by Jude Marquez
Evander went to Cade, took the soldier from him and turned to snap at Titus to get the physician but saw that he was already bent over the other soldier, pressing a bandage to his neck.
“Valentine-”
“Yes, sire,” Valentine said and stood. He left the tent quickly.
“Ralph, fetch Gael,” Evander ordered.
Ralph stood and hurried out. He was pale and probably needed the physician himself, but there was only so many of them and Ralph seemed to be one of the few intact.
“Your Highness-” The soldier below him choked. He reached up and Evander clasped his hand and brought it to his own chest. “I am sorry.”
“Nonsense,” Evander said sternly. “You fought bravely, kept the prince safe. There is none braver,” Evander checked him for wounds and felt the broken off bolts in the man’s torso. Evander encountered five before he pulled his hand away and held the soldier’s hands grasped between his own. There was nothing to be done for him and everyone in the tent knew it.
“My name-” The man tried but the blood was bubbling out of his mouth.
“Save your strength, I know your name,” Evander lied. “Rest, now. I have need of you soon.”
The man’s hand tightened and he reached with his other to clasp at Evander’s shoulder. There was a panic there and Evander reached down, curled an arm under the man’s shoulders and pulled him up. The man grasped at him, clutched at him. Evander cradled his against his chest, rocked him as though he were Evander's own child, woken from a nightmare, as the man gasped for air.
“Sh,” Evander whispered. “Brave soldier, none shall be honored like you, none shall be remembered like you.”
The man gasped in his arms and was still.
After a moment, Evander laid him down, closed his eyes.
“What was his name?” Evander asked.
“Aaron,” Cade whispered.
“Gabrien?” Evander asked.
“He had another on his horse. He took him for bandages.”
“How bad was it?” Evander turned to look at his brother. Cade’s hands were shaking, but he was wrapping a bandage around the other soldier’s neck.
“I would have died were it not for Ralph and Gabrien. They had another small force, attacked in the early morning hours and would have been successful. Almost were. I was trussed up like a prized pig when Gabrien found me being slung over a horse. It was chaos.”
Evander put a hand on his shoulder and was sure that Cade didn’t realize there were tears cutting through the blood on his face.
“My men stayed behind to get us out. Aaron and Aiden rode out with us and we ran into another group. They took the worst of it.”
“How many?” Evander asked.
How many did you have to kill?
“I stopped counting after seventeen,” Cade whispered.
Evander nodded and stood. “Our job is not yet through.”
Cade nodded but didn’t look up. “What is our next step?”
“We take a small group and ride south. Thomas has split his forces and rides for the rest of the family, possibly to take them hostage, possibly to force Auelina into marriage-”
“And to be killed a slow and bloody way,” Cade muttered.
“Or possibly to just burn it all to the ground,” Evander finished.
“Who will you leave in charge?” Cade asked.
“Regina Coates and Leanna Baker,” Evander said, deciding quickly. “They will march our forces south, after us.”
“His smaller forces will move faster,” Cade said.
“Wash. We leave within the hour,” Evander ordered when the physician rushed in.
∞∞∞
When Alyx dismounted Langdon’s horse, he stumbled and fell on his back in the dirt. He decided to stay there for a moment and looked up at Langdon as he slid off the horse easily and gracefully and stood over Alyx. His arm was still freely bleeding.
“Are you injured?” Langdon asked.
“I believe so,” Alyx said when he looked over to his arm and watched the blood ooze out into the dirt. His ribs hurt when he breathed. His head ached.
“Will you live?” Langdon continued.
“It will take more than an army to kill me,” Alyx said.
“Will you stand?”
“Not at the moment, no.”
Langdon stood over him and inspected him closely. “It is said that betrothed of the Crown Prince is delicate, with his head in books, children near him, and a dog at his knee. It is also said that this same man was rescued by the Prince from a vicious and spiteful old woman who used to beat him near constantly. The rumors say that the betrothed is a fragile beauty and to be taken care of,” Langdon slid his sword from his belt and knelt over Alyx’s body, the blade to his neck. “You are none of these things.”
“I wouldn't say that I am beautiful although I am not terrible to look at,” Alyx replied and when he swallowed, he felt the blade of the mad man's sword at his neck.
“Rumors mean nothing,” Auelina whispered from behind Langdon, her own sword at the back of his neck.
“Should Prince Evander find out that you put a blade to the man he loves above all else-” Verna said, her crossbow aimed at Langdon's face.
“Then you would beg for death before the hour was over,” Cordelia said, her sword lifting the blade from Alyx’s neck and helping him to his feet.
“Drop your sword,” Verna ordered, a bow and arrow aimed at Langdon’s neck. He did.
“Evander didn’t rescue Alyx,” Auelina said and went around to Langdon’s front, the sword still at his neck. Verna stepped forward and pressed the bolt in her crossbow to Langdon’s chest. “Evander merely gave Alyx a ride to the castle after Alyx killed the old woman herself,” Auelina smiled wickedly. “I don’t think Alyx could be labeled delicate.”
“Oh, but he is beautiful,” Cordelia added and winked at Alyx.
“The women of this family are menaces, all of them. Are we done here?” Alyx asked and brushed himself off.
“I believe so,” Auelina said. She smiled at Langdon. “Should you behave while we are here, I’ll forget this ever happened before I see the Crown Prince next.”
Langdon, unbelievably, winked. “Yes, Your Highness.”
“Come,” Auelina said to Alyx and he went with her, limping, when his ankle protested. She refused to answer his questions, other than to say that everyone was safe and well and word had been sent to Evander of the fact.
Alyx was given a bath and clothes and shown to the dining hall. Gia was there, pouring over documents with a dark haired woman Alyx didn’t know. Gia embraced him and he returned the gesture.
“Do not be so reckless next time,” Gia whispered to him.
“Had I been able to, I would have avoided it, I assure you,” Alyx said. He turned to the dark haired woman. “I am Alyx,” he said and offered her his hand.
“Teresa,” She said and smiled. “You have been kind to us for so many years, it’s nice to finally meet you.”
“If I had any previous knowledge of this place, I would have visited much sooner, believe me,” Alyx said.
Teresa blinked and looked to Gia. “The stories are true.”
“Unfortunately,” Gia replied.
“We have plenty of time for that later,” Alyx said. “Tell me, what’s going on?”
“Thomas has sent small forces, hoping to catch us before we got into the keep,” Gia said.
Geoffrey joined them, sat next to Alyx and shoved a plate of meat and bread at him. “When he failed, we assumed that it was the end of it.”
Alyx did not like the word assumed.
“The Morningstar army marches on us from the east,” Geoffrey said. “Thomas’s forces are gathering to the northwest.”
Alyx grasped a cup near his hand. He wasn’t sure if it was his or not but it was filled with sweet wine and he drank it down and then carefully set the cup next to his plate. It was refilled and then he drank that down. He took a deep breath and w
hen he looked up at Gia, she had Langdon at her side, Ricardus and Elyes close and Aldous coming to join them. Auelina watched from the other side of the room.
“How many in the Morningstar army?” Alyx asked.
“Near eighteen thousand,” Geoffrey said.
“Do we have any kind of number for Thomas’s forces?”
“The small contingent that we have heard of is close to one thousand. His full forces are the on the other side of the Princes,” Aldous said and tapped a map on the other side of the table. Alyx didn’t even look up. In fact, he put his elbows on the table, put his forehead in his hands, and asked his final question.
“How many fighting soldiers are there in the keep?”
“One hundred,” Gia replied.
Chapter Seventeen
“We will be right behind you,” Leanna assured the princes.
“See that you are,” Evander said and swung up into Eros’s saddle.
“Save us a few to kill,” Regina said.
“Hurry, in that case,” Gael said and nodded at her.
As they left the camp, the men shouted words of encouragement, cheered them, and Evander felt a chill, as though these men would be the last he would lead.
If only it were so.
Regan led the way, with Gabrien close behind. Much to their surprise, Ely asked to join the company and knowing that the man was just as invested in their family and had a quick mind, Evander agreed. Ralph stayed close to Evander and Tobey brought up the rear. Gael and Cade stayed near the center of their riding forces. Valentine didn’t bother asking permission, merely joined their parade. Evander found himself filled with a mixture of gratitude and resentment. There were other men, handpicked by Gael and Cade, that rode with them as well. All in all, there were close to forty men in their party.
They rode without flags, under cloaks that kept them hidden. The first night that they camped, they were underneath trees and Evander thought of his time with Alyx, thought of how he wanted to spend nights with him under the stars.
The next morning they rode out after a brief breakfast. “Do you think we could get there any faster?” Evander asked Gael when they stopped for water for the horses.
Gael pulled a map from his bag. He looked over it and opened his mouth, shut it, and then considered the map once more. “I don’t think so,” he finally decided.
Evander scrubbed at his face and growled.
“We will need to get new horses at the next village,” Cade said and patted his own horse’s neck.
“Which will be?” Valentine asked.
“Tomorrow,” Ely said.
“Let’s get on with it,” Evander said and pulled himself up to his horse. The others followed him and they were off at the same punishing pace they had been keeping at since they left their men. Once more they pushed their horses and rode through half the night to reach the next village. Gael managed to talk Evander into stopping for a moment, if just to eat a hot meal before they were off once again.
When they were fed and their horses were traded for fresh ones, or at least their own watered and brushed down, they were off once again.
They encountered their first group just half a day outside the village.
Cade was in front of Evander and Gael and ducked a sword that was swung at his head. Evander gave out a savage yell that was answered by his brothers and his men.
It was the fight that Evander was spoiling for. If a man came close enough to Evander, they did not walk away.
Four of their own men fell, but Evander made sure that none of the ones that attacked survived.
“Three days, yet,” Gael said to Evander.
There was nothing else to say as they forged on.
∞∞∞
“So what say you?” Franco asked when he found Alyx on the battlement, high above everyone else. It was quiet up there and the stars were clear above his head. From this vantage point, he could see Thomas’s army and the lights of the Morningstar army. They were at least two days ride out that Alyx could figure.
“When I thought about dying, I always thought it would be Elewisa on the other end,” Alyx replied thoughtfully. “Not dying in a war between two countries. Let alone dying behind the stone walls of my own keep that I had no knowledge of, guarded personally by the Crown Prince’s royal guard with his mother and sister at my side.”
“Elewisa was the dirty cunt that kept you all these years?” Franco asked and took a drink from the flask at his side.
“She was,” Alyx said.
“Had I known-” Franco said.
Alyx gave him a grim smile and shook his head. “Had you known, it is entirely possible that I would have never met the prince and been without all that he has given me. There is no need to apologize.”
It looked like it was on the tip of his tongue anyway but Franco shook his head. “I just keep thinking about it.”
“Don’t. It doesn’t change anything,” Alyx said, perhaps a little harsher than he intended. But he couldn’t help but be a little jealous of this life that Franco had built here, while he had been locked away in that forsaken house under Elewisa’s rule.
“What do you intend to do?” Franco asked and stepped closer to Alyx.
“I have to defer to Gia and the guards. I know nothing of combat or war,” Alyx said.
“Surely you have thoughts,” Aldous said, entering behind him and Franco. “That quick mind of yours, those numbers, you have to have thought of something.”
“We need help. That’s all I keep thinking,” Alyx replied.
Aldous nodded and stood on Alyx’s other side. Elyes joined them a moment later.
“It’s a good thing I have no desire of privacy, up here, far away from everyone else,” Alyx said.
“It’s a good thing you have a sense of humor. The prince appreciates that in a man,” Elyes said dryly.
Franco handed him the flask.
“There is no way to send word to the Prince?” Alyx asked. “I think he would at least appreciate the effort we made to contact him about our current situation before we are slaughtered.”
“Is there something in particular you have in mind?” Franco asked.
“In an ideal world, I would hide behind Gael and Evander and let them kill everyone,” Alyx said, unflinchingly aware of where he stood. “But as it stands, I have a few things in mind, yes,” he paused. “There are a hundred soldiers inside the walls, but how many people do we have that are able to work?”
Everyone turned to Franco. “Close to four hundred, I imagine,” he said.
Alyx looked to the clearing in front of the keep and asked, “How big is the keep? Where is Josette? How many men can shoot arrows?” He headed for the stairs and down to the hall. “Is there sand available? Oil? Tar?”
“Ninety feet wide by a hundred feet high,” Franco said.
“Josette is with the princess,” Aldous said.
“I have need of her. Can you gather her?” Alyx asked and Aldous left his side.
“Our men are schooled in swords, not arrows. The Prince took most of the archers with him,” Elyes replied.
“There is oil and sand available but no tar,” Franco said and they all ran into the dining hall where Gia sat with Teresa.
“Your Highness, a word?” Alyx asked, huffing and limping towards the queen.
“Of course,” Gia said.
“A map,” Alyx said, looking around. “And Josette. Where is Josette?”
Aldous and Josette arrived just then, sweeping into the hall, Auelina and the other ladies just behind her.
“What is it, Alyx?” Gia asked.
“There is no way we can fight them,” Alyx said and spun the map around so that he and Gia had a clear view. “But we can stall them.”
“For how long?” Elyes asked.
“Until the princes can show up and kill everyone while I hide behind them, as I said earlier,” he paused. “With enough rations, we can hold them off for long enough,” Alyx studied the map. “We
start building trenches. Five, maybe seven parallel in the clearing. Fill them with oil, cover them with straw.”
“Let the army in close, set fire to the trenches,” Elyes said, nodding.
“Should any get close enough, that’s where the sand comes in,” Franco said, catching on just as quickly.
“We must heat it,” Alyx said.
“Brilliant,” Franco nodded.
“But, sir, archers-” Teresa started. “There are none here and I saw none arrive with you.”
Langdon stepped in. “What about the Princess’ ladies? They seemed skilled enough in archery.”
Auelina stood up straighter. “All of my ladies are excellent archers.”
Aldous opened his mouth but Auelina gave him a look and he closed it without saying anything.
“The walls, everything else, we can hold them off,” Alyx said. “We do not need to be helpless.”
Gia put her hand over Alyx’s on the table and squeezed his fingers. “Nor will we be,” she said. She turned to the table at large. “Get ready,” she ordered.
“Sir?” Josette said as everyone else scattered.
“Josette,” Alyx said and tugged her away from the table. Gia drew close to them and they huddled in a corner. “Can you get word to the Prince?”
“Which one?” She asked.
“Evander,” Alyx said. “Can you tell him of our plans?”
Josette nodded.
Alyx paused before he went on, “I need you to go alone. I need you to slip away without anyone noticing.”
Gia and Josette looked at each other. “Do you suspect there is a spy?” Josette asked.
“Other than the people we arrived with, I trust no one,” Alyx murmured. “And should we fail, if there is someone on the inside, I suspect that we might need more help that we have.”
Josette nodded. “I will leave tonight.”
“Do not take any undue risks. If you cannot make it through to them-” Alyx shook his head. “Do not tempt fate. Just come back to us.”
Josette looked down and nodded. “I will make it. I will come back with help, I swear to you.”