“Push them around?” Mellony asked. “That is not believable, just look at Bells. He is a giant carrying a big pointy stick thing.”
“Make it believable” Grayland replied. “No one has really seen Bells or Doroteo since they started and I am sure many of the young ladies are curious. I am also sure many spies and other people are curious as well. They haven’t got the chance to work on either of them yet, when they see you in full blown brat mode then they will know why.”
“Well what do I have to do?” Mellony asked.
“Just be extremely short with the help” Grayland replied. “And snap at Bells and Doroteo whenever you have the chance. You don’t have to be a raging monster, just noticeably irritated by everyone and everything. You are supposed to be meeting with a friend today, I am sorry to toss this on you as I am sure you won't like who it is.”
“Oh no” Mellony replied. “Tell me you didn’t.”
“I did Your Highness” Grayland replied. “I had to and it is likely she will bring friends.”
“Me and Doroteo have no idea what any of you are talking about” Jason said looking at Doroteo and then to Grayland.
“He is talking about Natalie Overhand” Mellony said disgusted. “I have never liked her or her friends and I am sure the feeling is mutual. They are a bunch of snobs, all of Duke Overhand’s granddaughters are like the man himself. Of course Natalie has her sights on Adam and always has, trust me when I say her and my brother make a perfect match, two horrid people. She is incredibly beautiful and a mage to boot, I don’t know if I hate her more out of jealousy or simply because she is as good of company as an angry dire wolf while you snuck one of her pups.”
“Is this someone I eventually have to worry about?” Jason asked.
“Probably Bells” Grayland replied. “Although she would never be trusted enough by anyone to hold any secret so I am sure she not involved with any nasty deeds now.”
“Natalie Overhand is a gossip” Mellony said shaking her head. “Is that the reason you invited her and not someone else, because you know she will gossip?”
“Yes” Grayland replied. “And she will have her cousins with her along with one or two servants. Bells I can get you alone with one of them, I need you to sell it how horrible things are here.”
“Bells is the wrong person for the job” Bridgette replied. “It means he would actually have to talk to a woman and we all know he can't do that. He is positively scared of the fairer sex.”
“What do you mean scared?” Grayland asked.
“Bridgette has a little crush on Bells and he has not not been interested” Mellony replied.
“It is not normal for a boy his age not to be interested in having fun” Bridgette replied.
“Why would he do such a thing with anyone he is not married to?” Doroteo replied. “It is against the teachings of the Light Bringer.”
“The Light Bringer?” Bridgette asked. “You are like one of those priests?”
“Doesn’t matter” Grayland replied. “What does matter is that any hulking guard is bound to catch the attention of a servant girl, especially if he is not too grabby. You will walk around looking harried and mention that Her Highness wants to bring an army of servants with her on her trip. Also mention how she hopes the place she will be staying at is acceptable.”
“Well I do wish for those things” Mellony replied.
“I know” Grayland replied. “And because it is the truth, neither of your two guards who follow the light will have a problem repeating it. I know you followers of the light have something against lying, but technically omitting information or only telling a half truth is something different.”
“You don’t follow Sapin?” Bridgette asked.
“No” Jason replied. “I have nothing against your beliefs, but my father was a follower of the light.”
“How can this be though?” Mellony asked. “I have always wanted to know how is it you have powers gifted from Sapina.”
“Your Highness” Grayland began.
“All of my personal people know about Bells” Mellony said waving him off. “I am sure Doroteo will know about him eventually, I have never heard of a follower of the light goddess having real power.”
“Your Highness the gift of healing is real power” Doroteo replied.
“It is not meant as slight” Mellony replied. “But you can't win a war with healing alone. And that still doesn’t explain how a follower of the light became a mage.”
“Let’s stay with the subject at hand Your Highness” Grayland said. “And that is making everyone think you want a huge entourage to follow you. I want the enemy to show their hand and be utterly destroyed. You should get ready Your Highness and so should we, just remember to criticize everything. Prince Adam is most likely going to try to come to your lunch, make sure you do not let him cower you.”
~
“I said hurry up” Mellony snapped looking at Jason. “You are the worst servant I have ever had.”
“I am your guard Your Highness” Jason replied.
“Same thing” Mellony snapped. “You know what? Just get out of my face, do you think you can at least do that?”
“Yes Your Highness” Jason replied.
“Then why are you still here?” Mellony snapped.
Jason hurried out of the room and closed the door behind him. Mellony had to be coached but she was perfect in her role as a brat. She reminded Jason of a cross between Patrick Dawson and Agatha Halfin. Jason felt he was not alone and took a deep breath.
“Are you okay” said a female servant Mellony’s guests had brought with her.
“Not even a little bit” Jason replied. “Her highness has been tearing into me today and wants an army of servants to accompany her on a trip. You should be lucky you don’t have to put up with what I do.”
“I can hear her from way out here” the woman said. “My name is Gerica, whats yours?”
“Bells” Jason said as he reached out to shake her hand and gave the woman his best smile.
For the rest of the afternoon they talked along with some of the other servants, Jason flirted a little and let it be known Mellony was not happy at lunch and wanted many things to happen before she could travel anywhere. The women he talked to were sympathetic and even some of the men, Jason thought he did an okay acting job until they left. The rest of the time before the trip was filled with getting everything just right, Jason had met the other guards and thought Grayland had a sound plan.
CHAPTER 12
“I don’t want to jinx it, but I think we may be in the clear” Mellony said as she sat next to Jason. “I think Grayland’s paranoia may have been for naught, I think no one will try to attack us.”
Jason just nodded as he continued driving the wagon, the plan changed a little, instead of one female guard inside the wagon there were two women guards and just in front of them was a lone rider who was also a guard in disguise. Jason said nothing as he thought Mellony was just talking out of nervousness, in the beginning of the trip she had been silent, now that they were at the danger area she wouldn’t shut up. Jason froze as the rider in front raised his hand in a halt, a second later he took off towards the rest of the party. Jason was almost at a bend in the road and couldn’t see anything.
“What is happening?” Mellony said tugging on his arm.
“Quiet Your Highness” Jason said as he struggled to hear.
“What do you mean be quiet?” Mellony complained. “What is happening?”
“I don’t know and can't tell while you are yelling at me” Jason said calmly. “I am trying to listen for the sounds of a battle.”
“Sorry” Mellony said as Jason could see she held her staff at the ready.
Jason waited for what seemed like a few moments before the rider came speeding back with two arrows sticking out of his shoulder. Jason turned his head around, he was about to either turn the wagon around or untether the horses when his heart sped up. Behind them were ten other riders,
pushing their mounts hard.
“Keep your staff hidden but ready” Jason replied. “We have men behind us. Donna, Abigail, get your weapons ready” Jason finished as he looked into the wagon at the other guards then at Mellony. “Thank goodness Grayland put more help in this wagon with us.”
Jason stopped the wagon as the rider in front of them with the arrows sticking out of him stopped his mount, hopped off and went running into the forest. A royal guardsman appeared on horseback some distance away from the rider holding a short bow and riding hard. He saw where his target went as Jason pulled the hat we was wearing a little tighter around his ears.
“That is Gibert” Mellony whispered. “He is the best shot in the guard.”
“Just prepare yourself” Jason replied back in a whisper. “I am treating the men behind us like the enemy, if they pass us by and meet up with this Gibert we may be able to thin their ranks a bit. Go for their archers.”
Jason held his breath as all ten riders stormed pass and met up with the royal guardsman. Jason started the wagon moving again as both of his potential enemies stopped where their prey dismounted and fled. Jason looked back and could see both of the women in the wagon had their bows out, he scooted over a little to give them some space. Three of the enemy began walking over towards the wagon, all resting their hands on the pommels of their swords. Jason looked down at a package he kept at his feet and opened it up. His bells where inside and stuffed with cotton to mask the noise, Jason started preparing them as he looked over at Mellony.
“We are moving on your move Your Highness” Jason replied. “You are looking to kill, not harm or injure. I will be down in the fight, Donna I want you to jump down as well and grab ahold of the horses and start turning this wagon around. The road is too narrow to do it from sitting on the driver’s bench. Abigail start off shooting in the front with the princess then move to the rear to take out any pursuers.”
“What are you going to be doing Bells?” Mellony replied.
“Buying you time” Jason replied as he finished putting on his last bell.
Under his peasant’s clothers was a fine set of leather armor that held special loops for his bells to snap on quickly, Jason looked up from snapping on the last bell just as Mellony raised her staff. Jason was already moving when what looked like an ice cicle flew from her staff into the chest of one of the men. Jason hit the ground and stayed towards the side of the road as arrows came almost right behind the ice spell and into the men. Only the ice spell looked fatal but the men hit with the first volley of arrows stopped what they were doing and were busy covering up. Their cries alerted the others and Jason cursed to himself, Mellony was supposed to take out the archer first. Jason saw the man pull out his bow and fire, Jason tracked the shot and held up his halberd. He though abut the shield spell he had practiced and it came into reality, the arrow stopped like it hit a stone wall and fell to the ground. Jason let out an involuntary smile as an ice cicle slammed into the archer’s shoulder. The man was armored but the ice cicle looked like it penetrated a little as Jason could see the man wince. Jason began closing distance, the two men that were injured already lay unmoving in the street as either Donna or Abigail must have shot them again from the new arrows Jason saw sprouting from their bodies. Jason could see the men desperately try to get back on their horses, if they wanted to flee Jason would let them, just as long as it was not the way towards the wagon. Jason aimed his staff just as Gilbert had another arrow sighted, again and ice cicle slammed into the man making him wince and lower his bow. Mellony was buying him time. Jason cast two fire spells, he wasn’t trying to really hit anyone, just agaitate the horses. The horses bucked and reared, at least one man was thrown and another kicked as the horses struggled to get away from the men holding them and the fire Jason kept casting. Jason stood back as the horses started breaking free from their handlers, two had riders including Gilbert that stormed away towards whatever ambush that was sprung up ahead. Jason stopped his fire spell and came closer as the men eyed him warily. Of the six men, one was down with a shattered leg and the one that was thrown looked to be favoring his shoulder.
“We give up” a bearded man said as he tossed down his weapon. Jason aimed and fired off the biggest ice cicle he could manage directly into the unarmored man’s chest.
“He said we give up!” Another man screamed.
“There is no surrender for the likes of you” Jason said as he fired off another shot. “You would have killed me if I let you.”
“Bells is that you?” said another voice with his arms raised.
“Who are you?” Jason asked as he recognized Maze, one of the men who was with him when he first went to fight and then later on in the Untamed Lands picking freshroot.
“It’s Maze” Maze replied. “What are you doing here and since when are you a mage?”
“I think it is obvious what I am doing here” Jason replied. “What are you doing here?”
“We were supposed to kill the princess” Maze replied. “But that is not happening now that you are here. I don’t want no parts of this shit, I saw you fight first hand many times, but I thought you were in Daum.”
“I got an early release, did you escape the Untamed Lands?” Jason asked.
“Of course” Maze replied. “The man in charge of us was brutally murdered and we were given an option to go back into Sapin if we join whatever cause wants the princess dead. All of us agreed of course, we didn’t have much to lose and the food is better.”
“Well here is how things are going to happen” Jason replied. “Which one of these men do you call a friend?”
“None of them” Maze said as he backed away.
“You fucking traitor” one of the men said as he picked up his sword off the ground and spun to face Maze who already had a hidden dagger out which he brought across the man’s throat. Jason started spell casting after that and ended up having to join the melee so he wouldn’t hit Maze. When it was over all of the men lay dead on the ground, even the man who had his leg shattered was killed.
“I think you should take off somewhere else” Jason replied. “I am going to find the man you all chased into the forest. You probably should grab what you can and head into the other side.”
“I am going to consider this a solid and if you ever come across me again I won't be involved in any of this shit” Maze replied.
“I hope so” Jason replied. “Only reason I am letting you live is because of our history.”
Jason watched Maze flee after the man looted the bodies around him. Jason saw that the princess already fled and went to go get the rider that Gilbert attacked. The man was easy to find, he left all kinds of evidence when he ran into the forest, blood, snapped twigs and a lot of footprints. Jason found him and could see the man had ripped the arrows out of his shoulder and was trying to compress the worst wound with part of his shirt. Jason startled him at first, the man whose name was Roy relaxed.
“They got me good” Roy said as he pressed the wadded up shirt harder into his wound. “Can you find something to stop the bleeding from the other wound?”
Jason quickly ripped a piece of the shirt he was wearing and pressed it into the wound. Just looking at the amount of blood Roy had lost Jason prayed Roy would be okay. Suddenly Jason could feel pressure, it was overwhelming and made him drop to his knees as a warmness spread over him and light erupted from his hands. It didn’t take Jason long to figure out what was happening, the priest who had helped ease his father’s passing told Jason that he could feel power in him normally reserved for the most devout of the Light Bringer’s worshippers. Jason could feel the blood stop and the wound start closing as the pressure grew greater. Jason was on his knees now and was struggling to stay upright as the power continued to close the wound. Jason broke the contact as he felt the wounds close, Roy was sitting up and looking at him oddly.
“I didn’t know you were a paladin” Roy replied. “I never thought the princess would have a follower of the light in
her personal guard. I thought most followed the goddess Sapina.”
“You want to make something of it?” Jason said breathless.
“No” Roy replied. “I praise the goddess Celeste as well, my entire family follows the light. I just thought a paladin would be at a temple, not at the princess’s side.”
“I am not a paladin” Jason replied.
“Then are you a priest?” Roy asked.
“No” Jason replied. “Are you ready to leave, I need to check on the princess.”
“Yes” Roy replied. “I feel woozy.”
“It is the blood loss” Jason replied. “Come on, let's go.”
Jason and Roy walked towards the road and could see Grayland was there along with three royal guardsmen and a lot of the fake servants. Grayland had a bow trained on Jason as he came out of wooded area.
“Did you catch Gilbert?” Jason asked as he emerged.
“Was he in on it?” Grayland asked.
“Yeah he was” Jason replied. “I think he was the lookout to prevent anyone from coming up the road.”
“Dammit” Grayland replied. “I saw him and he said he was jumped. Not all of the royal guard is is with whoever is trying to kill the princess. I was unsure of who is who, he is back at the carriage with a couple of our people. He looked injured, he was with another man who acted like a concerned citizen.”
“Damn his name” a royal guardsman Jason thought was called Reginald said. “I need a few of you with me to capture the traitor.”
“You three go” Grayland said as he pointed out three of the false servants. Jason watched them depart as Grayland then looked back at him. “Where is Her Highness?”
“We ran into some trouble” Jason replied. “They had people behind us.”
“So this explains the dead men all around, but you haven't answered my question” Grayland replied.
“The princess is following your plan, I had to buy her some time to get the wagon turned around” Jason replied. “You go after her, I don’t have a horse.”
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