***
The two communicated little following Luminear’s curious questioning. Icaz strengthened the spell of the medallion as much as possible, taking Luminear’s resilience into account, and she drifted off to sleep. He didn’t bother with rest for himself. Instead, he stayed close to her, focusing on memories that had resurfaced. Several people he had scarred along his path as a younger man came to mind. Many of them he hadn’t thought of in years, and his memories of them were jumbled within his chaotic mind. Those remembrances might pop into his head now and again but never for long.
However, he recollected how it began for him. As a young boy, he had been out hunting in a withered and dying forest. Well, hunting the best he could, but at thirteen, he had limited experience and skills. He remembered trying to shoot down a deer with a bow and arrow, but a centaur stole his game. He had been starving, and the centaur’s actions infuriated him. For the first time, he intended to use his power for revenge.
He became invisible to the eye until he came upon that centaur and the dead deer where he revealed himself and his unnatural eyes. He commanded the centaur to leave and forget about the deer and him forever. As young as he was, he did not understand his power or how to direct it. He stayed with the centaur too long, absorbing the creatures’ thoughts, feelings, and memories. By the time he broke free his hold of the centaur, he was in tears trying to understand what had happened to him. The centaur fled in confusion, but Icaz remained.
Icaz’s recollections of his innocence bothered him. He hardly recognized that boy or understood him, but he wanted to reach out and tell his younger self to stop and never do that again. These recollections from his distant past disturbed him. While the memories were part of who he was, they were separated from what he had become. First, it frightened him, and then it made him furious. Luminear had done this to him.
"Bah. Women. Lonewolf would never have asked me such absurd questions," Icaz muttered to himself. He shifted his thoughts to the present, to replace the disturbing ones and pass the time.
After a few hours of rest, they continued on their way. The two saddled up before dawn knowing this would be their last day of riding. Today he would fulfill his destiny, or so Icaz envisioned. He removed his magical medallion from her neck when she woke, so she was far less talkative. In fact, she was almost dead silent. Luminear always remembered the conversations with him under the influence of the magical pendant. Yet it was as if she had been drugged and forced to speak with him against her will. Still, part of her craved that sense of tranquility and freedom.
Throughout the morning, they rode through a small section of forest. About an hour later, they left the forest behind and found the second breach in the wall. The wall nearest to Crusayla was wide open and packed with several dozen Divoxian soldiers who had made it their camp. It was a pleasant sight for Icaz, but Luminear wondered if she was being tracked or would have any chance to break away.
The troops greeted their ruler, but Icaz told them to mind their own business, get out of his way, and guard the wall against outsiders. His orders were simple and to the point, which was the way he liked it.
Along the wall, ladders stood along the sides of the broken structure, leading to the top. This was Icaz and Luminear’s path. "We take the wall directly into Crusayla kingdom, and then we climb down. Right where we need to be," Icaz said as he released their horses.
He carried a long rope, which would provide a way down from the wall once in Crusayla. The capital below had a wall of its own that had not been breached. The plan was to descend into the city below by rope, hastening their journey.
They set off again, going up this time. Several ladders led upwards and not just one particular one. When the wall had fallen, it broke in several places, so to get to the top, one had to get off one ladder and hike to another one several times before they arrived at the top of the wall.
Luminear knew she had to leave something noticeable behind for Bella. She took a chance and slid off her cloak and planted it like a flag off one ladder as she climbed. Once the two reached the summit of the wall, she mentioned to Icaz her cloak had gotten caught on the ladder by accident. He suspected nothing, but laughed and called her hopelessly clumsy. He never considered the possibility Luminear might leave behind clues to help Bella find her.
From the pinnacle where they stood, they could see Crusayla and the black cliffs to the west. In but a few hours, they would arrive, and although they may not have agreed on much, Icaz and Luminear were both glad to see the end of this part of their journey.
Chapter Three
In Pursuit
"Wake up. It's time to go," Laelliandir shouted out shortly after nightfall.
Once Bella, Markus, and Fern gave in to their weariness, they slept so deeply the diminishing of the sun had not stirred them. Now, impatient and primed to begin their journey, Laelliandir urged the group to get going the moment Albatros assured him the injured animals were ready to travel. Bella sprang up within seconds with Markus right after her, but Fern lagged behind the rest.
Before awakening the trio, Albatros and Laelliandir cooked fish to feed the group, but in her eagerness to set out, Bella yanked a freshly cooked fish from Albatros’s stone slab and instructed the others, "Eat on the way. Let's head out." Laelliandir couldn’t argue and took charge along with her as the group’s unofficial leaders.
"Markus, Bell, take my horse. It’s stronger and less timid than Fern’s. I’ll ride with Albatros," Laelliandir proposed.
"Sounds good," Bella said. "To the wall. We charge them straight through with Albatros at the lead. No holding us back. We'll prepare bows and arrows and shoot upon them before they saddle up. Night raid." Nobody opposed Bella’s directive, and off they went no sooner than they had woken.
It took time for Fern's horse to warm up to the rhino, but eventually, the two horses became comfortable enough to ride by Albatros and Laelliandir's side. Once they were well on their way, that Albatros told the sleeping three what had happened while they dreamed.
"Spotted riders. I'd venture to say over one hundred. Lonewolf was at the head."
Taken back by Albatros’s casual claim, Bella asked, "What?"
"Neither Luminear nor Neighraellium was with them," Laelliandir added.
Albatros continued, "They are going to Kinelenn. We caught a few stragglers prowling around looking for us."
"Stragglers?" Markus asked. "We were being hunted as we slept?"
"Not hunted. Lonewolf sent lookout dragoons to follow our trail. They got a little too close and a little careless," Laelliandir explained.
"So you and Albatros attacked?" Bella guessed, followed by Laelliandir nodding affirmation.
"Caught two of them. The others were less fortunate," Albatros said.
"What happened?" shouted Bella over the gusting wind.
"The one that spoke said little. He knew only that his orders were to find us. Lonewolf and the rest are riding to Kinelenn, so the encampment at the wall is no more. Yesterday they all met at the southern bridge. He couldn’t explain why, but I-," Laelliandir started before being interrupted.
"Where is your uncle? Luminear? Are they not coming?" Bella yelled out.
"The one said they met the High King and a black-haired, darkly dressed woman, but those two set out a different direction. Maybe returning home,” Laelliandir said, “He could not say for sure."
"That is them," Bella said. It was all she needed to hear. The woman he described had to have been Luminear, and they couldn't be far. "And they are unprotected."
"Shocking! Foolish, but to our benefit," Laelliandir said with a smile.
"If this isn't a trap," Albatros grunted.
Fern shared the minotaur's sentiments. "Aye."
"We’ll be prepared," said Laelliandir.
"Where are these two dragoons now?" Markus asked.
"Doesn't matter. We got what we needed. They're dealt with," Laelliandir said, garnering strange looks, but nobody questioned him.
The small group rode into the night, finding the first breach in the wall. As Laelliandir and Albatros had said, the camp was empty. The group crossed through with no trouble and exited Tragmont with ease. Several tracks led south, but just as many headed back from where they had come. It was too dark to see much, but the group decided to search the bridge and the surrounding area.
Upon arriving at the base of the bridge, they found remnants of the deserted camp. Laelliandir and Fern hunted around the camp while Albatros followed two solitary tracks which headed west of the wall. Markus and Bella focused on the bridge. Within moments of looking around, Bella noticed a black cloth. When she picked it up, she realized it was wrapped loosely around a ring Bella recognized immediately.
"Lae! Fern!" Bella shouted as she and Markus made their way to the encampment. She held the ring up to see it better, but she would have known it anywhere. It was the ring Luminear had worn since Laella had given it to her in Garroth. Discovering it not only told them that Luminear had been on the bridge, but Bella knew Luminear had left it intentionally hoping they would find it.
"That was my mother’s for sure!" Laelliandir exclaimed after he examined it. The ring was an exquisite pear-shaped diamond that glimmered in the moonlight. "Did they go back south or somewhere else is the question?" Laelliandir contemplated aloud. The four need not ponder long on the answer for Albatros came riding back with an answer.
"Two horse tracks heading west outside of Tragmont. They follow the wall. Someone is leaving black fabric behind." Albatros displayed two pieces of cloth in his large hands. After comparing the cloth to what Bella and Markus found, they knew the swatches were a match. All five looked to the west.
"Two tracks only?" Bella asked. Albatros confirmed with a nod.
"Then he is a fool," said Laelliandir. "We track them and stop them. He must seek to elude someone or something. He should have ridden back with Wolf."
"He should have. Too bad for him, he didn't." Markus replied sarcastically.
"Too bad, my arse," Bella corrected. "Let's go."
"Bella." Only a few paces into their advance, Laelliandir called out, his usual smooth tenor revealing wary apprehension. All eyes turned to him. "Something isn’t right here. Why would Lonewolf and the dragoons leave their High King alone out here?" The others also shared this concern—all but Bella.
"After the ruckus we caused, they’re likely charging Kinelenn bound for reinforcements," said Bella. "Until only a few hours ago, I even believed the two of you had brought with you a minotaur army. Lonewolf also believed in this threat."
"Yes, but why would the High King leave the safety of his subjects?" asked Markus.
"My uncle is unhinged. To expect reason from him is folly."
Bella nodded at Laelliandir, and added, "Lumi wouldn’t leave anything behind for us to follow if she suspected danger, so who cares why?"
"Still, the first bird I meet willing to scope ahead, I will beg a favor," Albatros said, less willing to trust this unsettling path.
"Splendid idea. But what about this army Lonewolf is likely going to deploy?" Markus asked.
"Lonewolf is beyond our reach. If we can, we’ll figure out what to do about that army once Luminear is safe and my uncle dealt with. Time is in our favor."
"Alas, not if we keep moseying and yammering about it. Come on!" Bella said, before directing her steed to hasten. Likewise, the others followed speeding forth.
Chapter Four
Simple Ruse
Lonewolf's other scouting dragoons had not followed Bella and her company long. Although they found no hint or any sign of an army lurking about, they took no chance of being caught in an ambush. They piddled around and wasted time under the pretense they were tracking longer than they were. Even though Lonewolf's orders had been strict, they were less afraid of his wrath than succumbing to the same fate as their fellow soldiers. Thus, they took every precaution to avoid an untimely death.
"No army you saw, but that doesn't mean there isn’t one waiting somewhere nearby. It's fine. Just stay ready. We march for Tarrith immediately," Lonewolf said, responding to the returning scout’s report. He hid his spiking anxiety from his subordinates, but inwardly he worried himself to a near heart attack. His concern for Bella fell to the back of his mind. The time had come at last. All the years of plotting, planning, and preparing would finally pay off, and he would let nothing come between him and solving this long-awaited mystery.
Upon Lonewolf’s return, the army set out from Kinelenn, and he sent word to the other encampments to prepare to do the same. Lonewolf didn't trust his partner to wait for his arrival, so he kept on the move. Rest became an option Lonewolf couldn't afford to choose.
By the third day, the army was well on their way, expecting to be in Tarrith by nightfall, but they weren't the only ones. Icaz and Luminear grew ever closer, with Bella, Laelliandir, and their group not far behind. It was shaping up to be an interesting evening if all parties made their deadlines.
Bella and the rest rode through a small patch of forest that took about an hour from beginning to end. When they reached the edge of the forest, they stopped when the breached wall came into view and remained hidden in the forest as they plotted their next step. The camp at the breach was not deserted as they’d hoped. Instead, several soldiers camped within the broken wall.
"This is just wonderful," Markus complained, his voice dripping with sarcasm. Laelliandir and Bella hastily brought out their looking scopes to get a better idea of what they were up against.
"This is what happens when five people try to go against thousands," Albatros said. "I can charge them head-on and hope to be followed into Tarrith."
"There is a lot of them, champ," Laelliandir replied as he looked through the host of unsuspecting Divoxians.
Bella had her eye on something else. She bypassed the soldiers and followed a set of ladders that climbed the wall. It didn't take long to find what she had hoped to see. About halfway up the broken side of the wall, a woman’s cloak dangled from the top of a ladder. While Bella was not sure it belonged to Luminear, she thought it a likely clue, intentionally left behind.
"Can't ride into Tarrith, Albatros. The Divox army may trap you, and you'd be dead. I'm not losing you," Laelliandir said.
"We may not have a choice," Bella argued. "Up the wall. I see Lumi's cloak. Have a look about halfway up." Laelliandir did as she suggested and agreed with Bella it was likely left behind on purpose. Bella handed Markus her scope so he could see for himself. He also concurred with the two.
"We aren't getting in the middle of that mess to reach the ladder except by force or trickery," Markus added.
"Force is too risky," Laelliandir said. "We can find a better way. I'm not risking any of your lives."
"Better way?" Fern asked. "Break south toward the river for an hour? The current flows in the opposite direction. Trying to cross is beyond reckless. What way around?" Fern held his hands in front of him palms up questioning. Laelliandir kept his eye on the camp while he tried to come up with a plan that wouldn't put any of their lives in danger, but there were few options to choose from, and time was short.
"If this be our path, then I need to lure them away. It’s our best and fastest choice. Any other choice will eat away time we don't have to spare," Albatros restated.
"You're a beast in battle, but I can't agree for you to put yourself in that situation," said Laelliandir.
"You don't have to agree," said Albatros.
Bella and Markus exchanged an uneasy glance. Both were of like mind that Albatros’s plan was probably their best bet. He and his rhino were heavily armored, and with his fighting skills, he would make a nearly undefeatable decoy.
"It would help if you would," Bella said to Albatros.
"Not to Tarrith, though," Markus suggested. "Speak to your rhino or whatever it is you do. Make the soldiers believe you've lost control of your beast and are riding straight into peril. Give them time to see you are lost, a
nd your rhino is unpredictable." Markus twisted and pointed his finger to the way they had arrived and continued, "Then turn and flee back here into the wood. Tarrith might be nasty if the army is afoot."
"It is the best option," agreed Bella. "Unless you have something else in mind?" Bella looked questioningly at Laelliandir.
And how do we find Albatros? Laelliandir wondered but said nothing out loud. He surveyed the woods picturing how the scenario might play out. They could all sense his worry.
"So, we hide and wait until the people there pursue him?" Fern asked nervously.
Defiled Page 12