted his voice as well as his face, turning his handsome features frightening again.
Katiyana froze at the mention of the queen. Surely he was speaking of Sula. Would he guess her connection to her? Her heart raced faster than her mind and when Bennet pulled her out of the room she stumbled along next to him.
“Do not fear,” Bennet was saying quietly. “I am sure our cells are much more hospitable than you imagine. And if we find you are nothing more than a curious traveler, you will be freed without haste.”
Katiyana’s mind was clearing and she retorted sharply. “I did not realize coming to the border of your land was a crime to be questioned about and imprisoned for.”
They came to wide set of stone stairs leading down, but rather than the passage being dark, it was bright with sunlight at the end. “It was not always this way,” Bennet admitted. “But surely you cannot blame us for our cautiousness with anyone coming from the queen’s way.”
She bit her lip and focused on not stumbling down the stairs with her hands tied awkwardly behind her back. They were speaking of Sula but she did not know what tyranny she might have committed against their kingdom. Uncertain and confused, she cursed her years of shelter in the woods.
A deep room built of the same, now familiar golden stones was at the bottom of the stairs. Thick metal bars separated it into cells, all empty, and bars stood over the large windows. Fresh hay and mats and clay pots were evident in each one and Katiyana looked around with curiosity. “This is where you lodge your prisoners?”
“Aye. You will be comfortable down here until the king has time to deal with you.” Bennet ushered her into the far cell and closed the gate, locking it with a key from his own belt, then motioned her to turn so he could release the straps from her wrists.
“It will not be long,” he promised, and even gave her a kind smile.
Katiyana smiled back.
No, it would not be long.
CHAPTER SIX
“This is a damned waste of my time,” Lian thundered.
Bennet shook his head and closed his eyes against the impending migraine. “The farmers need a constant source of water in order to grow our crops and raise our animals. Without it, we all starve.”
Lian scowled at him over the table. “I am well aware of that. What I do not understand is why someone else cannot take care of this matter so that I may focus on what is really important.”
The king’s agricultural advisor huffed and settled back for another round of arguments. Taking note, Lian threw his hands into the air and sighed. “Yes, I know, water is important.” He frowned and looked into his empty mug. His personal servant was at his side with a pitcher before he could call for her. He watched as she refilled it and finally said, “Alma, you have heard everything said here today. What is your opinion?”
The members of the King’s Counsel were no longer shocked he asked for his maid’s opinion and had come to appreciate her common sense. Even more, they appreciated the way she was able to somewhat calm him when he flew into his regular rages.
The young woman arched an eyebrow at her temperamental king. “I think you should do exactly as your agricultural advisor suggests and stop arguing with him over how many soldiers it will take to dig the canals.”
The king glared at her and she returned it with a flat gaze of her own. Finally he looked away and back to the men seated around the table. “Fine. Take as many men as you need to complete the project.”
The agricultural advisor dipped his head and leaned back in his chair. “As you command. We shall begin tomorrow.”
The other men filtered out the room, leaving the king, the captain of the guards and the king’s personal servant.
Lian warily eyed them both. “What?”
Alma pressed her lips together and began clearing the table, leaving Bennet to the uncomfortable conversation. “My king,” he began, then stopped when the king scowled.
“Stop calling me that,” Lian demanded. “I’ve always been Lian to you, eve
r since we were just boys. And I would not even be king if that witch had not murdered my father!” The color was rising in his cheeks again and he slammed his hand against the table before sliding it out to swipe everything from it.
Bennet’s eyes softened. “But she did. Your father has been gone for five years. You have been the king for five years. I understand bringing justice forth is your duty but it is not your only duty.”
“I will not rest until that witch pays!”
“And I will always fight alongside you in that battle,” Bennet agreed quietly. “But it cannot overshadow the needs of your kingdom.”
Alma hovered around the table, slowly cleaning up. Lian glanced at her, his eyes so dark they were nearly black. “You feel the same as Bennet?”
“I do,” she said bluntly. “Your people desire justice as much as you do. But they need more than that. They need water for proper crops, to care for the animals. Without food and water, there is no kingdom.”
“We have water,” Lian argued. “And crops and cattle.”
“Your job is to improve upon the things they already have so they can lead better lives and focus on other, new things. Should the continuously do things the old, hard way just so you can have soldiers at the ready in case the queen finds a new way to torment us all?” Her words were borderline traitorous but she knew she was the one person he would not flare up at.
Bennet eyed the two of them and not for the first time, he admired Alma’s courage when dealing with their fiery king.
“Any other words of wisdom, Alma?” Lian asked sarcastically.
“I think I’ve said enough for one day,” she said lightly, avoiding his gaze.
Lian glared. “Out with it, girl.”
She propped a fist hand on her hip. “Shave your face, pull your hair back and put on some proper clothes. You will never find a wife if you do not!”
Bennet choked on the water he had been sipping and it sprayed out over the table. Laughter bubbled up inside him and he could not hold it in.
The king was not as amused. “I have no time for such things. Perhaps when Sula is taken care of.”