Ty grinned and was about to say something when Hal put his hand over his mouth. He pulled himself close so that Ty’s ear was less than an inch from his lips and whispered, ‘Boots.’
Ty looked and his eyes widened in understanding. The riders were dressed as Kingdom light cavalry, but sported a wide variety of boots, some not even proper riding boots. The riders who had cut down the last pirates returned and as they reined in, the entire unit showed no sign of military discipline. One man said, ‘Well, you know the orders. If that idiot Marstan didn’t have her, she’s somewhere up in those woods.’
‘You sure, Gravan? Maybe they headed back towards the Eastern Kingdoms.’
‘You get paid to kill, not think, Colver. If what I was told is right, she’s with two pups from the Kingdom – one’s some duke’s kid – and a bodyguard. Don’t take that one lightly. She’s a woman, but she’s a killer.’ He stood up in his stirrups and looked around into the trees. ‘If we’re going to search, we need better weather.’ He pointed to the bodies on the road. ‘Let’s clear away the trash and pull back a way. If they think it’s clear ahead to Farborough, they may just come wandering in without any help.’ He sat back down and said, ‘I’m going back to report. Finish up here and take a quick look, but I’ll be surprised if you find anything. Get back and I’ll start organizing a proper search.’
The lead rider put his heels to his horse and set off down the road while the other eleven men dismounted, three taking reins, and leading the horses away, while the others began gathering the dead. As they started carrying the first two downhill, it was clear the closest thing to a proper pyre they’d come across was a sailor’s burial at sea, or being tossed off a cliff into the surf.
Ty signalled and led Hal back to where the two women waited. ‘Someone’s taken Farborough,’ said Hal.
‘What do you mean?’ asked the Princess.
‘The pirates are dead, killed by horsemen wearing Kingdom garb, but it’s all a sham. They talked, they’re all in it together; maybe the riders were pirates, too. They killed Marstan and his men for failing to find you.’
‘They have different boots on,’ said Ty.
‘Boots? I don’t understand,’ said Stephané.
‘They got the uniforms off of dead Kingdom soldiers, no doubt,’ said Ty.
‘No,’ said Hal. ‘If they were stripping corpses those tabards would be bloody. And they would have taken boots.’
‘Fair point,’ conceded Ty.
‘No, someone supplied them those uniforms, but couldn’t supply boots.’
‘If we can’t go to the town of Farborough,’ asked the Princess, ‘where do we go?’
Hal looked at Ty who said, ‘I have no idea.’
• CHAPTER TEN •
Wilderness
TY THREW A ROCK.
He gathered in the makeshift sling as the rock struck the rabbit on the head, killing it instantly. The still-wet ground sucked at his boots as he made his way to the kill. It was the third coney he had felled, using slinging skills he had learned as a boy. He was well pleased that he had retained the knack of it and knew the others would be more so for the soon to-be-cooked rabbits. He glanced at the sky as he turned to head back. It looked as if the rain was finally over. The air had a heavy feeling to it, hot and swampy, but it wasn’t as sultry as it had been as the sun set, and his mountain-bred weather sense told him it was getting dryer.
As he trod the game trail, he hoped Hal had managed to get a fire started so that they could quickly dress and cook the rabbits. It had been three days since they’d left the ship and escaped the pirates and what little food they had carried in their belt pouches was long gone. What had started off as a quick hike to a safe village had now turned into a rigorous overland trip into dangerous territory.
Ty reached the clearing they had elected to use for a camp for the evening. While hunting he had looked for signs that anyone was on their trail again, but it appeared as if the false Kingdom soldiers who had been searching for them were far enough away that they could risk smoke from the cook-fire. Hal helped Ty dress out the rabbits and while they were cooking, he went to bury the hides and offal. ‘No sense in having carrion eaters circling overhead and calling attention to us,’ he said.
As the rabbits cooked, Princess Stephané asked, ‘What do we do now?’
Ty said, ‘I’ve been thinking. It’s probably more dangerous to double back to the east and head for the border states. Moreover, we can’t be sure any of the Eastern Kingdoms haven’t allied with one side or the other. We blunder into Prandur’s Gate or Maladon, you could be held for ransom or turned over to Lord John Worthington’s agents for your “protection” as soon as we surface. No, we strike for Ran. Unless it’s fallen, we’ll be safe there.’
Hal said, ‘If Ran’s fallen, we’ll have more to worry about than ransom, Princess. It would mean a Keshian presence on the Kingdom mainland in the Eastern Realm, for the first time in history.’
Ty nodded. ‘Those false soldiers were almost certainly Kingdom men, from their speech, not Keshian, and they were in league with those Ceresian pirates, so we have no idea whom they serve.’ He sighed. ‘I know my father is taking care of my mother, and as a minor Kingdom noble he’s probably being watched, but it’s unlikely more than that.’ He glanced at Stephané. ‘I know you worry about your parents.’
She nodded. ‘And my brothers.’ She looked from one to the other. ‘My parents have loyal followers. I know Lady Franciezka is important in all this intrigue, but she would die to protect my family. She’ll ensure they’re safe and it’s not in Lord John’s interest to harm them. He just wants me married to his son.’
‘Which means you’re worried about your brothers.’
She smiled a tight smile. ‘My brothers are men of character and tougher than one might think.’
Hal smiled. ‘So is their sister.’
She glanced at him and saw open admiration in his expression. ‘Thank you,’ she said. ‘That was gallant.’
‘Well meant,’ he returned. ‘You’ve held up like a soldier.’
Ty turned the rabbits. ‘I suggest we eat and move on. Bury the remnants of the fire, just enough to be discovered if someone chances by, then lay in a false trail to the south.’
‘We go north-west?’ asked Hal.
‘If I can read these hills,’ he said, looking in that direction, ‘there should be water sources up there in that low gap. That means rivers for ample water and caves most likely. We can shelter for a day or two, rest up, fish, hunt, and then strike south-west to Ran.’
‘Rest would be good,’ said the Princess.
Hal reached out and gently touched her shoulder. ‘We’ll get you to safety, I swear.’
Stephané smiled and they gazed at one another for a moment, then the Princess looked away to watch the rabbits cooking.
Ty watched this. Then, with a slight incline of his head to Gabriella he added, ‘I’m going to scout a bit for shelter.’
Gabriella at once got to her feet. ‘I’ll go with you. I want to stretch my legs.’
Both Stephané and Hal frowned slightly at the remark, but said nothing.
When they were out of earshot of the others, Ty said, ‘Stretch my legs? After three days of hiking these mountains?’
‘It was the best I could think of impromptu. Now, what did you want to talk about?’
‘What just happened? Back there I mean, with Hal and the Princess?’
Gabriella’s eyes narrowed slightly. ‘You feeling a pang of jealousy then, young rooster?’
Ty didn’t know whether to be amused or annoyed. He chose the first. ‘Hardly. Our young lord there may be dreaming of your charge, but I’ve spent enough time in court to know the Princess will not be married off to some rustic lord, even if he is to be Duke of Crydee some day, let alone a down-in-the-heels, title-poor, back-door-noble son such as myself.’
He grew thoughtful. ‘Men who think they need to protect their women get ferociously brave an
d stupid. If he’s being courtly, fair enough, but if he’s becoming a love-struck puppy, it would be wise to know.’
She shrugged. ‘I can’t tell. Some of your Kingdom of the Isles nobles are as untrustworthy and conniving as Roldem’s best, but this one?’ She fell silent for a moment as they moved towards the sound of water. ‘I think he’ll do the right thing, no matter what. He’s a very . . . well-brought-up young man.’
He smiled. ‘And me?’
‘You are the sort my mother warned me about.’
He laughed. ‘And you?’
She looked off into the distance and said at last, ‘I am not usually comfortable speaking about myself.’
‘Fair enough. Comfort has been a quality sorely lacking lately. But if you prefer to remain a mystery, I’m fine with that. I just need to know that if it gets bloody, you’re there.’ He saw her jaw firm and said, ‘I assume it’s safe to conclude you’re not a lady-in-waiting.’
‘I am the Princess’s personal bodyguard.’
‘Damn,’ he said lightly. ‘I knew you were dangerous.’
Caught halfway between confusion and humour, she frowned. ‘Dangerous?’
‘I don’t usually encounter six-foot-tall beauties, and none before have been as adept at woodcraft as you are. You remind me of my mother.’
‘Your mother?’
They found themselves on a slight rise looking down at a large, fast-running creek and half-walked, half-slid down the incline to the bank. Ty looked in both directions then pointed upstream. ‘There I think.’
As they moved against the flow of the water, Gabriella asked, ‘What is your mother like?’
‘Strong, like you,’ he answered without hesitation. ‘But in a different fashion.’
‘Different?’
‘Like a slender tree; she bends with the wind, but endures.’
‘I think I understand,’ said Gabriella. She pointed. ‘Look.’
He saw the cave she indicated and as they walked towards it, continued, ‘Before I was born, the summer my father was undergoing the naming rite of his . . . our people, the Orosini, a man named Kaspar of Olasko ordered the obliteration of our people, because we would not allow his army to pass through our lands so that he could attack the Duchy of Farinda. Our homes in the High Fastness were destroyed and the few survivors were sold into captivity. My mother was one of those.’
‘And your father?’
‘My father, my real father, was some unknown soldier of Olasko.’
‘But I thought . . . ?’
‘Talwin Hawkins married my mother. He had loved her since they were children, and he gave me his name.’
‘But I saw you together. You look so much alike.’
Ty grinned. ‘An interesting coincidence, isn’t it? My father must have been a handsome devil, I always say.’ His grin faded. ‘Talwin Hawkins is the only father I have ever known and I love him as such. He has cared for me as if I were his own. It’s reasonable I’d mimic him as I grew. My mother has not been able to have more children, so he’s stuck with me,’ he added on a lighter note.
She was silent for a moment then asked, ‘Have you a wife?’
‘Ha!’ he laughed so loudly it echoed through the dell.
He covered his mouth and she looked at him wide-eyed in surprise and covered her own mouth a moment, before saying with a smile, ‘I assume that means no.’
‘I . . . haven’t had the time,’ he said quickly. ‘My family is . . . the demands . . .’ He let the thought go unfinished.
‘I was wondering,’ she said as they reached the entrance to the cave. ‘Rare is the noble that can catch rabbits like a poacher, or fish with mere twine and a tree branch. You know your way in the wild.’
‘As do you.’ He paused, looking at her. She really was a beauty, though her manner disguised that, and being next to Stephané could render a goddess invisible. He quickly tore his gaze away as he realized he was staring and glanced around. ‘I don’t like the idea of going in there without a torch.’
‘Not much dry wood to make a torch,’ she observed.
‘We might not have to,’ he said, hurrying down to the edge of the river. The heavy rain had washed a large amount of detritus into the creek, depositing it here and there on the shore. He found a likely-looking branch and hurried back. ‘Wait here a moment,’ he said, and ducked into the cave. A short time later he emerged with a massive clump of moss. ‘This will burn slowly and give a weak light, but it’s light.’ He wrapped the moss around the branch in as tight a knot as he could, then took out flint from his belt pouch and used his hunting knife to strike sparks. He blew into it and got it smouldering and picked up the torch and blew hard on one spot until a flame flared. ‘It won’t last more than a few minutes, but I’ll get a look around.’
‘Be careful of the bears,’ she asked.
He smiled, knowing the old joke that was coming. ‘How can I tell if there’s one in there?’
‘Usually from the bleeding.’
He shook his head and as he turned to enter he said, ‘How many brothers?’
‘Four.’
‘All older?’
‘Yes.’
Shaking his head he only said, ‘No wonder,’ and entered the cave. She followed him, smiling to herself.
In the gloom they found a widening path that led downward, into a very large cave. Once fashioned by flowing water, the underground hideaway was now above the water table, providing a dry floor upon which to rest. Ty poked the torch around in every corner making sure they were alone, then said, ‘Something made a lair here, but two, three years ago.’
‘Bear, I think,’ said Gabriella.
He made one quick circle around and then said, ‘Let’s head back. If we wait too much longer, there’ll be no rabbit left for either of us.’
‘Yes, I’ve been away too long as it is. The Princess is my charge and I’ve already violated it by leaving her alone.’
‘Then why did you?’ Ty asked as they exited the cave.
‘It seemed like the right thing to do at the time. Besides, she instructed me that at some point I should go off with you for a short while, as she had something she needed to discuss with Lord Henry in person.’
‘Lord Henry?’
‘That’s how she named him. I assume it must be something she considered a matter of state.’
Now Ty looked completely confused.
‘Despite what one might think, Stephané is a very serious-minded woman when she chooses to be. She knows she will be highly placed in marriage, a duchess or even a queen, and that she will play a role vital in keeping peace between Roldem and their neighbours.’
‘Now my curiosity is piqued,’ admitted Ty. ‘Affairs of state, out here of all places.’
‘No more improbable than affairs of the heart, surely.’
Not entirely sure what to say to this, Ty merely nodded.
Stephané watched as Gabriella and Ty vanished from sight and turned to Hal who was turning the rabbits. ‘How much longer until they are cooked?’ she asked.
He said, ‘Another half hour. If we had a hotter fire, sooner, but too hot and it dries and is tough. Too slow and it’s chewy and tough. Just right and it’s savoury . . . and tough.’
She laughed. ‘You do manage to keep your spirits up.’
Hal let out a small sigh. ‘Truth, Highness? I’d as soon be riding through a thousand Keshian Dog Soldiers with a wooden spoon as my only weapon than having to drag you through this wilderness.’
‘You’re not dragging me,’ she said, smiling. ‘I’m escaping.’
He laughed. ‘Speaking of keeping one’s spirits up.’ He turned the rabbits again. The spits were twigs and they rested on rocks, and seemed constantly to want to turn back one way. Vigilance was needed to ensure the rabbits weren’t burned through on one side and raw on the other.
She was silent for a moment, her expression turning pensive, and at last she said, ‘I wanted to have a chance to speak to you alone.’
‘My position is at best difficult,’ she began, hesitantly. ‘Lady Franciezka holds you and Ty in high regard, or she never would have entrusted me to your care. Yet I fear that your king may not be . . .’
‘You worry King Gregory might see you as a bargaining chip, much as your Lord John does.’
‘I don’t know what to think, Hal,’ she said plainly. ‘All my life I have been trained to rule, but in the Roldemish fashion of a queen, to offer quiet council to my husband when alone, and to smile and remain silent in public.’
Hal thought of Bethany and laughed. ‘It’s a bit different in the west, especially along the Far Coast. Our mothers, and wives, are hardly shy in letting their feelings be known.’
‘What I’m saying is that if it comes to a conflict, I’m not certain I can stand my ground. If Gregory threatens . . .’ She fell silent. ‘Roldem’s fleet combined with that of the Isles would drive Kesh back to their own ports.’
Hal shook his head. ‘I know that’s conventional thinking, but with those pirates in league with . . . someone, raiding free along this coast the balance of power may not be what we thought.’ Seeing her troubled expression, he decided to change the subject. ‘But you didn’t ask to be alone with me to speak of warfare. I pledge to you that as a son of the House of conDoin, I will give my life if need be to keep you from any harm. When this madness is over you shall be safely returned to Roldem. And you’ll have a Kingdom-born husband in tow only if that is your pleasure.’
She smiled. ‘Thank you.’ Impulsively she leaned forward and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. ‘I am in need of a good friend.’
For reasons Hal didn’t fully understand, hearing that phrase caused his stomach to sink a bit. Pushing aside his feelings, he said, ‘It is the burden of your office that you marry at your father’s pleasure. Not the pleasure of Lord John Worthington or Sir William Alcorn—’ His eyes widened.
A Crown Imperiled Page 19