by Nathan Roden
A mound of fresh dirt rose above the forest floor. On top of the mound were stones arranged to form the letters S-E-B.
Sir Edmund Braun.
There was nothing Boone, Ben, and Helena could do for Papa. Simon knew it had broken their hearts to leave him this way.
Simon ignored his exhaustion and began to dig into the muddy ground.
When Simon finished burying Papa, there were only minutes of daylight left. He stared to the west. He assumed Jaclyn had descended the mountain in that direction and then continued either west or south. Moving north would take her directly into the path of the kingdom’s army.
But she wouldn’t know that.
Simon flew to the north, keeping the King’s Road on the edge of his vision. The army camp he had seen one night ago was still in place. Simon’s concern was west of that camp on the road that led to the village of Morgenwraithe. He knew Jaclyn would not return there—unless she had no choice.
Simon surveyed the road until he was only miles from the village. He banked to his left.
Boom!
Simon dove for the cover of the trees. He knew that sound all too well.
It was a cannon.
He dove and leveled out, skimming the tops of the trees. He pulled up, long enough to count the cannons being pulled along the King’s Road.
There were four.
The cannons were not accompanied by many soldiers. Simon counted less than two dozen.
Simon flew above the trees to draw their fire. Two more cannons sounded. Simon evaded the cannonballs easily.
He focused on the men. Only two of them were in full uniform.
The sight of one of them made Simon’s blood boil.
Lord Sterling.
Simon showed himself again, drawing fire from the fourth cannon. He dove at the line of cannons, ignoring the volleys of arrows from the other soldiers. He kicked two of the cannons onto their sides. Simon turned in a tight circle and roared.
Sterling backed up two steps. And then he turned to run. But it was too late.
Simon had been willing to trade his life for Dathien’s. He would gladly sacrifice himself to see Lord Sterling dead.
Simon dove, paying no attention to the arrows that pierced his wings. He flinched only slightly when arrows struck his belly. He cared about only one thing.
Simon opened his jaws and blew fire at the man he had loathed for his entire life.
The fire halted two feet away from Sterling and passed him by. Sterling was unharmed.
“Ha, ha, ha, ha!” Sterling cackled.
“The spell protects me! I have become the king! Your magic has no power here, filthy beast!”
“Kill it!” Sterling called to his men. “Kill that evil bastard!”
More soldiers ran toward them from the east. Soldiers in uniform. Simon recognized one of them. It was Captain Raynard.
Simon took to the air.
The air was full of arrows, far too many for Simon to avoid. One struck at the corner of his eye. Others pierced his wings.
Simon heard Sterling’s laugh above the din. It was too much for him to take. Simon saw an abandoned shield lying beneath him. He dove at it.
Simon breathed fire onto the shield. It glowed red. Simon snatched up the shield and flew at Sterling. Sterling ran. Simon kicked Sterling’s legs from under him and Sterling rolled onto his back. He laughed again, like a madman.
Until Simon took hold of the shield and pressed it against the side of Sterling’s head.
Simon was pelted by more arrows, and men bearing swords were closing in.
Simon leapt into the air, his flight hampered by nine arrows caught in his wings. He disappeared over the trees to the south to the sweet sound of Lord Sterling’s screams.
Fifty-Four
Belinda Jacobs limped slightly as she turned the corner near her home. She had been to the market again and carried two large bundles. She had been on her feet almost nonstop for the last four days, and she was forced to do all the shopping. Her “guests” could not be seen in public. Belinda looked forward to a long bath after she tended to King Lucien’s wounds and prepared dinner for him and his ravenous friends.
Most of the damage done to Lucien was internal. The bruises on his body were in full yellow and purple bloom. Belinda worried about these injuries, particularly Lucien’s kidneys. There had been blood in his urine for two days, but it was gone now. Belinda believed Lucien’s youth and physical condition were the only reason he was still alive. The day before, he had insisted on getting out of bed to relieve himself. Belinda objected, but Lucien ordered Brendan and Reese to help him.
Belinda was pleased with Lucien’s recovery. She thought that one day soon she would return from the market to find her house empty.
This day would have been a good time.
Belinda heard the screams. And then the shouts of men.
“Move! Get out of the way!”
Belinda hurried inside. The door to the secret room was open. Brendan and Reese were in the main room, stretching and doing exercises.
“In the cellar! Now! Hurry!” Belinda called. “Someone is coming!”
They lowered the door. Belinda breathed hard while she rolled out the heavy rug.
Moments later, there was pounding on the door.
“Lady Jacobs! You must open the door at once!”
Belinda ran for the door, but the men did not wait. They almost knocked her down.
Captain Raynard and another man dragged Lord Sterling Morgenwraithe through the door. Belinda almost fainted. Between the horrible smell of burned flesh, Lord Sterling’s screams, and her exhaustion, she teetered on her feet. One of the six other soldiers caught her by the arm.
Belinda could not speak. She jabbed her finger toward the apothecary next door.
“There,” she finally managed to say. “Take him….”
The soldier continued to steady Belinda as they moved into the next building. Belinda pointed to the table next to the wall. Raynard and the other soldier helped Sterling onto the table.
Belinda squeezed her eyes shut and tried to clear her mind. First order of business, find the salves and ointments to treat severe burns. Second, get these men out of her home.
Oh, Arthur, Belinda thought, as tears welled in her eyes.
Why have the gods left me here, without you? All I ever wanted was to live and work by your side. I never wanted…
Sterling continued to thrash about as Raynard and the others tried to hold him down.
Raynard looked at Belinda with pleading eyes.
“Please hurry.”
****
Belinda found the items she needed. She hoped Sterling would pass out or knock himself out by thrashing against the table, but that did not happen. That left her no choice.
She held a bottle in her hand.
“You will have to sit him up and force his mouth open.”
Raynard eyed the bottle warily.
“What is that?”
“I cannot treat his wounds with him like this. The pain will become worse before it gets better.”
Raynard pointed to one of his men.
“Give some to him.”
Belinda stepped toward Raynard. She shoved him in the chest.
“I am not a murderer!”
Belinda pointed at Sterling.
“He is a murderer! You are a murderer! And you saw to it that the most gifted healer in the kingdom died for no reason!”
Raynard pinned Sterling’s arms to his sides and sat him up. He and another large man forced Sterling’s mouth open. Belinda poured the sedative down his throat.
Seconds later, Sterling lay still on the table. His eyes remained open, red and swollen. Belinda spent the next fifteen minutes applying medicine to his wounds. She limped to a chair and fell into it.
“How long before we can move him?” Raynard asked.
Belinda glared at him.
“I don’t know. How many victims of war do you think have come here?
The wounds will need to be cleaned—at least daily. The salve will need to be reapplied until the risk of infection has passed. That may take weeks.”
“Weeks?” Raynard said. “That is unacceptable.”
Belinda tossed her hands into the air.
“Then take him and go. How did he get these burns?”
Raynard stared at her.
“You don’t need to know.”
Fifty-Five
“We’re running out of daylight,” Helena said. “We should light a torch while we can still see.”
Boone sighed and sat down on a felled tree. He took the pack from his back and sat it in front of him. He pulled off his boots and wiggled his toes. Ben leaned against his bow.
“I can’t believe a girl ready to give birth could have gotten so far.”
“She’s no ordinary girl,” Helena said.
“I hope you’re right,” Ben said. “These woods are full of wild beasts.”
Boone winced.
“You didn’t have to say that.”
“That’s the kind of thing that will keep us all on our toes—because we’re going to keep looking all night, aren’t we?”
“Of course, we are,” Boone said. He took some dry kindling from his pack and made a small fire with his striker. He held up the striker for Ben to see.
“Lady Jacobs gave me this, not long after I broke into her house.”
“And why not?” Ben said. “You’re charming, even as a thief.”
Boone held a torch in the flames. He stretched and breathed in deeply.
“Let’s go.”
They searched all night, pausing only when they had to. They spoke little, each knowing that the longer Jaclyn remained lost, the less likely that she and her baby would survive.
“Look,” Ben said. “There’s a brook. We need to fill our skins.”
They washed and drank their fill. Boone pulled off his boots and waded into the water.
“Sh!” Helena whispered.
“Did you hear that?”
The sound came again. The sound of twigs snapping.
Ben put a finger to his lips. He notched an arrow and crept toward the trees.
Ben’s bow was knocked aside when the girl collapsed into him.
“By the gods! It’s the queen!” Helena ran to Jaclyn’s side.
“She’s burning with fever—and shaking like a leaf! Water! Bring water!”
Ben took the torch and stuck it into the ground. Boone propped Jaclyn up while Helena took his skin of water.
“She’s unconscious,” Boone said.
Helena patted Jaclyn’s face.
“My queen. My queen, you must wake up. You need to drink.”
Jaclyn’s eyelids fluttered. Her eyes rolled back in her head. Her lips were dry and cracked. She moaned.
“Look!” Ben cried. He pointed into the sky.
“It’s Simon!”
Ben pulled the torch from the ground and waved it in the air.
Simon crashed through the treetops. He saw Jaclyn and crept toward her.
“Is she…?”
Helena poured water across Jaclyn’s lips. Her lips moved and Helena saw her swallow.
“She’s alive, Simon,” Helena whispered. She held one of Jaclyn’s hands. “But she is in trouble—”
Jaclyn spasmed—a small moan escaped her lips. She gripped Helena’s hand, weakly.
“Oh, no,” Helena said. “Her water has broken.”
Helena looked into the other’s faces. Her eyes told of her fear.
“The baby is coming.”
“What can we do?” Boone asked.
“I have never—” Helena said in a muted scream. She breathed in deeply and calmed herself.
“Take whatever clothes you have and soak them in water. We need to stop the fever.”
“I have Simon’s clothes,” Boone said.
“Use them,” Simon and Helena said at the same time.
“If it was one day later, I could help,” Simon said.
“You most certainly can help,” Helena said.
“What can I do?”
“Stay with her. Talk to her.”
Helena waved at Simon to bend down.
“She is in a lot of trouble, Simon. She may—”
Helena put a hand to her mouth and closed her eyes.
“She may…what?” Simon said softly.
“She may need…something to live for.”
Fifty-Six
Belinda woke, stiff and sore. She had fallen asleep in a chair in the corner of the apothecary. She did not do so because of her concern for her latest patient. She dared not give Raynard or his men any reason to enter the main house. Raynard remained in the room. The others stood guard outside, shooing away anyone who came near the property.
Sterling remained unconscious, his breathing slow and shallow. Raynard walked next to him. He lowered his head, listening for the sound of Sterling’s breathing.
Belinda pushed herself to her feet. She pushed her hand against her back, winced, and stretched.
Raynard stepped next to her. He spoke softly.
“You may as well prepare the medicines he will require. I am certain that as soon as Sterling wakes, he will insist on leaving.”
Belinda glared at Raynard.
“Suit yourself. I warned you.”
She began packing a pouch, offering up silent thanks for what Raynard had said.
Sterling began to stir. Raynard called two of the men in from outside.
Sterling pushed at Raynard.
“Get away from me! We’re leaving. Now!”
“You must be careful, My Lord,” Raynard said. “Until the healing takes place—”
Belinda stood between rows of shelves. She waited out of sight while Sterling swore at everything and everyone under the sun.
Belinda gasped when she heard him make reference to a particular cursed flying beast.
Bless you, Simon Morgenwraithe! May the gods praise your name this day!
“We will take our leave, Lady Jacobs,” Raynard said. “You have served the kingdom well.”
Belinda said nothing. She held out the pouch to Raynard.
Two soldiers propped up Sterling. Sterling refused to look at Belinda.
“Tell the others to clear the streets!” Sterling yelled. “No one is to see me like this!”
Raynard followed Sterling. He stopped before he got to the door.
“You mentioned infection,” he looked down at the pouch. “Have you included medicine in case this occurs?”
Belinda pretended she had not thought of it.
“Just a moment,” she said. She turned toward the shelves.
“Healer!” Sterling snapped. “What a convenient mistake! She would cut my throat if she had the chance.”
Belinda picked the bottle from the shelf and shoved it at Raynard’s chest.
“I swore an oath alongside my husband to never harm a living soul,” Belinda spat. “I am not sure he has one.”
Sterling cackled with laughter as they left. The laughter pulled at his wounds and made him scream.
That made Belinda smile.
****
Belinda looked through her front window, long after Sterling and his men were gone. She crossed to the far wall, pulled back the rug, and opened the door to the hidden room.
Brendan climbed the stairs.
“That was Sterling and Raynard, wasn’t it?”
“Yes,” Belinda said.
Reese climbed out as well.
“What happened?”
“Sterling was burned on the side of his head and his shoulder.”
The men blew out long breaths. They peered down the stairs. Lucien struggled to get out of the bed.
“That was close,” Brendan said.
They heard the sounds of struggle as Lucien mounted the ladder.
“We’ll come and get you,” Reese said.
“No. I’ll do it myself,” Lucien said.
Brendan and Reese
looked at Belinda. They shrugged.
“He’ll do it himself,” Brendan said, rolling his eyes.
It took a minute and a half, but Lucien managed to climb the ladder. Sweat poured from his brow.
He sat on the floor at the top of the ladder, breathing heavily.
“That was my uncle.”
“Yes,” Belinda said.
“He was hurt?”
“Burned,” Belinda said. “He’ll be scarred for the rest of his life.”
“Burned?” Lucien said. “Did they say how it happened?”
Belinda thought for a moment. She shook her head.
“We have to go,” Lucien said. “It is too dangerous to remain here.”
“You have suffered internal injuries, Your Grace,” Belinda said. “I cannot determine the severity or how long they will take to heal.”
“We cannot continue to hide here while the fate of the kingdom hangs in the balance. We will leave tonight.”
Darkness settled into the village. Brendan and Reese stole into the night, finding a route out of the village where they would not be seen. They returned thirty minutes later.
Brendan peeked inside the door.
“The way is clear.”
“Give me a few moments,” Lucien said. Brendan nodded and closed the door.
Lucien lowered his eyes.
“I cannot thank you enough, Lady Jacobs. You saved my life when I had nowhere else to turn.”
“Where will you go?” Belinda asked.
Lucien’s eyes remained cast down.
“I have little left to live for, My Lady. Sterling will kill me at his next opportunity.”
Lucien looked up at Belinda, his eyes wet.
“I will find my wife, and our child. They are all I have.”
“You are still a boy, my king. You have had no choice but to do what Sterling demanded—”
Lucien shook his head.
“When history is written, none of that will matter. My reign as king has been nothing more than a dismal failure. Do you know what the reality is, My Lady?”