by D. E. Morris
“One thing at a time,” Jaryn answered. “For now, I think we should keep our ears open. For some time now, Gaels have not had great confidence in being able to freely be themselves without fear of persecution. Perhaps these six have also been waiting for an age when they knew they would be safe.”
Luella nodded. “Should we hear anything, you will be the first to know.”
Gathering the journals, Jaryn stood and gave her a nod of thanks. “You know we will do the same.”
“Let's go find Tasarin,” Ashlynn put in before the doors opened once more. “I would like to see what it is that drew him from this room.”
No sooner did the three of them begin their walk down the long hallway when a group rushed past them without so much as a nod of acknowledgment to Luella. “What in the world?” she muttered picking up her own pace to follow, Jaryn and Ashlynn close behind. A young lady dashed across the entrance to another hallway, then doubled back to greet Luella with a look of panic on her face. “Your Majesty!”
“What is it?” Luella demanded, drawing up close to her. “You are as pale as the moon.”
“Some of us were out for a stroll when we heard a strange sound. Two men and one woman collapsed to their knees. Once the sound was done, they could get up again. It was so frightening.”
Luella glanced at the two behind her. “I wonder if that is what Tasarin heard.”
“Stay here,” Jaryn instructed the women, rushing past them.
“Jaryn, wait! I will come with you!”
He turned back to his wife, brows raised. “Absolutely not. You will stay here until we know what is happening.”
Her temper flared. “I will do no such thing. I may be able to help.”
“Ashlynn, will you please just listen to me?” He turned to Luella with an imploring glance. “Keep her inside.” He didn't wait for any further argument, only left Ashlynn behind to glare after him.
No one was able to tell where the sound had come from, and no one heard it again for the next several days. Those who had been struck with the strange, paralyzing affliction recovered completely and all told the same story: everything was well, and then came the odd song on the wind: hollow, reedy, and desperately sad. It sucked the breath right out of them and held them right where they were until the song was done. Then, all at once, they were fine. Ashlynn desperately wanted to go exploring, to question the villagers to see if they'd heard the sound she had not, and see if anyone else had been afflicted in the same way, but Jaryn refused to let her go. He was afraid that whatever had made the sound might still be out there, and was not convinced that any of them would be safe if it was heard again. She stopped fighting for a time and made more of an effort to let Jaryn handle things and take care of her. Soon enough, however, being confined in yet another castle became all too much for her.
She waited until Jaryn was asleep before changing into riding breeches, resolved to ignore the desire to investigate, but desperately in need of some fresh air. With boots in hand, she moved as quietly as she could through the room her ladies shared and slipped out their door. With the guards stationed outside her own door, she had to be extra sneaky so as not to call attention to herself. Pressed up against the wall, she slid herself around the corner, then hurried forward on stocking feet.
Her knowledge of some of the secret and lesser used passageways came in quite handy as she made her way down through the lower floors of the castle. At one point she nearly ran into Luella as she made to exit one of the passageways. Though the hour was late, she spoke animatedly to whomever was in her company as they passed right by the spot where Ashlynn hid before she made a break for her next hidden path, apparently unconcerned with the noise from days ago. Eventually she came out through a tunnel at the side of Montania, glad she had stopped to put on her boots and winter cape. They were close enough to the ocean that the wind blew in icy drafts at night, despite the promise of a change in seasons during the day. She lifted the hood of her dark cloak to cover her head and stole through the shadows. There were lights on in the distance and she could see, even from her position, that men still worked in the stables. That was where she headed now.
There were many kingdoms in which the ruling royal couple was not known to anyone outside the castle walls, let alone recognizable in other countries. Because of this and what she wore, Ashlynn could easily pass for a visiting noble or even one of their ladies. No one bowed when she stepped across the threshold of the stables, only looked at her curiously as she walked slowly past the stalls. One stablehand, displeased with having someone of a higher status than himself invading his territory well past the usual time, stepped away from the grain bins and looked her over.
“Can I help you, m'lady?”
The title made her pause until she remembered no one realized who she was. It made a slow smile appear, and she examined the signs with the horse's names above each stall. “I want to go for a ride.”
The man quirked a brow. “At this time of night? Are one of these horses yours?”
“Yes, if you please. I do not have my own horse here, no.” She fluttered her lashes sweetly. “If it is not too much trouble...”
His irritation softened and a crooked smile lit his face. “Of course not. Any horse you like, we can have it saddled in no time.”
“You are too kind.” Ashlynn walked away from the man, looking in at each horse. She paused before a few stalls to see if the horse was friendly, to read a name and to look into its eyes. There was a particular horse father down the line who had his head out the stall door, a rich chestnut hackney stallion with eyes that watched her every movement. Ashlynn skipped the rest of the stalls when she saw him and stood at his door. The sign above his stall read “Snow Steps.” Holding her hand out to the horse, she let him nose her palm, then stroked the side of his face and scratched the velvety fur of his chin and whiskers. “What about this one?”
“He's a runner, this one.” The stablehand grinned up at the tall horse and pat his cheek. “He likes to fly.”
“So do I,” Ashlynn murmured. “Does he walk well?”
“Oh, yes. He's a good horse all around. Would you like me to tack him for you?”
“I would like that very much.” The man unlocked the stall door once Ashlynn stepped back, and quickly got to work. The saddle was set on the horse's back, resting comfortably atop a thick blanket. Once the bridle and bit were securely in place and all straps properly tightened, the horse was pulled free from the stall and led out of the paddock. His steps were high and elegant, his coat a smooth brown all over except around his hooves and a quarter of the way up his legs. “Snow Steps.” Ashlynn smirked in appreciation. “How clever. He picks his hooves up so high when he walks.”
“Yes, m'lady. All hackneys do. It's why the royals like them so much.” A stool was brought out for her and Ashlynn climbed up. She swung her leg over the saddle, shimmying herself until she felt comfortable before taking the proffered reins. “Have you anyone riding with you? It's dark and these woods are easy to get lost in.”
The look on Ashlynn's face was nostalgic and sorrowful. “I am quite familiar with this forest, but I thank you for your concern.” With a click of her tongue, she pressed her heels into the horse's ribs, spurring him on in a gentle walk. She imagined he looked something of a specter as they moved down the path from the stables to the woods, bypassing the town all together. They were both all but invisible in the dark, the white of his legs blending in well with the snow that had fallen that day.
“We will have to go slowly, you and I.” With the reins in one hand, she pet his strong neck with her free hand. “I know you long to run, to feel the earth flying past you. I know how that feels, to not be allowed to do what it is you love most.” The horse snorted as if in reply, making Ashlynn smile. “Were I not with child, believe me, you and I would be speeding through these woods as fast as we could go. Perhaps we will get a chance someday.”
She fell silent as they walked on, thinking about all
the times she had gone out riding with Kenayde and Emiline when they were younger. The other two were always content at a slow walk or a gentle trot, but Ashlynn wanted to run. Even before she knew that she had the ability to shift, to be a dragon and race through the sky, she got a special thrill from reaching faster speeds.
The trees loomed ahead of her and would be threatening if she hadn't spent nearly a year of her life within them. When Snow Steps crossed into the forest it was almost a comfort. She was completely alone with no one bowing to her, waiting just a breath away just in case she needed something or required protection. These moments were rare, and though she knew she was blessed by the position she had been born into, there were times she wished she could have a day just to herself.
The horse navigated itself, taking deliberate steps and heading in directions that were easier than others. Ashlynn was content to let him take the lead. If horses were anything like unicorns, they were highly intelligent and intuitive creatures. Maybe he didn't understand her when she gave her reasons for going slow, but she liked to think he did and it was the very reason he was making sure their journey was an easy one.
It had been raining the last time she'd been there: cold, icy drops in the days that preceded the change from autumn to winter. Though it had only been two years ago, it seemed like a lifetime. The young girl who'd run from the castle guards that day, who had ducked inside a hollowed out tree to hide and disappear in fyre, only to reappear deeper in the forest felt like someone else entirely. She had been so afraid of what would happen if she were caught, so worried about Kenayde and whether she was strong and resourceful enough to get her back home safely. In the late hours when she couldn't sleep, she would go through all the possible outcomes of her actions, but never would she have guessed it would all end in a war with monsters and demons.
Though the trees were dense and the darkness prevented her from seeing much ahead, Ashlynn knew they were approaching the monastery. There were broken bits of cobblestone under thin layers of snow still in patches from when the church's courtyard was expansive, back when churches were more a place of worship than a castle. These scattered stones had been her indication of direction when she'd run before, conjuring up a sense of safety and security. Now as she approached the old building, she felt a sorrow well up inside of her.
A branch snapped somewhere behind her, a sound loud enough to echo. Ashlynn pulled back on the reins, halting the horse in his steps. She held her breath a moment, straining to listen for any other sounds that were out of place. Though all she heard was the slight rustle of wind now and then, she slid carefully from the saddle and led Snow Steps behind a thick clump of lower bushes and trees. Before moving from him, she pulled a sharp dagger from her boot, then slunk away to press her back against a thick tree trunk. Within moments she heard a snort from an impatient horse only a few meters back from where she'd come. She crouched and waited, now able to see the outline of a horse and rider. So, she wasn't as alone as she had hoped.
The rider gave a soft, low, “Whoa,” before dismounting. She watched him take careful and deliberate steps, his head moving this way and that in search of her. She gripped the dagger tightly, more angry with herself for not realizing she was being followed than afraid of who may be trying to cut her down.
He was getting too close to her hiding spot. If she didn't move soon he would surely find her, or at least Snow Steps, and neither would end well. Staying low to the ground, she side-stepped her way from one hiding place to another. It was impossible not to make any noise and the rider spun around in her direction. This only made Ashlynn more confident. Clearly whomever this man was did not understand who it was he hunted.
Emboldened, she straightened just a bit and hastened from the tree to hide behind a partially destroyed section of a rock wall. She picked up a stone and heaved it into the darkness, then another in a different direction, and a third in yet another. The rider turned from left to right and drew his sword, no doubt wondering if there were more people in the woods than the one he had been following. She watched smugly as he lifted his weapon to get a better grip on it. Picking up a rock in each hand, she flung them in opposite directions as hard as she could. This had the desired effect of confusing the rider even more and he began to back his way toward his horse. Ashlynn was gleeful as she bent down to pick up her dagger, but when she straightened once more to watch him hurry off, only the horse remained. Her good feeling was gone.
She paused a moment to listen, but there was nothing telling to hear. How could a man simply disappear like that? It was impossible. Was he perhaps hiding on the other side of his horse, waiting just as she was? She hated to do it, but once more she grabbed a rock, a much smaller one this time, and threw it directly at the horse's rump. It hit the animal causing it to whinny in anger and rear up before bucking out with its back legs and running off into the woods. A man's voice yelled out into the dark and Ashlynn jumped on the opportunity. She sprang from her hiding spot and ran right for the rider as soon as his silhouette came into view. With a grunt and the full force of her body, she tackled him to the ground.
The sword flew from his hand and he was taken so off guard for a moment that he didn't fight her. His recovery was quick, however, and he was much stronger than Ashlynn. Rolling her off of him was not at all hard to do and he pinned her under his weight, tree roots and rocks digging into her back even through the snow and her thick winter clothing. He grabbed her wrist to try to wrest the dagger from her, but she balled her free hand into a fist and drove it into the side of his face. He cried out and nearly fell off of her, but again it took only a second for him to focus on the task at hand. “Stop!” he grunted, pinning down both of her wrists this time.
For the first time, fear took over. She knew if she didn't free herself, terrible things could happen to her. The dagger was still in her hand, and with both of his hands still holding her wrists, she had only one chance to escape. Quickly, she hooked her thumb around the blade and flipped the dagger so that it pointed down toward her attacker. Mustering as much strength as she could, she jerked her arm downward and stabbed the dagger through his sleeve and into his arm. This time he flinched back to coddle his injury. Ashlynn brought one of her legs up and braced her foot on the ground, turning and dumping him to the forest floor. Before he could react, she shoved him onto his back and threw herself atop him once more, placing the dagger against the delicate skin under his neck. They were both panting, but Ashlynn spoke clearly so he would not miss a single word she said.
“If you move, if you struggle, if you so much as breathe wrong, I will slit you from ear to ear. Whatever easy prey you thought you would find tonight, I am happy to tell you, you will not find it in me.”
The man appeared to be trying to sink his head into the snow to be away from the dagger. Now that they were so close she could see the short beard and long hair. His clothing was finer than that of one of the villagers as well. No doubt he must have been some visiting royal or high born who saw her leaving alone and decided to follow her.
“Do you have any idea who I am?” she challenged, pressing the dagger closer.
“Yes,” he said softly, trying to keep his voice calm despite the situation. “I know exactly who you are, and that is why I followed you.”
There was a familiar gruffness to the voice, a sad undertone that lit recognition in Ashlynn. “Killian?” She retracted her dagger and slid off of him. He lay there for a moment as she watched him in shock. Tentatively, he reached up to touch his neck, then grabbed his arm and groaned in pain as he raised himself to a sitting position.
“Are you all right?”
Ashlynn shook her head, completely at a loss. “I nearly killed you and you are asking me if I am all right?”
“You should not have thrown yourself at me like that. You have a -” He winced, putting pressure on his wound. “- a child to worry for.”
Still uncertain as to what was going on, Ashlynn watched him for a moment longer before re
alizing she was the one who caused his bleeding. Thinking quickly, she grabbed the hem of her riding jacket and used her dagger to help her rip the seam and tear a strip off. She went to him on her knees and silently untied the laces that kept his sleeves on. When she got to his undershirt, she was careful to take the hole she'd made with her fingers and rip it open wider. “If I only had some light.” If she could only summon fyre.
With a sigh in his voice, Killian said, “I had a flint in my saddlebags.”
Ashlynn frowned at him. “Yes, well, we will have to make do with what we have.” She sat back on her heels and looked around. Moonlight came through the trees in speckles here and there. It would have to be enough. Helping Killian to his feet, she guided him to a spot of light to examine the wound. “It does not appear to be too bad,” she muttered. She could feel his eyes on her as she wrapped the strip from her jacket around the injury, but refused to meet his gaze. When she tied the ends together in a knot as tight as she could, he hissed in pain but otherwise stayed silent. Careful, Ashlynn then helped him insert his arm back into his sleeve and laced him up. It was such a menial task, one she did for Jaryn almost daily, which made it feel so foreign with another man.
Finished with her ministrations, she put her hands on her hips and finally looked up at him. “What are you doing out here?”
With a furrowed brow, he looked around and ignored her question. “Where are your guards?”
“Still at the castle I should think. Why were you following me?”
“Because your guards are still at the castle.” When Ashlynn's only reply was a blank look, his frown deepened. “With all due respect, Your Majesty, you cannot go riding in the woods alone, especially at night in a foreign land. It is dangerous. You never know what kind of miscreant you may come across.”
A smirk crossed her lips briefly. “Like yourself?” He didn't answer, only looked down at her with an unreadable expression. Ashlynn rolled her eyes. “Go back to the castle.” Without waiting for a reply, she headed back toward where she'd left her horse. Killian's footsteps were fast behind her.