Emmett was the only one who acknowledged her question, and the only one who walked closest to her. “After the scene at The Ghastly Web, everyone knows you are alive, and have come to claim your throne, and to get our world back to what it once was. Prince Larik has a deed on your head, dead or alive, but he wants you alive, and he has offered a hefty sum for you. You will be safe, as long as you stay with us, and avoid the towns. If anyone sees you, they can report you directly to the prince, and we don't have the army we need to protect you.”
“Is that what Marek is supposed to do? Protect me?” she asked.
“Among other things,” Emmett replied, softly smiling as if he was laughing at his own private joke.
“Who is he?”
“The best warrior in all the lands,” Medo piped in from the left flank. She was surprised to hear from him. He had hardly said more than two words to her—if you didn't count his grunts.
“The best?” she asked skeptically, wondering how one became the best.
“Yes,” replied Lilly, in her soft spoken voice. “He is of the Phoenix Clan, and they are all known as being the best warriors in all the lands, yours included,” she added, glancing at her briefly, before scanning the trees again for potential enemies. “He trained me, and Medo fought next to his side for many years, before we were sent here to escort you to him.”
Tatyanna glanced at Medo, and noticed the markings on his arms weren't tattoos, as she had originally thought but battle scars he wore with pride. “Each of his scars represents a different battle. To cover them up, would be shameful,” Lilly said, continuing to scan the area.
Tatyanna wondered how the woman knew what she was thinking, but decided it would be pointless to ask, since she doubted she would get an answer that made sense to her. Nothing really made sense anymore, and she felt herself going on autopilot, as she took in her surroundings and the information she had learned, taking the time to mull everything over. It seemed nothing would be revealed to her until the right moment.
When they finally stopped for that evening, Tatyanna was ecstatic. She was tired of walking, and of the silence. Everything was eerily quiet around her, and her companions rarely spoke. She knew her journey had just begun, but she thought it would be more glorious than what it was. Silly. War was never pretty, and it came as a harsh truth to see just how wrong she really was about everything. Thinking she could never get used to sleeping on the ground either, Tatyanna was surprised at how her bedroll felt like heaven as she reclined back on the blankets.
They couldn't afford to have a fire that night, in case anyone saw it and came to investigate, so she slept in the middle, as her companions slept around her to offer what body heat they could. Althea laid with her on her bedroll, giving her the most warmth, and it was thoroughly appreciated.
Cale had offered to take first watch. He waited until everyone was asleep before he walked away, deep into the woods, far enough away so no one would see the fire he bent down to create.
He didn't have to wait long, and within a few minutes, he saw a man's body materialize through the fire and walk toward him, pissed. Cale bowed down and kept his head bent, knowing Prince Larik was mad at him. He didn't dare raise his head, or look in the prince's eyes, for fear it would mean instant death, or worse.
“Where the hell have you been? You were supposed to contact me days ago!” the prince yelled at him angrily, pacing away from the pathetic human who had sworn his undying fealty to him. When Cale didn't answer him right away, the prince walked up to him and kicked him hard in the side. “Answer me, you pig, or you will become my slave!”
“I did as you asked. I forced her to realize her powers, but it backfired, and she pulled your power out of me. I wasn't able to contact you until now, because since that day, everything has changed.”
“Pathetic,” the prince muttered, debating if he should allow the human to beg for his life, or if he should kill him now.
“Our plans have changed,” Cale told him.
“Of course, they have changed. You aren't where you are supposed to be. You were supposed to head straight to Marek's camp. I have spies in there who know what true loyalty means, and know to report to me right away. “
Cale flinched, knowing if he didn't say something soon, he would be begging for his life. “We're going to her home. The princess requested it. After that, we will go and meet up with Marek.”
The prince paused in front of the poor excuse for a human, and thought about his words. He thought back to when he first met Cale, beaten and barely a breath away from death. He gave him life, and often wondered if he made the right choice letting him live. He didn't care much for humans, finding them useless, but one touch of magic and the fool would do anything for more. The prince started to pace, as he worked out a plan in his head. It might just work. The fool would have to do a lot of sucking up, but it might just work...and anything to keep Tatyanna from marrying Marek...
“Okay, human,” he said with disdain. “I will let you live, but first you have to prove your loyalty to me.”
“Anything. Anything you want.”
“Good. This is what you're going to do...”
Chapter Nineteen
Fire and Water
Tatyanna woke up feeling refreshed and ready to start the day, until she opened her eyes and realized she wasn't at home in her comfy bed, and only had a day of walking ahead of her. She groaned, but got up anyway. Lilly accompanied her into the woods so she could take care of her needs, and try to feel as human as possible. They ate a breakfast of tough meat, which resembled beef jerky, and bad coffee, and then started away again.
“How much farther?” she asked, wishing they were right around the corner from where she once lived.
But instead she was rewarded—or cursed, with a one-word answer from Dimitri, “Close.”
Everyone was quieter than usual this morning, except for Cale, who kept making eye contact with her and smiling. Tatyanna didn't understand his personality change. She was used to him acting like a jerk and an overall nuisance, but now he was acting like he might actually...like her? She brushed it off. He was probably coming to understand what a jerk he had been, and trying to get on her good side. She would let him grovel first.
By midday, she was exhausted. Everything was too quiet. Tatyanna had thought everything she could to death, and wanted it out of her head for a while. Before she could open her mouth to try to start a conversation for the umpteenth time that day, she heard a caw caw in the distance. She stopped instantly. The sound of the bird threw everything off for her. She was so used to death surrounding them that signs of life almost made her ears hurt. Tatyanna strained her ears, wondering if she was hearing things. Her companions around her all stopped to look at her, quizzical expressions on their faces. She shook her head, feeling stupid for hearing things, when she saw a huge bird fly over her head. Only it wasn't a normal bird.
This creature almost had an evil glint in its eyes. “What is that?” she asked, pointing to the weird bird that was flying over them.
Dimitri stared at the bird for a long time before answering and quietly said, “Death.” He sprinted off in the same direction as the animal.
The group followed, and she noticed the two dwarves had weapons at the ready. Lilly's cape was pulled off her shoulders, and Tatyanna could see long knives strapped to her legs. Fear trickled through her in anticipation of what was ahead.
As they continued running, Tatyanna slowly started to smell smoke, and the smell only grew stronger. She could barely make out the screams of people needing her help. Her blood started to pulse in the rhythm of a heartbeat, and she knew there was still life out there. It spurned her to run even faster.
Without any notice, Dimitri stopped and Tatyanna slammed into him. Before she could ask anything, she noticed the burning town in front of her. They were too late. Every home was burning, and soldiers were corralling the villagers and forcing them to choose life as a slave, or death. Surveying the carnage w
as Prince Larik. He was unlike anything she imagined he would be. He was tall, with fiery red hair which he wore long down his back, but what scared her the most about him was he was surrounded by fire. Everywhere he walked, he left behind a burning path smoldering in his wake.
“Prince Larik,” she said, nodding her head as a sign of respect. His eyebrows rose in surprise, and he bowed deeply.
“Lady Tatyanna, it is so nice to meet you. I hope you like my welcome home gift,” he said, extending his left hand to the scene behind him.
“Welcome home?” she asked confused.
“Why, yes, this was the last town I let live on your lands. When the people refused once again to bow to the real king, I burned their homes.”
“So you burn their homes, and force them to bow to you?” she asked, mortified by how calm the prince was.
He laughed manically. “I don't force anyone to do anything, m'lady. I give all of my followers a choice. They can choose to follow me, the rightful leader, or spend the rest of their pitiful lives in servitude, where they will be begging for death before long. I let this village stand for the sole purpose of giving you a welcome home gift. They stayed loyal to you, long after everyone else stopped. Now you are home, you need to see what real power is.” Prince Larik raised his hands up toward the sky, and yelled, “COME DOWN!” Huge balls of fire started to rain.
“STOP!” she screamed at him, wishing there was something to do. Pressure built in her chest.
“Stop?” Prince Larik asked, laughing maliciously at her. “Why would I do something like that? I am having fun.”
“You are hurting the villagers,” she said, wishing she had better control over her powers. She watched as the townspeople scrambled away from the fireballs, trying to find some sort of shelter where there was none. Even the prince's soldiers were trying to dodge the inferno. No one was safe.
With a flick of his wrist, the fireballs instantly disappeared, and the prince continued his pacing. “I want to give you a second gift. I want to show you who my true followers are,” he said, with a glint in his eye.
He raised his hands, and his voice boomed as he shouted the words, “To all those who are loyal to me, I demand you bow down. Those who refuse will wish for death.”
Tatyanna stood mortified as her townspeople, one-by-one, bowed their heads. She saw a few struggling with the decision to do so, but in the end they bowed as well, for they had lost hope, and she was too late.
Prince Larik glanced back, and was disappointed he wouldn't get the chance to kill anyone today. He flicked his eyes over to Cale, and saw the fool was struggling with himself, about to fall down on bended knee. If he didn't need him, he would kill him on the spot. Instead, he stomped over to the pathetic being and shoved his hand into the man until he felt his heart and gripped it.
Cale's eyes buggered out of his head, as he fought for breath. “He...l...p...m...e...” He barely got the words out. Tatyanna came rushing over to him and tried to pull Larik off the man.
Instantly, Dimitri was by her side pulling her away from Larik. “No, Princess,” he shouted. “He will burn you. No one can touch him.”
Tatyanna had felt the flames and knew her friend was right, but also took the time to let that realization sink. If she couldn't touch him, then how were they to defeat a walking fire bomb? She didn't have time to contemplate that, as she could feel Cale's life force being stripped away.
“Stop!” she shouted again at Larik.
“Make me,” he said. “Let me see the Great Tatyanna show off her powers, and then I will stop from squishing this bug.”
Tatyanna only wished she knew how to use her powers, but all she knew how to do was heal. She was about to admit defeat, when she felt the earth below her feet move, and she knew Terran was nearby. She was surprised he was willing to sacrifice his secret to save Cale, but she couldn't let him do that.
She felt the pressure continue to build in her chest, and it literally exploded when she pushed her arms away from her body, causing a huge wave to come out of her. It blasted Larik away from her friends. She watched in silent amazement as the wave continued to go in the direction of the town and put out any fires in its path. Miraculously, it also healed the injured townspeople.
Larik clapped his hands together. “Well, well, well. Look who finally figured out they had a power.” He could see the wave was starting to dissipate. He was amazed she could pull it off without any formal training, “You are better than I thought you would be. You haven’t had any training. Pure luck, maybe?” he said, walking toward her.
Tatyanna didn't say anything, but repeated the words stay strong in her mind. She knew she couldn't let him see she was scared shitless and didn't know what to do. She had to show her strength so he would take her seriously.
Prince Larik stopped when she brought up a water shield around her and her friends. “You and I are the same, you know.”
“We are nothing alike. You are death, whereas I am life.”
He shrugged. “That is one way to think about it. But, water can be death, just as much as it can bring life. It is all in how you wield it. Join me, and I can teach you great power. Join me, and you will never want for anything ever again.”
Tatyanna was quiet for a moment, pretending to consider his words. “Will you give me anything I ever want, or dreamed of?” she asked seriously.
“Tatyanna, no,” Emmett whispered, but Prince Larik heard him and smiled.
“Anything you have ever wanted.”
“I want my parents back.”
The grin on his face faded, and the ugliness came back. “Except for that. What is dead, stays dead. Unless I command otherwise, but the soul cannot come back, only the shell of a person.”
“Then, I will not join you. I can't live in a world of death and fear. I came back to bring the glory back.”
“And how do you expect to stop me? Many have tried and failed miserably. Even if you had Prince Terran and Princess Seraphina, you three would still not be a match against me. I am power itself, and everyone is too cowardly to go the distance to stop me.” He shrugged. “I will let you think on it, but you will see the light. Don't make me wait too long, or else I may not have the same offer for you.” Larik was about to disappear, when he felt something under his foot. He frowned and bent down, picking up a tattered burnt ragdoll. Tatyanna saw a look of vulnerability that flashed across his face, and an array of emotions and memories flooded her mind.
Tatyanna silently watched Larik pick up the ragdoll. She was surprised by the range of emotions he showed and wondered if anyone even knew the real king? She wanted to know what he was feeling, what he was thinking, when a picture of a small girl, with red hair, popped into her mind. She had somehow connected with him. She refused to move or say anything, afraid in doing so, he would know she was in his mind and do something to get back at her for invading his secrets.
She could see a little boy around ten years old when he met a child with fiery red hair and startling blue eyes. She was the daughter of one of the slaves, clothes barely clinging to her thin frame. Yet she didn't seem to care. She only had eyes for Larik. Larik was feeling particularly emotional that day, because he had to endure a severe beating from his father for showing compassion to a slave. Tatyanna could see his small, beaten body, and her heart went out to the child he once was. She could hear a voice yelling at him for being a disgrace to them, and to the Fire Line. Tatyanna could see how proud the young Larik was, for not crying out at all during his beating but her heart went out to the boy he once was and the life he had. She watched the memory, with her heart in her throat, as the young Larik cried his eyes out once he walked out of the castle and turned the corner. It was then, that the small girl came up to him and offered him her ragdoll.
Larik pushed the doll away, telling the girl that he was too big to play with dolls. If he wanted a toy, he had the money to buy one that wasn't old and ugly. But it didn't deter the little girl at all. She simply smiled, and told him
everyone needed a friend. Tatyanna noted there was something special about this girl, and the fact she wasn’t scared of the young lord.
Tatyanna continued to watch Larik as he held the doll loosely in his hands, when all of a sudden it caught on fire. At the look of horror crossing his face, Tatyanna’s compassion of the boy he once was got the better of her and she lifted her hand and let raindrops fall down on the doll distinguishing the fire. Larik grinned awkwardly, forgetting his sentimental memories, and looked up, meeting Tatyanna's eyes.
But as she stood there, watching him, Tatyanna saw the vulnerable little boy he once was. She compared that boy to the man he was now and wondered what went wrong. Before she could try to delve deeper into his mind, she saw the ragdoll burst into flames, and almost cried at the expression on Larik's face. Tatyanna willed in her mind for it to rain, and was thankful when she was able to achieve that small task. She waited for Larik to recognize what she had done, thinking he would be thankful for saving the doll that obviously brought back happy memories. Instead, his face because a stone mask once again, and he closed himself up behind it.
Larik raised his hands in front of him, and a giant fireball came rolling toward them. Tatyanna cried out and crossed her arms in front of her face instinctively, creating a water barrier and keeping them safe. She looked up in time to see Larik making his exit.
Without a backward glance, he walked toward a burning building and disappeared into the flame, taking his soldiers and the townspeople with him. It was only then the water shield dropped, soaking everyone underneath it. She laughed, not because it was funny, but more because she was scared and glad to be alive.
Emmett looked down at his drenched self. “Yeah…we will have to work on controlling your powers.”
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