I was almost certain that it wasn’t the first time I’d seen him today.
He frowned and lifted his dagger off of Ellia’s neck. “I wasn’t sure that that would work,” he said. He stepped around her. “What kind of man fights so savagely yet stops to save a woman?”
I felt like laughing but coughed instead thanks to my panting. Why had he thought I was fighting in the first place? Idiot.
Instead of answering I looked at Ellia. She was gasping and swallowing; from the expression on her face I imagined I didn’t look too good.
“Who are you?” The commander asked.
The other soldiers paced the edge in a circle around me—as if they were just waiting for the order to strike again.
“Are you from Shaundakul?” he asked. “Tell me what you’re doing here.” His voice was taut.
I realized that if he was the man I’d seen before in Uldin Keep talking to the goblin Garagos, his main concern would be the secrecy of Akadia’s betrayal. He hadn’t wanted any witnesses.
It hadn’t been my plan to get caught, but now that we were, the best thing for it was to stay alive.
“We saw the fires,” I answered. “We came to see what happened.”
“Where are you from?” he asked. “There are no cities near Uldin Keep.”
“We don’t live in any cities. We’re on our own.”
He relaxed; my answer had obviously pleased him. “Ahh, runaway slaves then?” he guessed.
“Shaundakul has no slaves!” Ellia shouted.
All of the soldiers looked at her.
I made sure that I didn’t, because I knew I wouldn’t be able to keep myself from glaring and that would have only made it worse.
“We’re not slaves,” I said. “We’re just runaways.”
“You fight well for a runaway,” the commander said. He turned back to Ellia. “What’s your name?” he asked.
At first she narrowed, and I had a pretty good feeling that she was going to say something like, “how dare you touch me” so I spoke first.
“It’s—”
“She’ll answer,” he interrupted.
Ellia looked at me. I gave her a fierce expression that said: don’t tell him you’re the princess idiot.
She stuttered something.
“Speak louder,” he commanded.
Her eyes rolled upwards. I wondered how hard it was for her to take orders from someone else. “It’s Padril,” she said. “Ellia Padril.”
“Padril?” the commander tested.
Padril? I repeated in my own head. Old, wrinkly, senile Scholar Padril? That was the best thing she could come up with.
“And who is he?” the commander asked her.
I met her eyes. They started to pool with tears when she said, “He’s Cyric.”
“His full name?”
“Cyric Dracla,” she stuttered.
My shoulders slumped. I felt suddenly deflated. Not because she’d told him who I was; we both knew that didn’t matter. I couldn’t think of why.
“Are you runaways?” the commander asked.
Ellia nodded.
“Then tell me—where did your friend learn to fight?” he asked her.
Ellia bit her lip, staring at me. She had this talent for making you aware of whatever she needed, and right now she was telling me that she was scared and didn’t know what to say.
I felt weak; my body was beginning to rebel against the loss of blood and lack of food.
“Don’t look at him, answer me,” the commander said.
Ellia dropped her head and started crying.
I sensed the blade tucked in my boot. The closest swordsman was four feet from me. The bowmen were paying more attention to the commander and Ellia than me.
“Answer me now,” he said.
I bent down and pulled my knife out, aimed, and threw it at the commander’s unguarded neck.
He swiped his sword up to stop it.
The look that came after it was violent, and I was sure that I wasn’t going to see another day. He made a gesture with his arm. I felt something heavy hit my head, and my world went black.
~ ~ ~
CHAPTER THREE
ELLIA:
*
I screamed as Cyric fell to the forest floor.
Hands reached around my wrists and held me back.
The Akadian who had been commanding the others sheathed his sword and sighed. “I tire of these petty ordeals. Send the girl along with the wagons. Put the boy with the other prisoners.” He regarded me with one last bored glance, then marched off.
Two of the Akadians picked up Cyric and the one that had my hands started dragging me backwards.
“No!” I screamed. “Stop. Release me. Stop it.”
A large one threw Cyric’s entire body over his shoulders. I kicked and dragged my feet. “No. Let me go. Cyric. Cyric!”
A gag wrapped over my mouth.
“Be quiet,” the man pulling me said.
“Such an attitude for a half-dressed stray, aye Larkin,” noted the one beside him.
They pulled me over to a wagon. Cyric was far out of sight.
“Where are we supposed to put her?” asked Larkin. “There’s no room.” He absently tied my hands together behind my back with rope.
“She’s supposed to go with the others, but they left hours ago. We’ll never catch up in this.”
“Not without losing a fine bit of silver.”
“What if we just left her somewhere?” one suggested.
“And disobey the commander?”
“It’s better than losing valuables. What we bring is what we get a share in.”
Larkin finished tying me and dusted his hands off on his tunic. “If that’s true, Kern, there are things I’d rather bring back than silver.” He touched a lock of my hair. I rammed my shoulders into him. “Why you—” Larkin lifted his hand to strike me, but before he got the chance a horse raced by us, kicking up dust with its speed.
Kern called, “ Tobias! Ho, Tobias!”
“What are you doing?” snapped Larkin.
“Just trust me.”
The horse stopped short, majestically flicking its tail as it turned. It was white, with cream hair. The soldier riding it matched it well.
Tern waved them both over. My heart beat heavy.
As they approached the rider held a testing expression, but by the time he reached Kern, his lips broke to a smile. “How goes it men?” he asked.
“Oh, very well, Tobias, very well.” Kern patted the wagon’s side. “We’ve got a nice load to ride into Akadia, as you can see.”
“Who says the goblins got it all,” the horseman laughed. The others joined.
“Are you off to Akadia?” Kern went on.
Tobias nodded. “I’ll sleep in my own bed tonight.”
“I imagine you’ll overtake the refugees on the way.”
Tobias lifted a brow. “Perhaps…?”
“We were hoping you could drop something off for us,” Kern proposed, chuckling a little. He looked to Larkin, who reluctantly shoved me forward.
I almost tripped into the white horse glaring back at Larkin. When I looked up the rider was staring down at me. He wore a very serious expression.
“Who is she?” he asked.
“No one. A stray,” Kern answered. “She was with that boy that caused all the commotion.”
“I didn’t hear about that,” dismissed Tobias.
“She’s to be taken to the other refugees on Lox’s orders, but... as you can see we have a problem with where to put her.”
Tobias sighed. He looked in the direction he’d been riding, his brow narrowing slightly.
Suddenly I was jerked backwards by the rope tied to my hands. “There’s room enough for her,” Larkin said. “Go on, Tobias. We’ll set her in the front. Between Kern and I.” He laughed and put his hand on my back. I jumped forward and turned around, my eyes wide with fear.
The next thing I knew I felt strong arms aroun
d my torso and I was being lifted off the ground. Tobias sat me down in front of him on the saddle.
“I’d be happy to do you the favor, Kern,” he said. “All for the glory of Akadia.”
Without warning, he untied the rope from my wrists and held it out to Larkin. “I don’t think I’ll be needing this.”
“She’ll try to run away,” Larkin countered. “She did before.”
Tobias paused. “Do you have plans to jump back down to where Larkin is?” he asked me. He stretched his hands out so that I was free to move. With a quick glance at the two other soldiers, I stayed perfectly still.
“Looks like we’ll be fine,” Tobias announced. “Put your leg over please,” he told me.
Being accustomed to riding practice in a heavy dress, it was an easy task in the slip.
“See you back home, Kern,” Tobias said. And with a snap of his reigns we were off.
We weren’t a few miles through the forest before I began to contemplate trying to run. The horses gallop was strong and fierce, I could feel its muscles working beneath me. The terrain was in no way level. With my hands free I pulled the gag off my mouth. I thought the rider might make me put it back on, but if he noticed he said nothing, so I threw it away.
Before long the trees began to shrink. It was a strange thing to me. I’d known that the evergreens of Shaundakul were abnormally large, but having grown up with them, anything else seemed wrong. The trees that surrounded us now were not more than a few feet wide at most. And their leaves let most of the morning light through.
At the unnatural sight I began to cry. I’d not found my father. I’d abandoned Kraehe. And most of all I’d lost Cyric, maybe forever. And it was all my fault because I hadn’t listened to him. What would I do if he died?
The wind blew off my tears as they came; I couldn’t lift my hands from the horse to wipe them.
Almost suddenly the trees cleared and a long open plain of pale gold grass, mingled with dirt, stretched ahead of us. The high mountains were all behind us, except for sharp red outlines of more in the far distance. A river wove to our right.
As sharp as the white horse had taken off, it curved towards the river and stopped at its bank. The sky was clear and open above us; the sound of bubbling water filled the air.
Everything else was quiet.
Tobias dropped off the horse. The terror in my chest stilled my tears. He stretched out a hand. With my back straight and my arms on the saddle I looked at him. He held his hand closer.
Taking my time, I swung my leg around and dropped down without his help. My bare feet hit the rocks hard.
“That was foolish,” Tobias said. He bypassed me to take the reins of the white horse and lead it to the water. He rubbed its neck as it drank, his back turned as if he wasn’t worried at all that I would run away. I looked around.
“Are you a citizen of Shaundakul?” he asked. He splashed water in his face.
I hugged my arms. “Y-yes.”
“You’re looking around like you’ve never seen the plains before.”
“My father took me to the city of Karatel once,” I corrected, “But I was very young.”
“Karatel. It is not far from here.” He turned around, shaking water from his hands. “If you know the way, you should go there now,” he said.
He pulled the reign of his horse and steered it towards the plains.
My eyes narrowed. I tried to understand his words.
His boot was in the saddle by the time I found my voice.
“Wait. You’re leaving me here?”
“I wouldn’t put it like that,” he said. “I’m releasing you. You can go wherever you like.” He stretched his hand to the saddle.
“No.” I jerked forward.
He stopped and stared at me.
“I can’t. I have... I must know what happened to the king,” I braved.
His gaze tightened. “The king of Shaundakul?”
I bit my lip; I could almost hear Cyric’s voice in my head, telling me how stupid it was to ask such a question. I ignored it and nodded.
“He’s… dead,” Tobias answered. His tone said he was surprised I could have thought otherwise.
My chest swelled. Tears sprang to my eyes. I turned my head and tried to blink them back. I truly was going to give my identity away, then this Akadian would never let me go. I just didn’t know if I cared. “Where are the prisoners taken?” I demanded.
Tobias gaped at me like I was crazy. “What prisoners?” he asked.
“The men,” I urged. “I was separated from a young man. A soldier. They said they would put him with the other prisoners. Where would he be?”
“It would... depend on when he was captured,” Tobias answered.
“At dawn today.”
“Then he would probably be back at Uldin Keep.”
“And then?” I urged.
He laughed, a smile lingering on his lips. “Girl—you’ve been very lucky to have been sent with me. You should take your freedom now.”
“I cannot leave until I know what’s to become of my friend,” I told him. “If you won’t tell me, you’ll have done me no service in letting me go.”
Tobias slowly lost his smile.
My hands clenched to fists and back in my anxiety. It was a new experience for me to not receive from a man—especially a solider—what I asked of them, and I didn’t enjoy the feeling.
“He will either be killed, or taken to Akadia,” Tobias finally answered.
“To the east?” I asked.
He nodded.
“Which direction is that?” I demanded.
With tight eyes he pointed towards the red mountains.
It was the way we had been headed. I recalled his conversation between Larkin and Kern. “You’re going there,” I said.
“Yes. Because I am an Akadian. The rest of the soldiers will be going there as well. If you have half a goblin’s wit—”
“That’s where the refugees are headed as well?” I interrupted. “Where you were meant to take me?” I took a deep breath, then marched towards the horse. “I thank you for your kindness, but I will go with you to the other hostages.”
He pulled the horse away. “Girl, you can’t be serious.”
“I am.”
“I don’t have to let you,” he said.
I jutted my chin out. “I won’t be dissuaded. If you will not take me now, I will be forced to wait for the other soldiers, and you will be responsible for what happens to me.”
Tobias scoffed. “You’re a real piece of work.”
“I am only loyal to my friend.”
“You won’t be able to help your friend,” he said.
I heard Cyric telling me that I could not go back for Kraehe. Perhaps it was wrong of me to have tried then, when I should have been more concerned for Cyric, but now that he was gone there was no point to keep myself safe.
“I have nothing left to do but try,” I said. “I only ask that you take me to the other hostages as you were ordered. It can be no trouble to you.”
Neither of us spoke—for so long that the white horse swung its head around and whinnied with impatience. Tobias sighed, then held out his hand to assist me up.
“You make your own choice,” he said.
I put my foot in the strap and swung onto the horse. Tobias climbed up in front of me and we set off.
#
The plains flew by for hours. They quickly became less of the spectacle they had been for me, as they never changed. I preferred Shaundakul. I didn’t allow myself to think about my father.
Tobias told me the name of his horse was Fauna, a girl, and I spent much of the journey trying to link with her mind as we were taught to do with dragons.
It was dusk when I first heard the creaking of the wagons. The sky was purplish blue and the ground had begun to turn red, so that the colors accented one another.
Soldiers waved Tobias in as he came up alongside the line. I noticed that very few of the other horses we
re white, which I assumed was why so many soldiers recognized Tobias on sight.
We passed a dozen wagons, some closed, some open, but all full of people. Mostly women, but a few old men and children. I felt a pain in my chest and was renewed afresh in my decision to stay.
“You can still change your mind you know,” Tobias whispered to me.
I didn’t respond.
He must have taken it as answer enough. He hailed the driver of a wagon in the middle of the line.
“Tobias,” the soldier greeted.
Tobias saluted, riding along beside him. “Sergeant Marx.”
The solider laughed. “Come Tobias, we’re beyond such titles.”
“If you say so, Marx. I’ve got a refugee from Shaundakul with me. Do you have room?”
“Another one?” Marx said. He made a face. “I cannot figure what we’ll do with all these people, and why we shouldn’t have left them in their perfectly adequate castle.” He tossed a hand. “Or at least we could have moved some of our people there, instead of letting the stinkin’ greedy goblins destroy the place.”
“Careful Marx. Such talk will get you into trouble.”
He waved a hand. “I’m too old to trouble anyone.”
Tobias smiled and looked back at me. I found myself matching the expression—to find such a companionable opinion in the enemy was confusing.
“So can you take her?” Tobias asked.
“What?” He nodded. “Oh, yes, yes. Just knock on the back. The guard will take her in with the others. Another girl is she?” He grumbled. “Enough of those running about the palace as it is. Distracting the soldiers from their training.”
He went on but Tobias slowed his pace so that we could no longer hear him. We were even with the end of the wagon. It was enclosed, with a door at the back. A line of horses bearing soldiers marched behind it.
Tobias held my hand steady as I jumped from Fauna to the planks of the wagon. One of the horses behind us made a sound and I looked back to see its rider narrowing on me skeptically, probably because I’d just jumped willingly to captivity. Tobias didn’t acknowledge him.
“Your friend is lucky,” he told me.
Fallen Prince Page 3