by B. C. Morin
Tristan and Kaleb glanced at each other for a moment before shaking their heads in agreement.
Once they arrived at the edge where the forest meets the mountains they began to search for a place to rest. Tristan began quickly to set a place for a fire, since the nights were becoming chilly. And Kaleb returned after only a few moments with a couple of hares. Evyette finally returned to their small campsite with her hands full of berries. Once they had all eaten, they decided to clean and sharpen their blades and get all the weapons ready for the next day.
Evyette, had been taught sword fighting when she was younger and always practiced with the guards. Although she never once actually thought that she would have to use these skills to defend her life or the life of others.
* * *
Alannah had looked down, a grin spreading across her face, pleased with herself for remembering a few basic spells and even for remembering the enchantment to unlock a door. She moved the cup to the side so that no one saw it next to her. She tilted her head back against the wall and brought her knees up to her chest. Her blood red dress and bodice were covered in the dirt and dust from the cell, the edges were torn now. Her brown hair half pinned up and half falling down her back and shoulders. Yet amidst all the signs that she was worn, she was more alert than ever.
She knew it was night as there were now less trolls guarding the area and walking through it, she realized that this would be her best time for escaping. But the poison she made would only be enough to defend herself against one, maybe two trolls. Until I can find a weapon she thought grimly to herself.
Alannah stood and walked to the doors of her cell. She looked to the right and left of the hallway and saw no one. She tried to feel the magic that her mother told her about, closing her eyes and trying to extend her emotions and feelings, but felt nothing. None of the life she felt when she was in Meira was felt here.
This place was dead, the cold stone walls offered no life at all.
“Expediere,” she said lowly so that she wouldn’t be heard. There was no response or reaction from the lock. “Expediere!” she muttered again, more forceful.
Nothing.
Her eyes welled up with tears, frustration causing her to question her ability for spell casting. Did she even have the gift? Was she passed over for that as well as her powers? Was it because she never concentrated on it, or studied it? Was she so intent on gaining her powers that she squandered the only gift she had?
No. She thought to herself, not allowing herself to believe that. That was laziness and nothing else. She closed her eyes and tried again, concentrating as hard as she could. She reached for any magic she could find inside the castle even just the slightest feel of… “Expediere” her voice was loud and firm, she was demanding it.
A loud click echoed in the hall and the lock fell open. Suddenly as with the unlocking of the cell, there was an unlocking of herself. Renewed with confidence she smiled.
I did it! She thought excitedly, now to find my way out. She grasped her cup of poison carefully and reached for the cell doors. Still hanging on it’s hinge, she reached through the bars and grasped the lock in her hand.
“What was that?” The voice sounded a bit closer than she would have liked. The sounds of the footsteps increased. She swung open the door and ran up the hallway to her left. Trying to remember the path she was taken down when she first arrived.
As she ran the footsteps seemed to be coming at her. She felt her heart pounding against her chest. She grasped the first door she found and tried to open it.
Locked.
“Expediere” she demanded, and the door swung open. She quietly closed it behind her, feeling an unfamiliar burning on her arm, but realizing she had no time to check it.
Just in time, she thought as she heard the foot steps get closer and then pass in front of the door. Once she knew the troll had passed, she opened the door carefully. “Troll!” She shouted, cup ready in her hand.
The creature turned to look at her but had no time to speak as she tossed the poison on his face, the fumes silenced him instantly as the poison ate through his skin and he dropped to the ground.
She looked at her cup and realized that she used all the poison she had. Damn. Well, at least there was no alarm raised yet, she thought.
She stepped out and dragged the heavy troll by his feet into the empty room. Once she closed the door behind her, she began down the hallway again. Small torches lit the hallway but only barely. They cast shadows on the ceiling that continuously tried to distract her. It was damp and smelled of mold in there. She turned down a corridor that she thought would lead her to the main foyer. She had to duck into different rooms in order to avoid being seen. In the back of her head the sight of the dead troll haunted her, she had never harmed anyone or anything and now she had killed. Her stomach turned. “NO!” she said forcefully to herself. “I cannot think of that now. I have to get out.”
Alannah came upon a door that was more intricately decorated than the others. Intrigue lead her hand fast to the door before she could decide if it was a bad idea. She slowly turned the knob and walked in, spotting instantly a map on the table. It showed the mountains they were at and the surrounding valleys and forests, and he had hap-hazardly drawn what looked like the mark she carried on her back across the clearing in front of the mountains. She noted also a marker on a desolate valley south of the mountains, wondering what he could possibly be planning but deciding not to stand around trying to figuring it out.
She opened the door slowly and verified that there was no one around. She heard what she thought was a moan, and realized it wasn’t that of the creatures guarding her. Am I not the only prisoner here? She whispered to herself, turning to walk in the direction of the noise trying to run without making a sound. She thought of using her wings to get around faster, but didn’t for risk of upsetting the dust and cobwebs around her and letting the trolls know where she had gone.
She reached a hallway that had three doors on each side. Each door had bars lining the first half of them. More cells. She slowly walked up to the first door on her right side and peered in, but found nothing. She walked to the second and found the same. In the third she had seen bones in a corner and realized that it was a prisoner once left here to die. She choked back tears as she saw the bones of the wings behind it. It was a faerie, she thought, putting her hand over her mouth and taking a step back, her shoes sliding on the dirt and dust piled on the floor.
The slight moan she heard snapped her out of her trance. She turned again and began to search the cells on the left. In the last cell on the left she saw a shadow in the corner. His arms were hanging above him clasped by chains.
Alannah opened the cell and entered slowly.
“I told you that I will not help you!” The prisoner yelled.
She realized then that he couldn’t see that she wasn’t a guard as his eyes were blindfolded. He stood, although it was painfully obvious that he hurt all over.
“I’m not here to hurt you.” She whispered softly, trying to reassure him without arousing the guards. Clearly shocked by the tone he heard, he cocked his head to the side wondering who was there.
“I was a prisoner and have escaped. I can help you get out of here. Can you walk?” Alannah asked, walking toward him cautiously and glancing at the doorway to ensure no-one was coming.
“Yes, but who are you?” He asked, his voice deep and soothing despite his condition.
“I am Princess Alannah of Meira.” She said as she got closer, looking at him in astonishment as she had never seen a faerie with so many markings. They were on his arms, his chest, and some ran up to his neck. This was clearly a gifted faerie.
“Princess… you cannot waste time on me. Save yourself as you are much more valuable. I have heard him speak of you.” He said, his voice pleading softly.
“Me? But I have no powers. How could I be valuable?” Alannah said self-consciously.
“I do not know but he has plans for you.
I actually heard him say that your powers are beyond measure.” His face turned toward her.
“Expediere.” Alannah said, the cuffs scraping his wrists releasing him as he fell to the ground. His wrists were bleeding from where he had tried to pull his hands out. She reached down and slid her hands around his large back and under his arms to help him up. He stood and reached for the blindfold around his head before turning to look at her.
Her hair, still half picked up was a bit messy. There was dust and dirt on her dress and on her delicate face. The expression on it was of determination. “What is your name?” She asked still stealing glances at the door to make sure that there was no one approaching.
“I am Brennus. I am from the Kingdom of the Anrad.”
“The warrior faeries?” She whispered. That would explain the large amounts of markings. Alannah thought to herself.
“Indeed.” Brennus responded proudly.
“Brennus, although I am now intrigued to your presence here, we truly have no time to waste.” She ran to the door and peered out to the hallway.
“Can you…” Her words fell off as she watched him. He had been reciting some healing spells, and suddenly looked better than he did when she first arrived.
“Why didn’t you do that after they hurt you and whatever else they did to you?” Alannah asked completely confounded.
“And let them know of my healing ability? They already wanted me for other things. I needn’t feed their hunger.” Brennus responded, walking over to her. She realized that although he was more healed than before he was still hurt. She could still see the bruises on his body and face. His eyes were swollen, the purple and blue skin surrounding his light grey eyes.
He grabbed her hand, and she gasped slightly.
“Apologies princess, but I have been dragged up and down these hallways many times and may know our way out.” Brennus spoke as he searched the halls for guards.
“Then I will follow you.” Alannah whispered.
He walked out of the cell and back down the hallway. Creeping around the corner with his arm stretched out behind him pulling her along, when he noticed a large door with an insignia on it and he dragged her to it.
“Where are we going?” she whispered while still looking around.
“This insignia is in the ancient drawings. It means weapons.” He opened the door and was disappointed to find that it was not as stocked as the weapon rooms he was used to back home, although there was some relief to see a few of his items in there. He slipped on his wrist bracers quickly and buckled them tight. He reached for a large belt with a sheath attached to it bearing the crest of his Kingdom and wrapped it around his waist. Brennus continued searching until he found a smaller one, turning to Alannah, “It might be loose, but it will do” She had been looking at the weapons when she realized he was talking to her. “Oh.” Before she could respond, he had walked over to her and began to wrap it around her waist. “Begging your pardon Princess.” He chuckled a bit to himself as it draped to one side, he tightened it a bit more until it was snug on her hips.
“There. At least it won’t completely topple from the weight of the sword.” He grabbed what Alannah thought looked like a heavy sword and slipped it into his sheath. She watched as he lifted and weighed several swords before pulling one out of the rack.
“Do you know how to use one Princess?” A hint of doubt in his voice as he handed her the sword.
For a moment she wasn’t sure if she heard a bit of sarcasm when he said Princess but she chose to ignore it.
“Yes, I have been trained.” She took the sword from him and sheathed it herself. He grabbed a few daggers and tucked them into his belt, walking to the door. “You coming?” He turned to ask her with one eyebrow raised.
It was apparent that with his regained strength he had regained a bit of arrogance. After she pulled on some bracers that she had found, she grabbed a bow with but a few arrows next to it off of the table, walked over to him and lifted an eyebrow in return. “Let us go then.”
His lip curled up a bit and he turned to check the hallway once again.
Brennus and Alannah ran down the hallway back to where Alannah had come down originally. He had run most of it with his eyes closed. Retracing the steps he had taken blindfolded when they would take him from his cell.
As they turned a corner a troll jumped out in front of them. He swung his sword at Brennus, barely missing his chest as Brennus immediately threw himself a step back. Brennus unsheathed his sword and began fighting the troll, the metal clashes echoing through the castle.
Many more will be coming now she thought, anxiety continuing to build. Out of nowhere there was what seemed like a small explosion on the wall next to her. She turned to the side and then in the direction that the explosion might have come from. It’s him Alannah thought. She held up the bow and nocked the arrow she was holding coughing as the dust and smoke that was clouding her sight filled her lungs. In the split second that seemed more like hours, she caught a glimpse of movement through the cloud that surrounded her and took her shot.
She heard a slight yelp from the apprentice as the arrow sliced through the skin on his arm and hit the wall behind him. It didn’t seem to slow him, as he ran up from the other direction of the hallway that the troll had come from and threw yet another blast at Alannah, but she ducked out of the way.
“I underestimated you princess.” The apprentice shouted with a smirk.
Alannah looked at Brennus who was now fighting two trolls and then back to the other faerie that had been keeping her prisoner.
“Perhaps you didn’t know me as well as you thought.” Alannah said through the coughs.
“Oh, I won’t make that mistake again little princess.” He shot yet another explosive burst from his hand. The heat was so intense as it grazed her arm that it felt it was burning her to her bone, causing her to drop the bow. She noticed as she fell out of the way, that it mostly hit a troll that had been running up behind her, with his axe at the ready.
By the God, what am I going to do, I have a sword and he is using magic? She unsheathed the sword hoping that it would somehow help to block those explosions he kept throwing at her. She readied herself and attacked him. He dove out of the way causing her sword to hit the wall behind him letting out a clang that echoed through the corridor and a wave of sparks.
As the apprentice got up he looked at her and at Brennus who had slain the trolls he was fighting, reached into a pouch at his waist and threw another explosion to the ground in front of himself. This one was larger than the others and produced a large amount of smoke. When the smoke cleared, Alannah and Brennus found that he was gone.
She turned to find Brennus in his enormous stature walking to her with a sword in each hand and three trolls laying dead in his wake.
“Coward.” Brennus said looking at the spot where the apprentice had disappeared. He quickly sheathed one of the swords while keeping the other in his hand, “Lets go. It’s only a matter of time before we are attacked again. They will have all the obvious exits blocked so we will need to find another way.”
“I know, come with me!” Alannah exclaimed somewhat excitedly.
She ran in the direction of her cell, hoping to find the troll that had helped her. She ran past her cell to the corridor that he would always disappear to and found him there readying weapons.
“I knew you would find your way out.” He said with a smile as he looked up at Alannah and Brennus.
“Please help us. I know you can. You already helped me once.” She pleaded, desperation in her eyes.
“Quiet!” He stood and looked around trying to be sure that no one heard what she said. “Can you swim?”
The question came as kind of a surprise to Brennus and Alannah who glanced at each other momentarily.
“Down the second corridor to the right there is a door that leads to a small spring behind the castle. That is where we gather our water. The spring comes from a lake, but you would have to go t
hrough an underwater cave that leads from one to the other. The cave is not small, but if you can hold your breath long enough, then you will live to see the other side.” The troll explained.
“Is there no other way?” Alannah asked in desperation.
“Not unless you plan to fight dozens more trolls and guards. Now go, you will have to fight the guards in that corridor and it may not be easy.”
“Thank you.” Alannah said, a smile spreading across her face as she reached her hand out and touched the troll’s. He smiled briefly before turning back to readying some weapons. He looked back at her realizing she waited for a response.
“Agr’on” he said as he turned his head to look back to the weapons.
“Thank you Agr’on.” Alannah said sweetly.
Brennus grabbed her other hand and pulled her in the direction that they needed to go. “Made a friend did you?” Brennus asked cynically.
Alannah huffed at the remark. “Yes, I don’t see you getting help out of here!”
Just as the other troll had said there were two guards at the entrance to the corridor.
Brennus unsheathed the other sword. “Stay here” he said lowly and ran to them in attack. The first troll had managed to cut him in the arm as he blocked the sword of the second troll. Both trolls attacked in unison and Brennus still managed to stand his ground and fight them off. Alannah could not believe what she was seeing. She peered from around the corner and watched as Brennus blocked the sword of one guard on the sword and quickly run the blade of his sword into the chest of the other troll. He pulled it out in time to block another blow from the guard troll.