And if Lilian got scared that it floated, Tony would have simply ripped the guts open and punctured the bladder.
***
They had to dig together. Anthony threw the soil away from the pit, and Lily used a plank to rake it away.
She wanted to cry again, but she resisted the urge.
It was not the time or the place to show her weakness or Lofrayne would immediately make use of it.
Hang in there, Lilian.
When the pit was deep enough, Lily nodded to Lofrayne, indicating that they had to put the body there. The baron nodded, but instead of obeying her, he started to rummage through Ellis' pockets. A pile of coins, a knife, another knife... Nothing eye-catching. Once, he had been a person. Not anymore. Anthony didn't let Lily put his cloak there, either, saying that they needed it. She didn't argue. The dead didn't care; the living needed warm clothes.
She helped make a burial mound, waited for Lofrayne to leave, and finally dropped the facade, breaking off two twigs, making a cross, and sticking it on top of the grave. A blessing of sorts.
Here, they believed in Aldonai, not Jesus. They had their own rules and rituals. Still, she needed that.
"Our father, who art in heaven..."
Lily didn't really know any other prayers, but she had to pay her due.
Rest in peace, Ellis. We didn't get a chance to talk, but you saved me. You helped me escape the ship; it's not your fault that Lofrayne tagged along. It just turned out this way. It just happened.
That's how the gods entwined our destinies, and we can't change them. Not now.
Tears came again, and Lily didn't even try wiping them. Her hands were dirty; if she touched her face, she'd look like a nightmare. It would be better to go to the sea and wash it later when she calmed down.
And the tears kept flowing.
For how long would she have to keep steeling herself? As long as it takes.
Confucius had once said that a hammer shattered steel but also forged steel. One, however, needed a steel heart under that steel armor, and Lily didn't have it. Hers was flesh. She was a real living person who felt fear, pain, and longing, who wanted to forget everything and fall into a hysterical fit...
But she couldn't because she had never been alone once in her life.
At first, she had Alex and her parents. How could she fail them? Then there was Miranda, her people, Jerisson, the children... All of that stuck together, one thing to another, and every time, there was someone weak, someone to help and support. And that's what Lily did.
In a way, nothing changed. She had her baby. Her child was inside of her, and she couldn't allow herself to come undone. She couldn't collapse on the ground, sobbing, beating her head against a tree, biting the soil... What else had those helpless romance movie heroines been doing?
Actually, forget it; how did they manage to keep their make-up even after a tantrum? Now that was real heroism!
Lily chuckled. Alas, she would never get to watch TV again, even if, at that moment, she would have settled for a menstrual pad commercial.
The moment of weakness was over. Lilian Earton pulled herself together and looked at the grave, then made a sign of the cross over the mound.
"Rest in peace, Ellis. Requiescat in pace. And goodbye."
And then she left.
***
Anthony Lofrayne was sitting in the boat, and his thoughts were grim.
They were in the middle of nowhere, with barely enough clothes, weapons, and food supplies, as well as god-awful prospects. Honestly, that was enough to make a man weep. That's probably what the countess was doing—sobbing her nose off.
Tony wondered what that sailor had babbled to her. He should ask when she returned.
He didn't have to wait long. Lily came back in half an hour.
"Are you sitting, Lofrayne?"
"I am, as you can see," Anthony agreed. "Lilian, please confide in me. What was it you heard from that...that..."
Tony couldn't find a good enough word and started thinking.
Lily snorted.
"Don't worry, Lofrayne. Ellis promised to get me home."
"He did?"
"Naturally, I accepted his offer."
"And how did you expect to accomplish that?"
Lily shrugged.
"A stroll through the woods isn't a big challenge."
"A stroll?!" Lofrayne was aghast. "Lilian, can you even imagine the distance to civilization?"
"Ten or twenty days," Lily said, nodding. "I know. So what?"
Lofrayne stared at her in awe.
"And...how are you going to travel?"
Those weren't paved streets of a city. There were no horses, no palanquins...
"By foot. Through the woods." Lilian's mood was rapidly improving.
Anthony rubbed his forehead.
"Forgive me. I don't get it."
"Say, Baron, have you ever been in the woods?"
Anthony felt insulted. What kind of man did she think he was?
"I’m a nobleman!”
“So?"
"Of course, I hunted!"
Lily let out a flippant chuckle.
"I get it. But have you been to the woods?"
"Where did you think I hunted, Countess?"
"Just call me Lilian. We'll save time on ceremonies," she said in a dismissive tone. "So, you only hunted?"
"Yes."
All Lily could do was sigh.
Yeah, right. Hunting.
Hunting meant horses, tents, a wagon train, blanchers... The difference between a hunt and a camping trip was the same as between traversing the Siberian taiga on foot and backpacking through Europe with all of its motels, gas stations, and cafes—everything for your money.
But taiga? Even if a shower of diamonds fell upon you from the sky, you'd curse and drop them right there, as it meant an excess load. A knife was worth more there than any jewels.
When she returned, she would have to ask Jerisson to give her a nice weapon as a gift. After all, her throwing knives were gone! The baron's fault, by the way.
Really, how had she dared to drop her guard? She should have aimed better instead of yawning; that way, she would have killed Lofrayne instead of sitting next to him on his land.
Of course, Lily was overstating her bloodthirst. She wouldn't kill him even in the present situation, although for a different reason. She needed a sidekick. Someone to keep watch at night, help her defend herself in a pinch...
"You've never had a camping trip? Oh..."
He hadn't. It had been some time since the last war, and border squabbles were a different thing. They didn't require that.
Nobody was arranging backpacking tours, either. The only type of tourism practiced in the entire world was pilgrimage. Lily suspected that it wasn't going to change anytime soon. Well, whatever. She had her own problems to take care of.
It would have been so nice to sit tight, develop medicine, teach the youngsters, but no! Wellster, Avester...
Ugh.
On the other hand, she had brought home a souvenir from Wellster; maybe Avester wouldn't fail her either?
As for staying alive in the forest... The sea might be Lilian's problem, as her father had never been posted there, but the woods were different. The forest was her loyal friend and ally.
So what was it like, growing up in an army town?
Many of them were located just next to a forest, if not in the middle of it. A forest where you could pick berries and mushrooms, gather herbs, go skiing in winter, and in summer, just lie on a clearing and relax or play Cowboys and Indians, hide-and-seek, and other such games.
Keeping children at home was impossible. The adults didn't have a choice: they were forced to teach their offspring to navigate the woods using a compass, the sun, the stars...anything.
Lilian didn't have a compass, and the constellations here were different, but the sun was basically the same as on Earth, rising in the east and setting in the west.
Crossing the fore
st while navigating by the sun was a piece of cake. Lily wouldn't even sweat if not for other factors. Weapons, clothes, rations—all of that was necessary, or her fate would be unenviable. Boots were the most important issue. It's not like she could walk through the woods while wearing silken shoes fit only for pacing a tiny cabin, and a dress wouldn't do, either. Fortunately, Ellis had warned her about the coming escape.
She recalled an incident from her days as Aliya.
Back in college, Alex had come to her for the weekend, and a few acquaintances tagged along, wishing to go to the woods. She and Alex agreed, and...
On the appointed date, Aliya and Alex were waiting for the others in the agreed-upon spot, dressed in military fatigues and army boots, backpacks in tow. The others were there, too...wearing short shorts and sleeveless shirts. One girl was dressed in leggings and high heels, another a dress. The local mosquitoes had a field day with them. Aliya thought that the population of the entire forest came together for a feast. Soon, the company parted ways, and Aliya and Alex went straight into the thicket. They had a great time, too.
But a long velvet dress was definitely not something one could wear if they wanted a forest stroll; that was a fact.
Lily didn't want to explain all of that to the baron. Instead, she let out a sweet smile.
"Anthony, I assure you, I can walk through the forest as much as I have to. I won't be a burden."
"Really?"
"Yes," she replied. "Actually, you'll be a burden to me."
Anthony clearly didn't believe her, but Lily didn't care. She still hadn't paid him back for the abduction, not to mention Ellis' murder.
So they were in the woods. It meant that she could look for the right herbs...what were the ones with a sedative effect? Not many could be found at the start of summer, but still...
Passionflower, windflower, motherwort, peony, valerian, rosebay... Lily knew a lot of them, but another thing troubled her. None of them were fast-acting. One would have to keep drinking the infusions for a month for them to start working. It wouldn't be possible to send the baron to sleep and abandon him in the forest. Shame.
Maybe it would be easier to poison him? An exotic spice made of henbane, a spurge laurel sauce... Although it was a bit too early for the latter. Oh, nothing was too good for the baron. She'd find something else. Hemlock, cowbane, wolfsbane, dittany—the list was long. A spoonful was a cure, but a cup could poison. Lily had gathered all of that once and still remembered those plants.
Well, she could try. It's not like she would feel any remorse. None whatsoever. Lily didn't care about the baron at all. That man knew what he was doing, and if he died by her hand, so be it.
She stared at the sea and thought that she had a chance to escape, and if so, she'd be a fool not to take it.
Go through the woods? She could do it.
Tame the baron? That was within her power, too.
Return home? That was the hardest part. Lily was absolutely sure—the problems would start as soon as she reached people. People always meant trouble. The woods had never posed a challenge. The woods were like math: everything was logical and made sense. Just do what needs to be done, and everything would be fine. But as soon as she reached Avester or Ivernea... That's where she'd get problems.
After all, what was she in this part of the world? Nobody. Screaming about her title, telling everyone her name would be stupid. She'd only leave herself open.
Basically, she was in her own little world: a strange and hostile world, and she had to go from point A to point B to get home. And this world would fight her; Lily was sure of that. It would scheme and plot against her, opposing her plans. It was a scary one, this new world, but how long could she keep being afraid?
As a future doctor, she had been taught not to fear anything. A surgery meant a surgery. A delivery meant a delivery. Nothing to be afraid of, really. What the eyes fear, hands do.
In this new world, she wasn't Countess Earton; she was simply Lily.
Do you really think she can't handle it? Think what you will, but Lily was starting her own play. Goodness knows, Entor of Avester, you'll regret taking me! You will all regret it!
Resolute, Lily turned to Lofrayne.
"Let's see what we have, Baron. We have hard days ahead of us."
Anthony chuckled, and suddenly, Lily felt a flush of mad excitement.
A new world, you say? Strange and uncharted?
She couldn't care less. She would investigate, discover, and chart it out.
I'm not locked in here with you; you're locked in here with me!
Lily straightened her back and headed right toward the sacks. She had to take inventory.
Brace yourself, Avester, for I'm coming.
As Her Grace smiled, somewhere far away, in the capital of Avester, His Majesty Entor suddenly hiccupped.
Was it a hunch? Prescience? He didn't know, but he was about to find out.
The End of book 9
A Medieval Tale series
Book 1: First Lessons (Find it on Amazon)
Book 2: The Clearing (Find it on Amazon)
Book 3: Palace Intrigue (Find it on Amazon)
Book 4: The Royal Court (Find it on Amazon)
Book 5: The Price of Happiness (Find it on Amazon)
Book 6: For the King (Find it on Amazon)
Book 7: The Right of Vengeance (Find it on Amazon)
Book 8: The Road of Kings (Find it on Amazon)
Book 9: A New World (Find it on Amazon)
Or you can find the whole series on Amazon. (Find it On Amazon)
More by Lina J. Potter
Legends of Radenor
Book 1: Half Demon’s Revenge (Find it on Amazon)
Book 2: Half Demon’s Fortune (Find it on Amazon)
From the Author
Dear friend!
Thank you for reading! I was happy to share this story with you and hope you liked it. If so, please, remember to leave a review, it will support me a lot.
I sincerely read all yours reviews and comments, they help me and inspires me so much, I do really appreciate each and every of them.
In appreciation you can find a sample of the second book of A Medieval Tale series further.
Thank you, my friend!
- Best wishes, Lina J. Potter
https://amzn.to/2T6x0a6
Book Recommendations
Leyna: book 1 by Helen E. Peters
Let me introduce to you a good friend of mine, Helen E. Peters. She is one of the most popular fantasy romance writers in my country, and I am a big admirer of her works. Finally, the first book in her breathtaking romantic series Leyna is also available in English!
The main character starts her story just like Lilian: with waking up in another world. She is dreaming of coming back home and has a long way ahead of her in a fantasy land filled with elves and other magical creatures.
I suggest this book to everyone who likes fantasy, adventures, strong female characters, magic, and fairy tales.
*** Read FREE in KU! ***
Kiran: The Warrior's Daughter by Ellen Stellar
A space opera romance by the ‘Fantasy writer of the year 2017’ that cannot be missed.
Kiran’s story is a mixture of The Hunger Games with sparkling humor and a little bit of sci-fi.Kiran, a flirtatious space cadet, is planning to become one of the most successful starship captains ever. Her life is all about organizing illicit races and gambling.
After being kidnapped she is sent to her home planet. Later Kiran is forced to marry the mightiest warrior by the right of the strongest. Many girls have dreamt, at least once of being, a princess, but being a princess of Eeristan, the khassarat of Aygor, is a big deal. This is not about fancy dresses, diamond tiaras and palaces. Eeristan is the land of men – the land of a strong patriarchal society where women have no rights at all.
She will never accept this. Kiran will run away back to her freedom and lifestyle. Her restless soul won't abide either her cruel father or he
r potential husband. No matter how difficult it might be to confront the whole planet. They might be stronger physically but she is a cadet, after all, and cadets never surrender! Too bad that Eeristan might not survive the changes that she desires strongly.
Kiran: The Warrior’s Daughter is the first book of the Rights of The Strong series by Ellen Stellar. Ellen is one of the most popular Russian and international fantasy and romance writers, a winner of multiple awards. In 2017 she won the ‘Fantasy writer of the year-2017’ award. She mixes up breathtaking narrative consisting of fourteen stories, full of humor, adventures, wit and grit. This is a sci-fi space opera tale with a strong female-leader as a main character in a universe where you can be a captain of a spaceship and a princess of an outdated patriarchal tribe at the same time.Take a deep breath and dive in!
https://amzn.to/30kgedA
About Lina J. Potter
Call it inspiration, the voice of a Muse, or plain obsession... but I felt I had to write it down or else my brain would explode with all these characters longing to come alive.
Lina J. Potter has been dreaming up stories for as long as she can remember. She started putting her tales on paper when she was around ten years old. Despite that, the first her story came alive only in 2011.
Her literate pseudonym helps her saving her family and daily routine inviolable. She is laughing while remembering how her colleague at work decided to discuss A Medieval Tale series with her, having no idea she was speaking with the author herself.
Nowadays Lina J. Potter lives in the town of Tambov with her husband, daughter and two cats. She has a light-hearted approach to writing. Whenever she is not writing, you can find her practicing karate and lace-making. She avoids personal publicity and shies away from the literary limelight, preferring her quiet life to focus on writing.
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A New World Page 34