Theo and Damien stepped forward, weapons drawn and ready.
“Worry not, you know I mean them no harm. I intend to help them and keep them safe. I cannot follow Magnus’ lead anymore. He has gone too far.” Cassiel let the reins drop. He unsheathed his sword, carrying it tipped down and to the side.
Damien and Theo kept a wary eye on Cassiel as he approached Olivia. He knelt on his right knee and offered his sword lying across his palms. He bowed his head. It was an act of complete submission to Olivia’s will.
“Lady Olivia Violet Caroline Moore, from this moment onward I pledge my allegiance to you. I pledge my life to follow and protect you. It has been my family’s tradition to serve the royals but we have also set before ourselves high moral standards. With serving Magnus, those two family traditions are no longer in accordance. I choose honor. It is in line with my family’s values to serve someone like you. You are a strong woman, stronger than you think, with a pure, kind heart. You will achieve great things one day. I want to be there to witness and help you fulfill your destiny.” Cassiel raised his sword but bowed his head.
Olivia looked up at the others, who all had the same surprised expressions on their faces, probably matching her own.
“I don’t know… I don’t…” She hesitated, but also felt that it would be very disrespectful toward Cassiel to deny him his request.
She put a hand to his head and spoke, “I will accept your fealty but I cannot accept your life, for it is just as worthy as mine, I hope you can allow for that?” Olivia gently brushed her fingers through his hair.
Cassiel lowered his sword and gazed up at her with a small smile, “I will allow the exception, as long as I get to accompany you and Lady Charlotte.”
Olivia nodded. The sound of a horn echoed through the forest. Swiftly rising to his feet, Cassiel turned toward Theo and Damien. “You two have to head back.” He approached them, first clasping and shaking Theo’s then Damien’s forearm.
“You should hurry too,” Theo said as he pulled Charlie into a tight hug. “I’m going to miss you, Little Red,” he mumbled against her red tresses. She hugged him back.
Damien had his arms wrapped around Olivia who returned the gesture eagerly. “Remember to take care of yourself as well,” he said as he pulled back and held her face in his hands, “…promise?”
Olivia let the farewell tears roll down her cheeks. “I promise.” Olivia smiled at the man that she now cared for like he was a brother she never had.
Damien wiped her tears away, kissed her cheeks and went to say his goodbyes to Charlie.
“You take care of each other,” Olivia said as she hugged Theo tight. “If it gets too much with Magnus, get away from him; do not risk your lives unnecessarily.”
“Don’t worry about us. We’re good at taking care of each other. I don’t think we’ll stay with Magnus for long now but we have to make sure to have him off your trail.”
“Hurry!” Cassiel said impatiently.
“He is right.” Olivia pulled back from Theo. “You have to go… and we do too.” She walked over to Charlie and took her hand, holding tight, offering a comforting smile to the redhead. “We will be alright… and we will see them again.”
Charlie smiled back through the tears, “We better.” She then let herself be pulled toward Starlite.
Cassiel turned to Theo and punched him square across the jaw. Theo stumbled backward into Damien’s arms.
“What the fuck!” Damien was furious, unsheathing his sword. Nobody was allowed to hurt Theo without suffering consequences.
Cassiel held his hands up and quickly explained, “It will be more believable! You can tell them I helped the girls escape and that I overpowered Theo.
“You should have said something… given him a heads up.” Damien was examining Theo gently.
“I’m alright… I’ve had worse and if it’s what it takes to help them… I forgive him.” Theo said.
Damien still had his eyes narrowed at Cassiel as he put his sword away. He quietly helped Olivia and Charlie get on the horse. Olivia was holding Charlie tightly in front of her with her good hand, while Cassiel took the reins. Olivia, Charlie and Cassiel continued further into the forest while Theo and Damien took the long way back to the camp.
Chapter 14
Delilah was sitting on the wagon as it moved forward at a painstakingly slow pace. Her mother was riding in the coach with Lady Brimstone. Lilith had managed to persuade the family to take them along on their journey toward Asil, telling them that it was good luck to have a witch traveling with them. They were on their way there to visit the family for the summer, so they had a wagon full of their possessions and gifts. Three well-armed men were riding along for safety.
When Delilah and Lilith had to choose how to reach the west, Lilith had consulted the carved bones and the flight of the birds. Her divinations told her that the way to Asil would bring favorable results. Then, quite accidentally, they stumbled upon the Brimstone family, Lord and Lady Brimstone with their son and daughter.
While her mother was enjoying the comforts and the shade of the carriage, Delilah was stuck at the back of the wagon. Her legs were dangling over the edge. The sun beat down on her, and drops of sweat beaded above her upper lip and rolled between her breasts. Dust clung to her clothes. She yawned, exhausted.
Wary, Delilah looked around for the evil twins, as she liked to think of the Brimstone children. With no sign of them, she let her journal appear in her lap so she could write.
I remembered! I have it all figured out now… it was pink as the underside of a baby hedgehog!... the cough medicine mother gave to the king. The color of it has been haunting me since my last entry… and yes, I still consider my mother a whore.
We’ve been riding for three days now in this blasted heat. I’m getting agitated and angry. Why did we have to go? Yes, I always wanted to leave but not with mother dragging me to who knows where … and for what? Revenge that should have long gone cold and eternal life… Like she hasn’t lived long enough. I know, I should be grateful or I wouldn’t be here… but, oh well.
At least there might be something worth it at the end of our trip. I get to meet the prince. The real prince, Prince Magnus himself. I’ve heard he’s quite good looking with his blonde hair, blue eyes and a dimpled smile. One good thing my mother might do for me is to introduce me to the prince and then I’m free of her. But, would he want me? Little me, with no life experience whatsoever? Mother sure knows how to use her feminine wiles, maybe I could learn from her.
But I hate her and don’t want to be like her.
I hope the prince will like me, sweep me off my feet and take me to his castle…
Delilah’s attention wandered. She drew a little hill with a castle sitting atop, and at the bottom of it, a funny stick figure of a horse with the prince carrying Delilah to their new home. Her crown veil dancing in the wind as they rode on.
A bloody weasel was dropped into her lap; the blood spilling all over her journal. The children laughed as they ran away.
Delilah fumed. How dare they! She looked around but the evil twins were no longer in sight. They’re just as evil as my mother, they should be hers, instead of me.
She looked down at her lap and noticed that the poor animal was still alive. It struggled taking breaths, keeping life in. After making sure no one was minding her, Delilah put her hands on the dying animal. She closed her eyes and let her healing magic flow freely. It felt so natural, so easy.
Warmth surged through Delilah. From her core, through her palms and into the poor creature. Its breathing stabilized and its little beady eyes watched her, petrified. As soon as Delilah pulled her hands back, the little weasel jumped to its feet and off the wagon, scurrying for the safety of the woods. When it jumped, it pushed Delilah’s journal off her lap and it soared through the air, hitting the dusty road.
Hands covering her mouth, Delilah prevented a screech from escaping. She quickly concentrated. The journal disappeared fro
m where it had been lying and appeared in her lap with a barely audible poof. She looked it over. No blood, no scratches. Just as if it was newly made.
Delilah clutched it close to her chest as she tried to steady her breathing. Her book was her comfort, her safety, a piece of her own little world. On the pages of her journal, she could be brave and critical of her mother. She could share thoughts that could never be said. Once she calmed down, she closed her eyes and the journal went back to its other form.
She scooted away from the edge of the wagon and sat back on the blanket in her little corner. She was exhausted after using so much magic. She practiced it rarely to keep it a secret from mother.
Chapter 15
“Olivia…” Charlie turned her head and whispered to Olivia who was asleep behind her, with her head buried in Charlie’s hair. “Olivia…” she said again, as she gently squeezed her friend’s hand.
“Hmmm?” Olivia mumbled. They had been riding most of the night, with Cassiel keeping an ever watchful eye. The events of the previous night had taken their toll on Olivia and she’d fallen asleep quickly. Olivia felt a hand hesitantly touch her thigh. “Lady Olivia… I think you should wake up.”
The urgency in Cassiel’s voice made Olivia open her eyes. She noticed the sun was up high and wondered how long she had been asleep. Cassiel’s face was the second thing she saw. He was ashen-faced, his eyes bloodshot from being awake for so long. He slouched a bit, but there was some tension there… he was alert, his sword ready in hand.
Olivia narrowed her eyes at the weapon, wondering what she was missing. As she raised her head she groaned. Her face hurt, her back was sore, her hand was throbbing.
“I feel like I have been trampled by a –” Olivia noticed the people surrounding them mid-sentence.
Her eyes widened, and her cheeks gained some color; a shade of shy. The newcomers were scantily dressed. They had leather and fur outfits, which covered only the essentials. There were six of them, two women and four men. The women wore short pants made of deerskin that reached to mid-thigh. They bare their knees for men to see! Over it, they wore some sort of fur cloth, covering front and back but not the sides. One of the men shifted slightly, diverting Olivia’s attention from the women. She saw his muscular leg flex through the slit in his clothing, and wondered whether he wore anything underneath. The thought embarrassed her. Their overall appearance was grim and savage, accentuated by the weapons they held pointed at them; spears, swords and arrows.
Cassiel cleared his throat, pulling Olivia back to their predicament.
Charlie held onto Olivia’s hand that was tightly wrapped around her middle. Olivia was intrigued and surprised, Charlie was afraid and apprehensive.
“Has anything happened?” Olivia asked Cassiel, as she drew Charlie closer, offering comfort.
“They just appeared. I did not even hear them approach,” Cassiel said, standing by Olivia’s side, ready to strike if needed.
“Lower your weapon, Cassiel…” she suggested.
Cassiel knew they stood no chance against them, but he was still surprised by Olivia’s calmness. “What?” He was ready to protect the two women with his life.
“Lower your weapon… If they wanted to kill us, they would have done so by now.”
“Yes, but –“
“So let us show some good faith.” Olivia interrupted. “If these are the barbarians we have heard about – ” Olivia saw one of the women narrow her eyes at her, “– then we are invading their land. If you had intruders on your estate, I bet you would be just as wary.”
“You are correct. Forgive me, I am tired.” Cassiel lowered his sword but still kept a tight hold on it.
“Do you think they can understand us?” Charlie said. Her eyes kept darting around as she tried to keep everyone in sight and look for any sign of aggression.
“You could always ask us,” the same woman that was eyeing Olivia spoke up.
“Oh! I apologize. It was rude of me to make such assumptions.” Olivia tried to keep up with the etiquette. She was tired and afraid, but she didn’t want to show it. She had to be strong for Charlie, and also to live up to Cassiel’s expectations of her.
“What do you want?” the woman asked tersely, lowering her spear and the others followed by lowering their own weapons. She was obviously the one in charge of the group.
“We seek shelter, and… protection?” Olivia asked hopefully.
“You are hurt?”
Olivia nodded.
“Your companions?” the woman inquired further.
Receiving a head-shake from both Charlie and Cassiel, Olivia answered, “No.”
“You are being chased?”
Olivia sighed. “Yes.”
“By whom?”
“The prince.” Olivia hoped that her honest reply wouldn’t cost them the possible affiliation.
The woman tried to keep a blank face, but just for a split second, Olivia saw the surprise cross her features.
“Follow us.” The woman turned away and walked further into the forest.
“I guess we follow.” Olivia shrugged.
“Seems like we do not have much choice. But as you said, my lady… if they wanted to harm us, they could have done it by now.” Cassiel took Starlite’s reins and followed, the tribe men brought up the rear.
“How are you holding on?” Charlie asked Olivia over her shoulder.
“I am fine.”
“No, you’re not, so I’ll repeat, how are you?” Charlie persisted.
She heard Olivia sigh. “I am exhausted, and ache all over, and I keep seeing Magnus’ shocked face when I plunged the dagger in. And I am worried. I hope I made a good decision by making us go here.”
“I hope so, too. That means you might rest soon. What happened in that tent? How did you manage to stab Magnus?”
They entered the tribal village as Olivia finished recounting her escape from Magnus. Huts made of mud and straw were scattered around the little beaten road. As they moved forward, villagers stopped what they were doing to observe them. Children ran over and looked at them in surprise. Olivia noticed that some men were weaving baskets, while women were sharpening arrowheads.
They were all similarly dressed, though some men had longer pants and bare torsos. The women favored short, leather pants and shirts made of fur that showed their flat stomachs. All of them had their arms completely bared. Both genders had various beads, trinkets and feathers adorning their clothes or woven into their hair. Some of the men even wore their hair long.
A little boy ran up to them and smiled, proudly showing that his two front teeth were missing. They were now on display in his open palm. Olivia couldn’t help but smile back at him and nod her head in approval. He was quickly shooed away by his mother.
Soon, they reached the middle of the village, which looked like a regular square and was cleared of trees. They approached one of the huts. A man sat there, pointing something out to a boy who was carving a piece of wood. The man’s skin was tanned, his graying hair tied at the nape of his neck. He wore long pants, and a finely woven sleeveless vest over a broad chest. Olivia saw scars marring the exposed skin. A woman joined the man and the boy as they approached. Most of the villagers followed at a distance.
The woman leading them turned and raised her hand. They stopped. She approached the man who was now studying the new-comers with a raised brow. The woman leaned over and said something in a hushed voice. The man was excellent at keeping his face blank as he listened and occasionally nodded. Olivia guessed he was the chief of this tribe.
While they waited, surrounded by a horde of barbarians, a new woman appeared, this one younger, but looking formidable. A mountain lion walked by her side as she made her way to the man in front of the hut.
Olivia could not help but be quite intrigued by their wild ways. She should have been scared, these people were barbarians, she had heard stories… Then again, she had heard stories about dragons before. They were wrong. Still, the danger was
there, and she felt it in her quickening heartbeat, and the flutters in her belly.
The woman with the big cat took a stand next to the man and listened in. Her animal companion looked bored as it settled by her feet, lazily cleaning its face with its paws.
“Oh… my… Goddess,” Charlie whispered.
“What? What is it?” Olivia said as she looked around.
“I’ve just found my religion.”
“What are you talking about, Charlie?”
“That woman is a Goddess. Look at her, Olivia.”
Olivia groaned. “Charlie! Restrain yourself! How can you even think such a thing right now? Remember what happened last time; you do not need a repeat of that.”
Charlie chuckled, “I just might finally be going mad. But really… I think it’s love at first sight.” She sighed, a dreamy smile on her lips.
Olivia looked at the woman with the mountain lion again. She stood tall, tanned, and muscular. Not bulging, but sinewy. Most of her upper body was on display so everyone could marvel at her flat stomach and toned arms. Soft straps of rabbit’s fur were loosely wrapped around her neck and covered her breasts. She wore a single piece of cloth wrapped around the waist. It reached to her mid-thigh, and did nothing to hide the woman’s long, muscular legs. Her outfit was adorned with various beads, feathers and such. On her forearms, she had fur bracers, wrapped in place with leather straps. She carried what Olivia guessed to be a pair of machetes, or the like. By their state, they were well used weapons. The woman’s hair was styled into a tight braid that reached her lower back and gently swayed as she moved. She had dark eyes, and her piercing gaze went from the chief to the newcomers. When Olivia squinted a bit, she noticed that scars had written their stories across the woman's body.
Charlie was mesmerized, admiring the woman, the strength and confidence she portrayed. She was obviously a fighter, and a very skilled one. Charlie noticed the woman’s glances every now and then, concentrating not on Charlie's face but on her auburn hair. If she were to guess, the woman had never seen red hair before. When the woman looked up at Charlie's face, Charlie couldn't help it, she had to wink. The woman frowned and leaned over to tell the chief something.
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