by Cheree Alsop
I wished the other Crowns were around, then laughed wryly at myself when I remembered my first feelings about them at the palace in Eskand. How things had changed.
I forced myself to get up and rode Breeze into the city. I tracked down the healers and noticed the relief on the face of a guard who was following them and trying to be inconspicuous about it. To push down my pain, I took a page from Andric's book and forgot myself in helping others.
***
Twenty-seven days had passed from the day we left Antor. The ache never stopped, I just became more able to live with it. At least, so I thought until Rush flew through one of the windows open to the morning sun and landed on our breakfast table.
I stared at him and my heart started to pound. There was a letter fastened to the harness on his back. I could see the seal, the mountain ranges with the diamond overhead proclaiming it from Antor as much as its messenger did.
“Take it,” Rory urged. My parents, their two head stewards, the maids, and the runner all stared at the hawk as though it had flown out of a storybook.
But I could feel anxiety from Rush. “It's bad news,” I said quietly. My hands shook as I unlaced the harness and took out the letter. Andric's handwriting was unmistakable. The single word, “Kit”, was written across the front. With foreboding, I broken the seal and stared at the brief letter written in Andric's flowing hand. With each word, my heart slowed until it felt like it was barely beating. Tears came to my eyes.
“What's wrong?” Rory and Father demanded at the same time. Mother rose and stood behind me; her hands rubbed my arms in a soft, reassuring way.
“He's dead.” I stared at them in disbelief. “Andric's father is dead. He found his way to the roof and stepped off.” My tears spilled over as the image of the lost King came to my mind. I saw his son comforting him and promising that he would find his Queen again someday. 'He just couldn't wait for someday,' Andric said amid telltale tear splotches that disturbed the ink. 'He said that he could see her, then he stepped off before I could stop him. He was staring out at the ocean.' The writing became more faint. 'I couldn't reach him in time. I couldn't even save my own father.'
A sob escaped my throat and it became impossible to read on through my tears. I stood up quickly and my chair screeched in protest against the varnished wooden floor. “I've got to go to him. I should have been there.”
Father and Rory rose also with concern on their faces. Father tried to protest, but I wouldn't hear him. I turned back to Rush. “Tell him I'll be there soon,” I said and thought at the same time. The bird clicked his beak once, then lifted his great wings and vanished through the window as quickly as he had appeared. I felt the stares of everyone in the room and ran out before they could question me.
By the time I reached my rooms, full, harsh sobs tore at my chest. I pulled on the riding pants I had worn yesterday, a silk shirt, my boots, and my thick cloak. A sudden impulse made me grab my sword from where it hung on the back of the chair by my bed; it was comforting to strap it about my waist, a familiar weight to hold me down when all I could see was Andric's pain-filled handwriting.
I couldn't believe I had left him knowing all that he was going through. He held together an entire kingdom, filling them with a hope that was as full of pain as promise. He took care of everyone, his own father even, but no one took care of him. He blamed himself for everything that had happened. He had been lost at the end when I kissed him. I had seen it in his eyes, the defeat, the weight of his people looking to him for guidance, the fear of failure. What would he do now by himself and so truly alone?
A soft cough made me turn and stare. Father, Mother, and Rory stood in the doorway dressed as if ready to ride. At my wide eyes, Father nodded. “We're coming with you. It's about a week early yet, but preparations can be made to leave within the hour.”
“P-preparations?” I stammered out in confusion. “What preparations?”
Rory winked at me. “It's a long story; you'll hear it all on the ride.”
I shook my head wildly. “I can’t wait an hour. We've got to go now; it's too late already.”
Father held up his hands. “Alright, alright; the servants are already saddling the horses. I'll have Captain Rurisk follow behind with more men and supplies; they'll meet us at nightfall. Your mother will be leaving later; she's got more to prepare than we do.”
I looked at her, unable to comprehend what they were talking about. “Mother, you're coming?”
She nodded with obvious concern at my nearly hysterical tone. “It'll be better if we show you.” She put an arm around my shoulders and led me out of the room and down the stairs, Father and Rory right behind us.
We met Rurisk in the courtyard with a dozen men attired in Zalen blue and gold already standing by their saddled horses. Father went over to speak to him while Mother led me in the opposite direction.
Mother's greenhouses, her pride and joy created by Father so that she could grow her exotic plants in perfect temperatures, had been disassembled and were now being bound into manageable piles. I stared, but couldn’t understand what was going on. My mind was a whirlwind of chaos and emotion, and nothing sunk in past the intense need to reach Andric. “Mother, you're greenhouses,” was all I could say.
She smiled. “They're meant for a higher purpose than sheltering my prize roses. And we'll build more on a grander scheme when we get there.” She gave a truly girlish grin. “It'll give me the chance to make a few choice improvements that have been driving me nuts.”
“What higher purpose?” I asked.
“Taking care of your Antorans,” Rory said from behind me. He had his dark red horse, Ragen, and Breeze on lead ropes. Breeze nuzzled my shoulder, forcing me to rub his forehead. I obeyed numbly. “We're taking all of this there,” Rory continued. At my stare, he frowned and spoke slower. “Instead of a whole country running south, Father thought it would be better for us to bring what they needed to them.”
My mouth fell open. Father was the one who started this?
Rory laughed and handed me Breeze's reins. “You can stand there gaping like a fish, or you can lead this expedition.” He swung up onto his long-legged horse. “I'd recommend the latter.”
I gave Mother a quick hug with my mind still reeling from shock. She whispered for me to be safe, then I mounted Breeze and hurried to the front of the small group of soldiers that waited for us. Father saw the expression on my face and shook his head with a slightly embarrassed expression. “There'll be time for words later. We need to get going.”
I nodded and fell in behind him, hoping that eventually something would start to make sense.
***
King Fasred and Prince Landis rode out to meet us with another small group of soldiers, strengthening our numbers to almost forty. “The rest will come with the Queens,” the King said, greeting my father with a fist to his heart.
“It's good to have you,” Father said warmly, returning his salute.
Landis grinned at me. “Tisha wanted to come, but she's busy with wedding preparations.”
I gasped. I had completely forgotten that they set the date for a month out, far sooner than anyone had expected. “Congratulations; I'm sorry I haven't said anything earlier. I'm so happy for you,” I said in a rush; embarrassment colored my cheeks.
Landis grinned cheerfully. “You've had a lot on your mind, Kit. We understand as long as you promise to be there.”
“I promise,” I said sincerely.
We fell in behind our fathers. Rory and Landis caught up on the time they had spent apart and my thoughts bounced around like a hundred grasshoppers.
***
We camped the first night on the border of Zalen in tents that had already been set up by Father’s outriders. Though my whole being urged for us to keep going, my muscles ached as if I had never ridden a horse before. I sat reminiscing about another night in which I had felt much the same way, my heart pounding with unknown danger and adrenaline, my mind rushing and refusing
to slow, and an overwhelming number of possibilities and scenarios haunting me.
Father sat down beside me and put an arm around my shoulder. It was awkward at first, because we weren't a very physically affectionate family, but he kept his arm there.
“Thanks, Father,” I said quietly past a tight throat. I forbade the tears to come again.
“King Fasred and I felt like we had some making up to do,” he said. His brow creased. “The Antorans have been through rough times; some of which could have been prevented, but others that we helped along with our greed.”
“But you're making it up now,” I said. “That counts so much more than you can imagine.”
Father nodded with a small sigh. “That's what happens when you let ignorance and fear take over. We were all so afraid of what we would find in the Antorans that we convinced ourselves they were savages. It was easier to ignore the old treaties and trade agreements than to work with them, or so we told ourselves.”
I frowned thoughtfully. “But you've learned that they aren't savages?”
Father’s eyes tightened with a hint of humor. “Crown Prince Andric and I have been conversing through letters.”
I sat up in surprise and stared at him. “And?”
He smiled. “Let's just say we've come to an understanding.”
I didn't know exactly what he meant, but I didn't press it. It was enough that he seemed more open-minded now, and enough to give me hope, though I barely dared breathe lest the hope flicker out and I feel the pain again.
We both sat for a long time by the fire until Father mentioned that we should get some sleep because we needed to ride out early.
“The earlier, the better,” I told him.
He nodded. “We'll get there, don't worry.”
On impulse, I hugged him tightly. “Thank you, Father.”
He patted my back. “It'll be alright, darling. I promise.”
Chapter 28
If nonstop riding, brief glimpses of sleep, and more nonstop riding could still feel like the journey took forever, this definitely did. Even though I ached every morning and barely slept when we stopped, I was up before everyone else and ready to go. I felt like we couldn't get there soon enough. I didn’t know if it was the fact that Rush never returned, or that we all seemed to feel foreboding in the air the closer we got, but it took forever to cross the mountain range. Regardless, we were not expecting what we found on the other side.
When we passed the wall our first small group hid behind after the attack of the Breizans and the avalanche, Captain Rurisk rode ahead with four of his men to scout the trail; they rode back a few minutes later to tell us that they heard the sounds of battle echoing through the pass. We galloped over the last stretch, then stared below.
At nightfall it should have been hard to make out anything in Antor besides the castle basking white in the moonlight; but tonight, fires lit up the sky. Houses burned below us and people screamed in terror; we could only stare as another house went up like a torch, the flames quickly burning through the thatched roof. Then I heard the shrieking.
My blood ran cold and I drew my sword so quickly it rang in the night. Everyone turned to stare at me. “It's Breizans,” I said in a tight voice.
“Breizans?” several men echoed around us.
“Are you sure?” King Fasred asked quickly.
I nodded. “Positive. We've fought them before.”
I glanced at Landis. His face was white, but he nodded. “It's them.”
“Alright,” Father said. He motioned for everyone to pull back. “We aren't rushing into this blindly. That'll help no one.”
I fell back grudgingly and slid off Breeze's back to join the Kings, Princes, and Captains in a circle. “We need to hurry,” King Fasred stated. “It looks like they were hit unprepared. Anything we can do to give them the advantage might save the city.”
Father nodded. “We'll split up, half to the castle and the other half to the city to save what we can of the Antorans there.” He indicated members of the group. “Rurisk and I will lead our men through the city. Fasred, you've got the castle.” The King of Faer nodded.
“We need someone who knows the lay of the land to lead both parties,” Rory said. He nodded at Landis and I. “Landis, lead your men; Kit will lead ours.”
“Kit?” Father repeated in shock.
Rory ignored him and turned to me. “Can you do that?”
I nodded, adrenaline racing through my veins. “Yes, but I'd rather lead the troops going to the castle.”
Rory's eyes softened slightly. “Right. You ride with King Fasred. We'll take Landis and meet you there.”
Father just stared between us, unable to argue. He had to trust his son's judgment in this as much as he hated to admit it.
“See you at the castle,” I told them. I ached for us to be on our way as soon as possible.
“Take care of yourself,” Rory said. He patted me on the shoulder, then pulled me in for a short hug before he turned back to his men. “Let's make it quick; people are dying down there.”
King Fasred and I ran back to our horses with his men on our heels. We were riding down the mountainside before Father and Rory finished speaking to their soldiers.
We swept to the side, riding around the outskirts of the city toward the castle wall. I knew the hardest part would be storming the gates, and hoped a side passage would be easier to access. The others followed without question; out of the corner of my eye I saw swords drawn and looks exchanged as the shrieking drew nearer. Then the first shadows leaped out at us.
The rider on my left flank screamed as he was torn off his horse. Two riders stopped to help him before they realized that his throat had already been torn out. They tried to ride back to join us, but foul, shrieking Breizans stepped out of the darkness to surround them. I motioned and we turned in a tight circle, thundering back to save the soldiers.
My sword bit into flesh for the first time, severing a hand that swung a jagged-toothed axe toward a soldier. The owner of the hand screamed and tried to attack me, but Breeze lashed out with a hoof and sent the Breizan flying against the wall. King Fasred cut down another attacker, then wheeled his horse to stop a third from slicing his horse's hamstring. I leaned down to catch another Breizan across the back before he could leap onto an empty horse. He gnashed his teeth at me even as he fell bleeding to the ground.
The two soldiers quickly turned their horses to join us as we spun and headed back toward the gate. “Stay close,” I shouted. “Fighting as a group is our only advantage against them.”
We thundered along the outside of the wall but kept a good space between it and us, fearing that Breizans would leap from the wall onto our horses. Fortunately, we reached the gate without losing any more soldiers. Two men ran over and forced the lock with their knives, then swung it wide for everyone to enter. We galloped through with our swords held low, ready for attack.
It came like a hurricane. The Breizans battered us against the wall, but we held our own against them, surviving by sheer skill and speed against the savage onslaught. Teeth bared and stained with crimson ripped at our horses' sides, but our animals showed true battle spirit and rose on their hind legs to lash out with hooves, then dropped to give us the advantage of a quick lunge.
Eventually, only bodies littered the light skiff of lingering snow and stained it red. We didn't dare let ourselves rest; I was afraid that the men would realize what we were up against and flee. I saw the same fear echoed on King Fasred's face as he did a quick check of his men. “We've survived; let's keep going,” he said to me. I nodded and led the way again with the King close behind.
Short, hard battles made the going slow as we crossed to the castle doors. Breizans were everywhere, attacking citizens from Antor and our soldiers alike. There were animals I recognized fighting beside their humans, Bagan and his black bear and Drade with more than half of his horse herd thrashing the Breizans in their path. I even spotted the white deer from my first day in
Antor. The little blue-eyed girl was nowhere to be seen; I prayed that she was alright.
When the Antorans saw us, they fought quickly to reach us and clear a path to the castle. “There’re more inside,” a young man told me breathlessly. He held onto my stirrup to catch his breath. “We hid those who made it in time in the safe room in the bottom of the castle. Prince Andric's men are fighting to keep them safe.”
“Where's the Prince?” I asked him quickly.
He shook his head. “I don't know. He was hurt in the first wave and I haven't seen him since.”
King Fasred must have seen the look on my face because he urged his horse to my other side and grabbed Breeze's bridle. “We'll get there; follow me.” He took the lead and sliced our way to the open castle doors; our soldiers kept a tight wall around us. We dismounted as soon as we reached the doors and ran inside. I sent a thought to Breeze and he led the other horses to fight against the Breizans that tried to come in after us.
We met chaos at every corner. Though a few skirmishes were fought along the massive hallway, it was obvious by the clamor that the majority of the battle was occurring further down the stairs to the safe room. My heart screamed for me to find Andric as quickly as possible; I wondered if I was already too late.
I ran to the stairway that led up to the royal quarters and turned to face the men that followed me. “I've got to find Andric,” I told King Fasred. “I'll join you again as soon as I can.”