“News from the village, then?” asked Yahn.
Nat nodded and grinned at Senri. “They were asking about you, I think the whole town is coming out to welcome us.”
“Well, that won’t look conspicuous at all,” said Lanan. Senri turned in her saddle and saw Lanan smile at her.
“They just know how to give a proper hero’s welcome,” said Nat.
“Let’s not keep them waiting, then,” said Yahn. “I would hate to deprive your adoring public.”
Even though his tone was dry, the others chuckled. The group set out again in a matter of minutes. Senri patted Stomps’s mane as they rode deeper into the forest. She recognized certain trees and hills from her short journeys beyond the village. Even though she had seen the leaves turn to fall colors many times, she had missed an entire season. Yellowed leaves already began to blanket the forest floor. Winter would settle in soon.
“And there you go again.” Once more, Alina’s voice pulled her from her thoughts.
Senri blinked and turned away from the forest floor. “I’m sorry, your Highness. I just find it odd to be returning home after so long.”
Alina nodded and raised a hand to a branch she passed. She plucked a fiery leaf from its stem. “Try staying away for years.” She released the leaf into the wind.
The sadness behind the words made Senri realize how petty her complaint sounded. “It must have been hard.”
Alina’s fingers tighten around the reins of her horse. “It is.”
With everything Alina had been through, Senri marveled that the princess had not run away to a bordering kingdom. It would have been much easier. Somehow, Senri knew that Alina would balk at the idea of running off while Osota suffered. “We should be at the village soon,” said Senri. “Less than an hour away, easily.”
“You must be excited.” Alina smiled, though it did not carry up to her eyes.
“You could call it that.” Senri glanced around, trying to find another landmark. “Nat said we were in for a big welcome. I hope you don’t mind.”
This time, Alina smiled genuinely. “I look forward to it, I have not been to a village since my father passed on to the Almighty. I always enjoyed my time with him, away from politics and lessons.”
The conversation ebbed from there. Senri found herself too distracted by the thought of returning home to engage in meaningful talk. As they moved closer to the village, an odd sound came from the village. She cocked her head to one side and listened. It sounded so familiar, like a song she had heard a long time ago...Senri’s eyes widened. “Oh no.”
Alina twisted in her saddle. “Hm? Is something wrong, Senri?”
As they drew closer, the noise formed the unmistakable hum. “Very, Nat is going to die.”
Alina’s brow furrowed. “Why? What happened? Are we in danger?” But Senri did not need to answer, because the chorus of “Savior of the Queen” finally rang out in full clarity from the village. Alina laughed. “I’m impressed it made it this far.”
Senri frowned. “It’s not funny. Nat!”
“Oh, shut up,” he called back. “Can’t you see I’m listening to some quality music?”
From the sound of it, every single villager had to be outside singing, and as soon as they broke through the forest, Senri saw the confirmation. Every household had emptied out to the front of the village to greet them. Her family waved. Her brothers jumped up and down. Ean looked impossibly tall, and Garth and Mattus had grown a bit as well. Nat’s cluster of brothers and sisters stood at the forefront of the villagers. Every single person sang along at the top of their lungs. Senri hid her face in her hands.
Her family approached her before they reached the village. Her mother had tears in her eyes and her father helped her down out of her saddle. He hugged her tightly. “You didn’t really kill all those bears as a child,” he mumbled into her ear.
Senri laughed and hugged him back before being passed along to her mother for a breathtaking grip. The unintelligible wails almost formed words, but became lost in the sobs. Senri grimaced and rubbed her mother’s back. She had hoped her mother would not take her absence so badly. By the time her mother finished with her, her brothers had barraged her with every question imaginable: “So are you on a secret quest? Did you really hold off a battalion of bandit-assassins single handed?”
To this, Nat hollered, “I helped!”
His own siblings hung off his arms and neck while his parents stood close by. Her brothers took off to get Nat’s much more exciting version of their travels and Senri got passed from villager to villager, shaking hands with most of them. Malcor hugged her just as fiercely as her mother. He seemed to be several inches taller, though Senri knew she had not been away long enough for that to be the truth. Gustav stood beside him. He nodded at the sword hanging from her horse’s saddle pack.
“Didn’t lose it, I see?” he asked.
The same sort of greetings dragged on for what seemed like an eternity. Senri’s parents informed her about the bonfire in celebration of their return, though her mother nearly burst into tears when she learned they would ride out in a few days again. Eventually, Yahn suggested everyone go about their business, and when the villagers showed resistance to this, he asked for help stabling the horses and preparing the feast. Everyone mobilized in an instant, leaving only a few stragglers standing at the town entrance.
Before he left for the corral, Yahn leaned in close to Senri and muttered, “I sent Lanan to check the perimeter. Do not leave Alina’s side for a second.”
Senri glanced over her shoulder at Alina, who stood quite alone after being helped off her horse. Some of the villagers glanced at her, but everyone else had gone off. She nodded and Yahn joined the others who led the horses away. Senri approached her.
Alina smiled, looking around at the village. “Such a lovely welcome.”
“Yes, they get a little carried away some—”
“Senri!”
She looked back toward the inn. Vella descended the front door steps, only this time the young inn maid waved and smiled like Senri used to. Senri nodded. She had no time to devote to Vella’s half-attentive looks. The village woman probably wanted to find Lanan anyways.
“Senri, you’re back!” Vella walked over to her, blushing. Her breathing seemed a little heavy.
Vella’s attention remained tightly fixed on Senri. Such intensity reminded her of every time she had stared at Vella and nearly willed her to look back like she did now.
“Hello, Vella. How have you been?” Senri could have sworn the princess scowled as she glanced back and forth between Senri and Vella.
Vella glanced down at her feet and played with a lock of blonde hair. “I’ve been all right. The village has felt so lonely since you left.”
“Probably because Nat is not around to cause mischief.” Senri looked around for Lanan. Where was she supposed to take Alina? She could just imagine Yahn yelling at her for letting the princess loiter outside.
“You’ve been all that travelers talk about.” Vella took a step closer.
“It’s not me. It’s that silly song Nat composed.” Senri glanced over at Alina, who smiled wickedly. “And don’t you say a thing about it.”
“Oh? And who is this?” asked Vella. Wrong move.
“Did you not hear?” asked Alina. They had all agreed to never inform someone of Alina’s true identity until arriving in the dragon lands, though something about her composure screamed trouble. She looped an arm around one of Senri’s. The Warrior practically jumped. “I thought the song detailed it quite well.”
Vella’s eyes widened and Senri heated almost to the point of combusting her clothes.
“Oh,” Vella said, flipping her hair back. Somehow Vella made the move look threatening. “I see you brought some souvenirs back from the capital.”
Oh Almighty, take me from this world now. She felt Alina lean on her even more.
“You never mentioned her,” said Alina.
This remark did i
t. Vella frowned and took a step back. “I can see why you would prefer village life, Senri, if these are the manners they cultivate in the city.” Vella turned on her heel and marched back to the inn.
Senri felt like she might be sick, though she felt Alina’s body shaking with laughter. Alina waited until Vella had disappeared into the building before asking, “Have you been up her skirt?”
“What?” asked Senri. She pulled her arm from Alina and stepped away.
Alina smiled and pursued. “You heard me, have you had a look up her skirts?”
“I...never!” said Senri. “And why did you have to go and pretend to be my...well...”
“Your lover? Because I cannot exactly say who I really am, and it was absolutely hilarious to watch her reaction.”
“But she’s mad at me now!” Senri ran her hands through her hair, tugging at the ends.
Alina shrugged. “So, do you care?”
“No! I mean, I had things to do and she was pestering me—”
“I would too, if you had gone up my skirts and left.”
“But I didn’t!”
Alina grinned. She looked far too satisfied with herself. “Well, she certainly wishes you had.” She walked farther into the village.
Senri followed. “She never showed any interest before. I swear, she’s never been that persistent in talking to me. I think she might be ill.”
Alina stopped and laughed. She turned back to Senri. “Do you realize what has happened?” Senri looked at her with a raised brow, so Alina continued, “She’s enamored with you now, probably because of all the tales of your heroics—”
“Rumors,” corrected Senri.
Alina raised a finger and pressed it against Senri’s breastbone. “Not all of them.” She removed the accusatory finger and walked onwards. “Though I daresay some of those stanzas are a little too licentious even for my imagination.”
Senri chased after the princess. Her ears burned with blush. “And what does that mean?”
“Best you not know,” she said. Senri caught up and Alina slowed to a more leisurely pace. She glanced up at Senri. “Would you like to show me the sights, then?”
She gulped. Perhaps letting her watch over Alina had been a mistake. If Vella let word spread that Senri had returned home sporting a new plaything, Yahn might throttle her.
Chapter Fifteen
PRETENDING TO BE SENRI’S lover might have been a step too far, but Alina enjoyed herself far too much to reconsider her choice. Senri led her around the town in the most discreet manner possible, sticking to the less-populated alleys and behind the shops and barns. By the time they had completed half the circuit, Alina stopped. Senri had been rambling on about the trees in that particular section of the forest and their bark properties according to the season, but soon came to a halt and turned back to Alina.
“I thought you wanted to see the village,” she said.
“Yes, well, when I requested that, I assumed you would introduce me to the villagers rather than lead me down dark alleys,” Alina replied. And tell me about tree bark. I think that’s the last thing I needed to know about.
“I can’t have you out in front of the town!” Senri massaged the side of her face and gestured at the buildings with her free hand. “People are not supposed to know you are here.”
“Which is why I am here as an ordinary person, your lover, as Vella would think.”
Senri folded her arms across her chest. “And would you have me introduce you as such to the whole village? Half of them probably think so thanks to Vella.”
Alina smiled and glanced at the backs of the buildings. “Well, introducing me to everyone would certainly be less scandalous than running around with me in the shadows. Who knows what we could be doing back here?”
“Nothing,” yelled Senri.
Alina arched an eyebrow. “And is that what the town will think?”
“I…” Senri’s shoulders sagged. “Fine. Who shall I introduce you to, oh lover of mine? My parents?”
“Actually, I would love to meet them.” Alina could have laughed at the look of frustration on Senri’s face, but suddenly the panicked look vanished.
Senri raised her eyebrows and nodded. “You know, yes, that sounds like an excellent idea. I get to make up your name, though.”
She led Alina down an alley and back into the center of the village. They took off on a dirt road towards the outskirts of town.
“You don’t need to,” said Alina. “You can tell them I was named after her Majesty Queen Alaina.”
“Fine,” said Senri. She walked rigidly, like a soldier off to battle.
She reached out and grabbed Senri’s forearm. “Wait.”
Senri halted and glared at Alina.
Yes, I have definitely pushed her too far. “I’m sorry, all right?” she said. “I’m sorry if I put you in an awkward position by implying that we are lovers. I just wanted to have some fun, but you have got to relax.” Senri tried to protest, but Alina pushed on, “I know you want to protect me, but if you keep worrying over me so much, people will begin to suspect something is wrong. I figured spreading a rumor that we are lovers would help excuse some of your erratic behavior, but if you keep tailing me like a mother griffon, people will know we are hiding something.” She paused and watched the realization seep into Senri’s expression. The frown softened and her eyebrows unknitted. Alina gestured to the bow and quiver of arrows she wore “I’m supposed to be a fellow Warrior. I can take care of myself. Act like it.”
Senri tried and failed to speak several times. “I…suppose it makes for good cover.” She looked around the village as if suspecting eavesdroppers to descend from the tree tops. “We could have discussed it before, though.”
Alina shrugged. “It was somewhat of an in-the-moment decision.” She grinned and Senri rolled her eyes.
The two continued down the path. Senri kicked small piles of leaves as they walked. “My family has never had the pleasure of me bringing someone home. I don’t know what they’ll do. Interrogate you, most likely.”
“They will be nothing compared to the Council.”
Senri laughed. “You would think that.”
The two walked farther away from the village, out toward farmland. The plots were small, not enough to account for an entire farm. The cleared land laid barren save for scattered fall leaves. Harvest had already gone by for these people.
“What does your family do out here?” asked Alina.
“We have an apple orchard,” said Senri. She gestured at the cleared plots of land. “This serves as a grain supply. We only trade it with the villagers. The apples, though, are bartered with the merchants that come through.”
“The daughter of an apple farmer,” Alina mused. They walked past the farmland and back into the forest.
A cottage soon came into sight at the end of the path. Alina wanted to take hold of Senri’s hand, to entwine their fingers together and feel Senri’s palm against her own. She had the excuse to. If Senri made a fuss, she could insist it was for the better of their appearance, but then it felt as though she took advantage of Senri. She wanted Senri to want her. Senri’s behavior had swung between so many extremes over the journey she had no idea what the Warrior desired.
“Here,” said Senri.
Alina felt warm fingers snake between her own and Senri’s hand squeezed hers. She looked down at their interlocked fingers, heat flooding the back of her neck.
“I thought we could at least play the part.” Senri smiled down at her and Alina’s face heated even more. Her heart beat frantically against her chest.
Alina took a deep breath. “Just play?” She glanced up at Senri and watched her face turn red. She smiled though, making Alina’s breath catch. Perhaps she does want me?
Senri opened and closed her mouth a few times as if she searched for the words.
“Hey, Senri! Who’s that?”
The shout made Alina jump. She almost expected to blink and find herself waking from
a daydream, but everything remained as it was. Senri’s hand stayed in her own. They still walked down a dirt road to Senri’s house. One of her siblings ran forward, or she assumed he was as the little boy waved to them, his loose tunic hanging around his neck and trousers scuffed at the knee. He ran up to them and Senri withdrew her hand, sweeping the boy up in her arms.
“Hey!” She hefted the boy up over her shoulder like a sack of flour. He squealed and banged his fists against the backside of her armor.
“Put me down,” he yelled, causing a clamorous clang with his fists.
“Senri!”
Two other boys stepped out of the house, the same ones who had greeted her. One looked close to Alina’s age. Senri placed her smallest brother down so that her other two could hug her properly.
“Sorry we didn’t stick around earlier,” the tallest one said. “We figured mom wanted you to herself for a little.”
“Yeah, and now she’s going to cry into the food,” said the middle child. “Couldn’t you have waited to come over?”
“Mattus!” Both Senri and the eldest brother spoke at once. They even moved to punch him on the arm, but he side-stepped their blows.
“Senri, who’s that?” The youngest one tugged on Senri’s arm and pointed at Alina. Senri glanced back at her and winked.
“This is someone very important to me, Alina. She is a Warrior I have been training with.”
“Is that what the city-folk call it?” asked the eldest one.
“Ean.” Senri glared at the boy. Alina raised a hand to her mouth to cover the growing smile. “Go on then, introduce yourselves.” Senri stood aside to allow them better access. The smallest boy ran up first and grabbed her hand.
“I’m Garth,” he said, squeezing her fingers in a hard grip.
“Hi, Garth.” He released her fingers and Alina flexed the stiffness out of them.
“Mattus,” said the middle child. He took her hand and cordially kissed the top of it.
Alina laughed. The boy had not even hit puberty. “My pleasure.”
Warrior Page 21